Saturday 26th May 2007

Good morning

Hope Clink's race went well

Good luck any racers today?

What: Nowt
Why: schedule
Last hard: Tuesday
Last rest : today

have fun out there and happy Running:-)

what: a 5k hilly xc race
why: interclub racing

it went very well indeed - aiming for 35 minutes and actually managed to get round in only just over 32 minutes :)

its been a gorgeous day over here - lovely and sunny - its hard to remember sometimes that its almost winter.

Morning all!

Pammie, well done on your race. I think part of the trick in not starting too fast is learning not to mind the feeling of the fast and too-fast starters coming past you (even if you start close to the back). I always feel like I am going backwards at the start as people zoom by, but then I get them later - well, some of them anyway!

Scoobs, Flyaway etc, the Little Woody sounds fab - you should definitely do it!

What: 70 min run; ride to bike shop to get new pedals; marking
Why: schedule, need new pedals, need to get through the marking!
Last hard: run Thurs
Last rest: week ago Tues

Good runnings all.

Morning all

What: Bushy Park + Warm up and cool down Pace ??
Why: play time
Last hard: Wednesday
Last rest: Monday
Lyrics: no

Morning,

Haven't had time to get on of late,

M, well XC'd

What: 10 miles easy
Why: tough hilly 10K tomorrow

Last hard: Thursday
Last rest: 15 days

Have a good one.

Morning

Wabo - Not an easy one but you should be very proud of yourself for digging in.

Well done Pammie. I have the same problem....but it always feels so easy at the start:)

Good luck with your 10k Sodahead.

Best wishes to those on the bench

What: 2 hour LSR
Why: That time of the week again

Enjoy the day

Good morning everyone :o)

Even I know the lyrics today, though I'm sure I associate the song with a different artist from everyone else.

Off to Scotland in a few minutes, to take the descendants to visit the ancestors, who live on the other side of the universe from Edinburgh. But best wishes to all the marathoners tomorrow.

Today ...

What: Out at 5am for 60 minutes at 70%WHR.
Why: In case I don't get another chance to run for a few days.
Last hard: Thursday's long run.
Last rest: Monday.

Still around a minute per mile off my pre-DD 70%WHR pace, but it'll come back in time.

Good morning

Pammie, glad you enjoyed your "end of monther". Looking at your splits I think your HR% is a bit low at the moment. As you get fitter and incorporate a bit more speedwork in your training you will be running this at about 90-92%, somewhere above your LT pace (85-86%) and below your VO2max pace (95%).

For myself, I'm now treading the well worn sequence of run day, rest day. Although yesterdays effort felt relatively OK, today the knee and hamstring have tightened up and aren't really runable.

Anyway have a good day all.

morning,

wabo - you pulled out every ounce of grit and determination, the real loneliness of the long distance runner showed through and the tremendous relief at the finish. just as characteristically the agony turned into an immediate i must do it again! great series of races and reports, i hope physio is right and you're back on form after a little rest

graham - not surprised you needed a week's rest after all those marathons, nice to see you back, hope you enjoyed the birthday celebrations

nice even reps on the track micksta, even with the watch dropping to bits

pammie - you do exactly the same as me. start off fast, have a lull in the middle and pick up for the finish. i don't know what the answer is except to keep trying and concentrating on getting used to the pace. i think those 800's we did should get the right 'feel' for 5k pacing. also i think the shorter the race is the more likely we are to go off too fast as subconsciously there's less time to catch up.

as for my race -
2 and a bit laps on driveway and trail round the mansion house in a beautiful country park, what a way to spend a lovely friday evening. conditions were great - sunny and pleasant with a bit of breeze.
roughly the 1st, 3rd and last k's are all a long straight incline on tarmac and the 2nd and 4th are back down with the offroad bit of grass and trail.
set off repeating the don't go off too fast mantra and aiming for 4.15 - 4.17's
there is about 80 yards of gravel before we hit the drive. 2 guys go down and we have to swerve round to avert a major pileup. very crushed and some bumping about for about 800m up the incline till we get some personal space and then round the corner to 1k in 4.14 and then down the trail dodging a few potholes (don't want a repeat of last week's nosedive) and i feel i'm flying along here - pass 4 people and in a good rhythm but know i've got the uphill again, twice.
2ndk in 4.15 then round for the uphill drag. a guy is running alongside me and we push hard but lose a little with 4.21, blast. down the other side again, i pass one or two but haven't quite the control as on the first lap, feeling my legs starting to tire after the uphill and 4k in 4.24 so really determined to fight hard up the final k just keep working and pull back a bit for a 4.20 finishing in 21.35.
splits are less uneven than i normally do but still lulling in the middle and need to work on this. also think i need to really blast the downhills and make sure i don't coast them to make up for the loss of time when going up.

