Moraghan Training - Stevie G

Ric, good race, top 10 is never to be sniffed at.  Can be a little ugly working down the paces realising what your 5k (or ish in your case) pace should be!

Stevie see wrote (see)

Looking forward to the yearly reviews on here, another progressive year with highlights from everyone.

Stevie, good to hear you back. Everyone start thinking about their year's highs and lows, tally up those miles, races and pbs, and put together the 2013 aims list.

Just not yet...not until I release the format sometime soon...either tomorrow evening or later...  Then we can keep a track of everyone's in one go rather than them dribbling in.

Won't be off to Manc tomorrow now. Would probably be ridiculous after a race, and hearing of the M6 accident today....will hold off until Saturday's game instead

Which, Bus, means there will definitely be a run Friday..just hold off until further details old son

Phil, are you ok niggle wise/general running then? Seems you've been on the build back for months as it is, and only considering over 5miles as long one, and no target races until late March doesn't sound too good? 

ps only just noticed these new emoticons

Target races.

Noticed on Phils list the Staines 10k. One of my annual must do races. Not usually advertised as its a local sold out job. But, it has to be the PB 10k race around.

There's flat and then there's Staines flat. Long stretches with barely a turn to slow you down. Makes the first few miles of the Cabbage Patch resemble an obstacle course.

Quality of opposition? ok, sub 36 mins is usually good enough for top five from 500 plus. But you'll need to duck 33 mins to win. 

Re Bus, thanks for that. I've been mucking about with this post for so long that by the time I deliver, a mass of other posts could have arrived.

One mince pie and the odd chocolate. Determined not to slip back into grazing goodies. Difficult to avoid. This year there is so much chocolate in the house its ridiculous. I've discovered that squirrels are really keen on the stuff. It could be bonanza time. 

Had a quick look at the last 2 years of Staines results Ric.  35.17 2nd in 2010, and 35.16 4th last year!

So while it sounds excellent from your courses description, there's every chance of it ending up a solo time trial, which probably loses you time itself...having a constant flow of people to catch or "use" is essential for a pb, as otherwise we all know how easy it is to just ease off for a bit.

Possibly the same day as the Marlow 5 as a different option though. But the same week as the Silverstone 10k which has a much higher quality field.

although last year only 11 got under 35mins...but was windy apparently....25 under 35 the year before is probably better to go off, with a field of 1,000 runners!

Silverstone races are a funny one though. Very high fields generally, but quite low quality at the front.

No idea what conditions were like, but on the face of it, my current half pb would have come 8th out of 6,000 plus as last year's half. I mean behave!

The winner was an Olympic marathon runner too!

If I ever did the half again, I'd have to make sure I was on the start line. The other 4 times I've done it, I've only been able to get into the "1hr 45" pen, and have to thrash past stacks of people, and take use of them ordering the results in chip time order!

They seem to be making the race more charity based these days bizarrely. Entries were closed by November, for a March race that has capacity for 15,000 runners, yet never gets more than 6-8k. Bizarre.

The last occasion I ran the GNR there was potential starting issues. I was outside of the starting pens and so densely packed were they, that I'd never get anywhere fast once in one.

While wondering my position with minutes to spare, a marshall in charge of a gate alongside the elite runners caught my eye and waved me over. I must have looked like an elite (I weighed 55kg that day) as he said, "I reckon you belong in here mate", opened the gate and ushered me in right behind the top lads. Result.

Also, there was a muck up with the results that year which resulted in me receiving a certificate with an unfeasible time. But who am I to argue.

You know the truth unfortunately Ric! Reminds me of one of the chaps on the new marathon threads on RW.

He has a 16.06 or so 5k on his PO10 record...but apparently his pb is over 18...probably not a good thing to have something so woefully incorrect on your record as it makes everything else ever look distinctly pony!

Aylesbury 5k IS Power of 10 friendly thank goodness.

Will go along, run as hard as comes on the day and see how things are.

Just edited the previous post, with evidence of GNR.

In my case it was known to many people that I'd run 73:43 for a half at Battersea in 1997 so it was assumed to be genuine.

As is running, your best ever form isn't known until you're past it. I was close to my best form at Battersea that day. It was also windy and 27 degrees in the shade. So could I have gone quicker somewhere?

