Thursday 4 November 2010

Just 3 minutes... how hard can it be? 1km in 3 minutes

This was the challenge on the Men’s Fitness facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/#!/MensFitnessME): “UFC fighter, Paul Taylor, recently posted a 3 minute 16 seconds 1km run in a fitness face-off with boxer, James Degale. Think you can do any better? Post your times here to claim Middle East bragging rights!

1,000m in 180 seconds, so 18 seconds for each 100m, which is 20km per hour. That didn’t sound too bad. I’ve been nervous about trying to do any speed work since the fractures, but this morning the gym was empty, and I decided it was time to give it a go. I’m not sure if its cheating starting from a running treadmill, but I cranked it up to 20km per hour and jumped aboard.


The first 30 seconds was easier than I expected, I was feeling great. After 60 seconds I was desperately straining at the timer to see how long was left to go. Halfway I was spent, just holding on trying to think of it as only 9 lots of 10 seconds. Just 6 lots of 10 to go, “it’s impossible”. 3 lots of 10 to go, “there’s no way I’m going to give up now”. 2 lots of 10 to go, “you’ve got to be kidding me, has the timer broken?!” Last 10 seconds, “leg’s, please keep up, please keep up, please keep up!”

Done it! Get in! It was while lying on the floor afterwards, trying hard not to be sick that I realised that 1km in 3 min is just marathon pace for Haile, Kenenisa & Co. Incredible.


Fitness in Dubai features reviews of all the latest fitness programmes and local gyms, such as The Circuit Factory, 24 Fitness and CrossFit LifeSpark, as well as reviews of fitness fads, fitness tests and fitness equipment, from Vibram Five Fingers barefoot running shoes to VO2 Max testing. Ultimately, this fitness blog - as featured in Good Taste, Men's Fitness, Time Out and Shape magazines - contains everything you need to know about fitness in Dubai, UAE, in the Middle East. Bookmark it now.

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