fast, fast, slow

Well training over this past week has been pretty good.  Following on from the start of this blog (and possibly still with high levels of oxygen in my blood from being at altitude), I ran a cracking run with Katy, my training buddy (you can read her blog here, she's training for a sprint tri so a totally different aim to me, but we run well together). 5 miles in 50 minutes, 10 minute miles.  Given that I had run the same route 2 weeks previously, in 55 minutes, I was really pleased with this time!  I know its not that fast for some, but if I could make that my marathon race pace I would be a very happy runner.
The following day I set out for a 10 mile run.  Having previously made the mistake of running based on time alone (and coming in with a much lower mileage than I had planned), this time I plotted the route out first.  Again, another excellent run.  Despite the constant drizzle, I made it round in 1 hour 50 mins, making that 11 minute miles (which I could certainly live with as a marathon race pace!).  I'm enjoying the long runs, which I wasn't too sure about as I do them alone (with only my walkman for company), but once I get into them I do lots of thinking about "stuff" and enjoy some me time.  Plus I am exploring areas of Norwich I have never been to before which is really interesting (as I enjoy nothing more than nosing at other people's houses).
There was no circuits for me this week, as a work trip meant I was in Cambridge all day on Monday.  The training programme I'm following allows for an easy jog or rest on Mondays, which I always take as circuit training, so a day off is not a problem.  Today was my efforts session, where I am always the slowest of the group.  I excelled myself today, however, not managing to keep up with a single other member of the group the entire way round.  2 mins tempo plus 1 min rest, 10 times, over 5km (3miles) I was exhausted by the end!  I also felt a little frustrated, as I was beginning to believe the efforts were making a difference, and to feel so slow was irritating.  However, I calculated that I averaged 9min 20sec miles, and I walked some of the recovery sections, maybe it wasn't so bad after all!  We shall see how I get on with my longer runs at the end of the week.  Hopefully the good pace I managed last week can be sustained (and if not there is always next week.....)