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Moraghan Training - Stevie G
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Sorry to hear of your ongoing problems Reg; been thinking that a cycle burn off between you and Joe would be quite an occasion to watch. You must both by close to 30mph standard for a 10 mile TT which is right up there with elites.
So I had to decide what to do with my pesky lower hamstring issue vis a vis my 2 summer series. Decided the 10k at Yateley would have to be sacrificed yesterday as I was nowhere near recovered enough for a hard 10k. Decided to try the Dinton 5k tonight though as a) half the distance b) good lead in the v50 standings after 3 of the 4 races and c) I was not going to give both up without even trying. Plan was to set off steady; not even worry about being 1st v50 tonight and see how my leg held up.
1st k was 3'50 or so, slower than my norm but a few secs ahead of the planned 4 mins and leg only marginal pain; kept it like that for 2k more again 3'50's near as dammit. 4th k is a bit uphill on the newly reversed course and pain increased, but partly as I am lacking fitness having run only about 15 miles per week on av over the last month (and most of that jog pace). 4th k is a bit uphill and a ropey 4'11 but hey, only 1k to go and my nearest v50 rival still behind. That didn't last much longer though as he waltzed by about 4.3k in (though wearing his new VF's despite the fully off road course) and put 19 seconds on me by the finish. I ended with another 3'55 so 19'38 all in which continued my unwanted trend of getting worse in each of the 4 race series, but still easily enough for 1st series v50 (or so I thought). Come the results and I'm given 3rd overall in the series and the v50 rival who was still over 1.5 mins down on me gets the v50 prize! Trophies not monetary so don't suppose it matters much.
Main issue was always going to be how the leg held up. Not be any means pain free but at least could do a warm down this time and reasonably happy to be still sub 20. Know I am way off the pace I can do though and over a minute down on Battersea time (though chalk and cheese courses and no VF's for me tonight). As the night wears on my leg is sore again so still have to be very careful, but at least all summer racing over now.
As an aside I'm using a new Garmin; first I've had with HR on it (I go for basic versions being in the Bus school!) and it showed an av of 177
Onwards and upwards; holiday soon and time to think about whether to bother embarrassing myself in an England Age Group vest at Maidenhead Half when I can barely hold 4 min k pace over 5k!
Glad the hammy held out Pete. 220-age is absolute nonsense. It's very individual. Mine would be a max of 177 using that formula, in fact it's 197 running and 194 cycling. Wrist based HR is not that reliable, it can get mixed up with your cadence and needs to be quite tight on the wrist. Check the trace for spikes. 177 is quite believable, my max hasn't changed in the last 5 years despite it supposedly dropping a beat every year. Defo get that vest on, you've earned it.
Joe and I have never raced in a triathlon and it would be fun if we're both in good form. Perhaps we should arrange to do the same race next year, maybe a standard distance. I don't recall Joe ever mentioning doing a 10 mile TT. I did 28.4 mph on my last one and it's not the fastest of courses. I don't see why I couldn't go well under 20 minutes with some training and aero improvements.
You risked your niggle for that prize, and for them to mess it up is not really on!
At least you got on the podium.
The Battersea Park 4.55 mile and 17.15 5k had re-confidented me a bit, but the Murder Mile and Penallta parkrun, had probably undone that, despite being less than standard fare! Mixed in with Tuesday's oddly totally demotivated, almost sulkfest unlike me session!
Therefore, I was less than confident for this one - so much so I binned the morning 4miler to be fresher, in one of those feeling a bit run down - when actually not modes.
Myself and Chunt had won this one last year - but with Kevern and 8 lap at Endure boy as a combo, 2nd would be our glass ceiling.
Also, entries had been extended by 30 teams or so as well.
On arriving I saw a number of decent runners from the XC scene, but it's all about who they partner up with - some go with wives, so they'll tail off after the initial monster off.
I probably underplay how I can certainly shift a bit when it all goes off on leg 1 as well.
Warm up felt dreadful. I'd read it was 71% humidity, and finishing the warm up mile I was utterly drenched. This might be hard work I thought.
However, the humidity seemed to instantly calm down, and remained fine there on in!
I'm on A, as Chunt likes to do the home legs. Kevern is on this leg - don't try and match him I think! There's a couple of other tasty faces from the scene, our guy Bayliss, who is always top 5 at XC, and well ahead of me on those. I wonder how he'll be at 1ks though, and he's with his wife anyway, so won't be in our grill beyond leg 1.
OFF we go, and I'm probably in about 5th early knockings. Young kid from our club is trying it on a bit.
