Running classes

 I've been running for 5 years now and, based on my experience, I can say that when I lace up my shoes and go out I usually run setting 4 different paces, according to my purposes or the external conditions. Here is a table that recap them:

When I simply intend to enjoy the landscape or contemplate a particularly beautiful horizon, I choose the Koala mode. This is also the pace I prefer when I need to warm up, when I am not fit, when I have to recover after an injury or a long stop, or when the weather conditions are not favourable (either too cold or too hot/humid).

Class B is the most effective if I want to improve my stamina and my endurance. Some athletes consider 5'00" a jogging pace, but for my standards it falls into the category of training speed. Furthermore, running at this pace qualifies my performance as "anti-LDL cholesterol" measure (and pro HDL cholesterol run). 

When I feel as fit as a young gazelle (unfortunately it doesn't happen every day...) and when I feel that I can improve a PB, I choose the class C pace. Here the weather conditions play an important role, and this is the reason why I love to run in September, when wind is not that strong and cold and the temperature is around 20° (I am talking about Mediterranean environment).  Usually I run at this speed in a track or in an even, measurable path (3, 5, 10 or 21 km). 

The Lizard pace is for interval training and sprinting sessions (400, 500, 800, 1000, 2000 meters). It is functional to improve class C medium-distance performances. 

New 5K PB with a new method

 Traditionally, September is the month of Personal Bests. Today I've set a new PB on the 5K distance, improving the last record by 15 seconds. I broke the 21 minutes wall, and my new PB is now 20'54" (around 4:10 min/km). Now, some reflections:

- Although I am not a teen anymore, I've been recently improving my PBs costantly in the last 6 months. They say: after you turn 40, your performances will start declining. Why am I improving, then? I think that in my 30's I didn't use my full potential, so now there is still room for improvement. To explain it better: let's assume you are 25, an age that allows you to cover 5K in 15 minutes, but your PB is 19 minutes; at 40, you decide to start training again and you set a PB of 18 minutes. Even if you're 15 older, you've improved your PB, but this is due to the fact that when you where younger you did not train properly and you ran far below your potential. Of course, when you're 40 you cannot expect to cover 5K in 15 minutes (unless you're a pro), yet you can still place yourself between, let's say, 17 and 19 minutes. I guess this is my case. 

- This time the PB is not to be ascribed to the interval training method, but to the Murakami's approach, the Japanese writer and marathon runner. In his book about running, he claims that he trains 6 days a week, covering 10 km at a "decent pace" (he doesn't specify the speed, but I guess that he means 5 min/km or below). Even if I was not particularly fit during the last 10 days due to digestion problems (namely, reflux), I decided to hit the bullet and cover the 10K distance as long as I could (4 days in a row). The following week, feeling better, I slightly reduced the mileage, covering 7 km every day, part of which I focused on running below 4'30". The results was today's PB. 

- My next goal is to set a new PB in the 10K distance (I think I can achieve that) and maybe, perhaps, probably, breaking the 20 minutes barrier in the 5K. But to achieve this goal, I think I will have to resort to the boring but effective interval training. We'll see.