My Last Run

1846847849851852927

Comments

  • Oh no.  Kent is in lockdown tier 3, the tightest one. I've got a feeling that is going to knacker the rest of the year's races, and training was going so well!

    Covid is everywhere now with 3 people on my floor at work alone, (two in our team) sick with it.  I'm awaiting results of a test I had yesterday, the procedure is fairly unpleasant.  Pretty sure I'll get it at some point now.

    Anyway.. Two five milers to report.  One after the time trial last weekend, on sore stiff legs running like I was concealing a marrow on my person.  Tonight's much better, 5 miles in 42 something.  Have planned a long trail run for saturday round the colliery.

    Thanks for the well wished with my 10 mile folks! it's a reasonably popular distance down here surprisingly, with 6 springing to mind locally.

    That's a great 12 Guarddog.  Sussex is tier 2 I believe? so your event may still go ahead?  Is that right?
     
    Some decent runs there Hazlenut, do wish I had woods nearby.  That's some serious elevation.  Good luck with your move.  Loved creating new routes on Google earth!

    Great running Cal, hope your niggles improve and you get to do your half.  Have you ever thought of getting a weighted blanket Cal?  I got one for when I struggle to sleep.  Instant great nights sleep!

    This winter is going to be incredibly unsociable here, that is for sure, so am going to try and train as best I can as there isn't going to be much else to do!  so may as well try to find a positive.

    Stay well all.


  • Not such good news for you LTT - take care and hope that test comes back negative.  Similar thoughts here regarding the winter. 

    Still living in a thick blanket of fog here and nippy too at around freezing.  Popped out nonetheless for some tempo-intervals yesterday afternoon - 3 x 2 laps of a local field with jog recoveries to a convenient wooden post and back.  The field has a mix of tarmac and hard packed surfaced roads around it so easy to run on.  Each loop is around 1k.  Legs and lungs worked hard - I kept a closer eye on the latter due to the conditions but no issues.  I could have done with warmer trousers than the lightweight trackpants I was wearing as it took a while to get my quads working.  With a warm-up and a short cool-down around 8.3 miles.
  • Sorry Linton - I hope you can avoid the lurgy. I've seen news coverage of people behaving idiotically in Kent - what the hell are they thinking?

    Good stuff Hazel...foggy here too today.
    I've had to take two days off due to crushing fatigue - not sure if I was ill or if it was just due to a run of poor sleep.
    I did feel a bit better this morning - still not 100% but definitely more energetic. I

    Anyway, I got myself out despite the fact it was 2 degrees and misty, so not terribly inviting, and actually had a nice run. Explored some backstreets between Tooting and Mitcham and ended up doing 10 miles. Don't feel any worse for it, so hopefully I can run tomorrow and Sunday and I won't be too far behind on my mileage.

  • I've not done any speed work this week, what with the extra rest day and generally feeling a bit crap, so I thought I'd try a bit today. Given how I've felt this week and the fact my groin's been a bit twingey since yesterday (I put that down more to sitting on my bum for two days, rather than the run I did) I wasn't going to attempt a 5K effort. Instead I did four miles easy and three (.11) miles at tempo. I was aiming for HMP but the first two of the tempo miles were between HMP and MP and then the last one was slightly faster than HMP, although it felt more like 10K pace. I've the Olympic Park half in three weeks...somehow I don't think a PB is on the table for that one.
  • Fingers crossed the test is negative, LTT. Rather worrying that you've got a couple in your team with it. And yes we're in Tier 2 from next week and the 'bubble' runs will resume from the 8th.

    How is the move going, Hazelnut? All completed or are you doing it in phases? And hopefully work has improved for you.

    Sometimes a rest is just the ticket, Cal, especially if you're feeling fatigued. I suspect it might be the sleep issue. Have you thought of trying something like Sleepeze? I have one of those every now and then just to ensure I can get a decent night's sleep if I go through a period when I'm struggling with it.

    The good news is that it appears Goodwood is going ahead next week. We had decided to start our taper and although we'd planned a couple of runs midweek that fell by the wayside due to not waking up in time and then my partner having a tooth out on Wednesday and being told not to run for 24hrs.

