A cracking (medium) long tempo run

23M - recovery run & medium long tempo run
5M am recovery run at ~8.30min/M
18M pm incl 14.5M crescendo medium long run

This is the sort of day I didn't manage last year. I've read loads about the benefit of these sorts of session - long tempo runs. Around or a bit over a half marathon in length and run at close to race pace. They are a bit different from my long runs, which start gently and slowly build so the last third or so is close to full throttle. These ones are fast from the beginning (but still getting faster towards the end).

I ran it along the river and around Battersea Park from work. I made my way fairly gently down to the river and then hit a good pace straight off. From mile 2-5 I was running at 5.45 pace. From 5-8 I was at about 5.30 and from there I went close to full throttle - something like 5.10-5.20. The 14.5M back to work averaged 5.36. I hit a really good rhythm and was surprised by how little yesterday's speed work had affected my legs.

It wasn't that I didn't know about them last year. But I was almost always too tired to manage them. I seem to be more resilient this year... for now.