Moraghan Training - Stevie G

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  • SCoombes2SCoombes2 ✭✭✭
    SG - Best of luck, hopefully you just get a hurty arm. Just have a couple of paracetamol handy if anything happens.

    10 x 600 off 60 yesterday - quite nice to be on the grass, but it's slightly bumpy and so makes it a bit tiring. one way is slightly uphill, so the odds were average 1.59, evens back were 1.55's.

    Standard London commute 13 miles today.
  • Reg WandReg Wand ✭✭✭
    edited May 2021
    Reg Wand said:
    I considered the Thames path but not on a bike on a Sunday around Marlow.
    The Thames Path is a footpath for most of its length so is for people on foot and not cyclists. It is a bit odd and I don't know why: cyclists can go on bridleways so I assume a cycle is ridden the same as a horse and most paths alongside rivers are towpaths for barges etc so they are horse pulled. 

    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"


    I rarely cycle on the Thames path and when I do it's probably early morning. I'll happily ignore a no cycling sign but I am always conscious that I am now in the wrong and will give way accordingly being obviously more considerate. If anyone pulls me up on it though, just because there's a sign saying so, even though I am being of no inconvenience to anyone, I will be less polite!

    Hopefully your jab goes well SG, I've had six text messages and two letters harassing me to get it!

    Second physio appointment yesterday and seems to be improving. I've used work healthcover to pay for it this time, the Scottish guy on the helpline suggested it would usually take three appointments to cover the £100 excess, I didn't mention it would take less than one and a half, just in case he pulled my cover!

    Must get a run in today, I am losing fitness.

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2021
    One of our old plans had a really skimpy dentistry allowance, but fairly generous physio. Think it was about £500-600 worth in a year, yet about £100 on the dentistry!

    Get it done Reggie - was organised chaos at the footy ground, constant streams of cars arriving and running about 20-25mins behind slots. But very polished all in.

    I read somewhere that the second jab has more of a reaction (no idea if that is actually true or why that is), so will have to make sure that doesn't fall just before anything particularly energetic.

    Decent total of reps for 600s Simon. The plan I have has 8x600 at 3k pace, or 8x600, 2x400, 2x200 for the 5k one, so that latter one is very similar to yours with a ramp up for the shorter ones at the end.
  • Reg WandReg Wand ✭✭✭
    edited May 2021
    Everyone has teeth or a place to put them, most people don't need or want physio. They'd probably go out of business if the dental was generous.

    Jab for us is just down the local surgery so no real hassle, I am relaxed about it either way but I could do without all the propaganda. If I want something I will go and get it. Same reason I would never buy anything from anyone that knocks on my door.
  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    edited May 2021
    SG - if it was AZ it will probably knock the edge off yr race. My wife had jab 2 today and is a bit apprehensive, as the actiual CV and then jab1 both roughed her up badly.

    Gosport is open, nice to see the return of a 2000 runners race. That certainly wont be a race that would be on a warm day SG.
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2021
    I forgot your interesting take on it all Reg ;)

    TR - Pfizer, that's the "youngster's" one (30-39), so hopefully any mild thing is in and out quickly. Just the slight arm feel at the mo, similar to if I'd done my 3mins of weights a month ;) Plus a bit of feeling a bit "warm". Hopefully that sort of very mild thing is it.

    The way the weather is so unpredictable these days TR, I wouldn't put a warm November race out of the question! Have pencilled that onto my 2018/19 style massive spreadsheet of races . Obviously won't do most, but good to see how it pans out.
  • The Bus said:
    Just part of farming SG. The ROW will have existed as long as the farm and most were originally created by regular access to the farm or between villages. What really annoys them is when a 1m wide path becomes 15m wide as walkers try to avoid mud - this has become a real issue over lockdown and has resulted in the loss of significant amounts of crops.
    Most of the farmers only have themselves to blame. You start out with small fields with footpaths along the edges and then you get a tractor and grub out the hedges and plough up the fields. Worse still, each year you plough up the footpath and wonder why it turns to mud. If the footpath is always left as a path then it is far less likely to turn to mud. 

