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My Last Run
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Oh dear, JT. I must admit I sharted once when I ate a whole packet of sugar free sweets, but it wasn't when I was running, fortunately.
3.65 miles at a relatively easy pace on this cold, frosty but sunny morning. HM on Sunday so this week's been a bit more laid back.
A fairly triumphant return to racing today with the Hampton Court half. It was dry and fairly mild but quite windy, so OK but not perfect conditions. Given that I was out for a month with the groin strain I suffered just before Christmas, I knew I wasn't going to better my PB of 2:02:34, so I set myself two goals: get under 2:10 and run a negative split (something I have never managed to do in the past).
Well, I did both. My chip time came back as 2:05:07 (actually my fouth fastest time - I've now run ten halves) and my pacing was actually pretty spot on. Splits went 9:48, 9:54, 9:29. 9:38, 9:34, 9:37, 9:32, 9:21, 9:01, 9:28, 9:31, 9:23, 9:02 and 8:29 pace for the last little bit. Even managed a sprint finish! So yes, pretty chuffed with that.
Brill Cal! That is a fantastic run. Well done! It hopefully gives you a decent marker for Manchester too? Definitely sub 4.30 I should think
It is very quiet on here!! Just me and Cal
I've been away with the old man for a few days for our anniversary, which was lovely. Did an easy 6 miles in the beautiful Hampshire countryside on one of the days, and other than a pretty punishing hills session this afternoon, not much to report from me. I've got a half next Sunday (Roding Valley). I got a PB on that last year, and would love to improve on that this year. My current pacing suggests otherwise, but I shall see. So it's a slightly easier week this week, which is just as well as we have Ofsted rolling up on Tuesday
Ugh, nothing less fun than school inspections. Thank God i don't have to deal with that any more!
Good luck with the half. People said I might surprise myself and I did - the same could hold true for you!
Well done Cal, I was wondering how your half marathon quest was going! Nothing going on here, got a very slight injury so I'm taking the chance to have a couple of weeks off before really getting on the marathon training again.
A quick nudge to former parish regulars Strangely, Lily, Swittle et al. And to any new adopters. It would be good to hear from you.
I always see rats on Tooting Common, JT - there's one area where they hang out. I don't mind them. My ex used to keep rats and they're pretty clever.
Gorgeous sunny day. Weather forecast said 5 degrees so I went with the hoodie and gloves and was a bit too hot. Did 4 miles easy. Legs still very heavy from Sunday, unsurprisingly.
I know I said I wasn't going to run another race before Manchester but I've just signed up for the Thames Meander triple crown (half, not full) so looks like I'll be racing again in a couple of weeks. Couldn't resist.
Hope you get your niggle sorted, Matt.
My second run this year after being lazy and not running since early December - doh!! I take the dog running with me - aren't border Collies great pace setters
Managed a 5k, but feeling a bit breathless and unfit compared to how I was before being idle. I'm hoping it shouldn't take too long to get my fitness back being a 'youngen'. Lovely weather this morning though, nice and sunny and no slippery icy bits at 10am. I feel like I met about 50 tractors in the country lanes though which provided a good excuse to rest :P
Zoe
JT- I am not at all surprised that rats lick their arses. I loathe them. Pleased you managed not to shart.
+1 to the MLR faithfuls- give us a shout!?
Cal- nice
I am doing the Finchley 20 in a few weeks, although doing it as a traning run- the half this Sunday will be a "race race" and hopefully decent marker of marathon pacing. BTW Finchley is actually nowhere near Finchley. It's in bloody Hillingdon! This outraged me so profoundly that it *almost* put me off entering...
PMatt, get better soon
Me- 5 am speed session this morning of 12 x 400m at a fairly decent pace- a little over 7m/m. Followed by day 1 of Ofsted. All seems well so far
Good luck with Oftsted. Yuck.
Great running people. Had a stand off with a massive rat walking to the car park the other night. I won.
Running was going well until I decided to do some heel drops on Saturday because the Mrs was away and I was bored. BIG mistake, don't even know why I did them??? Did 3x15 straight leg and 3x15 bent leg, twice that day. I haven't been able to walk since!!!! DOMS like the first time you go to the gym to do weights. Calf seizes up as soon as I sit still for 1 minute. I've been limping round like a 90 yr old who filled their pants.
11.9mile road/offroad mix. No fun really. Had a dizzying energy crash at 3miles. Only lasts a short while but still no idea why it happens. Soon okay but knackered again in last couple of miles. Slow.
Persevere pewx3. Heel lifts and squats are always a bugger when you first start doing them.
5 mile recovery run at 9:18 min/mi pace during which I tripped over and bumped my head and cut my lip on a low wall a mile or so from home.
Now let me tell you about the time I ended up in A&E while running in a park......
Not really a recovery run then, was it?
10 ish miles last night, 6 of which were at tempo pace.
Nice one, Nessie.
ter a two day running break with just yoga and a little gym work, I decided to get the cobwebs out of my lungs and try a tempo. It turned in to a bit of a duel. It was one of those cold grey days with an air of damp and gloom about it, so the hoodie and gloves were on.
During the first, warm-up mile I was overtaken effortlessly by a knock-kneed girl (to be fair, I also have knock knees but as I don't have skinny legs, it's not so noticeable). I spent the second mile - the first of my tempo - trying to hunt her down and I got by her just before the end. She then went past me again rather easily during the third mile, which is always the fastest mile on that route because it has downward gradient. I lost her after that, so I assume she took another route.
Miles were 10:33, 9:22, 9:01, 9:28 which, with the exception of the first mile were the kind of splits I was running last weekend.
