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lots of good park run action today guys, well done.
OO, even injured you put up park run times I would love to achieve!!
Jools, do you find the strengthening exercises have helped you and how quickly did you notice any difference ?
Fishy - that's great to hear. That 16 miler must have been satisfying.
Jools - pleased to hear you're on your way back.
OO - nice parkrun - hope the calf is OK.
Lorenzo - cracking VLR. Hope the calf has loosened up. Congrats to Maidstone!
Poacher - sounds like a great parkrun venue - don't know Druridge Bay.
SJ - good sessions - you are a machine.
PMJ - take care of that foot.
It appears that normal service has been resumed. I did 8 miles this morning; 7 progressive (8:27 to 6:20) and 1 warm-down. Rest day tomorrow to start the final week of the taper as it's Miss GD the younger's birthday!
Lorenzo, yes, I'd highly recommend Cliftons. They aren't as cushioned as some of the other Hokas (but still more cushioning than a normal shoe) and are lighter and the comfiest pair of shoes I've had and are the only road shoe I use these days. A sore hip allows easy measurement distinction between one shoe and another. (The Clifton 1s were even better!)
I'm doing Liverpool in 2 weeks too. Dreams of a sub 3-15 will have to wait until autumn I think. Legs just not into it yet after Manchester and 4 days on the pop in Hamburg last week didn't help too!
SJ - thanks. Enjoy today's bike session!
CSMLFC - chip away at that target a bit at a time. All the best in Liverpool.
Poacher - I meant to ask, are you digging up any beetroot this week
Jools – Great sub 20
Lorenzo – Great ultra training session
Nice Parkrunning by OO, Poacher and PMJ
Gul – Nice progressive run
I’m having a well earned running rest day after my exploits on Friday and Saturday. After the 10k race on Friday night I ate nothing more than an apple and a protein shake before bed. I got up early and began my long run fuelled with a tea spoon of nut butter and coconut oil.
I ran 13.1 miles away from my house and followed the same route home again. I had an energy drink and gel with me but was feeling it tough from early on. I stopped briefly at 19 miles to buy another drink and energy bar. I arrived back at my house before 9 am having completed a 3:28 marathon.
I took in some more fuel and ran down to my local Parkrun. I had covered 29 miles when it began which I managed in 22:26 for 60th place. There was a record attendance at the my Parkrun and despite my mornings work, still finished ahead of 483 people.
I then ran home finishing with a total of 35 miles in 4:40 running time, which is 8 m/m pace. It was tough but a great glycogen depleted ultra training run.
Wow Badbark - I thought I was getting close to you in terms of a lunatic training session, but I've realised that I'm still a long way off. What are you planning next weekend so that I can start to prepare myself mentally!
Thanks for the advice SJ - sounds like the Cliftons are worth a try; the reviews online are very complimentary as well. Hope the session on the bike goes well today.
I also went out for a quick spin on the bike this morning, but only one hour, rather than five!
Badbark, is there any science behind the glycogen depleted ultra training? My understanding is that the body stores glycogen and has a good couple of hours in store. If you want to run somewhere round the 3 to 3:15 mark, then you can train and trick your body to store a bit more so you can basically run a marathon on glycogen alone.
Once you go over this point, you need to find an alternative fuel and that means fat burning or learning how to stuff carbs down your neck and getting them processed and out to the legs. Most ultra runners I know do the latter, so have this ability to eat as they run and so keep the energy topped up.
Not
PMJ, I thInk it is more about learning to run with limited carbs and mostly using fat rather than developing a much larger glycogen store. There are limits to what you can do on the glycogen front but you can train yourself to run at higher speeds whilst using a higher ratio of fat by doing lots of work on the edge. I do most of my training with very little fuel - E.g today's 5hr ride was with some muesli beforehand and a bottle of water.
Haven't read any papers to corroborate the theory (too lazy to go searching for any) but my experiment of one has worked
5 hrs done - beautiful morning cycling through Kendal, Kitkby Lonsdale and Carnforth with a couple of extra fun loops thrown in. Glorious.
Badbark-35m before breakfast excellent,love it
Slokey- nice cycling
First race back post knee op ,I last raced early last June , Strabane half marathon on fairly limited training and the scores were 1:37:10 by my watch ,10 mins of a pb but now have a time to work from
Good progress there Leslie. Little steps all add up.
Insane running Badbark.
Welcome back to racing Leslie H not bad at all.
I did 16 this morning and the calf held up. So a moderate 35 mile week.
