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Moraghan Training - Stevie G
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Cheers SG, Bus. Glad to get the races out of the way, might actually do a parkrun tomorrow. I'd do the 800 reps SG.
12 X 640M or so last night, a schools track event had overrun so we did the V shaped path session again in Stockwood Pk - down one side, tight turn at the bottom of the V and back up the other side. Quite knackering actually! all around 2.02 to 2.11, 2.11's for the early ones. Hard to tell the distances so it was just a 'run and get knackered' session!
Did the 4x800 cutbacks off 2mins.
2.44, 2.38, 2.31, 2.27
So that went pretty spot on. Probably the sharpest 800 i've ever done as a rep to finish. But most importantly the flow went right, as it's easy to mess up and go too hard too early.
After "easing" into the race on Tuesday, maybe there is something to ramping up as you go through, but we'll see on Monday , in 5k it's a fine line of not overdoing it early doors, versus not giving yourself too much to do later.
Good going there then. Biggish differential time wise, so it might be worth trying to get the earlier ones down a bit - say 2.39,2.35,2.31,2.27. Good session tho. Just as an experiment more than anything. Trouble is there's often no choice with the earlier reps if you haven't had as much time to warm up as you would have liked.
You know me - love 5K road. When you run really well, you tend to not realise that your into the last K. Going over to watch the Marston Vale 5k tonight - that's Marston Moretaine, between J13 of the M1 and Bedford. Really popular but the paths are a bit gravelly
welcome back Ric
And to Pete M ...keep at it, things will turn and Matt H hope feeling better soon
Good racing from SG and PMJ. SG you mentioned a team mate who ran 2.07 inches short of a world record over 800? not sure about that as at least 80 v50's have broken 2.06. think the world record is 1.58.
simon - some more imaginative training sessions and good races. Who the chap who said he knew me from madrid?
I had a awful session on tuesday... target 6*800 in 2.20 or quicker. first was 2.27 then they got worse. i hadnt recovered from the weekend and struggled big time.
Took wednesday off to recover and then on thursday did 10*400 off 90s and hit 65's / 66's and felt comfortably hard. i could have gone faster if needed. Complete change from tuesdays disaster.
My recovery continues. Yesterday I went out on the bike and recorded the biggest wattage output in two years. Power up 13% from average.
And for good measure I had a run early this morning where instead of the rather strained 8 something mile which I've become used to, I fielded a 7:30. Seven miles later I'd average 7:22's without stopping once.
I'd say, don't dismiss the magnesium connection. Apparently, distance runners get depleted in only 12 weeks.
🙂
I oversold my clubmate a bit. He did 2.07xx and is 54 .it seems it was the uk 55 record that is 2.04xx
3secs is probably huge at that pace and intensity but still something for him to go at. Staying.fit he might have a chance as hes constantly recovering from stuff
Keep on keeping.on ric old son
Yep Dean, different worlds and paces we exist in to say the least! I could "probably" do faster stuff If I was aiming for short track stuff, did lower mileage and really went for it, but that's certainly not going to be my game.
On another note, I noticed our old thread pal Johnas had matched his 5k pb with a 16.33 at Battersea Park last year.
I'm not even sure he's been at his top end game since niggles and the baby came along, and versus the rest of the year it looks epic! So i'm gonna go into Monday's 5k there with an old style "this is a fast course" mentality like old days, and see what comes out.
Nothing to lose there, plenty to gain.
After that i'll enjoy a trip to Gosport on Sunday, and hopefully see Scott there.
Almost had a shock when I read it's a 9.30 start (!), bearing in mind i'm potentially picking up and taking a clubpal down there too, but luckily 9.30 is the kids 5k, and main 5k is 10am. Phew! That 30mins is critical when a race is that far away!
ps one last thing, anyone got any thoughts on whether a 3hour drive would affect a 5k in terms of knackerdness?
I know Stevie See did that trip for one of the 3000m once and pbd, but just wondering if anyone else has any thoughts?
