Moraghan Training - Stevie G

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  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    or I was here as I'd just written my report!

  • The BusThe Bus ✭✭✭

    You two are sounding like me and my Mrs image

    20 miles before breakfast Lit? That's impressive - nicely done! Probably the best part of today too....

    Lovely job there SG - wish I'd come along! That was a remarkably succinct, yet still entertaining report.Who was the 51 year old?

     

     

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    image

    20miles as a morning run is a heck of a session, especially slightly faster than her training zone. A good sign.

    Nigel Rackham, local legend. Never rushes though, always takes 2-3miles to cruise past.

    There's 3 more xc races in the next 3 weeks. Not sure which I'm doing yet, but if you fancy one, me or Phil will definitely be going to all 3 for a lift share job.

  • So, as SG says, Tadley XC today. The plan is obviously dominated by VLM so I have done 18, 5, 14, 5 and 12 so far this week for a tad over 54 and today makes close to 63 which is what P&D says for this week, so today was supposed to be 9 with 5 lactate threshold, the XC race came out as 5.21 miles in 33:13 at 6:22 pace which is maybe a bit slow but then it wasn't road ...

    So got the the event early with SG, little natter and then a walk to the start and a couple of miles warm-up and a check out of the early parts of the course especially a big tree trunk that almost totally blocked a gateway after 400m. Started on the left as that lined up with the gap and passed by OK and settled down into what seemed to be the right place.

    Most of the race was uneventful, for the most part I wasn't pushing hard and doing so meant that I had a bit more time to look and plan a route and place my feet so even though I was expending less effort, I wasn't any slower than those round me. A team-mate passed between 1 and 2 miles who has passed me within a mile or so of the end each time this year but never got away, so I just followed the group he was in for a while. He then started to pull ahead and it looked to me that it was as much others falling back as him moving forwards so I took a few runners just before 3 miles.

    I worked too hard up a steep hill soon afterwards and felt uncomfortable for the first time in the race, but a section of good path soon after got me back on course.  I didn't look round but there seemed to be a few guys behind me and they came closer at different times, one downhill and one uphill. I got a shout from our injured captain at 4 miles that there was a bunch of Reading vest behind and to keep them behind. I was waiting for the big hills that we had been promised in the last mile but never found, there was a long and steep down but the up afterwards was very split up and  by the end of it I was clear of the pack behind, so could relax on the run in with the only problems being the many false finishes as the finish straight was not so straight and there were a lot of people with bright jackets and stopwatches (why?).

    A couple warm down, tea and cakes.

    Roll on next week, exact same plan, 18 tomorrow ...

     

  • Stevie G wrote (see)

    image

    20miles as a morning run is a heck of a session, especially slightly faster than her training zone. A good sign..

    I thought I was going to get told off for that! Bus - I have to admit that breakfast and lunch ended up merging seamlessly into each other, but I did get out early enough to get the best of the sunshine and only a few miles of grey skies.

    Love the 'pretend finish line' trick, Phil!

  • RicFRicF ✭✭✭

    Great races guys. I wish.

    Something else.

    /members/images/493151/Gallery/DSC_0032.JPG

     Mr Rackham as you never see him.

    🙂

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    to be fair, unless you race constantly looking behind you, you don't see anyone's front image

  • The BusThe Bus ✭✭✭

    Unless you are waiting for them at the finish image

    Good report Phil, and 6:22 seems a pretty sharp pace for xc, especially at the end of the big week you've just done. Seems things are coming together.

    What are the three XCs coming up, and any recommendations? I could try and switch things around to do a mid-week long run which might work out.

    Lit - one of the best things about a pre-breakfast long run for me is the big fried brunch I treat myself to afterwards - the thought of it gets me through the tricky miles image

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    Bracknell...the one you did that time,

    Metros, which is actually a decent run, despite 3 laps sounding an arse. Drove around trying to find the place for about 30mins last year image

    TVT, new course, no idea at all! Phil was saying it's somewhere close to today's race tho!

