Very wet steady run this morning, 12.7 miles in tipping rain and occasional lightening. Great fun and not unpleasant - with a cap and decent jacket you hardly notice it. Stretch and swim after.
Also well done xc ers, bit of a mud fest at the moment, I find it quite draining.
What: was supposed to be a 3hr pleasant bike ride with running club......but because the guy leading it was less than truthfull about the terrain and distance.....and then got us lost, I was actually out for almost 7 hours.
XerXes: Sounds like you enjoyed the XC. And the mud!
Micksta; XC is going well this season. Are you doing FLM?
Treadmill: Another solid Abbey Dasher, even if BR had the edge :-)
Downton HM for me today: Rain, Thunder, Rain, Hills, Rain, roads that became streams, wrong kit(vest), wrong shoes (DS racers). In short, worst weather I've ever raced in.
A miserable outing. With the leading 3 for 3 miles, then hit the first hill and realise I had nothing there and left for dead. Lost 3rd place at 7m. Hung on for grim death and lost 4th place and first vet at 13m! One to forget and back to the drawinf board. Still at least I' ve got my "club" result and FLM place.
Golly AJH, sounds not entirely like fun. Ok when that was what you set out to do in the first place but not as an improvised effort.
Hereward relay:
First leg - my Mr., coming in strong in about 47 minutes for something just over 6 miles.
Second - the longest leg, ll.6 miles, son 1 came home in about 1.13, looking a bit grey - he'd been off training with a cold, so not at his best.
Third was Tom's, and he set off in convincing style, and
Fourth - I didn't look at the clock, so can't say exactly when he charged through, but suffice it to say I was in a very unusual position, starting amongst decided whippets.
The first bit, NZC's, began with the Welney Washes. They were in the rinse cycle when I got there - 300 yards of ankle deep cold clear water moving fast across the road. Cars were still trying to get through though, in spite of the road being officially closed (this happens a lot here). One huge 4x4 crept through hugging the shallows, forcing me into shin deep water. Oh come on you great softy, shove over!
The long straight along the river gave shoes the chance to squelch themselves dry. Good running, but right into the wind. I stuck to walk/run 1/9, but allowed myself to run as hard as was comfortable in the run bits. No point saving much: the only good footing is in the first 5 miles. It was a couple of miles dead straight, along the bank.
Off with the Podlets to support Mrs Podro. Saw lots of forumites. BR looked in fine fettle closely followed by Treadmill. Drew was fully lathered up and blowing hard in the final 1/2 mile before the finish.
Hilly and Wardi looking calm and collected. Great running from everyone and the guy who won it looked as if he was really enjoying himself.
Had to go the assistance of a runner who collapsed on the flyover and nearly missed Mrs Podro. Runner carted off in ambulance and his wife rang me later to say that all was OK but they are not sure what the problem was.
Turn left on farm roads and TmR took over, metaphorically speaking. For a quarter of a mile we ran with the wind on our side and good footing - glory be. Then heading back into the wind, but at least the footing was still good.
Then, inevitably, it got worse, a very narrow ill trodden track atop. Mis your footing and you're in the drink - not a very nice drink at that. I found myself mesmerized, looking down and the soupy goo, willing myself not to stumble.
The trail got a bit wider, and a bit muddier, and finally rose out of the fields to Little Downham. This time I knew that it was by No means the end.
At little Downham I handed over to 200min. I knew there was a reason why but I couldn't really remember. Something about mud.
The mind is like that. It remembers perfectly well, but like some kindly mother unwilling to explain to toddlers it refuses to divulge details.
I think this patch is a good metaphor for chemotherapy. You've come through the op, which was about as terrible as it could be, now just the chemo, just, you can see the cathedral on the skyline, just, well, you could almost touch it.
So you head down out of Little Downham on roads, which become farm roads. Thinks to myself: I remember this as mud, bad mud. Maybe it was so bad that they paved it. Mebbe? Mebbe?
Then up ahead I see some runners (yes, thanks to some nifty running by Tom and my family, I was not on my own even here)swerve left. The pavement ran out, the Mud began.
