My Last Run

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  • JD1JD1 ✭✭✭

    Hazelnut,I definitely needed spikes.Looking forward to my HM in a couple of weeks.

    It's strange when you train at a certain pace and think how can I keep this up during a race,but you manage to do it.

    8.09 miles this afternoon.Legs felt a bit tired,so kept it nice and easy.

  • A bit warmer here this evening and got out for 5.5 steady miles. This stage of my mara training is feeling a bit relentless. My mate warned me there would be dark times! I just got the miles done tonight.
    I run, therefore I am.
  • JD, not surprised. My trail shoes didn't cut it on the muddy parts of Roundshaw Downs parkrun on Saturday either. I hear good things about Innov-8 Mudclaws, though, if you want an alternative to spikes.

    Hazelnut/JD - even 10 min/mi feels like work to me (I averaged 9:31 in my PB marathon). Christ knows how I'm going to stay under 9 min/mi for 13.1 miles next weekend. (Incidentally, looking at the course for the Olympic Park half, I think it's too twisty for a PB, so unless I'm feeling unbelievably awesome on the day, I'll probably use it as a bit of a warm-up for Hampton Court the following weekend).

    Will, yes...some weeks become a bit of a slog. I like to break it up with a few races.

    10 miles today. Felt much milder - didn't need my hat and took my gloves off after 4 miles. Saw one fox, who jumped over a wall, saw me and jumped back again.
  • An unexpected day off today so, after having had enough last night, I went straight out this morning for 5 miles round the cemetery! A few aches and pains but pushing through and enjoyed the sunshine and birds this morning. Now for a nap :)
    I run, therefore I am.
  • My foot issues appear to have cleared up after taking a week off at the end of the month and February has got off to a great start compared to January following a successful Portsmouth Coastal Half on Sunday in 2.08 despite the standard awkward terrain and even the road sections too which had iced over in places. I followed it up with a really good long run today, I went out for around nine miles but I felt so good as I got in my groove that I just kept going for sixteen miles and still had miles in the tank when I finished so it was easily my best run of the year so far. Now I can hopefully get some consistency and keep up the good form as we head into Spring.
  • JD1JD1 ✭✭✭

    Cal - had a look at the Olympic Park HM course,like you said it's very twisty.Never been to the park,is it a mixture of paths and roads?

    PompeyMatt - good to see you back in the groove,great HM time.

    9.05 miles this afternoon, 4.5 @ tempo and another 3.5 @ tempo,felt really good.

  • Glad to hear you're back on track PompeyMatt. 

    Good miles, JD1 .

    I decided to do a daily double and so was back out last night for 5.5 miles, which helped me claw back a few miles I missed from Sunday's abandoned LSR. Funnily enough , the 2nd run felt easier than the first and I was a whole second faster per mile overall for it!
    I run, therefore I am.
  • A warm up HM might be an idea Cal, running hard at both would be tough.  You could try running the first one progressively - finishing off with a few miles at your HM target pace.  Don't know how disciplined you are not to set off too fast. 

    Nice to have an unplanned day off like that Will.  The birds are getting a bit more active here the last few days.

    Good news on the foot Matt and a great HM and long run double. 

    Nice tempoing JD.

    Standard Tuesday outing for me yesterday.  A more or less novice runner came out with us for I think the third time so we kept the pace down to manageable for him.  He did well to jog up all of the hills. 
  • JD, I've only been once, to ride the big slide on the Orbit. I'm assuming paths and roads, yes. I think we'll run a bit of the Velo track as well, which is bumpy.

    Hazelnut - I've done back to backs three times now. Twice, I've PB'd the first one and then beaten it a week later. The other time was late Autumn when I was almost certainly tired from a lot of races and I got close to the PB in the first but then nowhere near it in the second, but that was Thames Meander which is off-road and I've never managed to get a good time there.
    Anyway, at the moment it's more that I'm a but ring rusty. Aside from my club's track 5K, I've not raced since Chester. I usually do a 10K in January but didn't bother this year. The only speed work I've done is parkrun so HMP will likely seem fast. I think I'm just going to try and get a sub-2 in the first and then try for a PB at Hampton Court if I feel up to it. If I don't, then there's The Big Half in March.
    Logged another 10er today so I've not exactly tapered... :D
  • Will do you good to pin a number on again in that case Cal.

