New programme, one week in….

So I’m now on the 10k intermediate level training programme.  The 10k basic finished with no major problems, however I didn’t take it too seriously and therefore didn’t get as much out of it as I maybe should have.  However, it did get me running regularly again and running in Free’s.

Good thing was that the rest weeks between programmes coincided nicely with a Covent Garden run club challenge, so resting up was never part of the plan.

Now logging around 23 miles a week, which breaks down into a short 2/3 miles, a couple of 10ks and then a longer weekend run.

Pace isn’t what I would be aiming for, with longer distances over 10k clocking in around 9:20 per mile mark. However, I view the fact I have 6 months to go until Run to the Beat, should mean that I am able to make some decent improvements.

Having looked at last years (2011) runs, it was only by August that I was hitting a pace under 9 minute miles over 10k distances. So I could take the view that I’ve got time on my side here. However, no way I’m going to let complacency kick in.  Failure to prepare is preparing to fail.

Hoping that some hill runs on the longer distances, I always start with the Purley Way incline, and sticking to a smiliar route will give me a benchmark to work with.  Hoping that adding in some planks and pushups to help improve core strength will pay dividends over time.

Been really impressed recently by the Nike+ Maps website, which hopefully is a sign of things to come with the new Nike running site.

I’d only been using it to see the GPS mapping of my runs, however scrolling down page the other day, I spotted an “All-time run down” which shows some positive stats for comparison.

Think the one stat that I liked most was that my pace has improved 43% since my first run.

However, the same graph that provides that comparison does appear to show a bit of a plateau on pacing. So perhaps it’s no improvement because of longer distances, but either way I need to give myself a bit of a boot in getting that graph in an upwards direction again.

 Hopefully the screen grab is readable.

Final point for me to make is that as well as entering the Run to the Beat again, I’m also going for the British 10k on 8th July.  Looks like the route same as the Olympic marathon, however they complete 4 and a bit laps to my one :-)

Sponsorship pages for this years running coming soon.

Anyways, got to get home. Another time perhaps

RunOwl

#B2H