I believe potters call it slip. Good name that. I could no more run in it than I could in the desert sands. Worse, attempts to run led to stumbles. With legs tired already, there was no hope of recovery, I went in. Three times. Rules of Sailing in Septic Waters apply - when you capsize, keep your mouth shut. Slurry tastes foul. Finally I figured out that running was Not Possible. Stop trying.
But the cathedral was looming large on the skyline, and there was a cheerful increasing roar of traffic on the major road. Cross that road and you are out of the mud, and facing the last climb home.
Finishing with an uphill is generally not appreciated, but after that slick mud, paved road at any angle felt good. Left lower leg had stopped receiving signals and had cramped, all muscles. I tried walking. It was worse - the pounding of my attempts to run at least forced the muscle a little bit open.
I didn't exactly jump the wall, rather treated it as a bank. Paid even for that bit of bravado, as hams cramped as I charged the canon. Home in about 2hr15min for me.
What a satisfying run. What a course. The sky so huge, the land stretching so far. I suddenly understand infinity.
Absolutely lovely to meet Tom, and have him on the team. The team did 45 minutes better than last year.
Well done Micksta - XC suiting you now. Double or quits curry on the National?:-)
Good efforts from Xerxes and the Stickless crew
I hear from the XC South Yorks challenge that FL might soon stand for `footwear loser':-)))
AF - I can see overtraining coming...
Leeds Abbey Dash - nice to meet up with Drew, Monique, Wardi, Spans, TmR and some woman calling herself `hilly' before the start:-)
Set off with the intention of keeping Treadmill in sight as I really wanted to beat him. I had no watch (having gallantly let my fiancee wear it) so have no splits to report. What I can report is that if I ran the 1st mile in the same time as Treadmill (we were neck and neck by that stage) then I even splitted without any electronic aids. As I've always said....
Picked off loads of runners all the way round and just after halfway I realised the sub 35 crew were just in front. Held my form and pace all the way and managed to cross the line in 34:35 by the clock which I reckon will be 34:30 on the chip. 1st woman just in front but I was overjoyed to be over a minute in front of my goal time.
Wonderful report Stickless - well done to all of you. Thanks for including me and having a drink for me:-)
Thanks to everyone for my happy birthday wishes. I had a lovely day with the family. We went out on an afternoon cruise on the harbour you can see in my pic - we had a lovely day. I was spoilt with flowers - my son sent me a potted living orchid a surprise birthday cake - organized it from London. And my daughter on the same theme gave me 56 beautiful roses.
Didn't run a step except for those that Stickless did for me!
Soda - what a worrying night for you - glad my daughter is happily married:-)
Drew - absolutely fantastic - 35.44!!
Wardi - you sound happy too with your result.
Xerxes - looks like you'll need to get some spikes - don't know what walshes are.
Micksta - great placing.
Treadmill - good running.
AF - not a happy bunny:-( You did it mate - got out there in tough condtions - it will make the next race easier. I've only finished 25 marathons - I'd have to go on a marathon blinder to catch up to my age!!
Drew - delighted to hear you achieved your goal pb. Well done indeed.
Wardi - nice to see you place yourself between two forum ladies:-) (that's a BR one)! Nice to see you again (that's a hilly one).
Micksta - XC seems to be your thing. Well done.
AF - sorry to see you underperform. I'm sure you'll analyse your race as we all do when we have bad runs and hopefully find the cause and correct it.
Xerxes - well done on your XC.
Stickless crew - good going. Sounds like you had fun except son sounds like he didn't find it much fun.
Leeds Abbey Dash for me.
This was supposed to be my 10k pb attempt for the year. However without making excuses but coming up with reasons I suffered with a bad lower back for the past 3 weeks which has made it very difficult to enjoy and be mentally up for today's race. Think I realised days ago that I wasn't really in pb form but a little bit of hilly always hopes that on the day she can pull something out of the bag.
The race - started near the front with TmR and Monique. Within 1st km Monique had pulled away from me. By 2km I knew I was struggling like someone had put moonboots on my feet. Caught Monique around 4km I think but I wasn't feeling great so couldn't acknowledge her. Basically for the rest of race all I saw was tarmac. At 9km heard Podro (thankyou). Just held on to scrape under 39 mins. Poor run and time for me but not the end of the world. You win some you lose some.
