P&D Spring Marathon 2018

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  • Jools - another massive weekend, well done on the fell race, sounds like a really solid performance.

    Good luck this weekend Spoons, as others have said, I think you may surprise yourself.

    Macca - I got thrashed by a V50 on Sunday, and I'm a bit younger than you, so I wouldn't worry!

    AWC - Have a great time in Kiev, I hope you win. I've still got marathon to come, off the back of a short swim/bike warm up. 7 weeks to go..

    NE - 5 hours finishing at 2am?! Incredible. 

    SQ - great session, always good to have company to push yourself.

    Scott - I'll also be at the rugby on Saturday, looking forward to it. Good to see you look to be on the mend.

    Hazel - good luck tonight, hope it goes well, build into it!

    No running this week so far, just a pretty solid bike session yesterday hitting some good benchmarks. Easy hour tonight and then track session tomorrow morning. 
  • runspoonrunrunspoonrun ✭✭✭

    Congrats on the course PB Macca.

    Enjoy Kiev AWC, think you’ve earned the rest!

    Crazy late night long run NE!

    As SQ says, 10x400m today, quite a big step up in volume from the shorter sessions of the last few weeks. I was between 1:16-1:20, averaging 1:18.3. Unlike SQ I started fast and faded a little, definite jelly legs on the last rep. Still, that’s 0.5s faster per rep than I managed last time I did 400m reps, and that was on a proper track, so if SQ is right with it being 1-2s slower I’m happy with that as this early stage.

  • JooliganJooligan ✭✭✭
    edited May 2018
    Great thread session from Spoons & SQ. I love a decent bit of black pudding too.
    5hrs finishing at 2am sounds bonkers to me NE! Where's the dancing time :D Amazed you managed to find a few equally nuts clubmates. Seriously though, well done. 
    AWC: enjoy Kiev - do they have a parkrun yet?
    Have fun at the hill race Hazel.
    I've got a marathon on Sunday so trying to take it easy this week after posting my 2 biggest training weeks of the year 18 & 19.5hrs. :#
    No running Monday and just a gentle 5M first thing yesterday before a short track session at lunchtime 5K with 6x 200m off 200m jog recovery all at 40-41s. Only 40 minutes of S&C this morning so far. Marshalling, rather than running, a local 5M fell race up Sugar Loaf this evening too. Should be good fun.
  • AWCAWC ✭✭✭
    Jools - no parkrun as I checked. But I've decided not to take my stuff this time and just enjoy the 3 days there without trying to fit a run in as I usually do. As its the Final I'm allowed a day off :)
  • NorthEnderNorthEnder ✭✭✭
    AWC.... still a few marathons dotted around the summer.  I've got three lined up... all on 23rd June ;)

    Didn't know about the Sugar Loaf fell race Jooligan.  I suppose I'd have struggled to justify being out for a second night 

    Encouraging news Scott.

    Steady away Hazel.

    Steady away for me too...  5 mile recovery at lunch.  

    Incidentally... no trouble finding friends to run with. I don't think there's been a club run like that before and it went down really well... although one of the lads struggled with blisters and had to ring his dad at 11.30pm to drive about 25 miles to come and pick him up!
    One of the key objectives was for me to get used to my ultra equipment and disappointingly the fairly expensive and hitherto impressive Silva torch conked out on me. Definitely a fault and it is going back tomorrow...  so hopefully they turn it round quickly enough to be back/replaced in the next 4 weeks.

  • Jools - what marathon is it you're doing?

    NE - always staggers me when something like that happens, if you pay for it why on earth wouldn't it work?!

    Hope the hill race went well Hazel.

    8 miles on the trails of Wimbledon Common yesterday evening.

    Track this morning. A kind of tempo session with continuous miles alternating between Ironman goal pace and 10km pace.

    4 miles - 6:37, 5:36, 6:33, 5:35. 90 seconds recovery. 3 miles - 6:37, 5:36, 6:27. 

    Rather encouraging, 'Ironman pace' felt comfortable, the idea is getting used to running that pace after the 10km pace has wrecked your legs a bit. Really enjoyable session in the rain with Katie doing 800s at the same time. 
  • 1SteveMac1SteveMac ✭✭✭
    Spoons & SQ - Nice track session.
    AWC - Nice training run, 31 miles is a long way!!
    John - Brilliant effort, that sounds like a brutal way to end a 100k!!
    Joe - Nice session.
    Macca - Great 10k so soon after the 100 miler. Nice thoughts on the pacing too MP+2 mins sounds good.