We don't have this, so it settles into about 4th, Kevern, Bayliss, red top guy, and me.
Round the loopy bit around some trees, straight over some rough, and then the psychologically key turn left. Here i find some power, and storm past Mr Bayliss, and then really clamp down on red guy. Into 2nd.
Kevern isn't too far ahead, and we rampage it in.
I didn't take splits last year, but was determined to this year, so I hand over, and it's
3.06
Aley will probably tell me I need to do some 3.00 k reps now, if i'm hoping to hold 3.06s
2 seconds behind Kevern, feels pretty decent, and gives Chunt half a chance.
Obviously long recoveries help a lot in this event.
Watch everyone else come in, and see the race emerging in the distance....
Chunt's coming back very narrowly 1st... I'm going to be leading Kevern out by 1 second
He later admits he was trying to avenge the Endure loss by making a point in beating their chap! Not sure it made much point, as their guy had raced a 35min 10k the night before, and they had Kevern anyway!
That'll turn out well I think
He takes about 50metres to utterly storm past, and he's without doubt going to put 12-15seconds into me for sure.
I see it home for 2nd. 3.18 second km. 0.63m on the distance this time. So you get the tail off from the rapid first km, but that's also the one free run, and other legs have more weaving.
Not 100% concentrating on anything bar my lad coming back in, I set off on leg 3, usual boost from monstering past people - the great thing with such a short loop, and 130 teams out there.
I notice down the back loop that there's a guy moving fairly quickly in front of me who isn't the out of sight Bracknell.
What's going on here I think, i reduce the gap to about one metre as we hand over - then realise , damm his partner must have got ahead of Chris.
I see a 3.20 3rd km.
Chris sets off about 1-2 secs behind matey, but this is a Burnham/Wycombe Phoenix guy who is on lifetime best form - beat me at Marlow 5, and up on his usual.
That means he opens a bit of a gap up, so I have some work to do on matey.
A 4th km in 3.18 closes the gap a bit, but it's pretty sure we'll be 3rd this year , with no sign of 4th anywhere behind.
I did enjoy storming past one of our chaps who has had the cheek of having a housewarming next weekend, and pretty much invited the whole club, bar me and a young reprobate. HAVE THAT SON
Despite bantering the young lad that he'll "have to really put in" to hold me off, he goes off a good 12-15secs ahead of me for the last one, and that would really take some catching.
Therefore, I'm very comfortable to see it out with a 3.24 last km, although this was a 0.64km job, with the most going wide to avoid people - so not as big a drop as it looks.
16.28 for my legs from a quick round up of the splits and bits. Last km what you'd need to average for a 17.00 dead 5k, so a decent evening's work.
Chunt every so slightly slower.
Combined time 33:06 which sounds tidy enough. Kevern and pal did 31.50 ish, 2nd in about 32.40s
Last year we did 32:28 - we must really have been smashing it that year! Although im sure I remember the grass being a bit more burnt out. It was plusher in places this year - so a combo of the two really.
Little shout out for 3rd in the aftermath jibber jabber and some assorted chats here and there - nice one!
May well leave that as my summer racing now - build to the next proper road races in autumn.
Last year was 24 races to this stage of year - 8 after, and this year 19 to this stage.
Thanks SG - Although a little harder to visualise is that one. Nice though, those lower stress races. PeteM - Some half decent signs there at least.
Bus - look at you and your trendy earphones! I've finally got the iphone on the arm now, the Ipod of 17 years use is finally retired. It is a bit better being able to tell someone where you are etc.
Had a message from BBB - so I know who he is, looking forward to a windy Alexandra stadium in Brum tomorrow for the V45 1500. The crumb of comfort might be that the stands should shelter us from the worst of the SW gale. Tony, the guy who finished a few seconds behind me in the Westminster Mile is also running, so he'll be a test.
Pete - glad the hamstring is holding up and, touch wood, on the mend. Hadn't appreciate how big an impact it has had on your training.
Reg/Simon - the Airpods are remarkably good at staying in your ears (just as well given the cost - you wouldn't want them to fall down a drain!). Mine were actually second-hand and brought as a bit of a trial (I know - GROSS, but I gave them a VERY good clean!!). I use them with a Windows phone (don't start - its a work one and costs me nothing except reputation!!!) so I don't get the full Apple/Siri functionality, but despite them being a bit temperamental in terms of connectivity, and the battery life starting to fade quite alarmingly (around 2 hours on full charge cf 5 hours new) the sound quality is excellent and, as I say, they stay in place no matter how hard or violently I run in them!.
