Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
Options
Moraghan Training - Stevie G
The materials in this website are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor, qualified personal trainer, therapist, dietitian or nutritionist Runners's World, Part of the Hearst UK well-being network © Copyright 2017
Comments
A 32:50 10k and a 4:38 mile.
Jesus that's fast.
Thought I had the answer with the HRM when I came to the conclusion that it probably needed a new battery. Replaced the battery last night and it's still the same. Reading way higher than it should be. I worked off my FitBit on yesterday's run and kept the HR down at average 144bpm for 8:40/mile average (3.5ish miles). Not ideal though - the screen is quite small and I have to press a button to get it displayed.
I'll have to get a replacement HRM. Annoying thing is I should have an old one kicking about the house somewhere but I've looked for that before and have no idea where it is!
I'll easily purchase a new one - but lit if you do have one going spare, I'll happily take it off your hands. How much do you want for it?
Cheers Corts, Reg
Dachs - nice photo. They say there's 3 definites in life - Death, taxes and a nurse. But there's a 4th. A Serpies vest at every race you go to
Bit quiet on here today...
5.77 miles at lunchtime, keeping the HR in check at ave. 144bpm. About 8:40/mile average.
Get a slightly longer one tomorrow morning hopefully at about 8 miles, still taking it very easy and then see about cranking things up a bit next week again before introducing the proper speed work again the following week
Solid tempo too Reg. you seem to be in decent nick at the minute.
Lots of plodding from myself with zero ambition to entertain a race. When I do one I get the same adrenaline rush afterwards but just can't be arsed with all the hassle beforehand. Still really enjoy getting out for a run though.
I'm supposed to lay a time down to put my name in the mix for the road relay teams this autumn but I just can't be arsed. Always in the top 2 at the club time wise but can't be picked on past glories.
Had a jaunt round the Yorkshire 3 peaks last sat in 3.41. Felt bloody comfortable and the route was a mile longer than the race route as I took the tourist path up Whernside. I raced it 3 years ago in 3.31 so I reckon I'm going ok.
Ran twice up and down Snowdon this week too. Felt really strong on the climbs both days, the first one being in 80mph wind which was a bit scary.
ML, I can say that the idea of entering a race isn't on any of my lists right now, but I can remember a time when I just lined them up.
The one's I looked forward to, were when I'd had a block of training so good, that it wasn't a question of 'would I get a pb' but by how much.
Needless to say, that particular aspect has diminished somewhat.
Apart from not running enough, I'm still a bit peeved at getting injured doing an event that younger runners should have been doing.
As for now. I'm going to attempt the five mile loop of a few days ago. I may be some time.
Tomorrow, it's out on the bikes.
For some reason (Strava actually) the fastest runners in my club have requested joining me and the lad for a Sunday blast on wheels. Should be fun.
Despite them all racing today, I doubt if that will slow them down.
🙂
Ok, back from the run, back from some garden work (handy £75), and on to the second tin of Guinness (masquerading as a S. Combes lightweight).
Miles went 7:15, 6:54, 6:55, 7:00 & 6:45
Lets see if the DOMS takes another four days to release me from it's grip, this time.
🙂
You need some cheering up Ric, and while Dach's impressive time will partially do that, what is needed I think is a SG "race" report.
Let's go..
The barrier of the first race (allow it) in a year was a good 6 weeks back now, so needed to get over that one and force myself into another one. As much as I enjoy my standard 60ish mile weeks and track stuff, it's too late to completely give up the ghost on all vaguely competitive stuff.
With footy season starting today, and the mighty Wycombe having a close-ish away at Crawley, that'd need an earlier wake up anyway, it seemed a good day to ease another Wycombe parkrun effort in.
From Friday morning, I could physically feel a ramp up in anxiety/pulse rate. Like Matt says above, the pre race stuff is by far the worst bit of it all for me. The satisfaction/relief is still great, but that pre feeling, awful.
