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Moraghan Training - Stevie G
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Well, didn't even manage that! 1:23:54 sits 6th out of 14, and well over a minute down on lats year when I was only just on the comeback post injury!
It was oddly hard today. . A lot of people's times were down, but I couldn't quite put my finger on why. Superficially conditions were OK, but pretty humid and breezy in places.
Might do a fuller race report later, if I can be arsed, but long and short of it was, other than miles 2-5 it was pretty unpleasant and almost every mile was slightly slower than the last! Timing wasn't helped by GPS adding 0.1M on, so I ended up having to sprint bloody hard to make sure of getting my D target of 1:24
I had a bit of a ridiculous one today at Wycombe.
I don't think it's ever a terrific situation when you go into a race knowing it won't be close to the pb, or even the fast halves you've done recently. Throw in, it being a hilly half in the middle of July, amongst concentrating on short races, and it's quite an odd set up really.
However, having not done it since 2010, I thought it was time to again, with some casual thinking that I'd easily beat the mid 1hr 24 from then.
Yesterday the adrenaline had gently started to rise, even when I was meeting some old school pals for a reunion job. Ended at a decent hour, so was fuelled up and ready.
Shocking night's sleep, one of those where you're turning all night but can't find deep sleep, but didn't really worry too much, pre long distance sleep is often a bit rubbish.
Woke up and didn't feel too great, a bit sluggish, felt a bit clammy, a bit humid outside as I went to get my number.
Warm up was more of the same, and I remember being behind the park 10mins before the race thinking, heck, I do not fancy this.
They'd shortened the start line, rather than the ridiculous couple of hundred metre job from other years. Saw Bus and Alistair from Wargrave there. No Cooray or EOG, so it'd be up for grabs.
We were off, and I purposely made sure not to smash off. Noticed Bus was ahead of me by the end of the park, but presumed he'd set off a little lively. Found the hill fairly comfy, but that was because it felt like I was dribbling up there.
All ok so far. The second mile only came out slightly faster than the first mile, which seems to be the case as you recover.
By 3miles, and the split of the 10k race, I was starting to have misgivings. The pace wasn't really matching the effort, and although it's not a race you pay as much interest to pace it was a little off.
Think I was still near Bus, which told me one of two things, he was overcooking it, or I was undercooking it and running a bit under. I presumed the former, but as time went on, I probably found that wasn't the case.
But anyway, I think I temporarily ditched Bus and got into a long partnership with some guy in Blue. At one stage he was trying to draft me, which I was in no mood for, so slowed down, and he clipped me, "FRIG SAKE MATE THAT'S A BIT CLOSE", I can oddly remember as my exact quote.
Anyway, he went a little ahead, and I was to be honest just trying to run my own race, and he was giving it tactics "let's work together, and both take turns leading" type BS. "yeah" I grunted, knowing already that just finishing was my task today, and there would be none of that technical nonsense.
By 4.5miles I was already fantasising about the long downhill at about 5.7miles. It was glorious, and refreshed me. Maybe this wouldn't be the world of pain it was feeling already.
Unfortunately long steep down hills don't go on forever, and we were back onto the course, for an ugly little section where you go across a dodgy road crossing, and then up and round a couple of minor hills. Pace had slipped down to snail by here.
I did realise why I always miss the 7mile marker on this course though. The geniuses put it 20metres away on the other side of the road. Somewhere where you don't really have any reason to be looking, unless you're suffering a mid race meltdown and looking everywhere to find some stimuli to keep going.
So 7+ miles in, cripes, that's a whole 6 still to do. And the more soul destroying parts of it.
I'd had a couple of severe spells of "just quit" thoughts going through my head, not helped by seeing young James from Aylesbury walking having quit. A funny runner, a top end faster than me, but seems to quit out of a lot of races... not the sort of thing
you want to see when having thoughts of that yourself.
Anyway, stuck with it, and dribbled along the road just behind Blue shirt. He was doing all manner of fancy footwork, pissing about from side to side, one time being so close to the side of the curb that I actually slipped off it, as I was trying to view ahead of him.
I don't know if it was some kind of tactics to throw me, or whether he'd been watching footloose.
The miles were ticking over so slowly, I was weighing up all sorts of thoughts, should I just quit running and become a coach, should I become a Saturday night guy, become some kind of socialiser, all the time the splits all over the place, but getting slower.
8-10miles were a slow affair, but by this time I'd lost blue shirt, was running on my own, and was waiting for the inevitable Bus to come steaming past.
As I slipped to easy pace, or under the pace I can comfortably do easy pace 14milers in training, I was starting to use any strategy I could to get me to the finish... Just 21mins to go maximum etc.
