Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
Options
Moraghan Training - Stevie G
The materials in this website are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor, qualified personal trainer, therapist, dietitian or nutritionist Runners's World, Part of the Hearst UK well-being network © Copyright 2017
Comments
13 easy this morning mainly off-road. Complete mix of pace as some of the tracks were almost impassable due to the churning from horse riders.
That's a sharp pace to keep ticking over for so long there Matt!
Disappointed you didn't do some sort of gag around bitch, and "also" the one behind the leash
Last TVXC of the season then today
Didn't especially fancy it, but then that's the usual for these! Had raced here 4 times before, but as far back as 08x2, 10 and 2012 last time out - 6 years!
Parking used to be tough here, but now it's even more packed. Getting there 1hr 15 before the start, I was pretty much getting the last space in the overflow carpark! Although later on I noticed people had just created their own spaces in the woods!
It's a course I don't think I've ever felt amazing on, even though it's a little of a headscratcher, as if you were compiling the toughest of every feature across the series, this wouldn't really get near the list,
Perhaps the 2 lap nature doesn't help, but in theory there's a lot of "runnable" sections, unlike some of the courses.
Felt ok legs wise after a couple of minor little tightnesses, but could feel this little rib ache still, which seems to make breathing sound more than the effort level.
Anyway, we needed a good men's showing to see off Windle for the men's trophy, after seeing them fairly comfortably see out the overall in the end.
We had pretty much our best lineup, 4 from the top 8 last race, with Chris B also back, and I was looking at coming 5th home from the club alone! Rob F who is still injured really still got in his gear as Chris B hadn't turned up with 10mins to the start, as well as a healthy little section of guys just below the usual scoring team for strong backup.
Windle's team tried some footy style chanting on the start line, which made me chuckle.
Slightly alarmed to hear that the start made it a longer course. Sounds strange, but 5.5miles feels psychologically a lot different to 6 or more! You can con yourself it's "Just over 5miles", rather than "almost 10k".
It felt like a long walk to the new start, with Dave Lee assuring me we didn't need to be right near the front as it'd all turn round and we'd start back the way we just walked! Wrong! So quickly got on the front line.
Short delay, and thankfully not as chillingly cold as last time, and we were off.
Maximum chuckles provided by Handy Cross's Dom again, leading ridiculously for 1/4mile (before coming 20s). Went past at 0.32m and gave him a well done
Still up with clubmate Rob B at this point, but could tell I wouldn't be maintaining this so eased off (he came 4th so I certainly got that right!). Must have had a stormer at Reading / him less so!
It used to be 5mins into a lap, now 7mins, the main hill comes into view.
It's not that bad to be honest, even though you crawl up it. Couple of mins and you're at the top of a valley, and get a nice straight 100m, and very fast 200metres down.
Then out into a different part of the park, on little ledges in a field.
Chris B came past here. saying something about working together, but that was never happening. I've been here a few times on this course, Chris likes to start slow and cut through the field, rather than taking it on from the off. I wouldn't dare try that as i'd probably just settle for where I was!
End of this section, and the steep second hill, only 30seconds worth, but a real crawl at the top, and then scrape through some sharp bushes as you're too feeble to move your body
Round a couple of bends, and a section round a lake. Got stampeded a little here which shocked me, 2 or 3 I should definitely be beating came past. What the absolute '@#@ I thought, knowing there was a second lap to come.
After the lake bit, there's a very gently inclining trail to take you back to the usual start area, and I'd taken back these positions at least, although Alistair from Wargrave had gone by. No disaster - we've had many a battle, going either way. Mostly me going off ahead, him catching up midway, then either extending that lead, or me smashing by late on. Reading XC was different as I got a big lead that time on a particularly glory run!
Anyway, lap 2. Had warmed up a bit (do I need to look at these warmups a bit more, or is 1.5miles plenty? - may look at the previous style of Friday off, Sat light run with strides pre-Wokingham), and although the hills were even more of a slog you have the great feeling of the distance to go reducing!
I did have the unusual feeling that the legs felt slightly tired, maybe that's an ever so slightest cold, or maybe i'm overanalysing!
The last few miles were pretty much a convoy, without any real position changes my end. Constantly hearing marshals shouting "go on Sandhurst" told me I must keep it honest to not let Mark FS (presumably) back in.
Another marshal told me there were a gang closing in on me down the final trail, but I think he was mistaking some 1st lap people, or just having a chuckle at me, as crossing the line, had plenty of room.
Then saw it wasn't even Mark from Sandhurst
Over the line, and delighted to see out the series, as I foolishly (bearing in mind how appallingly hard it is to get this white shirt clean) lay in some mud for a good 5mins.
