Moraghan Training - Stevie G

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  • PhilipMJonesPhilipMJones ✭✭✭
    edited July 2017
    I did 2 hours 10 today and that is the first run over two hours this year. Not very long, just short of 14 miles, but lots of hills and mostly off road on technical paths, average pace 9:36 tells the tale. Got just under 2,000 feet of climbing done and bus barely managed 2,400 in 50 miles on his bike.
  • The BusThe Bus ✭✭✭
    Lol - I was trying to find some flat for the first half Philip! Very nice run though, especially on such a sticky day. Likewise SG - good work in the heat. Ignore Mr OG - he's been on the beer again. Where's he been anyway?

    My physio is under no illusions about the cycling - he just accepts it isn't a contributory factor. Nice walk by the Thames this afternoon, followed by a load of rehab - bit different to the usual stretches, as they are actually bloody hard work and definitely will be keeping the legs strong.

  • Cheers both, hope you can get going properly soon Ric. Good biking Bus, must be frustrating not running mate. Go on shave your legs, im sure that's half the reason cycling and triathlon is so popular, a good excuse to go hairless :)

    tortuous 12 miler up to Dunstable downs today, really warm and hilly. Got some new Adidas a supernova boost as the Glide are no more. Not impressed, too squishy. 
  • Reg WandReg Wand ✭✭✭
    I have shaved legs Bus, only in race season though!

    Nice 3,000 SC. That's a cracking bike week Bus, I know the injury is frustrating but at least the weather is great for getting out on the bike.

    Race report to follow for my weekend, it's a long one for me, as I have had a great time. The running bit is last if you want to gloss over the triathlon stuff :)

  • Reg WandReg Wand ✭✭✭
    edited July 2017

    So my big weekend. Not sure I made it clear but it was the Long Course Weekend in Tenby, basically an Ironman over three days. The swim on Friday (2.4 miles), bike Saturday (112 miles) and Marathon Sunday.

    With the club championship 10 mile time trial on Thursday this had somehow turned into 4 days of consecutive races. I got a call at work from the wife informing me that all the trains from Paddington were cancelled so she had to traipse across town to Waterloo. By the time I had collected her I just had time to dash to the TT and no time to warm up. On a hot evening I still managed to equal my PB 21:52 and took the prize for fastest vet. Annoyingly my club rival in the open category beat me by 1 second, the twat. More annoyingly I had now developed a cold, great, a sore throat and three days of snot rocketing and poor sleep.

    Anyway as a consequence of all this I was completely disorganised and unpacked so we didn't leave for Wales until 12pm the next day with registration for the swim at 6pm in Tenby. Typically we got stuck in traffic on the M4 and had to go direct to registration rather than dropping off the children at Nanna's gaff. I eventually got to registration at 17:51 with 9 minutes to spare and just over an hour to the swim start.

    Swim

    The scene was amazing at the beach, a beautiful evening and hundreds if not thousands watching from the beach and the cliffs above. As the hooter goes everyone dashes for the water and I tell myself to relax, the water is cold but in a nice way but as it hits my sore throat it stings. Fireworks go off and the noise is deafening even with my ears insulated by the water. As the pyrotechnics continue the associated smoke descends to the sea making it even harder to see and giving off an atmospheric smell. I felt like I was in the opening scene from Saving Private Ryan but with more chance of being hit.

    The swim is two laps of 1.2 miles and the current means the swim out to the first point of a triangle takes roughly half the time. I realise I hate salt water and negative thoughts flood my mind all too often. “You’ve got a cold, your throat hurts and it’s just a training weekend,” I consider the prospect of doing just one lap but as we reach the beach the noisy crowd usher me back into the sea for lap 2 and I am committed now. I’d glanced at my watch 31:xx was all I saw, a couple of minutes faster than I’ve swum before. The second lap is less crowded, it makes for a calmer swim but there’s also less feet to draft off. My shoulder starts to hurt and I start to fatigue, I am down to swimming with one and a half arms now. As I exit the water there’s a run on the sand before the finish line and again the crowds are several people deep. I finish in 1:06:30, two minutes ahead of my prediction and in 114th place.
  • Reg WandReg Wand ✭✭✭
    edited July 2017
    Bike

