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Moraghan Training - Stevie G
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In these "progressive" times, Gendar W is probably now a thing.
Glad you're seeing positive signs Bus. Good showing at the XC, SC.
Glad to see you've been taking it easy all this time Jools.
No running yesterday for me, just an easy spin on the bike and an early swim this morning. It was probably too early for me as when I got back to the changing room, it took me about 4 minutes to remember which locker was mine
Peace out,
Rey x
5x1km progressives was the plan today. Meant to be starting at around my HMP +15sec sort of zone and monstering down to 5k zone - not the 5k pace I've put in recently at parkruns that'd be too easy
Anyway, a lot of wind and a 1/3 on grass helped keep the first km sensible at 3.42, but then after that it quickly got to
3.29, 3.27,3.27, and then asked a heck of a lot to get the 5th one quicker into wind on the way back.
That one came out 3.30.
However, as 7 last week averaged around 3.30, it feels a decent shorter version of that.
Of course on a track you'd hope for better, but I'm enjoying these sessions from the door over the last few weeks.
Allows some "pitstops" right until the word go, and a little back to lying about after wakeup and a quick breakfast.
I dare say come summer I'll need "proper" track stuff, but for now it feels decent.
Or "deece" as cool cats like Rey might say.
Your long runs are getting no sharp, SG. Obviously in good nick.
Like the sound of a downhill finish at Wokey, Reg (not that I’m doing it this year), but grass is a pain for a finish gurn. Your description of the insertion pain fits my experience well. Lasted ages, but could manage. Had to be wary of very fast intervals. But managed lots of solid tempos and got in good shape. Keeping it warm whilst running seemed to help too.
Cracking report, Jools. Well done on the parkrun and S10. Really good to catch up and you raced very well.
Pleased you’re making some progress, PMJ. I quite like you assessing monthly mileage. Actually makes much more sense than weekly that I inevitably get caught up in.
Well done at the Southerns, SC. That pace and 125th astonishes me.
Nailed the Staverton 10 race prep on Saturday: long day in work, diarrhoea eight times and returned to find the car had a flat tyre 😆
Incredible little weather window for race day. 2-7C, sunny, very low winds. Arrived at the airport and directed to the long distance parking - about half a mile or so away. Perfect really as a warm up.
Usual fannying around sorting number, changing shoes, stripping off kit as late as possible and hanging on a mates car close to the start. And then realising I’d forgotten the timing chip 🙄. Strides on the way back to the car and it actually worked out well. Even timed it nicely to have a lovely catch up with Jools.
Tried to settle into a pack early on, but it splintered after the first mile (6:03 - bit sharp). The rest was essentially solo, but I had kind of anticipated this. Through half way in 30:44 - exact PB pace!
Slowed a bit in the second half, but managed to work off a couple runners not too far ahead. Mile splits dropping to 6:18-23s now.
Out of nowhere, and with only 400m to go, a group of four of us suddenly coalesced! Not great for final position, but certainly spurred me on. In fourth of this group round the final turn and managed to out ‘sprint’ one.
62:29 gun time. Chip timing failed, so I guess there would have been maybe 2-3s in that. Pleasingly solid, if not spectacular. Then joined Jools and various others for a bit of a cool down cheering on those still racing.
Bit of buggy errand running once home have a 17M day, albeit with lots of stops in there. Fun day. Also good to have a lower mileage week -48 on the cards.
Recovery yesterday and the Vaporfly seemed to have done a good job in ensuring quads, calves etc not battered, but some more global system fatigue was there. Standard 5M at 8:40s around the river.
Only slot for a long run this week was late this morn. So an 18M out and back on the canal job. Fierce headwind on the return. Couldn’t raise the heart rate but had nothing more to give than 7:50s. Still, nice to get a bit further along the canal than usual and also a useful step towards a first 20 of the campaign sometime soon.
You went through your actual 5mile pb split, within 5miles in a 10miler?
Must have been a well out of date pb?! Or was there some particular downhill biased first half versus second?
