Macca: great mileage so soon after UTMB - you are a very fast recoverer!
TR: super HM time in the middle of such high mileage training. Great indicator for Abo.
Steve: enjoy the Next%'s! Great 'race' at parkrun finishing so high up
Hamo: another PB and nothing more than you deserve after your training and racing this year.
Got out for a 24mi long slow run on Sunday. Started off in the dark, sun came up beautifully and finished getting soaked in torrential rain! Still good miles in the body and my legs do still work over that distance which is reassuring. Definitely still feeling a bit leggy after the chest infection but hopefully that'll be fully gone later this week
Great running SQ. Hope your daughters buggy refusal was a one off!
Very impressive how quick you’ve got back in to things Macca.
Very solid half on tired legs TR. Normally that double plus 10 rule works for a tapered half, so you should be able to do that and more at Abo given your consistent training.
Another superb performance Hamo, congratulations!
Great parkrun Steve, enjoy the Next%s.
Big long run AWC, I love watching the sunrise on a run. Bad luck on the train.
I’m feeling remarkably relaxed currently, although the nervous excitement is building. Taper legs finally arrived yesterday for my final double-digit run. They felt flat and wooden, heart rate was up, and pace was slower. Not worried though, the same run before Manchester was almost exactly the same! Forecast has improved, now showing a max of 16º by midday which is much better, although I wouldn't complain if it notched down another few degrees. The wind could do with easing off too, but it's not terrible.
Back into it very quickly, Macca. Do you have a goal in mind for Abingdon?
Well done at Solent, TR.
I really wouldn’t worry about the length of the warm down. You have done many,
many long runs, and racing the HM is going to be the biggest training stimulus.
JohnOz, great
there is a wider range of pacers out with you. There was talk of London having
a 2:50 pacer this year, but to no avail. I’ve found it really fun in a group in
the past – and especially enjoying being the pacer in my local half for 90 minutes.
I’ll get to work on the long term family holiday planning! Number 2 arriving
imminently, so main target is survival, beyond that Stroud half marathon on
27/10, but certainly no training goals. Just trying to get as fit as I can in
the meantime – and also be first club finisher.
Hamo – yes I am
keen for junior parkrun in due course. Bloody rapid from you again! Great
going, especially with 7th in what I assume is a pretty big race?
Great park running sandwich, Steve. Nice present – you’ve obviously been well behaved!
Easy 10M yesterday morning, running off a bit of a red wine
head. Avoided the predicted showers.
After a light weekend, decided to do intervals this morning.
Unfortunately this meant no recovery run with spoons – a shame as I enjoy our weekly catch ups. Stuck to the
quarter mile markers along the riverside, 10.75M total at 7m/m – with the Apple
Watch not enjoying the tree cover.
2 x 1M, 0.75, 0.5, 0.25 with 0.25 recoveries.
6:05, 4:31, 3:00, 1:28
6:08, 4:43, 3:05, 1:29
A few wonky ones in there but a good mixed distance interval
session. Will try to squeeze in weights and maybe a recovery run before a work
evening thing.
Hamo - oooh, very nice. You have had a good streak this year.
Steve - you had best find a 1/2 now you have the magic shoes.
Well done on the 24 AWC, i plan on one more 23 or 24 next weekend.
Spoons - coming together nicely. Thanks re the conversion advice. I wondered if it meant fresh 1/2 or not. Hopefully im a bit fitter than i thought then.
Good stuff SQ, hope the impending arrival goes well. Exciting times.
Cheers for the positive comments, its nice to see a bit of improvement.
Loved the level of analysis in your report John. An excellent year for you so far.
Top HM performances from TR & Hamo. You've both been training hard & consistently so nice to see a decent ROI. Likewise Steve a less than 100% 19:13 with a decent wu/cd too bodes well.
Fighting fit SQ & Macca How do you do it?
Good luck Spoons - keep it easy & take care out there.
I ran my fastest parkrun since mid-July on Saturday which isn't saying much then up to the lakes for the HalfX. Nervous as my 3 weeks training didn't really seem adequate to say the least. The forecast on Saturday evening really didn't help but it was actually even worse
Still managed a reasonable performance (61st finisher but some of those ahead were in relay teams) though I'm a wreck today.
Steve...Very speedy Parkrun, well done. Best of luck with the new magic shoes, I wore mine for the first time in Belfast there, they are some job. Going to wrap them up now, kiss them goodnight and tuck them into bed until London
AWC...Nice LR. Hope you get over the after effects of the chest infection quickly.
