Push yourself on your runs it will make all the difference in the longterm

I have done 2 runs since my last blog the first was on Saturday. I went on a 5k run round the Knowle and train station, I tried to push it to test myself but as usual I went off to fast. I also didn't wait long enough after my lunch so I felt 2st heavier. I did the first km in just over 4 mins and then they get slower and slower, I manage to do the 5km in just over 25.30 mins which wasn't too bad. The last km was a killer thou and I really had to push myself but once I had got home I felt better for it. On this run I used my Endomondo App as I had set up a route on there website previously for this run, so all I had to do was follow it. I had done this to try and stop the GPS problems I get when running through trees. It did seem to help and when looking at the map afterwards there wasn't that many discrepancies. I have a route planned out on the website for the 10km run to cannon hall, and after the 5km run I'm happy that it will work well for the 10km run to Cannon hall.

My second run was last night which I normally do with Rob and newbie Luke but had to do it on my own this week. Luke was on a business trip down London Town and Rob was running late and wouldn't be home till 7pm. This would usually be a problem but the missus was going out at 7 to the Black Bull pub to hangout with the national pub quiz champions. Sound cool yeah, well they were taking on a celebrity master team of a couple of Eggheads and the scary lady from ITVs The Chase.
So with all that going on I managed to get out on a run at 6pm with a hour to run. I decided to use my Endomondo App again and see if I could do 10km and push myself. The last time I did 10km I did it in just under 1 hour, which would be perfect for getting back home so Sarah-Jane can go out. Off I went on our usual Monday route, and I was just past the Black bull when my App told me I had done 1km. Now I knew I hadn't done 1km yet and especially as it said I had done it in 2.30mins. So in a bit of a strop I turned it off and turned on the Nike App instead whilst still running. This meant that I was running in miles not Km so I had to workout how far to run to complete 10km, I knew that 10km was 6.22 miles. But I had to work out how far I had run up until I turned on the Nike App, so when I completed my first lap I would look at the distance. So when I reach the same point that I started the App I can look again and work out distance. I turned out to be easier than that, as I reached the end of lap 1 the App told me I had done 1 mile, and then when I reached the point where I turned the app on it buzzed again saying I had done 1.5 miles. So I knew I had to add an extra half mile to my run or minus it, having to run and do maths in my head was a little strange. Eventually I came to the conclusion that I had to run till my Nike App was showing 5.72 miles then just add the 2 times together to get my 10km time. By this time I was on lap 3 and my pace was good I was doing an average of 8.20 per mile which would easily see me home in time. I was now on lap 4 and was still on a good pace and had worked out in my head that I would reach the end of the lap around my target distance. As I got the end of the lap I was on 5.60 miles so I carried on round the Knowle till I reached 5.72 but as I was under an hour I carried on round the Knowle until I had done 6.22 on my Nike app. I did this so I had a complete 10km run time on the App so I didn't have add runs together.

I arrived home at 6.58 which didn't give Sarah-Jane long to get to the Pub but she managed it and had a great time there too. Whilst she was at the pub I worked out how far and how long I had been, and It turns out that I had done 10.8km which is the same distance that were doing on the run to Cannon Hall. I also did it in just over 56 mins which I think is brilliant, I did 10km in just over 53 mins which is nearly 7 mins faster than the first 10km I did. I really pushed myself on the run and this morning I do ache quite a bit more than usual but it will be worth it in the Long term, and mentally I know what I can do for next time.

With less than 2 weeks to the Cannon Hall farm run the number of practise runs are dropping. So every run we get now has to matter so the Thursday run is gonna be important and so is next Mondays run. If I manage to get out and run when I usually do then there is only 4 more runs to build up the 10km tolerance.


Early weather forecasts look ok for the run too which would be good, not for us but for the family that are coming to cheers us across the "Finish Line". I'm keeping an eye on this and will keep you updated in case you want to come and watch too.

Don't forget you can keep up to date with our progress by following my blog or following me on twitter by clicking here and clicking follow.

Thanks and Keep running.