Today was pretty darn windy in one direction. Felt it even more on the lunch 3.5m then in the 2 1km reps in one direction earlier.
Day off work tomorrow so will do similar to last week, have a nice lay in, put the True Crime podcast on and drive out somewhere and let the legs and terrain guide what pace comes out for a 12miler, with some out and back action most likely.
Cracking K reps btw.
Easy Canal 5M yesterday before Tuesday Trackfest: 16x200m at lunch 42 for the first then a string of 40s a 41 & finished with a pair of 39s. Club session was 4x1M off 0.5M easy. Legs were shot before I started so happy to manage 6:40s for the reps & 7:45 for the recoveries.
Love a Jools Tuesday trackfest! Enjoy the day off run, SG.
On Wednesdays this term, I take, along with a couple other members of staff, take bottom group U16 football. They were told (not by me) last week that if they forgot shinpads, their punishment would be to do running with Mr Hand. I actually really disagree with using any form of exercise a punishment, but hey ho - come on the lack of shinpads!
January had 31 days including 5 weekends (so 5 long Sunday runs) and February has 28 days and only 4 weekends so months don't make sense. Having said that, if you are spring marathon training then Feb may be your biggest month.
A week is also an odd section of training. If you follow a repeating pattern it may make sense but as soon as you start adding races with rest before and recovery afterwards then a low mileage week may reflect high quality.
I do agree that chasing weekly totals is sometimes leads to doing miles when your body needs rest.
5 x mile last night. Bit of a disaster, got to the toilets in Luton arndale and found out that I hadn't put any shorts on. So had to do the session wearing 'track pants' (basically trackie bottoms) rolled halfway up my thighs
It was only on the last one where the left one didn't roll down over my knee. What a twit!
Took a while to get into them, 5.40 first, 5.23 for the last one.
Stag Trophy tonight - that 4k blast round town with LBAC
I've only done that once on a boiling day on an empty track in fairness!
SQ - whoops, that makes much more sense!
12 for me, parked in a decent residential loop, and then planned to run to the Thames Path for the bit that connects with where I started my 12 last week.
Half mile In realised I was going the wrong way (!), so I had 1mile on the clock level with where I'd set off.
No problem, just meant it wouldn't be a 6miles out, 6miles back job.
Somewhere around half on Thames Path, fairly hard ground though, so not like the Marlow section can be, sloggy mud with tonnes of gates to open.
Sort of locked into slightly under 7 for an overall 7.00/7.01 (systems can argue with themselves how 6seconds over 1.24 comes out...round up or down
Hopefully these longer runs sort of naturally coming out 7 ish is a step up in fitness over the last month, rather than me pretending i'm not upping the effort
Remembering that this is about 7.30am, hot day, track that is empty and you can't really see in from outside..
Not the track I started this thread using, which was next to a packed sports centre that 100s of people walk spark past to get to an astro pitch
Lots of School lost property/run in your pants jokes last night obviously.
Long tops are a good modesty addition for sure, in triathlon we have a race number
They did at one stage have someone employed to sit there 9-5, which seemed bizarre, as most bookings would be evenings, outside of occasional group sports days in summer.
However, they did at least have a schedule written of who'd be using it, for those occasional day bookings, and thus when to avoid turning up, with general license to turn up when you fancied outside of properly club / group booked sessions. Always fine pre 8.30 generally.
However, then the ownership changed, I spent about 6months trying to force someone to allow me to pay for a membership (!), and then the pandemic kicked in...
I was going to share the Islywn lot's confirmed dates for this races this year.
Murder Mile early August on there, but also the Scenic 7 might be interesting, mid July.
A hilly course in a nice country park a few miles from the Murder Mile.
I got lost in there after i'd gone in for a couple of miles cool down after the Murder Mile last time, just getting out before dark and the gates being locked
That one might be more befitting of a 2 hour min drive, and would probably even fit with doing a 5k race the night before potentially as it would be textbook B race material.
I’m organising my club’s 10K the night before Scenic 7 so ideal timing.