Spoons...It wouldn't be normal if the taper legs didn't make an appearance. Try your best to keep the calm outlook.
SQ...Yea, Northern Ireland's biggest half marathon is how they advertise it. Excellent intervals, and bar 1 out layer, very consistent too.
Jools...Good parkrun and Half X races, really well done. That is some photo of transition though
I haven't ran since Sunday yet. I got what i thought was a bad stitch over the last 0.25 of a mile or so, but it's still quite tender under my rib cage, so thinking I've maybe pulled a muscle or something rather than it being a stitch at all. Will maybe get out for a few easy miles this evening, if not tomorrow, to see how it holds up. I'm entered into the NI and Ulster 10k championships on Saturday, so will be taking it easy all week, to give the legs/body a chance to recover from the half.
Steve I hear you on the thunder and lightening. I avoided the worst of the storm, but still a thorough drenching during the first half. However, skin is waterproof...
Races coming thick and fast, hamo. Best of luck for the weekend. Hope the sore rib cage clears up. Not nice as you basically use those muscles for anything.
OMG, Jools. Not a great transition to come into. Incredible toughing it out form you. I love how much you love it.
Classic taper legs, spooons. Although right to shift seat on the train! Hope the heat work is going well.
9M on the canal - didn't have time for the usual 10 having driven in more slowly in truly atrocious conditions. Don't mind running in them at all - it is a filthy wind that I really don't like.
Great HM results - another PB for Hamo and great run from TR on tired legs - certainly 2:55 on the cards.
Great effort Jools. Crazy photos, exactly what we've come to expect from you. Sounds a great result given the lack of prep - well done. I'm not surprised you're a bit broken.
Talking of lack of prep, I've decided not to run in Chester. If it was close by or if I'd done any sort of reasonable training I'd make the trip up but a 4 hours each way drive hardly seems worthwhile. Hopefully will now run the first XC of the season on the same day.
Fortunately they'd cleared the drain & the floodwaters had subsided by the time I got back to transition & my stuff was all bagged so had stayed together even though it wasn't where I'd left it & was totally soaked.
Hope the muscle strain clears up in time Hamo. Bit of enforced recovery shouldn't do you any serious harm & might even freshen you up nicely.
Shame you'll not be at Chester HA. I'll be there but plan to just jog round. Hopefully,that way, I'll manage not to fall apart.Need to recover first though: feel like someone dropped a ton of bricks on me today!
HA - Understandable, a long way to travel for a marathon if you know you are not ready.
SQ - I always say that line "skin is waterproof" to people if they ask if I run in the rain!!
TR - Nice 6! When does your taper start? Presumably another week of big miles yet?
10 miles with 2*1200, 2*1000 and 1*800 this morning, in
the rain again!! Reps were 4:23/4:26/3:41/3:52/3:03, off pace for the
last 2 reps, but got it done.
Catching up with last weekend, a brilliant time and placing Hamo, good luck with the 10k.
TR - that’s a good marker for a decent time at Abo, especially with the weather and on untapered legs.
AWC - cracking LR at the weekend, hopefully over the virus.
Jools - just finishing would have been commendable but half way up the field, that photo 🤣
HA - shame about Chester but local Xc sounds a good substitute.
Steve - reps in the rain, well done for getting them done.
SQ - consistent intervals and again, well done for braving the conditions. (I think I’ve gone a bit soft with all this dry weather. ) You asked about an Abo target, I’ve done a couple of MP sessions 8m and 10m with pace around 6:40 (just under 2:55). It felt a bit keen but hopefully with a couple more weeks they’ll feel better, I think time is against me to make much more progress than that and the speed/endurance doesn’t feel quite there but it’s a free hit / stepping stone to the spring campaign.
RSR - good luck with the trip to Berlin, time to get into the zone !
Great work at TriX Jooligan, that photo of the misty mountains looks lovely. Nightmare about the baggage though!
Glad the mystery muscle pain is ok Hamo. Good luck for the 10K champs.
Wise decision as ever HA.
Well done on the wet reps Steve.
I managed to avoid the worst of the rain yesterday, just a bit of drizzle along the canal (plus a sighting of the lesser spotted SQ). Absolutely torrential rain about an hour later though, it caused lots of flash flooding plus a tree and wall came down blocking one of the main roads in to the city. Glad I got out there early!
HR was still up, but the pace was better than Sunday at least. Then the final practice session today, 5K at marathon pace. Felt good on the warm-up, and the MP section was controlled and came in right on target at 6:16/mi. Bit of a confidence booster after some taper jitters over the last few days.