Ended up being a ten hour drive back today, which was tough on the hamstring. Time will tell if it stops any running for a while. Judging by the state of our garden and a flooded garage it looks like there's been some pretty wild weather while we've been in sunny Scotland?!
As for me and my return to boring old Bucks, the hamstring has thankfully held up over two easy runs. Tonight's run was very hard though - legs VERY heavy after all those Scottish hills! The past two weeks might have only been two 40 milers weeks, but with around 20,000ft of climbing it feels an awful lot more!
Cheers Bus - yes very quiet on here. I only report at work usually as it's easier to type! The earbuds sound good, but I can't justify the cost at the moment
So Saturday. . Easy drive up, I was dumped a mile away as the other 2 went to do the Sandwell Valley Parkrun (annoyingly the Perry Hall one across from the stadium was cancelled). Got all the registration stuff sorted out and chatted to a few others in the stands. Did a not very picturesque warm up jog down to Perry Barr Greyhound stadium, then went over to the vast warm up indoor area. Got a bit excited as Kelly Sotherton was there (swoon!), she was taller than I thought too. Obviously excited to meet Big Bad Bob too, had a bit of a chat before the race.
Tony didn't turn up in the end, so it was easier than I expected, there were only 6 of us in the end and it was quite relaxed and jokey beforehand. Jeff Prest was there and he is quality, but more of a 5-10k guy. Paul Jegou also, who I noted had done a few quick 800's although I always thought he was more of an xc man.
Thought I'd go off quite hard to make sure it was hard for the others. Obviously it was pretty windy, mainly down the home straight, so times weren't going to be good. I'm still not quite right and the legs weren't really playing ball 400 was reached in 67. Kept the pace up and I herd footsteps behind me (PJ's I presumed from the shouts) start to fade as I had hoped. 2.15 at 800m and not feeling amazing, but knew it was in the bag. Got to the bell in 3.07 and then a weary 71 final lap for 4.18.8. Was really tired as the wind and muggy weather had done me a little. Good chat with everyone at the end - will add photo after. Time wasn't too bad considering I suppose, only the first 2 in the V35 were quicker.
Yesterday as just a 12 miler to Luton - to a junior parkrun that my kid was supposed to be doing...that was cancelled too!
Quiet week this week - this might be my little running 'break' perhaps? drinks Thursday and Villa away on Saturday.
Managed about 18 miles last week without too much of a reaction from the hip, in fact it's better than this time last week so I'll aim for about 25 this week. Got out on the bike yesterday for a couple of hours, feeling quite strong.
Everything gets cancelled too easily these days.
Ditto about the hip too Reg. FIngers crossed!
The motley crew! BBB to my left as you look. All glad to have got it out of the way tbh!
Seem to have scared everyone off with the photo - apologies
Good thing is you can catch up with other group members on other threads.
Anyway, Luton on the grass last night, 8 x 800 on the grass with 80 secs. This time it was once around the pitches for the 600m and then halfway up the ridge of doom and back for the extra 200m.
First one around 2.40, then all around 2.36 and a 2.31 for the last one. Felt stronger for the 12 Sunday and 13 Monday.
Nice session that.
Someone replaced my legs with two bags of cement last night
Obligatory tidy efforts both with the race and the session.
United game at the weekend went sensationally - as many goals in this one game as I'd seen in 10 games last year! Ridiculous.
After a 44 mile week ended the summer season, it's now time to have a crack at doing some decent stuff in the autumn.
That probably means binning off the club sessions, fun and social that they can be and all that, but when one week is doing 4min hills, then the next is drilling 90sec laps of a grassy grid, then there really is no proper progression and I dare say any improvement is sheer "in spite" of material - rather than because of.
Happens at all road running clubs though - they have to cater for all!
Therefore - a base period we are in then.
Priorities - getting the mileage to the top end, re-applying relevant tempos, and any "speedwork" will be in and around the distances planned to race -
Races, I'll do at least 1 10miler, maybe 2, perhaps chucking in a 10k and maybe even a half. We'll see. Need to avoid last year's mistake of putting all eggs in one race, but not the jumping around doing loads as per the summer - albeit more doable with shorter stuff.
10miles today then - 3miles easy, 6miles steady, and 1mile cool down
First tempo for ages, and usually one of the more moderate ones, as "steady" gives you quite a range pace wise, somewhere in the 6.20-6.50 sort of mix.
However, a late night, combining with decently heavy rain and wind, not to mention for perhaps only the second time in 3 years doing a tempo round the trading estate, it was certainly a workout for the numbers outputted!