So I've entered a club 10K on Wednesday- could not resist.
Chester does look good but it's a bit far. If I get a free entry to Lausanne through work I'll probably do this one even though it's far from being a flat course. Let's see....
Nice racing, Leslie.
Badbark: rather you than me!
JT: physio said it will take 6-8 weeks to get the glute in fairly good shape, but I was pretty much pain free within a few days, and so allowed back to light mileage. Now that I've had a couple of weeks of pain free running with two short races I'm going to re-introduce light speedwork and then take it from there.
Jools - glad its working for you, hopefully you will be back to your best soon then.
Leslie - congrats on getting back on the race scene, onwards and upwards.
How are your exercises / knee problems going JT?
Not sure yet SJ, early days yet I guess, not in any pain now day to day, but I am avoiding all running for 10 days while sticking to my stretching / exercising regime, and will then give it a go and see if things have improved at all. Taking some getting used to this not running though.
Badbark - living up to your madbark name! That's an incredible session.
SJ - must be great to have such scenery for your cycling, but you pay for it with the hillwork!
Leslie - well done, that's a great landmark on your return to racing.
OO - good MLR.
Jools - pleased to hear you're making steady progress.
JT - good discipline sticking to the exercise regime.
In a futile attempt to emulate Poacher, I did some more digging yesterday and smashed up a tiny bit of concrete along a fence for my wife to plant some trailing lobelia. I did manage to sneak out after all this morning for a 4 mile recovery run. Now off to shower before the card and present opening begins!
Gul, it's beetroot time.
Race report Strabane half marathon
Entries had closed and I thought I was safe but they reopened twice and a final email made me sign up
Plan was to go out at 7:30's with my running pal and see how it was ,a very careful first half saw 7:25;s most miles but a course change with far more short hills saw a few 7:40's but by mile 7 he started to fall of the pace so I was on my own and decided to push on as the course was now flatter.
A few 7:15's followed and I was passing loads of people but my the end of mile 10 I was starting to struggle a bit up a hill but got going again till about near the end of mile 11 people started to pass me pace was back to 7:30's and dropping but tried to hang on and then had a great battle to the line with a club runner lady for the last 1.5 mile where we were neck and neck with the pace rising slowly but surely all the way in.Mile 13 was 7:07 as we turned into the track over the new pedestrian bridge both of us put in a surge to get a lead but were even again as we got onto the track .
I fell of the pace into the last turn thought I was going to have to lie down now or cough up a lung with only 100m left
but someone shouted out "come on" and I I got some energy from nowhere put in a sprint for the finish passed on the outside and held it all the way to the line ,final 0.1m was covered at 6:10 m/mile though I crossed the line nearer 5m/mile according to garmin and almost ran into the back of someone as I couldn't get stopped in time 
Leslie - great report! And such an excellent strong finish bodes well.
Poacher - I'll skip the beetroot this time, thanks. If I change too many parameters all in one go, I won't have a clue whether they worked or not
I meant to say that I was talking to someone on Sunday who turned out to originate from Derbyshire. He was telling me about the railway line with the sharp descent to the canal. You probably already know this, but apparently someone used to have the job of sitting in a hut and listening for bells triggered by an approaching train. If the intervals between them sounding were not regular but decreasing then they pulled a lever to change the points and the accelerating train would be steered into an emergency siding. Inevitably on one occasion, the lever was not pulled (for whatever reason) and the entire load ended up in the canal.
Nice report Leslie and a strong finish, well played.
I survived the endurance drinking on Saturday which commenced with a posh beer in The Shard followed by various interesting venues including the City of London Distillery (COLD). Highly recommended.
Had a rest day yesterday but managed 5 cheeky miles at lunchtime. Didn't look at the watch until the final mile (which is all uphill) and was surprised at my pace.7.01 average for the whole thing, mapped the route afterwards and my Garmin was way off the real distance and the hill cost me a lot of time so I can class it as a sub-7 run, sort of.
Gym tonight and then time to digest the first 2 weeks of the Berlin campaign which starts in June. The coach at the club reckons I can do sub-3 and has designed a plan for me. He's feeding me 2 weeks of it at a time. I don't think I can do it but will give the plan a go as it must surely get me to PB standard at least?
GD
Good racing Leslie. I love that feeling of a race within a race when someone is on your shoulder
Great run Leslie after such a long layoff. All building nicely.
Nice Ultra training Badbark. I'm with you on the low fuel intake - I do all my very long runs with zero fuel and it is manageable if I get the pace right.