Full rest day tomorrow, as superstition dictates. Good timing as I fly out tomorrow. Looking forward to a run around Tiergarten on Friday, although it’s looking a bit wet currently. Better to get that out of the way Friday though I guess. Wind forecast has gotten even worse, 20 mph with gusts of 32! At least with such a competitive field, I should have some people to work with/hide behind.
Sounds promising Hamo. Decent reps there in the MLR Steve. Macca vs TR at Abo then Spoons - good stuff. Best of luck & maybe the forecast'll prove an exaggeration. Well after not racing for over 2 months I've done my 2nd of 3 in 2 weeks. I signed up for Hereford Couriers 5K over the summer when I thought it was 4 days before HalfX rather than 3 after! It was only a trial run of their proposed new course for the anticipated series revival in 2020. Ran the first 2K in about 8 minutes then eased back a bit as really didn't fancy going into the hurt zone for a so-so time. Pleasantly surprised to hold on OK & came in 25s quicker than Saturday's parkrun. Still a long way to go but promising signs of improvement at least. Especially as I've cycled my 2x10M commutes each day this week too Here's another photo from the bike leg.
Macca...best way to look at it, being a stepping stone (if i decide to do Dublin/get a bib, i'll be treating it the same). Free hits are sometimes the best runs.
Spoons...Glad the last 'session' went well for you, and has boosted your confidence. You are 100% going to smash it i'm sure. Safe flight, and all the very best for it, if i don't get the chance to wish you luck again. Can't wait to see how well you'll do. As jools says, never worry about the weather, forecast mightn't be right/or as windy.
TR...Class 15.
Jools...Brilliant 5k, definite upwards trend happening. Those photos have been class.
7 mile recovery this morning, to be followed up with another 4 or 5 this evening for me.
Good luck for Sunday Spoon. A bit of rain about by the looks but wind doesn't look too bad. You'd never chose rain but it probably won't affect you too much. You've put together another immense training block so I'm sure you'll smash it - you certainly deserve to.
Shaved a few seconds off last weeks tempo 6m in my 10m commute today, last wk was my quickest since the yeovil taper too, so hopefully I'll go quicker still before Abo.
Nice work at Hereford Jooligan. What’s the new course like?
Great running everyone else.
Thanks for all the well wishes, much appreciated. Travel went smoothly on Thursday, and I enjoyed exploring Tiergarten on my run yesterday morning even if it was rather dull and gray. The road was already closed off, so I was able to run along the road we start on, which definitely got the excitement levels up. Off to the “breakfast run” shortly, for a final shakeout. It finishes on the track in the Olympic Stadium, which should be fun.
The expo definitely doesn’t back up the national stereotype of Germans being organised and efficient! Endless disorganised queues, god knows what it will be like today. London is a much quicker, smoother process. It was a total free for all at the official gear area too - worse than Oxford Street Primark on a Saturday afternoon!
Feeling nervous and excited now. I think my basic plan will be to head out at 2:45 pace and then once I’ve settled assess from there. Unless I’m feeling terrible though, I think I’ll try to stick to 2:45 pace regardless. I’d rather take the risk, shoot for sub-2:45 and miss, than give up early doors. And even if I did blow-up, I’d hopefully be able to hang on enough to secure a decent sub-3 time for GFA in 2021. Hopefully it won’t come to that though!
Comments
Great running SQ. Hope your daughters buggy refusal was a one off!
Very impressive how quick you’ve got back in to things Macca.
Very solid half on tired legs TR. Normally that double plus 10 rule works for a tapered half, so you should be able to do that and more at Abo given your consistent training.
Another superb performance Hamo, congratulations!
Great parkrun Steve, enjoy the Next%s.
Big long run AWC, I love watching the sunrise on a run. Bad luck on the train.
I’m feeling remarkably relaxed currently, although the nervous excitement is building. Taper legs finally arrived yesterday for my final double-digit run. They felt flat and wooden, heart rate was up, and pace was slower. Not worried though, the same run before Manchester was almost exactly the same! Forecast has improved, now showing a max of 16º by midday which is much better, although I wouldn't complain if it notched down another few degrees. The wind could do with easing off too, but it's not terrible.
Back into it very quickly, Macca. Do you have a goal in mind for Abingdon?
Well done at Solent, TR. I really wouldn’t worry about the length of the warm down. You have done many, many long runs, and racing the HM is going to be the biggest training stimulus.