Legs felt strangely battered today, despite it not being the super hard climbs of Handy Cross, or the really tough deep mud of the last two. Off pretty much 50 hours rest too (Friday's run being done by 9)
6.30 pace for 5.8miles in the end, shows the difference versus 6.57 for 8th at Tadley!
Our boys came in 1,3,4,11 and then me in 14 and with Rob F ahead of our 2nd vet from Tadley, a comprehensive showing to keep the men's trophy.
Well done to Windle who win the main one (and I think women's one).
7 events over 3 1/2 - 4months, pleased to have turned out at 5. Certainly hadn't intended to! The two I missed, one was due to October feeling too early, and one due to wisdom tooth extraction!
13,15,8,8,14 the 5 scores.
Reading clearly the top performance, Tadley also a decent, albeit solo one, today a bit more in the "That'll do" category with the others.
Hope the rib ache goes, as I would like to feel the breathing versus effort a little better, but I've probably been saying similar for years now.
2 weeks to Wokingham now, I look forward to nice firm ground! I remember having a real hard slog of an Xc the week before Wokingham 3 years ago, then having a good half. So hopefully a decent one leads to a good one!
6 races logged in 2018, first race last year was March 3rd, so have made a good start in pursuing a year record of 25.
ML, another brisk effort in the bag. I've tried the canal runs myself but found the surfaces a nasty MT version of a road. And too many dullards with their attendant shit machines.
I remember soon after I started running, I was going along a sea front when a dog (SM) decided to have a go. I felt a kick in it's teeth would put it off but clearly the git had experience of this and evaded my incoming foot with a stunning leap sideways...right over the edge.
I had to run for as it's irate owner took time off from telling it's kids to fuck off and direct the abuse my way instead. The dog would have been ok...if it had survived the drop.
SG, another XC race in the bag and another stellar report. Makes me glad I don't run the things anymore. Always a good read.
Just waiting for reports of others exploits over the weekend. Nothing much from me apart from some standard slow miles.
🙂
Nice running from you too ML, especially after a long day at a wedding! I can hardly face running after a session on the sauce, so to whack out 22 is great.
Great report SG, well done on the XC and that's the series finished! Time to knuckle down for Wokingham
Long run for me on Saturday - 15mi at 8:06/mi and 77.1%HR. All the climbs were in the last 5mi, and struggled to get a rein on HR after that. Felt really good to get the miles in the bag though, shame the weather wasn't on my side!
Yesterday was just an easy effort, 7.4mi at 7:44/mi for 75.2%HR - legs a bit tired, but soon woke up.
Finished with a 46.7mi week, biggest week since mid-Sept! Aim to string a few of these together in the build up to Reading.
Like Ric, looking forward to reading the other reports!
Nice one MH - Reading build up coming along nicely, another great report SG, well done with the team win.
So, up early again Suday moning to get from Pompey to Chichester, the missus dropped me off before the race course so her and the kid could do the Jnr parkrun in Chichester. Got there a little late for a 9.30 start at 8.40, so quickly did a little warm up and met Dachs on the way back, so we had a little jog and chat before going to prepare for the race. Sadly only had time for a couple of strides before we were marched to the start line.
Went off quite steadily, think it was 3.05 for the first k, Dachs already pushing on. I had noticed James Skinner from Haywards Heath at the start as he had won the masters xc in Oxford and we ran half of the race together. Its a pretty flat course, I was going ok, I think 3k in 10.49nand then you reach the most eastern part of the course and go up a slight incline, which was where I felt most comfortable for some bizarre reason. At least for now we were out of the wind which was with us from about 2-4k, going back westwards through 5k (in 16.23 I think). Then there's a nice left turn slightly downhill to the entrance of the racecourse again, which leaves you 3.5k to do (one lap). In theory so far this is great as it's pan flat. But on windy day like Sunday..it's hell. Skinner had already left me..and I knew that Katrina Wootton wasn't far behind. I tried to dig in, but felt like I was going over 7m/miling at somepoints. Anyway, Katrina came past and I managed to stay relatively close and drag myself over the line in 33.27.
Had a warm down with Dachs and found out luckily I had nabbed 3rd V40 and a voucher for £70 which was a nice surprise. Had a nice chat with Skinner again, and also Katrina and her other half, the missus has known her for years as she was previously Bedford & Co.
So bit miffed with the time, but conditions not ideal. Bonus of a decent prize and qualifiying for the Brum 10k masters thing and another England vest. Mustn't grumble.
It sounds quite a different course to the Chichester 10k i did twice a few years ago. No 1/2km hill to start things off? No nice downhill last km then? Shame to make such a change.
Matth, good to get a 15 in isn't it. Feels a proper stonking long run.