    So this morning we decided on three laps round Hove Park. Surprisingly nice and sunny today, which probably accounts for the large numbers in the park. The usual issues of having to weave our way through with groups standing chatting in the middle of the path. As we hit the final stretch up the hill we encountered more people and were having to dodge our way through. I came up behind two women walking about 5ft away from the inside edge of the path and as my route was blocked on their outside I ran up on the inside. As I got to them one of them flung her arm out and I honestly thought that she was pointing at something. It was too late for me to divert and I flicked her hand with my shoulder, apologising as I went past. When we finished I felt I needed to sit down and was joined by my partner, whereupon the two women walked past holding their arms out and berating two girls who were running in the opposite direction shouting at them to keep their distance. I just commented that it wasn't exactly fair to berate others when they were taking up more of the path and my partner pointed out it was a shared space and perhaps if they were concerned they should walk in single file. We were then accused of being selfish, typical of runners and having spat on them. In the end I had to walk away. I should have asked if they were in a shared household as they weren't keeping 2m away from each other.
  • People like that really grind my gears, GD...twats, the lot of 'em.
  • john bateman 6john bateman 6 ✭✭✭
    edited November 2020
    G'dog,
    Sorry to hear of your little incident. Hove Park is quite narrow in places (and its users are narrow minded in places) and these things are bound to happen on this glorious morning here down south with so  many folk out and about. Great news that Goodwood is on. I really wish I'd entered as a proper race would be a real tonic right now.
    The prom was also rammed this morning, including our mutual friend from the Hedgehoppers who tells me that membership is on the up-tick. Good to hear.

    Cal, good for you too that you have that Olympic Park event to aim at. I've been meaning to do one of the events there for years, but have never got round to it.

    LTT, yes the south east (esp Kent) seems more 'virulent' right now. My training partner had a Covid test this (also remarking on how unpleasant it was) - and was clear, as of course I hope you are.

    H'nut, that was a very decent 6+ mile plus run and generally it looks as if you are putting in some serious training.

    2 runs to report: 1. a little 1.5 mile blast in the week, just to see what my Vo2 max is and to try to get under 10.30. Went off like a train but turned back into a stiff wind and 'failed': (10.41);Vo2 max =  48.7 (I know this is a very unreliable way to measure it).
                              2. my 'standard' 3 miler this morning (in perfect conditions) where I managed 21.42 with a WAVA of 72.9%. My best for a while and very pleasing with a last mile of 7.00. Good to know that I've still got some 'wheels' (if rather rusty!).

    '
  • HazelnutCHHazelnutCH ✭✭✭
    edited November 2020
    What a pair of stupid cows GD.  I really don't think meeting someone for less than 2 seconds outside is going to get them the lurgy.  Mostly I avoid doing even allowed things these days (other than running), less because I am worried about catching Covid but because of the strange behaviour of a lot of people, I just can't deal with it.  Still sounds good for Goodwood then.  We have booked a removals company to do the big stuff - I'm not lugging large bits of furniture around.  Smaller things are already being moved from A-B to make space for boxes.

     Two good runs there JB.  Better conditions and better pacing and you should get that 10:30 I would say.  A 70+ WAVA in training is always a good thing too.

    I would go for setting a benchmark at that HM Cal and just enjoy being able to pin on a number again.  Nice bit of progression running today.  Bit faster than HM might be straying quite close to 10k pace anyway.  

    4 miles recovery yesterday evening in thick fog - good thing I knew my route as it was hard to make out anything much at all and I had to keep cleaning my glasses.  Couldn't get out any earlier as work or rather my main customer dropped a bit of a bomb on my desk mid-afternoon which needed two hour's worth of analysis on the phone.  

