A Cautionary Tale

Time 6.30am - Weather Fine and Bright 9.8 degrees C - Wind E 2mph

Distance 5K - Time 31:44



There's an old saying for those who struggle with their finances, which goes a little something like this: 'Let your means dictate your lifestyle and not your lifestyle dictate your means'; in plain English, don't spend more than you can afford.

What has this all got to do with running? I hear you ask. Well, quite a bit actually. I have, for a long time now, let my pace dictate my energy levels. I set off like a mad thing and , about half-way round, realise that I can't keep it up and get more and more ragged until I finish. The sensible option, of course, is to work the other way round. Set off slowly, build up to a pace that feels comfortable, and sustain that the whole way round. The benefits of this method are fairly obvious: you're less likely to tire (or give up completely) before the end, your heart-rate should stay within acceptable parameters, and you're far less likely to look like a gasping sweaty mess as you run along your favourite route.

At the moment I'm living beyond my means. I start too fast, use up all my CV endurance early and have to use my anaerobic system far too much. I guess it's the equivalent of having an overdraft. I guess it must be a machismo thing; I need to feel that I'm going fast enough to qualify as being a proper runner. This morning's run was done at an average of 10.13 m/m, which is great, but my average heart-rate was 170 - a staggering 88% of max. It's a situation I have to resolve.

So, be warned, run slow and run long. Let your level of fitness determine your speed.

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