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Moraghan Training - Stevie G
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Good running SG..
Stag Trophy thing went ok - 13.07 so a little quicker than last month. Course is 3 laps, 2.49 miles, so there's 12 90 degree turns to contend with. When I was running well 3 years ago I did 12.58, so not too far off.
Luton track torture tonight..
SG - I'd love to be running under 18 mins at the moment. Haven't run a mile staring with a 6 in about 4 months now. Always enjoy reading your reports. Think you were too modest though, I'd have just dived in the relevant starting position to have other people to run with.
Hamstring making progress, but as mentioned above, not doing anything other than easy/steady running 3 times a week. Not very exciting but at least we've got some beautiful trails to run on around here.
Did get some real positive news re; an FTP test I did (outside!) last Friday. For those non cyclists, this is ride as hard as you physically can for 20 minutes, until you're a dribbling mess. Obviously the higher the number the better.
I won't bore into the details, being a running forum, but 382w for 20 minutes (over 5 watts per kg) was a very pleasing result, and way higher than I've ever recorded before. Hoping some of that bike fitness will translate to running when I can finally get back to some sessions.
Booked flights to Estonia yesterday for Ironman in August - gambling that things are going to be ok by then, I'm quietly confident..
Sorry to hear you've had this even more extended period of niggles/comeback than I realised.
Am sure you'll get back into the flow when the body eases off and things allow and you'll quickly ramp up.
I've been a little too casual in a couple of these time trial events, both this time and in autumn, with times setting off. Will put that right for the next turnouts and properly be prepared.
Hopefully can get down those 17xx over the next few and re-awaken "proper" race mode.
Certainly sounds tidy there Simon.
3x1km, 4x400m, 4x200m, off 90secs for 1kms, and 60secs for the others.
I'm only turning out around 3.35kms in the recent 5k race turnouts, so I went in roughly thinking under 3.30 felt right, and then sub 80 for 400s, but would see how it went.
Felt pretty darn windy for the 1kms, but oddly not quite as big an issue for the 400-200s. Maybe because you're not drilling those like you would be in a single distance session.
Anyway
3.26-3.26-3.28
78-79-77-78
4x35
Nothing felt overly pushing "that" hard, but at the same time, it felt "right".
Wish the wind would bore off, as it feels like that's reducing things a little, but you can always get a windy race, so have to deal with it in training.
Clearly pushing for sub 17 which takes 3.24 kms is quite some way away right now, but hopefully it's a work in progress over the long summer and we can push this 17.49/52 mixer down a chunk first.
Some morning tightness for me after yesterday's pedestrian run, 8:22 pace on an easy flat route, is as much as I dared to do. Started off hot in the sun with a base layer and ended up freezing cold in the rain at the end, wise choice to stick with that extra layer!
Races give most of us that feedback of how we're doing, so it's been a very weird 14 months or so with just a sprinkling of these artificial time trials to get by on.
Will have to get along to the odd club session in time I think. Bit of a drive now I don't work over that way , but in fairness it never suited that well having to hang about 2hours after work. At least this way I can time it to arrive quite soon before, and now it's 100% WFH, can manage it with later wake ups the next day after
Puts me off a little that they seem to do most of their sessions round a grass 400m track, but I suppose at least you're battling people rather than solo against the wind!
Slowly does it for you. You know history shows you'll get the power back fairly quickly, so it's all about not rupturing yourself in the meantime.
Reg - Sounding promising injury wise. Solid enough Session SG and JB the bike stuff does sound impressive!
Track was better than expected last night - 8 x 1k off 80. Not what I wanted the day after the Stag, and the first lap was a horrid 3.23 with an annoying wind. Then got to around 3.13's with 3.06 for the last one.
Weather crap tomorrow. At least track over the road should be quiet!
Great to see another turnout from you, SG. A pleasing level of driving detail 😊. I enjoy your way of words as much as Ben’s. Agreed with Reg, the right course and a solid group around you and you will knock off a solid chunk.
Jools those photos are amazing. Proper mountains!
You’re fast enough already, SC, god help us once you don the Dragonflys!
Fingers crossed for the injured crew, Bus and Reg.
Great stuff, Joe. From my limited experience of cycling in recent years, but having spent a good chunk on the Wattbike, that FTP is absolutely outrageous.
Have been slowly getting back into thing post marathon, and enjoying zero pressure. 31M last week - all very sedate.
Dropped in a few strides on Tuesday this week, and did a lovely 15M out and back along the canal yesterday before an evening work thing. Beautiful afternoon for it. Ran to easy rather than recovery, and pleased to see 7:12 average pace. That said, form was slipping in the final mile.
Another very enjoyable trail run this morning – head north from Worcester, but sticking to the west of the river. Haven’t been for a couple of years. Trail in good nick and such peaceful countryside. Hoping to hop onto the grass track for a gentle session next week. Perhaps 200s?
Just over two weeks until I pace my friend at Peterborough. He started with a 3:20 target (7:38 pace), but has done some good sessions with what look like MP effort section at 7:25 – 30. He has also PBed in the half (1:26 on trail) and 10K 37:58. These, however, have been in the context of very low mileage (maybe 30M a week). So I am still tempted to encourage him to stick with 3:20 at least until 20M. Any thoughts? Want to try to do a good job of helping him!
Kind words on the pace. Knowing my luck I won't get on with the Dragonflys!
