My Last Run

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  • HazelnutCHHazelnutCH ✭✭✭
    Seems I don't have too many issues with dementia yet then enrvuk - my sense of smell is in good working order.   Well done on the intervals.  Hope the jury service gets more interesting soon.

    Well done on your trail race Cal.  Another week and you would have been needing a strimmer gang to get along that trail.  Overtaking and being overtaken must have been interesting as it looks quite narrow.  Hope the ankles are okay today.  I always like edible / usable finisher goodies.  

    Nice pyramids JD. Calf feels much better in the meantime - back to the standard low level niggle I just ignore.    

    Was out on Tuesday with my group (a pretty amazing turnout of 12 and we were missing some regulars this week).  Yesterday was a bank holiday for me so no running as out and about in the mountains.  (Will - I was very lucky to see a pair of bearded vultures - fantastic wingspan..)

    Today 8 miles of flat steady running as I have a hill race again tomorrow evening.  I was thinking about extending today's run a bit further but a huge black cloud was rapidly approaching so I did the minimum distance I had set off to do.  (wind and rain a few minutes later were fairly impressive..)
  • Will ClennellWill Clennell ✭✭✭
    edited May 2019
    I don't know about gravel, but tried running in my bloody Asics again tonight and they are rubbish. For some reason they make me almost trip over my feet and I keep scuffing along in a most unlike-Kipchoge way. Am retiring them toute suite. 3 ungainly miles, including a stop at the ballot box.
    I run, therefore I am.
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Sounds like they're too heavy for you, Will. One of the reasons I like the Nikes I wear is because they're light. After running in Nike Frees for years, I just can't tolerate a heavy shoe. Most of mine are under 200g.
    Good luck with your hill race, Hazel.
    6 mile recovery run this morning. Grey and uninspiring weather. Felt tired.
  • Maybe that's it, Cal. Whatever it is I'm sticking to my faithful Sauconys. 

    How was the hill race, Hazelnut? What's your secret, living in the land of alps and cuckoo clocks?

    Nice work, JD1 -  sounds like a tough sesh.

    Good nasal work on the asparagus front, enrvuk. I'm yet to sample this year's harvest, but always a good test of the pee powers. I planted a bed in my much neglected allotment 2 years ago, so I may even have my own harvest this year...if I can get my arse down there.

    Well, I've been eating far too much crap and missing the structure of a plan drafted by pencil and paper. So, I've got a plan for the next month up on the fridge and I tend to stick to it if it's there. Working up from 25 to 30 miles a week should get me back in shape, post mara gluttony.

    I started today with 2.5 miles each way to my 'hilly' trail Parkrun at Colney. Squally horrid weather to start with and even had to get the gloves out. I gave it a really good effort and progressed the pace with each mile. I even outsprinted a teenager to the finish line (fist pump x3). Very happy with 25:04, my new 2nd fastest time there. I needed a good few minutes rest before jogging home. To top the satisfaction of the run I also got a running lifer spot - my first ever Reed Warbler whilst running. Whoop.
    I run, therefore I am.
  • HazelnutCHHazelnutCH ✭✭✭
    edited May 2019
    I've got a pair of trail shoes that feel very clunky to run in, its not just the weight but the whole feel of the shoe.  They do get the odd outing as I want to get something out of the costs. 

    Good idea with the plan Will.  And a great parkrun with the bonus of a bird spot.  My brother liked to do several lists but has more or less given up these days.

    Hill race went well, came 3rd in my age group with a 2 second course PB for 50:06 for 8km with 445m of ascent.  At least one of my regular and faster rivals was missing so I was lucky.  Legs were a bit unwilling from the outset and the course is a tricky one to pace including one longer climb from km 2-4 and two steep single trail sections on sometimes slippery tracks in the wood which I could just about shuffle jog.  Good team outing with an age group winner for F55 and a 3rd for M65.  3 others also won prizes in the raffle.  Jogged back down to the start rather than taking the sardine-in-the-bus option so sore quads today. 

    Have a good weekend all.
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Nice bird spot, Will. Good parkrun too!

