reaquainted with speed

im hoping my post title doesn't attract the wrong sort of blogger/follower/dealer. if you thought it was about popping some pills or shooting up i'm sorry to dissapoint

that said, there are some fine qualities to speed (street drug) that have relevance to speed (running pace)

- Speed makes people feel wide awake, excited and chatty.
- Clubbers take it because it gives them the energy to dance for hours without getting tired.
- Amphetamines was once the main ingredient in diet pills because it stops people feeling hungry

maybe i'll try some on the next 50 miler i do after all!

i digress

today was my first speed session for around 6 whole months. gasp. shock. horror. i know there will be running whippets reading this absolutely horrified by my lack of attention to any sort of pace sesion. the thing is, doing only ultras now i've kind of kidded myself that every run can be a lovely ambivalent plod, just floating along , in a daydream, without a care in the world. dont get me wrong, i love floating, its hypnotic. but in my mind i know i should be doing a couple of tough sessions a week like i did when marathon and half training.




so today folks i grasped that spikey nettle and headed to the xc track at macc harriers over lunch. its a perfect 1/2 mile circuit. a warm up, some dynamic stretches (hf taught me those), some strides, then 4 x 800's. i'll reveal my pace only so long as you dont laugh - a metronomic 7 min/mile each lap. for some fellow bloggers that's a LSR pace but not for this juggernaut. hey, it's a start. we've got to start somewhere yes? and having started i must keep going so i'll be poping up there weekly and building the number of reps up, maintaining the pace, as well as making sure i pop a weekly tempo run in for luck also. so, you whippets, you better watch out..this ultra collie's getting his skates on ;-)

and for the rest of the time i'll continue with my transcendental outings