6.3 miles tempo

The club training session was approximately 6 miles with a 5K tempo section, so I tried out my Asics Piranha for the first time. After heading down Maryhill Road at a leisurely pace we started the tempo section at the top of Queen Margaret Drive. By the time we got to Botanic Gardens I realised I was getting a blister on my left foot, and although I was handling the pace fine, further along Great Western Road I decided to drop off and jog back to Garscube Estate, remembering how I'd been out for several days in November after sustaining a blister in the Onitsuka Tiger Tai Chi on exactly the same route. As the rest of the fast pack disappeared along the road I thought I'd stop and tie my laces tighter in the forefoot to see if that helped at all. It seemed to keep my foot in place better, so I picked it up again and set off in pursuit down Hyndland Road and Clarence Drive. The blister wasn't getting any worse although after a couple more miles I could feel one starting to form on my right foot, where I hadn't tightened the laces. The tempo section finished just before Anniesland Cross where I restarted my Garmin, and we jogged back to Garscube Estate, finishing at the bottom of the hill. Later on the blister on my right foot required some attention but the left foot was more or less OK. I might be able to dig the Onitsukas out again if tying them tighter solves the problem. The chest strap might also require tightening again as my HR started off much too high and supposedly peaked at an unlikely 217, although it looks correct from the second mile onwards.

5.23 miles in 34:46, average pace 6:39/mile, HR 171
Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:12 (172), 7:43 (156), 6:06 (170), 5:40 (180), 5:46 (182), 5:45 (182)
HR zones: 0%, 1.1%, 23.3%, 41.5%, 34.1%

1.10 miles in 9:24, average pace 8:34/mile, HR 147
Pace splits (ave. HR): 8:33 (148), 8:39 (138)
HR zones: 0%, 23.4%, 74.5%, 2.1%, 0%