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Moraghan Training - Stevie G
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Out of 30 HM I've only had one that was a disaster, so that's the one I remember the most.
But double the distance, dreadful weather, all the nonsense with the drenched clothes! I suppose unlike my bad HM you didn't have a health meltdown in there too, that's the only way it could have been worse.
You didn't say the final time - I suppose maybe not worth mentioning, but just to see how big a reducer the conditions played on it all.
At least Jools backed you up - not like the time me and TR did that absolute gale force 10k and Reg got a pb there
Keep with the party line son!
A nice casual get round solid job from you Jools to say the least, decent.
Now into a more traditional standard cold. Much less wipe out, but frustrating nonetheless.
I "think" I can run through it at normal casual pace, but it's real sweatfest so it's definitely plenty what I'm doing.
That Marlow 5 is looking 50-50. Not a race I'd want to do half cocked as I've always done well there, and typical after all the fuss of who i'd race it for, am I allowed etc!
But at least I hadn't entered so no pressure either way, and you're fit and well most of the year so no point shoehorning in stuff that isn't exactly a one off like the Olympics!
Hope to be ready for Friday track, but we'll see.
Monday 5&4, today 5.5 so far.
Probably slightly getting there, but you know the drill have to sweat out seemingly 100s and 100s of litres of snot and sweat that comes from somewhere
Jooligan - what a contrasting experience! Seems like you definitely lucked out by comparison on the weather and organisation!
SG - I'm guessing that was RF sprinting off? I did clock the vest on the highlights. Tough break on the cold. Could it be possibly hayfever though? Mine is quite bad already this year.
Reg - good luck for Hyrox!
Just ticking over here. Not feeling 100% but nothing I can put a finger on definitively either. Started with an osteopath today who has highlighted a host of issues that need addressing (it's somebody I know, and everything he said fits with what I feel, so no concerns that I'm being 'sold'), so hopefully that will help, but sometimes it feels like I'm not getting a full breath in, so possibly two things at play here.
I know there are links between long covid and oxygen not binding properly to red blood cells like it should, so after a few infections, combined with my RHR still being elevated, that is a possibility (though thankfully at least, if that is a factor, it's nowhere near what my wife has to deal with).
Whilst in the gym, when there's old blokes in the changing room, all they talk about is there ailments, a bit like this thread
Well toughed out at Boston SQ, no need to strike that even toff my list however as I don't think I even knew there was a race there. Newport however is a real possibility, should I ever get my body to a state where I feel I can confidently take on a marathon block superior the last one.
To that end, I have booked an appointment in London to see some postural physio. He's only in London once a week and it's not until mid June but I like the look of the approach he takes. It's all about getting to the root cause of the imbalances. hopefully I can get it covered by private medical otherwise it's £120 a pop plus a train fare.
That gale force PB was a soft target at the time SG :-). There's definitely a pretty grim virus going about, I've had my cough a month now. It's probably not quite going to clear for Hyrox but I think I can limit the fits.
Glad you enjoyed that little tale from my 6th form days
SQ - Sounds a nightmare, well done for toughing it out. Jools - nice leisurely run after no training
Friday night at Battersea wasn't too bad. Set out at 16.00 pace for the first 2 K's, came off it by 3k and my legs suffered a bit last 2 k and ended up with 16.18. Happy enough with it I suppose. Still had the christmas Tree spikes in from indoors, should have changed them to smaller ones.
Saturday morning off to Houghton Hall Parkrun again, steady 2k, then pushed last 3k to come in 2nd in 17.55.
Over to Bury St Edmunds Sunday as the missus was track judging at the Steeplechase festival - basically set up for kids to get qualifying times. There was also a 3000m for U15 boys and U15/17 girls, so Ollie had a run. It was windy and cold, so thought he's do just under 11- but he was at the infront by 2 laps and won it in 10.28. So very happy kid on way back
I went for 10 miler around the town
Light training with Ollie tonight, as I have eastern masters 8 &3000 Weds night in Corby....