    4 miles recovery for me yesterday afternoon.  We had had freezing fog at varying heights above the ground all day and every twig was coated in very fine ice needles.  Very pretty.  Saw 2 deer again.  Felt a bit breathy for the pace I was doing but I probably shouldn't have eaten an enormous banana before going out.
  • Hope your Half goes well, Cal. Like you I haven't really been doing any speed work as have been trying to just get the miles done, so I'm not sure how my Half will go next weekend. It's on my LSR training trail, which is nice and flat. I did 2:00:55 last year so hope to go sub-2. Like you say, I think it will be good to get a race number on again as I haven't since December. 

    The ice has gone from here now, Hazelnut,  and been replaced today by thousands of purple crocuses in the cemetery -  lovely.

    I have been slogging through the week and have managed to notch up 32 miles despite having to ditch my LSR. 4 miles at a decent pace last night was uneventful, apart from a lazy swine cruising up the big hill on an electric bicycle. Got back in time to catch up on Silent Witness with Mrs C and then headed out again this morning for a slow Slog of 6 miles. I am finding this stage of mara prep tough, but rewardingly so. Legs are feeling solid but will now take a rest day or possibly two before making sure I nail 18-20 miles on Sunday.
    I run, therefore I am.
  • I hope you're doing cutback weeks, Will. Most plans suggest every fourth week but I find I need one every three, personally. However, once race season starts it throws everything out anyway.
    7 wet and windy miles this morning. Quite mild, but the wind was hard to run into. Did 6 miles at easy/recovery pace then threw some strides into the last mile.
  • Yes, I have got cutback weeks in there, Cal, one of which is next week involving the Half (lol)!
    I run, therefore I am.
  • Good luck with your longie at the weekend Will.

    Agree on the cut back weeks.

    An unmotivated 8 and a bit miles yesterday afternoon - had planned to do some speedwork but neither mind nor body were in the mood.  I have been struggling with the mojo a bit this week.  Off later for a weekend XC skiing with a few people from my Tuesday running group which will be a nice break.  Will hopefully find some fresh motivation to get stuck into a plan for a HM mid-May as of next week. 
  • JD1JD1 ✭✭✭
    Will, good luck on Sunday with your LSR.Your'e putting in some good miles.

    Enjoy your skiing,Hazelnut.I find this time of year a bit of a struggle with motivation.Glad that I have an early HM to concentrate on.

    Good luck,Cal,enjoy your HM.

    Came down with a cold after my last run,so I've had a couple old days off.
    10.16 slow run today,don't we all love running into the wind!!


  • Nice but windy Southsea Parkrun this morning preceded by three and a half slow miles to wake me up and a couple of slow ones to get me home. Nothing special although a negative split and progressive miles were nice to see!
  • A completely unexpected and substantial PB today, despite the windy conditions and winding course. My first sub-1:55 and I hadn't even set out to do that today - I'd have been happy with a sub-2! Official time was 1:54:14 so that's nearly two and a half minutes off my previous PB.
    I also ran into Nessy who used to post here quite a bit, so that was really nice.
  • Conditions certainly haven't been too nice this week, JD1, good perseverance.

    Nice Parkrun, Matt.

    Wow, Cal! You must be well chuffed. It's not a surprise to me, actually, as you've been putting in loads of miles this year. Looks like they paid off! Great stuff.

    I did Junior Parkrun with my boy this morning - his 42nd - and then left the warmth of the park cafe to knock out 20 miles in the rain. At least the wind had dropped but it was still rather cold and tested me mentally, so was pleased to get it done. I didn't push the pace and finished it in 3hrs 26mins. With all the rain we've had I kept off the usual LSR trail and stuck to the tarmac, running from Norwich out to the village I grew up in and then back and round the houses. Miles 14-17 were tough again, so I think I'll keep an eye on that section at Manchester and just pull through it without doing myself in. I nearly slipped on a whole banana at one point and then narrowly avoided a condom a few metres later. Lots of birds out and about, looking for mates and some signs that winter is coming to an end. Knackered now, but smugly so.
    I run, therefore I am.
  • Well done on the 20, Will - decent time for that distance.  You'll be going through Timperley around that point so keep an eye out for Frank Sidebottom.
    Also good job on avoiding a comedy banana skin pratfall.
  • JD1JD1 ✭✭✭

    Cal,don't you have another HM this weekend,another PB on the cards ?

    Well done,Will,fantastic running.What made you pick it up again after milee17 ?I have all this to come when I step up training for my autumn marathon.

    I was in York this weekend,so I managed an early  sneaky 6.3 mile run round the city center and out towards the racecourse.Felt strange running past the Minster and through the Shambles without the hordes,but it was very enjoyable.



  • Hampton Court - not sure I can manage to better that time, though. I guess we'll see!