  • bus, all on http://www.tvxc.org.uk/content/event-details, but next three XC are Bracknell Forest Runners, Metros (ricF's club at Ruislip) and TVT. You did BFR with us a few years ago, you had me on the downhill but I got you back on the flat, SG chased a bit of tail round a bit and then gave upimage

    I am happy to sandwich riuns between multiple breakfasts, today was breakfast, race, after race sarnis, then breakfast again when I got home.

  • All, I am pleased to confirm we now have the necessary approvals from the Forestry commission for the TVT race so the confirmed date is Sunday 2 February.

     

    The location is Bramshill Forest / Warren Heath with parking and facilities at St Neots school.

     

  • DeanR7DeanR7 ✭✭✭

    Philip, that sounds a good pace and race considering its on path to the VLM 

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    Is Bramshill forest not where the old Finch one used to be? Iron? Anyone?

     

    And alas, the horse had long bolted with that particular little hotty, just one of the many lost opportunities I'll look back on at your age Phil and curse image

  • Help please image

    I've been increasing my long run over the last 6 weeks or so now upto 16 miles today at 6.55 average pace with 500ft of ascent should this effect my training for the following few days? my usually max in the last few years has been 13ish 

    My quads do feel more tired than normal but plan is 6/7 easy tomorrow then a 10 mile progressive ! Is this ok in your opinion?

  • DeanR7DeanR7 ✭✭✭

    Rob, do the easy run tomorrow and see about Tuesday then.  I would be willing to bet you will be ok

  • That would affect me Rob. 

    TVT course is same location/area as old Finch,  but a different course. Tadley report to follow. 

  • Great XC (trail! image) racing boys. 6:06 sounds a tasty pace.

    Rob, I find that the first 16 mile run in a while leaves you tired, but the next one will feel much easier and so will the subsequent days training. The thing I noticed with increasing long runs to this distance was 3 sessions a week is a no no. It did make a big improvement on my fitness though. I also had to plan my post run recovery better - time to lay about after, protein shake, good meal, stretching.

    I tired 12 today but only managed 9.2miles. So I'll sit in the knackered corner with Dean and pray tomorrow's easy run feels better.

  • Cheers Dean I'm hoping you're right

    Iron I'm not so sure I'm sure you'd be good too

    good racing again Stevie and Phil and great race reports as normal

    lit 20 miler I now feel completely imasculatedimage

  • Stevie See that was my first 16 miler everimage

  • Good running all round thread. XC sounds fun.

    Great early morning one Lit too.. I don't know how you can do that. I think 20m before breakfast would kill me.

    Shame things don't seem to be working out Dean but hopefully you can readdress with coach.

    6m very, very easy at 8:30mm for me today. Was a bit slippy and dark in County Durham this morning! Felt quite nice to just take it easy image

     

    Week plan looks like this for me (I write this out for me.. more than anything elseimage )

    M: 8miles inc 25m @ tempo
    T: 6m easy
    W: Rest/XT
    T: Club session
    F: 6m Easy
    S: XC Race
    S: 13m LSR

     

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    Rob, far for someone like to me to offer you any tips, but I'd imagine it'll just be a very short term slight extra knacker on your week, but nothing too major I'd say.

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    Nikki, you know it's a thread theme that we have to  find some way to criticise your plan image

    2 sessions and a race in a week? Sounds quite big. I know some like Johnas would do 3 sessions in a week, but he's a bloody mentalist made out of granite

  • DachsDachs ✭✭✭

    Dean, sorry to hear your race wasn't too great.  I suspect that you may just need a bit more time to get used to the schedule, but you and your coach know best.  Don't worry, XC is almost over then we're back to proper stuff.

    SG and PMJ, good racing all.

  • DachsDachs ✭✭✭

    Tadley XC for me too today.

    Wasn't sure how much I'd have in the legs after a 21 yesterday (and an 11 the day before).  Decided to start sensibly and see how I felt as I went.  Was doing a bit of a warm up with a clubmate when someone shouted "40 seconds to go", and we had to leg it as fast as possible for 300m or so, and I lined up quickly next to SG.