Ric, i certainly am pleased to see the back of the XC series! Let's get Wokingham done, and i look forward to a tonneload of short sharp races.
Matt Head - 15m seems like a very long run to me....great stuff
SG - congrats on the XC team win
Simon - to be honest that race is only about the qualifying for the vest and less about the time as you can run another for a faster time. Congrats on the England vest. the start list is up for Madrid...I have your old nemesis Gilbert and Simms plus O'Shea whose quick over 800. Supposed to be racing tomorrow but have a slight Achilles issue so will make a call in the morning if I run.
Ran 10 miles off road this morning myself with the idea I'll do a few more on the road later.
🙂
Another weekend and another epic report SG. I wanted to run Sunday but I have been coughing and spluttering for weeks now and I just knew it would be a miserable experience.
Good run at Chichester SC, congrats on the vest.
I have been suffering the lurgy for weeks now. Only managed two slow runs last week and 8 miles at lunch today which was a real struggle. I won't be running Wokingham unless this shifts pronto. Even if it does I'll be toeing the line with no idea or expectations.
Another monster report from SG there. My memory of the Bracknell course is that there's hardly anywhere to overtake, so once you're in a position, it's hard to change. Sounds like a decent team result for Datchet too.
Good dog-battling from MattL
Nice pace on the long run there Bus. Nice one too Matt H, hills in the last few miles will have done you good.
Simon, presumably you didn't go through 3k in 10:49 and then 5k in 16:23?! If you did, kudos!
So, Chichester 10K was going to be my serious sub 32 attempt. Well, my latest one at least. I'd tried to aim specifically for this and taper off. Even in ideal conditions sub 32 would have been marginal at best, so you can imagine my delight when I showed up on the exposed airfield and realised it was windy as hell.
Since I won't be available for the England race, there was no consolation plan B of getting the England vest, so just stuck to plan A and went off fast. Everyone went off fast. I don't really do splits, but I'm pretty sure mile 1 (mostly with the wind at my back) was sub 5. Found myself isolated between groups, so upped the pace in order to latch onto the back of a group. Then that group promptly all slowed down, so I had to go past with a couple of others. Thought this might be an OK little group to work with, but they slowed down too. A long stretch into the wind but at least somewhat sheltered by hedges gave a taste of things to come, and I was relieved to turn left and get the crosswind instead.
Thought I was flying, given that I was going past everyone, but there was a bloke at 5K shouting out splits, and I got 16:13. Uh-oh, can't see myself cranking out a 15:46 from here. At just over 6K, you get a brief lift as you pass the racetrack grandstand near the finish line, but then it's onto the lonely windswept racetrack/airfield. Urgh, shades of the horrid Southern relays from 2016. I'm pretty sure I'm the leading V40, but there's a Brighton vest ahead. Hope it's not that pesky Bristow.
Desperately trying to latch onto the blue vest ahead so I can get some shelter, but can't make up the gap. Turning into the wind, it's a real battle. When will it end? But end it does. A cheeky Belgrave vest comes flying past, but whatever, I'm past caring. I believe I'm going to do mid 32, so it is something of an unpleasant surprise to see the clock tick past 32:55 as I cross the line.
Final results 12th in 32:57.
However, the silver lining is winning the V40 prize, and it's not a bad V40 field given it's a qualification race. Decent value prize too.
Disgusted to hear the first two broke 30. Maybe the wind wasn't as bad as I thought?
Anyway, I suspect even without the wind I was kidding myself that sub 32 was on. Guess I'm just not really in that shape at the moment. Will just have to have another crack.
Think this would be a really good course on a still day. They describe it as 'undulating', but I don't recall any rises of any significance. The problem is that still days are like gold dust...
Nice week's work that Matthew. Once you string a few together of that sort of distance you really start to feel strong.
Nice XCing SG and another epic report
Good work Simon - must have been deeply unpleasant on the coast yesterday as the wind was icy as well as strong!
I've taken a couple of days off as my legs are feeling like lead. I worked it out I've averaged 50+ mpw for 25 weeks, which is my longest ever sustained period of miles! Still not managed to lose the Christmas weight though!
Tiredness wasn't helped today by a slightly traumatic day yesterday and little sleep. I spent a good chunk of it in A&E. I was watching my son in a rugby match , when I saw him limping after a tackle. He went back into a maul, and then shortly came off, hobbling badly, with blood streaming down his leg . I'd just lost my contact lens, so couldn't see how bad it was, but we had to walk miles to the first aid room, where it took two dressings to stop the blood. Once I had put another lens in and we got it cleaned up in A&E I could see just how bad it was - a big chunk of flesh torn by a stud almost down to the bone - needed 5 stitches, poor lad!
