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Moraghan Training - Stevie G
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Today showed me that, as it was pretty warm and humid, especially with no water.
I aimed for the stock 13, but midway I couldn't bear the idea of the exact same route back, so wandered down a lane I assumed would be a different and probably shorter way back.
Obviously ended up not quite going to plan, albeit never not knowing what direction I was going, but adding a bit on.
Meaning a 14.5miler in the end . 7.39 pace. A 4mile stretch with bits of offroad and a bit of hill reduced that down a bit.
Will pay particular attention to this 50k route, as while two bits basically keep a river on one side or the other, there's some pissing about bits through various towns and footpaths that probably need a once over. Just in case a tiny arrow / bit of red tape has either been removed by a local scofflaw, or in the knackeration stakes isn't too obvs.
61.5mile week though.
Can still feel this chest a little, so goodness knows how hard I monstered it over 3 weeks ago now, but it's ok to do efforts through again, so we're back on track.
No idea how much recovery a 50k even at any easy effort takes to recover from, so won't pencil anything in until the either side of that really.
Talking of which, I did manage three runs last week and 23 miles in total along with some cycling and a couple of swims. Probably won't be doing anything too quick for a while whilst I rehab it but should be able to tick over and get some intensity from the bike.
TR probably has a point and >50% further than you have run this year is a big leap; probably worth a longer training run or two in the build up.
Depending on how hard you hit it, I would imagine a week or two and you would be fully recovered. How deep you dig is the biggest factor for recovery, I think.
Another extended warm up to parkrun - albeit 17M shorter WU than last week
Mixed terrain hills on Sunday, for 8.5M, 1200ft in the glorious sun. Cleeve Hill looking amazing and even found a path I don't recall running before. 64M for the week and now only 12 days until Dartmoor Discovery.
Reg - glad hammy getting there. SQ - Sounds a lovely run
Decent weekend here
Saturday - 1500m in the SAL at Tooting. Was warm and breezy, so after my 4.20 odd at the masters league, wasn't feeling too confident. But - settled in behind the usual fast kids and surprisingly went through 400m in 66. Picked off a few as we went through 800 in 2.16, then came up towards my A string team mate through the bell in 3.07. Couldn't get closer but, got over the line in a slightly annoying 4.17.00, only 70 for the final lap.
Anyhoo - ran/tubed it to Highgate after to watch the 10,000's - great races, incredible being that close to the men A race leaders. Monsters. through 1500 in 4.06!! Nice chat with @Dachs too
Sunday - over to St Albans for the Eastern young athletes, Ollie doing 800/Javelin/LJ.
Nice out and back in the countryside for an hour.
8.5 this morning. No races until 5th June so a good week of training coming hopefully.
Although when you think it was £20-25 for a runthrough lockdown 5k, pro rata it's incredible value!
I have to go disclaimer mad to calm TR down, as like at Bramley he thought I planning to go all in effort level flat out racing, and could imagine me crumbling early doors if I tried setting off at 6min miling with no gels
I remember doing a "Chairman's Challenge" with Marlow about 15 years ago. Used to be a big summer event, gang of you go out, set of 5-6mile sections, do as many as you want, get driven in between the rest etc.
Year I did it, TWO of us did the full bit, a couple of others joined for half of the rest.
Hot day, 26.2 (!) miles, slow pace, ice cream break (!). Was bloody miserable actually remembering it and I felt like a freaking shell afterwards
In fairness though, we didn't have that much water, and certainly no fuel of any description!
But essentially it's ideal timing to be honest. Not particularly in a red hot spell of training, the fall hijacked a couple of weeks, and can get this out of my system then dip straight to the shorter stuff all summer.
At least this one I could stagger to a bus (saturday race), or train station, or call someone local up to get carted away! Or even just walk home instead, as Slough is only about 12miles, Bourne End about 5 etc.
SC a pal leant me all the gub I need. Took about 20mins to work out what to shove where, what to suckle and what the heck all the zips, pockets, straps etc are for.
Luckily this is an entry level ultra, meaning no need for a tonne of stuff.
Sometimes I read this thread and realise the huge difference between us footy guys who moved over to running, and the pure runners.
I just can't imagine going out of my way to go to a track and watch people running round it for any reason beyond duty. But it seems quite a big scene.
