The Middle Ground

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  • Dr.DanDr.Dan ✭✭✭
    Been there and done it ... too many times ... and eventually you get sleepless nights when they go out drinking and then never come back... and don't answer texts/phone. But two gone from home and two pre-alcohol stage at high school at the moment ....and it is quite blissful.?

    20:39 parkrun... didn't push myself, so happy enough. Out at friends tonight (=beer) but wild like to get up early for first "long" run since Chester. We will see.

  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭
    Good session, Andrew.

    well done on the casual parkrunning Dr Dan. 

    Friday's tempo went well,target was 6.40mm, came in 6.38. Running at that pace felt comparatively pleasant compared the last few sessions. Nothing much over weekend as been away so just some gym classes yesterday and rest day today.

    Hope you got a long run in Dr Dan. I've not run beyond 10 miles in brum, though itching to do so now. 

    Can't recall if I mentioned, but have entered ballot for Berlin Mara. Apparently it's around 50/50 success rate. 
  • Sounds like a good tempo then DT. Is it perhaps time to nudge your paces a bit quicker if the pace felt ok?

    Dan - good parkrun and hope you got out for the long run in the end?

    Gav - haha, the non-stop chat has started here too!

    I decided yesterday to only do 5 miles rather than my planned 7 long run - was short on time and I figured that a week before the race an extra couple of miles would make no difference.

    Planning a light week, with just a little race pace running tomorrow night, in the hope I will pitch up at the 10k on Sunday feeling fresh.

  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭

    The schedule is progressive in that each week for the next 4 that session becomes a mile longer. The HR last week was where it should have been. I think it was more a perception of ease having raced a 10k, run a 400m interval session and run a threshold session in the previous 5 days. Therefore running at 6.38mm seemed comparatively comfortable. I'll be doing it again tomorrow when the weather is due to be calm so will see what that brings.

    What 10k is it?

    I am planning a flat out parkrun Saturday. My legs are still largely tapered from lack of volume so I just as well have a crack before the training gets harder.


  • JGavJGav ✭✭✭
    Managed a tempo run with 18 mins at tempo (around 4.20m/km or 7mm) happy with that.
  • DT - Chelmsford 10k. Looks like a relatively flat course but with one hill near the end.
  • Dr.DanDr.Dan ✭✭✭
    JGav - nice tempo sesh.

    Andrew - enjoy the light week and good luck on Sunday.

    DT - is that Arrow valley you're heading for? Well done on the tempo ... I'm going to do regular parkrun instead of those sessions. Good luck with the Berlin ballot.

    Despite hangover, I got out for 10 miles on Sunday morning... first proper easy running for ages as my long runs in the Chester build up were faster than usual. Cleared the hangover nicely too. Today was the re-run of last week's aborted 8x400m interval session. The stats compared with last year suggest I didn't work hard enough (a bit slower but lower HR) but I'm sure I'll catch up once the cobwebs have been blown away.
  • I am feeling the ominous early signs of the lurgy .....
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭

    Dr Dan- No I am heading to Worcester to try the still relatively new Worcester pitchcroft parkrun. I do pretty much all my faster running around there as its right by work and so its seems silly to not have done the parkrun. I don't find Arrow Valley a course I can perform well on. There is a hill you have to cover twice which on the 2nd lap just cuts me down. Plus it attracts some 400 runners so there's stresses at the start over parking etc. Worcester, I can park at work and run to start as warm up.

    I think the interval sessions will take some getting used to!

    Andrew- I have been very sneezy and stuffy the last 24 hours....pretty much since I decided I would have a proper go at parkrun on Saturday!

    7 miles at Long tempo over lunch. Conditions are decent so hoping for a decent run.

  • Did my last pre-race session (only a couple of easy runs from here on in) last night. It was only ever intended to be a light one, with just 2 miles at intended race pace of c7.30m/m after a good warm up. Even holding myself back and keeping the pace all fairly steady the miles came in at 7.17 and 7.24. Felt good. Just need to avoid the lurgy (wife and daughter both full of it!) before Sunday!!

    How did the long tempo go DT?

  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭

    Sounds positive, Andrew. I have often wondered if it is genuinely the case more people are ill when we have a target race or we are simply more sensitive to spotting every sniffle. Key races tend to take place in Spring and Autumn where there is more about.