JohnOz, great there is a wider range of pacers out with you. There was talk of London having a 2:50 pacer this year, but to no avail. I’ve found it really fun in a group in the past – and especially enjoying being the pacer in my local half for 90 minutes. I’ll get to work on the long term family holiday planning! Number 2 arriving imminently, so main target is survival, beyond that Stroud half marathon on 27/10, but certainly no training goals. Just trying to get as fit as I can in the meantime – and also be first club finisher.
Hamo – yes I am keen for junior parkrun in due course. Bloody rapid from you again! Great going, especially with 7th in what I assume is a pretty big race?
Great park running sandwich, Steve. Nice present – you’ve obviously been well behaved!
Easy 10M yesterday morning, running off a bit of a red wine head. Avoided the predicted showers.
After a light weekend, decided to do intervals this morning. Unfortunately this meant no recovery run with spoons – a shame as I enjoy our weekly catch ups. Stuck to the quarter mile markers along the riverside, 10.75M total at 7m/m – with the Apple Watch not enjoying the tree cover.
2 x 1M, 0.75, 0.5, 0.25 with 0.25 recoveries.
6:05, 4:31, 3:00, 1:28
6:08, 4:43, 3:05, 1:29
A few wonky ones in there but a good mixed distance interval session. Will try to squeeze in weights and maybe a recovery run before a work evening thing.
Steve - you had best find a 1/2 now you have the magic shoes.
Well done on the 24 AWC, i plan on one more 23 or 24 next weekend.
Spoons - coming together nicely. Thanks re the conversion advice. I wondered if it meant fresh 1/2 or not. Hopefully im a bit fitter than i thought then.
Good stuff SQ, hope the impending arrival goes well. Exciting times.
Cheers for the positive comments, its nice to see a bit of improvement.
Steve...Very speedy Parkrun, well done. Best of luck with the new magic shoes, I wore mine for the first time in Belfast there, they are some job. Going to wrap them up now, kiss them goodnight and tuck them into bed until London
AWC...Nice LR. Hope you get over the after effects of the chest infection quickly.
Spoons...It wouldn't be normal if the taper legs didn't make an appearance. Try your best to keep the calm outlook.
SQ...Yea, Northern Ireland's biggest half marathon is how they advertise it. Excellent intervals, and bar 1 out layer, very consistent too.
Jools...Good parkrun and Half X races, really well done. That is some photo of transition though
I haven't ran since Sunday yet. I got what i thought was a bad stitch over the last 0.25 of a mile or so, but it's still quite tender under my rib cage, so thinking I've maybe pulled a muscle or something rather than it being a stitch at all. Will maybe get out for a few easy miles this evening, if not tomorrow, to see how it holds up. I'm entered into the NI and Ulster 10k championships on Saturday, so will be taking it easy all week, to give the legs/body a chance to recover from the half.
Races coming thick and fast, hamo. Best of luck for the weekend. Hope the sore rib cage clears up. Not nice as you basically use those muscles for anything.
OMG, Jools. Not a great transition to come into. Incredible toughing it out form you. I love how much you love it.
Classic taper legs, spooons. Although right to shift seat on the train! Hope the heat work is going well.
9M on the canal - didn't have time for the usual 10 having driven in more slowly in truly atrocious conditions. Don't mind running in them at all - it is a filthy wind that I really don't like.
Great effort Jools. Crazy photos, exactly what we've come to expect from you. Sounds a great result given the lack of prep - well done. I'm not surprised you're a bit broken.
Talking of lack of prep, I've decided not to run in Chester. If it was close by or if I'd done any sort of reasonable training I'd make the trip up but a 4 hours each way drive hardly seems worthwhile. Hopefully will now run the first XC of the season on the same day.
Understandable HA, a mara off a low build up isnt fun.
SQ - i copped a right soaking too, as i had a big hill to go over a lot of my run was up or down stream.
6m easy. Back to it tomorrow.
SQ...Good 9 miler. I like running in the rain.
HA77....Sensible decision, no point going that far, especially if you can get going to the XC.
TR...Easy miles are the right idea, you haven't lost time at all if your getting back to it tomorrow.
7 recovery miles in the dark this morning, everything felt ok, even the stomach, so good signs for Saturday i hope.
TR - that’s a good marker for a decent time at Abo, especially with the weather and on untapered legs.
AWC - cracking LR at the weekend, hopefully over the virus.
Jools - just finishing would have been commendable but half way up the field, that photo 🤣
HA - shame about Chester but local Xc sounds a good substitute.
Steve - reps in the rain, well done for getting them done.
