10k or 12 mile?
Ever since I realised that someone I had been calling Tim “Joss” with a hard “J”, actually pronounced his name Tim “Yoss”, I can’t think of my blog without muttering, “not a yogger”. I don’t think I’m a yogger. It does sound like fun though – perhaps involving a yomp through a Danone factory.
Yesterday I yogged a series of 6 km intervals at 10k pace, with recovery periods of half the time. For ease of adding up I went for 4min 20 secs at 10k pace, 2mins 10 secs recovery (6mins 30 secs per set). I ran around Regent’s Park so don’t really know whether I stuck to the pace, however I did note the start and finish locations of my third interval and using mapmyrun I can tell you that it was 1.06km, so that’s pretty damn close.
Having had a fairly hard week last week, including a hefty run on Sunday, my legs were seriously feeling the pain. In total contrast to Sunday, when I felt like my legs were writing cheques my lungs could happily cash, yesterday my whole system was overdrawn and bankruptcy felt imminent at the end of each fast km.
To spin out this spurious metaphor, I have a dilemma for this Sunday: do I keep withdrawing cash from the bank of the “Ryan Hall Training Plan“, and get both a 6 mile tempo run and a 12 mile run under my belt this week, or should I keep the money in the bank and save it up for a Regent’s Park 10k on Sunday morning?
I have free entry to the race, which is the only reason I’m feeling guilty for pulling out, if I’m honest. I’m really enjoying the training plan and don’t want to miss out on this week’s sessions, which I’d have to do if wanted to prepare properly for a race. Also, I don’t want to have to get up early on Sunday morning. I think the 12 miles is just edging ahead…
Not a Jogger 
Now I am going to be thinking to myself tonight – am I yogging? or running? sigh.. Thanks for that.
If you have a free run lined up, I wouldn’t knock it off the list. If you feel you haven’t done enough – go for another run afterwords. You can get your workout that way, without feeling guilty. Don’t change the rest of your week – just that day.
Of course, you won’t run your best that way – but it can be a different sort of experience for you.
Thanks Robinson – you’ve hit on the nub of the issue, which is that I’m too competitive and can’t knowingly allow myself to run a race in which I might do badly! As I’m 35 and have been running for 15 years, I need to get over that if I’m going to keep racing – the peak is nigh…
I think regardless of level, that is a challenge alot of us face. I am also 35 years, coming back from an injury and surgery. To NOT push myself to where I want to be, compared to where I should be (due to circumstances) – its not always a fight I win. Somehow we need to learn to change our perspective, and there by increase our opportunities. But that is bordering on to philisophical for a running discussion..
“perhaps involving a yomp through a Danone factory” – love it!