next week's race is probably a slightly easier course with no offroad so i really should get under 21.30 and another go at evening up the pace.

what - easy recovery run probably 5 mile loop
why - recovering
last hard - last night
last rest - 5 days
lyrics - yes, are we having a 60's week WP?

Morning

Good luck tomorrow Sodahead

Clink, good race nonetheless, if we can sort out those middle ks we'll be laughing

What: Rest
Why: might have a race tomorrow (i know!!!)
Last Hard: Yesterday i suspect
Last Rest: Friday

Oh i love this running club, we may not really see each but its full of wonderful peeps

NZC - i did wonder that they could have still been in my legs, but we will soldier on

Tom - You have hit the nail on the head, even looking at the intervals i did and the race HR is way too low. I remember averaging 88 for a hilly 15 miler no problem and getting into the low 90s for 10kms. I guess i have to be patient and that it will return

Morning all :)

What: 20 mile LSR
Why: Scheduled
Last Hard: Thurs
Last Rest: Fri
Lyrics: Yes, great song :)

Not my fastest ever run at 2h50 plus a few seconds (12 mins slower than last time I did it), but it's my first one in a month - probably not the best thing after being injured for a bit.

Half killed me the last 6 miles....didn't seem to have the strength in my legs and had to run/walk too much.

Realy should be building up again a bit more slowly and spending more time on strength/core etc training rather than just getting out there.

morning

just haven't had time to get on here lately & no time to read back in any detail, so must apologise to anyone whose significant performances I've missed - seems like you've had one Pammie.

Good effort Clink - was that Dunham Massey? - doesn't sound like the easiest of courses & a bit claustrophobic at the start.
Just relax (as opposed to coast) the downhills - don't stick your landing foot too far out in front of you, don't lean back, and let gravity take you where you want to go.

Can't remember when I last posted - think it was more than a week ago. Anyway, been trying to increase mileage and run 2 harder sessions. Mileage increase went too far last Sunday when for various reasons, ended up covering 10.4 miles over 3 outings of 0.5, 3.8 and 6.1 miles - right calf & Achilles complained for next 2-3 days.

Wirral Seaside Run Wednesday - very disappointing outing, 19th in 18:34 in helpful conditions (wind diagonally behind on embankment). A few contributory factors, not least allowing myself to get sucked into a ludicrously fast start from the pack. Was never overtaken after 500m, gained at least 6 places, but still got slower & slower - just emphasises my point. Very disappointing as I had felt sub 18:15 was where I should be finishing at this stage.
Bit of a breakthrough last night, however - did my 5.8 mile course, original intention was to try to run threshold intensity & improve on last week's 38:37. Anyway, with Wednesday's disappointment still at the front of my mind, it ended up being a "punishment" session instead (does anyone else succumb to this? - you let yourself down the other night, so tonight you're going to pay for it).
It hurt all the way round, but the pace never dropped - and I managed to record 37:18 - the fastest I've run this course for more than 2 years, since before my sciatic problems began to take hold.
So, some belated optimism - but I need to put a comparable performance together in a race before I begin to believe I'm really on the way back.

Will try to post again soon.

Morning all,

4am here and just about to head out for a run with the Reggae runners club for a 10 miler. Not run with a club for ages so will be fun.

Flying back to Triniland later.

Have a great day and happy running.

Mike - good session that, 6:25 pace and 14 secs per mile faster than before. Definately suggests that you underperformed on Wednesday. Are you currently short of race practice - usually the shorter distances, 5k downwards, take a few races to get right.