    I visited Pymmes today, its relatively flat, paved course being ideal for testing out my new Vaporflys. I ran my second fastest parkrun, too, in 24:50. Not quite as fast as Osterley but there was a section with a nasty. cold headwind and it killed any hopes I had for a fast finish. Still, happy enough with that and also happy with the shoes. I finished 5th lady and 1st in my age group, though Pymmes is a smaller parkrun (it had around 150 people today).
  • HazelnutCHHazelnutCH ✭✭✭
    Well done Cal. Did you like the VFs?

    Spring has gone on strike here for the weekend, it might even snow a bit tonight. Sleet and 4 degrees this evening for a four mile recovery run. Quads not overly amused by yesterday's activities but started to feel better by the end so I guess I got it more or less right.  Unsurprisingly not much to look at due to the weather. 

    Have a good Sunday.
  • alipat1990alipat1990 ✭✭✭
    Cal, that track looks awful for racing. I can't imagine much overtaking happens along that stretch.

    Good effort on the parkrun Will. Unfortunately all of my "local" parkruns are too far away for me to consider running to them. The closest one is about 7 miles away and that would involve tackling some pretty hazardous roads.

    Well done on the race Hazel.

    So I've got 2 runs to report on. I've been away on holiday this week. Just a few days away in Norfolk. I managed to get out for a little 3 miler early in the week. It was nice to run along the beach and to have a chance of scenery.

    Today I got out for 10 miles. By far my longest run since Manchester. Things felt comfortable during the run, but I've really been suffering with my left knee again since. I've been struggling with it  since Manchester. After a day or two the pain disappears and everything feels normal again. I'm stuck in limbo a bit at the minute between nursing the injury and trying to stick to the training schedule for Derby. 
  • JD1JD1 ✭✭✭

    Great parkrun,Will,always feels great to out sprint a teenager.Usually they start a race like a bat out hell but you can pick them off when they've run out of steam.

    Fantastic race and placing,Hazelnut,the course seemed tough as well.As I left the house early yesterday morning for work I noticed snow on the hills,hopefully this'll be last of it.

    Great parkrun time and well done on the placing,Cal,Bet there were mutterings from runners trying to overtake on that stretch!I was in a running shop in Chester the other week and I noticed how light some of the Nikes were compared to my Sauconys,think mine come in at 225g.So I've decided to get a pair, just for racing,see how they work me.

    Hope your Knee injury clears up,alipat,so you can start training for Derby.

    Just over 8 miles Friday evening,hoped to do 5 @ HMP but had no energy,so just took it easy.


  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Hazelnut - they are very nice. Not amazingly different to the Zoom Flys I normally wear for parkruns and races, but softer and lighter. The flyknit is thinner and the midfoot is narrower. I was suprised how noisy they are, though - I've a fairly quiet runner in my Epic Reacts but the plate in these makes quite a slap when it hits the ground.

    Well done on your race. My quads were sore after running on Streatham Common last weekend but not too bad after the trail race on Wednesday. It's colder here too - long sleeves for my last two runs and got the gloves out again for today's.

    JD, which shoes did you get?

    alipat - is it worth seeing a physio? Marathons will take a lot out of you - even when you think you're OK, you're probably not quite recovered. It usually takes me four weeks to feel back to normal. Up until then, niggles will surface. After my first Manchester, I felt fine but then came down with high hamstring tendinopathy and I wasn't able to run further than 13 miles before Liverpool. I got around, but with walking breaks after 20 miles.

    Fingers crossed I seem to have broken the Liverpool curse this time (last year it was a bout of shingles between the two races!) as I've managed a 20 miler this morning. Not bad pacing - did Brockwell route (paved and a bit hilly so good prep for the race) and averaged 10:13 - uphill miles were slower and there were a couple of sub-10s on the downhills. Negative split too. When I think back, I averaged 10:14 for my second marathon (Manchester '17 - the first time I ran all the way). I'm starting to wonder if I can get a PB in Liverpool, but that is rather dependent on the weather staying cooler.
  • HazelnutCHHazelnutCH ✭✭✭
    Thanks for the VF feedback Cal. I haven't yet seen them live.  Sounds like you are in good shape for Liverpool, fingers firmly crossed that lurgies and larger niggles stay well away. 

