Sub 3

Nice weather and there's lots of quality running going on this weekend
Particularly like the one-way long run Jools and a great effort on Saturday to combine commuting and a Parkrun into a 10miler!
Well post-holiday Parkrun Wardi, it looks like we might have one starting soon at Brockenhurst college in the Forest, there's been a series of well received trial runs over the last few months and I think they're in the final stages of sorting the organisation. So hopefully soon I'll have one nearby too...it's a bit far to go to Poole/Southampton for a 5k on Sat morning.

Nice XCing from RS and congrats on the 10mile PB Andy D (2secs inside mine)

CW - Ou've been doing a lot of HM recently, sterling effort today with the calf uncertainty thrown into the mix.

The weather was as about as good as you could hope for this morning for the Gosport Half, almost no wind with clear blue sky. It was a bit cold (especially in the shade) but fine once warmed up. Said hi to Dachs and had a quick chat before the off. Got nudged to the front by one of my team mates (not a bad idea, the start arch is quite narrow!) and shot off really too fast and mile 1 came up in 5:27, stabilised my pace over the next few, ticking off 5:41/5:42/5:44 and 5:46, but then realised that my 5:45/ml target was probably a bit optimistic I slowed down in the middle section (pavement running, so not great for pace control) and didn't really have anyone to pace against. Thought it was all going a bit wrong around mile 9-11 as my pace crept closer to 6:00/ml, but managed to pull out a couple of decent splits (5:47/5:45) and a sub 5 pace final 200m sprint to rescue things Final official time was 1:16:29, which I'm very happy with (PB-89secs). I consider it a good benchmark for moving forward into training in the new year. Caught up with Dan at the finish, glad you've made a good come back from the woes of earlier in the year. Well done to Dachs, think you paced it much better than me! I never looked over my shoulder, maybe I should have, might have been spurred on a bit more

Ps during some random weekend results cruising I see that Marders put in a very nice round number time to win the Brighton 10k today!

Well HM'd Dan, Dachs, Al and Charlie.  Particular congrats to Dachs and Al on PBs.

I saw Marders' result on Twitter.  I bet he wishes he'd dipped for the line

Joolska - memories of that old railway esp this time of year: it was 3 years ago at the same time. It's a lovely little route.

RS78 - nice 20m

TR - agree about the zeros. Sometimes other things matter more

CharlieW hope the calf is ok. My only comment is that if it doesn't ease off then be maybe be careful? The calf protects the shin and that's how I landed myself in trouble.

Andy D - excellent 10 and pb!

MtR good to see you around here. It would come back relatively quickly if you wanted it to I think?

Lots of other great runs going on I see - apologies to others I've read but not named. 

Great PBs by Al_P and Dachs, and well done to the other racers (CW, Dan and Andy D). Performance of the weekend may have to go to mini-TR though for an Ibrahimovic-style single-handed win!

Jools - that's a nice weekend combo, a bit of faster stuff and a long run.

I think I can probably guess what time Marders did based on Al_P's comment, but going to take a look now!

Nice to see Gobi pop in too!

No XCing this weekend for me, so a long run Saturday and bike ride on Sunday. The long run was pretty muddy and wet, but managed 24M with the rucksack in just over 3 hours, and felt fairly comfortable compared to the previous long runs. Then the usual 3 hour ride on Sunday - not much to report except it was very cold at the start, but glorious views and it did warm up after an hour or two.

Nice PBs Al & Dachs, 75 isn't far off!

Maybe Marders did dip for the line Jools?  Better than being 1 second over, at least.

Parkrun for me Saturday, then on Sunday I couldn't do the local 10 mile road race due to family commitments, so it was out the door in the afternoon for 21 miles, my first proper long run for ages.  Given the last few miles are up hill it went pretty well, I felt stronger at the end than I sometimes do on that route.  Pace wasn't high but that wasn't the point, that can come later.

Pretty mixed memories I should think, then, HR, however lovely the surroundings.

Yes indeed Joolska. They're mainly painful but I still love running at this time of year for some reason. It's still probably my favourite season. That route is such a welcome surprise isn't it?

Dachs - great run there at Gosport.  Think everyone started too fast.  I was aiming for 6.15 pace and must have been about 200 ahead of me as I reached mile one and glanced at the watch.  5.50 

CW - can only advise (and plead) a bit of rest there mate, even if you are desperate not to lose any fitness.  The root of my troubles was back in March 2011.  I had a sore calf, but was able to run on it (although it was still sore after each run).  Kept on pushing out "one more run" until it tore during a parkrun.  Missed 3 months including spring marathon of that year, and although I recovered during the latter half of the year and got back into decent shape, it clearly was weakened and strained again this year which has cost me 4-6 months of any decent running.  I'm sure there's some near permanent damage now (it's very sore today for example).

I hate to have to admit it, but I think that when you get to late 30's / early 40's, you just don't mend as quickly as in your 20's.  You have been warned; here endeth the lesson!

