Moraghan Training - Stevie G

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  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    SQ - tidy enough mileage there.
    I put a 61.5m in, but had to put a 4mile filler in to get it past the 60.

    4 more weeks minimum of lockdown then...will probably just stick to the current flow. Around 60m a week, one steady or progression run as Tue quality, and some sort of track sesh Friday. Decent maintenance fare.

    Will postpone the 5k plan for a bit I think.
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Super cold today. 2 layers, gloves, and never feeling even remotely warm

    Mixed the route up with a bit out one way, dip into a set of woods midway, and out the other way.
    One of these sets of woods that are huge that I've not come close to fully exploring.

    But a real trudge up them job. After a mile of gradual incline to get there in the first place.
  • It's going to get even colder as well this week! Well done for getting out early doors on a Monday...
    On the plus side, should be dry and the mud should be frozen!

    Think I got away with it. Painful and sleepless night, but feels a fair bit better this morning, and I managed to sneeze without wincing earlier so definitely not a broken rib!
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Good news. Even bruised ribs are an ass.

    Routine is the key word right now isn't it.
    In late spring/ summer furlough I tried to do a 10 a day in singles most days, day off sat and long run Sunday. That still took some motivating, but at least had the whole day to get out and get recovered from.

    This time round, it's colder, earlier and have normal work, so largely I'm finding 8-9 each day is more than enough as a single.

    Should get easier from next month in every way I'd imagine, and once a day exercise should be the first thing to be loosened I'd imagine (i know we debate guidance vlaw, and whether it's "ok" or not etc, but i just err on the side of caution :) )
  • Better to have bruised ribs being an ass than getting ribbed for a bruised ass 😎

    Routine or groundhog day??? It'll definitely be a lot easier when its light in the evenings (warm would be nice, but no doubt we'll be moaning it's too hot before long🤣)
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Oh it's guaranteed i'll be moaning about heat/humidity before long :D 
    That or windiness!
  • Just thought I'd drop by. I've been catching up semi-regularly, and glad to see everyone is still managing to keep the motivation going during the lockdown!

    I had a pretty good end to the year, some tidy workouts indicating that I was finally back to PB shape, including a sub-18 5km during a 20min block. Was due to have an 8km TT early January, hoping to put a mark in at ~28:xx, but came down with something feeling pretty rough. Thankfully it wasn't COVID, and I managed to keep running for a while, but it's gone pretty downhill from there over the course of several weeks. It's been hard work trying to run 4mi at ~9min/mi!
    A visit to the GP cleared anaemia, diabetes and thyroid issues, but think it's actually post-viral fatigue. Strange, as I didn't feel that unwell. Heyho, these things happen and I've just got to try to get a handle on it, and wait for it to improve.
  • SG, seen a marathon you may like: Home Run Marathon

    https://www.tiktok.com/@kylescheele/video/6919598484958022918

    Simpy post fake pictures to social media. Over 27k entries already. 

    Let me know when you next try and find that path and I'll get there and wait for you: seems to be the only sure  way to get it done. I was certain you'd get it yesterday but obviously I underestimated your determination. 
  • Jooligan said:
    SG. I mainly run on tarmac or solid trails. Sometimes I’ve had a few muddy miles in there too. I monitor HR & most of my running is in the low aerobic zone. 
    The big problem we have around here (and I'm guessing others may have too) is that things are so different this year. In a normal year there are paths that always get churned up (so the Thames Path and the Ridgeway) so I'll run on those in the summer and switch to others in the winter. Now the winter paths are getting churned up and if you hit one of those then it can slow you down enormously. I'm well off my old pace but averaging between 9:00 to 9:30 over a whole month and last Sunday I did a 14+ minute mile. Hit a few of those and the normal done and dusted inside 2 hours run becomes closer to 2.5 hours. I've had to switch the long Sunday run to be a lot more conservative in route selection so really single track roads and well maintained farm tracks and not a mix'n'match of footpaths.
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    SG, seen a marathon you may like: Home Run Marathon

    https://www.tiktok.com/@kylescheele/video/6919598484958022918

    Simpy post fake pictures to social media. Over 27k entries already. 