    Yorkshire marathon for me this October, so I'll get to see all that with the hordes. Looking forward to it (although I don't want to wish the year away - I have a lot of races before then!)
  • Hope you are getting over your cold well in the meantime JD. 

    Nice parkrun Matt.

    Congratulations on your HM PB Cal.  You have been putting in some good training in the last weeks so well deserved.  I hope Nessy is doing well.

    Good news on your long run Will.  watch where you are putting your feet..

    Two decent days of XC skiing for me at the weekend - around HM distance on Saturday and a bit less on Sunday.  Tired after that as I'm not that accustomed to the type of exercise.  Back to some (gentle) running later.
  • Thank you Hazelnut and Will, as nice it was I'm still a few minutes off pb times! I was back on the sea front this morning for a nice slow and steady six miles but it did feel nice to be able to feel a little warmth from the sun at last, hopefully an early hint of spring!
  • Jealous of your sea front Matt.  Must have been lovely.

    Seeing first hints of spring here also and the sun is definitely starting to get stronger.

    Slightly overenthusiastic 7 miles yesterday with some strides.  Some sore bits from XC skiing but running not really affected.
  • I think so too, Matt and Hazel - a hint of sun and a few patches of croci on the common - yellow in one area and purple in another. Also snowdrops.
    It's just as well it was nice out because I'd have hated the run otherwise - I felt like I had lead boots on. I told myself it was good practise for the last six miles of a marathon and got on with it (but honestly, the last six miles of Chester felt easier than this!)
    I hope I'm going to be able to recover in time for the weekend. Well, it's not like I've not done it before, several times.
  • A lot warmer today in Norwich, despite an early frost and I laced up some new shoes to get on a v slow recovery run. Rather stiff and sore following Sunday's LSR. I've gone for some Asics 2000 GTs this time as they were on offer and had good reviews. I'll use them as an alternating pair in the run up to Manchester. 3 gentle laps of the cemetery were enough today and I think by lap 2 I'd eased some of the muscles back into functioning. A Sparrowhawk and a couple of Nuthatches were good company and loads of Snowdrops now in full bloom. The Asics warmed up too and felt quite comfy by the end of the run. Different to my usual Sauconys , but nice.

    My tactic when I hit a tough patch at 17 miles, JD1 , was to give my arms and upper body a good shake out, reset my posture and try to get my feet going nice and lightly again. I also gave myself a bit of a talking to, to try and dig something out of myself. Must have looked a right tw*t! 
    I run, therefore I am.
  • JD1JD1 ✭✭✭

    PompeyMatt and Hazelnut,spring is definitely in the air,evenings are getting lighter.

    Will, I've been wearing Sauconys for the last few years,they seem to give my feet good support and they always have fantastic reviews.I try to give myself a good talking to but it falls upon deaf ears.

    5.07 miles yesterday evening.Personally I'm not keen on evening runs,my legs always seem to feel heavier.



  • Mornings too, JD - I woke up very early today and was out about 5:40am and it started getting light about five miles in. Granted, I was moving at a slower than normal pace (legs feel better but aren't quite recovered yet - stride is woefully short).
    I did 11 miles, though, as the sunrise was very pretty and I wanted to enjoy it.
    Well done on the long run, Will. I shake my arms too, but mostly to loosten my elbows after having them in one position for so long.
  • I'm looking forward to seeing some flowers here, we are a bit behind the UK, but it can't take too much longer as the temperatures are quite decent during the day if the sun is out.  The ice and snow is as good as gone (for) now thank goodness. 

    I've had mixed experiences with Saucony shoes - with one pair (Hurricanes I think) chewing them up but I loved my Breakthrus (no longer being produced grrrr).  Currently in Brooks (Launch) for general stuff and maras, New Balance (1500) for speedwork and racing up to HM and La Sportiva (Bushido) for trails. 

    I like your keep going tactics Will.  My reset button in training is to have a very short walk, maybe a minute or so.  I've given myself a good talking to in races before - probably should save my breath for getting from A to B in that context.

    6 and a half miles yesterday evening with 3 others from my Tuesday group.  Lovely evening for it again - crispy and clear.  Legs a bit tired up the hills but feel ok today.
  • Another spring like morning here again with even some daffodils in bloom in one of the parks as I passed by! A very nice 17 miles this morning completing almost an entire circuit of Portsea Island in about 2h40 leaving me just about twenty miles still to go to hit the century for the month so I can ease off now for the next couple of weeks. Tomorrow may well involve a visit to my local sport shop for some new trainers which will probably debut at parkrun on Saturday!
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