This morning’s run just clicked. Everything went according to plan and it was brilliant.

I woke up before my alarm, awake and ready to run. This hardly ever happens!

It wasn’t raining or snowing. In my mind these are real reasons to skip a short mid-week run. Last year whilst marathon training, I would do my long runs no matter the weather, but with short runs, I am a bit of a wuss!

The sun was rising and the river looked beautiful. I love running along the river, particularly when it is so peaceful first thing in the morning.

I ran fast(ish). My legs just seemed to get into gear straight away, and without thinking about my pace at all I ran an 8.54min mile average. For me that is super fast, especially for an easy run! I only just managed to get my 5K PR to 26.07 and yet my easy run today was 3 miles in 26.48! Speed work is paying off! Time to sign up for another 5K.

RunKeeper sent me a lovely little congratulations for logging my fastest ever run! How cute is this. I love the little chart they sent me, saying that my speed was in the 70th percentile, and that the median speed of runners was 10.19min miles. Not sure that I agree with them about going ‘excessively fast’, but I was pleased!

Plus I came back and the Daffodils on my kitchen table were in full bloom- gorgeous!

Talking of speed work, I didn’t do any whilst training for my first marathon last year and now I wish I had. Speed work is really working to increase my pace. It is also a great way of getting a short, intense workout in before work or on a lunch break. I’ve recently downloaded these short ‘Super Sessions’ from realbuzz, they are great for making a note of and keeping in your gym bag for quick treadmill sessions, or if you wanted to do a speedwork session outside but don’t have access to a track.

Do you have any other speed workouts you would recommend? Do you do speedwork? If so, do you do it on a treadmill or ourside?