    Let me know when you next try and find that path and I'll get there and wait for you: seems to be the only sure  way to get it done. I was certain you'd get it yesterday but obviously I underestimated your determination. 
    I've got it now...the latest fail was presuming the road to my left was Winchbottom, when really it was a road leading to Winchy.
    That added late run confusion and I thought I needed to be to the right, went right, and got all muddled. 
    Who knew there would be two similar looking massive fields, with similar gates :D 
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Jooligan said:
    SG. I mainly run on tarmac or solid trails. Sometimes I’ve had a few muddy miles in there too. I monitor HR & most of my running is in the low aerobic zone. 
    The big problem we have around here (and I'm guessing others may have too) is that things are so different this year. In a normal year there are paths that always get churned up (so the Thames Path and the Ridgeway) so I'll run on those in the summer and switch to others in the winter. Now the winter paths are getting churned up and if you hit one of those then it can slow you down enormously. I'm well off my old pace but averaging between 9:00 to 9:30 over a whole month and last Sunday I did a 14+ minute mile. Hit a few of those and the normal done and dusted inside 2 hours run becomes closer to 2.5 hours. I've had to switch the long Sunday run to be a lot more conservative in route selection so really single track roads and well maintained farm tracks and not a mix'n'match of footpaths.
    One field I encountered on Sunday was uphill, into wind, ploughed and muddy. That was pretty darn miserable and slow!
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Matt - as someone who sits in and around the same fitness seemingly most of the year (bar vertigo!), I don't know how you peak and trough so amazingly - promising signs long term though.

    In other news, to end the most boring saga on the internet, I finally did do the right route today.

    Took the shortest route "up" and then out to Little Marlow, then did the proper up,  right field and jobs a goodun.

    Couldn't totally sway from my roots too much though, and on the way there, emerged at a big field, presumed there was a footpath one direction - wasn't, and did a pointless little loop, and ravaged by a huge dog.
    That,a few stops to open gates, and 20secs pishing about trying to unravel headfones, and finally a 8.5miler all in, and pretty much 90% offroad today - wearing the xc shoes.
    Seemed ideal with the potentially dodge footing. Certainly no point trying a steady/progression today.
  • SG you finally worked it out! Now to run it a couple more times to consolidate. Or save the route on your watch. 

    Sounds like you might have escaped the worst of it, Bus. 

    Standard lockdown Tuesday for me, with 10 buggy miles including 12 x 30s single arm accelerations, 7:24 average pace. Probably overate a bit last night and felt a bit sluggish. But actually pace turned out ok. Absolute stunner of a morning. 
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    SQ - genuinely the only borderline interesting/possibly cold induced hallucination of today was going through a gate, and seeing what I'm sure said was "in memory of Christopher Wallace".

    Which I'm sure is Biggie Smalls real name!

    I expect only Phil on here is a big fan of his music in fairness, maybe before some of the younger posters' time.
  • Lol SG. I now can't get hypnotise out of my head. 

    Just used my annual Vitality 50% discount to pick up some NB 1080 v11 for £67.50. Absolutely loved the v10 last year. Prob best general trainer I have ever owned. 
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Slicker than your average..do dodoododo do.

    What's this voucher stuff? SG loves a freebie. When DT2, much missed poster furnished myself and Bus with a VIP day out at the GSR in about 2012, it was without doubt top 2 lifetime running experience fare.

    Therefore, for any lurkers out there, who have potentially enjoyed this thread for a decade, and have an "In" at either a retailer or a big race organiser - feel free to send me a PM with your freebies you can offer me...ok..maybe us? :)
  • JooliganJooligan ✭✭✭
    edited February 2021
    Glad that's over SG. I'm sure there'll be plenty of other navigational mishaps in the weeks ahead :p Whilst Biggie Smalls is a legend in the Wycombe area it's more likely to be this chap though: Chris Wallace
    That's a cracking pace SQ with or without the buggy.
    Glad to hear you're not too crooked Bus.
    Bad luck on the PVF Matt, patience is key to recovering from it for sure.
    Enjoyed the TikTok chap's Centaur Bike PMJ, so cheers for that link.
    Not sure what's going on but I've gone out easy the last 2 days & still ended up finishing well below 8 min/mile for my double digit runs.
    Last night did 10.4M@7:51s around the Forest fire trails in the dark & snow. I used to think that was a reasonably hilly route but at 580' I've downgraded it to "gently undulating" :D 
    Today the legs were feeling a bit stiff before setting off for 11.8M at lunchtime - probably due to only having 17 hrs recovery. Got out & ran straight into the freezing wind which confirmed this was going to be an easy run however I was trotting along nicely so figured I'd have a crack at a 1M segment which pretty much covers the 10th mile & the route is basically DH from there on. I'd clocked last time out on this route when I'd managed 10th without even realising it was there so figured I'd definitely be able to improve on that. I knew it started with a bit of a climb before levelling & then undulating back down but wasn't sure how far down the slope it started so wound it up early. Unfortunately I therefore eased off about a 100-150m before the end letting gravity do the work as I figured it must be over by then. I equalled the CR!! I'd also managed to improve my times enough on 2 overlapping segments to get into the Top 10 on both without trying. Last time I'd deliberately gone hard at the 1st of those: a 1.14M 223' affair but I was 1s quicker this time. Think I probably blew up too early before. 7:43 average pace & 900' of climb so 'undulating' rather than 'hilly'
  • Sounds like you are in a good place currently Jools!