    Reg Wand said:
    I rarely cycle on the Thames path and when I do it's probably early morning. I'll happily ignore a no cycling sign but I am always conscious that I am now in the wrong and will give way accordingly being obviously more considerate. If anyone pulls me up on it though, just because there's a sign saying so, even though I am being of no inconvenience to anyone, I will be less polite!
    I agree, the main thing is that users are considerate. Thankfully we seem to be past the worse of the Covid fearers who walk side by side down a narrow path and expect you to give them 2m clearance.  
  • Reg WandReg Wand ✭✭✭
    Stevie G said:
    I forgot your interesting take on it all Reg ;)

    TR - Pfizer, that's the "youngster's" one (30-39), so hopefully any mild thing is in and out quickly. Just the slight arm feel at the mo, similar to if I'd done my 3mins of weights a month ;) Plus a bit of feeling a bit "warm". Hopefully that sort of very mild thing is it.

    My views are common but what's less common is the courage to express them for fear of being judged. IDGAF though  :D

    If I had had the jab today, I would be blaming it for how dreadful my short run just felt.
  • The BusThe Bus ✭✭✭
    I agree about the field edges Philip, but not sure it's that easy to plough a field with a footpath straight across it and leave the footpath untouched!  When I see the farmer in the fields behind me working 16 hour days I have some sympathy for his less than accurate approach to ploughing!

    I kinda get where you are coming from Reg with the vaccine, as I'm definitely on the side of individual responsibility, but the problem is, it really only works when you get the critical mass of uptake.
  • JooliganJooligan ✭✭✭
    You're right SG In trials Pfizer jab showed more reaction on the 2nd dose than AZ but very little on the 1st. AZ was the other way round.
  • Reg WandReg Wand ✭✭✭
    I got another letter from the NHS today. It says book 'Your' COVID-19 vaccine now

    It goes on to say; 'Please ignore this letter if:

    • You already have an appointment.....
    • You've already had it....
    • You don't want it

    One of these three options is made up, can you guess which? Three letters and six text messages, they'd save a lot of tax payers money by adding in an unsubscribe option. That would involve respecting peoples opinions though.
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Imagine if nobody bothered having the jab. We'd be in lockdown forever, with everyone insistent that "what i do is fine" :open_mouth:


    I had a text asking me to book up. Thought that was remarkably efficient, booking me in for number 2 already. Then realised it was a duplicate of the call for the first one :)
  • Reg WandReg Wand ✭✭✭
    Imagine if everyone let the government and media do their thinking for them  :o
  • Had mine a couple of hours ago. Pzifer. They called me 24 hours ago, very efficient process. I was in no way desperate to get it, and wouldn't have cared if I never did. Couldn't give a monkeys. 

    But, if it's going to get us all back to normal as quickly as possible, why wouldn't I? It's not exactly going to harm me. I'm certainly not going to waste everyone's time and drag out this lockdown even longer by letting them chase after me like an errant schoolchild... ;) 

    With the lack of running I've treated myself to a new time-trial bike (frame only, I built it with all my other parts). Did my first ever time trial event on Sunday, real eye opener. Everyone had all the gear, getting their turbo trainers out in the car park to warm-up. 13th out of 30th, putting out 310w and travelling at over 25mph. Ridiculous.

    Not getting over excited but hoping the leg is finally starting to come good. Running consecutive days for the first time in 4 months, and not having any adverse effects, just still a slight ache.
  • The Bus said:
    I agree about the field edges Philip, but not sure it's that easy to plough a field with a footpath straight across it and leave the footpath untouched!  
    Just back in from a wet run round Lodge Hill. There is a field there where two busy footpaths cross. One of the paths is never ploughed up and is nice and grassy and a couple of metres wide. The other is ploughed up and is a skid pan of mud, chalk and clay and is easily 4 or 5 times as wide. The farmer clearly can plough along the edge of a path but chooses not to do so. He clearly can decide if he wants to plough it up or not and so has to live with the consequences of his actions.  
  • Reg WandReg Wand ✭✭✭
    Getting out of lockdown is not predicated on the amount of people taking the vaccine. It's an insane political decision. There's no reason for restrictions to be in place now yet they are because the government know there's no political downside to sticking to their quite frankly ridiculous schedule. 

