So with my first Olympic distance triathlon in 2 years coming up in about 6 weeks I decided it was time to try and regain some semblance of the running speed I used to have. Back in the day I used to be able to knock out one of the fastest 10k run splits of the women's race and even won my World Championship slot in 2010 by 1 second thanks to my run. However, with 2010/2011 being all about distance ahead of my first Ironman and 2011/2012 being all about off road running ahead of Transapline in September, there has been little time, or need, for speed work. But with the fear of being found out and the even bugger humiliation of my boyfriend (Andy) finally out running me (a scenario that wouldn't have seemed possible 2 yrs ago), I found myself on the running track of Regents Park last Thursday with a black cloud and a group of boot-campers for company.
My self devised set was to be a simple 6 x 2mins on 2mins off. Easy right? Wrong. By the 3rd rep I was ready to go home. Nothing was right. My breathing was more laboured than I'd thought it could be, my form felt wrong what used to feel like second nature now felt like a forced effort. I suppose that's what happens when you spend so long out of the saddle so to speak, but it made me wonder, in the life of a full time employed, train-for-fun "athlete", is it possible to have it all?? Can you go fast as well as go long? I guess time will tell and the 20th May will be when we find out just how many minutes I'll have managed to accrue to my run time in these past 2 years.
But with 6 weeks on the track, I'm hoping to limit the damage as much as possible. We can but hope.........
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