The Middle Ground

Simon:  SPO refers to the female of the species, I believe.

PRF:  explain your last point re Olympian/parkrunner! In passing I note that I use to run with the father of the female winner: same club, same county team and same standard (until he moved to Scotland and got on their cross country team!).

Well raced Phil. I liked the description of the acrobatics. Sham you didn't win but well battled.

Some great running Mr V, agree that mud is hard but I always feel great after a tough run on mud!

Good news Alehouse. Fingers crossed for the first run back.

PRF  confused.

Inter house Staff Netball at lunch today. Having never played before I kept falling foul of an obstruction rule! We lost, then lost the 3/4 play off. Oh well...I suggested a staff 5k next term, but I won't hold my breath!

Alehouse - Since you appear unwilling to entertain the idea that I was genuinely 1 metre in front of Andy Baddeley after 5 miles I'd better come clean and explain.

The race was mainly on a narrow cycle path/disused railway line and in places muddiness meant that the racing line was very narrow and yet we were racing in both directions.

At 5 miles I found myself pretty much on a head on collision course with Mr Baddeley on his way to a 29:07 clocking. Hence, 1 metre in front of him

And there was me going to claim that the course was tough and worth at least 2 minutes and then he goes and posts a time like that!

But at least I was 2 minutes quicker than at Abbey Dash on what was definitely a tougher course to some extent.

Should be on course for maybe a sub 38 at Ribble Valley on the 30th and then smackdown territory of 35:xx ready for YD at Dewsbury .

Simon, Alehouse has it right, it stands for Sports Prevention Officer or Wife.
Though I am sure the Slaithwaite Philharmonic Orchestra have got in the way at some point. Ask prf, Slaithwaite is near him.

Mr V – like you I seem to suffer on XC, but as you say you got a good workout. Well done on those mile reps, averaging 6:02 is good going for 6 reps on a shortish recovery. 3 x 2m next?

Great news on the progress Alehouse, as has been said I am looking forward to reading a post where you tell us about going for a run.

prf – what Alehouse said

My late winter/spring race plans are firming up nicely now. I have the following races entered (should update the fixture list)

30th Dec - Ribble Valley 10k
20th Jan - Brass Monkey Half
3rd Feb -  Dewsbury 10k

I should have a decent idea about ballpark MP and what not after that lot. I don’t want to get race burnt out before my Marathon so I am not planning on any more races apart from a sharpener close to M day. I am in two minds as to using a 20 mile race as training with a number on as well. Be interested to hear opinions on racing in Marathon build up. In my experience racing does affect your training mileage quite a bit, and as I am looking to run more miles than ever before it might be a bad combo. Thoughts?

I have also been tinkering with my Marathon plan, I think the plan I posted up a while back was a bit ambitious for me, there are still some elements in there such as the long runs at MP+30seconds, but it looks a lot more like a standard plan now. I reckon it will keep on changing as I go to be honest, I am starting to think there is probably not much point planning ahead more than two or three weeks at a time.

Cheers all!

YD - Well done getting the miles in when you could.  It all adds up.  Regarding warm-up races, I'm still working that one out myself. I suppose I'm veering towards being happy to race quite frequently, but making sure I can prioritise A/B races and not let tapering get in the way too much of the bigger picture.

Bearing in mind it's your debut, I personally like the idea of a 20 mile race, if you approach it properly.  It will give you an opportunity to run a very long race (IMO it's significantly different enough from a HM to feel like genuine marathon prep, but still within a reasonable range regarding recovery) as a proper dress rehearsal for the marathon - use your gel/fuel strategy that you're planning, and obviously race shoes, etc. I can remember discovering silly little things like, how easy is it to actually take the gel out of the loop of the gel belt when you're running at 6:xx/m and feeling a bit tired?...

(Without meaning to be too prescriptive...) running a 20 mile race 4/5 weeks out from marathon day, with a progressive easy/steady start and then 10 miles @ target MP, would be good preparation; 20 miles raced flat-out three weeks before the marathon obviously wouldn't!