Happy Birthday NZC Mrs Podro finished around 60-65 minutes. No watch so we must wait for the official results. She must have tried hard because she fell asleep on the sofa after lunch!
1st Race, 11s and under, monkey No 2 in his first race for Andover AC and his 1st XC race, a very wet and muddy course of 1.1K. He starts really well and is in 4th after the strat straight going into the woods. Round the lake and back up the hill and he has lost one place, powers up the last incline but cant get ahead of the 4th lad so finishes in a great 5th place out off over 40 runners..... and he loved it. (including the bag of sweets they all get for finishing)....
My self - walk the course then jogged it for a warm up, went over a few times in my spikes as no grip on the downs, so swithched to trails for the race, a 3 lap 7.5k route, short maybe but made up for in mud content.
Started near the back and settled in, feeling a bit flat, but was able to maintain a steady pace and get past a few whilst being taken a by a few, got into the second lap and was able to push and overtook 4-5 others with out being taken myself. Had to watch footing carefully as everything was leaf covered even the puddles which were plenty and the mud that was even more plentyful.
Tried to push on at the start of the 3rd lap but the fule tank exploded, and everything I had went to a crawl, lost 2 places and couldnt even fight back, the only good point being that I had pulled a big enough gap not be caught by anyone else. Only 4 men from Andover racing and I was last counter, an unusual position for me. Anyway crossed the line in a very wet and very, very muddy 31:37 (7.5K) in 51st place out of about 80-90 runners.
Will read through all the other reports after tea.
I had a really enjoyable day. A pleasantly hard run over some typical Fenland terrain dominated by big skies. Spent my 10.4 miles of the relay reeling them in - I reckon I overtook about twenty odd runners, so great fun all round. I was great to meet Slickless et al, and the team definately punched above its weight.
Congrats to the 'aberdashers (Abbey Dashers). For BR and Treaders good solid performances, but especially Drew, who I know has had a difficult time of it of late. I'm really glads it's come together, as it shows that a thoughtful approach and perceverance will deliver in the end. You mentioned that you'd made one or two changes to your training...
Hilly, I'm glad your philosophical about your race. Realistically I think that your training cycle is currently in "no man's land". You come quite a long season of hard racing, but you've not really got the basic conditioning back under way. I would think that the best time to tilt for a 10k pb wpould be in the earlier stages of your FLM peaking phase. This will be helped by the speedwork you should be doing them, and it will serve to give your pre FLM confidence a boost.
AF, I can see as how you would be disappointed with todays race. My guess is that you are really in sub 78 shape. You train hard and consistantly, but I can't see that you have any particular medium term targets (I assume your long term target is FLM), and your the long term shape of your training seems to lack structure - periodisation I think its called. Not withstanding that, you done the work, it's in there, you just need to sit down and work out how to tease it out.
Micksta - another good XC run. I think this playing to your strengths - strength training/speedwork.
Hilly - take care of that back. I think it is very hard to do anything well, running included, when back is unhappy. Oh yes, you can ignore certain levels of ouch, you think it is not effecting you. Erm, no, in my book.
Sounds like with all going well, a pb should be yours.
Like Tom says, hope you have a bit of a (relative) rest so as to build up for FLM fresh and springy footed.
Comments
And Hpy Bdy NYC
Very wet steady run this morning, 12.7 miles in tipping rain and occasional lightening. Great fun and not unpleasant - with a cap and decent jacket you hardly notice it. Stretch and swim after.
Well done Dashers, some brilliant results.
Also well done xc ers, bit of a mud fest at the moment, I find it quite draining.
What: was supposed to be a 3hr pleasant bike ride with running club......but because the guy leading it was less than truthfull about the terrain and distance.....and then got us lost, I was actually out for almost 7 hours.
Am now exhausted and sore.
There's always being Ethel...
Happy Birthday NZC - More marathons than years?
Drew: Well done on the PB. Bring on FLM!
Wardi: Well done on the sub-40.
