I think I need a Garmin

Whilst I was doing my 'favourite hill run' on Monday, Coach Steph was sending out our first training email .......

My first reaction when I read it ......... oh no I'd forgotten about strides!

Yes, two of the three runs involved strides ........ but still it could be worse, we could be doing hill sprints!!! (Ha ha they're probably on next week's menu!)

So there's no time like the present to get out training, however, which one to go for?
Well I learnt my lesson before, never go for the easy option first, you never know what may happen during the week.
Strides then!

Yes, but which run? There are two with strides. Oh ok, the perceived hard one then!

The plan was to get the OBOAB* out again with the dodgy stopwatch, shouting times at me,  however this is where the plan starts to go down hill!

Normally when I run the OB*, walks the dogs, who travel in the back of the van to our start point.

So far so good, but we don't have a vehicle bike rack. This means that Tilly, Jess, and the bike would have to travel together. Not so good! The last time they travelled with company was to Parkrun in August with the apple press that we were lending to someone and when it went flying I suddenly had a collie on my lap in the front seat digging its claws in for two miles.

Leave them behind said the OB!

Not fair said I!

The dogs came and the bike stayed at home.

So on Tuesday morning I set off from Petrockstowe station on the Tarka Trail (TT) with the stop watch in one hand and a bit of paper with my instructions in the other, along with the bird on my phone in my back pocket....... Well I only have two hands and I have previous for forgetting the training plan.
Funnily enough I've never run on this bit of the TT before and only walked it a couple of times but it is flat and stone free so ideal for sprints and running hard.

I ran the ten minute warm up and then straight into 5x20sec strides with 40 secs recovery in between. Now  I thought this would either kill me or I'd mess up trying to look at the stop watch but actually it all went according to plan. Next was 2 x 1k repeats at hard but constant pace. Mmmmmmm The bird on the phone is doing miles, is in my back pocket and my hands are full!
No probs  ....... it's  .62 miles (I googled it)  ok so this is where it all goes to pot as I'm rubbish at maths and so did a Sarah mathematical  equation. I ran hard for five minutes with one minute recovery and then repeated it. As per my bit of paper I then did 2 x 10 strides with 40 secs recovery and five minute cool down and ended up back at the station almost to the second (hooray my maths works)!!!!

But ...... I think I need a Garmin!

On Thursday we were back at Petrockstowe station for the second strides session, but with the OB and woofers going the opposite way as Jess doesn't seem to like this part of the TT.

Armed again with the stop watch and run notes I set of on the warm up.........

It was almost text book other than the bird in my pocket announcing that I'd run the first mile in 8.32 mins ........... yeah right love, in my dreams!!

 Oh and  my doing an extra set of strides as I lost count/got confused with the time. (I know, I'm hopeless) I did manage to put the notes in my pocket after that and run as planned and although obviously the bird on my phone can't be trusted it looks like I was sub 10 min/miles.

I think I need a Garmin!

The third run this week was to be a 30 minute one, thinking about form, cadence and stride.

 Parkrun then!

What a soggy run this was ....... too wet to take my phone so I had no idea of how I was doing. During the third mile Shirley ran with me and said 'shall we do some strides?' Do you know what? There's no getting away from strides in this running lark!!!!

The great thing about Parkrun is everyone hangs around at the end chatting and cheering the other runners in and despite the rain, today was no exception. During one of the conversations about the winding hill to the finish I mentioned that it always makes me feel like I'm going to be sick and lose my bowels at the same time ....... seems I'm not the only one!! What a relief to hear others thought they were the only ones too!!,


On the way home the OB said ' Do we need to get you a Garmin?'

'Yes, I'm hoping Father Christmas will bring me one!' I replied!

I think he's on the case .....

*OBOAB - Old bloke on a bike
*OB - Old bloke
*TT - Tarka Trail