    Time is your friend with PVF Matt. You'll suddenly be out there and feel 100% and it'll be a great feeling!

    SG - all that pissing about around Winchbottom Lane and an inability to read a map is more than made up for by a cracking pace over that route today :wink:  Hopefully that should open up a whole new world of lockdown ramblings for you too.

    Couldn't get out of bed for an early run and then unexpected manic work stuff  meant I had to split my run into two halves today!  It doesn't count as two runs cos I never got out of my running kit!  Glad there's not much mud left, but those frozen churned up mud turned into mega-ruts are still pretty hard work and just tempting some form of ankle injury, so pace was incredibly slow for the effort!  

    Chest pain was a bit worse today, and not massively pleasant on the climbs, so confirms probable muscle strain, so nothing to be unduly concerned about in due course. 

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Realised i'd called it Winchcombe on strava,  whoops. Getting it mixed up with my first race win in 2009 - the highly competitive Winchcombe 4.7miler!

    Simple out and back on 95% flat road today - that's more like it. Just a half lap with small offroad climb to break it up.
    9.5miler, 7.11 pace. That's more the stats I like to see :)


    Bus - maybe just keep it flat and road until the chest eases? Presuming it's just the climbs you feel it on!
    Harder trails are easier to run on than those mud fests, but always have that slight threat of turning something, or cracking through an iced up patch etc

    Unlucky/well matched on the seg Jools. The worst of both worlds in that you don't technically own it, but will still get the notification if someone beats it. Annoying!
  • The Bus said:
    Glad there's not much mud left, but those frozen churned up mud turned into mega-ruts are still pretty hard work and just tempting some form of ankle injury, so pace was incredibly slow for the effort!  


    Worst of both worlds yesterday: the tracks where it was reasonably firm and flat before were frozen hard and just trying to turn your foot and the deep mud and puddles were still deep mud and puddles but with a firm layer on top to break through. 

    Congrats on finding the route SG: good pace too!
  • Tomorrow's minus 7 will sort that out Philip :wink:

    I would SG, but the pavements round here are pretty dodgy this week, so the off-road stuff is the lesser of two evils! Just need to take things a little easier I think and just make sure it gets better rather than worse!

    I should actually be able to get out for a proper run at lunch today, though I'm slightly reluctant to type that as recently things seem to be having a nasty habit of hijacking my plans at work!  I blame everyone working from home and spending all day sending emails whilst in Team meetings and expecting instant responses!
  • Tried the Thames today thinking the cold would have frozen the mud but the Thames has flooded so it was just a case of running down a path and getting close and failing, then backtracking and trying another path. All very well but I was in trail shoes and did 5 or 6 miles on roads. 
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    On the flip side, I benefitted from the steep climb on the field opposite Wooburn park up to Flackwell being rock hard. So much easier than the slippy mud of last time.

    9miles, 7.16 or so all in. Coldest yet.
  • There are still flood warning in place for most towns along the Thames Philip. Also now groundwater flood warnings as well, with groundwater close to record levels.

    I put my old Orocs on this morning. Although nowhere was really icy enough to need the metal dobs, my feet definitely benefited from the much stiffer sole on the frozen-solid lumpy mud which gave them a right battering yesterday in my fell shoes!  If you fell over on that stuff it would definitely chafe! 
  • The Bus said:
    There are still flood warning in place for most towns along the Thames Philip. Also now groundwater flood warnings as well, with groundwater close to record levels.
    I always thought the plan was to let Slough and Staines flood and save Marlow. 



  • When we bought our house three years ago, the best life insurance quote was for Vitality. So went for it on cost grounds. But actually the perks are very good: one 50% Runnersneed discount a year, amazon prime, free weekly Caffè Nero, free Apple Watch, solid discount on Garmins... Some automatic, some you need x number of ‘points’ - although don’t think you’d need to worry about accruing these 😆. Anyway SG, stop with the tease - what is in the top 1 lifetime running experience?