Good luck shifting the last of the lurgy SG. We need a race report from you soon. 😆
I made a gentle return to running today with 5.5 laps of the track: wu & cd with the Y13s who used to run but then spent the last 3 years in the gym bulking up.
I was happy to stay on the watch for the main event.
They found a flat out 400m followed a few minutes later by a timed mile a bit of a shock 😂. To be fair the lad who always won the house XC & any middle distance track events in his younger days managed 58” for the 400 however he pulled out of the mile after a 90” lap feeling sick 🤢 Fair play though he only sat out one lap then ran the final 2 laps with the leaders though he didn’t rinse himself in the home straight like they did. Fastest was 6:18 but the headwind on the back straight was filthy.
But joking aside he's one of those key guys every club has, an absolute main man who everything goes through - great runner but happy for everyone else's achievements, knows everyone's capabilities and will always go on the positive side of what they can achieve.
Only a few weeks in at the new lot, but a guy here is along these lines too.
Not hay fever unfortunately - coughing, load of snots, hot then cold, and last night even some retching and not quite proper "sick" but a little - but then felt better for that
Think we all try and run through a cold but you generally have to take a day or 2 off at some stage don't you - and the 3m double yesterday showed me it was pointless trying to run through this.
The run itself was ok, albeit warm and way too sweaty, but lying on the floor after, pulse racing, for a mere 750 or so paced run says it all!
Friday reps, Sat off Sun 13, but then the doubles the last 2 days were probably too much to be honest, and pretty rubbish runs
Therefore WED off, and willing to take 2-3 days or what it needs, like I did with the 5 days a month ago.
Have done 60.5miles last 3 weeks, so a cutback won't hurt.
Haven't really got going with the races this year, but there's tonnes of races every midweek, every weekend going forward so plenty of time for all that.
A girl at work is always on about Hyrox. She tried a range of sports but settled on that circuits thing Crossfit.
Hope you shift the lurgey soon!
Cheers Jools.
SG - Sounds like you're in pretty much the same boat as me with some variation in timing. I managed to brave the first Hiit class this morning. I'd wanted to do a couple a week in the final 4 weeks but I couldn't really partake in a class with others only to fall to my haunches and have a massive coughing fit! All I have now is a slightly dry and tickly throat and saliva that's a bit thicker than normal.
Just shy of 7 miles at 7:28 a mile today.
Unusual profile of something like 40 feet down mile 1, 40 feet back up 2 then 40 feet down mile 3!
Legal though but has to help the speed!
There's one our way at Waddesdon (you've probably done actually!) that has a decent climb first half then romp down second half, so if you've not blown beans first half could be a decent course they say.
And yep Reg...fingers crossed this bores off soon for us both. Just throws doubts and confusion in and reminder we take being able to do consistent training most of the year.
We've all had billions of colds but I can't really remember such a couple of coughy ones for ages.
SG - lol with RF. I've only interacted with him briefly at some xc in the past but he comes across as a decent sort. Fingers crossed you're back at it soon. There seems to be lots of nasty ones on the go at the moment.
SC - great 5km from you, and a very tasty 3km from Jr. He seems to be geting a head of steam going now.
Jooligan - I used to love steeplechase when I was younger. The first time I ran one was on grass and it went well, so next time out on tartan I decided to approach the water jump as if I were a Kenyan. That went less well! 58 for 400 is shifting!
Track last night was muggy! But a lot of fun. 2 x 800, 2 x 1600, 2 x 800, all off 2mins walk/jog recoveries.
I sat in with the second group on the first rep and then started the second rep taking my turn at the front, and just ended up leading out from there on. I made a conscious effort to run to feel, only really checking pace halfway through the 1600s, but my inner metronome was working beautifully.
Split were 2:53, 2:53, 5:44 (2:52/2:52 split), 5:43 (2:52/2:51 split), 2:51, 2:45. Thoroughly enjoyable, though it tickled me a little that only the last lap of the last rep would have been inside Mara pb pace!
