Sunday, 9 September 2018 - We've come a long long way together

Morning all,

No time to post yesterday as we were out at a proms concert held in the grounds of some impressive estate. There was a horse parade too and we had a lot of fun.

Will catch up properly later.

Well done em:+1:

SC: Find another cardiologist! And good luck today.

LMH: Best of luck and hammer those 6:20s out ;)
Fingers crossed conditions are favourable.
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Comments

  • Morning.

    Looks as though it's going to be windy. Hey, ho, it's only a race.

    Looking forward to reading all about it emzap - refuel, rest and recover well.

    Enjoy your race SC.

    What:            Vale of York Half
    Why:             seemed like a good idea when I entered
    Last hard:     revising my half PB
    Last rest:      19/8

    Lyrics - yes.
    If you think you can or you think you can't you're probably right.
  • Morning!

    Go, LMH, go!

    And enjoy your 10 miler, SC, and anyone else racing.

    What: fitness suite plus a couple of ks

    Why: the careful build back

    Lyrics: no
    Progress is rarely a straight line. There are always bumps in the road, but you can make the choice to keep looking ahead.
  • What Harray HM
    Why: guilt tripped by organisers! ;)
    Last Hard: Caithness HM
    Last rest: yesterday
    Lyrics no

    SC hmm!
    Enjoy today, you too LMH

    Looking forward to report Emzap. 
    Curious to hear planning (when parkrun s are all at same time)
  • Enjoy Caithness, OH!
    Progress is rarely a straight line. There are always bumps in the road, but you can make the choice to keep looking ahead.
  • Morning

    I should make an appearance

    All the best LMH and OH

    I had my steroid injection over a week ago. Its improved, but not 100% so being careful 
    Still I carry on

    What: Shopping 
    Why: need new Garmin and sorts bras(I've grown)
    Last Hard: 2014 probably
    Lyrics: familiar 
  • Go racers!  LMH, OH and SC and anyone else who might be racing.  

    I had a 10 mile race yesterday.  Well, it was 10.15 miles, always been long.  It was the 9th running of the Kyles 10 miles, in Tighnabruaich.  It was nice to be mentioned over the speakers at the start as one of three people who have done the race all 9 times.  

    The first mile is uphill so I took it easy to start with, clocking 7:14, which was faster than expected.  I was hoping for about 68 mins and had planned for a 7:30 start at best.  Was feeling comfortable and had counted back, so knew I was in 16th place.  There were 500 entrants but it looked like only about 300 starters.  Next mile was downhill, so again was quite cautious, gaining a place but not racing as yet.  I looked at my watch to find a 6:23, happy enough with that.  Never looked at my watch again till the end.  On undulating mile 3, I could hear a small group gaining on me so I started racing a bit, not letting them get close. Noted that the a lot of the folk ahead were coming back to me!  Mile 4, tough uphill mile, I cruised it, but raced it, if you know what I mean.  Overtook 3 runners and then enjoyed the next two miles gaining on more.  By mile 6, it’s all flat to the finish.  About 6.5 miles, I took two more places and passed this guy from Bellahouston Harriers.  He stuck to me like glue and so for the last 3 miles, it was an utter racing battle, with us pushing each other every step of the way.  It just never let up.  Must have passed a few more as we battled but I didn’t notice.  Every time he drew level, I pushed harder.  I imagined myself like Mo Farah, refusing to let him past!  Three quarters of a mile from the finish, I began the long sprint in and got a gap, which widened and as I sprinted towards the line, was delighted so see the clock at 66:26 for the 10.15 miles.  I’d finished in 8th.  The other guy crossed the line and we embraced, both delighted at being involved in a strong race.  

    Then it was out out on my Dads boat for a spot of mackerel fishing, the result of which is in my fridge and I’ll have it for tea tonight.  A grand day out.

    lyrics, yes. 
  • Fab, Don :+1: I would have hated to be that other guy never succeeding in getting past you ;)
    Secretly wondering how on Earth you pronounce "Tighnabruaich". I'm German, don't forget :D
      
    Hey Pammie, good to see you. Remind me why you need those steroid injections.