    Did Guernsey parkrun on Saturday, took it easy and finished in 29:30, did a mile afterwards to round up to 4 miles for the day.
    Porridge and coffee early on Sunday for an early start to collect race number and for the race briefing as the race was to start at 7am.
    Weather felt good early on, a bit cool, but temperatures were forecast to rise throughout the day. I felt ready to start while waiting around and had given the GF some times of when I thought I would hit the checkpoints as she was going to travel out to checkpoint 2 to meet me (16 miles in to the race).
    Plan was to get through the first 16 miles to checkpoint 2, not feeling broken as this was the cliff section and then push on for the final 20 miles which were much flatter.
    First mile was on the road through St Peter Port towards the aquarium, so made sure I ran easy but got myself into a good position before the start of the climb up onto the cliffs, job done and then started around 15 miles of cliff paths, which included some steep steps up and down. Elevation was at least 1,000m in the first 16 miles!
    Got to the first checkpoint in 1:35:32 (8 miles at 11:56 min/miles), filled up water bottle grabbed 2 jelly babies and carried on, no waiting around I just wanted to keep moving.
    Similar story for the next 8 miles, kept the effort easy, but it was getting warmer so made sure I kept drinking enough water (with high 5 tablets mixed in). Got to checkpoint 2 (16 miles in total, 10:55 average/11:26 overall) in 3:02:49, arrived with first lady who was running her first ultra!!
    Met the girlfriend here, who had a bottle of coke, which was brilliant, topped up my water, stuck some food in my bag and walked out the aid station after about 10 minutes, which included changing my trail shoes for my road shoes. This was recommend by a few runners from previous years.
    Left the checkpoint feeling good and was surprised to see I was at the "Best Possible Scenario" in my race plan, so was feeling great. Walked out the checkpoint while eating my food, then started to run and clocked mile 17 in 8:04!! I'd left the checkpoint alone and ran for a while on my own.
    Got to around 20 miles and things were feeling tough and mile 21 at 11:20 shows this, especially as this was a flatter section! I think this was a combination of the heat and not enough fuel!
    Anyway, toughed out the next section and after passing 1 runner, continued to run the next few miles alone while feeling a bit down. I had planned to speed up here, but it hadn't happened and my left quad was feeling very tight and I was run/walking to ease the pain.
    Got to the third and final checkpoint at 25 miles in 4:45:48 (11:27 for this section/11:26 overall), tried not to hang around to long, so got moving again. Continued to run/walk and passed marathon distance around 5 hours. At times after this checkpoint it felt as though I was the only runner still in the race, as no one was around!! I got to about 30 miles and called the girlfriend just to chat to someone and told her things were tough, not long after this 2 other runners caught up with me, but after chatting with GF I was feeling better so picked up my pace, passed 50k around 6 hours and then ran a 8:59 mile and was feeling better. Had some lucozade around mile 32 and that perked me up to, caught up with another runner, did a run/walk with him for a bit then realised I was moving faster than him, so left him and carried on.
    A couple of 10 minute miles followed and I was at 34 miles, and knew the end was in sight and was feeling much better now, so picked up the pace and knocked out an 8:52 mile and then 7:43 pace for the final 0.3/0.4 to the end.

    Overall time was 6:42:46 (11:26 overall pace) and I finished 17th/75 finishers (80 starters). Was a bit disappointed as was hoping for 6:30 or faster, but still nice to finish in between my "likely" and "best case" scenarios. It's a beautiful course and definately a tale of 2 races, with trail and climbs in the first 16 miles with flatter running for the final 20 miles. Interesting that I did better on the cliffs than I expected, but worse on the flatter section! Realised that I really need hill work if I want to do any more hilly ultras!!

    The winner set a new course record and finished in 4:19:44!!

    Apart from a few leg issues (calf mainly tight), I don't feel too bad. I'm having a full week of no running, then will ease back in slowly before marathon training starts again!! No recovery runs after the ultra, but did get over 10k steps on Monday and Tuesday while sightseeing in Guernsey and Sark!

    Sorry for the long report, but that's my 5th ultra done!
  • JooliganJooligan ✭✭✭
    edited May 2018
    No need to apologise Steve: we all love a good report. Well toughed out & a very strong finish too.
    Great paces on the session JB. Dorchester Marathon: single loop, closed roads, definitely undulating course so not PB material but aiming to get comfortably inside GFA (3:10).
    Lovely evening marshalling yesterday. Chased the tail end of the race down after the sweepers had come through so did 3M of fast uphill walking & slow downhill running after a brisk 2M walk to my marshalling point. Glad I wasn't trying to race it though as legs still feeling the w/e a bit. A great low key race with only 31 runners this year.
  • AWC - sounds like you have a decent plan mapped out. Massively jealous of your trip to Kiev, hope you enjoy.  Who knows, maybe Dick Emery will take us to the Little Euro Cup final next season.

