Speed King - Deep Purple

I checked with my new and fabulous Garmin Fenix 7 watch what was required of me for today’s suggested exercise routine - as after just a couple of weeks, I’m finding it a most useful partner in my quest for a sub-4-hour-marathon post Guillain-Barre Syndrome. HOWEVER, I was somewhat amazed that it was suggesting a 45-minute workout which included three seven-minute bursts at 8:15 pace.

Hmm – With legs still a little bit broken from the weekend’s fast 10km and yesterday’s morning run of nearly 10 miles with young Matt Wintle – I knew that wasn’t going to happen. Also, as you know, I’m not very good at being told what to do so instead, I made up my own interval session, which might be worth having a go at yourself if you are looking for a bit of a different intervals’ solution.

 

So, on a 1km loop from my front door in King’s Road on a pavement littered with dustbins, I started off with a creaky first lap at 10:30 min mile pace. On completion and back passing my front gate, I hit the lap button on my watch and went into my parkrun pace of 8:30 min mile pace and picked up the pace. The lap whizzed by and before I knew it, I was back and into a recovery lap back at the 10:30 pace.

 

It took just over 40 minutes to run four laps at 10:30 pace interspersed with three 8:30 pace efforts – in reality, just what the Fenix 7 had prescribed! 

 

You can see by my times that I was pretty consistent, but I did find it hard to run at 10:30 pace after the effort on occasions. The training effect was 3.5 Aerobic with 0.0 Anaerobic but it did up my V02 Max from 48-49 which I’m pleased with, and average HR was 139.

 

It was actually really enjoyable and I’m going to try a couple more laps next time – check me out…

 

Anyway, have a go and see what you think for yourself, especially if you are trying to speed up and can’t bear the thought of a Coleman Power Hour.

1.122 Marathon - 261 Ultras - 9 Guinness World Records - 15 Marathon des Sables