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Poacher, agree with you about the rumness of the event. It is basically a GUCR in reverse and spread out. It is not really a challenge in that sense, it is a marketing event. Some of the runners will knock it off easily but not all have multi-day credentials. I'm a whimp and will do just one leg.
Don’t know how you manage it Badnarik- your bod must be made of something special.
Nice day for running here in Brampton. Staying at a fab B&B. Anything sub 63 will be acceptable but not convinced I can manage it.
Gul amazing solo effort and with a neg split there has to be more to come as it was in a big week too !
Badbark you can't half churn out races goodluck next week .
0054 goodluck today in the 10 miler
Lorenzo - splendid 50K , inc Mam Tor, too - one of the few fell races I've done includes that hill . . .
Badbark - amazing stats, and very pertinent comment "completely niggle and illness free"
hope OO went well . . . .
nowhere near Badbark territory, but pleased to report 11 yesterday & 4 this morning gives me my first 50 mile week of the year, and builds on last weeks 43. So, maybe I'm in the foothills of the comeback . . . .
That's great to hear Birch chuffed for you.
Well Brampton to Carlisle 10 miler almost met expectations with a 63:09. A steady start got me to halfway in 32 mins, then I found another gear and closed out the last 5 miles in 31mins, and taking a lot of places. Avg race pace 6:18 and avg. HR of 145, which is pretty low for me. After the lackluster form and niggles of the last few weeks this was a confidence booster and the most comfortable I've felt in a race for a while, and comes at the end of a 46 mile week. If I can keep my weight down and get some speed back my last 2 races of the year might go a bit better.
BB just as remarkable
Lorenzo - good effort day 1, Mam Tor is quite steep isn’t it
OO great work to finish so strongly
PMJ I think its danger of being touted as some kind of amazing challenge when actually it’s a marketing exercise and not really very difficult for anyone who has the time and the patience. A day on the canal could be lovely though.
Stuck in a freezing cold army barracks this week but got in a few miles tonight in the Thetford forest. Really really dark so the head torch was a life saver
Glad to hear that the comeback is back on track Birch.
Sensible decision Dadagain.
Back down south now after a enjoyable and knackering weekend.
Yesterday's run was shorter but tougher than the day before, following the Pennine Way from Edale to Marsden with climbs up Kinder Scout, Bleaklow Head and Black Hill en route.
Easily the toughest day's racing I've ever done in terms of terrain but very pleased to have finished 5th overall before meeting up with the rest of the family (including elder Lorenzito who'd come over from Manchester) at the end.
Full report to follow.
Rest day today!
PMJ - unofficial certainly works for me, although I would like to return to London one day for some unfinished business, so will need to find a certified course/race someday.
Birch - going great guns! Excellent.
OO - well done, that's a cracking race with a very strong second half.
Poacher - I seriously think that it's easier in a lot of ways. Glad to hear you're making the most of the local countryside.
Lorenzo - brilliant - congratulations on 5th place. That sounds like a really grim route you were following. Look forward to the report once you've rested up!
8 slow miles today.
Quiet here!
8 slow miles this morning. A bit faster than yesterday, but still just in the slow pace range.
Gul - That marathon training run should hopefully give you the confidence to take to a race.
OO - Well done, that's a very good time.
Lorenzo - Congrats on the great position, sounded like a tough event.
Birch - Getting fit for some XC racing?
Bits and bobs here. Managed to get out for a hilly 10k Saturday and 8 miles on Sunday for a decent week for me. About 28 miles in total. I treated myself to a new watch. I got the Suunto Ambit3 run. I'm still getting used to it but I like it and using the HR monitor which is not something I've ever done either so it's keeping things a bit interesting.
6 mile recovery plod last night, and then a decent amount of stretching/foam rolling. Feeling a little creaky after 3 60M weeks for the first time in months!
Enjoy the new watch, GM.
Out of campaign mojo issues here, but pushing through.
Got out for 12 trail miles on Saturday. Quite enjoyed that as I hunted new paths and got lost a couple of times.
Last night I got changed at work and drove straight to the gym in order to avoid dodging a session. Parked up and went for a dark 5 miler. I need a head torch!
Felt OK despite a groin niggle for the past couple of weeks (better today) and was happy to hit 6.45 avg pace.
Got back to the car, changed shirt and hit the gym for a core session. Glad I did it all but didn't want to initially.
I'm trying to do most road based shorter runs at sub-7. The idea being that if I want to do a full mara at 7.00 to 7.05, I'll need to get my body used to it or quicker more often. Specificity, I believe they call it?
Well done on the top 5 Lorenzo. Smashing work!
Jools - not sure I could ever come close to that in a race! Hope your body adapts to the higher mileage once again soon.
GD - sounds like you're keeping busy.
Seem to be getting up later every day this week! I had intended to do an MLR today, but ended up doing 8 miles progressive plus 1 warm-down (7:47, 7:28, 7:20, 7:03, 6:52, 6:43, 6:40, 6:28 & 8:28).
Gul - Maybe your body needs some more recovery time in terms of sleep after your marathon?
Jools - Building back up nicely.
G -Dawg - Crikey, you've got lots of energy.