Blaisdon 10K: need to update the website 🤣 http://fodac.org.uk/wordpress/?page_id=6077
Stag trophy was ok last night. 13.40 for 4k, eyeballs out last lap. Adios 5's felt so flat though. Need some new ones!
struggled with an early 9 miler this morning.
I'm coming up to 500 in mine, although they're sessions only really.
I do have a spare pair in waiting.
Couple of easy days before a Sunday turnout.
Today was the worst conditions for a long time. Really cold, sort of icy fingers even with gloves on, not helped by really heavy rain soaking me for the first 5mins of the run.
Not too wet for a lot of it after that, but by then was drenched making it feel even colder!
As I approached the end of the high street towards the bridge, a neanderthal crossed the road right in front of me without looking, he seemed to think that the refuge in the middle of the road was a crossing that afforded him right of way over the traffic. Anyway no harm done as I slowed to allow him to pass but I did advise him to 'Wakey wakey!' in a rather condescending manner. This seemed to anger him more than I expected. As I looked back his nostrils were flaring, chest stuck out like some posturing gorilla. He was bald, neckless and as wide as he was tall, I think we can all imagine the 'Ronnie Pickering' type.
He beckoned me back in a kind of 'come on then!' fashion and I have to admit, the chance to smartly point out the error of his ways, was too tempting, so I cycled back to him. Now in the middle of a well to do town's fairly busy high street with shoppers milling about and cafe dwellers quaffing their overpriced coffees, I expected a little pre amble chit chat. Fair play to him though, he just stormed in and threw a haymaker right hook! Thankfully it was rather telegraphed and despite still straddling my bike and holding the hoods, I was able to roll the shoulder with a bit of head movement and reduce the impact to nothing more than a glancing blow across the ear and chin. As luck would have it, I think he was expecting the impact of my head to absorb his momentum so my evasion led him to completely swing himself off his own feet and he tumbled past me head first into the road
I quickly moved around him before he could get back to his feet and politely enquired as to why he was lying on the ground? He scrambled himself back to his feet, still enraged and I gave myself a bit of room before offering various taunts such as you punch like a girl as I maintained a safe distance and he continued to slowly march down the with his ape like gait. Incredibly uninhibited behaviour for a Saturday morning in Marlow!
Anyway I said goodbye and decided to quit while I was ahead. So a good ride and then an easy 4 miles with some strides not long afterwards. Turnout booked on a very windy day at Dorney tomorrow, 10k tune up and I expect it will be a pretty thin field so just a good workout on offer although my HM and Marathon PBs were both from similarly windy days.
These days there's always someone filming stuff too.
I found the footage of the incident below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PFRdEUN240
Classic Simon - though still way faster than 99.9% people in shorts 🤣Good work on the 4k too!
Nice midweek 12 there SG.
That Marlow track was a quid pro-quo fro selling off the old one for development at Handy Cross (its now a Waitrose and Hotel! It was intended to be on a school site in Hazlemere, but a bunch of NIMBY's living behind it stopped it! Absolute travesty! Of course, in the middle of nowhere it gets little use other than SG rampaginf round it in his pants of a morning
Couple of days off Mon/Tue for me to let the knee recover, then a series of shortish hilly runs for the rest of the week. It seems ok, but will try and stay fairly close to home for my LSR today just in case.
Proper LSR at last this morning! 14.1M of mud and hills, and I didn't know I was going to make the 14 until 13.3 - seemed a shame not to at that point! I wanted 14 as a) It always feels like a proper long run and b) it made 40 for the week
Knee was OK, though a few twinges now and again after about mile 11, but nothing drastic.