    Session didn't happen. Jogged down to the race course which I loop only to discover racing on! Despite Worcester races finishing and closing late October they decided a few days ago to transfer a fixture from Hereford there. I therefore jogged back to work as I knew I had sufficient opportunity to sneak the interval session planned for Thursday so ended up doing 5 x 800 off 2 minutes. Yesterdays session will happen tomorrow, which is a shame as the conditions yesterday were great and my legs felt great warming up.

  • JGavJGav ✭✭✭
    AndrewD said:
    I am feeling the ominous early signs of the lurgy .....
    Feel better.

    I've not got the lurgy but feeling tired all the time right now.  I'm not into massive training so that can't be it.  Just gonna take some time to rest and see what happens.  Probably stress tbh, stupid work!
  • And after a good run on Tuesday, a 4.5 mile slogfest last night which felt awful!
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭

    My last easy leg turner before a race is always something that makes me doubt everything else that has happened in training, just when you want something glorious!!

    7 miles at long tempo today which should be just shy of 6.40mm. Same session last week was 6.38 for 165bpm. This was the aborted session from Tuesday. Today the weather conditions had deteriorated so whilst not hugely windy, it was 10mph instead of 5 which on an open racecourse by the side of the river is a pain. I made a bad directional choice also so ended up with 4 into the wind and 3 with assistance. Felt quite listless like I daren't try and run sub 6.40. Came out 6.45 for 163. Still a solid session, just not where it should have been.

    JGAV- That's how I feel right now. I am sleeping well and don't have a cold as such but feel a bit drained and shattered all the time.

  • Yes, I'm hoping it was just a typical pre-race crap run. Had a very poor night's sleep last night (about 5 hours broken into 4 separate chunks) as daughter had a fever and was struggling to sleep with her cold/cough. Today is a planned rest day anyway though.


  • Slight cold has hit, but not too bad and I got a decent night’s sleep last night. Weather looks sunny, crisp and only a light breeze so fingers crossed for a good race this afternoon!

    Did you parkrun yesterday DT?
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭
    How did you get it, Andrew?

    Nope, I got an early night friday then woke about 1.30 with both ears throbbing and a throat full of gunk. By the time I'd got up, taken meds and they had kicked in it was 3.30 and was in no mood for an eye balls out 5k.Went out and did a hilly 8 miler at easy instead. 

    13 today to give me my first 40 pus week in 7 weeks. 


  • AndrewDAndrewD ✭✭✭
    edited November 2017
    A very unexpected 15 second PB of 44.52 on the watch (so probably need to add the obligatory 2 or 3 seconds for crossing the line, but should still be sub45). 

    Was as a very good course and perfect weather for it, and it all just felt pretty comfortable from early on so I just kept on churning through the miles and came to the last half a mile or so knowing a pb was realistically in the bag. Enjoyed a nice sprint finish along the athletics track in front of a reasonable sized crowd too!

    Edit: official time 44:53
  • JGavJGav ✭✭✭
    Managed a nice 14km at 5.45m/km yesterday.  Some decent hills in there too.

    @AndrewD congrats on the PB

    Missus completed her first HM this morning, the very hill Herts Half (250m ish of elevation) in a respectable 2h6m.  She's now passed out on the sofa having eaten the best part of an 18" pizza.
  • Dr.DanDr.Dan ✭✭✭
    We'll done Andrew!!!!!
  • Dr.DanDr.Dan ✭✭✭
    Bad luck on the lurgy DT but well done on cracking on with the training.

    Well done Mrs Gav.

    20:39 parkrun... think I will need to take on carbs on Fridays to get faster.

    Sat night was a nightmare... Someone came in house and stole visitors car keys and their car (and £30 from my wallet). I then had a 60 mile round trip to get them home and finally got to bed a 2am ... only to he woken up at 3:15 by the family yoofs drinking too much and falling out. Delayed long run until Sun pm but surprisingly managed 10 mi at MP +30. So 3 good runs and 53 bike miles this week.
  • Thanks both.

    Dan - that sounds horrible. Were you at home when they broke in?

    Gav - congrats to MrsGav. Sounds like a very good debut effort.

