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Moraghan Training - Stevie G
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On the plus side, I now have:
1 x 1:11
1 x 1:12
1 x 1:13
1 x 1:14
2 x 1:15
1 x 1:16
1 x 1:17
1 x 1:18
2 x 1:19
(Then nothing until a 1:29, a 1:33 and a 1:35)
So the OCD side of me is happy, even if the rest isn't.
Well done SG nice run, I saw you boring the reporter as I walked through
. Dachs, nice when your off days are still very impressive. I have done 1:19,1:18.....so I could try and emulate that but in the correct order 
.
I was not in TVT kit, James ran 75:2x, he was after a London champ time. We are both considering running round MK Mara just to get a GFA time now. Either that or risk it all on M'head or maybe Cardiff for a sub 75.
There's me feeling chuffed with myself for managing to get 16 miles done today for my long run and then you people batter merely 3 miles less that distance in some awesome times! Not sure how long I could hold sub 6:00 min/mile for but it definitely wouldn't be 13.1 miles
what is it like being able to run that fast for such a long distance? I know that disappointment is realtive to your individual skill level but remember you've just covered 13.1 miles under 1 hour and 20 minutes! To someone like me that is seriously impressive!
inspiring stuff and well done!
Sorry Andrew - sure your post wasn't there when I posted!
Like SG says, good time with a lot more to come off when you get some consistent long runs under your belt without being knocked out by illness and injury.
SG - nice concise report there
. Very good time and a chunk off Wokingham on a slower course by the sound of it, so good form. Shame about those 3 seconds though!
Same for you Dachs - a really good time, though I can understand your slight disappointment given you are capable of much quicker. Plenty more races to come though.
SG, forgotten I'd called you a dickhead. I was in bullish mode beforehand, laughing and joking on the start line. That's usually a bad sign. Glad you were satisfied with that day, I'm sure you can creep back towards that 'outlier' given a bit of consistency. Nice report, with some good consistent miles in there.
AG, really good performance there, I'm sure with more training miles in the bank those times will drop. Definitely impressive to run so much quicker than your Wokingham time off your build up.
Simon, sorry it wasn't quite what you were after. I'm certain you've got one a good bit quicker in you if you get it right. Anyway, track season's looming, and you'll be back in your element soon.
I had also looked up Dean's time, so that's one less person you ruined the surprise for.
I'm just glad that I probably won't run another half for some time. I would need another marathon campaign to give me fresh impetus for another breakthrough at this distance I think.
ric, sounds awful. It's March, sack this XC shit off.
I forgot to say Dachs, you had been under the weather this week too. So the mix of smashing a race 6 weeks ago, combined with that, no wonder you weren't pbing!!
and don't worry, although I'm "fairly" satisfied, I'm aware I need to get back to pb mode. Unfortunately ive set some fast ones relative to my level! So have work to do!
However, very rarely do we simply enjoy the now.
The bit I enjoyed the most, apart from the obvious(!) was that downhill past the college. Band on left hand side, nice long slope, sun out. Glorious.
ru NNer, are you the same guy posting some "Interesting" stuff on clubhouse?
I'd simply say to you it's all relative.
There's guys on here who make me look twobob.
Yet there's 15,000+ from today's race alone who'd love my time!
So it really is all relative!
I should add the level of support today was tremendous. I have never seen so many people lining the streets. I am sure the weather helps but I'd say it was the best half I have run in terms of support and atmosphere.
RuNner, based on your times (quick web stalk reveals all), I am sure you could go sub 80. You have similar times to me over the shorter distances.
AG, it's a funny old course. Incredible support in places. early mile or 2, the college part, obviously the stadium. And then zero in others, but then I suppose some bits aren't the easiest to spectate from.
Hope the guy who got carted through the finish area on a stretcher is ok! Looked a right commotion. Presume he finished and then collapsed or something.
just seen a link to the local paper with the results list.
13,338 finishers.
A marvellously rounded 200th for me.
Shows how the quality has gone up for this one. 37secs slower last year for 152nd, and 2 1/2mins slower in 2011 for 133rd!!
Simon - congrats on the PB. I think you have more in you based on how well you run Xc. Lets be honest you would smash me over Xc so your strength is there. I think we will both be happier moving onto 5k stuff
Dachs - tough day, I think you probably where half expecting it as you were flat this week. But still a great time.
sg - a big step forwards. a good block of training should get you back in the 75s. Must feel good to get back closer to your best.
ag - bearing in mind you have been struggling recently I think it was a result avoiding a dns. So that time looks good to me considering.
Official provisional results are up now.