    I meet up with the wife and we walk for miles to get to the car before driving to the Mother-in-laws. After a crap nights sleep it’s onto day 2 and the Wales Sportive, 112 miles of relentlessly steep hills. The weather was lovely and the wind gentle. I started at 9am and we head out along the coast to Pembroke and beyond before returning and doing two laps around the Pembrokeshire countryside, each lap finishing back in Tenby. Again the support is amazing. I got in a group of 4 or 5 early on and after a bit of cajoling we share the work. As I push at the front I go round a blind corner and a kid on a bike is cycling towards us on the wrong side of the road, I am on the aero bars and have to swerve ono the other side of the road just missing the little twit. Thankfully the next few hours are less eventful  The hills really start to bite in the second half and I have to ease of on the descents because my brake pad on the front has been worn so much I now only have a back brake. As I plummet down a steep hill I have to brake hard and the back wheel skids out and flips side ways but I manage to catch it and from then on I have to feather the brakes to maintain a sensible speed down all the hills. As we go through the steep, timed climb through the seaside town of Saundersfoot, I have to resist the temptation to have a crack at the KOM. 112 miles really is a long way, especially with so many hills and I am relieved to get back to Tenby and ride through the finishing chute to be treated by music and crowds that only the London Marathon could match for atmosphere. I felt strong to the end and didn’t push too hard but I was riding alone for the last 90 minutes, apart from the hundreds of people I was passing. My bike split was 6th fastest, averaging 20mph and finishing in 5:35:45. I had now moved up from 114th place after the swim to 9th overall.

  • Reg WandReg Wand ✭✭✭
    edited July 2017
    Run

    I’d always considered top 10 was a possibility but I’d need to do the marathon to achieve it and that would be down right silly! After an even worse sleep, sharing a bed with my wife and youngest daughter, who sleeps like a ticking clock hand, I decided I may as well give it a go. What’s the worst that can happen. Again the weather is good and I jump into the car to redo the 30 minute drive back to Tenby, a route that’s becoming all too familiar now. The drive over is adjacent to to the marathon course so I get a few sneak previews of what’s in store. I arrive with minutes to spare and I think I need a wee so I try a couple of cafes, as I mess about asking people where the toilets are (there weren’t any) I hear the PA run through the top 10. I hear my name and I grin, I decide to jump the barrier and line up near the front. I catch up with a mate and we attempt to reaffirm our promise to run easy, it’s just a training run is the mantra. The potential winner and pro Ironman is a row in front and in front of him the tv cameras.

    Gun goes and we do a loop around the town, the field isn’t exactly stacked with quality, I suspect the difficulty of the course and the time of year being the main reason. Plan A was to do 3:30 pace, I have about 10 weeks at 20 odd miles and some bits and pieces so I need to be conservative but I start a bit quicker. First 5k is up in 21:44 and it sees us head out of town but it’s been net downhill, my legs don’t feel fresh but they don’t feel bad either. 

    As we hit the countryside everyone has settled and I’m in a group of 3. There’s an older guy, experienced runner of 53 doing his 4th marathon this year and another chap form Swansea, all 3 of us looking for 3:30ish but we’re ticking along a bit quicker than that. A few come past us including one chap who recognises my vest, he’s just joined our club and I explain to him that he’s not allowed to join if he’s going to run faster than me. The second 5k is uphill and slows the pace to 24:30 but I don’t notice as I’m too busy chatting, it’s not until I see the 8 mile mark that I really notice where we are and the third 5k is up in 22:54.

    There’s the odd twinge but I am holding back and feel good, we’re still in the same group and closing on the group in front containing my future clubmate, just the notion that he’s joining has made me want to beat him, training run or not. There’s a bit less chat now as I push the pace to catch the new fish. The halfway mark is at Pembroke, the half marathoners get the bus out there to do the second half of the marathon course, starting 2 hours after the marathon start. It works brilliantly as we run through the town it’s buzzing with runners getting ready for their own race and the noise gives you a boost. Swansea darts ahead from nowhere, he’s got excited as his mates are doing the half and give him a big cheer. We’re through halfway in about 1:36 with a 22:01 5K and with the hillier half to come.

    We’ve moved ahead of my new clubmate now and I push the pace a little so they don’t hang on to us, Swansea drops off and we hit the first hill of the second half and now it’s just me and Paul, the older chap. We keep a good pace and go past two more on the hill and go through 25k with a 22:37 split and we head out towards the coast. We’re still chatting away, he’s old school and doesn’t need a watch, we get the Steve Jones/Ron Hill chat and how the current crop are a bit crap but I forgive him for his Victor Meldrew moment, his probably right. The scenery is beautiful as we hit the high point and look over at the beach below and the cliffs in the background, it hurts a bit now but this is still better than being in the office.

    This is the pretty and hilly bit but we clock a 22:13 to go through 30k and descend to the foot of Manorbier castle, another highlight in a lovely course. This is where the 10k starts, again it follows the remaining route and again the cheers and support are a real boost and a testament to the organisation as the 10k race runners prepare to head off. There’s a steep climb up past the castle and Paul suggests he’s can’t stay with it but as we go through the water station he’s back like Lazarus. The climbs at this point slow the pace to 23:36 as we go through 35km but we still pass a couple of fading runners. Into the last 5k and the first mile is downhill which is a welcome relief and gets us within striking distance of the finish. We thank each other for the company having run together since about 2-3 miles and make the final climb into the town. My mind turns to the finish line photos and timing my finish to get the carpet to myself I put in a burst to leave Paul to finish alone and it takes me past another chap. The finish was fantastic with a long run on the red carpet and a big crown supporting. I crossed the line and turned to wait for Paul. It’s not often you are happy to put your arm round another sweaty stranger but that’s the beauty of events like this and doing it on a beautiful course without the pressure of running a time was revealing to me, I think we often obsess too much about running times when running time somewhere stunning is just, if not more rewarding.