He follows an American method called PRI, (postural restoration Institute). The idea is that we are all biased towards our right side for various reason, natural body asymmetry etc. It's not a problem as the body compensates but you can get to a point where you're getting stuck in a right stance position and therefore become dysfunctional and build layers of compensations.
Essentially they look to reinstate proper function of the pelvis by promoting glute max and foot pronation on the right as well as left heel sense and left hamstrings/glute medius on the left to help move the left side pelvis back to a more neutral position.
Beyond that they try to undo all the compensations in the rest of the body. So when you're stuck in right stance you also have issues with left side compensations. Typically a high left shoulder, left rib flare, externally rotated femur, head rotated and side bent to keep you moving straight. On the right you have compression between the pelvis and ribs due to the low right shoulder and right hip hike. Also an internally rotated right femur to counter the pelvis being, I guess externally rotated, thereby helping to keep your right femur straight.
The exercises are mostly focused a lot on breathing and restoring proper function of your movement. Promotion of glute max and pronation on the right to push through to the left and left hamstring, glute medius and obliques on the left to pull through to left stance. Left hamstring and glute med can help to pull the pelvis back on the left. Additionally they posit that the compression on the right between the ribs/pelvis inhibits movement of the diaphragm on that side. Hence the QL is over-active to help with breathing. Same on the left where the QLs help against the pull to the right and also to aid diaphragmatic movement on that side too.
The rehab stuff is quite complicated as the cues are quite numerous and subtle, easy to get wrong.
I have many left side issues including; hamstring tendinopathy and regular tears, adductor pain, left scapula and rhomboid tightness and tight QLs as well as an unstable left hip with snapping ligaments if I do leg swings or externally rotate the left hip. I think this is because my left leg it externally rotated and the ligaments have become stretched. It's probably why my left heel sometimes hits the left stay on my bike as I pedal.
This is all too much detail if you got this far but I think I am mostly writing this to try and see if it makes sense to me! I find understanding the mechanics of how a forward left pelvis can cause you to be stuck on the right and have a high right hip confusing. So many moving parts, I really need a skeleton to play with!
SG - Yep the Cheshire one is technically illegal, fast though. I would like to do Waddesdon, quite a few LBAC have done it.
TT - Solid 800's glad you enjoyed them! Reg - nearly over the lurgie then., finally!
Eastern masters Wednesday was a bind - got a lift to Corby, 1hr 40 mins! My LBAC mate Rob runs for MK and is better than me, but he's in the 35-49 age group.
800 first, 66 first lap was in third from the start, came in 3rd in about 2.13.
3000m 30 mins later, led it out with Rob behind. kept roughly to 76's and Rob went past me with 500 to go. I came in with 9.28, so solid enough.
Training last night 3 x (3x 300). One lap jog between sets, with recoveries of 50 secs and 30 secs in each set.
Not too bad with my old Tak 8's on (72,69,66), (69,66,68), (67,66,65).
Taking Ollie with me to Arsenal v Bournemouth tomorrow so no running..hopefully no 97th minute defeats this year.
Reg - that's an interesting read. Quite a bit to take in and assimilate there, but it certainly seems like there's a logic flow throughout it. Why are we biased towards our right rather than left sides though? Is that down to dominant hand as the majority of the world are right handed, or something else?
Saw my week out as planned with 2 x 5m Thursday, a 4m / 9.3m double Friday (3m easy, 2m @ 5m-10km - 5:52, 4.3m brisk - 6:56), before a 12.2m MLR this morning. The first 6m included some decent climbs which completely thrashed my legs for the last 6m. Plan now is to keep repeating the same rhythm but to add miles to my Monday run (8m this week) until it becomes my long run.
Biggest week since January, first time at track in 3 months, and only my 2nd workout in that 3 months, and bagged an MLR, so I'm happy with that as an outcome
Reg was that detail CTRL+ CTRL-V? If not, that is excellent you have such a deep understanding of the role he is playing. Hoping the Hyrox has been fun today. A lot of testosterone on show? Or a bit more of a run race feel?
