Moraghan Training - Stevie G

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  • Bothering the cyclists again on
    the regents canal towpath. Did the usual 37 x (35 hard, 25 jog) from the hospital to Caledonian rd, where it stops, then back past through Camden market bit, past the London zoo bit, then back to the hospital again. 

    Would love to be more technical, but my legs felt better than last week and the hard bits felt faster. So that must be a good sign right?
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    edited August 2019
    Right after dipping back into tempos with the light steady one last week, it was time for the dreaded 6m MP/continuous threshold job.

    Being 17.15 for 5k this year, 6.10-6.15 looked about the right sort of mixer.

    Off to Dorney Lake, which in case any of our non locals haven't heard of it, its an elite sports venue part of one of those snooty private schools, that was one of the Olympics venues - basically a 3mile loop on lovely smooth surface.

    As you can imagine with a flat route round a lake though, it can be windy, but on the warmup it felt fine.
    Although as I discovered, that was because I was running in the "still" direction!

    So basically, 1 side still, 1 side fairly windy :)

    6.05 first mile, then into wind, and as we went whenever I looked it seemed to be about 6.10-6.15 still side, 6.25ish windy side, increasingly windy as we went.

    On one side you actually have 2 or 3 little climbs which surprised me, nothing in the scheme of things, but I'd forgotten those.
    As I saw the pace fall to 6.30 on one into increasing wind, I actually thought back to the group chat how i'd quoted 6.10-6.15 pace and thought, those weasels will love this! 

    However, I was pleased to see it all come in at 6.14, which for a first Threshold tempo, with fairly decent wind levels (though I'm sure someone will have banter about the time it was the stormiest weather ever there), that'll do nicely.
  • Always liked the 8 man 1500m rowing races in the Olympics as it's close to my 1500m pace I think.
  • StevieWhStevieWh ✭✭✭
    Great tempo SG - how did you find it compared to the track? 

    Good reps Simon, always better when it feels faster! Is you summer track season coming towards the end now?
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Sorry Simon - didn't notice your sesh, such was my keenness to pump a report out (reports of sessions now!)

    Have to ask the obvs question, why on earth 37!?


    SW - mentally so much more engaging - and good to have a totally safe loop like this. 

    The wind gave the splits a little more sway than you'd expect, 6.05 to 6.20, but perhaps not too bad, especially being the first tempo of this nature in, well, maybe in 2019!

    I dare say any windier than today and it'll be a non starter, as today felt a bit of a trudge on one side, but I guess it all is good training, so when you get perfect conditions you fly!

    Just such a different type of running to get back used to, as most of this year has been easy stuff, or reps. With the closest to this intensity being perhaps mile progressions. But the ability to keep a decent lick going continuously is such a huge key to racing well isn't it!
  • StevieWhStevieWh ✭✭✭
    I definitely wish I had a bigger loop, although I don't mind my little 0.8m loop! Keeps things consistent and means its easy to compare tempos.

    Yes the long tempos definitely make a huge difference when racing, any decisions on an Autumn target?
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    edited August 2019
    My finest loop was similar size to that in fairness. Albeit probably slightly more risk, with a petrol station, drives and a school on it! I sort of liked that you had to stay alert though, but did lose it once, when some woman was walking 4 dogs at the same time on those elasticated leads.

    The thing with races, is think about them in the evenings, and it's easy to be game for everything. Come the morning on wakeup, and you have to do the work for it - it feels a bit different ;)

    For certain I'll do 1 x 10miler.
    But between Oct and Mid Dec, there's the decision on whether to throw another 10miler in, a 5miler, and a half. The latter would need the 10(s) to have gone well. But all options are ones I've done in the past, so would be nice for that.

    Only one potential September outing tickles me, but let's see how a few more weeks of this build up go first.

    The thing I'm conscious about weighing up now, is if i do become a joint men's captain, I'd have to actually do stuff/show up - yet all my priorities are flat road races! Some clash with XC, which I'm no fan of anyway.
    Awks. Maybe I can be the "silent" partner of the combo - there's always one! 

    That or just put all the group chat/key people on mute on fb ;)
  • SW- nearly, Southern vets final on 1/9, 1500 and 3000m. The Eastern final clashes with the southern road relays the week before, so I think it’s just the southern left. Average season, happy with the 8.58 3000m and the 1500 win last week though. 

    SG- that’s just what I get doing that course. Should stop earlier but what the hell eh. 
  • The BusThe Bus ✭✭✭
    Nice tempo SG. Weird sesh Simon :smile: That must look a scary sight the pace you run at!