    I finished in 3:13:30, 12th in the Marathon and 7th overall and 9:55:45 for the three events. It’s possibly the best event I’ve done for value and organisation and you get 4 medals to boot. Pretty good for a training weekend.

  • Brilliant performance Reg and longest report I've read - great stuff!

    SG - Got the lap times wrong = too tired to think last night..

  • The BusThe Bus ✭✭✭

    Amazing stuff Reg! The speed of your bike leg on that terrain is just astounding and finishing off with a 3:13 marathon off next to bugger all running training confirms your natural resilience as well as the benefits of cross training.

  • Reg WandReg Wand ✭✭✭
    Thanks, I apologise for the long report but I was still buzzing last night so was reliving it.
  • PeteMPeteM ✭✭✭
    Astounding performance AG and don't apologize; long reports are what we come on here for and you have clearly learnt something from SG
  • PeteMPeteM ✭✭✭
    Followed the Bus route myself last week. 135 miles on the bikes but only about 12 running. Hardest was the 25 miles offroad in Swinley on my new hybrid despite the av speed being 5mph less than on the roadie at only 12.5mph. Did do the toughest parkrun in the area (a real xc type course) on Saturday in 19'45 so not too bad. 
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Proper report. None of this summing the whole thing up in a one liner nonsense. Got to set the scene a bit, or a lot.

    The thing that leapt out, like Bus says is your great ability to stick in there with a huge length run when it barely seems yesterday you were doing next to zero running. You've got a good range, good speed on the xc/5k stuff, and also ability to stick in there fairly comfortably whatever distance.

    And, although it's hard to ignore, it has to be repeated how hot and humid it is at the moment. Certainly not the peak time to be running or racing long!

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Which one Pete? Thame, or somewhere else?

    A local pal was trying to persuade me to do the Wycombe half yesterday! Different course since the one i had my fun on, but from a view of the course video, it looks like the exact type of course i wouldn't want to do, especially in these conditions. And that goes for the 10k too. Even ending at my home town team's stadium doesn't for a second sweeten the idea!

    Race schedule wise, i have the Mile hill race in Wales in less than 4 weeks as a certainty, but completely open to stuff in the middle. Probably nothing further than 5k though.

  • One of our training group had to stop doing the New Forest 10 for a bit yesterday because he got a bit breathless in the heat, our coach this morning was saying he really thinks organisers should think about the distances of these events if they put them on in the summer - as it generally effects the more novice runners more than 'experienced pros' like us.

    Perhaps 10k tops in the summer - I certainly won't do anything longer in the summer apart from a Sunday run, if organisers want longer distances they might think about putting them on in the winter.  

  • DachsDachs ✭✭✭

    Great racing and reporting Reg, but WHERE DID YOU PARK?  Having recently parked in Tenby, this information would actually mean something to me for once.

    Love the enthusiasm for the whole thing, the turning up late and plunging into the water, the deciding on the hoof to do a full marathon off Jade Goody-level training.  Fantastic stuff.  A really creditable top 10 out of it too, after non-ideal build up.

    What was your wife doing the whole time though?

    Fine 3000 there too Simon.

    Had a rare Friday down t'track, where I cranked out a nifty 5 mile tempo in some searing heat.  Then a 13, also in some searing heat, in the park on Saturday.  Reading AC were clearly hosting a SAL match in the park at the same time, as I was minding my own business cranking out a long run, when suddenly a Hillingdon AC chap I've raced against a few times came tearing past me doing his warm-up.  Bit disorientating until I worked out what was up.  Then 10 x 300 yesterday.

    Biggest exertion of the weekend though was trying to drill holes through thick porcelain bathroom tiles.  Approximately one hour per hole.  My weekend's labours amounted to one toilet roll dispenser and one towel hook.  Awful.

  • PeteMPeteM ✭✭✭
    Homewood SG; its moved from the original location to woods nearby in Ottershaw but still close to J11 of the M25 if you ever fancy it. Steep climb on all 3 laps and loads of sharp turns, tree routes, uneven ground the lot. Thame may be harder I don't know it but would count that as Midlands
  • Reg WandReg Wand ✭✭✭
    Parking is plentiful in Tenby Dachs, if you don't mind being a mile away from the start. The great thing about bike races/sportives/Tris is you can park a mile or two away and just spin to the start.

