Tuesday 10 June 2008

I [heart] intervals

I love interval training, I really do. It appeals to my competitive nature, and if I'm honest it gives me time to rest my lazy butt! I went out for the first Key Run #1 on my new half marathon training plan this morning - 12x400 (well, quarter miles). Target time: 2:30. Actual times: 2:15/2:30/2:49/2:49/2:40/2:21/2:14/2:25/2:45/2:25/2:59/2:15 - average 2:32. Pretty good, I'd say - but I did take some extra rest in there.

I didn't set out with any particular route in mind, just up the road. At some point I saw the sign for the New River path and decided to take it up through Haringey. A little dodgy in some places because I couldn't see much in front of me, but I felt safe since I was basically running behind people's back yards, though I have to admit I was thinking about Jog Blog's discussion of dodgy-looking men on the path and whether she'll be attacked or not. The path was really overgrown but it was so nice not to be running on concrete I didn't mind the thorny bushes attacking me. I seem to have missed the path when it crossed the road, because then I was back on the concrete pavements sucking diesel fumes. But I did not get lost even though I have never run in this particular area before (yay me) and maintained enough internal geography to be heading back home at the right time to hit Finsbury Park with one interval left to run and then just over a mile home to cool down.

Does anyone else think about food while running? I was kicking myself for not putting a pot of coffee on before I left, and planning my breakfast (toast with peanut butter, which I did not get because I didn't get to the work kitchen before they put the toaster away for the day, and a latte which I did finally get at 11:30) and snacks (deciding that the mid-afternoon desire for a chocolate bar means I need to have a yogurt and some fruit then, but I still didn't go to the supermarket before work to get them) and realising there's tons of fruit in my kitchen that really needs to be eaten up before it goes off and generally making myself hungry.

3 comments:

lifestudent said...

I think about two things when running: 1) running itself 2) food. During my long runs traing for the marathon last year, we would spend the last few miles discussing what we were going to eat after the run. It would get really specific ... bacon or turkey bacon? regular or silver-dollar pancakes?
I think it was what we needed to motivate ourselves to complete the distance :)

Joe said...

Always think of food. I also think about baseball and music(I run with an iPod).

Unknown said...

Found your blog through the queen of blogging http://www.jog-blog.co.uk/

But yes, food thoughts while running are common. It's worse if you run home from work, past all the fast food joints. I shouldn't crave it while being all healthy, but do.