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Sunday 18th January 2009
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pretty dramati change of mind NZC! good workout though and i'll be surprised if you haven't got a nice age grading from both races
had just about everybody pb'd today ? a wonderful set of reports, certainly a special sunday and really good to read (apart from worrying news stickless and poorly mrs podro - good wishes to both of you)
RFJ - inspired 10k you ran there for a super pb, speeding up as you went along. incredible, you must be really pleased with that one
podro - good steady race at BM, very encouraging. hope mrs p ok
mike - i had my money on you today, delighted to see you coming in and getting the target. ahead of pete (or is it kevin?) too . nice set of results you're putting together
tinebeest - cracking pb from you too, big congratulations. i can predict more coming off that too
hipps - pb with gut problems takes some doing. set up nicely for next time with happy tummy
gobi - that's an impressive time for 10 miles, speed training day for you!
4 villages half marathon - so what happened to me?
lay awake half the night having a crisis of confidence - will i make it round without setting off the foot which hasn't done more than 9 miles on road since july. can't face the thought of another month out if i do. feel awful if i don't run and people are without numbers. etc
eventually decided to be sensible, part influenced by mr C who would possibly suffer worse consequences than me if i relapse (a la AF cat kicking) and he was quite adamant too.
so went along to watch the start and finish and some bits n between and took race number for possible legit reallocation.
enjoyable morning out, covered about 7 miles at leisurely pace and saw lots of people + some very lovely pb's to congratulate and celebrate - esp my mate julie i ran part of the course with last weekend.
bit disappointed not to be in there but at least i don't think its a decision i'll live to regret, plenty more lined up.
i have xc next weekend and big goal is wilmslow half which is another 2 months off
sensible clink
Good run tinebeest
Gobi
THUD
Looks like a happy day of PBs and other great performances on this thread
Most impressed with that PB Hippo. Was reading a RW thread on Immodium (as I was debating whether or not to use it myself for the first time today) where you explained the problems you have, and I don't think I could run at all if I had to live with that.
RFJ - a big PB and a big negative split which suggests there's even more to come when you have the confidence to go out harder - great stuff.
Podro - serendipitous performance - hope Mrs P recovers
Tinebeest - yet another PB, well done to you too
Gobi - don't think I was as clinical as you
Stickless - difficult times, and even more difficult for your friend - best wishes to you both.
Today was my first half since Helsby 2005. That race was a watershed for me - I PB'ed that day in 82:56 - but could barely move afterwards - the extreme stiffness marking the start of bad sciatic problems which eventually had me re-evaluating my whole running style (and embarking on a disastrous flirtation with "full-on" Pose) and getting drastically slower. This was the first time in 4 years I was felt confident enough to race a half without a significant risk of injury....
Conditions were far better than expected - sunny, bit chilly, the winds less than had been forecast.
Target time 85 minutes - no idea whether that was realistic - had done reasonable mileage, but nothing over the distance, and been unable to break 67 minutes (6:42) pace on the harder 10 milers I'd done. And they were on the flat....
No matter - once I'd got 85 into my head, it wouldn't go away. Just inside 6:30 miling pace, so let's see what happens....
Had got myself reasonably close to the front, so when we finally started, had not too many problems with the (human) traffic over the first mile on the A56 out of Helsby. Through 1 mile in 6:26 - ahead of schedule, despite the slight uphill gradient.
Continue uphill thru Dunham-on-the-Hill, then down and out into the countryside. Thru 2 miles in 12:49 (split 6:23), so far, so good. The conversation behind me includes the lines "He was going for 1-25, but he's up ahead, I think he's gone off too fast" - or was that my subconscious talking to me?
Thru 3 miles in 19:07 (split 6:18) - but the wind is giving less trouble than expected, things feel pretty smooth & effortless.....so, gather ye rosebuds while ye may....