Difficult week to fit decent miles in this week, so just as well I'm billing it as a mini-taper before Wokingham
Bus, hope your lad heals up fast. I would have barred my lad from going anywhere near a rugby field until his sports teacher gave him the option of running instead. Handy.
🙂
How anyone plays rugby for a long spell I do not know. When half the game is about smashing people, you have be pretty tough!
I suppose you do avoid the injuries caused from someone leaping in at you or kicking you with metal studs though.
dachs - tough race conditions...maybe that sub 5 first mile hurt the back end of your race once the conditions took hold. Im sure you will get your reward of a sub 32 soon enough and will seem to come out of a leap like your 69 half did. Anyways taking the rewards of a v40 prize must have been a nice outcome.
Bad news to minibus. Hope that leg heals quickly. I used to play a bit of Rugby at school, there is nothing like people trying to flatten you to sprint as fast as you can to avoid them. My teacher stopped me playing Rugby and made me do laps of the fields and woods for XC practice instead once I started winning XC races against the older boys. Not sure what was more dangerous out kicking the older boys in XC or playing rugby. both would run risk of bruises
Reg hope that Lurgy clears sharpish. you seem to have been hit by a bad run of it recently.
Dean - Great racing and it is early in season. I think you were wise to think of the bigger plan!
I saw the Chichester results. We are always keeping tabs on other localish events of course. Knew you weren't happy with that Dachs but it'll come. I think with the exception of the 1st 2 freaks it was a "slower" day. I know a few soton boys will be at Wokey for sub 7- attempt.
Matt H - Good mileage week and progress!! Loving the HR stats still
IOWER - Very hard and awkward to get to races I know, which is why running (races too) suffers on the IOW, hard whilst having some of the best lads in the country right now (Henry Mckluckie and Matt Sharp) Gosport 5KM series starting up soon keep an eye out??
Maybe a market to get a 5KM summer race along the seafront? Appley or Sandown to Shanklin?
Incredible mileage and run by Matt L again.
What's mental is you've done pretty much the same in the last week as I have in the last year
Adding my mileage from April last year, I'm sat under 110 miles. It's not going to go up hugely so less than 150 miles in 12 months??
Ran 5KM last night at race effort HR. Felt like I was shifting and felt like I might run close to 6m/m.. I was barley scraping under 7:30s - I think 23 minutes I came home in. Hard work and HR AV well over 90% .
Thanks chaps. He's actually loving it now the pain has stopped I think! SG - it was someone's stud that caused the injury yesterday, but not the usual broken collarbone or concussion! As you've just posted Scott, here's a nice gory photo as I know you like 'em
It's like why do some niggles feel better when you run? Probably as most niggles are tightness related and it eases it out.
Nasty cut there Bus. Hopefully not a permanent marker? I had stitches after falling on a stone at about 11/12, still have the mark now.
That was super deep, i can still remember seeing the white!
Still at work, off for a cold one with Datchet lot shortly, 6x4mins hills. Fancy it, if i can forget the biting cold, hunger, and the rib ache.
Come rep 1 i dare say it'll be all good, if i can get more warmup than the shocking half mile last time!
Needless to say, a cold one tonight.
Wasn't the 6x4mins hills off 2mins i'd thought, but instead harder!
Did my unnecessary thing of competing to win the first rep, and then eased to norm!
Hard to judge the splits, as depends really on how much up and down in each 4mins, but for what they are worth...
Distance (m) av pace
0.7 5.45
0.67 6.02
0.69 5.47
0.68 5.53
0.71 5.39
0.65 6.06
0.64 6.15
Mix of the cold and my tight rib made a couple of these feel hard work! An rep 7 I ended just near the peak, so had 2 full climbs for that 6.15!
Glad to get that one done.
Easy 2x4m tomorrow.
Generally doing double days myself at the moment. The cold conditions are a reason for me to dress right up, so pace of run becomes a side issue.
On the recovery front, I had some aches which I resolved by sitting myself down in a few inches of near freezing bath water. Forget the 15 minutes worth. Two minutes is enough. Works a treat, though the actual sitting down bit needs resolve, decision and shutting of eyes. yikes!
🙂
Yes Ric - Always found the getting in bit with the water up your back as the bad bit. Presume the water butts they use are probably easier. Good session SG - cold last night wasn't it.
Got set 6 x 1800 at the Rugger club last night, basically Kimpton was doing 6 x 2k, so coach was worried about the recoveries. So I only went halfway up the ridge of pain on the first lap, so then coming back off the ridge Mr K was chasing me down to the finish. Managed to stay in front of him on only the first and last reps LOL..
Think they all came out 6.21/6.22 with a 6.03 for the last one. Run to work this morning was a bit of a trudge!