I was actually not fussed about Friday 5pm coming to leave work, as I knew the actual work was coming Sat morn
Got up, very hot. Curses. Set off on a 3mile "warm" up, not fancying it at all, as the breathing sounded a little loud. Often does after a day off for some reason. By 2 miles I was vaguely fancying it. And all done at 3miles, with 15 to the start.
A couple of pathetic half hearted "strides", a couple of...bush sessions, and a complete bottle job of not chatting to a woman from work who I've cheesed off enough to get the dreaded "unfriend" on fb recently (somehow)...and erm, we were close to 9am.
Of course by my "Luck" i'd picked another one of these that didn't start anywhere near 9am. After the 200th event, this bastad was the "anniversary" of the start, meaning tonnes of announcements about overall "winners" of points tables of last year blah blah. Some geezer who'd done about 37 events at Wycombe turned out to be a 5 times Paralympian too, so that drew extra time...
By this time I'd analysed everyone anywhere near the start line, elevating anyone in a "proper" vest to be some amazing runner that i'd get embarrassed by, forgetting what type of event I was at.
Did clock Frankie, which I didn't know whether to curse or celebrate, having had about 50 battles with him in the past, and only winning a couple, by a few seconds, and by 1/4 sec over 3k. Doesn't matter I thought, just "race" as hard as you can, that's all that matters blah blah...
erm...stay tuned folks..
Whenever I do this race, I always think, is this start line always so far back..but it probably is, and we were OFF.
Presumed setting off strongly would take me clear, but it didn't. There's some youngster being rude enough to keep pace with my traditional too fast start. Doesn't he realise who I used to be? It's Stevie G off the internet this guy is dealing with! He'll probably ease back, like a lot of these keen youngsters.
He doesn't ease back, although in reality we probably both did, when you realise the race isn't just to the first bend, but there's a whole bastad 2 laps of a massive park to deal with.
I know Frank won't be too far behind, but can't hear anything, so presume he's nowhere. I presumed wrongly, he's right on our tail, but is it just him, or is it the other 350 people as well? Am I actually in danger of finishing last?
No, it's just Frankie, and the three of us are going nip and tuck, it's only a bloody actual race, not me just monstering round as I fancy, like Jack the Biscuit.
I'm breathing like an asthmatic on a lorry going over speed bumps, while these 2 sound comfortable. The first km seems in a different place to last time, 3.26 comes up. 3.26? That aint no fast start, that's some standard fare. Maybe it's late, I quickly think.
We're still all in, as we go round the back of the park, bit of a tiny climb over 10metres, so the worst place to put in, so we don't. I just sit in, unsure how fast I'm actually working, trying to ignore the breathing, and just keep going. 2nd km comes up at what I misread at the time as 3.33. That sounded crap at the time, but luckily when I checked later, it actually said 3.53, as the bloody "Km" is 0.68m, not 0.62m.
Wasn't looking at actual paces at all today in fairness, was just concentrating on keeping going, always enjoy the little down 10metres spell out of the back of park onto the grassy loop, as you're half way, and the better half to come.
Up the steps, in 3rd, brain saying "3rd will do today, it'll do fine", but legs keeping me in it. Other chaps not pulling away at all.
Strategic decision to stay in 3rd as we face the gauntlet of all the people still a km or so back, meaning no route has to be forged through them, and a nice polite continuation until the now slight down 10metres as we approach 4km.
I'm presuming one of the chaps will pull away a bit, and still having a lot of "just finish" "3rd will do" type sentiments.
We're into the last km now, and I realise even an appalling km will be done in less than 4mins. I start vaguely entertaining the idea of , if we're still so tight come the second last bend, I'll have a little go.
1/2 mile to go, Frankie is leading, young lad second, me in 3rd, all played out over a ridiculous 2metre margin. Legs have had enough of this bloody nonsense and my loser thoughts, they're AVING IT, putting me onto 5.11 pace, and a ridiculously unseen change of gear, and we're off, we're winning this.
