Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Kick-Up-The-Backside Run


I am going to get the International Running Flag of Friendship soon. It's coming from South Africa from Staci. And because of it's imminent arrival I've been doing a bit of thinking.

The International Flag of Friendship was Johann's stroke of genius. The idea is to get a small flag of your country, be photographed with it and take it for a run. Then the flag gets sewn onto a bigger piece of fabric which will get sent around the world from blogger to blogger. Eventually the fabric will be covered with lots of little flags from lots of different nations symbolizing our unity as runners worldwide.

I've decided that I want to do a race with my flag rather than a run and as it turns out there's a little race in just a couple of weeks only 5 minutes drive from my door. So I'll be doing the 5k at the Rotary Fun Run on the 22nd of this month. There is a 10k option but it's a double loop and I'm not keen on running the same way twice - it always does my head in.

But a 5k means having to run FAST

So

today's run was a little different from my normal Wednesday run.

For the last year the whole aim of my mid week run was to keep my heart rate low. But I've been feeling so much better (discounting the cold/cough I had last week). And I've gotten to a comfortable place where I don't like to push myself. I've gotten complacent and lazy and I've always got a good EXCUSE why I shouldn't push myself.

I know I'm never going to get any of my speed back by just plodding along for most of my runs. I need to add in some sustained efforts and that's what I did today. I ran 4k at a comfortably hard pace before picking it up for a k, back to the previous pace for a k, hard for a k etc. I only did 3 k's at the faster pace but I got under 5 mins/k for each of them and the last was my fastest. I'll keep doing this and gradually stretch out the faster sections until my body gets used to the feel of pushing itself again and my mind stops resisting.

And did I enjoy it? You betcha!!

11 comments:

  1. You are so focused, you are inspiring.

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  2. Will you send it to me after you are done? Please, please, please.

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  3. Wow, great idea with the flag! I'm with you on the loop thing - I hate running or cycling loops. Running fast can be so exhilerating, great running.

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  4. "Thrash the old body some!" as they used to say Char!

    Yes,Char great idea!

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  5. Congrats on getting the flag! Very cool! Love that pic BTW.

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  6. I know that great idea of Johann!

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  7. Yay for choosing a race for the flag! Thanks! Even slow me try to stretch the legs from time to time with a faster run. One thing though, here in SA there is no 5k races. 10km and up.
    But, as you pointed out in your comment we are very lucky. I can choose between 2 races every weekend and sometimes even 3 or 4 races. The road running calender is planned around Comrades with long races just at the right time. Let me know when you receive the flag, I hope it never gets lost in the mail.

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  8. Whooo, speedy! Very cool that you get to run with the flag, too!

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  9. I also follow the Johann's blog and the flag is a great idea. Glad you got the first!
    Good luck on the 5k. On the same day I will run the same distance in the Race for the Cure.

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  10. Good luck on the 5K.. great pic ontop of the blog.. :)
    Gotta Run,
    Mike
    www.facebook.com/WhyMarathon

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  11. Nice little fun activities which also make you or help you take up exercise and running like the marathons.Also taking the flag of your country would be wonderful.

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