    Anyway, that's enough Covid chat, my complaint was more about the NHS acting like baliffs!

    Lunch swim 20 x 200m. Faded a bit towards the end but it was nice to swim with the roof off the pool.

    Good news about the leg Joe, fingers crossed it's no false dawn.
  • The BusThe Bus ✭✭✭
    Reg Wand said:
    Imagine if everyone let the government and media do their thinking for them  :o
    Unfortunately Reg, the majority of the great British public need someone to think for them!
  • SorequadsSorequads ✭✭✭

     Out of interest Joe (and Reg), why for a TT do cyclists warm up on a turbo? Why not just ride part of the course? In my head it is the equivalent of me pulling a treadmill out of the car to warm up for a road race :D . Anyway, you certainly looked the part in your gear. And great you are getting a bit more consistency into your running again.

    Dipped my toe back into the water with a light grass track session on Tuesday. The surface wasn’t in great shape after the rain, and I think it gets mowed later on that day.

    4 x 200 (43-44s) against the wind

    2 x 400 (89, 89)

    4 x 200 (41s) with the wind

    All with 200 jog recoveries. Great fun to let rip again. Will pop back next week and slightly flesh out the session.

    Another 15M medium long canal yesterday afternoon. Slower than last week at 7:28s, but a slightly niggly calf and general poor sleep fatigue meant that was more than enough.

    Nine days until I pace at Peterborough and my mate just ran a 5k TT in 18:26 in a new pair of Endorphin Pros. Said he found them so much for comfortable than 4%. Fortunately, he is very on board with relatively conservative marathon targets.


  • SCoombes2SCoombes2 ✭✭✭
    SQ - Good dip in Speed session there SQ.

    The type of vaccine is generally dependent on where you go. I had Pfizer as it was at a large hospital (UCLH) and they generally have the capacity to store it at a lower temperature. Smaller clinics tend to have the AZ. Looks like the boosters in the autumn are more likely to be Pfizer - the government have bought 60 million doses...probably think it's best due to the blood clot drama.

    Anyway - didn't do to Luton yesterday, did that horrid 2-4-6-8-k-2k-k-8-6-4-2 pyramid on the tarmac track. Wet and windy, so times were'nt spectacular...something like 34-75-1.52-2.40-3.13-6.48-3.13-2.35-1.50-73-33. Had to estimate the recoveries too.

    Dragonfly excitement building...they are now in the country ;)
  • Reg WandReg Wand ✭✭✭
    Nice grass session SQ, after mentioning that my training shoes were a bit minimal for longer runs I now have a pair of Saucony Endorphin Shift and they are pretty plush. I may well get the Pros for racing but I still have a pair of barely used Nike 4%. They are terrible for running bare foot in triathlons though.

    I have done about 10 TTs and I have never used a turbo, I don't even own one. A lot of people do warm up on the course but those that take it a bit more seriously do use turbos or rollers. I suspect firstly because it's easier to stick a a preset warm-up routine they may have and also it may be better to stay off the course to avoid disrupting other people who are racing or be less annoying to the cars. Possibly avoiding punctures as well, who knows.

    Nice session there SC. Not sure what the dragonfly thing is about though, I must have missed that.

    8 miles at lunch, leg felt quite good.
  • SCoombes2SCoombes2 ✭✭✭
    Reg - Nike Dragonfly are Basically the spike version of the clown shoes. Not the most fancy, but the most popular. They were on sale for about 10 mins here, then only in the US. So had to get them sent to my friend in Arizona and she has sent them on to me.
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2021
    I thought you were a purist Simon.
    First the proper watch, then strava, and now expensive shoes ;)

    Rest day today, aka F OFF.
    Felt a little warm and a bit not drowsy but a little that way.
    Then remembered that's exactly how I felt 2 Fridays ago if not more so then - so that's just an end of week / no run thing rather than jab related :)
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2021
    Turnout 3 of 2021 then today, a 5k at Battersea Park with Runthrough.