    Good to see you back Alipat, after your reports of your health issues I was a bit worried you had suddenly gone quiet. Would also advise a trip to the physio if the knee won't settle.  Is it possible the beach run might have aggravated it? They can be hard work and sometimes on a permanent slope.

    We had a sprinkling of snow this morning JD but it quickly melted. Hilltops of our nearest range (Jura, up to 1600m, the nearer bits around 1400m) are pretty white again but it should go quickly.

    Regarding overtaking on narrow trails, for me it really helps if people communicate, if I'm struggling with someone breathing down my neck then I tend to ask if they want to pass and if yes let them do so, on the otherhand if I want to overtake I will ask to do so.  Makes for a much more relaxed race.  I don't like bargers.  Unless it is just one long line of runners then I guess you have to wait for a better stretch.

    10 miles this afternoon, quads still sore from Friday so I took a flat route along a river, also to avoid the gusty wind. Very peaceful few people about, just the river flowing along and lots of birdsong.  Added in a bit of sensible progression to finish off with one km @MP rather than doing the planned strides.
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    They're pretty widely available now so I see them everywhere, even on runners slower than me.

    I felt OK this morning so I did a 4 mile recovery run before my pilates class (as it's a bank holiday it was at 8.45 rather than 6.30am). I'll probably take Wednesday as a rest day instead, as it's supposed to chuck it down all day.
  • enrvukenrvuk ✭✭✭
    I did my first Fartlek training on Saturday morning. Kudos for ismoothrun on the Apple Watch for helping. I am far too lazy/unimaginative to make it up as I go along. Went fairly well, but in hindsight I needed to run a bit harder on the 'fast' sections.
  • enrvukenrvuk ✭✭✭
    Well done Cal. That trail looks particularly brutal Cal. I'd be guaranteed to turn an ankle on that. A 20 miler post that too. You definitely seem to be in the groove. I really like the Pymmes parkrun. They are a friendly bunch, but I had a similar experience with the weather. One particular stretch felt like I was running through treacle! Otherwise it would be a possible PB course.

    Hazel, nice job in your hill race and getting the third for age. That must have been pleasing. Nice 10 miler too. I'm feeling very lazy.

    Will good Parkrun and congrats on sticking it to the younger generation :-) It could be too late with the asparagus, just make sure you don't drive to the allotment. Your Mum can't afford it!

    Ali, hope your knee clears up. Is there anything more frustrating than illness and injury when you're training for a race?

    JD1, be interested to hear your thoughts on the Nike's as well. They are definitely trickling down now, although not quite to my level yet!
  • Love a bit of Fartlek! Still makes me laugh from when we did it in gcse PE :)

    Another good Junior Parkrun from my boy yesterday, finishing his 45th jpr in his 2nd fastest time. Always a good start to a Sunday and great to see all the kids having fun and enjoying running.

    I got out for 6.5 miles in the evening. I still do feel a little jaded in the legs, especially in the middle part of the run, but I finished strong for a fast last mile. Still having a recce for new routes and enjoying just turning as and when I want and seeing where it takes me. Thinking about signing up for a 10K or Half for June/July just to get a race number on again. 
    I run, therefore I am.
  • JD1JD1 ✭✭✭

    Cal,I haven't bought them yet and still haven't decided which ones.Most probably buy them after Chester HM and just use them for races.Weather is looking perfect at the moment for Chester so far,think Liverpool is the week after.

    Hope your quads are feeling better,Hazelnut.Running downhill is exhilarating but your quads do suffer after.

    envruk,nice Fartleks,always a tough session.

    6 miles yesterday evening,legs feeling tired still so kept it nice and easy.


  • enrvukenrvuk ✭✭✭
    Getting there Will and a fast finish is always uplifting. Having something to aim for will help imo.

    JD1, what's your goal for Chester?

    I heard a Barrister have to repeat some hilariously foul language in court today. It was even funnier than fartleks.

