Park Loop in a even faster time of 19:08

Yesterday was my fastest time for over 2 years, however, today I managed to run faster still, taking another 10 seconds off of that time, thereby completing the Park Loop in a time of 19:08.

Using my split time calcuator that I wrote in Excel, I have been analysing my slowest parts of the course. This has allowed me to maintain my focus over those poorer split parts of my run and for me to push that little bit harder rather than allowing myself to drop off into a slower pace. This has definitely helped to improve my times... albeit hard work!


Metric

4.45km in 19:08
13.95 km/h
4:18 per km


Imperial

2.77 miles in 19:08
8.67 mph
6:55 per mile


Workrate

294 kcals, 162 HRavg, 174 HRmax
Exercise Light: 00:01:00, Moderate: 00:04:10, Hard: 00:13:58

Park Loop in 19:18 - best time for over 2 years!

Today, I ran the Park Loop and completed it in a time of 19:18, my best time for two years and one day (to be precise!).

Although I was putting in the effort and in fact it hurt a bit whilst running down the 800 metre Pewterspear Garden Path near the end of the run, overall I felt both mentally and physically good - even at the end which was pleasing.


Metric

4.45km in 19:18
13.83 km/h
4:20 per km


Imperial

2.77 miles in 19:18
8.60 mph
6:59 per mile


Workrate

292 kcals, 161 HRavg, 173 HRmax
Exercise Light: 00:00:40, Moderate: 00:07:12, Hard: 00:11:25

Park Loop in 19:46

My leg muscles were better today although still a little tight... but much improved.

However for this reason, I was pleased with my sub-20 time of 19:46.


Metric

4.45km in 19:46
13.69 km/h
4:23 per km


Imperial

2.77 miles in 19:46
8.39 mph
7:12 per mile


Workrate

288 kcals, 159 HRavg, 177 HRmax
Exercise Light: 00:01:26, Moderate: 00:08:10, Hard: 00:10:10

Park Loop Recovery Run

My leg muscles were really tight today... which meant that I could mentally run but unfortunately could not physcially run that well.

So, this was a recovery run in a easy time of 21:08. Still time on feet as they say.


Metric

4.45km in 21:08
12.63 km/h
4:45 per km


Imperial

2.77 miles in 21:08
7.85 mph
7:39 per mile


Workrate

282 kcals,150 HRavg, 158 HRmax

Exercise Light: 00:05:34, Moderate: 00:15:33, Hard: 00:00:00

Park Loop in 19:25

I ran the Park Loop again today without any intention of "going for it", especially considering that it was a warm sunny day.

However, for some strange reason, I was going well and ended up completing the 4.45km distance in a time of 19:25, which is my best time for almost two years!


Metric Stats

4.45km in 19:25
13.75 km/h
4:22 per km


Imperial Stats

2.77 miles in 19:25
8.54 mph
7:01 per mile

Park Loop Recovery Run

Today, I ran the Park Loop at a steady recovery run pace, considering that only yesterday that I ran my referees fitness test. I could still feel my legs!


Metric Stats

4.45km in 22:02
12.12 km/h
4:57 per km


Imperial Stats

2.77 miles in 22:02
7.53 mph
7:58 per mile

Park Loop in 20:40

Park Loop in 20:40.


Metric Stats

4.45km in 20:40
12.92 km/h
4:39 per km



Imperial Stats

2.77 miles in 20:40
8:03 mph
7:28 per mile

Park Loop

Fitness Stats

Start Time: 2:16 pm
Distance: 4.45 km
Duration: 22:00

Speed: 12.14 km/h
Pace: 4:57 per km

+345 kcals, 164 HRavg, 181 HRmax

Park Loop

Fitness Stats

Start Time: 12:44 pm
Distance: 4.45 km
Duration: 21:41

Speed: 12.31 km/h
Pace: 4:52 per km

+352 kcals, 166 HRavg, 176 HRmax

Park Loop

Fitness Stats

Start Time: 2:53 pm
Distance: 4.45 km
Duration: 20:24

Speed: 13.09 km/h
Pace: 4:35 per km

+353 kcals, 172 HRavg, 181 HRmax

Park Loop

Fitness Stats

Start Time: 2:05 pm
Distance: 4.45 km
Duration: 20:26

Speed: 13.07 km/h
Pace: 4:36 per km

+385 kcals, 178 HRavg, 181 HRmax

Park Loop with John

King Street Old Roman Road (800m to go...)
Registered Public Right of Way

Today, John met me for a run around the Park Loop.

