Ok so I've actually been running for four weeks (it was one month exactly on 4 March!), but in order not to confuse the hell out of myself I've called this post "week 2 of 21", because that's where I'm up to on my half-marathon training plan. Week 1 was last week in which I only did a benchmark run on the Saturday.
Make sense? Not really? Good. Let's move on.
So, let's just go back to the start of the HM training plan, which was sort of halfway through last week. As I explained in my previous post, I switched from the C25K plan to a Garmin coach training plan because I was starting to realise that I would need more than just run/walk intervals to do a half marathon later this year. I'm also probably not aiming for the race in July anymore but we'll talk about that later.
So, once I switched on the Garmin training plan last week I had to do a quick benchmark run so the plan could calculate my workouts for this week.
Saturday - Benchmark run
I could have made this a lot easier on myself had I not decided to head out at 2pm. And decided to run on an asphalt path. It was hot. Thank god it was only 9 minutes long. I had thought I might carry on for a longer run but I canned it as soon as the benchmark part was done. I did shave 25 seconds per km off my pace though, so can't be mad about that.
7:22/km
Monday - Hill repeats
I was a little nervous of this and had to ask a friend where to find a suitable hill. But actually I was pleasantly surprised how easy a workout it was.
I started with cadence drills to work on taking many small steps low to the ground - managed this quite well, followed by accelerator-glider drills which is about smoothly transitioning from a run to a walk and back again - found this quite tricky, and lastly the dreaded hill repeats.
I could have made the hills repeats easier for myself if I'd read my watch properly and seen that the running intervals weren't all uphill. I couldn't figure out why I kept running out of hill and it was only on the last two repeats that I realised every other run was downhill. That made a lot more sense than the way I was doing it. DUH PRUE.
3.8km avg pace 8:30/km (walk breaks)
Wednesday - Long run
The notes for this one say oh so casually, "Run 11.26km at an easy pace". That's great, Coach Jeff, but that's almost double how far I've ever run to date! I was nervous and also yep, a bit excited for the challenge of this one. I kept my expectations very low and planned to set out slow and run for as long as I could before I needed a walk break.
Well... I RAN 10KM. Yes I'm shouting. I've never even run 3km without a walk break. Apparently Coach Jeff does know what he's on about.
The best part is that this happened on my one month anniversary of starting running! Serendipitous.
I guess I found the perfect pace and I kept it up pretty consistently for (almost) the whole run. My mind played a few tricks on me, like at one point my legs felt like lead weights, then my knees hurt for a bit, then my ankles. Nothing persisted though so I just kept going. I definitely should have brought water though, and possibly something sugary because once I hit 10km I also hit an invisible wall and could barely get back to the car. I kept trying to run just a little longer but I was so tired I had nothing left, and I was RAVENOUS. I was also so thirsty I nearly asked a total stranger for a drink of water. I plodded the last 1.5km back to the car probably looking defeated and very red but actually feeling seriously pumped and amazed.
Suddenly the half marathon doesn't look so unachievable!
11.6km (!!) avg pace 8:04/km (no walk breaks!)
Friday - Goal pace repeats
Based on the epic (for me) length of Wednesday's long run, I thought this might be another short session like Monday's. But once I calculated how long it'd take me to do all the various repeats we're looking at about an hour here too.
The run started with some more of Jeff's beloved cadence and acceleration-glider drills before getting into the goal pace repeats. I definitely had some troubling finding and maintaining my goal pace. My watch was buzzing more or less constantly to tell me I was running too fast or slow. I sort of got the hang of it by the last couple of repeats. When I did find my pace I realised it's definitely a sort of sweet spot for me. Any slower and I feel tired and heavy, any faster and I get too puffed.
I did wonder though, whether my goal pace should feel more challenging at this stage of the training plan. I might be able to adjust my goal as the plan progresses, we'll see.
7.5km avg pace 8:19/km (walk breaks)
I mentioned earlier than I'm probably not going to enter the HM race in July. While it's very possible that I could finish the race, I don't want to feel overly pressured in my training to be ready in such a short space of time. Although I've made huge leaps this week, let's not forget I was doing literally no exercise a month ago.
There is a beautiful - and hilly, eek - race in Rotorua in November which looks really appealing, and it means my husband and kids could come too and be able to do some touristy activities in between supporting me at the race.
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