    I ran a 10k yesterday, aimed at my intended next HM pace, but I ran a little harder and decided to go with it. Also managed a fast(ish) last 1k in a total time of 54:30 ish. Had a bit left in the tank, but not sure how I get down to my sub 51 target by late summer. We'll see.  
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    I just couldn't seem to get out of the house yesterday despite the sunshine - the longer it went on, the less I felt able to move. I guess last week caught up with me.
    So I had to go out in the rain this morning (which I didn't really mind - it was still mild and I like the wet vegetation smell). I did 8 very slow miles. I usually get a bit quicker after the first couple of miles, but not today. Hopefully I'll be back to my usual self by the weekend, when I'm doing Gatwick half.
  • enrvukenrvuk ✭✭✭
    Maybe your body is forcing a little taper on you Cal and come the weekend you'll really nail it. Any target in mind?

    I ran 30 mins easy tonight, which for me meant 5.5km. After training for the HM, training for a 5k time is definitely easier to fit in your schedule. Unlike Cal, I am a wimp and waited until it stopped raining!
  • HazelnutCHHazelnutCH ✭✭✭
    The odd CNBA day won't hurt Cal in particular if you have a half at the weekend.  

    I find fartlek difficult to do enrvuk - I prefer the structure of intervals as I'm not good at making up the run on the fly.  Do you have to keep a straight face at all times as a juror?  You are likely to be quite a bit faster in a 10k race scenario and you have some time left until late summer.   

    Enjoy the exploring Will and Well done to your jnr.  Good idea with the 10k / HM for June/July (other than that it might be hot by then).

    Two runs to report - a nice 6 mile group outing on Tuesday - 15 runners must almost be a record.  We went to the pub afterwards which might have encouraged some to turn out.  Yesterday 5 mile recovery in the pouring rain.  It was tempting for me as well to wait for it to stop but that would have meant running at around 11pm.
    Not sure what to do about today's run yet - it is supposed to get very windy later so I will probably postpone my intervals to tomorrow. 
  • jag1jag1 ✭✭
    Hi. New here but lurked for a while. No run since last Sunday when I did my first ever 10k race. Chuffed to come in under the hour. Will be running later this evening with my local athletics club. Will be nice to stretch my legs again.
  • HazelnutCHHazelnutCH ✭✭✭
    Welcome jag1, always nice to see a new poster here.  Well done on your first 10k and in particular for the sub hour result! Hope you had a nice outing with your club this evening.

    It was windy here today so intervals are on the agenda tomorrow.  Today I trotted to a sheltered spot to do a decent set of strides 2 x 6 x 100m ish and trotted home again for approx 6.5 miles.  Legs are definitely starting to freshen up before next weeks HM.
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Welcome, jag1! Well done on your first 10K.

    enrvuk - it would be nice to beat my PB (1:53:45) but the way I've been feeling this week, it's unlikely. The course doesn't seem that flat either - going by the profile, there's a hill around mile 9 and then the finish is net uphill so pacing will be tricky.
    I'm really there to test my Vaporflys (if they're comfortable enough I'll be wearing them at Liverpool).

    One of the exercises we did in pilates on Wednesday has trashed my quads so today's run was another recovery effort - 6 miles, very sluggish. I need my legs to wake the hell up for the weekend.
  • jag1jag1 ✭✭
    Thanks for the welcome. Stretched legs with some technique training last night. Parkrun tomorrow. Ours is quite tough the first half being uphill and all on trails and my pb is 30.00. On a flat one I manage 28.19 as a pb. 

    Will report back. 
  • HazelnutCHHazelnutCH ✭✭✭
    Have a good parkrun tomorrow jag1, sounds like a tough course. Will be nice to read how you got on.

    With the combination of a lumpy course and not feeling too great Cal concentrating on the new shoes might be a plan.  Maybe you will feel better by Sunday and have a good one. Hope so!

    Intervals this evening for me. A 5k warm up with some bits added in (knees up, bum kicks, short strides etc.) Then 2 x 1km ith 2:30 recoveries and 4 x 800 with 2:00 recoveries.  Distances were measured by GPS so likely a bit off.  The first km was on target but my pace then slipped to around 10k rather than 5k pace but I'm reasonably happy with the results as I got the session done and worked pretty hard.  Also did another 4km cool down to complete 10 miles. 

