The great thing about my job is its flexibility, despite its long hours. Because I have to work on either Saturday or Sunday, I have a weekday off of my choice. I usually take Wednesday and Sunday off, because I find it helps me break up the week. Two days off in a row and it feels hard to get started again when I get back to the office. Sundays I take off because that is the Sabbath Day and I go to church.
Last year I did all my long runs in training for the Sundown on Wednesday mornings. It was great because I’d be done by about 10.30am latest (for my longest run of 6h) and I’d have the whole day to put my legs up. Having a weekday off is also great from the logistics point of view — you get to run your errands like shopping, paying bills, etc, without having to clash with the weekend or lunch crowd.
My longest run this week is 90 minutes, which I did by running to work the long way on Monday. I’m trying not to get into a fixed, regimental routine just as yet because I think when the real long runs start (3h and above) I will feel fresher. For sub-3h runs I can fit it in pretty much anyday of the week before work or en route to work. There’s no need to do it on Wednesdays.
So this morning I did 4x Ridout loops. The great thing about the loop is it’s a bit longer than 1.6km, goes down pretty much for half the way and up for the second half. There are very few cars or human traffic. I always try to look for an interval loop that is about 1-2km long and undulating or has a huge climb in the middle. It helps break up the monotony of the repetition and hills are also a fantastic way to build strength and speed. I take the run there and back as my warm up and cool down, which is about 2km long each way. I managed to do 8min 15sec, 8.05, 7.56, 7.48 for the loops, on 3.30 rest. In future to make the workout harder, the rest will be cut or loops will be added.
I try to find as many of these interval loops I can around where I live, because variety is always good for training. Last week I did Mt Sinai loops (1.2km), this week Ridout. I also have Chip Bee loops (1km). There is one loop at Leedon that I’ve come up with but never tried, perhaps next week will be a good time.
Of course, intervals could very well be done on the track. But I hate the monotony of running 400m circles, dodging walkers on the first lane, with no shade and no hills. Still, nothing beats the track for pace training. With a random loop, you never really know how fast you’re going.
So, anyway, happy to have done my workout for the day, had poached eggs for breakfast and a cuppa juice. Gonna shower now and enjoy the rest of my off day…. with a little swim later on with some drill work to spruce up my stroke.
Hope your Wednesday is going as good as mine.