So; feeling serious and runner-ly and technical's all very well, but you've actually got to run a fartlek, not just know what it is. Right?
So on Aug 15, Independence Day, I land up at Nehru Park. It was beautiful, btw, masses and masses and masses of families just lying around on the grass, huge picnic hampers open, with loads of grandmas and grandads chasing after small kids, lots and lots of kite flying, wonderful carnival atmosphere. So Im thinking to myself, this should be fun.
Run at 80% speed to hmmm, maybe , say that tree right there, then slow down for a bit till you get your breath back and then do the same thing all over again till you've done 2 and a half rounds ( my target was 6.5 kms - and Nehru Park has a 2.75 km loop)
Firstly I never ever ever factor in how hot it is, and how sapping it is to run in the humidity. Secondly i completely forget how for me, running 6.5 km on the track is roughly equal to running 8 or 9 kms on the treadmill. And thirdly I suck at fartlek.
So even if I had been running in 18 degrees C weather, on the smoothest -frictionless-est treadmill in the world, i would still have been panting after the 2nd km and cursing after the third and ready to lay down every second therafter.
So here's the verdict - Fartlek is killing and terrible and doubtless invented by some Swedish sadist to while away the long cold 8 months of winter darkness. I suck at it. Big time. I suck at the long runs. I suck at the speed work. I suck at hills. In fact, I suck. period.
I dont know why I am bothering to do this thing. The half marathon. The training. The blogging. It's just not happening. And at 38, I have to face the reality that none of it will ever get easier.
So fartlek it all, I think I should just go drown myself in a tub of Jamoca almond fudge ice cream...
5 comments:
Well I too was amongst those masses at Nehru Gardens on 15 Aug with the kids..
Am running the Hutch Half this Oct 28..have done the Delhi Half Marathons in 2005 & 06.
Have no specific training spot..are there other runners too at Nehru Park ?
Param
:)
As I said in one of my earlier posts - Delhi is a lonely place to be a runner! There are other runners there - obviously there's me, and you.. and there's this guy who also has a blog, and who has commented on on my the earlier posts - so that makes three... but it sure does seem like there's only me a lot of times!
So now that you're a veteran of two half marathons, what's your target time this year?
Why does this thingy show one comment when there are two?
This is why the technical world defeats me...
But that could be the subject of a whole other blog
Don't give up. It WILL get easier.
Thanks vanilla!!
I sure hope you're right! I need all the encouragement I can get, especially after today's long run! ( read next post!)
:)
But thanks again. Really appreciate it!
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