XerXes: Sounds like you enjoyed the XC. And the mud!
Micksta; XC is going well this season. Are you doing FLM?
Treadmill: Another solid Abbey Dasher, even if BR had the edge :-)
Downton HM for me today: Rain, Thunder, Rain, Hills, Rain, roads that became streams, wrong kit(vest), wrong shoes (DS racers). In short, worst weather I've ever raced in.
A miserable outing. With the leading 3 for 3 miles, then hit the first hill and realise I had nothing there and left for dead. Lost 3rd place at 7m. Hung on for grim death and lost 4th place and first vet at 13m! One to forget and back to the drawinf board. Still at least I'
ve got my "club" result and FLM place.
Splits for the sadists:
0:5:49.24
0:5:51.97
0:6:03.60
0:6:57.50
0:6:27.86
0:6:23.90
0:5:38.60
0:7:11.38
0:6:02.02
0:6:40.70
0:6:42.72
0:6:42.69
0:6:08.59
0:0:44.92
Wardi, Glad it went to plan.
Golly AJH, sounds not entirely like fun. Ok when that was what you set out to do in the first place but not as an improvised effort.
Hereward relay:
First leg - my Mr., coming in strong in about 47 minutes for something just over 6 miles.
Second - the longest leg, ll.6 miles, son 1 came home in about 1.13, looking a bit grey - he'd been off training with a cold, so not at his best.
Third was Tom's, and he set off in convincing style, and
Fourth - I didn't look at the clock, so can't say exactly when he charged through, but suffice it to say I was in a very unusual position, starting amongst decided whippets.
The first bit, NZC's, began with the Welney Washes. They were in the rinse cycle when I got there - 300 yards of ankle deep cold clear water moving fast across the road. Cars were still trying to get through though, in spite of the road being officially closed (this happens a lot here). One huge 4x4 crept through hugging the shallows, forcing me into shin deep water. Oh come on you great softy, shove over!
The long straight along the river gave shoes the chance to squelch themselves dry. Good running, but right into the wind. I stuck to walk/run 1/9, but allowed myself to run as hard as was comfortable in the run bits. No point saving much: the only good footing is in the first 5 miles. It was a couple of miles dead straight, along the bank.
(tbc)
Abbey Dash Spectators Report
Off with the Podlets to support Mrs Podro. Saw lots of forumites. BR looked in fine fettle closely followed by Treadmill. Drew was fully lathered up and blowing hard in the final 1/2 mile before the finish.
Hilly and Wardi looking calm and collected.
Great running from everyone and the guy who won it looked as if he was really enjoying himself.
Had to go the assistance of a runner who collapsed on the flyover and nearly missed Mrs Podro. Runner carted off in ambulance and his wife rang me later to say that all was OK but they are not sure what the problem was.
AJH - hope the soremness subsides.
What: swimming this evening
Why: trying to swim
Then, inevitably, it got worse, a very narrow ill trodden track atop. Mis your footing and you're in the drink - not a very nice drink at that. I found myself mesmerized, looking down and the soupy goo, willing myself not to stumble.
The trail got a bit wider, and a bit muddier, and finally rose out of the fields to Little Downham. This time I knew that it was by No means the end.
At little Downham I handed over to 200min. I knew there was a reason why but I couldn't really remember. Something about mud.
tbc
I think this patch is a good metaphor for chemotherapy. You've come through the op, which was about as terrible as it could be, now just the chemo, just, you can see the cathedral on the skyline, just, well, you could almost touch it.
So you head down out of Little Downham on roads, which become farm roads. Thinks to myself: I remember this as mud, bad mud. Maybe it was so bad that they paved it. Mebbe? Mebbe?
Then up ahead I see some runners (yes, thanks to some nifty running by Tom and my family, I was not on my own even here)swerve left. The pavement ran out, the Mud began.
I believe potters call it slip. Good name that. I could no more run in it than I could in the desert sands. Worse, attempts to run led to stumbles. With legs tired already, there was no hope of recovery, I went in. Three times. Rules of Sailing in Septic Waters apply - when you capsize, keep your mouth shut. Slurry tastes foul. Finally I figured out that running was Not Possible. Stop trying.
