The three runs challenge by michael_h

Yesterday I was scheduled for a tempo run, 5 miles in total with 3 miles @ 8:27 minute mile pace. It was pretty cold so it was time to don the running tights for the first time together with gloves and beanie ... well at least I looked the part!

After a good warm-up mile run at 9:35 pace, I upped the tempo. At this point I was running into the wind and soon I was heading up "Waitrose" hill. I'm really finding it difficult judging pace in the dark - I'm used to glancing at my watch every few strides and I just can't do that at night - so I tend to go too hard on these sessions. My splits for the first two tempo miles were 8:18 and 8:08 - too fast, almost speedwork pace - and the third was only marginally slower at 8:31. Then, my November jinx struck again as mid-way through the final warm-down mile I felt the lower calf on my right leg tighten (right leg again...). I eventually finished the 5 miles in 44:39.

I again wore my HRM with these splits for the 5 miles:

Mile 1: Average 145, Max 163

Mile 2: Average 171, Max 176

Mile 3: Average 172, Max 177

Mile 4: Average 172, Max 177

Mile 5: Average 166, Max 174

It'll be interesting to see what my rates will look like when I do a real speedwork session...those rates seem to back up my feeling that I'm running my tempo sessions too hard.

The calf isn't too bad today, I can walk on it OK but it's a bit sore and tight going up/down stairs. November's not been a good month what with blisters, the numb toe/twinges in my foot, and now the calf. I can't help but feel that since I've been running at night I've been running my sessions too hard. My night time course is quite hilly yet I seem to be attacking it as if it were flat. Being dark makes it harder to judge the uneveness of the ground as well as judging pace. It's been much colder too - maybe I can't expect to train quite as well when I'm much more wrapped up. In hindsight, I think I should have taken things a bit easier until I was more used to the change in conditions ... and that's what I'll aim to do once the calf is fully recovered.

Enjoy your running!