    Didn't feel unduly great, but put it down more to the obligatory end of week feel mixed with the sluggishness a weekday of no running seems to bring, rather than any vaccine issues - suspected that would be fine 3 days on.

    Strange 11.30am start. Probably the one time I can remember a road race starting so close to midday since the Silverstone half marathons that were always 12 noon. 
    TVXC cross country races start at 11am in winter, but that never feels particularly late at that time of year.

    But anyway, a 10k and a 5k on today. Wildly staggered, 9am, 10am for the 10k, and 11.30 and 12 for the 5k.

    With a 2 lap course for the 5k and double for the 10k, made good sense to make sure the races wouldn't inter connect. Especially being in a public park, unlike their more usual private land events.
    Always that slight peril of Joe public in this sort of event, especially midday on a weekend.

    For once, I set off with tonneloads of time, and even with the hour drive was nicely outside the park with an hour to my race.
    I know people revel in a bit of parking shenanigans, so I had to provide some :)

    First car park I rolled into, had about 50 spaces and choc-ablock. Awkward reversal out, and then very slight feelings of...have I totally underestimated how it might be more awks to park in a central London park on a Saturday spring lunchtime, versus how easy it is for the usual 7pm job on Mondays in summer?

    No - it was ok. The usual carpark was easy, and even Luddite malone me could work the card machine :D  

    Mile and half warm up actually featuring some strides, and some decent action in the bushes, and it was 20mins to go.
    Remembering last time, and ending up with the 30min crew, I got to the start a bit too early this time.

    Time to have a chat with a serious looking chap, who surprised me by saying he was an "18min guy". No idea if that is more 1759 or 1859, but didn't matter either way.
    He said the way I looked he'd suggest 16xx :D 
    Like that, good guy ;)

    Another geezer was looking big time, drills, strides, all manner of stuff. So I was surprised when he was wayyyy down the start grid! It shows you can't go on appearance!

    Usual drill, they call the predicted finish time to fill the grid in order of pace.
    Obligatory chuckles from the jokers/tossers in the crowd (like me) at pretending to march over there on the 15min call :)

    At "17 min" i have a sheepish wander over, thinking, "check 2018" if they don't like it, but then hear "18 min" with nothing in between, so I'm in and around it.

    They walk us about 300metres to the grid, instead of about 10cm to the right of us. Very reminsicent of some event in Oxfordshire yonks back where they get you lined up, then march you about 400 metres out onto the road! The smart/arrogant types simply waiting down the road to begin with :)

    In my 4 I have a geezer who looks V55, a girl who looks 18 or so. I'm slightly nervous as she's one of these ones who wear the skimpy pants, and I really hope I'm not captured on camera with the obvious false impression that I'm monitoring the situation :o 

    Have clocked my clubmate and said hello, and on the "drowsy-ometre" I'm feeling about 4/10, but it'll be fine.
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2021
    We're off then, obligatory quick feel of, whose bloody idea was this, I could be having my jacket potato having had a very leisurely lie in today.

    Runthrough base at the Band stand, unlike the Sri Chiminoy (SC) events that start at the other side of the park.
    The start feels a little weird, as about 100metre in you take a bend that you're really hoping someone isn't walking spark round at the wrong time.
    Must admit I'm not really knowing which way round this is even going, perception is that it's the reverse of the usual direction at SC events, but on checking the map it is the same way!
    It's the bandstand bit that confuses you a little as it takes you on a little loopy bit.


    We're off then, baldy V55 is just ahead, and the previous wave are a good 6-7 seconds down the road, and most likely no chance of catching them today.
    No idea if baldy is one of these superb older runners, or has over estimated.
    Not my concern, hopefully i'm not in the latter category myself!

    Decent pic of the early battles with him below




    Doesn't feel the usual "comfy but too fast" obligatory 1st km start, but the truth is I haven't got a clue how it's going, as the "1" marker comes at 2.42.
    What the frig.

    I presume there's a 1km marker soon and for some reason there's separate 1s for 10k and 5k, even though one is 2 laps and one is 4 laps, but it's thrown the numbers out early doors.