    NE - sounds like a great club outing.  Shame about the torch but better to find out now. I’ve no complaints about my Petzl Reactik + fwiw.

    Interesting session JB sounds tough so a good sign the IM pace was comfortable.

    Good luck with the taper week Jools - I hope Dorchester doesn’t have a parkrun ?

    Steve - I was looking forward to the report and it didn’t disappoint so thanks.  Sounds like a really difficult one to pace with that start, throw in the heat and possible fuelling issues then even a flat finish will be tough. Great placing.

    An inter club 10k thingy for me tonight. Flatter and less windy than last week but I seem to have front loaded the week a bit too much (top of Strava table as of last night) so will be interesting to see how it feels.
  • AWCAWC ✭✭✭
    Steve: I was just thinking on my run this morning that you hadn't posted anything up and knowing you'd had a good race from Strava I wondered what was keeping you! The problem with hills at the start is that they tire your legs very quickly and make it difficult to capitalise on the flatter sections, but sounds like you pulled it back well towards the end. Great report and another ultra in the bag.

    Macca: Emery might work some magic! I've had a lot of people wishing us well - I just feel very lucky to be travelling and going to the game and hopefully it'll be one to remember!

    Jools: good luck with the taper and good luck in the race with the 3:10 target.

    Joe: nice alternating tempo - upping the speed like that is incredibly hard but looks like you nailed it.

    Spoons/SQ: nice 400s session. I did 3x(4x400m) a couple of weeks ago and it was a bit of a shock to the system but felt good afterwards.

    NE: bad news on the torch - I'm another with Petzl Reactik and think its great
  • HazelnutCHHazelnutCH ✭✭✭
    Nice track sessions by spoons, SQ and Joe.

    Great report SteveMac and as Jools points out - not too long.   A result between "likely" and "best case" is not something to be disappointed with.  Sounds like a lovely (but tough) race.  Have a good week off running.  

    Nice marshalling Jools with the added bonus of a nice outing for yourself too.  I should do a bit of volunteering myself again.  

    Have a good 10k tonight Macca.

    My hill race went well yesterday evening.  Just short of 5 miles with 1400 ft of ascending in 46:27.  Mostly very civilized tarmac up to a popular viewing point / restaurant on top of a big chunk of rock in one almost continuous climb.  Avoided the thunderstorms again but a heavy shower pre race left it very humid.  The race attracts a lot of good junior orienteers as it is used as a qualification round but all they have to do is run not map read.

    I took it fairly easy until the last mile and a half then as I was feeling pretty good I put in a bit more effort and had fun picking my way through those immediately in front.  Caught and passed a 12 year old girl I had been reeling in but was beaten by my 63 year old male team colleague - another 500m and I would have had him as well..  Mid-field result in the women's rankings overall and in my age group which is where I usually end up in these races.  My time is ok - all of my results in the last 5 years there have been in the 45-46 minute bracket - a bit faster or a bit slower than yesterday.  Legs feel fine today.  
  • 1SteveMac1SteveMac ✭✭✭
    Hazel - Nice hill race.
    NE - You did a 5 hour run and finished at 2am.....hats off to you for that!!
    AWC - Enjoy the final!!

    No running this week at all, but had a sports massage yesterday. Legs feeling much better now. Have a couple of small local races (8m/9m) and Endure 24 over the next few weeks, but won't be racing hard, will just go to enjoy the day.
    Wembley trip tomorrow.....getting excited for that now!!
  • I'll make sure I look out for you at the rugby Joe

    Some good progress already Spoons, looks promising

    What marathon have you got at the weekend Jools?

    I guess it is good prep for an ultra NE and gets you used to running at that part of the night when tiredness kicks in

    That report really highlighted the variation of the course and the ups and downs you had during it Steve, fantastic!

    Good work Hazel, the legs must be in decent shape if you near enough matched times done previously

    Complete rest day yesterday but tried a mini session today that felt like blooming hard work,3 x 3mins off 90secs then 2 x 45secs off 45secs. Paces for reps were 5:21, 5:15, 5:18, 5:12 and 4:51. Knee held up so all looking good!