5k prom lunch run yesterday easy pace and then out at 6am this morning for a hilly 10k in the pitch black down the country lanes, slow pace and doing my best not to get mown down by the reckless driving of delivery drivers speeding down country lanes. So infuriating and dangerous too. Will try get out on lunch today for a another jog.
Poacher - dark forest, head-torch !
Lorenzo - superb placing in such a tough race - respect to you . . .
Gul - the prog 8 maybe of more value than MLR, given your recent training (but speedy) marathon . . . . .
Gerard - please take care on those early dark outings . . . ; yes, well - there is an Open XC on 10 Dec, so I may do this, although a 4 week block nowhere near enough to properly prepare . . . . especially if I weaken, like the last couple of days - rested Monday after the 50 mile week, but then allowed events to get in the way yesterday (I should have gone out early, but didn't, then other stuff got in the way - but that's just excuses) !! Back on to it with 11 this morn.
Club session last night: 4 x 2 mins, 4 x 4 mins, 4 x 2 mins, all off 1 minute. OKpace (6.30s), but could feel the legs were a bit tired.
Stay safe out there GM.
Working from home today but still very busy. Managed to get 5 very windy miles in on the common trails. Ran it as a tempo for an avg of 6.52. Hard going at times.
Will finish work early and then we're off to the O2 to see Depeche Mode, oh yeah!
Tuesday we had a tough session: 18 x 400m off 2min15sec each which left me absolutely shattered and begging our coach for more recovery after about the 5th rep.
Today I just headed out for a gentle 10km and wanted to make sure I could run for a sustained period at the pace I'm supposed to be doing for next weekends 30km (2hr 45min pacer). It was a little cooler this morning than it has been lately and humidity was missing that oppressive edge it sometimes has even on cooler mornings - I was feeling comfortable. Ended up with a fairly progressive run with my slowest km at target pace (5:30) and fastest a bit more rapid (5:01). I'm actually starting to feel like I'm a bit more recovered now. Its been a long 5 weeks since Melbourne Marathon and mentally and physically its been a challenge. Now I cant wait to get out there and build up the training again!
In other news I just heard they've changed the course for the Canberra marathon from previous years and taken out the hilly section between 30-40km to make it a much flatter course. I was already eyeing it up for next April, but now it seems even more like a "lock in" decision!
Darkness and torches? Do you guys not have street lighting where you are? or are you all running on trails? I dont run on trails in the dark (its bad enough telling the difference between tree roots and snakes in the daylight. I'm NOT playing that game after dark!) - That being said Brisbane is blessed with pretty decent networks of concrete cycle and running paths, most of which are well lit. So there's always scope for running in the dark. (Just as well since daylight = fierce sunshine = oppressive heat!)
18*400 dad again, Wow that is tough. I need to do more of that.
HR data is useful but hard to grasp sometimes Gerard. Doesn’t always tie up with how a session felt.
Having a poor week here. Really need to get going as I have a parkrun showdown with junior OO on Saturday. Could be a close one.
Birch - your comeback seems to be going well. I went to the Buxton Opera House about 24 years ago! Hope it was a good concert.
Jools - good club session on tired legs.
GD - you were obviously in depeche mode for your tempo run!
DadAgain - yes, a tough session, just imagine what it would have been like if you had beaten the coach at the weekend!
OO - hope you are ready for parkrun.
If I hadn't been so busy last night I was going to watch a livestream of the latest line-up of The Enid (one for you prog rock dinosaurs, if there are any out there!)
!2 miles this morning, 3 @ 8:30 and 9 @ 7:50 m/m.
OO - I'm sure you'll give Junior a run for her money. You're a 5k specialist.
Gul- Nice dozen banked. How is the body feeling after your marathon run?
5.6 miles along the Prom tonight with an old running buddy who I haven't run with for ages. Nice easy 8:22mm and it just seemed to fly by. There's a 15k race on Sunday, I'm planing on doing it but running with a few friends and not racing. It's out west and takes in some cliff paths so I'm looking forward to a change of scenery and hoping to get my pals around in around 7:3x pace. Should be a nice run, all things being equal.
Depeche Mode last night were amazing. One of the best gigs I've been to, superb!!
Back to the track tonight. 15 x 300m with each rep targeted at under 60 seconds (averaged 57) off 100m walking recoveries. Jelly legs at the end.
GD - good reps - hope your legs have re-set.
9 slow miles this morning.
The canicross running is still a work in progress and I have a new client. As the puppy gets stronger I have realised that canicross running, when at full tilt, is rather like major downhill running. It puts a lot of strain on your lower legs and given my surgery was just over half a year ago, I am taking it cautiously. So for now, I spend equal amounts of time with him harnessed and running loose. Most of those who I canicross with have small dogs for a reason!
Juggling all these commitments inevitably takes time out of your own schedule and I want to make sure I don't compromise my own training. I started my 16 week programme for the Surrey Half this week. I'll be making sure I arrive at the start line undertrained if anything as I would rather play it safe than end up being injured and on the bench. I did a couple of sessions with Julian Goater which reminded me how running fast feels. Oof. Much work to be done!
13 miles this morning. 6 @ 8@44 and 7 @ 7:37 m/m.