4 mile marker in 25:33 (6:26), steady as she goes. Another left turn takes us out of the wind and past the first drinks station. Can hear a vehicle behind - runners scatter out of its way, but it's basically a single track road and we've scattered to either side of it....so, what's the problem mate? 9mph not fast enough for you then?
Left at another junction to hit 5 miles in 32:06 (6:33)....and that feels like a stitch. Don't get those usually....is this an Immodium side-effect? Stomach feels uncomfortable for a bit - fortunately it passes....
Right turn and back into the wind. Move up to 2 Manchester Tri runners line abreast and tailgate. 6 miles in 38:33 (6:27), so I'm about 25 seconds ahead of schedule, but the difficult part of the course is yet to come.
Continue down same road, shadowing Manchester Tris. Not aware of any drop in pace, but hit 7 miles in 45:14 (6:41) - so, a big bite out of those 25 seconds even before we start climbing.....not a good sign.....
continued.....
Clink: exactly what I would have done today!
Lots of well dones today: particularly impressed with RFJ who has come on significantly since first posting on here.
What: 22 mins fairly hard on undulating ground (small hilly park so covered the same ground more than once). Felt quite good...tempted to push it but deliberately backed off. I think the hour or so walk beforehand helped warm the body up nicely.
Why: still getting out every day, still being ultra cautious, still enthsiastic!
Last hard: tempted to say parts of today, but in reality Jan 2nd.
Last rest: 24/12
Lyrics: nope...mind you Mike S did say it was pretty unlikely.
and.........
and........
...continuation....
Reach Mouldsworth, and the left turn takes us up the long drag towards Manley. Wind is behind, which helps a bit, but the 8 mile marker (51:57) sees a split of 6:43...we reach the top and turn left, along an undulating stretch. Still just about clinging on to the Manchester Tris, but form is starting to get a bit creaky....
...past the 2nd drinks station and hit 9 miles in 58:44 (6:47)...3 successive splits outside 6:40....must be way behind schedule now, leaving myself a lot to do on that downhill last 2 miles...
2 sharp rights and we're into Sugar Lane, which undulates, and provides a distant view of the climb we'll need to make to hit the B5393, how encouraging. Need to start working harder, hit the 10 mile point in 65:21 (6:37). Under 20 minutes to do 5K ....and with a net 50m drop....still in with a chance....but here's the last big climb. Past a school, and coming out close to the top of a climb on the B5393. Lots of support, but I don't feel I'm moving very well now.
This is the "graveyard mile" of this course - dips and climbs, and all the while you're waiting desperately to see the left turn into Towers Lane and the nice downhill run to the finish. On one of the dips, my hamstring comes close to cramping as I try to pick up the pace - and mentally I'm starting to feel very negative. Finally the 11 mile marker comes into view - thru it in 72:03 (6:42). So, 2.1 miles to cover in less than 13 minutes....there's still a chance, but it's fading quickly unless something happens soon....
Big shouts of "well in Matt!" as I at last turn into Towers Lane - "Matt" cruises smoothly past, and I realise it's a member of a rival club, making his half marathon debut. Turns out to be the kick up the @rse I needed.
If the hamstring cramps, it cramps....the descent steepens, gravity takes over and the charge begins. Now it's all about keeping the hips forward, not reaching with the legs, hoping they can cope with the cadence, and that I don't turn an ankle in the potholes....ignore the runners I'm passing (including Matt), cos there's the 12 mile marker, and I'm through it in 77:55 (5:52).
Now it all depends on what's left in my legs when the gradient peters out to a slight downhill...answer, not a great deal, Matt and others overtake me again. But the Helsby suburbs are visible now, if I can just keep the cadence short and quick down the descent which steepens a bit once more.....
...and there we are, the edge of Helsby, the shouts of "come on Wirral" from the spectators at the foot of Towers Lane, the 13 mile marker in 84:16 (6:21), with the finish in sight. And finally I'm over the line in 84:51, yesssssss........