    P.S. - what a day at the Giro, Yates already 20mins down and Froome looking like he's going into the lead

  • JooliganJooligan ✭✭✭
    Dorchester Scott. Only in its second year. Single loop, undulating course on closed roads. 700 finishers last year with only top 5 sub 3 & top 21 sub 3:15 so could be pretty lonely. Weather looks interesting but at least it won't be anywhere near as hot as VLM.
  • NorthEnderNorthEnder ✭✭✭
    edited May 2018
    Disappointing news from the giro.. I wanted the new kid on the block to come good.

    Really enjoyed your report Steve. Obviously most of us don't really know each other on here but equally there's more of a connection and openness than with complete strangers, so I always take a lot from things like this.   Remind me who your team is? Fulham or Villa?   Hope you have a great day whatever. PNE winning there 3 years ago eclipsed everything in the previous 40 years of watching them.  And whilst we're on footy... Macca... Ooo you ARE awful (but I like you) ;)

    Sounds a solid race Hazel

    Crunchy run last night (snails must have been very active after all the summer rain).
  • NE - I think that will go over quite a few heads on here, sadly not mine?

    I'm guessing Steve is Villa.  A few months ago I found myself in a room with 2 Villa fans. I light heartedly remarked that had never occurred before in my life and one of them went ballistic, giving me a history lesson on AVFC.  I've been wary of them since.

    Hazel - that was an impressive route profile on Strava, even more so on the back of a marathon.

    Impressive speed Scott.

    Last nights 10k was 40:02 on the watch.  I had hoped the timekeepers might shave a couple of secs off but I forgot it was gun to finish so official time was 40:03.  10k isnt high on my list of priorities right now but with a recent 40:17 and now 40:03 its an itch I think I'll have to scratch.

  • Yeah would have been good to see Yates win but fair play to Froome takes some balls to attack that far out

    Sounds like it could be a lonely run Jools, but good luck!

    Shame not to break 40mins Macca but a decent run with no speed work none the less

    No running today, off into London for some beers before the Rugby then off to a pub to watch the CL final


  • JohnOzJohnOz ✭✭✭
    I'm back and finally with my ultra report for an ultra race...

    Ultra Trail Australia bills itself as the worlds third largest ultra event, with 6,000 runners over 4 events - the 951 (steps up the final km), 22km, 50km and 100km. In the last 2 years I’ve run the 50km, covering both halves of the 100km in the process, so in theory I knew what to expect. Having run just under 6 hours last year I had privately hoped for sub 13 hours and a silver buckle. However in the world of ultras the “double your half time and add a bit” is even less reliable than with marathons.


    I drove the 2 hours up to the Blue Mountains on Friday night, arriving later than I planned due to work and missing the race briefing. The good news was that it would be dry and relatively warm so they reduced the compulsory race kit. However it was still a bulky backpack and someone said it was even more than for UTMB. I had trained just once with my backpack on trails, and not specifically for the race at all so it was a plunge into the unknown. After a quick roast dinner I bunked up with my new roommates, 3 of us were running the 100km and the other the 50km. It was a basic dorm but only 50m from the start line so that meant an extra hour in bed.


    It was a cold start, only a few degrees and despite being so close to the start line I rushed my prep and turned up just 5 mins before the gun. It was still dark when the first wave of 200 runners set off at 6:20am but there were plenty of supporters out cheering us on. A quick 5km loop on the road to thin out the pack and we head straight down the 951 steps that we would later come back up at 99km. I hang back and try to keep my effort at my usual recovery levels, not knowing how my body is going to react to the distance and time on feet. We scramble down through the valley on tree lined single track and it’s going to be a beautiful day.


    The pack has strung out by now and I can see one runner ahead, I sneak a look behind and see another about 20m back. Just at that moment I manage to catch a rock with my toe and go flying, landing heavily on my left knee and taking the skin off my right palm. Great, I’m less than 7km in and I’ve already made a schoolboy error. Fortunately I can go on without any problems and we hit the first climb of the day - about 200m of steps out of the valley. It’s tough going and it’s at this point that I have my first thought of many that I should have done some stairs training. At the top we reach a scenic strip of wide firetrail appropriately called Narrowneck as it juts out into the valley. This continues for 12km and I let a steady stream pass me as I keep thinking I’m conserving energy for a later push. My 2 roommates pass me up on, including one who started in a later wave so I am really taking it conservatively.