Jools - good week back from you. Moving better than me I suspect!
SC I like how with the short racing the sessions keep on coming. Keep it up.
Haha good point, SG. 3h15 in the end. But honestly from 18M it was just survival mode and bloody hell this will be impressive if I actually finish 😆. Frustrating your cold is lasting so long. Had been the same for my kids. Weeks on end.
Slowly recovering here. Possibly or possibly not aided by eating far too much.
4M Wednesday, 5 Thursday, 5.8 Friday all around the river in worcester. Legs ok but definitely fatigued generally.
In Cannock this morning for my daughter’s gymnastics competition and enjoyed a 3M shake out once we arrived; the car park led directly onto a golf course, common and woods. Very pleasant.
No races actually entered, but really keen for some. Another 5k and some trail stuff would be nice.
It's not quite like that MK 5k that goes down 100feet or something ludicrous.
Good week TT
SQ - it feels weird you're doing more miles than me even in a marathon comeback!
Stuck it out for 4 days of rest, as did 5 last time and that felt worse - couple of days properly in bed all day. It's not been that bad this time.
But thought I'd at least get a run in today, get the week mileage over 20!
3.5miler then, 745ish sort of fare. A few coughs, a lot of coughs in the min or 2 after, but sort of ok. Felt less of an absolute mad sweaty water fest than Mon & Tue, but clearly nowhere near right just yet.
Will tick over at this sort of level until something tells me it's the right time to step up.
Frustrating time having obviously just got over something recently and having joined the new club.
There's so many races I'm holding off clicking the button on, Friday track is back and sessions with my club midweek are an option too.
Hopefully just patience needed here.
But it's very easy to start worrying the year is flying by and I've not banked much at all so far.
Really don't want that Feb 5k to be my year's highlight!
TippTop said:
They suggest it's to do with the fact we're not symmetrical. For example the liver on the right is heavier than the spleen on the left. Also they talk about handedness in terms of the left side of the brain controlling the right side of the body and the left side of the brain has more influence or something, more neurons firing maybe, I don't know. Anyway fact is most are right handed so that will cause more muscle mass for most on the right due to the extra use so that's another influence.
I don't think it's a problem for most people as the difference is subtle. However then there's those of us that do a lot of activity and get injuries and pick up and exacerbate all sorts of bad habits and compensations!
SG - I've done one xc race this year so I totally get the year passing you by feeling, but sometimes you just need to be patient and let it come to you.
Reg - how was Hyrox in the end? Interesting concept with internal organ weight having an effect. It makes sense though, as you say, that small differences will scale up as you ask more of your body.
I am not quite ambidextrous, but have a pretty even spread in that my right hand is slightly dominant, but I've played a significant amount of sports left-handed. Likewise my left leg is stronger, but I was always able to play most sports two-footed. It'd be interesting to see the effects of that overall in terms of symmetry.
Aim for yesterday was a slight increase in volume on last Monday's 8m. It ended up as a strong 10(.09m). Averaged 6:22 for the lot, but the last 6.09m averaged 6:09m/m, which is quicker than where I was putting cMP. Going to carry on running to feel and not paying too much attention to pace for now, but that was pleasing to see overall for current condition. Finished sodden and covered in road grit.
Today the same as last week - 2 x 5m.
So yes, Hyrox. It was a long day. My wife's race was at 11:40 and mine was at 20:10. Due to tube disruptions, we decided to drive which turned out to be a real blessing. We left at 8, and were a the venue within 90 minutes having parked at Westfield London and caught the train to Kensington Olympia. There was quite a lot of walking and waiting about but whenever I got the chance I had something to eat of took a sit down on the floor.
After nearly three hours of watching the other half complete the race, which was some accomplishment after all her trials and tribulations, we killed a few hours between Costa and the Hilton hotel next door.