    Pretty muggy this evening.  Bees were busy in the oilseed rape, I fortunately didn't have any close encounters.  Had two nice meetings, a guy on a tractor spraying his crop waited for me to pass rather than block the road, nice of him.  I also met the same dogwalker as yesterday evening with two golden retrievers on very long non retractable leads.  She could knit socks with them.  No entanglements but we both laughed at meeting again in a completely different location.
  • JD1JD1 ✭✭✭

    envruk,I'm going to go out with the 1:30 pacer but I'm not really feeling it in myself,so I'll most probably come in about 1:32 - 33.You still have a bit of time to go sub 51 and as Hazelnut said you'll go faster in a race.When's your 5k?

    Welcome,jag1,well done on your 10k and sub 1hour.

    Good luck in your HM,Cal,hope your legs are feeling better.

    Hope you managed to get your intervals in,Hazelnut,I know you love them!

    Club intervals Wednesday,4 x 800m @ sub 5k pace,I was struggling towards the end and legs feeling heavy again.

    Just over 10 miles this morning,wanted to push myself,ran them at HM and tempo pace.Felt ok,so going to run all of my next runs easy until I race.


  • Well, a combination of poorly kids, feeling a bit strange on new meds and a big dose of CBA means I have done slightly less than zilch running this week. Will try to start again today. Can't remember having this little enthusiasm to run. 
    I run, therefore I am.
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    It can happen to all of us, Will, particularly post-marathon. You probably need the break. Have you got any more races booked?

    Legs are still sore (damn that pilates teacher!) so I knew I wasn't going to get another sub-25 at parkrun today but I also wanted to push a bit as I've been sluggish all week. I opted for Rickmansworth today - it's about an hour and 10 minutes on the tube but I needed a flat one and I've done all the nearer flat ones already!
    The location is lovely - it's at the Aquadrome, which is a nature reserve with two big lakes. Interestingly, the lakes were created by the extraction of building materials for the old Wembley Stadium...the rubble of which now resides as some striking mounds at the Northala Fields parkrun.
    Lots of ducks and geese, some with young, and I saw some grebes.
    The route is pancake flat and paved, but the downside is that it is a very busy parkrun with quite a bit of congestion so I probably wasted some energy trying to get around people during the first mile.
    It felt like hard work and I eased slightly during the last mile as I was breathing hard and realised I should probably keep something in the tank for tomorrow. My watch made it 25:27 but I didn't stop it immediately and was given an official time of 25:20, which is decent enough. I got age cat 1st, but there was a VW55 and a VW60 with a better time than mine so I'm not going to blow my trumpet too much.
  • enrvukenrvuk ✭✭✭
    edited May 2019
    Welcome Jag, the 1hr 10k is one of those great barriers to break, so congrats. I hope to do it officially in a few weeks. Hope you had a good Parkrun, what's your local?

    Nice intervals in the countryside Hazel. I might copy those intervals as I've done similar, but either the 800m or the 1k, not both together.

    JD1 nice workout for your prep. It's nice when you hit your targets in the build up. Nice injury free week needed now I guess. 

    Cal, sounds like the build up and the course are against you, but you never know how you'll feel on the day. Good luck for tomorrow. That was a very decent Parkrun and nice to get an Age Cat 1st, well done! I've got a list of Parkrun tourism I am planning and Rickmansworth and Northala FIelds are on there. I knew about Northala but not the Rickmansworth connection to Wembley. Plausibly the Northala hills are the Rickmansworth holes. The non-chip queues make it tough to get a really good time at several Parkruns. Castle Park was a similar experience for me.

    Will, good luck with the post-marathon blues. You definitely seem to need a goal.

     Jury service now completed, I think a little guffaw is allowed, one defendant did laugh. All very serious stuff on the whole though.

    I did 4x800m with 200m jogged recovery between. I managed to jog all but a little of the first three recoveries, so an improvement on a few weeks ago. I also ran each 800 around 12 seconds quicker, which was nice and just ahead of the target.

    Nature watch (think I win this week): Magpies, various dog breeds, squirrels, two wart hogs, two giraffes and a couple of zebra.  
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Regent's Park, by any chance?
    Yes, both of those parkruns are definitely worth a visit. Most exciting thing I saw today was some grebes - we don't get those on Tooting Common!
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