    At 22km we reach the end of Narrowneck and the infamous Tarros Ladders. This is normally a few metal pegs on a cliff wall to descend 30m but they put up 2 ladders during the race to manage the flow better and more safely. It’s a surreal moment, the first and only race I can think of where you queue up to go down down a couple of builder’s ladders. The views are amazing though while you wait, you can see across the valley to the all distant mountains on a clear day like this. Once down it’s the first quad busting descent of the day, swinging around trees and hopping down rocks, whilst still being overtaken by the odd crazy guy who thinks they are Kilian Jornet and can steam straight down.


    More single track is followed by open grassland and the second aid station at 32km. A quick refill of bottles and back out and 3hrs 37mins on the clock. Shortly after there is a massive steep climb up unmarked trail, from the bottom it almost look vertical and runners are barely moving as they make their way up. You’re rewarded at the top by more open views and the sound of didgeridoos as some local aboriginal men play the traditional music to inspire and encourage the runners. Coming back down from Ironpot Ridge is loose dirt on more unmarked trail and I tiptoe gingerly and grab branches, losing minutes to more confident speedgoats who bounce down like they’re skiing.


    The next 10km is pretty runnable through open farmland and I make the most of it. The next checkpoint at 46km is the first one where crew is allowed and with that is plenty of support and cheering. I spot more organised runners who have left pot noodles in their drop bags and feel envious that they have real food. I’m trying to get through on just Tailwind, gels and the odd jam sandwich. However I’m starting to get sick of it and craving salty food. A handful of crisps is the best I can do and I carry on hoping there is more choice at the next checkpoint.


    The trail steadily but gently rises from here and I go through 50km in about 6 hours, so start to feel confident about my sub 13 hours finish. The trail is now along the bottom of the valley on a 4x4 track but that can only mean one thing and sure enough we hit the next set of steps at 54km. This feels and is excrutiatingly slow as I go up 1 step at a time, struggling to breathe. It’s damp, the steps are uneven and the top is hidden by the trees. I am more out of breath at the top than when I do reps and I jog into the next checkpoint at 57km exhausted.





  • JohnOzJohnOz ✭✭✭
    edited May 2018

    I then see pure gold - jugs of coke and vats of soup! I down mouthfuls of coke and take in the salty goodness of the veggie soup, powdered soup has never tasted so amazing. More crisps and rest my legs and when I next check my watch I’ve been here for 20 mins. I reluctantly get moving again but now 7 hours 30 mins have passed.


    The next few kms loop back towards the start and I can even hear the announcer cheering on those finishing the 50km. However I know I have to go back out on a loop of the other side of the valley but after refuelling I’m feeling great. I power on past tourists and the odd runner as it’s relatively flat here. Once more down another huge staircase to the valley floor and through more forested single track. It’s at this point I look at my watch and see the dreaded low battery warning. It eventually dies at 60km and I’m now running “blind”.


    I get to another set of endless steps that I don’t remember from my previous run and I have really had enough of these now. I resolve not to do this again next year, I hate steps with a passion. This is the hardest section of the whole race with lots of up and down steps and no views. Eventually I reach the next water station at 69km, cruelly located outside a luxury hotel - a volunteer tells me I can use the toilets inside but I’m afraid I won’t come back out. The last 12km have taken my over 2 hours and I realise I’m not going to go sub 13 hours. The next part is more scenic but it’s starting to get dark. I end up running along the road into the next aid station in the pitch black but there’s a party atmosphere with cheering crew and loud music. Another 20 min stop as I take on more coke and soup, and decide to put on my thermal top. As I leave with my headtorch, I can see it’s almost 12 hours on the clock and there’s still a huge climb to come.


    The next 7km is all downhill and by this stage a killer on my quads. I can’t go any faster than a jog whilst others still seem to bound down past me. It’s actually a relief to hit the uphill and slow to a walk. Everyone else does the same but as with steps there is a definite technique to power hiking, which I definitely don’t have. I secretly curse at those with hiking poles who click clack their way past me into the dark. At least in the dark I can’t see how steep the trail is or how far I have to go.


    Eventually it gets less steep and back onto single trail that follows the cliffs along the valley floor at 94km. However it’s not easy to run in the dark with constant steps, rocks and turns. It takes me an hour for the next 5km before finally reaching the same Furber steps that we came down that morning. I’ve been preparing mentally for this, after taking over 30 mins last time and completely hitting the wall. I count every step and however slowly I keep moving upwards, even dragging myself up when there are metal rails on the side. I can hear the finish line above and finally I hit the 951st step, get a cheer from a marshall and stumble onto the boardwalk towards the finish. I round the corner into the finish chute and see 15:57 on the gantry, and raise my arms in celebration and relief.


