Train to Run #5

So much to share, my head may burst...where do I start...

My light, but not easy week 5 was a shock to the system! It started with the 30 NTC Squat Party workout on the Tuesday after a rest day Monday; it's been so long since I did a NTC workout entirely for me that this was a killer...felt mainly the day after as opposed to during the workout! Wednesday I woke up sore, so waited till lunchtime to do my 4km run / walk (2 min run / 1 min walk). My shins were so tight especially when walking which made this light session really difficult. Speaking to Coach G made me realise that this was all down to footwear. The previous week, I ran in shoes with less structure and support; this week I was back to my asics and needed to readjust my technique to suit. When you run your heel has to touch the ground (briefly may I add!), your knee locks and then your heel lifts; when wearing the frees, I didn't have to lift my heel as high...back in the asics, I did, meaning that my Tibialis Anterior muscle got tight making it difficult to run let alone walk! I guess this highlights the importance of breaking in shoes?!...to have time adjust to them before race day. NOTED.

I repeated the 4km interval session on the Thursday, along with a one hour stretch class in the evening at Frame Shoreditch. Over the last few weeks, having not had access to a yoga class, I have realised how much yoga did for me. A rest day on Friday, in my opinion, was now well deserved!

Saturday morning, and I'm hitting Regents Park to teach the NTC Train2Run class usually taken by Coach G. This particular week though, he is off delivering a specialist clinic all about running and the POSE Technique. The actual pose which underpins this technique reminds me of a flamingo. Standing on one leg (heel on ground but with weight in ball of foot), with a bent knee, glutes contracted, opposite ankle positioned by knee of standing leg with a full body lean forward...this is the basis of good running technique (see picture).

Pose position

Coach G tells me to "perform this balance each morning and evening for 1 minute on each leg"..."this way, the form will become second nature when running".

The Regents Park ladies making it count :)

After teaching, I stayed behind to complete my track session: 1km easy run, 6 x 60-80m sprints, 1km easy run. A huge thanks to all the ladies that stayed behind with me to do my first km and sprints! Having others to run with always seems to make me up my game! My first 1km was 5:59...fast for me!

Saturday at the track

My final run for the week was a 5km tempo run on Sunday. It took a lot of self talk to get out of bed at 8am and drag myself these 5km....but I did it! Coach G tells me that "the mind is a powerful tool...you need to train it just as hard as your body".

Sundays 5km tempo run

So, what's keeping me going at the moment is the gradual improvement over the last few weeks. I can feel my pace steadily increasing which makes me excited for the end result! How is your training going?! What's next in your training plan?!

...My week 6 schedule looks like this: 1. 3km speed set, 2. 5km (2 min run / 1min walk), 3. Sunday 8km tempo run. Stay tuned for updates...

Elle ;) x