    Today I had planned to go to Saturday morning training but the trainer cancelled yesterday evening with back issues.  I met up with another lady from the group instead for a hilly trot about of 10k.  Pretty cold - around freezing and a nasty wind getting up for the next couple of days.  We saw quite a lot of hair ice.  Hope the wind blasts the rest of the fog some place else.  Did get a late glimpse of the sun setting this evening at least.  
  • Hair ice sounds quite alarming, Hazel...not experienced that here. Fog has gone from London, anyway.
    14 miles today, mostly along the river. I ran down to Battersea Park, along to Putney and then, for a change, over Putney Bridge and back along the north side. You can't hug the river all the way on the north - you have to divert around Hurlingham Park and then there's a bit around Chelsea docks where you have to go around the old Lotts Road power station. I actually took the wrong road here and ended up on the King's Road but I found my way back south again.
    Pace was pretty slow and the legs felt quite fatigued for the second half. I guess that shouldn't be a surprise after the 10 on Friday and the fast finishing 7 yesterday. I can't help thinking that I've lost a lot of fitness (speed and endurance) since the summer, though. I should probably lay off the mince pies and ice cream for a week or two.
  • Hello folks! Covid clear, phew.  Just a bit chesty now.

    Not a bad weekend's running.  For a while I haven't really had a lot to aim for running wise and have been a bit lost what to train for.  However I found a Saxon, Viking, Norman challenge event this weekend that has given me something to go at!  It's on February 27th and is Olympics themed, with a cool Olympic medal!  Best of all it's only down the road at Bettshanger Park, just 4.5 miles away.  It's a 4.38 mile looper so really 13.1, 17.5 are my options, the 21.85 and 26.2 being currently out of reach.

    I've been to Bettshanger before for the Deal Half marathon, but that was on the boring cycle track, so before I signed up for this I thought I'd go and check out the trail section.  It was pretty cool! although I found it hard, but then am not really used to either mud, puddles or hills where I normally run.  Plan was to do a super-easy half, as the last few weeks have featured quite hard runs and time trials.

    First lap I got lost, second lap I ran fairly hard, third lap I was knackered! Time, 2:17 and that included pausing my watch to change from tights and long sleeves to vest and shorts (wasn't it hot yesterday?).  Bloody hell, it was harder than road running! Bit sore today. Saw horses, woodpeckers, different finches, and some young athletes, doing hill sprints.

    This is great though! as now 1)  I have something to train for 2)  I live down the road from the course so can practice there to know the course 3)  I've regularly commented how pancake-flat it is where I live and have now found somewhere which, if nothing else will make me strong. 4) It was my unlucky thirteenth half marathon since taking up running last year, and I didn't fall down a hole or anything!  Just hope Covid doesn't bugger it, fingers crossed.

    Good running Hazlenut.  A great mix of training there. What pace do you do the 2k intervals at?  I'm guessing around the 7/7.5 min mile mark?  I had planned to do more intervals and speed training.  Really should rather than just lugging myself about. The weather where you are sound very different to the UK, much colder!  A balmy 10c and no wind saturday. I've experienced hair ice fishing!  Not fun.  Also as a kid, wet hairstyle then fast bike ride to a mates house.

    Great running Cal.  I'm always amazed you, like Hazlenut, can do three days running (and long runs) on the bounce.  I can never run two days consecutively, and never more than 3 days a week.  Is that something that comes with time?  Do you find you get much lower leg pain or does that just fade after say, a couple years running?  Hope niggles improve!  Yes, many people in Kent have been complete dicks re: Covid.  Still regularly see people in supermarkets, petrol stations not wearing masks.

    That's not good with the idiots Guarddog.  Some people are just pedantic. I've had a few people unnecessarily "stand their ground" to make me run through puddles or bushes, when we could have just compromised. Sad really.  Good running.  I don't know Brighton well, but the Sea life Centre is superb!  Enjoy your taper.

    Couple of very brisk runs there John B. 70% WAVA sounds great.  

    Stay safe all.  Quick question!  Hydration vests.  Anyone use one? They look like they'd chafe and drive me mad.  But they would give a huge sense of running freedom on long runs.  





  • I usually run three days a week, Linton - I almost always rest Monday and then either Thursday or Friday depending on how I feel. When I do three in a row, one of them is usually a recovery run, but as I'd had an extra rest day (due to feeling crap midweek) there were two longish ones in there with a faster one in the middle. Hoping I don't pay for that next week.