    Enjoy your HM, OH.

    Hope LMH has a strong race.

    Wind is such a bugger. I was facing a headwind both on outbound and return of an out and back run. Should have run in the other direction ...

    What: 13.1 miles
    Why: half of what I'm going to be running a week from now
    Last hard: the wind today
    Last rest: 3/9
  • Chicksta hi. I had an accident tripped over hoover had inflammation bursitis took 6 weeks for appointment. 
    But I won't be beaten 
  • emzapemzap ✭✭✭
    Morning

    So where do I begin (at the beginning I suppose!).  Just for a bit of background, the aim was to do 8.5 parkruns in a day, 7.5 of which were "Freedom" runs, 1 of which was an official run, travelling between all the courses in a coach.  Met at Arrow Valley at 6:30 and drove straight up to Sandwell Valley up in West Brom.  My aim for the day was to run all parkruns in under 28:45 (which would be a sub 4 marathon).

    Sandwell was a lovely, if slightly hilly, course around a very picturesque lake with a couple of brutal hills.  Found a small group to run with and we were going around my target pace so was happy with that.  About 1 km from the finish, someone behind yelled at me to turn right, so I did, up a hill, then I was told, oops no, it's the next right!  200m extra!  Big hill to the finish and managed to finish in 29:30.

    Then it was off to the official run at Sutton Country Park.  The 4th running of the event and we boosted their record attendance by 70 people!  A brutal course over gravel, sand, grass and tarmac, with hills and cows!  Would not have liked to run that in wet conditions.  The promised rain had still not arrived so we were lucky!  Spent a lot of the run chatting to a local who was telling me all about the course, so nice to run with someone.  Finished in 27:56 by my watch, 28:01 by parkrun timing.

    Next stop Perry Hall parkrun opposite the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham (bringing back bad memories of that awful marathon as the stadium is where it all started!).  The marshalls here were fantastic.  They'd stayed on after their official parkrun and marshalled us and cheered us round the course.  Nice flat route with 3 loops all slightly different.  I was starting to have quite a lot of tummy pain and feeling quite sick by this run, so decided to run sensibly and easily.  27:23 for that, not so easy!  Decided I was probably hungry, so refulled with some crisps on the way to the next run at one of my regulars, Cannon Hill.  

    As SC will know, Cannon Hill is not the most interesting of courses, but by this point it was really nice to get to something familiar.  I was feeling a bit better after the crisps, so headed off at a good pace.  Finished in 27:45, that evil little hill up the end was much tougher than normal though!

    Time for lunch where I managed to eat a sandwich, a cupcake and drink some coke (not normal for me, but as I was finding eating hard - also not normal for me - I thought the sugar would help).
  • RFJRFJ ✭✭✭
    Great racing / running Emz and Don

    All the best to the racers today :-)

    Been out cheering the striders at the Swindon HM which i had a number for but with current state not able to do.... was great fun supporting as it runs past our back garden....

    Ref the running, thats now improving, a good solid parkrun yesterday in 23:55 so very happy and followed that up today with 10k, the frutherst I have run for two months with no issues, so am starting the road back with body and confidenece......

    Lyrics, yes
  • emzapemzap ✭✭✭
    After the slightly longer refuelling break, it was off to Brueton parkrun.  This featured in last year's 8.5 parkruns, but we ran a slightly different route.  I struggled here, but I managed to keep up with people around me.  The course was a mostly flat, 2 laps on tarmac.  The lap was very slightly uphill to halfway, then back downhill.  Though I was starting to struggle, still managed under 28 min (27:52).

    Then off to the mystery parkrung.  This parkrun had one event before the local community complained and it got cancelled, so this one was a little incognito.  We ran an improvised route, half on paths, half on grass, and the end moved until the 1st person had run a 5km route!  In the end it was about 3.5 laps and a bit soul destroying!  For me, the loops added up to 4.8 km, but I decided that made up for my extra 200m on the 1st one, so was happy to finish then!  27:16 for the 4.8 km.

