Push it..push it real good!

Wednesday 24th February

I was at work early for a conference today so I got up an set off walking. It was alovely fresh morning and the sun was starting its slow arc into the sky. The light shone beautifully across the channel as I crossed the bridge and silhouetted the industrial landscape to create a great photo opportunity:

View from Walney across the channel.

Joanne had a really broken nights sleep so her Mum was taking Oliver to school today so I didn't have to worry about that. The conference went really well and I had a busy day at work. I finished about 4pm and walked home. All the while, I was working out my plan for tonight's run. Abigail, Oliver's carer has him every Wednesday until 6.30pm so I could get out guilt free and not have to worry. I checked on Joanne, got changed and set out for some much needed speed work.

 I find speed work is such an important part of my training. it gets me used to the pain of running. Its not a cut or bruised sort of pain (well it depends where you run!) its the pain of exhaustion and pushing every part of your body until it is screaming at you to stop. Its bloody great! I feel its like therapy for me sometimes, letting me express my inner feelings. If I've had a bad day and I'm angry or upset its a brilliant outlet. Pure, visceral and exhilarating.

Its not that I'm not a masochist or anything, well actually maybe I am when it comes to running. I find it a very addictive sensation to fight my body and push it over and over again, reaching deep inside my will to squeeze everything out. Once the adrenaline kicks in, its like a drug through my veins pumping me full of power and em...fury. Yes fury's a good word for it as I seem to attack these runs like a man possessed. Perhaps that's why I can run fast (ish), Fast distance running is partly about shutting out the pain. As you get faster, the pain doesn't get any less or easier, you just get used to it.

After my run I did some core strength work and made tea just as Oliver came in. I played with him for a while after tea and after he went to bed I sat and wrote this blog :)

Running: 1 mile slow warm up / 3.1 miles (5k) 19:04 mins / 6.08 min miles / 2.89 mile warm down jog
After a slow meander down to the prom, I set my garmin and took off. I wasnt sure how this run was going to be, Id ran a 21 min 5k  the other day so I thought Id push for a 20 min 5k. I really wanted a benchmark pace to work from so I could do some speed work from in the next few weeks.

I glanced at my watch after a minute of running, I was moving at 5:40 min per mile pace and way too quick. I consciously slowed my body down to just over 6 min mile pace and relaxed into the fast pace. I started to breath hard after about 3/4 mile as my heart rate started to max out. It was great, feeling like this again, I love to push myself to my absolute extreme and then keep going. I concentrated on my breathing and slowed it down, keeping my cadence high with a good knee lift to give me pace. I looked straight ahead, picked a point in front of me and kept pushing. Mile 1 beeped 6:16 min. Good, i thought lets keep pushing it. I felt my body lift and I accelerated again, my body started it usual grumbling but I completely shut it out, ignoring its shouts. I came down the lane, breathing heavily but in full control.

My 5k route takes me onto the beach path and there is a half mile of off road to take into consideration. I hit the sandy path at full whack waiting for mile 2 to beep its arrival, it didn't come and I realized I cant have heard it. My Ipod was on with some beat heavy tunes on, pulsating in my head, helping my mind to forget about the pain. 13 minutes had gone and just over 2 miles distance covered. I dug deep into my resolve and sped on, I started to tire but hung onto the pace knowing the end would be soon.

From somewhere within I mustered some more speed and I was flying. Mile 3 beeped which left only 100 yards, I put it all into it, every bit of energy I had left. The countdown continues 3.01miles, 3.02 and so on. Hang on Lee, I thought, Hand on, nearly there. I didnt have much left as I hit the 3.1mile mark and slower to a walk and stopped my watch timer.

19.04, not my quickest by a long shot, but its much much quicker than I had hoped for. I was totally knackered but the endorphin's created from the run made me feel awesome. I picked my feet up and plodded down the beach path for a gentle warm down and made my way home covering another 3 miles in the process. At home I did some core exercises and tried out my new pull up bar and managed more chin ups than I expected. What a great run and its given me loads of confidence to carry forward. I feel like I'm getting stronger and fitter ever day, so far the training is going really well.

Food Diary

Breakfast: 
Nutribullet - Spinach, Avocado, Sugar Snap Peas, Pineapple, Cashew Nuts, Root Ginger

Lunch:
Smoked Mackerel Salad with Quinoa, beetroot and Avocado

Piri Piri Smoked Mackerel Salad

Dinner:
Oven Roasted Salmon fillet with stuffed pepper (stuffed with GF Maize Couscous,feta cheese, olives and pine nuts) , broccoli and chili spinach

Salmon with Stuffed Pepper and Veg with a drizzle of watercress sauce

Snacks
Apple, Banana, flapjack, nuts and seeds, banana fruit bar

Drinks
Bottled water and coffee. Ovaltine before bed.