My main concern pre-race had been the 202kg sled and as I entered the warm area I decided to not even test it out. My logic was that I'd probably be stronger in the race with the adrenaline and I didn't want to add to the doubts by finding it tough in the warm-up area! As I lined up in the start pen, I was definitely atypical in terms of build.
As we started with the first run at just over a 1km I found myself about 8th in my wave and much like a parkrun, starting to pick off a few of the faster starters as we got into the second lap. First station was the ski erg. I'd never really done this before and it felt a bit harder than expected. I was fourth into the ski erg section and I think 5th leaving. Onto the second run and midway through the first of scheduled two laps, it occurred to me that the sled push was next. Maybe it was my preoccupation with this but little did I know, I actually did three laps. As I entered the sled push area, I was surprised how many were already there but it didn't click what had happened. I though maybe it was the wave before going really slowly but that never really made sense with 10 minute gaps between waves.
As I approached my sled the judge/volunteer told me it was easy, 'it needs to be I replied!'
He was right though, it was heavy but moved no problem and I completed each of the four 12.5m lengths comfortably, albeit it with a breather at the end of each one to keep the heart rate in check. On to the third run and this time I saw on the live screen that I was on lap 3 and I still didn't twig, you actually run just over two laps so I figured it counts the extra bit as a lap. However, when I entered the sled pull just behind a guy I had overtaken earlier, I knew I had messed up
Sled pull was ok too, although I did step back onto the rope and fall over cutting my arm. Issue number two happed on the run 4. I had a sweatband on to wipe my head but as I did this, one of my contact lenses slipped up above my cornea, leaving me with one working eye. Thankfully my dominant left one :-).
I considered stopping to try and move it back with a mirror somehow but didn't want to waste the time so cracked on. Onto station 4 having run the correct amount of laps this time. This was the Burpee Broad jumps which I was quite good at, so made up some time but it was a lung buster and I hit my highest HR here at 187, something normally reserved for the closing stages of a race! Following run was a bit compromised as a result but I was ok on lap two and then onto the farmers walk with 2 x 32kg kettlebells. My gym only has 24kg and Christ these were heavy! It was 100m with 4 x 25 length snaking like an airport queue. I managed each of the four putting them down for a bit at each turn. This was ok though. Next up after run 6 was the row and a chance for a sit down. This was fine and predictable so back out and onto the lunges and this is where it went to shit! As I picked up the sandbag, which you're not allowed to put back down until after your lunges, my other contact lens also shifted so I was now virtually blind!
My eyesight is -11 so everything is now a blur. I got to the other end (quarter of the way) and thanks to my wife's loud support and my Mother-in-laws bright yellow top, I was able to locate them and put in a request for a mirror! After I struggled though the lunges with terrible form and slow progress, I sat on the floor and attempted to get my lenses back in place. Trouble was I couldn't really see and I was too sweaty to do it. Having moved to a brighter spot, I asked some chap if he had a torch on his phone but it turned out I was right outside the medical room. I found myself in there with a lady shining a pen torch into my eye as I fumbled about for 5 minutes, eventually getting them back in place.
Things fell a bit flat after that and I did the final run to the wall balls and just slogged through those in a pretty slow time. Across the line in 1 hour 26 minutes. I had anticipated somewhere around 1hr 15. With the two laps and contact drama it was ostensibly 1hr 15 and I guess I'd have been a bit more motivated on the Wall Balls and lunges without the unnecessary dramas and extra running. I finished 13th out of 17 in my age-group. This was the Pro race so the competition was harder but I would have been 6/7th without the mistakes. I think I will have another go at this as I can see how I can knock off 20 minutes which would get me into contention for the age-group podium.
There's another runner into it, called Tony James. Not sure what age group he was.
TT- Yes 400's not 300's!
Footie was a laugh, shame about the score. Just a 10k Sunday as I had a 1500m at the county champs at Stevenage on Monday.
Ged, a youngster at Luton shot off (and did 4.00). I trailed around behind him, found the air quite 'thick' and didn't really enjoy it. 68/2.16/ 3.10 at the bell, 4.22 finish.