No use speculating on the 'what ifs'. It is what it is, or what you can get.

RicF wrote (see)

.As is running, your best ever form isn't known until you're past it.

That fear of this certainly helps you to keep working hard.

I suppose the real challenge is when you've reached the top of your own personal mountain, and having to work very hard simply to stay where you've got to.

The Bus wrote (see)

Knee being ok is a good step Stevie!
Sorry Philip, misunderstood - I thought we were doing a 14! No worries, we can do a shorter one of 5-6, but can we make it a bit later, say 11? I'll do the long run on Friday.

11 is fine. Doesn't have to be too short but I can't do 14 at 7:30 pace at the present. SG, as you say, comeback road is long. A lot of false dawns haven't helped so every time I string together a few runs I get the same niggle reappear but it does at long last seem to be moving on and I am getting better at keeping the aerobic fitness up via other means. Target races in three months time has to be realistic and those are real targets i.e. PB possibilities and not just running round to get a few points.

I'm a bit reluctant to talk races at the moment, but my main races will be Leeds Abbey Dash, the GNR, Sale 5, and Christleton 5k. Oh and I must defend my 3k Cheshire Champ crown

7 miles today @ 7:00min/miles - felt like 10k pace! Now off the Tranmere Vs Crewe!

That's still decent paced for a comeback Stevie!

Just back from Aylesbury 5k, which has to be the first race I've known noone at for ages! Even knew people at the Victory 5, 80miles away!

Anyway, 17.29 for 6th out of perhaps 170ish?

I couldn't really remember the course from 08, but pretty obvious this isn't close to a pb course. With laps, and fair old undulations, one even set on a hairpin bend (!), and a few tight bends, it was more a case of working as hard as you could, and seeing what happened.

Splits came out   3.18, 3.30, 7.11 (for 2kms), 3.28.

Bearing in mind my last 3 flat 10ks have gone through 5km in 17.23-17.27, coming out slower than that but being fitter says it all really!

Therefore, 2013 really needs a 5k pb on a proper flat fast course....June 2010 for the 17.10 is sounding a long way back!

Charming little race though. Great unique little medal too. Sometimes a race doesn't have to be about the time, and you can be satisfied from the effort level. Today was that day.

Some local big hitters there today, Fabian Downes won (heard him moaning about his time after), Charlie May, and some other kid who beat myself and Bus at the 10k the other week).

As a comparison, last did this course in 2008 and ran 17.57 for 25th. That at least shows a wodge of improvement on what I presume is the same course. If it's not, it certainly isn't easier!

Good thrash out, working the VO2 max zone. You need to get have a crack at a flat one before your hilly PB are faster than my flat 5k PBs! Were you in a group or stuck out on your own? With only 170 I can imagine 6th being a lonely spot.

Probably about 50-75metres in front, so viewable, but not really touchable over 5km.

Didn't feel too much behind. But it's quite motivating round a town centre with plenty of supporters. I quite like the set up of these 5kms, just wish they could be flat!

Certainly do need to fix the 5km issue .It's becoming a thing. Whereas I don't mind an 80mile drive to a  10k-half, you have to ask yourself about the point of driving too far to a 5k!

I'd be tempted by the Dorney Lake 5ks (Olympic venue...flat round the river), if they weren't so shady sounding. £20+, Non UKA, pony quality of field etc.

Otherwise, maybe there's a chance to combine a northern 5k with a footy game or something...what are the races you recommend up your way Stevie, and any dates?

Bus, you fool! if you'd told me, we could have gone together!

Might have saved me a ridiculous directioned trip from the sat nav, towards Great Missenden along some real random back roads!

Potentially Friday can be a run...just need to see what Fri to Sun's plan is and edit around...

fair dos! next time...plenty of big races next year, if you get a pass

Up our way are, Christleton (net downhill) in mid May, the Sale 5k (Sale Sizzlers) x 4 in Summer that me and Dean ran, Cappenhurst in Aug, Christleton in May is the best but on a Friday night usually.

presume it's PO10 friendly?

I looked at the 2012 5k road rankings and most of the fastest came at Armagh!  Must have been some elite class event or something.