I do sort of fancy a Sale 5k, if I can schedule one. Thurday 7.45pm jobs, so wouldn't be any point in staying over the Wednesday.
Seriously though, it's not an issue if you have time to warm up properly and shake out any stiffness.
LSR before work today, after being up from 4am - bizarrely one of the most productive Friday's at work for a while! Ready for bed now mind!
Dachs, is the masters 5000 in Malaga? I saw Kojo Kyreme on strava saying his triple race night last week was good prep for a 5000 in Malaga. 800/1500/3000 was 1.5X/4.02/8.3x I think.
Will see how Monday goes first, that itself is still a minimum 40min drive each way, which is decent, but still might be an arse in and around rush hour
The Podium 5k looks pretty big time for such a small race. Just checked distance involved, 3hours 30, and 220miles, so a fair chunk up on the Sale one, which is around 170 and 2hr 45.
Also I have to keep remembering I have 2 races on that Sunday after, and at the opposite end of the country
16.30 clock stop sounds harsh! But they'd simply get people slower blagging into the A race otherwise. Bit harsh on people who might be a bit quicker than 1630 but not quite on it that once, to get no time recorded!
Club champs Wargrave 10k tomorrow, but not turning out. I did have a look at possibly doing the 8 qualifying events, but upon missing the Maidenhead 10, i'd have to shoehorn in a couple of summer 10ks which will probably be humid slogs, or do a lowkey 10miler or a very early starting London half later in the year, when there are better options at the distances for both.
Therefore, while they are nice for club spirit and all that, with a load of Club sessions, 3x5ks in the summer series, a few xcs, Wokingham half, Marlow 5m, 2 relays + BBQ day, I've kept nicely involved so far in 2018, so no need to shoehorn with a more important one Monday night.
12 miles at average 10-minute pace on basically flat paths simply because I was having to hack my way with a stick through nettles. Ended up with legs bright red form the stings, still not calmed down 10 hours later.
Sounds a fun run, PMJ...not.
Currently trying to keep straight at Endure 24. Ran two legs. The longest run for easily 18 months and then the same 4 hours later hasn't put me in good shape and my foot hurts. ..met REG and soon to go for my 3rd leg . Working inbetween is a bit long!
45 for the week, best total since early March.
Back to my old staple diet of a 5k/10k double this weekend for the 1st time in a good while, with the dual targets of getting to a 18'xx parkrun and a 39'xx 10k after all my recent injuries. 1st up was Upton Court parkrun, chose as it's pretty flat, if mostly on grass. Off to a decent start with a 3'37k on a slight incline and settled in joint 3rd with one of SG/Phil's colleagues (Albery I think the name was). He reckoned our pace was a bit sharp and was proved right as we slowed a bit to about 3'50's but still locked together till 3k. 4th k as usual proved my weak spot and I was only abut 3'56 and slipping behind the 3rd. That left about 3'48 to do the last k in (which according to my Garmin turned out 1.04k) but the finish there is tarmac and fast so managed a 3'44 for 18'56. 4th and about 10 seconds down on 3rd in the end but that will do for now.
Next stop Wargrave 10k today and the race was packed with all the Datchet crew as SG said it would be but missing most of their fastest guys. Its a pretty tough course overall. The first 2k are ok and I knocked them off off in 3'40/3'44 but still passed by the 2 leading ladies in SG's running world (Jill Collett and Sam Amend!)). Not too bothered by that as I know they are both better than me but then its all uphill and steeply so in places for a good 3 or 4 k.
I'm not great at climbing and a fair few went by me on this part including SG's team-mate from the relays, Satnam, who has suddenly found big improvements (how SG?). I hang on in and hit half way just over 20 mins; that's ok as there has to be lots of downhill now. However it never really felt like it and all we seemed to get were spells of 100 or so metres down then level again. noticed Satnam was struggling now and re-took him about 8k. A problem now was my Garmin was about 100 metres ahead of the k markers so either I wasn't taking a good race-line or they were out, or the course was long. Cracked on and knew it was gong to be tight for sub 40 but got my 9th and 10th k's in about 3'48 on my watch to leave enough seconds to squeeze a 39'59 with a sprint finish. 24th overall but only 6th v50' so lots of fast old guys out there today. First ever negative split too I think, albeit solely driven by the course. Overall I measured it 10.13k so not such a bad time and achieved the target of sub 40 by the narrowest of margins. Hope that means I can get down near 39 on a flat course again soon.