Feels a bit "nipply" just wearing it at home for 5 mins, so will definitely try it on a short run.
Might even try it at the weekend too. Which would fill the ending up miles away slightly off route in the heat of this weekend!
Tin hat time
Just seeing lots of running friends and watching world class level runners just a few yards away is an eye opener, even after all these years. Just so stupidly fast.
No, i'm sure it's a decent scene.
I think I have my sweeps of wanting to do loads of stuff with people and the club, and other spells of wanting to utterly go into solo mode.
Probably in the latter at the moment.
Work hauled us in yesterday, so moved the effort to today.
Another sort of pressure free freestyled job on the local park. Adios 5
Along the lines of the diagonals, but no diagonal element!
2 footy pitches together, did 20mins of "hard" 2 sides and pootle 1 side, and so on.
No idea on the pace as I was going, as the watch just showed 6.45 or so average, incoporating the plod.
But the graph on the strava looks nicely well below 6s throughout so that'll do.
A gnat's gnidger under 3miles in that 20mins, think it was something daft like 2.98/2.99 that I just couldn't squeeze to a beautiful rounded 3.00.
These grassy footy pitch sessions feel something fresh at the moment. Not sure if it's just the something different element, not wanting the drive to the track, or not awnting to risk the gripless 4%s again after the slip 3 weeks back,....but they suit nicely at the moment.
Will tweak around the other side of the 50k fun.
SC - how did Jr get on with the 800?
SG - 20m to 50km, skipping the marathon? You really are determined not to do one, aren't you?
Good to see you've recovered from your run dramas! I do like diagonals.
Reg - nice parkrun pacing, but bad luck on Bracknell. I did chuckle at your colour run interaction. Bad luck on the recurring injuries.
PMJ - my wife keeps trying to get me to wear my parkrun wristband on runs as she's my ICE contact. I keep forgetting; lol. If I run to work I carry my phone in a pocket in a pair of base layer shorts.
SQ - good training; you're looking good for Dartmoor.
Dachs - well done at Bracknell.
I had some major downtime after London. A week completely off, then 30m, 26m (plus coastal path walking), before starting to rebuild (50m last week with 4 x 800m on Wednesday (2:52-2:47), and a 14m 'long' run with surges of 1,3,9,3,1 mins with 5mins easy between.
I'm so unfit it's unreal. 10k coming up Sunday week where there's a very good chance Jr will scalp me - he's running very well (10km down to 37:06 at Shinfield (not flat), a county bronze for 3km as a first year u20, and then the impetuousness of youth saw him decide to throw his lot in with the leaders in the 1500m the next day as they went through 400m in 63/4 secs (that didn't work out, but kudos for being ballsy).
I'm hoping for over 60m this week, including at least 3m of longer reps tonight.
But handy for ICE, name etc.
The Murder Mile lot thought i'd got one just for their race once, which was funny.
Sounds like you're back in the right direction anyway.
No idea how this 50k will go. Could be madness, could be magical. But while we all have our favourites training/distances/range etc, I've very much realised this last few years that you need to keep stuff new and fresh.
Hence stuff like Endure 24, a fell race, 2 races in 1 day, 2 races in 2 days, Bramley 20, all this sort of stuff.
Hopefully doesn't feel too cumbersome!
Cheers TT - He did 2.40 again, did 2.37 a few weeks back. Sensibly trying to hit the first lap at about 75 and trying to hang on! Brave first 400 from your lad!
4/8/K/12/12/K/8/4 last night on the paths. 70/2.30/3.11/3.50/3.50/3.09/2.26/66.
Felt pretty good and getting the bus I get a good warm up running up the North face of the Eiger to the track
I used a standard camelbak for Triathlon X which I think is the only time I've come across a mandatory kit list. I thought it was a bit daft until my knee was killing me and I was getting cold up the top of Scafel Pike. I actually ended up wearing both layers I had in there! I see most have these packs with bottle holders at the chest these days, I assume this is more comfortable? Or is it a case of the bottles being easier to clean and stuff?
If I could I would carry a spare hamstring in my camelbak as I pulled it again yesterday morning. Two mile into it and I had to call home to be rescued. I've made it worse than it was after Bracknell half and I think I should probably take at least 1 week off and probably 2.
Would love to get to the Night of the 10,000m PBs some time, SC. Looks a brilliant event. I heard it is going global and the same style event is happening in Melbourne and a couple of other cities around the world.