    I do use a hydration vest in summer (and for long runs in winter - three hour jobbies, that is...I didn't take water for my 14 miler today, and didn't really feel thirsty until a mile from home). It's a game changer. I have a cheap one from Decathlon and it's still pretty good but first time I wore it, it rubbed the hell out of my neck, so I always wear it with either a T or my club vest, which is more of a sleeveless T-shirt and covers the bit where the vest might rub.

    Good news about the SVN event. They do great medals.
  • That is some running, Cal, great mileage for 3 days. And the run along the Thames sounds lovely. I used to do a stint running from Kew to Richmond and last years Chiswick Half was one of my favourite races, by and large because a fair part of it was run alongside the river. 

    That is a fantastic 3 mile effort, john, you certainly are very pacy and well done on the WAVA figure. Has Mr Millen suggested you join the Hoppers? Joining a Zoom quiz call with him tomorrow evening so will be good to see him again. 

    Ice hair is a distant memory for me Hazelnut  :D . I do remember when I worked in Canada a few years back going out for an early morning run wearing about 15 layers and my snood was absolutely encrusted with ice by the time I got back. Hopefully the move goes to plan and also your analysis is all done.

    Great run LTT and fantastic that you've got a potential event coming up. That is a decent time on a cross country course. And you've hit the nail on the head with "compromise". That was all we were suggesting to the two women, that rather than getting upset with other people perhaps they should consider that the 2 girls had just as much right to be there as they had. I'm not generally one for confrontation, but it annoyed me a tad that the expectation is always on the runner to make way. As john mentions the path can get a bit narrow at Hove Park, but even at its narrowest parts there is still enough room for 5 or 6 people to comfortably be able to share the path without any issues as long as people are sensible. In our run we had to dodge children on bikes suddenly changing direction, a dog running into my shin and people stopping and talking whilst taking up the entire path, and we voiced no objection to any of that, often running in single file when space looked as if it would be an issue. So it was a touch ironic to be accused of being selfish by people who refused to compromise and actively looked to close the distance by waving their arms around.

    Supposedly easy 6.5 mile out and back along the Adur yesterday. Almost perfect conditions and if it's like that next week I'll be very happy. Partner wanted an easy pace so I stuck religiously behind her. We got to the turn having run 8:54, 8:30, 8:20 at which point she asked if we could go slower. "Of course sweetheart, but aren't you the one setting the pace?" Pace average for the run was 8:35, which if we were to do that next week would be a good effort.
  • Hey all, hope your all well. Recently had a problem about pacing and recovery running. I am a daily runner who runs everyday without fail. I have always liked running and have been going regularly since I was 18ish. Since the start of 2020 I have developed the daily obsession which has been brilliant for both my physical fitness and my mental health. During the lockdown I guess like a lot of people it became the highlight of my day. I am happy that the ritual has continued after the summer lockdown but have become feeling tired and fatigued due to running too fast daily. My routine run is about 5K in around 20 minutes which has been chiseled down from 24 minutes before the lockdown, the progress has been amazing and so fast. I am now struggling to go out and slow the pace down and run for longer due to mainly only running for 20 minutes at 6:30 minute per mile. I want to run for 45 to an hour at a slower pace but struggling to do this. Any tips on how to achieve this please. Thanks Steve C
  • Hi Steve and welcome to the thread. Running slower than you normally do is actually more difficult than people may realise. I used to train with a friend and we always felt our toughest runs were where we were trying to keep to an easy pace. However it is worth persevering with as constantly going at race pace could potentially lead to risk of injury. You may also find that introducing easy and recovery runs into your routine, aligned with some speed sessions and longer runs to increase your endurance, would get your time down even more. Generally when I'm doing a long slow run I'll aim to go at a minute slower than race pace. It takes a bit of discipline, but is worth it. One if the biggest benefits I found was joining a running group for an LSR where you have someone setting the pace. Not sure if that's an option for you, but might be worth investigating.