What I hadn't factored in was that the wind at Goodwood was 40mph+
I realised that I needed to bridge that gap so worked back to them and as we turned the corner we were suddenly benefitting from a tailwind which helped me get right back amongst it, except for the very front (sub elite) type guys. Those tailwind kms came up in 3:14 & 3:10 so I felt well on track for a PB at this point. From 3k to 6k is then mostly crosswind and I still felt fairly comfortable and was maintaining pace with those around if not making a bit of ground still. They came out at 3:18,3:18 (5k 16:29) & 3:19 before we hit the headwind again! 7 & 8 were both heavily into the wind and slowly a line was formed as we all worked to get some shelter, with the mug at the front generally then trying to close back to another mug in front of him
This led to a rather humourous moment when the chap on the front starting weaving across the track to signal his feelings about doing all the work! I was working hard at this point though so didn't really have the gas to take a turn but when we finally hit the corner after a 3:30 & 3:40, and the wind was then on our backs, I moved to the front and shouted to everyone that I was ready to do a turn on the front now
The finish still seemed a long was off and my breathing was not great and legs starting to fatigue a little, I also knew that I must be on for a PB so anything from here would do! Final KM was 3:19 as we took a bit more crosswind and I didn't really have much left without straining every sinew and probably tearing something in the process and I was over the line in a pleasing 33:33. Given I can never remember my PBs, that will do nicely for now.
Happy with that and I'd like to think a sub 33 would be possible on a nice day and with just a bit more speedwork.
Big race report time then
Chichester 10k.
This promised a fast flat early year 10k, being known traditionally as the first big race in the south's calendar year.
I'd done the Chichester Priory back in probably 13 and 14, different course, presumably actually in Chichester, whereas this was Goodwood.
That course gave me some great spoils, 34:44 one year (improved upon down to 34:30 at Eastleigh the month after), and a high 35 the year after (35:5x).
That course started with a half km climb, and had a hill later, but a lovely downhill last km.
Different course, and different days of course, and I set off knowing I definitely had better than the 36:53 at Silverstone in October in me, but wasn't sure how close I'd get to the November Hatfield 5m pro rata calculation of 35:59, having done 3 parkruns as my most recent turnouts, between 17.55 and 1820, all with different disclaimers to explain not being "that" fast.
Funny weekend, as with no Wycombe game at all, and United playing on TV on Friday, and only FA cup games this weekend, it felt a bit like it was all about sitting patiently for Sunday.
Google told me Goodwood motor circuit where this race was to be held could be reached in about 1hr 25, and I thought Sunday morning that might be quicker.
The organisers hadn't given any idea on entry limit, and how many entries were in until the very last minute, but they did send a "last information" email out, saying how the weather conditions were looking dreadful. Very encouraging
6am up, 7am due to leave, actually left at 7.30
For a very strange drive were it seemed a lotto of whether it was a bit wet, a bit windy, very wet & windy, occasionally still, or dark wet and windy!
My sat nav has started playing silly beggars of just freezing once every long drive, and this time round did it just before the only bit I really needed to concentrate on off the M25.
After a reboot, it took me off a side road, round what was basically an obscurely placed service station, then towards the A3.
Had a little stop not far from the final destination and it was so tasty conditions there I was almost blown into a ditch.
Will be fine later, I hoped...
The route to Goodwood was fiddly, a mix of odd little back roads and country lanes. The most dodgy being one route seemingly through some woods, with white lines and markers, but also what looked like a sheer cliff fall the other side! Drove very carefully on that abit, and eventually found the venue.
Arrived at about 9.10 for a 10, very easily organised. 5k lot who had a 9.15 race were to park within the venue, so they could disappear during the 10k race, whereas the 10k crew were parked on a huge grassy field right next to the venue.
This SEEEMED genius....but more on that later!!!
.
Wondered how it would work with a warmup, as normally once you had the gear in you can't get it back, and warming up in vest and shorts looked madness right now.
Soaked very quickly indeed, with a trudge to the venue across the road, the rain did actually ease off a bit.
So usual drill with bag, toilets and parted ways.
Got a flimsy sort of warm up in, about a mile, but in vest and shorts, having gambled on giving the bag in.
Quickly realised that one direction was a real struggle and the other was cigar. Didn't know at this point which way the race was going as hadn't seen any km markers.
