Boot up the arse

Sometimes all we need is a big boot up the arse.

In my case it was Evil Coach Darth Jim making sure I didn't hoy in the towel half way through a session on the new road at the end of January.  It was a tough one, and I was struggling, I told him I was spent, but he made me finish it off (to be fair at that point I though I'd been finished off already), but it actually got me to my fastest rep of the session.

4 x 1500m - 7:18 7:11 7:22, and the final one 7:10

This, followed up by a tough session on the track, cross country, another tough session (5 x 1000) in Hebburn park, I thought I had absolutely nothing left in the tank for the track on the 6th of Feb.  

Then he pulls this gem out of the bag: 3000m, 2000m 1000m.  I was ready to vomit after the first 3000, but kept the pace going for the 2000m.  quick nip to the loo, then the 1000m done.  Toughest track we've done in a while.

3000m - 14:00 (7:27/mi)
2000m - 9:30 (7:27/mi)
1000m - 4:51 (7:46/mi)

Working on that pace I should in theory be able to run 23:30 for 5k, but the last time I'd cracked 23:30 was June 2018

Plus, the furthest I'd ran flat out at that pace was 2 miles.  So on the Saturday I though I'd have a bash at seeing if I could maintain the pace over 2 miles at Riverside, then see how much longer I could go before I blew up.

Got a pretty decent start, not too far from the front, steady away picking off folks on the way round.  Passed through the two mile mark ok, but felt the wheels coming off on the bottom path alongside the river on the final lap (around 2.7 miles).  Got into a bit of a battle with a bloke being dragged round by a spaniel.  To be honest it was only the thought of trying to finish before the dog that got me over the line without being sick.

Absolutely delighted with the time - 23:21, and first time I've nipped over 70% age grading in a long time!

Had nothing left in my legs for xc on the Sunday - which turned out to be cancelled due to the weather conditions - car park flooded.  Heather dragged me round an "easy" 4 miler, up past the Angel of the North and down through Longacre Wood, which was like a swamp in places.  To be honest I'm not sure how I would have fared at Thornley so I was relieved in some way.

Looking forward to an easy-ish week (with the rearranged Thornley XC and the Royal Signals Relays on this weekend)

Nice start on Wood Terrace tonight
6 x 600. 3:08 2:57 2:53 2:44 2:46 2:47 (7:30ish/mi)

Solid start to the year - long may it continue!