7.5 K Build Up in Split-Toe Minimalist Shoes "MUTEKI"

On February 15, I did 7.5 K build up training. This training was originally scheduled for Thursday. But I had to work longer than usual on Thursday to cover for a co-worker, so I decided to do it one day ahead of schedule.

Also, originally I was only planning to run 3 K, but increased the distance to 7.5 K because I felt strong enough.

In build up training, you start off at a comfortable pace, and gradually crank up the speed as you go along. This time I ran a 2.5 K course three times. The target for the first lap was 13:32, the second 12:05, and the last 11:15. They are my full marathon, half-marathon, and 10 K pace respectively.

The air was cold, but there was little wind. It was a still midnight. Perfect for a solitary training session.

The first lap went very well, with the time only one second behind schedule. I turned around and started going in the opposite direction. This is something I often do in order to keep the training from tedious. There is certainly a benefit in going the same route over and over again in the same direction. You can easily compare your conditions in different sets at the same point. But the downside is it gets boring precisely because it's too repetitive. Going the course in the opposite direction breaks the tediousness. It also wakes up your natural ability to feel the change in undulation. There is also an added benefit of not losing count easily. When you run a very long distance by doing many repeats of a certain distance, your mind gets blurred as you become tired, and you sometimes lose count if you keep on going the same course in the same direction.

Anyhow, the second lap was also run at a pleasantly crisp pace. Thanks to the easy pace in the first lap, I was reasonably warmed up, but still full of energy. I carefully kept my pace in check, and finished the second lap two second ahead of schedule.

Then came the third lap. This was the most challenging of the three. To run 2.5 K in 11:18, you must keep a 4:30/K pace. This is my average pace for running a 10 K race. I cranked up the pace even more, but was also careful not to run out of energy. I steadily sped up and surged even further in the last 300 meters to finish at 10:49, 26 seconds earlier than the target.

There was almost no pain, major nor minor, in any joint of neither of my legs. I felt good. I felt ever better when I took a warm shower, massaged my legs and hit the bed immediately. There is just one more run left before the race, which is scheduled for Friday night. It's 3 K pace run. Nice and quick just to keep your cardio active and leg muscles responsive.