Bus came past at about 11, sounding concerned, "You alright?". Not really I thought!
This was really becoming a meltdown. I was working off key landmarks to tick off the remaining miles.
Mile 12! The start of the park, just get up the mini hill, and it's just round the back of the park. lovely.
The Wycombe Phoenix guy who won the 10k years ago, and was having what looked like an equally nightmarish go at the half was ahead, but looking back just in case I was putting a furious effort together,
I wasn't, I was just about 7min miling it, and getting close to the end of the back of the park.
12.8miles done, so close, so close. Yet you still have to do this BASTARD stretch all the way to some kids nursery, and then what seems like miles to the finish.
I was doing a great impression of a booze hound, swaying like a mother frigger from side to side, knocked into the wiring, knocked a pin down, shouted to some girl to "put it back up", and made the hardest work ever of the last 200metres.
It involved about 50 looks round, and about as far off a sprint finish as has ever been seen. Swaying left to right, while the crowd started singing happy birthday (oh yea that was today by the way
) as my mum had turned up to tip the mic guy off.
However, I was more concerned with getting to the finish line before what felt like a major collapse coming.
Dribbled over the line for a 1.25:xx, slower than even the 2010 effort, and collapsed to the floor!
This was some serious stuff, some medical people wheeled in looking concerned, and whisked me off the medical tent. My mum was in there too, who looked well worried, no doubt thinking of the heart issues in the family!
I was still wittering on, telling everyone it was fine, and apologising for such nonsense.
But the readings on the blood pressure/heart rate were off the scale, and I didn't feel like I ever wanted to leave that stretcher. Copious water was being applied to me at all angles, and a polite shut up as you're affecting the readings wittering was decreed.
Took about 20+ mins for the readings to calm down and for me to show any willing to want to even sit up.
At one stage it felt like this was gonna be an ambulance job and time off work, but 30mins on and I was very gently wandering away.
Thinking, this'll be a perfect excuse for a rubbish race, I'm not well innit. Perfect.
I expect this is a different stage of the viral thing recently coming out in the rib inflammation, and I felt a little the same before the Watford 3k as I did today. The longer distance race obviously pushing it too hard.
Therefore, I envisage a little spell of rest/recovery!!
What a carry on!
Having read through the whole report to check you are okay, I'd just like to say:
Hahahaha, I can't believe your mum made them all sing happy birthday! That's hilarious.
Bad luck SG - not a finish you want in any race, let only on your birthday! Hopefully just one of those things and you recover speedily.
I thought you started very conservatively, as I wasn't really pushing that hard, but you pulled away fairly quick at 5k. I saw you again in Bourne End and you seemed to be going well at that point and had overtaken loads, so I was very surprised to see you at 10 miles, especially as I was struggling to maintain any sort of pace at that point.
I wondered where you'd gone at the end - not much chance for the usual post-race chatter other than with the ambulance guys I guess!
In hindsight, those are the type of situations quitting would have been sensible! However, I've always thought if you quit once, you'll always use it as an option. (obviously if you black out (Lit), or pass out (Bus) I don't consider those your choice!)
Never known such a strip out of energy, there was pretty little there from midway.
However, no real harm done, really pleased I finished, and as very little in the way of time expectations,not really a problem there. Just slight "could have beens", bearing in mind Alistair from Wargrave was 3rd, who I've often beaten, and obviously no real big hitters like EOG, Cooray, Downes and May there.
Well raced though Bus, last time you beat me was at this race too! Although I'd say that was better racing from yourself. Today you just had to crumble a bit less than me
ps Aley, cracking time for 5k the other day. Coming right on!
Everyone else, apologies, will read back a page or 2 when not feeling like a clapped out fool
ps Bus, that was the worst thing, the lack of the usual post race gladhanding.
By the time I shamefaced wandered out of the medical tent, and had to do the walk of shame down the tunnel to be asked if I was "alright", by about 23 people, I just wanted away.
Saw Alistair, and had a quick chat, but he was obviously hanging about for his prize.
Had a quick look round, but couldn't see anyone else to chat to, but must admit I wasn't too disappointed, as bed was calling!
Yeah, unfortunate timing as a high place would have been a given if you'd been OK. You also sounded really snotty and your breathing was bad when I was alongside you at the start. Charlie May was there today - he came fourth, but was pretty cheesed off I think having been in 2nd until just before the finish!
I was chatting to the V50 who beat me both last year and this - he won it in 70 mins back in the 90's!
