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My Last Run
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I took a leaf out of Cal's book this morning and went out at 6.45 for a brisk 30 run around the (hilly) cemetery. Saw a Roe Deer, a Green Woodpecker and what turned out to be a lost Jack Russell who was later reunited with his owner.
I'm playing with the idea of running an 'important''* 10k on Sunday in far off Wrexham, so not sure how to handle workload this week.
* the importance is that it's a selection event to get into the England masters squad. in effect, 3rd place or better = an England vest for 2023. The other participants (of which there are many!) so far include 4 who would have me on toast, so I'm not sure it's a sensible trip. If on the other hand, I could knock 3 minutes off my SB (set on a hilly track at Dorking that Cal will remember) on a flat course.........
I got a little sleep after that but felt pretty groggy when I woke again at 5am but I decided to go out anyway. I did 6 miles with 5 at recovery pace and the last one with some strides as I've mile relays on Monday and need to get my legs turning over.
Jake W. might be the winner of the World Champs but his real claim to fame is that he holds the record for Worthing parkrun!
Intervals this morning. Hard work and the body is telling me this.
Flat didn't cool down as much as I'd hoped yesterday - it got down to 28.1 overnight but was back up to 29.5 at bedtime. Fortunately I was so tired I slept anyway. It's better now...around 25.5 but it's already starting to climb again.
A slow half marathon-length run this morning...no issues with stamina but a grumbling achilles dissuaded me from making the run any longer. That and traffic...had to stop a few times to cross roads, which is why I generally do my longer runs on Sundays. Anyway, miles banked.
Cal, decent run! Slap ice on the Achilles?
I was going to visit a friend and do her local parkrun tomorrow in Stevenage but she can't make it now, so I'm giving serious consideration to doing Bevendean. It's been on my bucket list for a while. Don't suppose I can tempt you?
But you are rewarded with great views across the coast, and it's very friendly.
I'm still on the edge of making a decision about the Wrexham 10k. I'll have to make a decision this evening and will post here. If I dont go I'd be up for Bevendean but Mrs JB would find it just too hard (we never train on hills together). So I'll probably do Hove Prom which is very flat and fast. Our local course is closed for 2 weeks.
I've had some slow easy plods this week, missing out my interval session as my calves still in pain from last Saturdays cramp ! Seems to be easying but yesterdays run seem to provoke them so having a rest day.
I will have a slow PR plod tomorrow but Sunday I have the Epic 10k Cardiff Trail race around Castel Coch - not done a trail race before so think I'm aiming for sub 50 dependent on 'issues'
Summer school holidays now so no idea when I'm going to get to train but it'll fit stuff in somewhere
I cocked up a hotel booking so looks like I'll be staying local.
I'm very cross with myself so I'm hoping that I'll take it out on the course!
Hove Prom is the home of my PB and I won't beat that but I'll be looking for an SB.
St Albans was reasonably easy...tube to St Pancras and then a pretty quick train there that only cost a tenner return. However, I did have a 1.5 mile run to the park. Lovely town, if a bit hilly - part of the route went along narrow village-type lanes. Quite charming.
The parkrun itself is in Verulamium Park, which is home to Roman ruins (though these are covered and you have to pay if you want to see them).
The park is nice, though - grassy to start (but firm, short grass...mostly brown thanks to the weather) but then moving to path for three laps of a nice lake before heading back to the finish.
I felt quite good so I adopted a brisk pace, if not flat out, but seems I am stuck around 9 minute pace. I just can't seem to go faster and I don't know if it's physical or psychological. Came in at 27:49 so another time in that ballpark, which is rather disappointing. I still bagged age group 1st so I guess I'll just take the small wins when I can.
The jog back to the station felt a lot tougher, as what seemed to be a fairly gentle downhill on the way there turned out to be a very long uphill on the way back. But I made the train I was aiming for, which is good.
You are certainly consistent! And a age category first looks good on your Power of Ten.
5 recovery this morning. I'd normally do my long run on Sundays, but want fresh legs for the mile relays tomorrow evening. Most fun event of the year.
A mile is a horrible distance; a killer
My quest for an England masters vest happened today. To cut a long story short, I missed out: by one second, would you believe, over the 10k distance. I actually beat a guy on the finish line but his chip timing was just that bit better. For about an hour I thought I was an international until the results came through. GUTTED!
I did manage a respectable time of 42.17 but it wasn't quite good enough. So that was a 500 mile round trip, leaving at 03.45. Actually we had an enjoyable day and that's the main thing.
Cal, to increase speed maybe try running shorter intervals and/or strides more often ? Get the legs use to doing that speed once again...
Had my first trail run through Fforest Fawr Castle Coch in Cardiff. 10k through proper woods and trails, I didn't quite understand the difference between trail v road but after that I was battered. Aim was sub 1hr and managed 1hr 1m which is irritating but I'd never been so happy to see a water station after the first 'hill', proper bottles too ! 90% went over my head an neck, remainder drank. 3x 'hills' that were major which most people walked, how the winner managed 41m is nothing short of super human !
Decent medals though !
I think some runners must have some mountainn goat genes and my knees ache just to think of those downhill.
The event I did today (see above) was in Wrexham at the other end of the country from you. It's hard to fall in live with a place where the only bits you see is an industrial estate and a prison, where we parked!
John, that's both excellent and incredibly frustrating. Glad you had a good time, at least.
Teams are either all male, all female or mixed. Mine's a mixed team, just three peeps, but we're all vets (over 40s anyway. I actually enjoy a mile - really liked the Westminster Mile back in May. Hoping I can go under 8 minutes again.
A mike feels like almost 4 minutes 😁 of very hard graft to me!
Totally shattered today and a trip to the dentist ( more work needed) didn't help lift the spirits.
I've never really been to Wrexham, once when I was a child but I don't remember that. I missed your post above min by missing out by 1 second, that is soul destroying ! At least you got extremely close, most people never get that chance to represent there country. That time itself people generally get no where near... All things to be proud of with good stories in the future
Good luck for later as well Cal, let us know how you get on...
Hope the aches and pains go soon.
The other annoying thing was I tried to get a vets team going, but turns out you all have to be over 50 and there was a 40s woman in my team so we just counted as a regular mixed team. Not that we'd have been particularly competitive, either way. Ah well.
Resting today - hope this malaise blows over.
7k for me today @steady 4.41 pace.
Threw in a quick sub 2 minute final 500m. Still running on tired legs after the weekends efforts.
Really enjoyed Lioness's victory.
Commonwealth games to come......
Good 7K there.
30 minutes quite hard on the gentle slopes around the cemetery.
Now a bit of a rest until Saturday's parkrun: Littlehampton prom, where I'll be trying to break 21 minutes for the first time.
8 miles today. Not awesome - stiff SI joint was creating aches and pains for my hip and leg despite half an hour of exercises before even stepping out the door. Little bugger. Got it done, though.
Good luck breaking 21m John, I've so far only managed that once
Based on my progressive run today I'm not under 21 mins fitness yet either, although it was baking hot with the sun beating down and had a little in my legs from Wednesday intervals - excuses, I really need to put big boy pants on mentally I think
DH, I'm never quite sure what impact the heat has. I know some good runners who really underperform when the sun bakes them. It doesn't bother me too much.
Littlehampton PR, their 100th. A prom and therefore flat and fast if 40 metres too long. A field of 300 is large for them. I achieved my sub 21 by 2 seconds, and my age grade was the best of the day, a rare honour.
For the second week in a row a too fast 1st I (4.00) didn't help. Must correct this.
Enjoying the CW games and the womens footie.