First Weekend Preparations - 4K Run in the park

Saturday AM:  4K run around Alexandra Park in Glasgow. 2 x 2K Circuits.

I prepared for this on the Friday evening by downloading MapMyRun to my Android Smartphone and setting up a 30 minute playlist of songs to play around the park.

Playlist (if you are interested)...

1. Survivor - Eye of the Tiger (sorry but I couldn't start on anything else!)
2. Eric Clapton - After Midnight
3. Outkast - Hey Ya!
4. Oasis - All Around the World
5. Kenny Rogers - Ruby
6. Oasis - Don't Look Back in Anger
7. U2 - One
8. Bill Conti - Gonna Fly Now (Cheesy but as I started, so I should finish!).

Waking up on the Saturday morning, it was a half pint of water and straight to the park.

Did a quick warm up of a few stretches, set the playlist running and switched the Map My Run app on to Record.

Off we go, Eye of the Tiger actually isn't a bad number to get you moving but by the end of the track, I wasn't ready for fighting anybody. Half way through the first km and I am already starting to breath heavy. Round the second pond in the park and on to the first incline. Eric Clapton Blazing in my ears but I am struggling with the small gradient. Time for my first walk. Up the hill to the flat and stating my run again just as we get to the top. 

A nice word in my ear telling me that I have completed 1.01 km in 7 1/2 minutes. I think to the commentary I hear on marathons - 7 minute miles seem to feature a lot but then reality strikes when I realise 1.6km in a mile and I am way off the pace!

Hey Ya! and I'm still running along the flat to the start of the big hill at the golf course. Start running again but shaking it like a Polaroid picture ain't getting me up to the top. Time for my second walk (it is a steep hill but I know that if I get near the top it plains off and then its downwards all the way to the start again!).

Perfect timing, as Oasis start their intro just at the point I was wanting to start at so its a wee bit o' hill and running the plain to one of my favourite all time tracks - great motivation and got me in a good rhythm.  All the way down the hill and turn the corner to start it all again just as my wee pal in my ear tells me 2.01km at a time of just over 8 mins (slowing down but I did walk up the hill!).

Oasis end as I go by the first pond again and Kenny Rogers starts. What a depressingly pish entry into my list. Thought the country and western beat would get me shifting but no, made me want to curl up and die - legs are feeling heavy and listening to song about a guy that got his shot off in the war wasn't making me feel any better. Note to self - Kenny has to go - sorry!

So, with Ruby taking her love to town, I was back on the first Incline and well in need of my next walk. I want to press on so run a bit more of the incline to another walk. Reach the flat, I am feeling spent but Oasis picks me up again with another favourite and with another word in my ear (3.01km) I am running to the start of the next hill. Temptation sets in - I could just cut the hill out, down the path and back to the start but I am no mood to quit so its a short run up the start of the hill as U2's One starts - what a brilliant choice at the time - great inspiration to get me moving again. 

Walking up most of the hill, I started running again just near the top and then its all down hill to the end. Perfect timing again, Bill Conti getting me going and taking me back to my childhood, when I really did want to be Rocky, and here I am 30 odd years later picking up a sprint to the end, got to keep it going till the message comes but I did manage the sprint and at the second the "4.0..." words hit my ears, I stopped running, stopped the map my run and assumed the starfish position on the cool wet grass.

The camera doesn't lie...

A good drink of water and a wait while my spinning head brings be back down to earth. I am completely bushed but equally very pleased with the achievement.

Time to check the Map My Run app for some info and to my absolute horror found that although I had pushed the "Record" button, I did not have the "Tracking" option turned on. What a twassock!!!

But from what I can gather 4k in approx 30 mins.

According to Runners World, their calculator worked this out at:

Nice work! You burned 435 calories.. Check out the table below for your calorie burn rates at this pace too.

Distance: 4 kilometers

Duration: 30:00

Pace: 0:08 / kilometer

Calories Burned: 435

Calorie Burn Rates: 108.78 / kilometer 870.2 / hour 14.50/ minute

Map My Run has this functionality too, for those who have the good sense to set it up properly before their run. Hopefully next time I will be able to show you the route properly!

PS - A big thank-you to my good lady, Olga, for sticking with me and encouraging me round!!!