Half an hour of pain

I did my first fun run in about 5 years yesterday.

I wasn't sure how I'd go, I definitely have not been training at all for a run, I've been doing alot of strength and endurance training though, including RPM so I thought that might help.

Before the run

I was hoping to run 6 minute km. I figure over 5km, and without training, and with my family telling me about this 'insane hill that goes forever' that I was going to have to run up - I figured 6min per km was a pretty good time!

I ran for about 1.6km when my GPS cut through my music in my headphones and told me '1.6km done, time 9.blah minutes, and pace 5.35 mins per km'. I was rapt! When I was running prior to 12wbt it was always over 11 minutes at the 1.6km mark - sweet! Granted I hadn't gone close to the hill yet, but thought I was going ahead of pace and maybe that would give me some time to drop back once I got to the CRAZY hill.

The hill came, and yes it was crazy and went on and on... my goal was don't stop, one foot in front of the other - that was the only goal. On my way down the hill the man on the headphones cuts through again with '3.2km done, time blah.blah minutes (cant remember the minutes at this point!), pace 6.05 mines per km'. ok the hill is done, now I need to pick up the pace in order to get under 6 mins per km. With 1km to go I look down the road and see my brother close in front - I tried SO HARD to catch up, but with the effort I put in I wasn't gaining ground! I decided to pass the guy in front of me, but then couldn't breathe after that so sat there and just pushed as hard as I possible could to the end.

With not long to go the guy cut in for the final time '4.8km done, time 28.blah minutes, pace blah (only listening for time at this point!). OK 1.5mins left to finish... push push push push push. I pushed so hard that at the end it took me a while to turn off my phone cos my hands weren't working, I was gasping for breath and making those weird noises people make when they are breathing uncontrollably haha. The lady hands me a piece of paper which I could barely hold and told me '32'. I was SHATTERED. 32 minutes! I had tried so hard... took me a little while of cool down to even look at the paper - which said 30.32...! So only 32 seconds over my goal! At a look of my GPS we actually did 5.26km, and my pace was below 5:50 mins per km. SWEET!

True...

Long story I know but I was so very happy with the result :)

The only one I had done before was a run to the G.
2007 was that fun run I did, and my time was 31.06 for 5km. I ran faster this time after no training, and it was longer than 5km. An achievement I am very proud of! This 12wbt certainly is changing my life.