    After the initial surge of over over-optimists during the first few hundred metres had subsided, I found myself in about 7th.  Hurdling the big log made me feel rather pleased with myself, although as PMJ has said, going round it was also an option. Leaders gradually started to pull away, and I was just behind a Datchet runner.  Kept those positions for a fair while, probably until a couple of miles to go.  Managed to overtake the Datchet runner, but then the massive, muddy downhill appeared, and I pranced down it like a pussy, whilst the Datchet guy shouted that he was coming through, and smashed past me at a terrifying speed.  I really must address my terrible downhill running,

    Anyway, the uphill followed soon afterwards, and I went past him again and opened a decent gap.  Could also see that I was closing fast on the 5th place runner from Windle Valley, and passed him in short order.  It came to a bit of a sharp turn, and I could see that a new clubmate, who has a sub 1:15 to his name, was about 20s behind.  Well, I haven't been beaten by a clubmate since last March, so I wasn't about to let that happen now.  Sped up into the last mile, with the thought I could overhaul 4th, but in the end he was too far ahead.  Managed to summon something of a sprint finish to hold off the Datchet runner, which is a bit unusual for me.

    So 5th is pretty decent.  The 4 ahead have all beaten me before, and I wouldn't expect to be able to match them off a big marathon training week, so I'm pretty pleased all in all.  I actually feel pretty fresh as well.

    I noticed when I finished that I had blood on my leg.  However, I couldn't find the source, so it must have been someone else's...

  • robT, long Sunday, track Tue and Thur is the staple of many athletes, you'll be fine.

  • Thanks Stevie your advice is fully appreciated image

    Dean missed your post sorry mate you know your class so just put it behind you and I do agree get back to the formulae that you and John know works and without any fear of contradiction you'll be smashing it very soon image 

    Anyone doing Alsager 5?

  • DachsDachs ✭✭✭

    Oh, by the way, 30:37, working out at about 5:53 pace

  • We all have those days Dean.

    Tadley was summed up nicely by SG and PMJ. A tree, mostly trail with frozen puddles. Some undulating foresty bits. A massive downhill followed by an energy sapping uphill.

    Then the bit where you can catch out newbies. I knew we were heading for the finish, so upped the pace to meet the group in front. Out of the woods to the LH turn, then round the right passed the buildings then sprint for the line. Obligatory walk across the line as those behind were too far away.

    Tadley seems in previous years (by my placings) to have a good turn out; may be the effect of Jan. I finished 63rd imageimage so well down compared to Sandhurst and HX. However I ran with the same gaggle of people albeit in a slightly different order.

    I think in the run up to Wokingham I need to consider reducing or dropping my Sat long bike, especially if I want to get some good results at Bracknell and Metros.

    Nikki - can you do the XC race as an extended tempo?

     

  • Philip I agree but I've never done a 16 before and also at our tender years just a little concerned but hope to feel fine ready for tue and Thur image

    Dachs brilliant racing on back of a marathon training week very impressive as always

    by the way your 4x3k where fantastic image

  • The BusThe Bus ✭✭✭

    SG/Philip - thanks, will have a think and try to work out a plan to squeeze it all in. I did particularly enjoy the Bracknell one - as much for the atmosphere and post race food as the course itself!

    Rob - I agree with both Stevies image I'd say your planned Tuesday session will be fine to do, but you probably will still feel it in your legs. That said, you are on a different running plane than most of us so it may not! Can't believe that will be your longest run though image

    Nikki - ditto what SG says. Treat the race as a replacement for your tempo. I'd be inclined to make tomorrow a longer, but steady run of 10 miles or so and reduce Tuesday to 5 as recovery. I'd also drop the Friday mileage down to just a leg loosener of 3 or 4 miles to stay fresh for your race. It's always easier to judge someone else's sessions though and only you know how your legs feel!

    Oh, and if you list your week like that it's traditional on this thread to have the Friday as your rest day and list it as off for comedic effect image

     

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