We both initially ran together at a comfortable 12.5km-ish chatting pace and continued at that general pace until there was only 800 metres to go. At this point I checked my watch and realised that at the current pace, I would be well outside 21 minutes, so picked up the pace in order to try and gain a sub 21 time.

With 400 metres to go I began to seriously sprint and my HRmax began to increase from 173 upwards, reaching its new HRmax of 181 for this year. I completed the Park Loop in a time of 20:46.

John had run 13km just yesterday in windy conditions, so you cannot blame him for feeling tired; for him this was a recovery run.


Fitness Stats

Start Time: 12:53 pm
Distance: 4.45 km
Duration: 20:46

Speed: 12.86 km/h
Pace: 4:40 per km

334 kcals, 166 HRavg, 181 HRmax

MP3: None - Chat with John instead.

A tired Park Loop

The Dingle Path

off Cann Lane

Negatives

I felt mentally tired and certainly not in the mood for running today and when I got running I also felt physcially tired too. It was basically hard work today for whatever reason.

Also at the 200m mark, I also went over on some wet mushy leaves and at 1.3km a dog on a long lead ran at me and I had to give it a wide birth off the path into the very heavy boggy muddy grass bank. Then with just 300m to go two people walking side-by-side made very little effort to move out of the way and gave me very little room to get by, followed by another owner and another dog just 30m ahead that caused me some problems too. Then with just 50m to go a car drove out of the Stretton Road car park and stopped directly in front of me to give way to traffic on Stretton Road. I was forced to run around it again almost slipping over for the second time on some mud.

My slow time today for all of the above reasons was 21:22.


Positives

Despite the way I felt, I still ran so had some more "time on feet" rather than doing nothing at all. This means that I have still exercised on every single weekday in 2008. So, not all bad news.


Fitness Stats

Start Time: 2:33 pm
Distance: 4.45 km
Duration: 21:22

Speed: 12.50 km/h
Pace: 4:48 per km

296 kcals, 153 HRavg, 164 HRmax


MP3: Katie Melua - Pictures

Park Loop at a comfortable pace

Green Lane (2km mark)

I did not fancy blasting it today - so I didn't. Instead I ran at a comfortable pace up until the final 800 metres where I did pick up the pace in order to sneak inside 21 minutes.


Fitness Stats

Start Time: 1:22 pm
Distance: 4.45 km
Duration: 20:58

Speed: 12.73 km/h
Pace: 4:43 per km

310 kcals, 160 HRavg, 173 HRmax


MP3: Mika (Continued...)

Clockwise

The Pewterspear Garden Path
Registered Public Right of Way

Considering that I was not in the mood today, I did not want to place myself under any undue pressure to further improve on yesterday's 19:59 time, so I decided to run the Park Loop in the opposite direction (which is clockwise).

For some strange unknown reason, the clockwise version of this obviously same distance run has always consistently provided on average slower times for both John and I.

So, with the pressure off, I simply ran at a reasonably quick, but all the same comfortable and consistent pace for the entire distance. I was, therefore, quite pleased with my time of 20:13, considering my state of mind before I set out, that I was not really ‘going for it’, and also due to the fact that I had run the usually slower clockwise circuit.


Fitness Stats

Start Time: 2:19 pm
Distance: 4.45 km
Duration: 20:13

Speed: 13.21 km/h
Pace: 4:33 per km

320 kcals, 165 HRavg, 173 HRmax

MP3: Gwen Stafani, "Love Angel Music Baby" (Continued...)

Bubble Pop Electric

The Second Kissing Gate (1.2km mark)

Today, I ran the Park Loop with Gwen Stefani who helped me complete my first sub 7-minute mile of 2008 with a time of 6:40 (which includes the negotiation of three individual kissing gates enroute to the first mile). This was an improvement of 23 seconds at this point as compared to yesterday.