Felt like i'd smoked a 1,000 fags after.
Training last night, 6 x (800/400) 1.30 recoveries I think. 2.27 average for the 800's and probably 68's for the 400's.
Steady run Friday -
Saturday - did the old run to Parkrun/some hills/Parkrun. Came 2nd in 19.38. Just pushed the 2nd lap.
Then went to Watford as Ollie was doing an 800 in the county champs, did 2.30. Watched MK Dons v Crawley in the evening, as was only £3 for Ollie.
Sunday - 6 miles with Ollie
Southern masters tonight at Battersea, 400 & 1500.
TT - if there had been a pub en route I would most certainly have been in it! Seems a world away now with the recent hot weather.
Reg - great to hear your wife doing so well. Can’t believe you did three laps 😬. Saw a video of the burpee jumps - they look hard! Sorry about the contact issues but a great write up. Am marginally tempted to have a go on the sled at the school gym tomorrow!
More good racing and training, SC 👍
Recovery improving, SG?
56M last week. All easy stuff in the week, then included parkrun on Saturday: 5M easy to get there before a first attempt at the new summer course. Doesn’t now finish on an uphill but still as tough as ever. 20:25 for 8/10 effort. Will work on that in the next few weeks. 10M total at 7:15 average. Then met the family at the lido. Amazing art deco design with a 50m pool (and separate kids area too). Can remember doing 3k sessions there way back in the tri days. Managed 50m his time 😆
Headed up the hill yesterday for some beautiful single track. Pushed during one downhill trail segment and ran what I think was my best time, but Strava doesn’t seem to acknowledge this probably as I am too tight to pay.
Have joined the waiting list for Worcester half and also 10k on Sunday. Really keen to get an entry to one or the other as it fits so nicely during my daughter’s gymnastics. Hilly road race(s) so not fast, but most certainly my cup of tea.
Remember thrashing out a 50m length in the Olympic Pool in Sydney last August. 63 seconds....pretty crap apparently LOL.
Last nights efforts were 62 for the 400, which felt nice, 4.28 for the 1500 20 mins later, that wasn't nice. Lots of work to do, my schedule for Gothenburg and the world masters starts in June.
Nice work on the Parkrun and reassuring that someone is doing even shorter swims than me :-)
Nice reps there SC, 63 seconds would be an easy cruise with half decent technique.
I didn't do much last week, just recovering really but slowly getting back into it this week. I have no races on the calendar so I need to formulate a plan. Hoping to get a ticket for a November Hyrox but summer is still open. I am tempted to do a 5k training block getting up to about 40 miles. Also looking for a couple of triathlons, probably a sprint and an Olympic.
Nice double race, SC. Do you think two two with that gap lessens the second event? I have no idea for that distance stuff.
Where is the main man? Hope all ok.
First session post marathon disaster yesterday. Moose fartlek: 5 x (3' steady, 1' easy, 1' hard, 1' easy). Found the second recovery far too short. Guess I am not currently used to running very hard. Also messed up the fourth steady rep by gunning the first minute and then being shocked to see two minutes left.
Started to get a little despondent as just couldn't seem to budge the pace from around 6:40 even on the fast sections. Turns out I have average sessions pace rather than interval average pace. Poor set up skills indeed. Average paces were 6:22 for the steady, 5:51 for the fast and 7:46 for the recoveries. Pleasantly surprised with that.
Without the usual variety of runs I'm sort of forgetting what day we're on a bit and thus the posting habit
After the first cough break, i had 5 days off then followed this weekly recovery plan
Am in week 2 of the above this time round, and will aim to add the 12x30secs in Friday.
So hopefully chance of a sesh next Tue then maybe the group track that Friday
And this time without the coughs coming back
Got up to my new club today and bought the new vest.
Think it looks pretty snazzy in the flesh and it's nice and light, think Dashers do a light weight version but never got round to trying theirs.
So it's a case of be patient for another week or 2 then start thinking races hopefully,