6.45
6.41
6.44
6.34
6.37
6.35
I guess the return to tempos will always feel a little bit of an upset, after months of easy running and reps only!
Good work at the relays SG, some nice speed there! And a good tempo today.
I'd be a bit wary about just binning the club stuff, as I really do think some choice sessions will provide you a good change of stimulus. (says someone who trains solo)...
Nicely done on the elevation Bus! I'm sure your legs are glad to be back on much flatter ground!
Well done on the series podium Pete, I guess that's a case where overall podium is ranked higher than age cat win? Glad to hear the hamstring held.
Hope the hip continues to improve Reg.
A bit of running here, following the HM the other weekend. A small workout on Weds with 30s strides, trying to bring the pace down. Last couple just below 5min/mi, so getting better and feeling more fluid. Thursday was a harder session, what with the weather - 3 x 3mins @ 10km, 3 x 2mins @ 5km, 3 x 1min @ 3km, all with 1min float. Averaged 6:11s for the 10km pace, feeling comfortable, 5:44s for the 5km pace, which was about 10s/mi too fast but hard to judge effort with a headwind then tailwind. Couldn't find another gear for the last set, because of that, averaging 5:35s. All in all, getting better though.
Then away for a long weekend just outside of Wells, with Burnham and Highbridge parkrun on the menu for Saturday morning. Blustery beyond belief, with a chap using me as a windshield for the majority of it. Happy to turn out 19:09, without the wind it would definitely be a fast course as it's flat.
Just an easy hour on the Sunday, but the only sensible way to run from the village we were staying is was through the lanes north. I soon realised this takes you from the levels to the Mendips... with 200+m climbing in the first 3km. Absolutely nuts, and I now have an appreciation for the murder mile! It was nice to have a top-10 on every segment I went through though, not for being fast, but for being one of the few that have run there.
Starting to consolidate some autumn race plans, with Plymouth 10km at the beginning of October, and now with GSR looking very likely. Perhaps an opportunity for another close encounter SG?
What worked well a couple of years ago in winter was some of their 4-6min flat reps - those would fit in with some sort of "Tempo reps" sort of session - down the line somewhere, when it's darker. When it's light, they like drilling laps and laps round a grassy loop on their clubhouse park! Or the dreaded "coach park" that invites insane paced nonsense
GSR would be nice -a superb big time race, and of course some unfinished business - but United play Liverpool the same weekend, which is very awkward. It wouldn't even work if they moved it to the Saturday, as you can't be travelling 340 miles the day before, and then have the 80miles extra down south! And you couldn't dare try and risk getting there afterwards - praying for a Monday nighter? Surely won't be though.
I'm willing to sacrifice it if needs be - but we will see. It worked superbly doing 2x10milers back to back weekends back in 2013. And gives 2 chances - to minimise freak hot/humidity for time of year/bad weather disclaimers.
You sound like you're turning over nicely.
Bus, sounds like an epic running holiday, and glad you survived electrocution. I’ve been electrocuted twice, I wouldn’t recommend it.
Reg – “I may need 2 years to recover”. Also Reg – “I’m doing a triathlon in 4 weeks”. That’s the spirit!
Pete, sorry to hear about you being deprived of your rightful V50 honours. Dinton is Ellie’s race, I’m sure she would have looked again at the results if you’d asked. Glad the leg held up, but still not sure an off-road 5K blast was necessarily the best idea. Run in the England vest, how many more chances might there be?Good pairs relaying SG. Decent tempo too, you have to get used to running them before the pace comes back I find.
SC – ah yes, Kelly Sotherton, wonderful… Sorry, was there some other part of your post? Oh yes, some kind of national title or other. Nice one!
By the way, you were going to post a hilarious 5K picture. I’m still waiting
Matt H – I grew up not far from the Mendips, so interesting to see you running in that neck of the woods. I have meant to do Burnham parkrun, as I am in Burnham once a year with the kids’ rugby tour, but somehow getting them ready to play on a Saturday morning does not allow any time for luxuries such as parkrun. I believe the course is part of the same route as I used to run in our cross country league when I was a kid in the 90s. We used to go up on an embankment alongside the estuary, and the wind was always horrific.
Marathon miles for me. Bo. Ring.
Turns out the dodgy format - ie the organisers just pasting it into a post on fb wasn't acceptable
Checked with them I was ok to "ease" it along with some formatting - and it#s on there now.
Even better , the 10.02 miles, or 23.7 vSSS (!) hasn't cost me a slip in my 1.5 ranking somehow.