    My wife was with her Mother drinking wine and playing with the children. 

    Nice biking/PR Pete.

    I noticed Reading AC are holding a mile festival in August. It must have been on my FB feed.

    My legs feel pretty good today considering. I am hoping the Marathon is going to make it on to PO10 so I can open my account for 2017.


  • RicFRicF ✭✭✭
    Great result Reg, and an epic report. 
    Being able to convince the reader they themselves are in the race is a skill. I very nearly drowned.

    Dachs. You didn't try drilling the finished size hole from the start by any chance?

    🙂

  • RicFRicF ✭✭✭
    How about the new world record for the one mile walk?
    Only 5:31. I don't think so. My recording shows the culprit running; albeit in a strange way, the entire distance.
    Top end race walking is a total joke. The amount of time they spend completely airborne proves they are running. They should re-name the activity runking. Not worth a w**k. (That's not walk either).

    🙂

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    A farcical event. One that looks like they are in the throes of filling their pants with brown.
  • Reg WandReg Wand ✭✭✭
    edited July 2017
    Thanks Ric. I saw that mile walk and have to agree, now if he were to do it juggling, well that would be different.
  • Yeah. Race walking isn't going to last much longer I reckon as an event. It can't do surely. 
  • RicFRicF ✭✭✭
    edited July 2017
    Stevie G said:
    A farcical event. One that looks like they are in the throes of filling their pants with brown.
    A truly epic condemnation if ever there was one.
    I damn near joined them  :D .

    Laughing at your reply SG, not walking.

    If there was any doubt.

    Only race walking story worth relating was the one where an international (walker) tried a 10 mile road race (running). He did a low 49 minutes.
    Asked why he wasn't a runner, he replied that 49 is no good, he'd need 46/47 minutes to compete.
    That's why he was a walker.

    Probably the sort who takes up golf and gives up in frustration 3 weeks later because he was still on a handicap of 6.

    🙂

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2017
    i await the next generation that look at my times as some sort of incredible displays :)

    Decided not to do the last summer series race tonight for a few reasons. Furthest race from home, didn't like the sound of a 2 lap grassy course and won the last one i did, so probably a good way to see off the series.
    I also want the next 5k(s) to be fast ones that I can have a crack at sub 17/outside crack at the pb

    Therefore, thought it best to dip back into the track gently, for my first sessions since the relay, the shorter of the 200 sessions i do, the 10x200 at 1500 off 90secs.

    Don't get it twisted by heroes like Simon doing 35s for 30 reps. Remember he'd be doing 10 in probably 30/31s :)

    I generally do the 10x in 33s and the 16 by in 34s.
    Very humid today, and i'm probably slightly rusty, so came out with reps starting at
    32x1
    33x4
    34x5

    A great time effective session, i think i best make the cut off either mid or end of August, and then come September best get back into some tempos for 4-6weeks with a view to perhaps some longer stuff later Oct/Nov.
     
  • DachsDachs ✭✭✭

    It would be a shame to lose race walking.  You haven't known comedy until you've stood in the stands at the Vet's League watching a 2K race walk.  Particularly when a number of your clubmates are giving it a go.  Highlight was watching a 'sprint finish' between someone with a 33 minute 10K PB and someone more used to running in the high 40s.  Racewalking - the great leveller.

    Ric, hard to drill a smaller hole through the tile first when I only need a 6-8mm hole in the first place.  Tile drill bits only go down to 5mm, and that one snapped off within 20 seconds of starting to use it!

  • Reg WandReg Wand ✭✭✭
    Dachs - I assume you are using a specialised diamond tipped drill bit? I've drilled through porcelain without too much trouble.
  • DachsDachs ✭✭✭

    Reg, yes, now using a diamond tipped bit.  Still taking close to an hour per hole.

    These tiles are Italian, and therefore stubborn and uncooperative by nature.

  • The BusThe Bus ✭✭✭

    Probably need to use the reverse gear on the drill then!

    I had to do some drilling into Italian porcelain to fit a blind. You may already be doing this, but just in case - masking tape on the surface (to stop the drill built moving) then tap a small hole with a nail get through the surface. Drill on a high torque, low speed setting and not on the hammer setting...

    Bike this morning. Some pain in leg at the end, which I think is because of the exercises. Physio is recommending a couple of days of no exercise this week, then trying a short run Saturday.

    Nice session by the way SG.


  • Christ they'll be asking 'So what car are you driving these days then Malcolm?' still got the Sierra?

    Only because I'm a rubbish 'bloke'. Can't do DIY to save my life, bit useless around the house. Apparently being blokey by watching football and drinking isn't quite the same says the missus. The cheek!

    Looking forward to a wet night running around a rugby pitch by the M1 in Luton tonight..mmm..

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