Mile Test

Thanks Lori and Jason for the encouraging words! I'm planning on taking ten days/2 weeks out to recuperate a bit, do some general running with Kath, my wife, and enjoy the freedom of running without the HRM and GPS keeping me under surveillance... and then I'll launch into Phase 2 when the days will be a bit longer and the trails, maybe, a bit drier. I'm limited to road running at the moment on this drowning island and I'd like some variety.

Anyway, the mile test. This wasn't at the Roger Bannister track, that's for next time (and, as you'll see, I want to repeat this test), it was where I did the original test back in October when I started Phase 1. University Parks, Oxford, a beautiful circuit of a really lovely public park. 6'20" I recorded then, though it was without the GPS so I had suspicions at the time that it wasn't a full mile....

Now one of the joys of Phase 1 is that I deliberately haven't set any targets, haven't entered any races, I didn't want to build up a whole load of hope and excitement and expectation, and then get injured - that used to happen a lot. I just wanted to enjoy the running and the process of training and improving. But, I did have one small goal...

...which was to go under 6 minutes (before Lori gets there!). I've no idea how realistic it is to knock 20 seconds off a mile time after 12 weeks of training, but I was significantly lighter and had made significant progress with form. Plus I was hitting 5'30" pace easily on the 30 second speed ups, and topping 4'20" pace on the sprints (aside: amazed that people can go at sub 4' pace for a mile! and 5' pace for 26 miles!). 

I formulated a strategy. Go off at 6' pace, or close to, and blitz the last minute with my killer 5' sprint! Ahem. Did the warm-up - felt OK - did the speed ups - felt OK. And then set out.... Almost immediately hit 5'45" pace - yikes! way too fast! dial it back! quickly reined it in to 6'05" pace - perfect! 5 minutes of this and then accelerate! It felt fine, relaxed, smooth, easy... but suddenly, and with no conscious move on my part, I was down to 6'20" and stuck there. Try as I might, I couldn't change gear, couldn't shift the pace. It was very odd. Aerobically, I felt great, really strong, much better than I had felt 12 weeks ago - but my legs just weren't doing it. I tried everything - relax, run tall, don't overstride, kneedrivekneedrivekneedrive, dammit, throttle jammed at 6'20". And in the last 20 seconds it all fell away...

Final time, 6'18". I lay on my back in the wet grass and laughed at myself for being so ridiculously over-ambitious. But, and this is why I'm glad I ran it at the same place, my original mile was not a mile. It was at least 10 seconds short of a mile. So I did improve! Yay! Maybe by around 12 seconds. Of course, I've been running all my SPZ sessions too fast! Oh well, they were loads of fun.

And so was the program. Looking forward to the next one. Can I blitz another 18 seconds off the mile? Impossible? That's cool.

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Comments

  • Me too Paul... I've found that a mantra of Paper, Coffee, Pancakes is fantastic for fending of those strong urges to train early on a Sunday morning. However when the urge to train is very strong I find that I have to modify the mantra to,.... Paper, FRESH Coffee, WARM Pancakes.

    And it works every time!!!

  • Been thinking about mantras. "Tall, strong, relaxed," is great for the long runs. "  "Salad, coffee, lentils," works for the training diet! One for Phase 2...? Hmmm. Let me get back to you on that!

  • Paul fantastic blog, you should be proud of your achevement!!

    Another 18 seconds of your mile not impossible at all, remember what you believe is your reality, if you believe you can, you will.

  • Have someone pace you

  • I couldn't help but snicker...I too was flat on my back after my last 6 ' 20 something mile test...A good sign that we gave our all! My next mile test is coming up next week...EEEK! will keep you posted! We may be battling eachother all year for the coveted "sub 6 min mi"
  • Love the goal, as this will help your speed ability across the spectrum.

    Phase 2 will really help, so read Chapter 8 a few times over and over to work on the cool impossible goal mindset, and then let us know your mantra for your test goal.

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