Date: Wednesday 26th November 8:30pm
Distance: 5.00 km
Time: 22:11
Pace: 4:26 min/km
Description: Well, aren’t I a bit of a dumbass!
Guy from my running club, who also works in my building at work, (and who’s also doing the Hamburg Marathon) posted about sub20 PBs from yesterday’s Aztec Fast 5k. Two years I’ve been living 2mins away from Aztec West, lots of companies I know, but I’ve never been there.
I’ve had my rest day yesterday, but after a long day at work I’m exhausted. However, I have to make the most of my time. I have to be faster. And I have to make the most of the non-shit weather. Cool and misty, but not cold and raining! So I get in, force myself to change, and head out wearing a high-viz top. I need a nice flat, well lit, quiet place to train on winter evenings…so I go explore this Aztec West.
Wow! Dumbass! This place is PERFECT! One warm up lap around the loop on the inner footpath. It’s much better lit than a Little Stoke or Scotts Park at this time of night, it feels a lot safer (some fairly important businesses are based here with security), there’s almost no traffic this late, I never had to stop for a car when crossing junctions. And it’s got a strange tranquility about it. Only three laps round and I have a 5k in the bag, as opposed to 10 laps for Scotts. I can see myself coming here every other evening 🙂 I’m sure it won’t be too long before I’m sub21. Over the winter weeks I’m sure I’ll get that down to sub20. Maybe at Jan Fast 5k race?
As for the run, it started well, but tailed off. I guess I’m just too tired, missed lunch today. But I think what I need to focus on is breathing and cardio. My breath is still labored, so my heart rate is still obviously quite high. So even though it wasn’t my fastest time, off by a minute, I was still pushing pretty damn hard, it wasn’t a jog, and my heart and lungs were having a good workout. More of this, and they’ll get used to this and I can push harder for longer!
After the run I feel mentally good. Physically, I wanna throw up, curl up in a warm cocoon of cotton wool or paper shreds. Mentally, I’ve got my run in. My legs have been flexed, my heart and lungs have been worked out. I’ve found the perfect winter evening training ground, all I need to find is 30mins to fit it in. There’s nothing to stop me doing that every other day or more. It’s just up to me!
So why am I dragging my sorry ass out the door again right after I’ve finally made it in after work? Because I want two things: i) I want to run Olympus, I want to run Green Man, I want to see how far, how high I can run. And ii) I want to be faster. Recently I’ve seen a load of people I know achieving sub20 5ks. I believe I can do that. I damn well KNOW that I can, given enough effort and time. What I once thought was a weakness, is actually a strength. I’ve unlocked a fire and a drive that I never thought I posessed. These results fan the flames. I’m fucking well gonna be sub20. I’m DAMN fucking well not gonna be a #2 runner forever!
ONE LABOURED BREATH, ONE CALF CONTRACTION AT A TIME, I’M GONNA MAKE THIS HAPPEN. (Just effin’ watch me!)
And once the adrenaline wore off…as a further bonus, I get back to an email with the Portsmouth Coastal Marathon entry list. Looks like there’s a decent Southville contingent going on the 21st December! And one of my best running buddies is due to defect to SRC in the New Year. Come on Green Army! Hopefully I’ll be seeing more Southvillers up this way in future!
Running up that Hill 