    Bit of speedwork myself at the moment, just to try and remind the legs what semi-fast running feels like! Along the canal and affected by wind on the return, but 5 x 0.5M off 60 ish secs in something like possible 10k pace, which came out averaged 6:16. 

  • StevieWhStevieWh ✭✭✭
    Good session Bus

    Fartlek went really well. 10 x 4min/2min with the 4mins supposed to be at just under MP (6.10 target) and 2mins at just over MP (6.40-45). Came out at 6.08/6.41 so really happy with that. With warm up and cool down came out at a half in just under 1.30. 
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Nice one sw.
     mp  620-625 sort of terrain?

    10-15secs ahead is a good chunk in my book 👌👍
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    And bus back on the old favourite half miles 🔥🔥🔥🔥
  • The BusThe Bus ✭✭✭
    Cheers chaps, and likewise SW :smile:
    Gotta be 6 of them though for a mini or 8 for a full bus SG! 
  • StevieWhStevieWh ✭✭✭
    MP needs to be 6.18 for a sub 2.45 finish so pretty much bang on!
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Is there scope to throw a few other distance races in before the marathon SW?

    And forgive me - one more time - which marathon and when? Unlike other distances, I seem incapable of taking in dates! I do the same with our Dasher marathoners!

    Midweek 10 for me - always feel like I'm in "proper" training when a tempo day is followed by a single 10.
    7.11 pace. 

  • StevieWhStevieWh ✭✭✭
    I've got a half a week on Sunday which I'll be having a mini taper for, not sure how fast the course is but ill be going all out for a nice PB.

    Berlin marathon on 29/09, 5.5 weeks to go!
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    edited August 2019
    Bus/Phil/Pete/Reg/Joe localish peeps

    https://wokinghamhalf.co.uk/maps/


    Looks like they're proposing a mess about to the route for 2020.

    From a quick look, it seems heading left out of the park instead of right, and messing about out and round for a mile or so?

    Don't like route changes, and not sure what benefit this one gives, bar "enjoying" the town centre views?!
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Also, having done 1 half marathon in over 4 years (!), for some reason I'm looking at a few,

    Reading offer a "VIP package", which looks steep at £70, but when you actually drill down, it's not actually too bad.

    Take the normal affiliated entry, which is now £38

    That leaves £32, which covers

    • Parking  (£11 in the official carparks - and I'd never leave the car on the route like Reggie does :D )
    • Massage after
    • Use of a box close to the start
    • Refreshments/ area to loiter after
    • T Shirt gubbins
    • Free race pic
    Probably not a bad deal actually.
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    One more for me - randomly a pic of a very distinctive runner from Salisbury showed on one of the half marathon pages I was looking at.

    I remember him well, as he's about 6ft 5 and stacked with muscles.

    Checked his stats to see how he's been doing, as I'd raced and beaten him a few times at the start of the decade.

    https://www.thepowerof10.info/athletes/profile.aspx?athleteid=280276

    What the heck has he changed in 2016 on!
    As from then, he's become an absolute animal!

    Surely unusual to see a guy have 7-8 years of racing behind him, pushing into the middle of the V35 category, and then suddenly from nowehere take his half marathon down to 71/72!
  • StevieWhStevieWh ✭✭✭
    That does seem like an alright deal SG, still seems a lot for a half though! Wokingham is on my potential list for a spring half next year, is it a quick course? Will have to see what local ones are available as well.
  • SW - Yep Wokey is the half of choice in the South East I'd say, so get in quick! Very popular race. Ah marathon pacing - takes me back to Berlin and the 5k pacing, which was about 19 mins per 5k for 2.39. Definitely a great way to pace a marathon

    SG - Do you get access to your own (or a quiet) toilet for the money. I'd pay extra for that.

    Bus - it's not too bad at 8am. Few Chris Froomes to negotiate, but generally it's ok.

  • StevieWhStevieWh ✭✭✭
    We've got friends down there as well so it is a very likely option!

    Completely agree Simon, last two marathons were paced in 3m chunks. So berlin will be 19.30/5k for a sub 2.45, easy to keep track of it that way. Apart from after about 20m when your brain cant do maths anymore!
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    edited August 2019
    Sw some prefer Reading.

     But personally i think its the being 6 weeks later and the higher quality field that must colour their views as with two decent hills it's got to be a harder course.

    Wokingham has a few lumps when compared to what i believe Maidenhead and Gosport would have, but those are autumn winter jobs.

    Salisbury must be fast looking at mateys link above!!