    Cold, early start this morning, 3C with a real feel of -1C, so the running tights made their first winter appearance as we did an easy 30 min run from Hove towards Brighton pier and back. Didn't really feel the cold too much until we turned round and then the wind started to cut through. Plenty of people out, including those more mad than us who were going for a swim, and rather lovely to see the colours in the sky as  the sun came up. Looking forward to being able to get back into the gym tomorrow.
  • This is the hair ice I mentioned, it is quite pretty. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hair_ice I do get the other type (icy hair) as well every now and then, makes me look even greyer than I already am. 

    Great news on the negative test LTT - you must be relieved.  Good news you have something to aim for.   Tempo runs are done at around 7 - 7:05 pace.  If you want to up the number of days running it is a good idea to slot in a short recovery initially as an extra run.  You should be comfy running the 3 days beforehand (a bit of fatigue from a hard effort is ok of course).  For the first couple of weeks with an extra day don't overdo the hard running on other days and don't otherwise increase your mileage.  Finding a hydration vest or rucksack that fits can be a bit trial and error but it is worth it for the long runs.  I much prefer that option to a bottle belt personally.

    Sounds like you are both well set up for next week GD.  Have fun in the gym tomorrow (but don't give yourself DOMS after the break).  Always nice to see a good sunrise / sunset. 

    Welcome Steve. Sound advice from GD on mixing up your paces.  That is good progress on your 5k time. 

    Work remained frantic over the last days (improving now as we can't quickly rectify the big boo-boo of my colleagues now anyway).  Running was a good way to get some much needed headspace.  Decent training HM on Sunday - nothing fast (for me) at 1:53:36 but just mostly felt good.  Went out prior to breakfast and got a bit hungry on the last 2 miles and my quads turned to concrete in the cold wind despite the tights.  Yesterday 6.5 miles looping around a local field as I was too tired to think of a more exciting route in a bit over 55 minutes.  Light layer of snow here today - likely slush later - yuk, not my favourite conditions
  • G'dog, you are really putting in some good sessions and I'm looking forward to hearing the outcome of all this prep in your Goodwood race report. Thanks for the kind words. No, James has never tried to recruit me. There might be one very good reason for this: I used to teach him (that's how old I am), so he's seen quite enough of me for one lifetime!
    Portslade is a bit of a stretch for me a I no longer drive.

    Steve, welcome (although I feel l a bit of  fraud saying this as I'm something of a Johnnie-come-lately myself). But I recognise your issue as in my younger days - and still to be honest - I was a bit of a speed freak and routinely eschewed the longer runs. You've had some good advice from the G'dog which I can only echo (even if I didn't follow similar advice myself when I should have!). 
  • GD, there are a large number of races that go along that stretch - I know it pretty well now.
    Your partner must be pretty quick - that pace is somewhere between 10K and HM for me and most definitely not easy.

    Welcome Steve - that's a lot of progress! I generally pay attention to my breathing and if it's too hard I will slow myself down.

    Good running, Hazelnut - that would be a decent time for me in an actual race (I expect to be slower than that in my next HM, due to rustiness). It looks like we're due some icier precipitation here on Friday though whether that'll be snow or sleet I don't know. It is certainly colder this week.


    Hill repeats were on my menu today - I did have some doubts about how recovered I'd be after Sunday but I needn't have worried.
    I ran up to Hill Path in Streatham, which is long and nasty - starts off not too badly but then gets really steep in the middle (Strava reckons 17% at the steepest part), then goes around a bend and while the next bit isn't nearly as steep, it hurts if you keep pushing. Breathing was what I now term "lumberjack porn" as it sounds like someone sawing through a log interspersed by loud gasps.
    I did five reps - first at an easier pace and then pushed on the next four. The fourth rep was the fastest, probably because there was a large dog on one side of the fence that ran alongside me and barked loudly until I was out of range (fortunately he wasn't there for the last rep - owner probably called him back in). That rep actually got me into the top 10 fastest female times. Reclaimed my Local Legend status on there too, after a clubmate nicked it last week. He'll probably try to get it back now and we'll end up in some hellish eternal battle. :D

    After I was done with that I made my way back, and did a few faster bits on the way home but took the last mile easy. It was, overall, a very enjoyable run - rather cold but sunny. Glad I wore gloves but equally glad I didn't bother with a hat.