Dean- the FVS lad was Richard Bruce, he was 4th in the 800 final.
Did Houghton Hall parkrun In 16.20, not much to tell as I was away on my own and won by 2 mins or so..decent flat course, with a couple of tight gates to get through. Felt ok so that wasn't too bad, 12 achy miles this morning. The time of the 3000 on Monday was 9.21, so that's a 70 second last lap...my 2nd lap in the 800 was 65! Don't think I'm designed for 800m races tbh
pete - nice double, things going in the right direction
Scott, saw yours and Reg's runs on strava at silly o clock and it brought back memories of doing the thunder run. Not sure how you've managed to work inbetween.
Managed to cobble together a decent weeks training. Spent tues to Friday away and as I was in the Peak District I thought I'd try and get a few hills in and a bit of fell running. Put some effort into Tuesdays and Thursdays climbing without going daft and it certainly tired my legs out as I was a bit doms-ed on Friday bit thought I'd try a 3 mile tempo to earn myself a couple of beers Friday night.
My long run on sat went by the parkrun but I was about 5 mins late when I got there and just as a running pal was flying past. Thought I'd see if I could stick with him for the second lap and hopefully drag him round to the course record. Can be off putting for some but he was happy with me doing so but he just missed out but still ran 15.42. I was pleased to just stay in front until the final sprint as I slowed as I didn't want to take his glory pics if he got the record.
Hopefully having a crack at this weeks Podium 5k. Hopefully ill not get timed out but we'll see. Haha
Smash a quick race report in, then i'll properly respond to a couple of you tomorrow (Aley + co)
Tuesday was the Marlow 5k then, and the race went well, but the 16.51 didn't really feel right, and although 3.05m might be on the cusp of an acceptable trace at times, in reality, we sort of knew it was very slightly short. Therefore, I wanted to have a crack at a fast race quickly. Battersea park tonight, in the gap between summer series races seemed a great time.
My legend of a boss was concerned it'd be a stress fest to get to Battersea from Slough for the 7pm start, if I left at 5pm, so a 4.10 leave was allowed. Picked young fellow dasher James up, and off we went.
Quite a long drive, but arrived nicely by 5.25, a bit too early to sign up. Nice and relaxed to be there comfortably though, with only working out which entrance to drive in hassling me (got it wrong at least once...)
Eventually signed up, both of us managing to take 2 goes to write such tricky info as our name, club and address down correctly!
Quite warm, but it is June I suppose and it is how it is.
Jogged a 1.5miler warm up with James, who is an improver, and has a pb of 20.05. Like with me unfortunately he had to consign Tuesday to the bin, as he got something in the low 1940s there! He'll get there one day, but not yet. Sub 20 for certain soon though. Complicated by him having run parkrun Saturday, and Wargrave 10k and weights yesterday though!
Time soon comes round and it's time. All lined up. As the starter geezer remarks "you're taking all left turns", I look at my position, far right and think..whoops. However, i'm pretty much front line at least, so shouldn't be losing anything on this non chipped job.
Notice a super hot, young runner woman in the front row (ed - take it easy in this climate), and wonder what she'll be up to pace wise.
Gun goes, and it's one hell of a cavalry charge. I've gone off decently, but slightly alarmed there's a tonne load, possibly 25-30 ahead? What the frap, there can't even be 200 people in the whole race!
Hottie (steady!) is comfortably ahead, and i'm trying to ease over to the left, conscious I've a slightly dodgy racing line. The clown next to me doesn't seem to recognise we need to be a bit left, as he's almost blocking me from moving across. It settles, and we're round a bend and away, and i'm not even bothering to look at the pace.