I did however later pay for that fast start whilst running down the Pewterspear Garden Path, which is about one mile from the end.

Again, I believe that it was only Gwen's "Bubble Pop Electric" track that kept me going, otherwise I think that I would have probably wasted all or most of that 23 second advantage earned in the very first mile. However I instead kept going...

As it turns out, I managed to beat yesterday's time by 18 seconds, although that last mile did hurt a bit. The pain was kind-a worth it as I finished the Park Loop in my first sub-20 time of the year with a time of 19:59 - Just!


Fitness Stats

Start Time: 2:34 pm
Distance: 4.45 km
Duration: 19:59

Speed: 13.36 km/h
Pace: 4:29 per km

330 kcals, 168 HRavg, 178 HRmax


MP3: Gwen Stafani, "Love Angel Music Baby"

Improving Times...

King Street Old Roman Road

Registered Public Right of Way

I ran the Park Loop again in order to accurately monitor my back to fitness progress and I managed to trim yet another 37 seconds off Friday's time.


Improvement Log:

Wednesday 2nd Jan: 21:47
Thursday 3rd Jan: 21:07 (-40 secs, -40 secs)
Friday 4th Jan: 21:00 (-7 secs, -47 secs)
Today: 20:17 (-37 secs, -1:24 mins)

It is getting more difficult now though...


Fitness Stats

Start Time: 2:23 pm
Distance: 4.45 km
Duration: 20:17

Speed: 13.16 km/h
Pace: 4:33 per km

329 kcals, 167 HRavg, 176 HRmax


MP3

None... I accidently forgot to take it with me to the gym, which is exactly where I was when I suddenly remembered I'd left it at work.

Park Loop yet again

The Green Lane Pillars

I again ran the Park Loop, trimming another 7 seconds off yesterday's time.

My HRavg today was 170 (93%), so I was working hard for my current fitness level. I hope that my usual quicker times with less effort will soon be back once again. It's all in the training I suppose.

Stealing an idea from John, I plan to maintain my accumulated statistics for 2008 (In the right-hand frame underneath "About Me").


Fitness Stats

Start Time: 1:46 pm
Distance: 4.45 km
Duration: 21:00

Speed: 12.71 km/h
Pace: 4:43 per km

358 kcals, 170 HRavg, 178 HRmax


MP3: Katie Melua - Pictures

I was going to listen to Gwen Stefani - "Love Angel Music Baby" (due to the fast beat rate of most tracks), but I had accidently copy protected the CD whilst ripping into Windows Media Player. So Syncing it to my MP3 player meant I would soon find out that it would not work - just prior to setting off for my run!

Post run, I have re-ripped the CD without copy protection and it now works correctly - oh well, next time! Still another listen to Katie...

A little faster Park Loop

The Oak Walkway Wooden Bridge Crossing

Another Park Loop, albeit 40 seconds faster today on an even colder day than yesterday.

I'm certainly getting used to my MP3 player now - how did I do without it before? Listened to the remainder of Katie Melua's Pictures.


Fitness Stats

Start Time: 2:52 pm
Distance: 4.45 km
Duration: 21:07

Speed: 12.64 km/h
Pace: 4:45 per km

346 kcals, 167 HRavg, 178 HRmax

A cold Park Loop

The Oak Walkway

I ran the Park Loop listening to Katie Melua's Pictures Album on my new Technika 2Gb MP3 Player. The MP3 player was a Christmas present.

I now need to train hard as my fitness level has dropped and I definitely need to get it back. So, today was simply putting in some time running at a comfortable pace in the very fresh conditions. Once I get my fitness level back, I'll then pick up the pace once again.

My training schedule has been very mixed lately due to a knee and back injury. I've also managed to pick up more than my usual number of colds which have also lasted much longer too. My workload has increased, making lunchtime training that little more difficult.

For these and other reasons, I have not been blogging the runs that I actually did... however in 2008 I plan to change all that once again and begin to record my training once again.


Fitness Stats

Start Time: 1:21 pm
Distance: 4.45 km
Duration: 21:47

Speed: 12.26 km/h
Pace: 4:54 per km

343 kcals, 165 HRavg, 174 HRmax