“How long should you try for? Until.” – Jim Rohn
I don’t like to chase the pace in intervals, I like to be out in front of it. There’s something about being slower than I need to be and having that pressure of speeding up that I don’t like. It feeds into an idea that I can’t do it. That it’s not possible. I’d much rather start out hot and allow myself to slow down to the pace. It’s my safety net. So I don’t feel like I’m failing.
On Monday, I had one of those sessions where I knew I probably wasn’t ready after being sick for a week, but I also didn’t want it hanging over my head for the rest of the week either. Rip it off like a Band-Aid. How bad could it be.
The workout was 10 x 2:00 at 4:27 pace with 1:00 recoveries. 4:27 is a lot slower than what I’d normally be capable of. At a push I could manage 4:12. So it’s supposed to be a pretty comfortable session to wake up the legs in preparation for Sunday.
But concepts of ‘easy’ and ‘comfortable’ don’t really apply when you’ve been horrendously sick for a week. But worse than being sick was just not having eaten enough. It’s easy to under-estimate the cumulative effect of all of that not eating. Something that became glaringly obvious during the Crossfit session before I’d even started the intervals.
On double up days I usually would wait to have post-workout until after the run was finished, but I decided I needed the extra fuelling before the run.
You have to believe that it’s possible. Sometimes this means quirks in behaviour. Like going somewhere flat so it will be easier. Or having your post-workout before you go. Or wearing your special socks.
“Fail Again. Fail Better.”
The first one I had to fight with my legs to show up. 4:18.
Decided to walk the recoveries which was an excellent decision.
The second one started to feel better. 4:21.
I felt the work in the third one. 4:26.
Found some speed in the fourth. 4:17.
Fought my way up the hill for the fifth. 4:25.
I hate the middle reps. 4:24.
Ten seems like a lot of reps. 4:23.
Couldn’t hold unto the pace. 4:31.
More uphill, but close to the end. 4:32.
One last dash to finish. 4:22.
It felt okay. It felt harder than it should have. It felt good to be capable of it, even when I wasn’t at full capacity.
“Never trust your fears. They don’t know your strength.”
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