A chap I was speaking to looked slightly confused, but I found out why later - this was TR, who I hadn't even thought about telling I was coming down his neck of the woods as I know he's more a long distance merchant.
Didn't quite know if I fancied it today or not, but the SG seal of approval is always to run as hard as it comes on the day.
Didn't quite know the standard as Reggie was mid 800s number wise, whilst in 2020 they had almost double the amount of finishers.
Couple of pics I noticed the organisers had put out there.
Fair play for those Steel Band volunteers, albeit under cover!
I'd loosely worked out 3.42 was what Silverstone 10k came out as (if taking the result, rather than the average pace on the watch - being 6.31miles), but I had done some 3.30km reps recently.
However, the main plan was to beat Silverstone's time here, then beat it again at another 10k in future months.
First km is the real windiest part of the course though.
Small bit of being boxed and possibly started slightly too far back, albeit I was about 75th or so in the results - so not like I should be "that" close to the start...
Normally you fly out and record a split that is your fastest 1 or 2 in the race - the other being the last one.
However, today, I'm out in 3.44!
I know this will most likely be the windiest km though, well I blooming hope so!
Plenty of pack to take a bit of the wind off and it was still that windy and that slow though.
The route is 3km round the track which is possibly about 90% of the track - out down a road up to a roundabout, back up to the other roundabout, back down half way back into the track, and then about 110% of the track - maybe 3.5km or slightly more to finish.
The 2nd km turns into a less windy bit, and it's immediately perked up a lot at 3.35.
The 3rd km is the quick one, feeling still, which often means you have a slight wind benefit - 3.30
I'm definitely ahead of Silverstone timings here, but I know this will be hard.
The bit out of the track to the roundabout is as feared, as it's not as windy as the first km, but enough to slow it down to 3.44 and that's how it stays, around the roundabout in 3.45.
I'm not doing any maths overall, but have seen 18.15 for 5k pop up. But unlike Silverstone that suggested I'd done 1845 and then 1808 (who ever does that sort of negative split on a flat 10k?! - They deffo bungled the first 5km length wise that day) I knew I'd struggle to hold the same again, or not add much for the second half - especially knowing that 1km start of the race would be much more stretched out and hard.
At this point, round the 2nd roundabout, I'd seen the 6km, but utterly burgled taking the split, meaning it was going to be even harder to calculate than the usual wondering what the heck a 3.35 or 3.44 meant
I took the mile split as 6.00 which doesn't help much, but at least I knew the Silverstone was 5.56 (actual watch 5.51), so knew I was struggling versus that.
Next split of course was even more messed up in all ways.
First of all I totally missed where the 7th km even was, and as well as the high wind as per lap 1, it was windy on the lead up to it as well.
Having said SG doesn't ever give up last week, I was weighing up...giving up at that point
I had some woman for company and a smaller bloke, who kept dropping then catching up.
The wind I have to say here was bloody outrageous, where it feels like pace dribbles down to what feels like barely moving but are working at the right level.
This 7th km was never coming, then it clicked...i'd missed it, and what's this...the 8th km..YESS!!
I literally shouted some mad nonsense out about glory be to the wind going and glad only 2 people heard.
Mad split of 5.14 which played havoc with everything, only realising that was a 0.78 mile, job due to the mile before! But at the time I was thinking, hell, that's a slow km
Because I have this habit of when I get to 8km adding on 8mins for a "worst case" finish scenario, I genuinely didn't know if I'd be a min off Silverstone, or more, but I knew I'd be well off.
However, the wind had totally dropped and 8th km was a joy, albeit only coming out 3.54, although now I look that was a 0.68m job.
Knew I'd have a nice experience to the finish now, unlike Silverstone where the windy km were the last 1.5km - and windy as in the bit windy bits of today, not the colossally windy bits at that
10th km I was thinking about 400m, 400m and 200m, and it quickly went, and hang on, what's this I see...the clock is on 36:40s as I come in.
Added some juice and over the line for 36:51 to Reggie seeing that too.
But then checked my watch, 37:02.
Back to the car later...official results 37:02