Yes, that is me rambling and oftentimes trying to stoke some fires. Apologies if I've caused offense as I'm never trying to attack on a personal level but I'm someone who thinks a little too much for his own good (running is important to me for this reason!) Also, I hope that people understand that text can only communicate so much and often meaning is misinterpreted or misconstrued just by virtue of having no visual feedback or tone of voice.
I do try and bare what you've said in mind, to keep it relative, if it's one thing most people have in common here it's a love for running in one way or another. Two years of no mention-worthy running has left me very unfit in terms of CV so I have a ways to go!
Hi, the shorter stuff was a cheat on my part imho; I basically fell back on anaerobic fitness and force of will. Started running as roadwork whilst boxing in the ABA, joined a running club and decided to massage the ego by pretending I was a decent runner when in fact, I had barely any aerobic base. But I'm getting back to it, hopefully a more healthier, happier way this time by focusing on some basic aerobic base work for a few months (lowering my abominable HR at paces) before even adding intervals etc. I don't know if this is the "most efficient" way but I am enjoying my running.
runner , no worries, it seems like you're a thoughtful guy and an actual runner(!) Problem with the clubhouse is a lot of them are just non runners trolling around with new usernames after bannings.So anyone new causes a bit of "who did you used to post as". Welcome aboard.
Dean - I'm moving in the right direction at least, and racked up half of last year's race total by March!
Now stop stalling and get your report up
I think bus is going to upset as I can't build the report to a cliffhanger, now the result is out there
Woke up early and the first thought in my mind was its utd v Liverpool. didnt register its was race day. Dope!
get to wilmslow and warm up, quick jog to the start and ready for action. My plan was to pace at 5.30 which would bring me in for a 72 dead. No reason why 5.30 as I hadn't trained for a half Mara but figured my 10k pace is about 5.10 so 5.30 sounded right. I hoped!
Gun goes and I try to avoid too fast a start. Try but fail I'm doing a low 5 so slow it down to a 5.19 at the marker, calm the next mile and comes in at 5.25. Nice, it's to be expected to be a bit up on fresh legs. A bit of a hill in mile 3 brings it nicely to a 5.30 and I feel good. I have big stu about 40m in front but I let him and that group go they are all after 71s but I figured I could make back the 40m later but if I go now I could crash. I'm leading a big group which has some local pride in it for me, a including a chap who i regularly race over Xc and an international lady who runs for my club. So I had to keep my concentration.
Mile 4 passes uneventfully 5.31. Mile 5 I get the group behind trying to come past but I'm not having it so I push a bit 5.24. I'm feeling fine but was interested at getting to the 10k marker and mat. The group were taking turns to try and come past, included 2 ladies one of which judging by her heavy breathing and panting was listening to the 50 shades audio book. I kept them at bay with a 5.27. And 33.30 @ 10k.
deep down I knew I would get to 10k on track but the pain was yet to come. I am joined by a nice chap who wanted a chat and asked if I wanted help sharing the pace. I said yes! We went through mile 7 and 8 in 5.24 & 5.34, mile 8 had a bit of an incline
the chap I was sharing pacing with upped it to 5.20 and I let him go, my left calf was tightening so I protected it by dropping to a 5.37 for the next 2 miles. so 54.49 @ 10m. 11 secs ahead but I'm in the nuts of the race now, I'm not feeling strong and have slowed in the last 2 miles. Also I had slowed so the group behind were on my shoulder and a few passed by. It was getting bleak.
i dig in but I'm tired, legs screaming at me " why have we not done any fooking half marathon training". I try to take each mile separately and chase the few in front which brings a 5.33. Mile 12 was tough with hills and despite gritting my teeth I was dismayed to read a 5.40 pop up. I knew I was outside my target now, but we are in the last mile so I try to go all in, I manage a hard earned 5.20 last mile, it felt much faster. I can see the clock ticking down as I approach the line, the crowd are loud and as I work near wilmslow there are colleagues in the crowd shouting me on. I pass those chaps who had come past me earlier.
last few metres and my eyes are on the clock and my legs are working hard, 54..55..56.. 57.. Sh*t that clock is counting up fast...58... and I throw myself towards the line as 59 was showing but I came up short as the time was 72.00.
Exactly 5.30 pacing as I planned but those 2 5.37s at mile 9 and 10 killed me Going sub.
A PB by 70 secs so very happy. Truth is I'm probably at the end of my "winging" a half now. I gave everything I had today. To get more will require specific training. I'm not to bothered by that elusive second to go sub as that's just vanity. It's not like its an 800m where seconds are hard to come by. I'm sure I can go again, with specific training and get better.