Mr V - Good leg strengthening as you say, plus you feel quicker again when you get on the road!  I think my XC form is pretty much on a par with other running; on the one hand, I'm aerobically fit and my legs are strong (on the stupid-steep stuff I can power up pretty well), on the other hand my running style is a little heavy, so I don't glide over the muddy stuff like some of the weedier (meant in the nicest possible way of course!) runners seem to. 

Simon - Good question. I don't know how much, if any, Paul had in reserve but it's possible I could've either opened a gap and clung on, or maybe had a bit more for a sprint if my rythm hadn't been so interrupted. I'll just have to give it another crack next year.

I've taken one for the team, and dug out ( sifting through many a page) the most recent fixture table...all the blimmin way back to early November, so must be well out of date.

 

However, I've update myself, and YD's...
Had a right old exciting time tonight, entering a stack of races for spring 

 

Y D wrote (see)

My late winter/spring race plans are firming up nicely now. I have the following races entered (should update the fixture list)

30th Dec - Ribble Valley 10k
20th Jan - Brass Monkey Half
3rd Feb -  Dewsbury 10k

Yo Ho Ho Ho YoungPup wrote (see)

I hope this is the most recent?...I've got another race (Eastleigh) to add to next year's build up

 

December
22nd - Mob Match Ranelagh Vs SLH (7.5m XC) - Curly
23rd - Reading XC - SG
26th - Aylesbury 5K - SG (potentially) 
29th - Henty Relay (1.5m legs) - Curly
30th - Ribble Valley 10k - YD

January 2013
1st - Knacker Cracker 10k - YoungPup
5th - Kent County Champs XC - PhilPub
6th - Tadworth 10 - YoungPup
13th - Tadley XC - SG
20th - Brass Monkey Half Marathon - YD, MrV, Dr.Dan(?), Hilly, Wardi
20th - Bracknell XC- SG (potentially)

February 2013
3rd - Chichester Priory 10k – PhilPub, SG, YoungPup
3rd – Dewsbury 10k - MrV, BR, Hilly, YD
10th - Wokingham Half - SG
16th - Race Your Pace Half - YoungPup
17th - Brighton Half Marathon - PhilPub 
24th - Snake Lane 10 - PRF, Dr.Dan, MrV, BR, Hilly, Wardi

March 2013
3rd - Surrey Spitfire 20 - YoungPup
9th - Dambuster Duathlon (GB Champs) – PhilPub
10th – Northumberland Half Marathon - MrV 
24th - Bradford 10K - Dr.Dan
24th - Eastleigh 10k - YoungPup, SG

April 2013
14th - Brighton Marathon - Curly
21st - VLM - Ratzer, PhilPub, BR, Hilly, PRF
28th - Greater Manchester Marathon - YD

May 2013
6th - Milton Keynes Marathon - YoungPup
12th - Leeds Half Marathon - Dr.Dan

 I'd like to find a 10k / 10m race in mid April as a final sharpener.... time to scour the events listings....

Good xc running Mr V and Phil.  Sounds like a good battle took place...

YD - SPO sounds like you're been spending time on Sub 3 with TR...

Good progress, alehouse!

We'll be at those races too YD, but I won't be doing RV only BR, but then he's not doing the other 2.

Well glad to say the ice has gone, although now replaced with a monsoon!

Alehouse- great news

MrV - well battled

PP - what a great read.

YD - IMHO I wouldn't race over 10 miles in distance in marathon prep, although Brass Monkey is far enough out to get away with it.  This year I managed 3 miles @ BM half, 7 miles @ the Stratford HM, 10 miles @ the S. Yorks HM.  Result was my best marathon since 2004.

PRF - Dewsbury parkrun rule change proposal:-

When lining up a runner for sub 20 min pacing duties, in addition line up some runners who can manage said pace for more than 2k.  And if that is not possible, do not leave yourself hanging like a juicy peach ready to be plucked 5 seconds in front.

In other news I DNFd at Telford 10k.  Basically because I saw 6:01, 5:57 and 5:50 as my splits and could not handle it.  I was not going to dig very deep to card 37 mins.

So, YD - talking of juicy peaches to pluck, I'm in 37 min shape for Ribble Valley..