3.15 the first km! That's sharp, but always going to happen in this standard field.
Gives me a little in the bank, as I'm wanting at least a sub 17 here today. This feels a tidy exertion level, as well it might!
There's pros and cons of racing a bit away from home. No benchmarks of people to map against, but then no real idea what they're doing.
The second km will be slower for certain, how much is the question?
3.24 comes up. That's ok, that's on a 17 pace, with the banking earlier. The key now is not to take too much of a hit on the third km. It's hard work, but I know that I can afford a very slight ease on this km, and then match it, and put a big last km in and still be in and around where I need to be (it makes more sense at race pace!)
We're onto lap 2, with them being a bit different which always helps the mind.
3rd km up in 3.27, that's ok, i'm still holding a bit of banked time from km 1.
Some geezer is in front, and I think i'll follow him in, but it can all change so quickly, and does, as he drops out of it completely, leaving me about 10metres to a big gang ahead.
Keep working hard, and have a step up at 4km I tell myself. And keep telling myself, and suddenly realising i'm on 14.00 on the watch and haven't seen the 4km marker.
That plays havoc temporarily, as I do the maths and think even a super sharp km like number 1 would still have me way off sub 17!
Not to worry, some dickhead has obviously moved the 4km sign! Phew
The next bit seems to take ages, as you know round a bend you have the run in.
To confuse matters, because I've missed the 4km marker, I get a split come up of 5.35 for a mile, which doesn't really help anything
I stop watch checking, and i'm round the bend, I can see the clock it's 1630s, but there's quite a run in. Like the Ealing mile shows, that timer can run down like a bastad.
I can't even remember what happened with the guy I was actually racing, as I was fixated on the clock.
Over the line, and I took it as
16.56
It probably confirms that Marlow 5k was a little short, so I'm comfy to bin that from the records, so this one now stands as my 2nd best in about 50 races (even if it gets a second added on in the final)
16.53 to beat all in. A second a km. Doesn't sound a lot does it, but I'd need a day less warm, and get the right balance of fast first km, but perhaps not quite 3.15 fast
Will have a good little trip down to Gosport on Sunday for the mile / 5k double, then see what's a good plan for the rest of the summer 5ks wise.
ps small world, saw thread pal Gaz there! It really is a small scene running!
Will also be interested how fast the exotic girlie did her race today. Had to be a good 15-20secs in front of me, 1630s is tasty stuff.
pps James did 2012/2013 which I think is a solid effort, being his 3rd race in 3 days, with humidity and heat tonight. With a pb of 20.05 at the grassy/slightly undulating Upton court parkrun, if he was fresher and/or it was cooler I think he'd have got his first sub 20.
A friend of mine had a run in with a pair of Pit-Bulls on a footpath next to a farm. He was lucky that there was a fence to vault over to escape their attentions. On the other side of the fence were chest high nettles - he said he never felt a thing!
Ten miles done by 8 am at easy effort for me yesterday, noticeable by the average speed being faster than I could go at all in a few weeks back, and seven this morning.
Major/minor issue being that on my return, my weight was still 10lb's more than I feel comfortable racing at.
Good race and report SG. Though I'd spend rather less time doing in race calculations and fretting over the results. Thinking uses oxygen which would be better used for the job in hand in my book.
🙂
Is there some sort of grand plan in regard to the training? I am a big fan of targetting a block of races and having a pop at them and then easing back a bit to do it all again. I'd typically do that 2 times a year so there would be a winter effort and a summer effort. The winter one used to be the harder as the target was the 3 big XC races (county, area and national) and they came in a bunch too soon after Christmas. The summer was easier as you could be done and dusted before the kids' school holidays started and taring backed off.
For 5k I tend to agree with SG more than RicF. If you are really to wring out a good 5k time you have to hit the marks pretty much spot on. 17 minutes is 3:24 a km and if you start to wander anything much more than 10 seconds a km away from that it does get hard.
