Moraghan Training - Stevie G

Bugger - just got my Hagios out to clean them for Sunday and noticed they've started to split - I've only done 60 miles in them as well!!

Trouble is, they were a present so can't get the receipt either....

Hmm, may have to go back to the almost worn out DS Racers!

Congrats to SG and the mighty PB. To be taking off 1:15 at this stage is a big step. If you're looking for a 10k PB course how about the Leeds Abbey dash Nov 19th, there is Telford in the midlands. Then the Eastleigh 10k is early next year as well.

I've had a couple of days off as my calves were very sore and didn't want to push my luck. Had a well earned boozy weekend!

ss - are you doing parkhall xc on saturday?

SG - difficult to know how my foot is until I try to run on it.  It certainly feels fine just going about my business, but then it did last week too.  No bruising, no swelling.  Got a physio appointment tonight, so will see what comes out of that.

When I asked a similar question on the Sub-3 thread, a few people suggested it might be something to do with shoelaces being too tight.  Obviously I'd feel pretty stupid if that were the case, but it is true that the pain does disappear almost totally when the shoes come off, and is reduced when walking if the laces are looser.  Not sure whether that would be cause or effect though.  Will try running with looser laces maybe.

See Eastleigh 10K getting a mention.  I'm thinking that may be my A race for next spring to really try to drill down the 10K PB.  Could be a thread meet-up (maybe even one that actually happens ...)

Dachs,  now you mentione the shoe lace thing i think I had something like that once. Didn't cause any pain on running or swelling though. But hopefully something minor.

See man, i think Leeds clashes with Gosport, and i think i'd be more confident about the half than the 10k. Something about hearing the pace per mile required I think!

Eastleigh or Chicester I think. TR pops in every so often and reckons Chichester, and he's a native, so worth a listen I think. Both have super quality though.

psDachs, is Gosport still on your agenda if the foot proves a trifling affair?

SG - yes, if I'm running again I'll be at Gosport, even if I'm only just getting back into it.  I think the time I've been out (taper, post marathon rest week then injury all consecutively) may have put paid to a 1:15 bid though.

I get that pain occasionally. One time it was so bad mid-run that I stuffed my shoes with bits of sheep wool caught on some barbed wire! One thing I learnt to do whihc is much less smelly though is to re-lace the shoe missing out the hole closest to the pain. This relieves the pressure on the sore spot but still keep your laces tight enough to run in properly.

Went to the HX track at lunchtime only to find it was booked out to some school groups! Probably just as well though, as my head is full of cold and a day off may well be for the good anyway.

Hagios sorted - I found out they were from Bourne Sports,and they are sending me a repalcement pair straight away. Jolly good service!  Mind you, once those are gone I won't be getting any more!

Bus - Sheep's wool!  How very bucolic. I'd have to make do with discarded plastic bags and pizza leaflets round my way.

Ahhh yes of course the clash with Gosport.

Deano, I'm out this Saturday for a mate's 30th in Liverpool (all day!) so no XC for me

My next race will be Leeds Abbey Dash. I think my XC season will be made up in Jan and Feb rather than Nov/Dec. Although I am doing the Sheffield Open on New Year's eve. Did it last year, lovely low key event - only about 50 runners!  

Did a nice easy 9 today. Legs finally felt great again and floated along easily. Calves have recovered it seems. Although now the glute is giving it some! Off to the Alex tonight so will have to fill up on decent food so I don't eat the over priced unhealthy tripe they sell!

SG - I dont chase times/rankings/WAVAs etc like you folks, I just look for a sub3 at VLM, do a few Tri's and maybe do a couple of local road races as training runs through the year. But heres my take on Eastleigh and Chichester. I havnt run Eastleigh but its supposed to be fast and flat and its easy to get to as its at the end of the M3. Its a HRRL race and is fast ! Chichester clashes with HRRL but still gets a similar quality field, if it didnt clash it woud have lots more quailty than Eastleigh. Lots of folks travel down from London for Chichester. Both are worth travelling to due to the quality of field and the fact that they are inland a bit and so less likely to be wind affected. I wouldnt travel far for Victory5, GSR, Gosport, Hayling 10 if finish times mattered to me as they are all seafront routes at times and at the mercy of the weather.