To return to my injury problems. Firstly, I'm sorry to sound like I'm the only person who ever got injured in the whole history of running!! Secondly I think the "brave little soldier" facade is starting to crack. About an hour ago I was overcome by a wave of anger, frustration and self pity. It just welled up inside and I couldn't stop it - at that point I couldn't decide whether to burst into tears or attack the injured knee with a hammer - fortunately the kleenex were closer to hand than the tool box!!

I think the problem with running fitness is that it's so hard earned and so easily lost. Is this true or am I just being myopic again.

Scoops, the above is about as close as I can get to wearing my heart on my sleeve.

Ah, now I feel so much better.

Morning

Good running Clink and ScottS!

Nice to see Gobi and all the others this morning at BPTT - I didn't see you at the end, but I did sneak in a 20:05 (maybe rounded up to 20:06?) and now have a plan to break into the park at night in order to make some shortcuts on the corners of the paths - it's "only" 5 more seconds...

What: 5km run d&d (plus another 5km there and back), next up is a long cycle (80 miles?) before the rain arrives
Why: IMA - 43 days.
Lyrics: Nope

P.S. Don't tell Melli but we have a new addition to our family?!

Morning all

What: 5 miles
Why: Staying with BR and Hilly
last hard: Wed
last rest : tues

Lovely six miler with BR and Hilly last night too. Was a bit worse for wear again last night!!!

Good luck all you who are racing.

Morning...posting from work so got to be quick

I dont like this getting up early lark !! work mates find it quite ammusing to see me on an early shift...not called Night Nurse for nothing !! Wont offer to do this again in a hurry !!

Great night out last night with 200 and the others from our maraton group...ened up in a pub watching a group called Diamond Dogz...Glam rock stuff, so most of us were in our element..got some ammused looks from some younger members of the group..when we were getting down to Tiger Feet ...aahh those were the days !!!


Clink good stuff..though thats the trouble with laps isnt it ?...we know we have those hills AGAIN and try to prepare but they really do seem tougher the second time...

What: 3 very easy miles later
Why: Half marathon tomorrow
Last hard : wed
Last rest : thurs





better do some work

Clink: Diversion avoided - good racing.

MikeS: Sorry to hear about the calf/achilles. Unlike me, you have a strong threshold to pain. Well done.

NightNurse: I was listening to Tiger Feet on my MP3 today. A good high cadence running song.

What: 2hr LSR. Took it is very easy first 60mins. Then on the return leg sped up for a strong steady running. A really good run and finished with loads of energy. Could definitely have gone on further. My new mantra is: "Loose, loose...keep it loose".
Why: Training for time-on-feet and maintaining a relaxed lightweight form.

Clink
Well raced & well reported!

NN
Yes, it was a good evening - but a lot more restrained than the social! I rather liked all the T-Rex covers myself...

Will get out for a brief run once Mrs 200 gets back from her not-so-brief run.

Hello all,

Clink and M. well done to you both! Good luck NN and anyone else who is racing.

DD, The mind boggles. Thats dedication for you! How hot does it get in the middle of the day?

Tom....my husband knows exactly how you feel. He has been on the bench for most of the last two years, after a motorcyle accident (4 days before our wedding) and then a ridiculous string of bad luck - injuring his back, being whacked in the foot by a very speedy hockey ball, and how last week, he wrenched his bad knee playing hockey and is back with no exercise. I know it must feel so horribly frustrating. All I can suggest - knowing this is a very poor substitute - is that now is the time to develop a different hobby that you never would have had time for if you could be doing all the running you want to do. Can you swim? Mentor a schoolkid? Play the guitar? I bought my husband an X-box, but each to their own....! I really hope you're back out there before long. Battle on, soldier, it wont be forever.

What: 35km bike in 1hr 35mins following by 5mile run in 43mins. Really pleased, had a great time and am getting a lot more confident on the bike. I was a bit of a jesse at the start, braking down hills and stuff, but went a lot faster today and loved it. Oh, and the padded cycling shorts are awesome!!!
Why: my first tri in 2 weeks!! I'm now confident i can do the distance, i could definately have done the extra 2 miles at the end of the run, so I wont disgrace myself completley.
Last hard: today!
last rest: Wednesday

Lyrics: Yes! Welsh Poppy, is this a new CD you've just got, or an old favorite you're now listening to non-stop??