Frankie whispers "it's yours", and for a glorious last km of 3.15 it was magic. Another dose of vindication for sticking with it all over the last year, and taking 8secs out of Frankie, and 13 out of the youngster over half a mile.
Seems to me that what the legs can do isn't in sync with what the breathing is telling the body it can do. So we'll have to test this out again sometime soon.
Strangely, a 17.32 despite such a tight race, compared to 17.29 solo the other week. It was much warmer though, and possibly when you're so unused to recent racing, you can find confidence stops you from going harder when you could do.
On our gorgeous grassy n steps course, that'll do.
Had a decent 10mins of post race banterings, including an awkward chat with the "cheesed off about something" lady from work, and 20secs chatting to an old cl
mate, who had to run off to have a "team photo" with the other ...3 or so who'd come along, and erm, rush home to get quickly off to the Crawley game...which was an awful journey there, and an awful game.
So swings, and roundabouts Rodney...swings and roundabouts
Jack the Biscuit!!!
I should probably clarify, by this definition... http://www.odps.org/glossword/index.php?a=term&d=4&t=6566
and not the urban dictionary one.
And also not to be confused with Biscuit Jack!
I never noticed SG, I was too busy enjoying reading the report, especially the bit where you discovered you had a change of gear.
Well done.
As for me. No aches to speak of, but a 'weigh in' indicated some excess bulk. Not sure if I mind, so long as I can run a bit.
🙂
I was the 18 min pacer at my local parkrun yesterday which also meant I was first finisher as second spot ran 18.07 to my 17.5X. I never take my barcode when pacing and its probably cost me about 6/7 first finisher spots. Still the fella in second wouldn't have his 2 wins there if it wasn't for my generosity.
It always feels really comfortable doing the pacing duties though.
Great stuff in the 10k Dachs - definitely on cracking form!
SG - nice one, especially getting the better of a returning to form FF!
Simon - v.quick in windy conditions that...
Matt - nice of you to pop in
. Some impressive hill running going on there - your pace on Snowdon is scary!
Hardly a holiday chaps - just a long weekend camping! Proper holiday comes a week on Monday
. We only decided the night before Dachs as we wanted to be sure of the weather. As it happened is was good, if windy - until last night when a bit of a storm blew through, totally un-forecast. Thought the tent was coming down at one point, as I'd taken out a load of guy lines and pegs to save packing up time this morning (had to be back for lunch time). Not much running. A hilly, hard 6 just after arrival, then a 3 mile (estimate), un-timed and barefoot run along Studland beach on Friday. Nice running completely unfettered for a change. Can't decide whether to do an LSR later, or save myself for a BP 5k tomorrow night...
Come to Battersea Bus! I shall be there.
May well see you there then Dachs, as I've just done a very easy 3M leg loosener in anticipation. Fingers crossed I can get away from work on time and it's not windy!
Busman's holiday time again then! Enjoy, after the BP faceoff! Dachs too. I'd have probably needed a few more parkruns to bother going that far for a 5k. Still, there is the equally fast, if not equal standard of Dulwich if needs be one time...and every week.
Pete, not surprised you don't think anything of a parkrun
Doing them every single week and all. Chuckled at the idea of you not even knowin which one you're going to until the day!
Anyway, it's getting late (by my standards!), but allow it, it's been a 6am wake up, 10miler (post race reduction), out, and then off to Wembley, long day.
Thought i'd stop messing about, buy some new watch, and get it in for tomorrow... However, just spent an hour reading about stuff, and even less sure now.
What do people run with, and what shall I go with?
However, I like both the Garmin Forerunner name, and the shape/size of the watch, so the below look to be the contenders.
610 cheapest, and you can get a blue £119, as opposed to a black £145.
But then 620 and then 630 have been newer additions, with the price rising
Also, read something about how in close races, the HR can pick pair with someone else's heart strap, which overrides your risk reading! That'd make losing some annoying shadow in a race, even more essential! "Ruck off mate, you're ruining my reading!"
So erm, that's where we are...