Casual 16:20 Parkrun Simon.
Good job backing up that sub 17 SG
isn't that an official 5k PB SG?
So I suppose Endure 24 merits some kind of report. This was very much a ‘B’ race as I had half an eye on the Eastleigh 10k. After the PB at LFOTM, it would be a shame to sabotage that by running too hard at the Endure. The team on paper was not competitive. We were in the mixed team of 5 and we only had 5 until 2am, it was very much a social/challenge or at least that’s what we thought. I mean how could a little tri club threaten the leaderboard with 141 mixed team entered in our category.
I was surprised by the scale of the event, tents everywhere and we had a nice little set up. A ring of tents, gazebo, firepit and a blanket that became a foam rolling centre. Having arrived two hours before the midday kick-off, I set up my tent and felt very relaxed. Being the fast one in the team, I was comfortable knowing I could take it easy, whilst still making a good contribution.
Lap 1 – 32:05 (Started lap 13:50)
I took the band for my first leg and exited the rather congested transition zone, populated by various inflatable objects to help identify the incoming runner to the outgoing runner. We had 4 men and 1 lady in the team. First leg, Darren, organiser and captain was a solid low 40 minutes a leg runner, followed by a faster guy called Nick who opened his account with a 30:31. Handing over to me was Becks, she put in a 38:xx. I protested that I wasn’t going to listen to my ego and challenge Nick’s 30:31 but secretly I did have an ambition to chuck in an outlier sub 30 if I felt good. It wasn’t happening in leg 1 though, I felt lethargic and heavy legged. It was hot and humid and the course was undulating and even technical in places. I’ve been avoiding running on trails due to my ankle and I started off nervously.
I ran to feel and was happy enough to post a 32 and felt it was something I could maintain for several legs. I handed over to Brendan who posted a 35:xx.
Lap 2 – 29:59 (16:49)
In between legs was about 3 hours, I didn’t eat much between legs 1 & 2 as I still had breakfast onboard but I planned something more substantial between legs 2 & 3. It was still hot but I felt a bit looser and planned to head out the same effort as before. Looking at the pace for the first section I could tell I was going quicker, the course is slowest over the first couple of miles, it starts with a hill and it’s not until you get to the third mile that you go downhill with another and steeper 6% climb in mile 4, before a downhill final mile, albeit with some technical sections through the woods. I made sure I kept my HR below threshold but was still able to sneak a sub 30 lap in and partly keep my ego in check, thinking of the long-haul.
Lap 3 – 32:13 (19:51)
Prior to lap 3 I’d had a good bit of lunch but I was already on the foam roller with IT like pain and my ribs/abs were sore too. Otherwise I felt good, despite regular visits to the portaloos, which were kept as clean as such facilities can be. This is the point at which I just settled into a routine and rhythm. This was my last lap in the light until the morning, I kept it comfortable. Three laps and I hadn’t been passed once too.
Lap 4 – 32:04 (23:43)
We now had the firepit roaring which was keeping us nice and warm and hopefully the mozzies away. Various club members had visited us throughout the day but now we were left alone to get through the night as a team. I should mention at this point we were two teams, the other a 6, well 5 and a bit and they’d go on to do really well finishing 23rdout of 226 teams despite only having 5 for most of the day. Ironically we were struggling to cook our sausages on a disposable BBQ right next to a roaring fire so the decision was made to lift the BBQ on top of the fire logs to rather predictable and comical effect. I thought I’d slow in the dark but if anything I found it easier. I just kind of got in the zone and stuck to the same pace.
Lap 5 – 32:08 (03:01)
Between laps 4 & 5 I got an hours kip as we moved into a routine of waking the runner due next-but-one. I woke, inserted my contact lenses and crawled out of my tent. It was still warm even at 3am, the headtorch was an unwelcome adornment but it was certainly a necessary one. The atmosphere changed out on the course, it was more intimate at night. For the first time I went past someone from the other TVT team who’d settled into a small group, some banter broke out as I tore passed them, her new found friend shouted “it’s a marathon not a sprint,” apparently he thought I was just speeding up for show, Liz happily informed him this was my marathon pace before I retorted that it was actually an ultra and not a marathon.