But the cathedral was looming large on the skyline, and there was a cheerful increasing roar of traffic on the major road. Cross that road and you are out of the mud, and facing the last climb home.
Finishing with an uphill is generally not appreciated, but after that slick mud, paved road at any angle felt good. Left lower leg had stopped receiving signals and had cramped, all muscles. I tried walking. It was worse - the pounding of my attempts to run at least forced the muscle a little bit open.
I didn't exactly jump the wall, rather treated it as a bank. Paid even for that bit of bravado, as hams cramped as I charged the canon. Home in about 2hr15min for me.
What a satisfying run. What a course. The sky so huge, the land stretching so far. I suddenly understand infinity.
Absolutely lovely to meet Tom, and have him on the team. The team did 45 minutes better than last year.
Christine - we drank your health in fine style.
Couldn't be better.
Good efforts from Xerxes and the Stickless crew
I hear from the XC South Yorks challenge that FL might soon stand for `footwear loser':-)))
AF - I can see overtraining coming...
Leeds Abbey Dash - nice to meet up with Drew, Monique, Wardi, Spans, TmR and some woman calling herself `hilly' before the start:-)
Set off with the intention of keeping Treadmill in sight as I really wanted to beat him. I had no watch (having gallantly let my fiancee wear it) so have no splits to report. What I can report is that if I ran the 1st mile in the same time as Treadmill (we were neck and neck by that stage) then I even splitted without any electronic aids. As I've always said....
Picked off loads of runners all the way round and just after halfway I realised the sub 35 crew were just in front. Held my form and pace all the way and managed to cross the line in 34:35 by the clock which I reckon will be 34:30 on the chip. 1st woman just in front but I was overjoyed to be over a minute in front of my goal time.
I feel like a runner again.
Thanks to everyone for my happy birthday wishes. I had a lovely day with the family. We went out on an afternoon cruise on the harbour you can see in my pic - we had a lovely day. I was spoilt with flowers - my son sent me a potted living orchid a surprise birthday cake - organized it from London. And my daughter on the same theme gave me 56 beautiful roses.
Didn't run a step except for those that Stickless did for me!
Soda - what a worrying night for you - glad my daughter is happily married:-)
Drew - absolutely fantastic - 35.44!!
Wardi - you sound happy too with your result.
Xerxes - looks like you'll need to get some spikes - don't know what walshes are.
Micksta - great placing.
Treadmill - good running.
AF - not a happy bunny:-(
You did it mate - got out there in tough condtions - it will make the next race easier. I've only finished 25 marathons - I'd have to go on a marathon blinder to catch up to my age!!
Podro - how did Mrs Podro do?
Wardi - nice to see you place yourself between two forum ladies:-) (that's a BR one)! Nice to see you again (that's a hilly one).
Micksta - XC seems to be your thing. Well done.
AF - sorry to see you underperform. I'm sure you'll analyse your race as we all do when we have bad runs and hopefully find the cause and correct it.
Xerxes - well done on your XC.
Stickless crew - good going. Sounds like you had fun except son sounds like he didn't find it much fun.
Leeds Abbey Dash for me.
This was supposed to be my 10k pb attempt for the year. However without making excuses but coming up with reasons I suffered with a bad lower back for the past 3 weeks which has made it very difficult to enjoy and be mentally up for today's race. Think I realised days ago that I wasn't really in pb form but a little bit of hilly always hopes that on the day she can pull something out of the bag.
The race - started near the front with TmR and Monique. Within 1st km Monique had pulled away from me. By 2km I knew I was struggling like someone had put moonboots on my feet. Caught Monique around 4km I think but I wasn't feeling great so couldn't acknowledge her. Basically for the rest of race all I saw was tarmac. At 9km heard Podro (thankyou). Just held on to scrape under 39 mins. Poor run and time for me but not the end of the world. You win some you lose some.
Mrs Podro finished around 60-65 minutes. No watch so we must wait for the official results. She must have tried hard because she fell asleep on the sofa after lunch!