SG I wear my parkrun barcode/ICE wristband at all times as well - useful as a diabetic although I have never actually needed someone to use it. Keep the barcode on the inside mind you, danger of looking a little like an escaped patient otherwise. How was the camelbak? Agreed with TR - I wore mine in a trail marathon a couple of years ago. Had only trained with it and a t shirt and found on race day with a vest it chafed on my neck/shoulder. Which 50k is it?
Hope you hold off the youngster, TT!
Final vO2 session on Tuesday with 12 x 2 minutes hard uphill jog down. Slightly longer jog after the fourth and eighth. Not the fastest but the greatest number of reps I've done so some progress on paper at least. Easy since then including 5 x short hills strides last night. I've said it a million times now, but the first is always awful then feel so good after that.
Might have a crack at parkrun tomorrow. Then pretty minimal running until the ultra the following Saturday.
SQ - Good training. Would be funny if the 10,000 in Melbourne was in August when i'm there!
Luton track last night 4 x (600/400/300/200). Quite hard after a hard session 2 days before. 600's around 1.45, then 68/49's/31's roughly.
5 miles this morning, think it's a longish run to Parkrun tomorrow. Everton away Sunday so no chance of a run.
Googling tells me it's the sort of thing i'm borrowing. My 1 run with it on so far is ok, collapsible bottles stay in place nicely, don't feel too heavy.
I was probably a little underfuelled on a 2nd run of the day and it was hot when I tried it, so probably a good time - as it'll no doubt be like that on the day.
Probably worth taking any tips anyone has - should i go and buy some gels etc, choc protein, any of this sort of gub?
Or simply have my 2 bottles 500ml of water to suckle from on the go - fill up at the stations, along with their treats etc, and send Lucozade/bananas to aid stations 3 and 4 (roughly 30 and 40k in)?
Maidenhead in a week or so.
Prepared for it with a pretty specific session.
8x2mins hard off 90secs
This is where my 5k plan would have taken me if 4weeks ago I hadn't slipped and smashed myself.... 2 weeks of easy, and then the next 3 sessions being grass pitch freestyled ones, and it was good to be back to this.
Only thing when you're doing 2mins on the watch split, is that it probably isn't sophisticated to know the difference between 0.351miles and 0.359miles....
so basically 6 of the splits came out at 0.35m which is 5.43, one 0.34m (5.53) and one 0.36 (5.33).
Probably a decent pace for road/grass different each rep.
Hopefully can boot straight into 5ks after however long an ambled 50k takes to recover from!
https://www.teignbridgetrotters.co.uk/our-races/dartmoor-discovery
Fairly light, ok, although it does make you feel warmer. But then it as a hot day anyway.
Trudging up a 300 feet grassy/trailly valley around a mile in was probably a good way in making it hard work. Then followed a chunk of the Penn 7 that Bus used to do. Not as hilly as the Marlow 7 - the only other 7 miler I've ever heard of, but certainly has some climbs itself.
Left it at 12.5 today, after wondering about an 11 or 11.5. Just about scraped sub 8, but that's ok.
SG, I think the DD attracts a range from very hardcore road runners to those significantly slower - but I suspect no absolute novices. No need for drinks vests etc as there are 10 aid stations, approximately every three miles. I plan to leave a small water bottle (with electrolyte and rubber band to attach a gel/banana) at all the even numbered stations. I must say it looks a very well organised race - with a field of 250 but circa 160 volunteers. Apparently someone is stationed 50m before the aid stations to read shout your number so that your own bottle/fuel is handed to you in one swift motion. Anyway, with your combo of what will be a very long ‘slow’ run and faster short reps, I reckon you will be in solid marathon shape for early Autumn. Abingdon beckons! And speaking of your 50k, will you download a gpx route to your watch or anything? Nothing worse than the fear of getting lost in a trail race.
Nice one heading to Melbourne, SC. Family holiday? Need to get a lap of ‘The Tan’ in!
Jools - hadn’t realised what epic levels of fun you had planned this weekend! Looking forward to a report.
Cheltenham parkrun with my DD mate Ben on Saturday. In his words he is sharp but lacking endurance. Probably not ideal for an ultra, but he showed me a clean pair of heels to finish the undulating course in 18:2x. I was solid enough for a minute slower. Second best time of the year, but would like to dip below 19 before the summer is out. A very sociable and genuinely fun weekend with family and friends has left me knackered but smiling.