    Eyed up a doc monstering around to make sure he's not going to leap into my path, but he doesn't, so on we go.

    Very obvious by now that we are going the usual direction of the SC races, and just have to re-set mentally that the usual run in, won't be. There will be another half mile after.

    Next km or so is nervously feeling someone on my shoulder.
    "Not the girl, not the girl", the voice in my head says.

    It's not her, it's some geezer. But there's another on my shoulder, it's her.

    This confuses me, as I'm sure she "only" got sub 40 at the Runthrough event me and Hench Pete did. But maybe it's not her. Surely she's not sub 18 fare yet doing sub 40 for 10k?

    Don't worry about it - keep running.

    Terribly timed just as another club mate is taking pics - I'm hoping he hasn't taken a  pic of me just behind her...
    (thank goodness, he hadn't, so it never happened ;) )
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    The kms after the "1" marker, seem to be the right distance, so I'm all at sea pace wise, so just running as it feels.

    By about 3.5km I was starting to wonder if short races aren't my thing anymore and wondered what ultras might be like :D 

    Avoiding a whole gang of people wandering in the "racing line" was easily avoided luckily

    However, 4k is up, and adding 4mins to that, suggested I'd be under 18 from my very dodgy maths based on probably the wrong place anyway :)

    Past the usual finish place, past the ice cream van, the finish is in sight.

    Almost witnessed carnage as some headfones foolio girl almost cut across someone without loooking, just as they were building some steam up, and luckily no mass collision :)

    Turn left and I'm gonna nicely beat that last time down.....

    17:35

    From thinking this was going badly, to best post lockdown time.
    Not amazing by any means, but a decent chunk down from the 17.49 and 17.52 of the last 2 turnouts.

    Only ass is that I'm not currently in the results as obviously I didn't do the loop, "loopy" enough on the little chip.
    However, between strava and their camera set up I'm sure they'll slot me in, might even trim me a second - you never know.

    I have this photo below that has the clock fairly visible just after 18 (was a few waves back), with the older guy in sight just having finished, so should all add up evidence wise if they're really that bothered

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    So erm, a return to form on the massively overlong race reports, and a decent turnout that I hope promises betterings things soonish and definitely when the "proper" racing takes place.

    However, just with a reminder to appreciate these events with Big Boris saying warnings about this new dangerous variant and implying there could still be a half to the opening up this summer...
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Just checked the results again and i AM in there in the end... and 3 secs to the good.

    17:32

    Beautiful :)
    Presume there was some slight satellite delay in picking the time up from when I checked 20mins or so after.
  • SCoombes2SCoombes2 ✭✭✭
    Good work mate. If the girl was wearing black, she's LBAC and did 17.24, broke the club record (AK).

    Did probably the toughest session I do around here - the 8 minute tempo, 10 x 400 around a triangle of roads, then another 8 min tempo home. In bits when I got back. Also ran 5.5k with my lad before. About 13k all in for the day.

    The eagle has landed!! The Dragonfly's for perfectly, looking forward to next Saturday now. If you remember rightly, I did always say I would get the spikes, but wait until i'm nearer my old times on the road before I consider clown shoes ;)

    Proper watch? Only a Forerunner 25 ;)
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2021
    17.25, but presume still a record :)
    It is the same girl as Newbury and Kempton looking at PO10.
    U20, and mid 18s at Newbury, 36.40 or so Kempton, then this today. Hell of a progression over a few races!
    And I was obviously totally mistaken thinking she'd "Just" broken 40 last time out!

    I heard a woman about 30secs behind me screaming out 17.32 with delight...she's been awarded 17.31 on the final results.
    It's one thing when you "lose" like I did to AK today, same wave, no excuses, but quite surreal when someone 30secs behind "beats" you by 1 second :disappointed:

    ps saw the ad for next sat, talk to me about it....
    Think I asked the other week, but can't quite recall the answer, normal shoes are ok for track 3kms aren't they? Not everyone wears track right? Just the pros like yourself go in for spikes?

    Unusual mix of that session. Does 8min work out as 1.5miles? Or is it picked for being half of your average 5k race or something?
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