I have 4 x 6.0 difficulty races on there. The Murder Mile x3, and Gadesbridge parkrun, that had 2 laps and a pretty steep arse climb on each lap. Although more famous as the time, they'd rucked the route up, didn't have enough marshals, and I ended up cutting a bit off, added some random bits on, and then got pro rated (and some!) up!
I can also vouch for electrocution not being fun - only had a proper experience once though thankfully!
That tempo must have been a bit of a shock to the system SG! They used to be my staple session, but I find anything more than 5k too much even to think about now!
Some very solid sessions going on there Matt. Not sure my legs are enjoying the flatter terrain though
The torrential rain at lunchtime gave me the excuse I was looking for to persuade myself a rest was the better option. Why is it we (me?) feel guilty about skipping a session when common-sense makes it bleedin' obvious that not running would be far more beneficial than banging out a few miles on already mashed up legs? All I can think about is how it will mess up my 50 mile weekly target this week!!!!
I remember Moz used to say how steady is one of those in between sessions that can be harder than you'd imagine, as you're neither trying to smack it, or cruise it.
I think I'll get back to the track for future ones.
Was already a bit snotty last night, so a thrash in the rain you can imagine hasn't helped
Bus - you should know by now arbitrary mileage markers aren't needed - but of course we all like to put a certain shift in.
A couple of weeks ago I was actually looking forward to getting the mileage and format back up to scratch - I think you always know when it's time to move on from a phase rather than try and lash a few more races/sessions out
Congrats on the win and good to meet you on Saturday. Decent bunch of lads in both the 1500 on Saturday and my 800 on Sunday. Those Gloucester boys (only one of them in the above shot) were a right pair of characters, highlight (think you were doing some strides at the time) being their pre-race speculation of whether one of the pair could expect a better (ahem) ride that night, if his girlfriend who was also competing that day was on a high from a good performance or angry from a bad one!
Tough one for me on Saturday. Absolutely the right tactic from you to go off as you did, but in the absence of some of the slower lads from the original 11, I decided I'd better try to hang on to the pack whilst I could, so got dragged through the first 400m in 72/73 in your wake, which utterly ruined me being closer to 800 than 1500 pace for me at the moment. Got isolated after that anyway, so was a very tough, windy and lonely last 1100m from there. A shade under 4:58 was still very disappointing though. On another breezy evening last night, I tried to put that swiftly right, but ended up in another solo time trial, this time at the other end of the field with 4:53 and 4 seconds clear of the rest of the field.
Had a slightly better run in the 800 on Sunday, though still had another 3 no shows from the 8 originally entered. The early pace was too hot for me, but was holding station and possibly gaining a little as we hit 300 to go before the wind up the back straight killed the momentum I felt I was building so whilst I was still a relatively distant 5th wasn't overly disappointed to be only just over a second outside my SB in 2:19.94 - those 6/100ths of a second making a big difference to the taste of the beer when I got home.
Think I was about 14 seconds off a medal last time I did this event in the age group below where I am now in 2015, but that was cut to 5 seconds on Sunday in my current one even though I'm now approaching the top end of this one - albeit with some illustrious absentees in the likes of Dean. As discussed some tough competition in the one above when I get there in 2021 too, but going in the right direction at least.
Quick word to Dachs as well, as I'm probably going to head to Watford for a late season meeting on 4th September where we briefly met a few years ago. Assume with the mention of marathon training that you'll not be making the trip? Good to see you getting back to it anyway.
Finally, and I hope you don't consider this overly familiar, Bus - I think it's the earphones that are the clincher, but was trying to place what your your selfie on the previous page was putting me in mind of...and then it came to me.
Sorry Bus...as you were, gents!
That's Brilliant Bob - quite brave too, but if there was anyone who would take that in the best of spirits it would be The Bus! Well done on your 800 too.
Dachs - yes, the pic from after the end of the MK 5,000 - I will try and get it up later (stop sniggering at the back). Yes KS still looked fine, too scared to ask for a picture though.
Just been out to do the 30 x (35 secs hard, 25 jog) on the towpath, annoying the cyclists as ever. Went too far on the London zoo stretch so did about 35 in the end. Camden Market section breaks it up a bit anyway. Felt OK, but legs pretty achy again.
Funnily enough, that's not the first time that comparison has been made. Many years back, when I lived in Earlsfield, my local off-licence owner was actually convinced I was Marc Almond!!! Personally I like to think I am a better looking version though
Proud dad time today though - my daughter got her A level results. 4 A* and a place at Oxford to do Maths. Must get her brains from her mother