    In hindsight it was fortunate I kept moving up the stairs, it would have been annoying to take 3 mins longer. However my overwhelming feeling was elation at finishing 100km. My family had stayed in Sydney though so I made a lonely trek to the recovery area. The volunteers were fantastic in bringing me food and drink but I couldn’t stomach it and felt incredibly sleepy, the toll of the day finally taking hold. Eventually I had a quick shower and collapsed into bed, straight into deep sleep, not even having the energy to charge my phone (which had also died) to text or call my wife.


    The next couple of days left me with terrible DOMS in the quads and calves, it’s the first time I’ve had to walk backwards down the stairs. However after a few days off running, the legs have come back this weekend so maybe all that walking meant I had more in reserve. I can say fairly certainly though that I won’t be going back to improve my time, once is enough to tick the box and it’s back to marathons for now. Maybe I’ll try some 50km trail races elsewhere but my UTA adventures have been satisfied for now. Here’s the official wrap up video - enjoy!


  • JooliganJooligan ✭✭✭
    edited May 2018
    John Looks lovely but brutal. Nice report.
    My marathon was a disaster. Knee/hamstring went between 8 & 9 miles after stopping to grab a gel off the table so was forced to walk the uphills of which there were loads. Over 1200ft of climb over the course. Steve Way won it in 2:28, 2nd & 3rd were 20 minutes back, 2 others went sub 3 then a big gap to a bunch that finished in 3:11/12. The forecast was cloudy, breezy with showers instead the sun came out 10 minutes before the start and never left. I struggled on to finish 75th in 3:50 ☹️
    Only good bit was seeing Millsy at the finish for a chat.

  • RamjetRamjet ✭✭✭
    Just a quick hello from me.

    SQ - speedy HM last week, especially considering the hills.

    JB - awesome track session with those mile repeats. A sub 3 marathon in an Iron Man would be amazing.

    Steve - good ultra racing and nice report.

    Hazel - well done on the strong hill race.

    John - great report. That sounds like a brutal 100K. At least a marathon will feel very doable now.

    Sorry about your marathon Jooligan. I hope you injury isn't too serious.

    I did a couple of races last week. Thursday was a fairly flat 5K. However the last K was a gentle uphill and I only just squeezed under 19 minutes.

    Today was the Buxton HM. 1500 feet of climbing and almost no flat sections. And it was hot as well. Last year I managed sub 90 but that heat meant there was no chance of that. They also added a loop at the end which added a minute to the time.

    The first 3 miles are a long uphill and I just kept an eye on my HR, keeping it in the right zone. Then it is up and down until a 1.5 mile hill starting at the 7 mile point. I managed to gain a few places on the long drag up and finish reasonably strongly for 1:33 and 18th place. Last year I managed 20th place so I'll take comfort from that. I also need to learn to taper for races as my legs were far from fresh. The price of training hard for bigger goals I guess.
  • JooliganJooligan ✭✭✭
    edited May 2018
    Sounds like a tough HM Ramjet and a good pair of results. It's my ongoing injury tbh which has become aggravated by a problem in my right big toe joint which is preventing me pushing off properly and causing me to supinate on that side, placing additional pressure on the knee. It's much more of a problem going uphill as the calf/hamstring tightens & then goes rigid behind the knee. Going to rest for a couple of days now.
  • Stonking time from an U15 Salisbury athlete at PR on Sat, 16:56. Not far off my PB  :o

    It's amazing the ultra had a ladder to go up John and a serious amount of steps. As if an ultra isn't hard enough

    Hope the knee/hamsting sorts itself out with a few days rest Jools, still managed a good time at Dorchester despite it

    Saw your half on Strava Ramjet and was certainly not a quick course, decent time none the less

    No running for me on Saturday or Sunday but ventured back into the group session today, few of the guys are racing on Wed so did their 8min tempo, 1min, 2 x 45s, 3 x 30s session on grass. Absolutely boiling even at 9am!


  • HazelnutCHHazelnutCH ✭✭✭
    Good news on the knee Scott.

    Agree on the giro NE.  Will be interesting to see what comes out re. doping.

    Fantastic report John - thanks.  Just watched the video - incredible scenery.  All those bloody steps.

    Great 10k time Macca.  

    Strong HM SQ.  

    Sorry - I missed you were doing Dorchester at the weekend Jools.  And sorry to hear it didn't go as planned.  I hope the knee/hamstring recover quickly - rest days sound like a very good idea.  Well done for toughing it out to the end.