    I could definitely feel the upper hammy after the reps but it's fine now so I'm pretty content that I've not done anything to anger it too much.

  • Recovery run tonight. Nothing much to report. Sore knee and ankle after week end trail half, so slow and short, a bit like me.
    I guess I will expect some aches as I re-train myself for a change of terrain and surface.

    Wish I hadn't mentioned the weather as yes. It's now freezing! Sleeves, tights AND hat tonight.

    Good run Cal, lumberjack porn made me laugh.  
    Fast half Hazlenut, cool to discover Hair ice!
    Good running GD, that's a decent training pace for distance. 

    Welcome Steve, if you miss that cardio high of 5k pace you could always do a mile on/off recovery maybe?  Good advice from GD

    Will check out hydration vests, maybe santa can fit one on his sleigh.

    Take care all.
  • Recovery should be slow and short LTT :) Trails might well work your joints more - less hard surfaces but you need to compensate for the uneven terrain.  In my experience hydration vests tend to be more expensive than rucksacks, forgot to mention that. 

    Gentle run with one other Tuesday runner yesterday evening - I think he had no-one to talk to most of the day other than his cows (he is a part-time dairy farmer) and it was non-stop talk - could hardly get a word in.  Meant a pretty slow pace up the hills but I had planned on this being a recovery run for me anyway.  The snow we had had in the morning had more or less melted and no slush fortunately.  Few nice views of the moon against the clouds.
  • Hi everyone I'm back...again.

    GD - nice run! Always wanted to try early morning running but can't prise myself out of bed, plus I'd wake everyone else up. Do like running in the cold evenings though, it's really refreshing.

    Cal - good hill work. Hate it when dogs try to chase you or generally get in your way with owners oblivious to where they are or what they're doing. 'Lumberjack porn' gave me a giggle, I'm forever being told that my breathing is like that of a steam train leaving the station!

    LTT - I use a £20 Aonijie running vest for any longer runs, or runs where the weight of my phone threatens to bring my shorts down. It's small, lightweight and has space for a water vessel (needs to be bought separately). I would think though that for anything longer than a half-marathon, you may want something a bit better.

    Welcome Steve!


    Life keeps getting in the way of me running. I've barely run in the last three weeks because work has been mad, and I've procrastinated a lot with my studies for my professional exams...oops.

    Did a slow and painful 4ish miles on Sunday on a new route with less hills. Tried to take it slow but even then my fitness appears to have slacked off a bit in the two weeks I was out, and my recurring niggle in my right knee was coming back.

    Yesterday, decided to kickstart my Run (Almost) Every Day in December plan by running a slow 3 miles. Did feel slower, and strava backed this up, but was enjoyable nonetheless. Running a 5k every day in December should get me to my goal of 500 miles in the year, which I'll be happy with, though I am hoping to run further so that I can get some distance training in for my 1000 mile aim next year.

    Good news though, Santa is bringing me a running watch so I'll be able to run at a slower pace more often...yay! Now if only he could arrange for me to try on running shoes as well, that'd be great
  • Malteser - he was on the other side of the fence, thankfully. I don't enjoy getting barked at but I wasn't in any danger at least.
    Glad you enjoyed your run - don't worry about pace at the moment. Good luck with your goal but do listen to your body (if your knee is being grumpy) and take a rest day if you need to.

    Hazelnut - I totally get that. I tend to babble when I get chance to talk to people these days - I haven't socialised at all this year and go days without talking to a soul.

    Linton, it has certainly turned, hasn't it? I've managed with a T-shirt the last couple of runs but I've added arm sleeves and gloves. I still see people out in shorts, the fools.

    7 miles at recovery pace today - I was thinking about doing an MLR but legs were very heavy after yesterday (unsurprisingly) so I didn't push it.
  • Missed your last but one run Cal - enjoy the tussle with clubmate over the local legend.  Nice hillwork.  It is a difficult year for sure for a social life.  I'm (mostly) lucky to have an OH in that respect. My shorts are now at the back of the drawer.  Sensible to hold back on the distance after a tough session the day before.