    Not sure there's any hurry to enter these days. It used to be an enter before end of year job but pretty sure you could get in way into jan this year.
    Similar with Reading. Always sold out yet this year i remember you could enter in the week before.

    I.considered it before realising you don't casually enter a half.
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    edited August 2019
    SC id be surprised if the box and kit drop off didn't include toilets.

    Although you'd surely be able to get an elite place by e-mailing them.
    I got one off a sub 76 for goodness sake in 2015 which at least met their actual secret rule.

     Samir Haddad the legend blagged off a 1hr 20!! Then ran a bloody1hr 30 after leading for half a mile. Incredible!!!

    The comedy of 2015 was that they'd changed the start. So instead of the elite bogs and kit and stuff that are absoute live savers on the old start, you had a start right next to loads of open rough spaces which were super easy to unleash in and the "elite" stuff totally unneeded.

    Not like 2013 where i can still remember the panic of "late turd park" being inaccessible due to flooding!!
    Still ended up in the elite bogs by accident.
    But only after having.to walk a mile further round than samir who was allowed to stroll in the quick way.
    Even though i lined up abput 50metres behind him and obvs stormed past about 3miles in 😄😄😄💩💩
  • DachsDachs ✭✭✭

    SG, just saw the proposed route changes.  I assume it's to show off Wokingham a bit more, but it seems like it'd be a lot more hassle with the need for town centre road closures - and due to the nature of the one-way system in Wokingham, once you close one part of the town centre network, you need to close the whole thing.  Still, Wokingham is pretty much flat, so can't see it'll make it slower particularly.

    Nice tempo, can't say I'd fancy doing one round Dorney.

    Aren't there free massages at the end of the Reading Half anyway?  I certainly got a free one in 2016, but that may have been because it was my physio.

    Nice repping Bus and Simon

    SteveW, you forget the maths and reset at 20 miles and just do the fastest 10K you can.  In my case, that's usually obscenely slow.

    First 20 of marathon training at the weekend.  Not too fast at 7:05 pace, but a fair bit of off-road paths in there, plus the standard 8 minute mile to start off with because my legs hadn't woken up yet.

    Anyone doing the Southern Road Relays?  I am once again organising our entries, and we are on the verge of being able to field A, B and C teams, which would be amazing.

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    I wonder if i have the balls to email them mentioning key phrases like being a "Well known poster" on the "premier running site" that has had in excess of 250k views ( they don't need to know 175k of those were by me).

    Plus throw in the past "elite place" and "75xx" (hoping they don't notice that was yonks back) mixed in with talk of a "big come back" and the "huge social media interest" that it would generate for their event that only sold out a day before closing last year....

     
    Would blag a free space  :D:D<3
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Dachs for a sec i thought the prospect of me blagging the elite place again had triggered you into an immedio rebuke
    I'll never forget that look of " what is this chump doing in this section" in 2015 😄😄💩💩

    But a x post.

    Autumn road relays are judged too big time for our boys. We can borderline compete in the spring 12s but cut the team and distance right down and we would be well out of place.
  • StevieWhStevieWh ✭✭✭
    We've got 30 people interested in doing the relays! Wouldn't like to be the one sorting those teams out.

    Good 20 Dachs, always good to get the first 20 ticked off. Ive got one on Saturday but with 12m of almost MP.

    Send the email SG!!
  • The BusThe Bus ✭✭✭
    Hmmm, not sure about the new route - it means I'll lose my top free parking spot a few hundred yards from the race start :smile:

    I tried to get a free place on the basis of missing the GFA time by just 9 seconds. They have said they had quite a few of these requests, so have decided if you hit the GFA time in the race they will give you a refund!  Sounds pretty fair to me, and an extra incentive to get some proper training in!  

    And yes SW, it is a very quick course and plenty of runners in the mix of the sorts of PB times I suspect you'll be looking for. It also has pacers now. The only thing that slows it down are two motorway bridges, but you only really notice these on the way back. The one that hits right on the ten mile mark can hurt if you are trying to get to ten in a good time mind (especially if at that exact moment you start to retch and get Richard Whitehead come storming past on his blades being cheered on by the crowd who are clearly thinking you must be an absolute loser and you find yourself thinking very unfair and uncalled for thoughts about how those blades must make you faster and why were you cursed with having real legs? - ahem!!!!).
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Why would you lose that spot? Because roads are locked down to get there or something?
    Otherwise it's the same start, and your spot is a cul de sac, rather than being on the route?

    I guess the diffo between Wokey and Reading, is Wokey doesn't need to pad their race out with faster people, they already have a high percentage versus field size.
    Whereas Reading has a monumental "tail" compared to the front.
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