TR, I guess if both were the same time, say March, we'd all take your advice readily.

I think the only slight doubt with Chichester is being early Feb, a week before one of our target halves, and possibly a bit early. But definitely worth a consideration as some of us are getting more and more keen to do fast pb courses!!

Stevie...we've drawn you lot in the FA cup at your place. Not confident myself. If we can scrape a replay that'll do me as I can't make the first game. Potentially meeting up with ALD for United v Arsenal which is the 12.45 kick off.

Bus, unlucky with the HX timing! Especially in the day.Mut be empty a hell of a lot more often than not. I found some MASSIVE schools championship there one Tuesday ages back, but about as bad luck as I ever got. In fairness, I haven't been there for a fair while, as the quality has tended to be more longer stuff that can be done on the road.

Off to Wycombe game tonight. Edgar Davids plays for Barnet!!

With a rest day for once I'm not trying to pile in a run, food, eat and get to a game, as that is blimming tight.

Had a slight alarm that the GPS wasn't charging, but as foolish as it sounds, I've only ever charged it at the mains, not realising it can charge in the laptop. Thank goodness it's just the plug not the watch gone screwy!!

Having said that, I mostly ran Sunday by feel, only checking the watch at splits mostly. Works better than constant checks I think.

SG - agreed, do what suits, Eastleigh is probably easier to get to as its straight down the M3. Stubbington Green 10K is also ok, but has a seafront stretch.

I am quite jealous of the fast flat ones you have down your way I must say!

There are lots of races round here, Hants Road Race League and Hants XC are quite a high standard as far as I am aware, I just pick and choose what suits me as I have no club pressure to race. There's lots of tough races too due to the South Downs, IoW and the New Forest. The flat courses are all mostly seafront ones though and can be way too slow on a windy day.

SG,TR, those sea fronts can be a real pain. I once did the Gosport Half and absolutely flew the course passing 10 miles in 57:13, and then I discovered why. Turning on to the road nearest the coast, I spent the next two miles running into a wall of wind. When I emerged from this particular stretch I was surprised to discover a line of runners queued up behind me. A surprise since two miles before I was pretty much on my own. From a low 75 mins I was lucky to break 77! beat the queue mind.

Thinking about doing the Fleet 10k at the weekend. Abdominal strain diminishing rapidly.

I'm really starting to get the HM itch. I woulnd't mind another before the year is out! Finding it hard to find anything though.

Ric, talking about queues, I did notice some runners personally trying to use me as a bit of a wind break/drafting me on Sunday!

I must admit i put some weaving and a little turn of pace to bat them off.

Fleet is undulating isn't it?

Stevie, sack off the Leeds race and come to Gosport

ps tedious game tonight...0-0 home to Barnet. Watching Davids kick some of our players and moan at his own was the one highlight.

SG, On Sunday, being drafted wasn't really an issue, unless someone wanted to go progressively slower. Usually I try to avoid dragging others along. In fact in Battersea Park I took exception to having someone latch on after I caught them to such an extent that I swerved off almost at right angles to the other side of the carriageway. 

Saw the price of the GSR. Shit! 

Ss, You should find a longer race somewhere. I'm of the opinion you'rd slaughter the time I did at Cabbage.

I drafted someone in to wind very nicely at Dorney last month. He was getting increasingly pissed off with it, but it's completely legel. We turned in to the downwind leg and I gave it legs and passed him

I can't think of a flat piece of ground near Fleet.

How often do you giys hit the track for speedwork? Did 8 x 400 last week in a stiff breeze @ 1:28/400RI. This week calls for 5 x 800 @ 3:00/400RI. It's going to hurt, especially after yesterday's 'long run'. Which for my 5km focus was 10km with 4:33/km average pace.