What's this passing out biz though? I've come very close at the end of marathons twice, but my only DNF was in Marlow 5 due to excruciating hip pain and I thought carrying on might cripple me permanently! I nearly did at Hillingdon, but came to the same conclusion as yourself - just makes it all that much easier to do next time!
Oh no, it was Steve Butler from Marlow. Getting you chaps confused. He didn't have that ability to regulate effort v how you feel like we all do. Whereas I naturally slowed, he'd have been forcing the higher pace out, until the inevitable.
Hopefully this is the last stage of getting this virus out, as even in the Marlow 5 I was breathing dodgily, but thought I was seeing it off with a bunch of 5k races.
However, always good to have an obvious reason it didn't go to plan.
Roll on a recovery!
Stevie. Sounds eerily like the end of my Portland 10 race in 2003. And the lessons I learnt from that were.
1. Nothing over 10k distance in the summer
2. If it's warm DO NOT drink the night before (you can get away with it in winter)
the P10 doesn't help in the fact that the last 2.5 miles is uphill! Glad you're ok, my fingers went all white and I had pins and needles in my head! I remember my brother calling me and not knowing how to answer My mobile! All good fun eh.
Good effort Bus, horrible warm and windy day, horrific running conditions.
i'm at home with an alcoholic free erdinger (very nice actually- would recommend it) did the off road relay leg I did backwards. Shame I got caught in that line of showers.
backwards or in reverse Simon?
Bus, SG. Those sound like super tough efforts. Says well that you are still prepared to give a blow by blow account of proceedings.
I have a feeling that today's conditions were against all of us. The humidity was really high along with pollen and duff air quality. I could feel it myself this morning, a sort of strain.
When I went out, it was to end up in running twice as far as any other run in seven weeks. Why not?
I was full of tea when leaving the house, and drank a couple of pints on the road. Calculations show that over the course of running 15.5 miles (7:28 av) I must have sweated off 8 pints. I was drenched. But averaged 7:15's for the final 5 miles.
🙂
Ric- always get a report up, whether it's gone excellently, averagely or ridiculously!
Needless to say I can't stress enough the "Luck" that this happened on a park 1/2mile from home, rather than a race 90miles away!!
Sounds like a fun filled day SG. Maybe that's what happens as you approach the grand old age of 21...
Cycle yesterday and run today - first since Thur 2nd due to a chest infection & a stag-do in Brussels, where 36degree heat and broken hotel A/C didn't help the chest.
Reading back a few pages - brown pee WTF? Mind you, I scared myself silly yesterday morning until I realised I'd eaten all the beetroot in the salad the night before.
SG, having had a couple of re reads of your report, that's sounds a bit scary.
Needless to say I might have some theory hanging around. What I can say is that personally I had a weigh in before leaving the house. Bearing in mind that only a few week back I weighed 119lb's, to find I was 133lb's wasn't great, but wait a moment. There could be a good reason and a reason it's good.
Ok, more muscle. More muscle, stores more glycogen and therefore more water. Training in the heat while overloading with water further expands the circulation which of course adds to the weight.
A balance is required though between fast running and wiping out the glycogen stores. So I reckon too much brisk running drops the capacity of muscle to store water.
It's in there somewhere.
Today I didn't drink more than a couple of pints before heading out since I knew I'd be stopping for drinks. Still surprised at how much I shifted. Haven't dropped so much hydration for years.
Today was a sod to be racing 'halfs.
🙂
171 races, and this was only the second on my birthday.
And it now is automatically the best "birthday race related story", over the time I drove to Hanney for a 5miler, found a sports centre, but couldn't actually find the race, so spent a lonely 35mins pootling round some council estates instead.
Glorious day.
In an odd way I am glad there was something clearly wrong, and I wasn't just showing a heart the size of a flea by easing down so ridiculously. Take any positive
looking forward to 2 compete rest days minimum though. Will revisit on Wednesday.
It's always pleasing to complete a half, I suppose especially in these circumstances. It's super easy to finish one you're smashing, but what about one that you knew was off as early a 3miles!
Iron, wow that's quite a break yourself really. I think it's situations like today which show me 2 paradoxical things.
1) That I don't like to take extra rest days to my 1 a week too often, as you never know when you'll have a forced one
but 2) you realise how little harm if any such a rest day or 2 will do.
Brown pee, costochrondritis, constant tightnesses, pelvic niggle, putting my back out, stomach issues.
Have to love it to deal with all that stuff over the last 5 years!
Pete, ta. I do love a real detailed waf...sorry write up. Hope others are even vaguely entertained!
