I have set myself a goal of running 10k on 15th December 2024, therefore this week I am following a training plan. Today’s plan is Zone 4 Fast Finish Run! It’s not as bad as I originally thought it would be..
5 minutes in Zone 1
15 minutes in Zone 2
5 minutes Critical Velocity. (Zone 4-5)
25 minutes in total.
I wasn’t really in the mood for running today as I had a bit of a bad day at work but I told myself you can’t put off the first day on a plan as it would only set myself up to fail. Don’t get me wrong.. I understand that I will need to listen to my body if I am unwell or injured but this isn’t the case so I just need to have a little chat with myself and get on with it.
Jorge was supportive as ever… whilst I headed out the door to run on the treadmill, he prepped and cooked dinner for me. Mind you, he did originally tell me not to run and just chill at home but I knew I would feel better after my run.
And we are off….. 5 minutes in Zone 1 flew by and soon enough I stopped thinking about work and was present in the moment. Focusing on my running, breathing, how hard my heart was beating.
15 minutes in Zone 2… this was so easy. Again, I resisted the temptation to go faster. Remember what the focus of the session is…. it is all about the Fast Finish!! This Zone 2 segment is the ‘vegetable’ that earns me the ‘dessert’ of the Fast Finish and I earn it by holding myself back!!
BOOOMM dessert time…. I get to increase the speed.. it makes sense as there is no way at this stage will I be able to maintain this speed for long periods of time. The aim is to run at a pace that I could sustain for 30 minutes and fall towards the low end of Zone 4.
I am not sure how accurate my watch is but it said I completed 1.54 miles. Unfortunately I did take a photo of the treadmill display but it was all blurry and I couldn’t read the numbers and I had forgotten what it had said before I realised I couldn’t rely upon the photo. But hey it doesn’t matter the aim was to run for 25 minutes in total within the set HR Zones. I am behind the expected average pace as it says I was supposed to run 15.01 min/miles but my average was 16.20. I believe I can run faster but this was increase my HR into the next zone. The good thing about following this training plan I would figure out the different types of training and zones/pace etc plus I will be fitter for the start of the marathon training programme so it is a win win.
