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Thanks.
I've been running for Finch Coasters for just over 2 months now.
Your event up soon. Bit of an incline to start off with, some random white chalky footing, then some plush forest with an epic triple short steep hill section, building nicely to a foot race down the same incline the race started on!
Should be good.
In fact I remember Dec 2006 saying how i'd never do another XC event!
I'll likely be marshalling for our race.
Sprint: I know the feeling. Every race and every footstep is new in this series.
The celebrity chef and former Scotland international XC runner Alan Murchison (not Murchinson as shown on TVXC website) was the winner at Reading on Sunday. Makes me happier with my result (26th) but there were shocks elsewhere in the top 5 finishers. My wife spotted Alan straight away; she watches Saturday Kitchen while Im at training on a Sat am!
Reading sure have the advantage of the best venue. That's my favourite course but I am somehow attracted to Finch and that crazy hill.
BTW: do you think that the Reading course was the same as last year? My Garmin showed quite a difference in the distances (5.8m this year, 6m last).
BTW2: hi! I normally post over on FETCH but getting a bit disillusioned over there. Seems like every thread breaks down in to sexual innuendo very quickly.
BTW3: I find I have to sharpen my elbows when running with some of your BFR colleagues Sprint!
On to next week.......
My Garmin tracked it as 5.95.
Sounds like he took a shortcut, hence the 26th finish
Looks like I'm likely to miss Tadley - got a dose of the lurgi and am spending much of my time seemingly coughing up my lungs. Missed my first planned 20 of the campaign today, and I could easily be off for another week if it doesn't start clearing up soon.
Well, we find there's a few clubs that must have elbow sharpeners as club equipment.. You're not a Sandhurst are you?
Sprint - I'm a Dasher. It's been a solid start to the season, I don't think we have a strong tradition in the country. It's just a shame that folks like our Club Chair can't be bovvered to turn out
!
Those sharpeners sound a good idea. RRR always seem to provide decent gifts for the Bramley 20. Perhaps we should suggest it to them!
Some of the courses are a bit narrow in places. On the back of being ill for much of the last 3 weeks, I started pretty slowly on Sunday and caught a big pack of BFRers as I found my legs. I must say that they were absolute gentlemen, even apologising for some branch wiplash at one point....
Wool....- WOW what a first post on this thread. I didn't recognise the winner, but whacked his name into power of 10 and was surprised it brought up nothing. Generally anyone who's at the sharp end of those races at least has a good resume. If his name was spelt wrong no wonder!
A 55min 10miler, and 2hr 40 half very recently show his quality. Also bearing in mind the power of 10 site doesn't go back more than about 8 years, so his top pbs would be a lot quicker. Only 39 still.
Convinced the course was slightly shorter than last year. I tend to run the minimum route, hence my legs always being ripped to bits by trees
I had it 5.79miles.
But Graham who normally wins the events was 30 seconds quicker this year in 5th than he was as 1st last year. Therefore, if it was say 0.1miles shorter that would be safe. I was 2mins 46 quicker than last year, a lot of that is improvement this year, but some will be the shorter course.
Didn't get caught up in any elbowing action yesterday, as I managed to run the last 3miles 100metres behind the guy in 7th and 100metres ahead of the guy in 9th. Did allow a non stressy run though , but no fun up that last hill
Ah, a Dasher eh..Some very nice looking ladies in your club (I've heard
)
Glad to hear my fellow runners weren't bashing people out of the way..
I did acidentally tread on a Sandhurst coming on to the football pitches, but I did apologise!
there is no fun to be had on that last hill at the Reading XC. No fun at all, just the fear of being overtaken to spur you on!
and BOTF - you are in SOOOO much trouble!
Can anyone remind me about Tadley please? Relatively flat / nice through the woods then down a big hill, across the streams and then up the big hill at the end? Is that about right?
SG - what's the secret to such big improvements in the space of a year? Improvers often improve quickly but you were hardly an improver in the first place (if you get my drift).
I get what you mean Wool.
Last year I ran about 50miles a week, but did them how I fancied, which pretty much meant I did them all medium fast, and with no long run.
Since April, under a good coach, I now run 50-65miles a week, but with designated hard days, and a long run at weekends when not racing (15-16miles). The quality sessions are worked out to exact times per laps, and also exact recoveries. All the other running is done at easy pace, which of course was slower than all my sessions last year.
Also a bit is down to mentality. I used to turn up at XCs and know I wasn't really competitive, and wouldn't really enjoy them. The training and improvements on the road give you the confidence to go out a little harder. To be honest I really eat, drink and sleep running at the moment, you have to really want to improve.
Tadley, you're pretty much right. A couple of years ago it was the other way round, so you had a tough first half and then easier 2nd half but you were too knackered to make much use! They changed it due to the very icy cold weather of 08, and also realised that the stream crosses caused tail backs.
Now like you say it's an enjoyable first half, plush woods, enjoy the scenery, then onto a couple of streams, then you have half a mile of tough boggy hilly fields, and then a couple of improbably long tarmac sections where you're screaming inside WHERE THE HELL IS THAT FINISH with some fast looking bloke behind you
you can leap them if you're brave.
If you want top 69, you need to just go through them
i love our top..it's probably one of my main reasons for staying with such an uncompetitive club.
That and it would be borderline mentalism to race for a club 30miles away!
Bracknell's top is ok. But any top with white on just asks to get caked in filth.
There is a horrible pic of me literally climbing out of the last ditch at tadley in 2009. It was my 1st xc race since school days and I think my 1st race as a member of a running club. Fortunately, it didn't put me off and I am actively looking forward to Sunday. See you there.
Looking forward to the race now. Just done a 12.5miler including 7miles starting at marathon pace (6.19) and ending at Tempo. All round a track, 28 laps. Arggghh
I am a bit skinnier now but this is me and the last ditch at tadley in 2009.
I thought you were a woman for some reason Wool! Whoops
You look skinny enough inthat pic, so if you're skinnier now make sure you're not side on, or we won't spot you!
Back to painting my nails........
Had a few coughing sprees the last few nights, but still got my normal sessions in, so hopefully should be fine for sunday, and by fine i don't mean just running, i mean doing well
However, if not there's my excuse right there!!
Have managed to swerve going to a stag do the night before, 30miles from home due to end at 3am the night before though! That would have been ideal preparation...to have a nightmare race
I was planning on doing my LSD on Sunday, though I may do it today if the heavy rain reduces.
I wasn't going to do Tadley, but I now have some XC shoes, and I think our team may be short due to injuries. I must do some long work towards Wokingham HM at some point though.