I'm not certain you can enjoy race pace effort, bar perhaps that last min burn up with a rival, but you can definitely enjoy a nice scenic run, no worries on pace.
Well done Bus too on what obviously was a tough day weather wise. Really humid up north too as I decided to weigh myself before and after my run. Turned out I lost 7lb in sweat for 20 miles.
Although I've done a couple of races recently (a 10k and a relay) with some decent-ish runs I've massively got out of the habit of racing. Work is a bit hectic in regards to hours but the mojo isn't there. No real structure to my training but trying to get it together and focus towards Dublin.
Ric, deffo agree, although today I was pishing out 5mins before the race, so thought I was covered. I am puny muscles wise though, no getting away from that.
Matt - I try and entertain as well as merely self indulgently writing monster reports. You have to take the comedy from today, it was ridiculous. My mum took a whole stack of pics of me in the last 200m, and kept showing me them, until I snapped
"I know, I was experiencing it"
I've a small stable of silly races now.
Over exerting on a boiling hot day, and ending face in the turf for 30mins
Doing a race with a fever
Doing a race with a chest infection.
But they were all 10k jobs. You can sort of blag that a little. I found today there's no blagging in a hilly humid half
Matt, I'm up to 9 races in 2015 now. A real mixed this last couple of months of couple of cracking ones, couple of weather related ones, and couple of under the weather ones!
SG, I take all races as 'it is what it is'. Even the one's that go badly are simply relative to the next one that's better.
Just add it to the heap and go get another.
🙂
Deffo Ric. If I can recover quickly, I'd love to get another 3k/5k and a club event in over the next few weeks. But all of those are nice to haves, rather than me risking putting a recovery back.
Over the course of a running year, a 2 day full break is quite a rare thing, so I'm looking forward to a couple of 8am wakeups, and relaxing!
I'm not afraid of time out myself, well only from the point of view that I might to forget to run again.
During the latest setback, I've had a day off here and there, two days off twice, four days in one go once, and finally an eight day job which finished 11 days back.
I've just run my second fastest 15 miler this year.
🙂
Evening!
So you won't be doing Battersea 5k tomorrow then, SG! Well toughed out today, but there is obviously something wrong: if you were round here I would be asking you to speak with one of the running docs associated with the club. I would be looking at steady running only for a while. And happy birthday!
Well done Bus: reasonable yet disappointing!
Simon: decent 1500! Obviously a quality field.
Matt: thought I might have seen you in the Sizzler results...talking of which, to put my own performances in context I was over 200th with about 140 under 20 minutes. And two of my over 60 former training partners ran 18:05 ("I had a 'mare"...he ran 17:40 in the first one) and 18:55. WAVAs of 92+ and 85+. A lot of work to do!
Thanks Matt. That was some 20 miler by the way!
Ale - that's a spot on summary! The winner of the 10k today was talking about the Sale Sizzler as a must do oop north....
As for the humidity today, although I was sweating buckets from the warm up, I drank a lot before and had a drink at almost every drink station (unusually). I also drank a fair bit straight after and downed a load of nuts to get some protein in. Weight back home after was only 2lbs less than before, so must have got it fairly OK, and not even a twinge of a headache this afternoon. That said, legs are pretty shot!!
Looking at the splits, seems like most of the time was actually lost in the first half bizarrely.....
Bus, Sweating buckets from the warm up. Now that's humidity. Sounds like you made recovery and preparation a priority.
Though it sounds a bit obsessive to check one's weight before and after runs, at this time of year to do so is really common sense.
As our fluid levels drop, our bodies start to prioritise where it needs it most. And I can safely say that supplying muscles for running fast over long distances is about as low a priority as it gets. That's a physical luxury. It's the first to go. The brain is the last.
That's why at the extreme end of the spectrum you end up unconscious laying on the ground.
🙂
not sure if i have read back far enough....
but congrats to Alehouse, i have run the sale sizzlers and whilst flat there are lots of twists and turns
Tough day of half maras for bus and sg.
Simon - congrats on the 1500m....what simon doesnt say he is now 3rd in the v40 GB rankings with that time!
SG - crikey moses, that sounds like a hell of a day, hope you're feeling better now. Running a hot, hilly half doesn't sound like any way to spend your birthday, even if you're healthy, but in these circumstances it's a mare. Amusing report though, so swings and roundabouts... Anyway, take time off and don't push it.
Bus, sorry it wasn't what you were after either, I think the susprise at being ahead of SG must have put you off your stride.
Excellent 1500 Simon, is that your best last-place? You should post it up on the 'Have you ever been last in a race?' thread on the General forum. Great time, I'd love to be within 10 seconds of it!