#blogjune Post 23 - Step by Step

I'm having difficulties getting my Garmin to connect to my PC via USB this morning and I'm wondering if this is an indication of how my day is going to be.

I started the day off tired and knew that the 12km hilly run was going to be a struggle.  I even changed the route around a bit to shock the legs a bit as they are getting used to our usual 12km hilly run.  Then my running buddy and I spent a fair bit of brain power working out our new turn around.  I suppose it distracted us a bit.  We were both tired so the run started bad and I can't say it got better.  Struggle street all the way but we got it done!

I'm beginning to question my 20km run planned around the Park2Park course (as we are doing a fleeting visit to Ipswich this weekend).  If the hills killed me today - they will most likely not be pretty on Saturday!

Garmin has finally connected - the day is good once more!

One of my friends from my time in Emerald has tagged me on Facebook to post my favourite songs from the 90's over the next 7 days.  I was then debating if it should be the songs I liked then or the 90's songs I like now.  I've decided to mix it up a bit.

Today's song is: Step by Step by New Kids on the Block.  They were my favourite group for most of the 90's.

However, looking back now there are a lot of songs from the 90's I didn't like but like now.  They might just show up in my Facebook posts.

Happy Thursday everyone!

#blogjune Post 7 - I hate speedwork

Ok, I dislike speedwork.  Hate is too strong a word.  And I do feel good after a speed work session so I can't say I hate it.  Perhaps I hate it when I'm doing it but I don't hate it so much I won't do it.

This morning I was out at 5.30am in the dark with my friend I call Speedy Emily.  She has been one of my running companions for about a year.  Emily has been kind enough to do most of my training sessions with me even when she is not training for anything.  She joined me on my long long runs I did leading up to the Warwick Pentath-Run and she even did most of the speed work sessions with me.

Previously, I have done speed work when training for other races, but usually interspersed with a regular run.  I had never done a whole session of speed work on a track or distance repeats at effort.  This was until I got my coach through GaleForce Running.  Now pretty much every week I will have a speed session.

I'm not a fast runner.  I detest going out of my comfort zone.  But since incorporating speed sessions into my training, I have seen the results and I'm not "happy" to do them.

Today's session involved a 2km warm up, then 6 x 1km repeats (at effort - I like how Chris my coach never really specifies a pace, but I know he wants me to push it a bit) with a 3 minute walk break at the end of each rep, then a 2km warm down.

With only a headlamp to guide us, Emily and I set off.  The first rep you always (well I do) go out too fast.  You learn to respect just how far 1km is when you are going at an effort pace.  Not a sprint but an effort you should be able to maintain for a km.  This is the trick of these sessions.  To try to maintain the same pace over a particular distance each rep.  By the end of the session I felt myself slowing down, but surprisingly when I looked at my Garmin watch, we'd kept a pretty consistent pace throughout.

Without Emily, I'd probably give up and walk.  It helps to have someone else suffer with you!

Speed session done and it was light by then.  Home to have a shower and warm oats.  Yep I feel good for getting that done - Thursday it is a 10km hilly run!  Training for the Ipswich Park2Park is in full swing!