30 x 200m doesn't sound too bad now, having done 40 x 100m in the pool last week. Lake swim this morning and the temperature has actually dropped 1 degree to 11.5c. It wasn't too bad though to be honest. Face was very cold to start with and my hands went a bit numb after 30 minutes but otherwise it was ok. It's probably close to what the race will be and I am happy with that. For importantly I managed another 6 mile run today with no significant issues.
I have a sprint triathlon next week but I really need to think about just jogging the run as it's really not worth any risk. It also didn't cost me anything as it was paid for with a prize (voucher) from a previous event.
Nothing too scenic in the main, with a fair bit of the Marlow 5mile course, on what would have been the race today, but there was a bit down by the River towards Hurley later.
Surprisingly sticky, and my t shirt was utterly drenched at the end.
A couple of climbs and one slower mile down the busy Thames path, but all in all 13miles at 7.07 ish. which is as quick as any of these have been for a fair while.
I ended up in Hurley and then Bisham as well, I considered the Thames path but not on a bike on a Sunday around Marlow. Instead I headed up a footpath on the other side of the road from the pedestrian Thames crossing not long after the Hand and Flowers. Found myself in a nice woodland spot, albeit a few too many dog walkers about. Eventually arriving in Rotten Row and back home across the Weir. I am loving this gravel bike, the freedom to just go anywhere without feeling too slow on the road is very liberating. 101 miles all-in with the gravel bit being the most fun.
Sounds a long outing and I can't even imagine the idea of going out for exercise and ending up say 40-50miles out and needing the same back!
I can't imagine at all a 100miler either. I suppose it's the real shock factor of how much you have to artificially slow yourself down. Start at the pace you'd jog after reps etc and probably then some.
A guy from my work did it, and posted 15 1/2min miling! His strava post was good first half not so good second half, so sounds like he was down to walking for a lot of the second half to post that average. Sounds blimming miserable to be honest. Even a 100mile walk doesn't sound a world of fun.
Think the winner put in a time that without getting the calculator out must have been not far off 8min miling!
It's pretty flat in the main, and I don't know what percent is firm paths versus dodgy paths/offroady stuff, but that's a pretty phenomenal pace to be holding, especially when you must be stopping at a number of aid stations, or walking bits.
Reg - Definitely not a good session for you at the moment, the 30 x 200. that hammy will have to be properly healed up by then.
Lovely long run yesterday through Woburn house grounds over to watch the boy at cricket. Warm though and a definite shock to the system
Dragonflys are on their way, only £18 postage. So should be £136 all in from the states. Not too bad all things considered. should last 3 summers at least.
I can only imagine it'd be anywhere near worthwhile in a little gang, where you treat it as a bit of a day out and jog and walk it, and large it up for food and drink every so often.
Just seems to invite a world of pain.
That's why I quite like the mile/5k stuff. Superb to disaster is probably only a 10-15 second range in the former, and probably 60-80secs in the latter.-
You can always see it home whatever conditions/shape you're in, and barring something very unusual, ready to go again shortly after.
Was up to the track today, freestyled a totally different session, that I was editing right until the last min to be honest.
Panned out as a pleasingly "halving" cut down session
2400m, 1600m, 800m, 400m, 200m all off 90secs.
Disto Lap av
2400 1.27 (helped by a mid 1.25 last lap)
1600 1.26
800 1.20.5
400 1.16
200 34
Nicely ramped up.
Good conditions at the track, no real wind, just a bit overcast and started peeing down a bit late doors, but felt pretty tidy
Originally I'd planned 2km, 2km, then 1km, but thought the cut down format, whilst still keeping similar to 5k of effort was a better bet.
Although sometimes I'd be up for totally non measurables. Random distances/elevations etc that have no real comparison numbers wise. Like the Murder Mile race for example.
Was thinking about that Race the Train Wales race as a bucket list job.
But then you start thinking what if it's a ferociously hot/humid day, it's offroad, and it's over half marathon distance. Yes you might not be "racing" as such, you could take a bit off, but that combination probably isn't great! Not after the last HM I did with some of that combo
Smile to the crowd, take a few selfies with people type job.
But still beat the train obvs.
Otherwise it's awkward
"Yeah I did race the train at the weekend"
Did you beat the train?
Erm, no.
On another note, my docs rang at 6.29 from a withheld number. Thought it was the flood of spam calls I'd been taking recently, so was surprised to get a voicemail.
The quietest hardest to hear message ever, that took max vol, speaker and 3 goes to hear it, turns out they were offering the vaccine...no idea when.
New phone too, and the automated instructions to retireve the voicemail were perfectly loud, so it's not me this time!
Hopefully it's either tomorrow, or next week, with a race on Saturday...although when you're pushing 40 or older, you can't get enough excuse locker material
I am not too bothered if the cyclists keep out of my way. It is a nuisance when you get a gaggle of them on e-bikes that are too heavy for them to lift and they are trying to carry them through a kissing gate in pairs. In my mind I'd like to get the following conversation:
Me: "Are you having trouble?"
Them: "Yes"
Me: "Well that's because you are trying to cycle on a footpath so sod off!"
but it generally turns out like me shouting out like an old farmer "Get off my land you strange lycra-clad city folks"
First jab up at lunch then, hopefully if there's any reaction, it's in and out by Saturday's turnout which is almost exactly 3x24hours time.