Good stuff SG - Always nice to blast a PR now and again. More at lunch, including another 'meh' 1500M at the weekend, and pop up windy weather (not forecast as per usual..
Studland beach Bus. Ran along there a few times!
Nice report SG, and a handy win there, must be a decent confidence booster. Love imagining all the worries you went through relating to this parkrun, pre-race nerves and toilet concerns, awkwardness with unfriendly workmates etc, whilst everyone else just turns up and has a run in the park. Get a proper race in!
Good to see Ric back amongst some miles.
Studland Beach is partly nudist isn't it? You say you went barefoot Bus, but did you go the whole hog?
Saw your 1500 on FB Simon, I'd very happily take your 'meh' time.
Good pacing Matt, I have also come first as a pacer. One of my pacees did break 18 that day as well, but I'd already surged on ahead to bag the win (not deliberately, I thought I was slower than I was).
Marshalled parkrun on Saturday with the kids (probably don't do that enough given I live on the course), then went out and did 8 x 400 in a park just as a light speed session. Averaged 69s, which is pretty quick for me, especially on tarmac paths rather than a track.
So, tonight is my shot at my road 5K PB at Battersea. Ideal scenario is sub 15:30, and I shall head out at that pace (fractionally sub-5 minute miling), but should I falter, there are a variety of fallback targets:
* AoW = Age of Wind. I reckon I should reset all my PBs to 1 January 2015, when the Age of Wind began.
So - BAL at the weekend at Basingstoke. Most annoying was the fact that it was supposed to be calm, but surprise fecking surprise it was a lot breezier than I expected and got worse nearer the 1500 start time. Anyhow, pace wasn't amazing, 400 in 67/68 so burst past a few around 500/600 and we went through 800 in about 2.13. But as is usual at the moment, had a feeling my legs weren't going to last. So got to the bell in 3.01 and tried to hang on and as the team manager said, was on for 4.07 at 1350m...but the legs went again and I trailed in with a 4.10.7. It was warm and windy I suppose. I just don't seem to be able to pace the track right at the mo - my last laps over 1500 and 3k are a real struggle.
No real difference to last year, apart from the disrupted training earlier in the year due to colds and IT Band issues, although I was doing more miles last year leading up to Berlin.
Tough 14 miles from J13 M1 to Bedford track yesterday - bad stomach after having a couple of Anadin Extra in the morning for a headache. Never learn!
What makes a race a proper one though Dachs One you've paid for? One you get a number at? One they allow themselves to call a race, versus the "insurance reasons", just a gang of pals running in a park set up?
I've done a few races with lower standard, and certainly lower field than parkruns.
ps, I can only imagine the pre race stress of a first "proper" race though. Hopefully once we're out of the "Humid" zone, and I've done another couple of parkruns, then maybe we can dig a 5miler out. Set a modest target, say sub 6 average, and work from there
ps good luck tonight. I can sense it being special, as you've actually announced it rather than shadily sliding in late doors
Only way to dispel the pre race nerves SG is to line up so many (races) that it becomes as routine as having a daily dump. Ask Pete and the multiple parkruns.
I'm sure he has zero nerves turning up for another one of those.
SC, welcome to the world of getting old.
🙂
Ha ha. Yep Dachs should go well, nice night for it. 15.40's I reckon.
As for me, it was a slightly panicky start as I,left work later than planned and the bike ride across London was longer than it should have been as I got lost! Anyway, quik running warm up, chat with Dachs and Pete and away. Lots of company at the sharp end meant a bit of weaving and changes in pace, but first mile in 5:31, and feeling ok. Started to get hard in the second, and Pete was pulling ahead. 5:48 I think. Really slowed in mile 3 with a customary bit of retching and thought even a sub 18 might slip. Luckily the final k is quick and I pulled it back for 17:53 ish on the line, annoyingly just 4 secs off pb! Hey ho, not sure I could have found those even if I'd known, but good to get a sub 18 on the record for 2016! Not sure how the extra bike miles affected it either!
Good conditions - coolish and overcast, though a bit of a breeze for a short section. Overall, a good night out!