    For the final but of parkrun tourism we were off to Stratford-upon-Avon again.  The parkrun team here are amazing, coming out with tea, cakes and coffee for us.  Firstly we did a test route for them for their planned junior parkrun.  3 laps round a small field.  some grass, some path.  11:22 for that.

    After about a 15 min break (enough to really seize up!), we started the main parkrun.  A new route from last year.  3 laps around the park and along the river.  Nice and flat and scenic river path.  I find 3 laps really mentally challenging though, 2 would have been enough!  I remember feeling the same last year as well.  However, would be a great fast course if I hadn't already run 20 miles!  27:52 here.

    Finally, back to Arrow Valley along nice windy country roads which made me feel incredibly car sick!  Got off feeling very wobbly and not really up for running another 5 km.  However, it was the last one, so off I went.  Was almost dark by now, and I didn't have a head torch.  The bouncing light from others behind me was great, but wasn't helping the sickness!  Finally finished in 28:08, so very pleased with that!

    Proud to say, I ran every step yesterday and I finished in around 3:5 so under my 4 hour aim.  Hope this means I'm in good shape for the marathon.  Fantastic day in all and can even walk without too much pain today!  Will spend most of the day eating though as I really didn't eat or drink enough yesterday!
  • Afternoon!

    Great report Emz! Was with you every step of the way! Sutton Park and I have a love hate relationship! Tough isn't it!

    Good to see you Pammie...stick around!

    And I spy, my little eye says some miss may be a little happy!
    Progress is rarely a straight line. There are always bumps in the road, but you can make the choice to keep looking ahead.
  • Cooler today with a bit of a breeze. Run went well. 1h57x and pleased with that. Sprint for finish as one of the other 60+ was right on my heels. Apparently managed to put 15s between us in the last 100m. Sadly no awards for supervets today.
  • Brilliant, OH. Well done :+1:

    Pammie: thanks for jogging my memory. I do remember now that you posted about bursitis before. Hope it gets sorted.

    What an epic day and report, em. Huge congrats. That can't have been much easier than running 42.195 k in one go. I reckon the driving in-between and the seizing up make it quite hard.
  • Well toughed out emzap - sounds way harder than running a marathon to me so should bode well.

    Great racing Donaldo and OH - shame about the lack of prizes OH.

    Pammie - I still have an inflammed sub scapula bursa four years after my accident, it's not ideal but doesn't stop me doing much, and definitely doesn't stop me running. Hope you can find a way to manage yours if the steroids don't settle it.

    Good to hear that you are able to get back to running now RFJ.

    I hear you about the wind chicksta - it was a bit of an issue for me today.

    Vale of York Half Marathon. Start postponed by ten minutes because of late comers -exactly why should this happen every year? A new start compared to two years ago when I ran and much better as on the functioning runway so a lovely surface. Lind up quite a few rows back as this race is fast at the pointy end, lots of club vests in evidence. Noticed a couple of women who definitely looked as though they should be in front of me (and were) and several who did not - including one who it turned out was walking the race! Anyway off we went, up the runway, turn after about 400m, back down the run way, out onto the road and we're off. Past all but the fast looking two women within the first 400m and settled into what felt like a comfortable pace and mile 1 came very quickly - 6.06 - but I often run a fast first mile and felt fine so just went with it. Mile 2 6.11, still feeling fine and decided to just go with the flow, mile 3 6.10. Ok, this is faster than I was expecting but what the heck, run to feel as always. Mile 4 6.25, uhoh, already? Mile 5 6.17, guess not then, must have just been terrain or the wind. Mile 6 6.14, blimey these short races are ace aren't they, nearly half way already. Passed the halfway point (by my Garmin) with a 6.15 average). Mile 7 6.16, mile 8 and it's beginning to get windy and as usual I'm out on my own, 6.21. Mile 9 6.43, you're having a laugh - I can hardly move forward in places as the wind gusts, where did that come from? Hey ho, I can still hang on for a PB if we turn out of the wind soon, Mile 10 and we are out of the wind and I'm chasing down the men in front 6.29. Ok, maybe all is not lost. Mile 11 6.18, probably was the wind then and not me blowing up. I still feel remarkably in control though comfortable may be pushing it somewhat. Mile 12 bugger, more of that headwind stuff and I'm struggling to move forward. I hear someone come up on my shoulder and he sits there and is then joined by another man, actually guys I don't think I'm much of a windbreak - after you. Manage to tuck in behind them (what a difference that made) for about 400m before they began to pull away 6.34. Ok, it's wind, it's not going anywhere, all you can do is work as hard as you can and hope you can still scrape a PB, look, we turn a corner soon, that's got to help. Mile 13 6.37 and for the final little bit (Garmin measured the course at 13.15) 56 seconds. So for those of you whose maths isn't up to adding those up as you go I finished in 1.23.43 (chip time) which surprisingly was good enough for 70th overall and third woman. A PB by 23 seconds. Chuffed with that and definitely feel there's more to come on a better weather day, though there won't be many better courses.
    If you think you can or you think you can't you're probably right.
  • emzapemzap ✭✭✭
    Well done lmh! Fantastic!
  • Well done sounds very tough Em.