    Good to see you back MalMal.  Nice to see there are also some cheap vests on the market too - haven't really shopped around for one (yet) and my localish running shop had mostly Salomon in stock and they are expensive.  Good luck for your exams.  That is a nice pressie to be looking forward to.  5k a day sounds ok - keep most slow / steady and just a few at a harder effort and you will be fine.

    Short and sharp speedwork yesterday evening - a couple of miles warm-up with a few strides and a few dynamic stretches (to get into the right mindset more than anything), then 2 x 5 x around 200m off jog recoveries over the same distance.  Pace - hard effort so that I was able to complete each 200m and the whole session with more or less consistent reps but I didn't have much more in the tank.  The recoveries on each rep aren't long enough to catch your breath fully so by the end of the set there was something along the lines of "lumberjack porn" breathing going on.  Short cool down and around 7.8 miles in total.
  • Nothing like some of the epic training that others are doing, but I cracked a little personal target of 1.5 miles at sub 7mm. My 10.29 cut it a little close though. As per LTT's quip, I've always been short but these days I'm slow and short.
  • Nice one, Hazel...sounds like a good session.
    John that's great going. I don't even have a sub-7 mile (best is 7:20 during a mile relay race) so don't sell yourself short (or slow).

    Went out for a soggy 10 today - it was raining but not hard. However, there were a lot of puddles which I somehow managed to kick all over my own shoes despite trying to avoid them. Wet socks.
    I ran via Earlsfield to Wimbledon Village then home via Tooting - there was one big hill (11%) going up to Wimbledon but as I wasn't sprinting, hammy seemed OK with it.
    I didn't look at my watch for the whole run so I was a bit disappointed to find out the whole thing was recovery pace (10:40-11) even though it felt more like 10-10:20 pace. Cadence was normal but stride length had gone to hell. I guess there's still a lot of fatigue in the legs from Tuesday.
    Oh well, miles logged, at least.
  • Well done John!

    Squelchy socks isn't nice Cal.  Probably your legs needed an easy pace. 

    10k at perceived easy effort yesterday lunchtime.  Even lucky to get in a bit of sunshine.  Could feel the legs had put in a bit of effort on that speed workout on Wednesday but no real aches or niggles.
  • Add in my relief that your test proved negative, LTT. Hopefully some generous soul will listen to your wish for a hydration vest and surprise you for Xmas.

    Welcome back, MM, and good luck with the studies for your exams. I'm sure the more you manage to get out then your fitness levels will return. And being able to get out takes away some of the stress if you're studying hard as well. 

    I'm still aiming to be one of the fools in shorts for the time being, Cal. Although I had a physio session yesterday where he performed 'cupping' (no not that kind of cupping!!) and I now have lovely circular bruises at the top of my thighs. It looks like I've been given a love bite by a vacuum cleaner. So I'll be wearing compression shorts under my normal shorts for Sunday's race. I wouldn't worry too much about your pace, you're putting the miles in which counts for a lot.

    Sounds like a nice speed session, john. And as Cal says you're certainly not slow. What subject did you teach James, btw?

    Good speed session, Hazelnut, and nice recovery too. I think I prefer 200m repeats to 400. Reminds me more of my sprinting days. 

    No runs to report since Tuesday. We were due to go out yesterday, but on getting up it was absolutely bucketing it down and in the end we decided there was no absolute reason to do a run. We'll venture out for an easy 30 mins tomorrow. 