    DT - hope you are felling a bit better?

    Reflecting on yesterday I am still a little surprised by my time. First mile was 7:04 which I knew was a little sharp but I guess it was the usual thing of getting dragged along too quickly in the first half a mile, so I slowed mile 2 down to c7:20. Then I think miles 3-6 were all in the region of 7:08 - 7:18 and I went through 6 miles in approximately 43.30, so knew that barring a very long course I had enough in the tank to get under 45.

    As it happens, the final mileage on the watch was 6.27 so I had to go at 6:15 pace to get across the line in 44:53. I felt I could have maintained that final effort level for a bit further too, so perhaps I could have been brave and kicked for home a little earlier, but this being my first race in months and off only 6/7 weeks training, I wasn't sure how much I had left so perhaps played it a little conservatively.

    Anyway, onwards and my 10k target for 2018 has to be to get that time below 44 minutes, and possibly close to 43 minutes if I get in a really good year of training.

    Couple of rest days now, before an easy 5 miler on Wednesday is the plan.

  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭

    well done, Andrew. Finding the right course might be enough to get you sub 44 now. If you consider it is not unusual for a 10k to measure 6.17 miles that would be 160m less to run which would be the best part of 40 seconds saved. Also now knowing that 7.10 pace is attainable you could attack it at that pace. I tend to like to take 10ks and halfs in pairs. The first one is a sighter and the second a more knowledgeable attack. For example in September I did a 1.24 half which was a pb but didn't feel I had performed all that well either for one reason or another. Then 2 weeks later I did another half knowing that sub 84 pace was achievable.

    Well done to Mrs Gav.

    Dr Dan, what a nightmare! We keep our doors locked all the time. I suppose that's much easier to maintain when you don't have older children that are in and out.

    Still feeling a snotty and tired today. Fortunately Monday is spin night so I can just go along at whatever effort seems good.

  • Yes DT, I think you are right that if I did another in a couple of weeks time I could probably attack it a bit more and reduce the pb further. I will see if one is a possibility or, if not, I will certainly use that approach for my spring races.
  • JGavJGav ✭✭✭
    @AndrewD debut...based on how she found the experience I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't her last HM.  I think a nice flat one might tempt her.

    A nice 7.5k run out at lunch in a shade under 40mins.  Started nicely paced and progressed the pace after half way with added strides.  

    I have a session on the treadmill with the physio tomorrow to see if there's an underlying bionmechanical issue causing my calf problems.  
  • Dr.DanDr.Dan ✭✭✭
    Yes, we were in the sitting room (4 adults) and two daughters upstairs. I'd been in and out to the garage to get beers, so back door was open. Been there 15 years and this is first such incident ... but door locking will be enforced from here on.

    Sore left foot today. Felt it on run but its worse today ... arch area but on side of foot coming around to top. Will have to see how it fares before tomorrow's intervals.
  • Dr.DanDr.Dan ✭✭✭
    Hmmm ... foot still sore. Certainly not runnign today. :-(
  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭

    Dr Dan, hope the foot is just a niggle.

    Due to work and family stuff I had to do my session first thing this morning before work. Plan was 4 at around 6.25mm. I was a little dubious about running this fast before 9am given I can barely run at all before that time. It was apparent in the wu that it wasn't going to be pleasant and even more so 400m into the session.

    Came out at 6.38 average. HR stats say that I had the reserve to run 15 seconds a mile faster but my body simply could not tap into that next gear. I clearly wasn't crash and burning though as my last mile at 6.34 was my fastest split. I am still at the dreg ends of this cold so that mixed with time of day took its toll.

    That's the last few sessions now that have been off par. Hopefully I can remedy all that with a restful week on Fridays session.

  • JGavJGav ✭✭✭
    @DT19 don't worry about it.  It's winter and sometimes it's just not possible to get those paces out.  Just takes so long to warm up and it's dark and you'd rather be on the sofa with Netflix.  You're still out there getting the miles in.
  • Dr.DanDr.Dan ✭✭✭
    Early morning sessions are not pleasant. I do mine straight after an early bike commute, which helps with the warning up .... but still not nice. But not an issue for me today because my foot is still sore ... think this could be a proper injury (occurred due to runnign and still sore 3 days later).
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