Going to try a long run on Sunday. One thing I've noticed after the half is that the little muscles around my ankles are knackered. I'm not having the usual issues with the right glute and ham but those little buggers have made the balancing postures in my yoga classes a real challenge.
Where did everyone go?
I did not enjoy my run today. It was cold - enough that my hands didn't even warm up until the 13th mile and I bitterly regretted not wearing a long sleeve top underneath my hoodie.
However, I did manage to crank out my longest ever run. I wasn't really sure how far I'd run today or what route I'd take but it ended up being 19.19 miles in few seconds under 3 and a half hours.
I went slowly so I felt pretty good up until mile 16, which was when my hams and glutes started to complain. I was glad to get finished. Rather satsifyingly, though, was that, aside from mile 3, the fastest miles were the last two. Probably because I'd had enough by that point and just wanted to get home and have my breakfast.
Well done Cal! That sounds like an excellent run and you should be very happy
I did Roding Valley Half Marathon today. Weather conditions were fine- very cold and quite windy but OK reallly. I was hoping to improve on last year's PB of 1.53 but got 1.55.10. All things considered, I'm not unhappy with that. I really had to push on and found it hard, but did my best. I've had a hell of a week with Ofsted and was absolutely shattered (still am) from a week of 12 hour days and very little sleep. It means that it is very touch and go as to whether the elusive sub 4 is possible for Manchester, with only 6 weeks to go... but I cannot beat myself up over that, and as I say, I'm pretty happy.
I am thinking an easier week this week. I've done two 18 milers, one 20, and am doing Finchley 20 in two weeks, with a final 20/22 scheduled before that. I had wanted to do at least 4 20-22 milers, but the way I feel now, I am so tired, I am not sure it will be useful... any thoughts very welcome!
Saturday a late 11+miles in the fields in the dark with a torch. Had to negotiate a fallen tree which I nearly ran into. Yesterday 17+miles again off road. Better pace. Been wearing these Helly Hansen trail shoes which I had used as walking shoes. They grip fine but are bloody heavy and rigid. Not ideal. I have other trail shoes. In fact I've got loads of trail shoes. Must not buy anymore. Will probably get some more.
I was due to do a 15 miler as marathon training yesterday: I managed 14.5 with the last 2.5 walking. My legs were like solid concrete and there was no run left in me.
Felt like I was out for hours (which I was) and ended up rather cold and demotivated.
As it stands marathon training sucks and I want to pull out!
Stef26 - You still covered 14.5 miles. Factor in inaccuracies of tracking software, and you may well have done the extra 500 metres!
It's the distance that counts - not the speed.
Yesterday was fecking freezing and no good for anything apart from staying in bed. I ran Coventry half marathon - a great event, but I wanted to pull out half way round. It took me 5 miles to warm up, and I'd used up so much energy by 8 miles I just wanted to go home.
Yes, marathon training sucks. And it also blows. But you're doing it anyway.
Stick at it. It's a shit time of year, but it will get better. Have a beer or some chocolate or whatever ticks the 'treat myself' box.
Stef, I hear you. I think the tough part about running a marathon isn't the race so much as the training. I was out for three and a half hours yesterday. Felt like an eternity. But 14.5 miles is a great achievement. Keep at it, you'll get there.
Nessie, great effort, especially after the hell of an Ofsted inspection. I'd take it a bit easier for a week, personally, and you'll go into the final part of your training feeling fresher.
And well done for finishing, Zouse.
I must admit, if I still feel like running another marathon after I do Manchester, I may well go with an Autumn one next time so I can do my long runs during the Summer. Much more civilised!
Too much w*rk! Not been getting on here much at all but looks like the usual array of strong training. Hope everyone is fighting fit.
Had a small scare last week. My left outer thigh muscle really tightened up in the last mile of a hilly 15 and then was quite sore the next day. I canned a planned 23 on Saturday and did a gentle 7 on Sunday. Managed another 6 yesterday and it feels much improved today. I've had to sacrifice a little of the plan in order than i don't make something small into something big. I'll continue to monitor it until the weekend and then hopefully do the 23 on Saturday if it's subsided.
The marathon, I can now say, is next month. That makes me a happy as the general fatigue and tiredness begins to tighten it's grip. I'm thoroughly enjoying the light mornings now and all we need is for the temperature to rise by a few degrees and it'll be just right
Zouse & Cal Jones - thank you
Feeling much more positive today and am already looking forward to training this week. Fortunately it's a lighter miles week and then I'm onto the bigger miles again next week.
Run club session tonight and I always seem to work harder when it rains
Strangely, good to *see* you, and I'm pleased that the thigh seems to be OK.
Am totally with you re- fatigue at this stage! I am also probably going to sacrifice my second 20 mile run this week due to absolute and utter exhaustion. I don't think it will help at the moment. Still doing the speed sessions though as it seems to me that is where I need help.
So it was a 5.30 start again today with 24 x 200m. Pretty vile really but as always I felt much better afterwards, and pacing was pretty spot on at just under 7 m/m, especially considering I did a HM the day before yesterday,
Couldn't agree more, SB - that icy wind is getting old. Hope your thigh is OK. Sports massage, maybe?
Nessie, you were going to do *two* 20s?
My legs are still buggered from Sunday so I managed a half-hearted 3.7 mile shuffle through the wind and rain. Oddly, it's my quads that are sore, despite the fact it was my hams and glutes that fatigued hard during the long run.
Cal, I meant 2nd in total for this training programme
Not second this week!!
Tempo tonight, roughly 7 miles. Legs like lead. Pacing not as bad as it felt
Lovely day today and a quick 8miles in 55:30. Couldn't resist chasing down hi viz runners.