    We did have the club quiz zoom call on Tuesday and it was good to see so many others. The quiz was split into 3 rounds, rounds 1 and 3 were running related questions and round 2 was more club related. Each question was worth a point and at the end there was a final question that was worth 5 points. We were in the lead in round 1 (I know our answer that Seb Coe won 2 gold medals was correct, however the quizzer had it as 4), fell behind in round 2 (we struggled with the club related questions, especially when it was "what was the name of the race in the Lake District that (insert name of club runner here) entered?"), but by the end of round 3 had pulled back to within 3.5 points of the leaders. The last question came in - how many members does the club currently have? Cue my partner looking at me, "Is it 92 or 93?" "Ermmm, you're the membership secretary if anyone should know you should." There were a few seconds of a panicked expression before she said 93. We won. There then followed a few Mexican waves and we should receive a book on the history of the London marathon as a prize.
  • Nice one, GD...yours is a small club though eh? Mine has 1000 or so members (although it does include triathletes and cyclists).
    I've seen those cupping marks. I'm not sure what it's actually supposed to do, benefit wise - can you enlighten us?
  • Thanks for the kind praise for me little run. I was clocking sub 6.30 for a mile earlier this year hence I was a bit 'flat'.

    G'dog - I think I taught James business studies, probably economics. I love quizzes but they've never been quite the same since the mobile phone. My all time favourite was when I lived in Liverpool in the late 70s (when cupping was probably a criminal offence). We were in a league and everyone took it enormously seriously, especially the football questions. Great fun.

    A longer than usual 30 minute run for me today. This hardly stacks up as 'long' alongside some of the training done in these parts. I just need to be careful not to overdo it (plus my hands were cold: I'm a southern softie).
  • We're small and cosy, Cal. Having said that the membership is split between runners and walkers, but there's been an influx of younger runners coming in that's rather heartening. However that decreases my chances of ever scoring points in any league runs. I believe the idea of cupping is to stimulate blood flow to particular muscles. The other option he offered was acupuncture which, although I've had before, I'm not exactly keen on.

    Business studies sounds as if it's given him a good grounding in terms of being club secretary, john. And I love a quiz as well. I still harbour something of a grudge with the Lib Dems in Eastbourne who denied my team a win when they gave the wrong answer as correct for a particular question. On another occasion I met up with some guys I used to play football with for a drink and the pub we were in had a quiz which we decided to enter. We went on to win, much to the annoyance of a couple of regular teams who made it clear we probably should drink up quickly and leave. Well done on the 30 min run. Hopefully your hands have warmed up sufficiently.
  • Nice one, John. Gloves?
    Nothing wrong with cosy, John. At least you get to know everyone. Unfortuantely for me, most of the peeps in my club are both younger and faster than I am so my results are never going to score points. Speaking of...

    After a rest yesterday (which included a walk and then some light upper body weights in the gym - don't want to go too hard too soon there and cop a massive case of DOMS) I was due for my weekly 5K time trial today.
    I decided to run down to King George's Park in Earlsfield, which is long but flat, as I'm bored of my local fast route. It was sunrise when I went out and I felt quite happy with the pink sky over my head - legs felt quite good too. Ran the 2.5 miles there then restarted my watch and started out pretty hard. Ran the length of the park (I did have to skirt around a car on the road that goes through the middle of it, but didn't lose too much time there) and then back up to the gate I came in. I'd planned to go back out and finish up on the Wandle Trail, which is nearby, but there were two old ladies and their dogs coming through the gate and it was obvious they weren't going to move out of my way in time so I hairpinned around and went back the way I came, then back along the road I'd crossed earlier and into Earlsfield.
    My pace was, frankly, dreadful. I finished it in 26:53 which is two minutes down on what I'd consider to be decent. I'd like to say I was taking it easy, but I was breathing hard and my watch suggested HR was high (although that could have been cadence lock - hard to tell. Felt hard though).
    The pace I ran today was my HMP in January (and I was running sub-25s throughout summer, aside from the 10 days I took off with a dodgy groin). I don't know how I've detereriorated so much but it's quite disheartening.
    I jogged the 2.5 miles home feeling a lot less happy than when I left my house.
    I have a 10K next Wednesday and a 5K on the Saturday so I expect those will give me a better idea of where I'm at under race conditions. I'm not expecting miracles though.
    I just wondered if any of you guys have had similar drop-offs in performance and how you combat this? I did miss a lot of running in October with the hamstring but I've knocked out a few 40+ mile weeks since then and I've not put stacks of weight on or anything, so I'm not sure how to explain this.
Sign In or Register to comment.