Cracking time to say the least! But going "sub" a minute is vastly overrated anyway
Interesting to hear the convos the fasties have on route.
A lot more impressive than my "5.50s the last few miles?" slurring to my pal, who slurred back "would be good"
Presume you're embracing the super short stuff now for a few months?
Yes back to safer ground now
, 5k to may, 3k in June then 1500m to August
I quite fancy a 3k again. Just for the pure reason that with some Stevie See esque pacing (rather than slowing lap by lap) there should be a pb there!
Bus/Phil, ideally would have a little gang trip over. Maybe Dachs, Crispy and AG too.
Obviously northern chaps too would make it a real thread mash up, but you reminded me last time you do have as quality a set up a lot closer!!
Johnas, good to hear you're still getting a lot of running in, at a time a lot of people just have to park it completely.
right peeps, I've revelled in the race day magic quite long enough, I best leave everyone in peace and get a sleep in.
Night night SG - sleep well
!
Dean - don't worry about the cliffhanger, the thing I enjoy about your race reports is they make me feel like I was there suffering or high-fiving the crowd with you! Today's is no exception - great report and a brilliant time to boot - for anyone, not just a vet! As Simon said earlier - your range is simply phenomenal! I can only imagine a world where I was doing a 5:40 12th mile in a half and being dismayed with it
. If you didn't have to focus on those pesky 800s and stuff, a sub 70 would be yours for the taking!
Hi Johnas - are you training for a specific race at the mo with the marathon type training?
ps - Mo's half went alright today too
Good runs at Reading all round really from SG,AG and Dachs, folks feeling tired or slightly ill! Shows the benefit of trying to 'hang in there' when it's not going great. It's tough to do though! Off work tomorrow thank god- easy jog I think.
On another note. My training partner just pipped me by 9 mins. Let the side down there
Cheers bus, obviously I'm happy that as a track preference that I can race a decent time at a half Mara, and who knows one day I might have a crack at a full!
simon, no worries about spilling the result early. Saved me coming in early so I concentrate on utd v liverpool
. I'm not at the midlands relays but will plan to do the nationals.
HA! I've never done one that slow. That means I win.*
Some excellent (and mind-boggling) running today, boys. Well done!
*in some sort of parallel universe, where we ignore all the times that are faster than mine, i.e. most of them.
Great races and results (well mostly) all round. Well done guys.
Not really so awful Dachs, more a case of 'rather than getting the result I hoped for', it was getting the result 'I suspected I might get'.
Underlying annoyance, was the structure of the team. I was done again by the system.
It's three to score and for the third time in XC I've been the fourth scorer, so no (team) medal. Just to add to that, but for a few seconds on one occasion, the team took the entire podium and the gold, while I had a year out with the twisted ankle received in the race.
Really I'm in the club (Harrow) for the road relays. However this year, the new (could be old) chairman, overruled a vote of six to one against, in favour of holding the AGM this coming weekend, which wiped out our clubs chances at the Southern 12 stage. Which does in chances for the nationals also. Not good.
My wife is going along to watch the fun. Apparently, every position is up for grabs. "Come back as the new Chairman if you can".
Race report with a difference next.
🙂
Right then pictures tell a 1000 words.
I have some. I went to the course two days before the race for a recce, and took them at the relevant points.
I sent these to the team manager who I assumed would forward them to the rest of those running. He didn't!
So
Looking back towards the start.
How I like it, sub 6's along here.
Gets awkward. Around this corner on the left it goes down, and I slow down.
At the bottom of the hill, we turn left. All rock solid, not nice for a cautious type.
Some typical ruts and tree roots to add to the fun.
I'm ok along here, catch loads.
Some more ruts before turning back up the hill.
Hardly a hill is it?
I just didn't have the nerve to sprint down.
And some soft stuff before the finish.
Two laps and we're done.
All I can say really was that I seemed to spend the entire race either peering at where my feet were destined to land, or taking evasive action against other runners. Not really my type of competition I guess.
🙂
Good running over the weekend by all and cracking result Dean!
You would think so, but 30 seconds in Excel shows that 304 people finished Reading Half in 1:59:xx and 206 with 2:00:xx so clearly there is a preference for such. The mean finish time was 2:00:54 (median 1:58:33) so I would debate the term quality. Clearly there are races within races so the vast majority of the participants are there for a bucket list and the organisers do well to deliver such. Slowest runner almost 4 hours and there was so much fuss on social media with a runner who was quizzed when running at 12 minute pace.