It's hard to recover when running uphill

Wow, do I ever have some sharp eyed readers! The only person who didn't get it was poor X, who is relegated to Google Reader. Not only does she have to deal with not living in Canada, and a looming dissertation, she has to (or chooses to) read blogs on Google reader. Life is tough.

So it's true. I've been nibbling at the idea of doing another half marathon this year. Cath pointed the Fernie one out to me, and it's been growing on me. So I finally signed up. I would eventually like to run a full marathon as it's own thing, and not as the tail end of an already long day. But baby steps first - so get another half done. That explains the run focus this year.

Some people that shall remain nameless are trying to persuade me to sign up for the Vegas RnR marathon in December, but there is a 4:5 hr cutoff time. By December I might, maybe able to do a marathon, possibly, but I can't see doing it in that time. Maybe next year I'll do a Terry Fox marathon.

During tonight's run I experimented with running faster, aiming for the top end of comfortable breathing, for three 5 minute intervals. I started with some stretching and limbering up, then walked 5 minutes. It took about 15 minutes of gradually increasing run speed to start feeling comfortable. The first 5 minute bit had the good fortune to start and end at good landmarks, as did the third. So the numbers are: .89 K which is a 5:37/K pace, and .81 K which is a 6:10 pace. I'd known the third wasn't as hard as the first, and in fact I was thinking I was slacking a bit, but it started shortly after the climb out of Fish Creek.

My second interval ended just after starting that climb, and I tell you, it's hard to bring your breathing and heart rate back down when running up a hill. Total actual running distance was 7.75 K in 52 minutes (6:42 pace) and I ran easy another 8 minutes to make it an hour, and walked a bit more. Then stretched.

Overall the run felt pretty good. The first interval was probably a bit fast, it felt like about a 5 K pace, at best. I don't think I could do that for 10 K. But the last one felt pretty good. I could have kept going. Can I keep going for a half marathon at that pace? I don't know. But I'll find out in a few weeks.