Dachs and Al_P -- congrats on the respective PBs! (Find another marathon Dachs, I reckon the 2:45 champs start threshold is much easier than the 1:15 one...) And I shouldn't have taken 76:xx for granted as that was near-PB before the GER -- I've done maybe 6 ~76 min HMs, so I'm bored of those now, even if that is close to my best!

Great endurance training Padams & CD.

HR/Dan -- you're both right, I intend to be very cautious. I was off racing for 2 or 3 months over the summer with a calf things, too. I was fully prepared to DNS or DNF yesterday, but it was oddly OK (and it was the last race I have actually booked until March!). This time it's not the usual thing of the core of the calf muscle getting a deep twinge, but rather a soreness on the surface of the muscle on the inner (medial) edge, which is barely noticeable when running but is if I prod it. Anyway, couple of days off now and then I'll come back cautiously.

If you run it in the Bristol-Bath direction it improves, HR; sadly, even as a loyal Bristolian, I have to accept that when you run it in the Bath-Bristol direction, the last couple of miles are pretty urban.

Joolska: I like that long run. I've done several along that path, normally in the form of a 22 miler out and back from Bristol - parking the car near the start of the path. The last 5 miles are nicely slightly downhill of course which always helps.

HR: If I had the time to devote to more training it would come back sooner I'm sure. But right now, with an ever-more-demanding full-time job, 3 kids, a dog, social life and a large house to decorate and refurbish, time is more at a premium than ever.

Gorgeous weather yesterday. I was out for a few miles with the dog and then again for a longer walk with him afterwards.

excellent 1/2s from Dachs and Al_P, even if they werent the hoped for 75s. Should be doable in the Spring after some winter miles

nice to see MtR enjoying his semi-retirement, I sometimes think that I should be doing better things with some of my me time, but then I think that I wouldnt be decorating or at work at 6am.

CW - anymore races on the horizon ? I think that you would be wise to put your safety pins away for a few months and get your mixing bowl out instead.......and stop running fast with hardly any warm up !  Its cake baking time of year anyway !

 

 

 

AW - nice 15

Al P/Dachs - cracking half times there, storming stuff

Andy - cracking pb from you too

Padams - fair old effort with that 24

CW - go easy

TR - I think yesterday was a good day but it was nice to be out on my feet for  2.30 without too much trouble and tick a 20 off. I have done a few 15/16s though so endurance has had a sold foundation. Will probs bag another one in London before the new year but until then it's club intervals, park run and xc. Also got an 11 mile fell race coming up which should be fun.

Legs suitably mashed today from the weekends running so a rest day apart from the hour walking to Uni, well 30 mins in and 30 mins back. After yesterday I'm inclined to agree with Dan A about adding a bit more on to a long run and doing a 22 instead of 20. You only really get that "long run" feeling of fatigue at 18-19 so I think I'm going to make most of my 20s atleast 21 or 22 in marathon campaign. With a couple going up to 23/24.

Came 15th overrall in XC according to provisional results....from the "slow" pack.

Good work with the HM's Al P, Dachs, CW and Dan A. Wished I was racing while out yeaterday, it was such a nice day for it.

Nice easy 8 miles for me today and then a bit of cross training in the form of some indoor climbing for a bit. 

Just thought I would pop in to say hello. Great to see (big!) PBs being reported! MtR seems to be in a similar position to me, where finding time is v.tough. Rest days are almost more frequent than running days. Still enjoying it, but very low key - the surprising thing is that I don't think I'm much slower, but I'm guessing the decline is quite gradual if you can just keep ticking over.

Great to see people like DanA going again

RS - I had noted your recent long runs, you are in a good place long run wise already. I did some 21s and the odd 22 last year. In 2011 I even did a 26.5 in training but I now think its a waste of matches to run more than expected race time and is time in the danger zone that is unnecessary. I also used to run my long runs too fast. Last yr I was doing some slow and hilly 21s and 22s in 2:4X. And only had LT 10min more time on feet on race day. I now think the less miles I can get in over that 2:4X the better as its saving me more matches. the only matches I'm now prepared to burn during mara build up are in some progressive long runs (in the last 6 weeks) and some MP running which I did as 10M in a 14M a few times last year. 

Nice to see Coro enjoying his semi retirement too

5M, 1.5K, 5M for the day. a week of not much running (not that I do a lot usually anyway), and some stretches seems to have eased my aerosol/sciatic issue. Should be good to run the Hayling 10 Sunday, even if I have to take a 9hr break in the middle like today !

So.............................what have I missed?

NtS - not much, just a few sub3's here and there. Your run at Gosport y'day was noted.

It's like a reunion!  Spotted your Gosport result and pleased to see you're running well,Twiggy.

NtS - 3 yrs bloody years, I thought I was bad at 3 months. Nice sub-75!! Now Crab, Pug, Cartman, Dull where are you?