    Also, SG, which Winchcombe race have you done? It is only a couple of miles from me. Beautiful place. Came second in a good roughly 10k MT race that went up to Belas Knap and back. Hot August bank holiday job. Sponsored by the local butcher so everyone got a six pack of sausages (and an extra 12 for podium finish). Some genius brought a cool bag with him. Great for a bank hol post race bbq piss up after.

    Haha remaining in the same kit for a double run is classic, Bus. Mind you, this is the weather to get away with it. 

    Short buggy recoveries yesterday at a nice and slow 9 m/m pace. General buggy run today: 9M at 8:18 pace. Feeling a bit blurgh- tired and overfed. Could be Christmas all over 😆

    Don’t mind the cold whatsoever, but the wind can do one. Suspect tomorrow’s 1km intervals could be a sufferfest in one direction. 

    Took delivery of the NB 1080v11 today. Looking forward to trying them probably on the weekend. Previous version easily my favourite general mileage shoe of all time. 

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    edited February 2021
    2009 it was SQ.
    Winchcombe 4.7miler, a race myself and a good pal designated for a bit of a road trip with the promise of finishing high up the field.

    A bootleg standard race, village fete stuff, though in fairness there was also an equally stupid distance of 2.9miles underneath it.

    One of my fondest memories as a first win, but so many utterly ludicrous parts to the day, as you'd hope for in one of my reports

    • No marshal on a key main road junction - that was a fraught crossing! :o
    • No directions at a key turn, leading to us having to hurdle a fence midway :D
    • The daft organiser woman seeing me finish first, and us chatting, yet oddly giving credence to some ruddy faced bloke who rocked in 10mins later insisting he'd won.
    • We quickly got to the bottom of the bloke's story, quoting bits of the course to him, that he'd not done. That and the fact he'd never been leading. I don't think the clown had even won the 2.9miler in fairness!
    • Getting a "goblet" trophy from some old bloke with a silly hat on in a field. The most low key "presentation" ceremony of all time.
    • The daft organiser contacting me 6months later demanding the "trophy" back. Having realised it was worth a bit more than she thought. I sort of regret giving it back :)

    Honestly you couldn't make it up - but brilliant at the time.
    I remember getting quite hyped up and buying all manner of tat like a mini shrub at the fayre after :D 
    I got hold of their local paper too, for a 2 liner in there about my win. They'd managed to spell my surname wrong as well :kissing_smiling_eyes:

    I think a few years after that debacle they decided to make it into an actual proper distance of 10k.
    I did look at going back a few years ago, but I think they've also added a massive steep hill in, and being mid August (is it?) and a 60mile drive, it just looks utterly ludicrous to even think about.


    In terms of running experiences, I've loved my south coast trips, especially the days in pb form, but still a lot now. The Welsh miles too. In fact the trip/race/stay over/drive/write up all in really make it a good experience.

    Great South Run being in superb shape, with a good pal in Bus, as a freebie VIP experience, with celebs and an after race feed, really does take some beating.

    But Endure 2019 is the top experience for me. Great team amongst a 50 strong club outing, loads of other clubs locally around, camping, loads of chat, and being in a competitive team who were striving for the win until late on.

    Honestly don't know if we can ever match the magic of that weekend, but I'd love to get back there either way.

    Good luck with the 1ks.

    While it's not been a snow week as such, it's been a bit different being so cold, and the risk of ice etc, so I swerved quality on Tuesday.
    Tomorrow I'll probably do what I'd have done on Tuesday, a 4mile or so "out" and then ramp it it up on the way back.
    Nothing too crazy, either a steady or a progression again.

    Hopefully the gov on 22nd Feb will give us a decent steer as to when stuff might open up again, and can formulate a plan based on that.

     
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    8.5m progression run then.

    First mile 7.28, down to 6.03 for the last half mile.

    First 3.5miles climb a small bit, so drop a small bit on the way back. Wind and cold probably counter balances any "gain" from the down though.

    Clearly not as hard as the straight 6miles in the 6.10-15 zone, but you have to get up for those, whereas these are a nice laid back little change through the gears, although not messing about near the end.
  • Good posting all - work been nutty all week, constantly analysing our staff Covid-19 vaccine uptake rates. So sick of this now tbh..

    SQ - I'd say the NB Propel v2 are now my favourite long run shoes I've ever had. Love the fuel cell. Wish i'd bought another pair of them rather than the Prisms...which I can't really wear again until my toe is OK.

    Hope you feel better soon MH - keeping tabs on you on Strava.

    Good weekend all etc etc...

  • Check out local face Fabe Downs Saturday morning run....

    https://www.strava.com/activities/4778197564
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