    Nothing special running wise for me over the weekend - a 10 miler on Friday and 4 yesterday with some strides.  Looking forward to a 10 mile hill race at the weekend - haven't done this one before, it includes the steepest post bus route in Europe (28% gradient) - will be walking that bit!  (video - errm the music in John's video is better.. :D). I have also signed up for a local night HM next weekend - one of the parallel events to the 100km Biel Ultra (60th edition this year).  Just some fun rather than goal races prior to the start of autumn mara training...

  • 1SteveMac1SteveMac ✭✭✭
    Macca - Great 10k time, so close to sub 40 too!! We have our history at AVFC, but pity we don't have many more recent achievements to celebrate!!
    NE - Macca guessed correctly, Villa fan, so disappointing day for me! If we would have shown up for the first half we might have had a chance!
    Scott - Sub 17 mins at U15...that is speedy!! Nice speedwork.
    Ramjet - Nice 5k and that HM sounds really tough, especially with the heat.
    John - Epic report, sounds like a really tough 100k, but like you said you have ticked that box now.
    Jools - Sorry to hear about the injury.

    A week off, and the legs feel fine. So an easy recovery run with the GF this morning to turn the legs over. 3 miles at 11 min miles, HR was <110 bpm!
  • runspoonrunrunspoonrun ✭✭✭

    Some great training coming together Joe.

    Great report and performance Steve.

    Top racing Hazel, sounds like a tough course.

    Glad the knee is behaving Scott, a couple of nice sessions.

    Well done on the 10K Macca.

    Stairs, ladders, sounds like a crazy course John! Those stairs at the end sound like hell. Nice report.

    Sorry to hear you had a tough time Jooligan, well done for at least toughing it out and finishing. Hope the knee and hamstring are ok.

    Great HM in tough conditions Ramjet.

    Glad the week off worked well Steve.

    Very mixed few days for me. Seemed to be making some progress on Thursday, with my usual easy canal 10 getting closer to the pace I was managing before Manchester, and with the HR in the right place. I then had a decent hill session on Friday - it was very wet and breezy but I was at least as fast, if not faster, than the same session last week.

    However, on Friday night after a lazy evening on the sofa my lower back twinged when I got up. Not too bad when walking about, but uncomfortable when standing up or sitting down. This continued on Saturday so I decided to just rest. It felt a little easier when I woke up on Sunday, so I decided to run my warm-up and decide about running the 10K depending on how it felt. Didn’t feel a thing while running, so decided to go ahead with the race.

    Unfortunately it went even worse than I feared. Finished in 40:19, so 14s/mi slower than I managed to run for 20 miles further just 7 weeks ago!? I wasn’t expecting much given I’d not done any tempo/LT work, and hadn’t tapered for it, but I had at least hoped to break 40 minutes. All rather depressing, but on the plus side at least my back was ok. I was tempted to pull out at 5K, but kept going as I figured it would at least be a good tempo session.

    I’m finding it quite demotivating, but just trying to remind myself I’ve not been back to proper training for long. Will keep plugging away, and hopefully things will click soon!

  • John - absolutely loved the report mate, sounds like an absolute epic. Fair play to you for getting through that, must've been some real lows amongst the highs.

    Jools - Rest it up, you could really do with a few days off, you're always absolutely smashing it! Still a great result in the marathon, well done for toughing it out.

    Nice work in the half Ramjet, an improvement in position is definitely forward progress.

    Hazel - that hill looks pretty horrendous to run up! Loving the music though  :D

    Spoons - your situation sounds so familiar to experiences I've had. DO NOT worry in the slightest. You're just coming out of a period of recovery after a huge training cycle, you're not sharp and ready for a hard 10k effort. Things will absolutely click, just keep stringing together the sessions and the pace/fitness will come flooding back + more as you'll be a better all-around runner having retained the base fitness from the last cycle. Well done for toughing it out in the race.

    Another pretty mega weekend of training for me. 16 miles easy on Saturday morning (8mm) including Hackney Marshes parkrun before heading to Twickenham for the rugby.

    Sunday was one of my key hard bikes before Bolton, 4.5 hours @ tempo pace including a large amount of climbing (covered 85 miles) before a 30 minute run off the bike at 3 hour marathon pace.

    Monday was a more leisurely ride cycling to Brighton (56 miles) with Katie and friends for some fish and chips. Beautiful day for it and great fun. This was meant to be more of a recovery effort but still felt pretty knackered yesterday evening.