SQ - consistent intervals and again, well done for braving the conditions. (I think I’ve gone a bit soft with all this dry weather. ) You asked about an Abo target, I’ve done a couple of MP sessions 8m and 10m with pace around 6:40 (just under 2:55). It felt a bit keen but hopefully with a couple more weeks they’ll feel better, I think time is against me to make much more progress than that and the speed/endurance doesn’t feel quite there but it’s a free hit / stepping stone to the spring campaign.
RSR - good luck with the trip to Berlin, time to get into the zone !
Nice intervals SQ.
Great work at TriX Jooligan, that photo of the misty mountains looks lovely. Nightmare about the baggage though!
Glad the mystery muscle pain is ok Hamo. Good luck for the 10K champs.
Wise decision as ever HA.
Well done on the wet reps Steve.
I managed to avoid the worst of the rain yesterday, just a bit of drizzle along the canal (plus a sighting of the lesser spotted SQ). Absolutely torrential rain about an hour later though, it caused lots of flash flooding plus a tree and wall came down blocking one of the main roads in to the city. Glad I got out there early!
HR was still up, but the pace was better than Sunday at least. Then the final practice session today, 5K at marathon pace. Felt good on the warm-up, and the MP section was controlled and came in right on target at 6:16/mi. Bit of a confidence booster after some taper jitters over the last few days.
Full rest day tomorrow, as superstition dictates. Good timing as I fly out tomorrow. Looking forward to a run around Tiergarten on Friday, although it’s looking a bit wet currently. Better to get that out of the way Friday though I guess. Wind forecast has gotten even worse, 20 mph with gusts of 32! At least with such a competitive field, I should have some people to work with/hide behind.
Hamo - hopefully you'll be fresh by Saturday.
Macca - sounds like you'll be in half decent shape by Abo, I'll be chasing (oe more like chugging) after you.
Spoons- nice one on the 6.16s.
Hoping for a dry run after work, would be the first one of the week.
Decent reps there in the MLR Steve.
Macca vs TR at Abo then
Spoons - good stuff. Best of luck & maybe the forecast'll prove an exaggeration.
Well after not racing for over 2 months I've done my 2nd of 3 in 2 weeks. I signed up for Hereford Couriers 5K over the summer when I thought it was 4 days before HalfX rather than 3 after! It was only a trial run of their proposed new course for the anticipated series revival in 2020. Ran the first 2K in about 8 minutes then eased back a bit as really didn't fancy going into the hurt zone for a so-so time. Pleasantly surprised to hold on OK & came in 25s quicker than Saturday's parkrun. Still a long way to go but promising signs of improvement at least. Especially as I've cycled my 2x10M commutes each day this week too
Here's another photo from the bike leg.
Spoons...Glad the last 'session' went well for you, and has boosted your confidence. You are 100% going to smash it i'm sure. Safe flight, and all the very best for it, if i don't get the chance to wish you luck again. Can't wait to see how well you'll do. As jools says, never worry about the weather, forecast mightn't be right/or as windy.
TR...Class 15.
Jools...Brilliant 5k, definite upwards trend happening. Those photos have been class.
7 mile recovery this morning, to be followed up with another 4 or 5 this evening for me.
12m more here.
TR...Nice 12 after your MLR.
6 mile with strides in the pissing rain and dark this morning, glorious.
Shaved a few seconds off last weeks tempo 6m in my 10m commute today, last wk was my quickest since the yeovil taper too, so hopefully I'll go quicker still before Abo.
Nice work at Hereford Jooligan. What’s the new course like?
Great running everyone else.
Thanks for all the well wishes, much appreciated. Travel went smoothly on Thursday, and I enjoyed exploring Tiergarten on my run yesterday morning even if it was rather dull and gray. The road was already closed off, so I was able to run along the road we start on, which definitely got the excitement levels up. Off to the “breakfast run” shortly, for a final shakeout. It finishes on the track in the Olympic Stadium, which should be fun.
The expo definitely doesn’t back up the national stereotype of Germans being organised and efficient! Endless disorganised queues, god knows what it will be like today. London is a much quicker, smoother process. It was a total free for all at the official gear area too - worse than Oxford Street Primark on a Saturday afternoon!
Feeling nervous and excited now. I think my basic plan will be to head out at 2:45 pace and then once I’ve settled assess from there. Unless I’m feeling terrible though, I think I’ll try to stick to 2:45 pace regardless. I’d rather take the risk, shoot for sub-2:45 and miss, than give up early doors. And even if I did blow-up, I’d hopefully be able to hang on enough to secure a decent sub-3 time for GFA in 2021. Hopefully it won’t come to that though!
My number is 68930 if anyone wants to track