Phil – thanks for the advice, I can be trusted to run to a pacing plan, so as you say, 10@easy /10@MP or some derivation of that could work, though there is always that nagging voice (funnily enough it sounds like BR in my ear ) that I might burn myself out.

Nice work digging out the race schedule Stevie, aren’t you planning a parkrun assault soon? Once you have that monkey cracked you can start thinking about running a Marathon

I might have picked it up there Hilly. Good name for her at the moment!
It will be good to catch up again, though I will be shooting off after RV as we are due in Skipton at 12ish for a birthday party. That’s how I swung the running pass for RV see…

BR – point noted re racing in Mara build up.
As for juicy ripe peaches I am sure you will be picking me off by the 7k marker, if not at RV, certainly at Dewsbury!

YD, cheeky, I'd hardly call a possible, one off, under sufferance, very small chance, of sneaking into a fast park run an assault

Knowing my luck I'd turn up, watch some real fast guy motor into the distance, get some rubbish conditions, and end up with a time 20secs slower than a 5k split within a recent 10k.

Oh wait..that happened last time

Stop, do not run another step after today YP!!

Stevie – well line a few up man, there are loads of fast certified parkruns about and law of averages says you will nail one in the right conditions sooner rather than later!

prf – just found out the date for the Hartlepool Marina 5 mile race, it’s on the 5th April, 3 weeks out from FLM, 4 weeks out from the Manchester Marathon.

AWOL again ... but have read back, honest.

Nice long run YPup and congrats on 2012! Actually,  63% WHR and 75% maxHR are pretty close (e.g. yesterday's LSR for me was 71% maxHR and 61% wHR) - Simon/Ypup I think you're just confusing units?

I was away in Colchester last week but managed to get in 2x5M runs. Weekend was manic but I was off on Monday and so squeezed in another 11.5M. Today/tomorrow was supposed to be my London work trip but, due to train chaos (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-20765689), I had to turn back to Leeds ... hopefully this means an extra run or two.

Feeling fat but fit ... I'm not going to deal with the former until January.

Well spotted, Dr D. 75% MHR is 66% WHR for me. YP, carry on, you're doing great

Congrats on 2nd in the XC PP, very impressed with the Weeble impression too!

Good XC effort from Mr Viper, if it's any consolation I perform a lot worse at XC as well!

PRF.. a decent couple of races at the weekend, good to see your performance graph heading upwards.

Bad news here.  As per Hilly's post last Friday, the pavements were skating rinks around here.  Fell onto my back walking for the bus and I now have excruciating rib pain between shoulder blade and just above the waist.  Getting out of bed takes me a few minutes!  4 Ibuprofen a day are not doing a great deal so I am barging into the Docs tomorrow to see if I can get something stronger.  I sneezed last night and it felt like being shot!  I've run many miles in ice & snow without falling over so I feel very frustrated at this turn of events.     Anyone else had rib bruising and for how long etc.  I'm hoping mine is just bruising, I'm sure the Doc will confirm.  Can't possibly run at the moment so I will just have to be patient.  Still, I reckon Alehouse would swop problems with me so all in perspective.

Xmas joke.. did you hear the one about the dyslexic devil worshipper? .... he sold his soul to Santa.

YD - SPO, I'd prefer sports promotion officer  Encourage the parkrunning...

Wardi- sounds painful indeed!  BR once damaged his ribs in a fall and it took quite a bit of time to fix I'm afaid...Hope yours mend soon!

Dr D - sounds a right frustrating morning with trains!

YP - keep up the good work.

Wardi, Sounds like it could be broken. I've suffered a few broken ribs in the past. Once from being punched, once from being squeezed and once from being drunk. Anyway, I believe it took about 3 weeks for it to stop really hurting when I sneezed/coughed and about 6 for them to completely heal.

Was going to tell a load of Santa jokes but that's not fair on Wardi:  nothing worse than laughing with damaged ribs! Or coughing! Or sneezing! I've cracked a couple a couple of times, and not great fun: one time I fell over on a long run and couldn't breathe. Had to almost crawl back to the car much to everyone's amusement. That night was camping on the dads and lads cub camp: didn't know that anything could be so painful. I think 3 weeks is, indeed, about right: hope it is less and that you can pull a few crackers without embarassment.