    LMH: Fab news what a great result and a shiny new PB and promise of more to come well done!!
    ALF: Always a little further
    Miles makes smiles.
    Progression
  • Well done, OH!

    And that's great, LMH! And more to come! Trust the prizes covered the expenses! And 3rd in the ranking list?
    Progress is rarely a straight line. There are always bumps in the road, but you can make the choice to keep looking ahead.
  • Absolutely brilliant LMH. So happy for you to finally bag that elusive PB. Worth a 1:22 on a still day I reckon.
  • Third in the half marathon list Alehouse? Unfortunately the prize was a £75 voucher to be spent at Up and Running on Brooks shoes - I don't wear Brooks...............
    If you think you can or you think you can't you're probably right.
  • emzapemzap ✭✭✭
    Forgot to say yesterday's lyrics were of course Blur's Parklife

    And yes to today's :)
  • alehousealehouse ✭✭✭
    edited September 2018
    Yes, think you will move up from 4th to 3rd on year's half list for your age group, and around 20th on the all time list. Hopefully more to come if you can find another race. Shame about the prize. Can't it be spent on Brooks' clothing?)

    Easy week, Chick!
    Progress is rarely a straight line. There are always bumps in the road, but you can make the choice to keep looking ahead.
  • Great stuff and a smashing report LMH, congrats on the pb.  

    Emzap, epic stuff!  Exhausting just reading it.

    Well done OH too. 
  • I managed a tough 12.5 mile run today but the legs had nothing after yesterday’s efforts. 
  • Whenever I eventually get to Nottingham and the shop I will ask how flexible they will be Alehouse. Worse case scenario is a pair of trainers which I then ask Mark to ebay - unless anyone on here wears Brooks?

    Not surprising Donaldo - I doubt I'll manage a double figure run tomorrow.
    If you think you can or you think you can't you're probably right.
  • (if no other solution, I do now wear Brooks. However not really in need of another pair right now)
  • The voucher is valid for a long time OH and I doubt I'll go into Nottingham before December so I'll bear you in mind if that's ok?
    If you think you can or you think you can't you're probably right.
  • Evening

    Great report Emz 
    Well done OH
    LmH Still racing well well done

    Won't be beat got new Garmin today well new to me. 
  • Great racing/running all round. LMH-OH- Donaldo and Emz and a few nice reads too.
    I'll keep mine short. Went off steady-stayed steady-finished steady 86/311 and 7th in category with 1.16.31 for the 10 miles. Still processing last news but getting philosophical :-)
    What: Wee 10 miler
    Why: I'd booked it
    Last Hard: Not getting angry Friday
    Last Rest: Last Sunday
    Lyrics: Indeed yes

  • RFJRFJ ✭✭✭
    Amazing racing LMH, well done

    OH well done too

    SC Impressive racing too, well done

    Well done all
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