RACE REPORTS FROM WESSEX XC LGE - NEWBURY
1st Race, 11s and under, monkey No 2 in his first race for Andover AC and his 1st XC race, a very wet and muddy course of 1.1K. He starts really well and is in 4th after the strat straight going into the woods. Round the lake and back up the hill and he has lost one place, powers up the last incline but cant get ahead of the 4th lad so finishes in a great 5th place out off over 40 runners..... and he loved it. (including the bag of sweets they all get for finishing)....
My self - walk the course then jogged it for a warm up, went over a few times in my spikes as no grip on the downs, so swithched to trails for the race, a 3 lap 7.5k route, short maybe but made up for in mud content.
Started near the back and settled in, feeling a bit flat, but was able to maintain a steady pace and get past a few whilst being taken a by a few, got into the second lap and was able to push and overtook 4-5 others with out being taken myself. Had to watch footing carefully as everything was leaf covered even the puddles which were plenty and the mud that was even more plentyful.
Tried to push on at the start of the 3rd lap but the fule tank exploded, and everything I had went to a crawl, lost 2 places and couldnt even fight back, the only good point being that I had pulled a big enough gap not be caught by anyone else. Only 4 men from Andover racing and I was last counter, an unusual position for me. Anyway crossed the line in a very wet and very, very muddy 31:37 (7.5K) in 51st place out of about 80-90 runners.
Will read through all the other reports after tea.
Take care
Well done Stickless and family and Tom, sounds like a fine day.
Also well done BR, glad you are finding your way back. Hope you get back to tip top shape soon Hilly.
Well done Mrs Podro, I just had a kip too!
Good going RFG and little RFG...why dnt I get sweets at the end, I think thats a fine idea!
Think I let myself get dehydrated, my head feels as if it will burst. I really am rubbish at judging what I need on the bike.
I had a really enjoyable day. A pleasantly hard run over some typical Fenland terrain dominated by big skies. Spent my 10.4 miles of the relay reeling them in - I reckon I overtook about twenty odd runners, so great fun all round. I was great to meet Slickless et al, and the team definately punched above its weight.
Congrats to the 'aberdashers (Abbey Dashers). For BR and Treaders good solid performances, but especially Drew, who I know has had a difficult time of it of late. I'm really glads it's come together, as it shows that a thoughtful approach and perceverance will deliver in the end. You mentioned that you'd made one or two changes to your training...
Hilly, I'm glad your philosophical about your race. Realistically I think that your training cycle is currently in "no man's land". You come quite a long season of hard racing, but you've not really got the basic conditioning back under way. I would think that the best time to tilt for a 10k pb wpould be in the earlier stages of your FLM peaking phase. This will be helped by the speedwork you should be doing them, and it will serve to give your pre FLM confidence a boost.
AF, I can see as how you would be disappointed with todays race. My guess is that you are really in sub 78 shape. You train hard and consistantly, but I can't see that you have any particular medium term targets (I assume your long term target is FLM), and your the long term shape of your training seems to lack structure - periodisation I think its called. Not withstanding that, you done the work, it's in there, you just need to sit down and work out how to tease it out.
Micksta - another good XC run. I think this playing to your strengths - strength training/speedwork.
why got so cold and wet couldn't face the full two and a half hours
Son1 wasn't actually mis, just didn't pace himself quite right. Youth picks up pretty quick.
on the plus side I did see a rainbow :-)
and the park was 6inches deep in water so was slow too
Sounds like with all going well, a pb should be yours.
Like Tom says, hope you have a bit of a (relative) rest so as to build up for FLM fresh and springy footed.
Well done to all the Leeds abbey Dashers,
Drew (PB)
BR
Treadmill
Wardi
Hilly
Well done on the XCs too
Micksta
X
AF well done on the downton in poor conditions
Stickless - great, no fantastic report, well done.
Hope I havent missed anyone
(Happy Birthday NZC)
Hilly - I guess at least you know why you didn't run well today and you won't let yourself be down about it, at least not for too long!
BR - you must be pleased!
AJH - I don't know how you're meant to judge what you need on the bike when you plan for 3 hours and end up doing 7!
I am sooooooooo looking forward to my roast chicken.