Very pleased with that. First home for the club (of the better runners we had out, one picked up an injury and DNFed, Njord was using the race as 65% of a 20-miler, and no-one else seemed to have done enough mileage) - but better still was the feeling of laying a bogey. I'm knackered of course, my airways were nastily gunged up as they always are from long runs in cold weather - and cramps under the foot made it incredibly difficult to put compression socks on after the race. But that's the extent of the damage - no calf troubles, the threatened hamstring cramp never materialised, and above all, no sign of that appalling geriatric stiffness from 4 years ago.
Time to stick a beer (or two) in the chiller....
Well done Mike, always worth waiting for. An excellent and enthralling report that had me on the edge of my seat.
Great PBs too, PH, RFJ, Tinebeest.
Wardi, it's just a day at the office. Bank it.
Me 6.5 inside 7:30m/m. I think that was what I had planned.
I think that my week will involve easy running, as some form of taper....(taper from what?)
Evening all.
Well done to everyone out racing today.
RFJ - well done! Brilliant - a huge chunk off your PB!
Stickless - so sorry to hear that, hope you're better soon.
Podro - nice runs at the Brass Monkey!
Mike S - great run!
PH & Tinebeest - congratulations on your PBs, well done!
Thank you for all the well dones. Just got back home and am catching up - I would have the heating on at full blast but we're out of heating fuel (Mrs SD says I should point out that it was MY job to order it!), brrrr....
What: Another rest day (6th one this week!)
Why: Quads still very stiff from Friday
Last Hard: Friday
Last Rest: Today
Lyrics: Nope
SD
enjoy the beer Mike s
I usually just lurk, reading the stories of the day, but just have to comment on Mike S's race - well done Mike, v inspiring! Great read as well, that's some comeback after 4 years.
oh, and since I'm here...
What: 24k in 2:09 LSR
Why: training for Rotterdam
Last hard: Weds
Last rest: Thursday
Evening all,
Sorry to hear that stickless.
Seems like a few PBs today, so congrats to RFJ, tine and hipps.
Some good racing from Mik Gobi and Podro (though I can't believe I missed you today - we were within 50s of each other today!)
What: 17inc BM in 1:25
Why: offered my pacemaking services to clubmate
Evening (again)
Mike - Now that was exciting, you had me gripped to my seat, will he won't he, come on, you can do it. Really well done. Nice to lay a ghost to rest. You deserve those beers
Gobi - Well done on the 10 miler. Fast boy
clink - Good decision
tinebeest Congrats on your new pb
HH Fab mileage
NZC Good running if not as fast as you like make sure you give her a good run for her money
Wow - busy day all around here and pbs galore.
Well done Mike, PH, Podro, tinebeest, Gobi & NZC (at least you got out there and gave it some). Congrats on pbs where appropriate.
TmR - what do you want out of your next mara, time or position? Once you know the answer to that then you're halfway to a decision. Edinburgh? FWIW, I believe Prague may well have substantial cobbled sections, but that's only a guess.
Podro - meant to say, some of the pubs are brewery sponsored, so will only serve one type of beer (but plenty of other non-beer drinks as well). If you're picking any of those to go into, my fave beers are Gambrinus (very smooth) and Staropramen (crisp) - though they're all good.
Welcome simoncjw.
Hope I've not missed anyone.
NZC - sorry - missed your 3K & 800. You can only do what you can do.....
If Dortmunder Aktienbrau (DAB) are doing any sponsoring, I'll join you Podro
Hi SCJW - no reason to lurk, join in.
Lyrics - Yes, "The Gates of Delirium" from the "Relayer" album. Released in 1974 after the ludicrously overblown "Tales From Topographic Oceans" and Wakeman's subsequent departure, this track features novelties such as comprehensible (near enough) Jon Anderson lyrics, and music of genuine quality. Alas, it continued to be the exception rather than the rule....