Yeah, those intervals didn’t really go as planned.
Did two “long” ones and I thought I was rubbish. I look now at the numbers and I see I wasn’t that bad, but the seed was planted in my brain.
I died half way through the third one. That is when the swearing and self deprecating started. All in my head because I was so out of breath that I was unable to say a word.
Managed to complete the fourth one. I still thought it was terrible. The numbers tell me now it was a fine effort for a fourth one. In my brain I was starting to pile excuses. Lots of them. I was looking for a reason to quit.
Tried the fifth one anyway, but, again, I died half way through it. Oh my, I was in a bad mood. I had given up again. I was hating myself. What a loser!
Without interruption, after the five “long” intervals, it was time for the “short” ones.
First one felt fine. I attributed it to being such a mentally weak runner and having had the extra recovering of having given up half way through the previous interval.
Second one brought me to reality. I finished it. But it felt hard.
I finished the third one too. It was very hard, but third ones are always very hard.
I was hesitant on the fourth one. I was so terrified of not finishing it that I think I started a bit conservative. And, of course, that was exactly what I needed to finish it.
That was it. Whenever I have a set of five intervals I know I’ll finish it if I finish the fourth one. In fact I believe my fifth one was my fastest.
I say “I believe” because the “short” intervals are only 250m long, Strava doesn’t allow for segments that short, and I don’t bother marking the segments on my watch. Who cares anyway?
All I cared about was that I was happy again. Yes, my performance felt a bit shit on the long intervals but I had finished the short ones. Add to it that I wasn’t feeling that tired, it was sunny and warm. I was so happy that the only reason I didn’t put my arms up in the air is because the park was full of dog walkers and I was pretty sure some of them were neighbours and suddenly I worried about what they would think of me.
I felt so well that I decided to go for a Kingston Bridge - Hampton Court loop.
That is 15 extra kilometres, but I figured that if I run easy it would be fine.
And it was fine.
So much so that as I was running by the river I was thinking that I was close to believing that 15km at 5:30min/km was a recovery run.
That belief didn’t hold. By the time I got to Hampton Court, 20km into the run, I started to feel tired, the silly optimism took a step back and I was just looking to end the run as dignifiedly as possible.
And I did.
I can’t claim that I attacked the hill, but going up Ditton hill I felt just fine. Kept the pace, heart rate went up, passed the hill without slowing down. What a way of finishing the run.
I was happy again. In love with myself again. Optimistic again.
Still fearing next intervals session though.
The run in Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/16320102743/
Take care of yourself