The first week of taper saw me do 71 miles after a peak of 93miles.
I just cut-out the doubles and did 6 runs including 1x1600m then 4x1000m - the other runs were easy paced up to 26km / 16 miles.
The plan this week is for around 45 miles then less than 15 miles next week. I'm toying with the idea of doing the club TT tomorrow of 5 miles or whether to do something like 4x800m or 5x600m instead.
I've a shoe crisis after a pair of shoes has been stuck in customs for more than 3 weeks. I've now had to order the same pair in SA (at higher price). Hopefully they will get to me in time as my existing shoes are worn out at 600miles done.
I heard my contract would not be renewed at work so my free time is now filled with job search again.
Nice comeback outing, Leslie
sorry about the (no) job news, BikeIt
hope you're not gripped by over severe taper madness, Gul - although pics such as Poacher posted maybe don't help
tested calf out today with a 4 mile "mini-fartlek" - held up ok; have entered a 10K next month - will be first number to be pinned on this year . . . .
Hi Folks, sorry for the long absence. Been swamped at work and not too much to report anyway. But have followed along silently here. Lots of great running (and biking while puking SJ...that was classic!) going on. Leslie, congrats on the great race (I really liked that report) after such a long road to get back. Gul, very relieved to hear your niggle is mended (you too Jools). Jason, hope yours clears up soon and that PMJ's foot is OK. Birch and Gdawg, good to see you guys off the bench too. And BI, pure animal there. Good luck getting those shoes. I can't wait to see how it all goes for you after such a great build up. Maaadbaark...the legend grows! I told my Fizz about your heroics and she thought I made you up!
Speaking of the Fizz, I've been having some issues with my left heel. Some pain when I push on it in one particular area, but most annoying was that a nerve was getting compressed leaving my foot/ankle numb. So just a constant annoyance. But my ladies administered some TLC, including another round of dry needling, which really did the trick (but was like lighting a fuse when they poke them into the nerve itself). But I've been building back and seems I'll be OK. After mostly easy runs, I added back a mini subLT session last week and got 7 @ 6:45ish pace mixed into an 11 mile run. So speed is intact and HR zones preserved. Maybe the slower Boston run kept me more intact than I suspected. The plan is to get back to normal volume and do a few weeks of subLTs so I get my base back, then move to some 5/10k training to see if I can reconnect with my speed.
GD - good pace on that lunchtime run. Hopefully the coach will give you the bit of confidence you need for sub 3.
Bike It - that's a cracking start to your taper. Hope you find a suitable job in good time.
Birch - pleased to hear the calf is on the mend and you have a race to target.
VTr - sorry to hear about your heel issue. Good to hear you're still able to train.
Final quality session before WP this morning. 7 miles with 4 x 800m @ MP. Struggled to keep a lid on it: 7:14, 6:58, 6:42 and 6:34 m/m.
GD: I am not sure if it is worse knowing the plan ahead and looking at sessions such as 18 with 13@MP with dread or not knowing the plan and knowing that there is an 18 mile session with 13@MP waiting for you there somewhere. What I do know is that there will be a long session with a big chunk at MP.
Gul, the whole purpose of the taper is to bring the bounce back and if you can't keep the lid on it, then that is OK for a few swift halves: it is not like you did 18 with 13@MP today
I just looked at the instructions for White Peak and noticed (for the first time) that as the course is not a loop, you catch a bus from the finish to the start. Seems to me like you need to plan this part carefully as registration is 8:00 and the race starts 11:00 so that is 3 hours and it may be a cool morning.
All this talk of ultra training makes me feel slightly inadequate! Badbark - that was a mental Saturday
Leslie - great to get a comeback race
GD - I say go for it. Have faith in your coach!
Jools - nice parkrunning
Poacher - I've done Druridge Bay before, once when we were on holiday in Northumberland. Lovely place, nice flat fast course as well. Minni was meant to meet me there but she wimped out
Abbers - the new job is going well, thanks. Longer days and I am proper knackered by Friday evening, but it's a good place.
I did a lovely 13 miles on Sunday - an out and back route between two pubs we go to (and no, I didn't stop for a sharpener!). Some gentle hills along the way and just a light breeze was perfect.
Ooops! Forgot about your new job, Freemers. Hope it's going well.
Great discipline shown by not diving into the boozer for rehydration purposes.
That's one thing I find with races which have large support, the route will take you past a pub with people outside holding, nay, taunting us with pints! I use it as a motivator to get to the end where I can reward myself later with a similar libation.
GD