My blogging has definitely become less frequent than it used to, and I’m fine with that. Life is happening and life is good.
(I’m quite active, for my shame, on Instagram @AnnaTheAppleBlog and Twitter @AnnaTheApple88, if you’re interested in more regular updates!)
That said, I do feel the urge to do a post on my running. It’s been a little mental. I don’t feel like I’ve stopped marathon training since last summer. I did Goodwood in September, New York in November, Portsmouth Coastal in December, Barcelona in March and then Manchester in April.
Don’t get me wrong, I love marathons and I feel SO thankful that I’ve been able to run so many with barely any injury issues. However, I do feel like it’s probably right to have a bit of a break from the super long stuff.
I’ve got the Southampton Half Marathon in a couple of weeks which will be a nice change. And I think I’ll maybe push the pace a little. This scares me greatly. I much prefer to be using a half marathon as a long run for a marathon build-up – maybe add a few extra miles onto it and plod it out. But racing it? This gives me a lot of anxiety. But that said, I do need to push myself occasionally. Now is the time.
And on the subject of pushing myself: speedwork. Yes I need to get back into it. It’s no surprise to anyone that I quit Southampton Athletics because it really wasn’t for me. They’re lovely people and it was a fantastic experience to train properly on the track but realistic the effort to get there and the focus on shorter distances wasn’t for me.
However, I AM going to try and do speedwork moire frequently, either on my own or with Hedge End Running Club (my first claim club and a club I thoroughly love being a member of). In fact, I did my first (solo) speed session for a few months on Tuesday.
I did a mile warm-up followed by 10 x 1 minute sprints, with 1 minute rest (light jogging) in between. My pace for the sprints was between 5:38-6 min/miles, which I’m quite happy with. I do have a way to go though as last year I was running a lot faster for these sorts of intervals. But it’s a marker in the sand.
It was tough and I had that horrible burning lungs, can’t breathe kind of feelings. The ones I never get during a marathon… but I felt so alive at the end and so accomplished.
I’m quite excited actually to be focusing on things like this. It’s a change for me (though just while I have some “down time” from marathon training). I still have a (trail) marathon booked for July and Chicago in October (I AM SO EXCITED) of course, but for now this is a nice change up.
If I don’t get any PB’s as a result, that’s OK too. I’m not really in this for that. It doesn’t help that I’m really happy with my current PB’s and the desire to beat them doesn’t feel worth the changes I’d have to make. I’m very much, enjoy life first and work hard second.
For me to get to smashing PB’s I’d have to change the way I run. Running would become Serious Business. Whereas I just love going out for a run and seeing what happens, seeing how I feel, rather than being dictated by my watch or a training guide. That’s not for me.
Running is very important to me but it’s not everything. My self-worth does not depend on my running. My happiness does not depend on the outcome of my running. Running makes me happy, of course, and it’s so good for my mental and physical health, but PB’s do not define me, PB’s do not show how good my running is. But that’s just me 😉
So a bit more speed to be added, no marathons for a few months… but still the usual waffle!
Do you enjoy speed training?
What is your favourite thing about running?
What’s your next race?
I love, love, love speedwork sessions. But only on my own. I find it too stressful running as part of a group at running club for speedwork. There’s something really satisfying about hitting paces I’d never normally run yet being able to maintain them over a set distance though.
Which trail marathon is it you are running?
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I don’t really do any speedwork training. I don’t really feel like I’m ready for it yet? I’d like to be able to run 10k before focussing on speed I think.
My next race is the Breakfast Club 10k and then Romsey!
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Very good sentiments. Sounds like you are in a *very* healthy place with how you view your running 👍
Regarding my mix of running, when I’m into it I prefer to go longer (in my case it’s beyond half marathon but not doing actual 26mile races!) rather than faster because I am a bit, well, lazy. Longer runs are usually really pleasurable for most of them, only the last bit is a struggle. While speedwork is painful from the beginning!
Doing parkrun is really beneficial for me then because that’s the only time I push myself…
Oh my goodness me I didn’t quite realise how many marathons you’ve run in the space of a year!
I’ve enjoyed speed training when I’ve done it as a club session (it would vary from week to week, so sometimes it would be a general run, sometimes long, sometimes intervals), but the club night has changed so I can’t go any more. It’s something I think I should do, like intervals up hills, but when it comes around to it I’m tired after work so I just have a nice run instead. But then I’m okay with that.
I’ve got the Bristol 10k on Sunday and I don’t think I’ve signed up to any more races? Maybe I’ve signed up to the Brighton 10k in November?
Good luck on Sunday!
I think this is exactly why you always run so well- you have a relaxed attitude about it. I love seeing the joy that running brings you.
Speed training is a love/hate thing for me. Pushing hard in the moment is tough, but I feel so good afterwards and love the difference it makes to my running. My own speedwork ended up taking a back seat in the Alston’s couple of months so this is a great remainder for me to get back to it again too.
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I admire your work ethics, keep going forward and thanks for sharing this with us
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