Another shorter day tomorrow as almost everyone else is hurting too much. I have a sore hamstring but I could certainly have done more today.
Day 2: 37 Miles Cemaes-Penmon Point
Day 3: Abridged 13M Penmon-Britannia Bridge
SG - I have random thoughts occasionally about having a crack at an Endure solo. Probably best if I don't recount my debut (and thus far, only) 50km.....
SC - sounds like your lad is due a jump forward soon if he's taking it out at 75. I've got mine doing some sharpening ahead of a representative schools 3km in a bit. Based on finishing 6km of volume last week with a 30.5 200m I think it might be working; lol. 2 nice sets of reps there. What trainers do you wear for the road reps?
Reg - bugger on the hammie. Is it worth trying to get it looked at to see if there's an underlying cause?
SQ - lots of long hill reps!! Well done! Good luck for Saturday!
Lost my long run window on Saturday due to sleeping in, and then spending the day getting new tattoos, and CNBA on Sunday, so ended last week with just 41m.
Back to old skool Lydiard style base building this week though. A jog/10m @ 6:32 double Monday, jog/9m yesterday, and then hillsprints with Jr this morning, ahead of track tonight.
TT - Use my old Takumi Sen8's for road reps. Literally can't go back to non carbon now, just too hard on my legs. But I still do my long runs with non carbon.
Saturday was nice, Parkrun up at Dunstable Downs, fastest time up there in 17.26, trying to catch the leader up..but the 7.5 miles up there definitely did me in the last 500m and I had to let him go just when I had caught him! Decent day up at Everton Sunday for the football. Seriously loud when they scored!
Good for nothing Monday, back from London Tues afternoon, so stayed local and did 6 x 1k on the estate. 9 miles yesterday. Luton track tonight.
SQ - all the best for tomorrow, a tough day out. At least hypothermia shouldn't be a risk this year.
Reg - a few massage sessions to remove any scar tissue would be a good idea?
Still trying to get the body moving here, not helped by turning 56 a few weeks back. Did Bognor 10k in 38:3X 3 wks back and hope to go a bit quicker at Worthing 10k sunday (Although it's been pretty breezy lately). I did 36.3X at Chichester just before lockdown, but can't see myself getting there again, although to be fairly main focus is sub3 and I don't prepare for 10k.
SQ - Good luck tomorrow
Decent session last night, 6 x 1k, (steady/hard x 3) off 80. 3.30's for the steady, the hard were 2.56/2.56/2.53.
OK I do too many races - but due to coincidence I think I have outdone myself for next week (not my fault)
Monday - Southern Vets (HHH) Hillingdon (8&3000)
Wednesday - Eastern Vets (Bedford) Cambridge (1500)
Friday - Marston Vale 5k (LBAC) Marston
Sunday - NAL (HHH) Bedford (3000m)
If i'm not needed for the NAL, i'll hammer the 5k. If I am, I will pace the 5k.
Did Reading 10k today having planned to be with TR at Worthing till y'day, when my wife decided she didn't want a day at the coast after all. Being no real fan of seaside and certainly not windy races there, I quickly rebooted to the much nearer Reading event. Hot day but not too bad and wind noticeable but again relatively light. Decent sized field and pace.
Started a bit quick with a 3'40 but slightly downhill and wind assisted so not too bad. Just under 4's till half way and just over after led me to a 39'42. Overtook a few in k's 6-9 only to see most come back past me on the run in! Usual frustration at having a relatively crap finish but c'est la vie.1st in super old codger v60 cat a bonus, and hopefully a prize to come in the post.
Came on the back of a hard parkrun y'day (19'31 at Woking) so at least I can still do those doubles occasionally.
Saw in the results Dachs was amongst the leaders and that TT (and son) were there too, so maybe some extra reports to come from this one.
Been doing parkrun every week but no race since Shinfield over a month back. Managed first sub 19 (18'58) for 2 years the other week; that was Brooklands though which is totally flat and almost all tarmac, so not a true 'parkrun'.
Look forward to some good reading here over the next few days. Finally a big shout for SG taking on a 50k, when some were rilng him for not having the bottle for a mara!