Yes great to meet up Bus and I'll add my report for comparison. This was to be my last go at sub 18 for this year as it was the final one of the Battersea series. With 18'06 and 18'05 in the bag I knew there was a chance if the stars aligned. Set off fast to give it a good go and through a k in 3'25, bit too fast that and showed with 3'35 and then 3'40 for the next 3. OK time to get serious now and stop the k's getting any worse if sub 18 was going to happen. Put most of my usual last k effort into the 4th one and managed a 3'33 so 14'13 with one to go. Usually would revel in that as I can usually finish strong after a mid race lull but not so much there tonight; had to go 100% but got home in a 3'38 for 17'51 with Bus right on my tail (and probably would have passed in another 100m). So sub 18 mission finally accomplished but the oldies standard so hot tonight not even top 3 v50 so no fruit!
Traveled back with Dachs as we're on the same train line and great to have a decent running chat with a guy who runs at a level several notches above mine. Ill leave him to give you race report number 3 on tonight!
Next stop then a sub 30 5 miler and that's all the targets for this year. Anyone know of any fast ones in the Autumn?
Impressive to still be getting so close to PBs Bus, so a very good night's work. Did you type the report whilst cycling back to Marylebone?
So, nailed my colours to the mast with that post earlier. 15:30 the target. That's 5 minute mile pace. I figured some inner steel was needed, so had a Red Bull on the train. I never drink Red Bull. Why did I do that?
Warmed up as per usual, but something feels a bit off. Put it down to nerves. Quick chat with Bus and Pete, then to the start line.
Set off hard to get in clear to the narrow gap, and when the race settles, I'm running in a leading group of about 4. Check the watch to make sure it's sub 5 pace, and it doesn't appear to have started. Toss! Try to press the button again. Look down a couple of hundred metres again, and it still hasn't started. FFS! Then I realise I have it on the wrong display. Turn it over and settle down, but I've no idea on pace cos I've kept pressing 'lap'. Feel distinctly not right already though.
Me and another bloke break away at the front, and I try to force the pace. About 2.5k in I check the pace and it's 5:07mm. Far too slow for how hard this feels. What's going on? Try to rectify it by pushing hard again, but the pace won't shift. Looks like a PB is way out of the window, so I will just have to race it.
Still in the lead, but the other bloke is hard on my heels. He comes past at just after 3k, but I hold onto him and don't let him get away. Hang onto him, and about 4k it's dropped to 5:10 pace. Going to have to give it some to even break 16. I know if I want the win I will have to make a break for it now, given my awful finish. Go past and try to make it stick. Get about 10 metres on him and keep pushing. As the finish comes into view he comes back though, and surges past to take the win.
As I enter the finish funnel, I check the race clock. It's 15:3x. WTF? I've run 15:38. It's a road PB. What the hell was my watch going on about?
At the risk of rousing Ric's ire, I am immediately annoyed. Feel certain that if I'd known I was on that sort of pace I could have squeezed a couple more seconds out. Not 15:30, but a bit closer. Bloody technology.
So, anyway, a road PB, so shall complain no further, but I shall avoid Red Bull in future. Win another mango. Wanted a melon, but they were all gone.
Mixed night then. Trivia fact: that is the first time I have ever held the lead in a road race (other than in the initial jostling) and not gone on to win.
Determined to get 15:30 on the track next week. I've got one in me, absolutely certain of it.
There's a fast 5 miler near MK in December Pete-Wilton Lake or something? Sub 30 should be a given now!
Awesome 5k last night guys
First bit of "effort" since the virus for me this morning. 2 miles easy, 1 steady, 1 easy, 2 steady, 1 easy.
The steady miles came out at about 6:30/6:30/6:19. That last one was overall downhill I think - I did push on a bit as I was feeling good but it was slightly assisted. Getting back to it. I'll put in some more easy miles over the next couple of days and then on Friday planning to do the same as today except the 2 miles steady will be 2 miles threshold.