Lap 6 – 32:38 (05:41)
Still dark I repeated the routine, took my hours kip but started lap 6 in daylight, as it was before 6am, I still had to wear the headtorch for some bizarre reason. The change to the daylight made it more difficult in my mind and my pace started to drop for the first time. We’d been aware since about half-way, where we’d covered about 100 miles that we were doing quite well. Last year’s winners had done 200 miles and I estimated we’d get to 180 minimum and possibly 185. As Darren returned from his leg we were apparently in second place in the mixed 5s out of 141 teams and ahead of all the other teams apart from some of the mixed and men’s 8s. What made this more impressive was that we had been down to four runners since 2am with Nick, the faster guy, cycling home to move house! Somehow we’d acquired a whiteboard and we started to do the maths to speculate what it would take to maintain second place, with first out of reach, as were a lap behind.
Lap 7 – 34:02 (08:25)
Post breakfast everyone was beginning to slow, I dropped over a minute from my previous laps and the hills were becoming hard work. The team behind still had 5 going strong and were closing the gap. I worked out we should still have a good 8-10 minute lead given the current progress but Brendan, due to take his last leg, was suffering. As he returned to camp after lap 7 he was looking pale. This is a guy that sweats like a hose and has been in the medical tent and on a drip after all his three ironman races. His wife Liz, a runner on the other team, knew instinctively that another lap would see him once again in the medical tent. The maths said that as forth runner I’d be coming in about 11:50, as long as you finish before midday you can start another final lap. Brendan would then have to do the final lap with the captain Darren out on his feet and Becks handing over to me, the only option was for me to finish with a double. We agreed that if I felt ok on lap 8 I’d give the thumbs up and carry on.
Lap 8 - 35:42 (11:16)
Lap 8 was ok, I felt tired but ok. I deliberately dialled the pace back, I could have put a 33:xx in I suspect but I needed to save something for another lap. We would have no idea whether the team in third would get onto their extra lap until we’d commenced our final lap so it was a case of having to do it just in case, fourth were also in contention so it was possible we’d end up out of the top three and out of the prizes. I got a real buzz as I came through transition, I looked at Brendan and gave him the thumbs up and headed out again.
Lap 9 – 38:50 (11:52)
This was the lap of death, I passed a solo female though on the first hill out on the final lap. I knew I had to keep going at a reasonable pace, the other team were lapping at 36:xx at the end so I needed 45:xx minimum. Should be doable. Pace had dropped now and I was more around 8 minute miles. I was still passing people and the course was quieter now. There were a few whole teams ambling around doing a glory lap of honour. The last time up the hill was tough but I was determined not to walk a step having run every step to that point. I entered the woods for the final time where the exposed tree roots had posed a constant danger placed as they were on a downhill section. I looked down and thought to myself, don’t do anything stupid now, at which point I stubbed my toe and began to fly head first. Just save your legs I thought as I tucked in one arm and landed rolling over my forearm and shoulder finishing sat upright. I got up immediately trying to avoid the embarrassment of those ahead who’d stopped and turned. “I’m ok” I said as I inspected my arm, just dirt and a small bump. Never trust legs with 45 miles in them I thought. I took the last few turns easy before I was out into the open and back to the finish area where my team were waiting to join me to cross the line together.
They kept reminding me to slow down as I was still thinking about my final lap chip time and looking over my shoulder even though I knew the other team would be at least 10 minutes back! It turns out they missed the extra lap by a few seconds so I could have stopped after 8 laps! We crossed the line in arms, celebrating an improbable second place from 141 teams. I was pretty unsteady on my feet but totally satisfied with what my team and I had achieved over the last 24 hours. I’ve probably sabotaged my chances of a PB and Eastleigh but I really couldn’t care less as it turns out, this was my ‘A’ race.