    Then this morning was the killer 18x800 @ HM(ish) pace (around 2:54 per 800). Legs had nothing from the start, and I think this is one of the hardest sessions mentally I've ever done - I was just surviving to the end of each rep. So happy to get it done. This ironman lark is exhausting. 
  • SorequadsSorequads ✭✭✭

    Cracking work in the ultra, Steve. Didn’t realise you had completed so many. ‘Couple of small races... and endure 24’!!

    Oof that’s a lot of climbing for 5M, Hazel. Interesting they’re up only. Two very different skills, I find. 

    Proper session there Scott. Nice one. 

    Hell of a 10k time given the ultras, Macca. Although it sounds about as frustrating as 3:00:00...

    Great report John. God that sounds tough. Hating steps and entering that event is punchy! Very well done. 

    Hard luck Jools. Hope you recover ok. 

    Strong work in the HM, Ramjet. What tri are you training for?

    Hope the back recovers ok, Spoons. That’s got to be he main thing from the 10k. 

    Joe that brick and the track session are two great efforts. Bodes well. 

    Wells 10k for me over the weekend. Significantly hillier than I anticipated. Started off downhill with a 5:50 then managed a nice ‘Full Foster’ with the last full mile at 6:30. Did at least manage 5:30 pace for the last 0.2. Good enough for 11th in 38:22. Slower than HM PB pace but not to worry. Didn’t taper at all and had a big week at work, also compensating with far too much wine and food. I’d recommend it for anyone in the area. A great set of kids races in advance, and it was brilliant to take my 2yo around the 700m junior race. She was a bit overawed. Possible pushy parent territory but I think she enjoyed it. She certainly enjoyed the pink cake and medal. The finish of all races is amazing - crowds lining the moat around the Bishop’s Palace. 

    5M recovery yesterday then my longest swim in years - 2k. Love the lido so much. Even went back in the evening just for dinner there. 

    Planning on doing the Cloud Cuckoo 5.5M race tomorrow night. It’s located on the hill near me and is brilliant, but absolutely brutal. Will go hard but not feeling especially fast at the moment. Whatever the result I’ll definitely stick around for a beer at the golf club after. 

  • NorthEnderNorthEnder ✭✭✭
    Great report John
    Jooligan… sorry to hear that. Sounds a nightmare. I think many would have pulled out.  GWS.
    Good racing ramjet. Not sure I can motivate myself for a road half without pb potential at the moment.  Macca too.. great 10K
    Hope you're properly back to it soon spoons.
    Nice going Hazel... more hills at the weekend.
    Sounds like super training Joe.  It's going to pay off!
    Not sure what a full foster is, sq... but well done anyway.

    So question from me.  How often do you fall over when running?  It's just not something I do but had a violently sudden fall on Sunday. I'd been running through steeply undulating hills and woods, in crashing thunder and torrential rain. I'm always confident in my footing. But 13 miles in, I was running steadily and relaxed on a well maintained flat gravel path and momentarily lost my concentration deciding whether to go left or right of a upcoming gate when I must have caught a toe on a lump and hit the ground in an instant. I just had time to roll with it a bit, to limit damage, but if there had been rocks there, my face would have hit them - I could not have reacted.  Honestly, I've not had such an uncontrolled sudden fall since I don't know when... there was no warning, no couple of strides where I was losing it, or recognition that I was on potentially tricky ground and I think that's shocked me.

    I took a nasty graze/bruising on an elbow and knee (initially cleaned up with Ribena until I reached a village shop!) and took yesterday off instead of doing 24 miles which I'd planned on the back of the 16 I did on Sunday ... so disappointing for training, 4 weeks out from my long race  

    I suppose if you're running 1300/1500 miles a year, you've to expect a mishap occasionally.  Well, that's what I'm telling myself!
  • 1SteveMac1SteveMac ✭✭✭
    NE - Hope the elbow and knee are OK following the fall. I do alot of my running of road, so don't tend to fall over, but I did take a tumble in the RTTK first day when I was using it as a training run a few years back, foot clipped a rock and straight down. Got to aid station and asked if I fell going up or downhill, to have t admit it was ont he flat!!

    But yes, if you are running over 1k miles a year, especially on trails and in the dark/rain etc. you should expect a tumble or two.

    Spoons - You'll be back to it in no time.
    Joe - Solid sessions there.
    SQ - nice result at the 10k. Endure 24 will be an easy weekend, not planning on doing anything stupid as need to recover before marathon training starts. Will probably do 20 miles over 2 days (compared to 40 miles last year!!).
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