Moraghan Training - Stevie G

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  • Reg WandReg Wand ✭✭✭
    edited June 2021

    Run 7:12:11

    Do I really need all this stuff?

     

    Finally I get out onto the run, which I am only calling the ‘run’ for convenience as it’s going to be more of a power walk. The first 9 miles is only slightly uphill and on hardpacked paths and roads. I jog along around 8-10 minute miles with a view to keeping the HR down and I walk the uphills to conserve energy trying to get what I have taken on-board to start metabolising to energy. There’s a food station before you hit the proper off-road section and I stop to take on some more fuel including some fudge that was amazing and a packet of crisps which hint at what I was really craving which was some more savoury food. From there we approach the end of the valley and the first rocky section as the mountain approaches. This when I first start to slow and let a few people pass, when we hit the mountain properly everyone is walking but I am walking slower than those immediately behind me and my knee is now hurting. The leading lady comes power walking past like some aggressive trenchbowl-esque girl guide leader and I start to feel like I am betraying myself. We exchange pleasantries but I am not pleased about it. As the rocks necessitate longer and bigger steps the knee moans more and I am clearly visibly struggling as a tourist walker, one of those slightly posh over-enthusuatic types, offers me some ibufrofen. I am vaguely aware that it’s not the best drug to take and I probably shouldn’t be taking sweets from strangers but needs must and I take a single pill and my own water, despite his insistence I use his. It’s a long slog to the top and one of those climbs that slowly reveals itself, teasing you each time you go over the next brow only to drop back down before rising again, the knee is even less pleased with going down but unlike a virtue signalling footballer, I manage to stay on my feet. The fact that nobody has come back the other way yet is all I needed to remind myself that there was still a way to the top and it’s not until I see the summit, still a fair walk away, that the first man comes down, I size him up and correctly assume he’s in a relay team but it’s not too long before the real leader comes by.

     

    The final scramble involves a fair stretch of jagged rock action and I don’t trust my legs as I am favouring the left one so continue to progress slowly until I reach the top, my pace has been somewhere slightly above a keen and fresh walker but nowhere near quick enough. The feeling of reaching the summit isn’t particularly triumphant, more a sense of disappointment that it’s take so long. Having earlier ridiculed the mandatory kit list on such a fine day, I am now wearing my base layer and continue to do so all the way back down the descent. Once the more technical rock is behind me, I actually find I can run. I start with short sections but I am starting to feel progressively stronger. It helps it’s slightly downhill but there’s definitely a second wind and my knee has stopped grumbling. Incidentally, not long after I had taken drugs from a stranger, I had been overtaken by two Scottish guys in the race, we had a chat and one quite sanctimoniously admonishes the taking of ibuprofen with a list of potential dangers as he struts away like they’re on a Sunday stroll, without looking back. I found myself disliking him so it was sweet irony when I happened upon them on the way down, Dr Know-it-all vomiting his guts up, I offered my deepest and most sincere sympathies. My internal monologue however was telling me not to take such joy from this unexpected turn of events. I have long since resigned myself to the fact that my competitive nature will often supersede one’s wish for magnanimity 😊.

  • Reg WandReg Wand ✭✭✭
    edited June 2021

    Just before I get to the aid station with what’s left in my run bag (more fudge and a few crisps), my watch goes flat, along with my navigation. I almost immediately take a wrong turn, it looks similar to the correct turning in that there’s a pub and a route back to tarmac. Thankfully a kind spectator runs after me and guides me back to the course, a few more minutes wasted and an extra small hill added for good measure. I thank him and realise I should have got some water from the pub as I have been dry for last 45 minutes or so. Blissfully it’s not too far before I make the real turning and find the aid station. I down a full bottle of water, eat what’s left and have a little sit down and a laugh with the spectators before the 9 mile relatively easy route back. One lady, an amateur comedienne I assume offers me a taxi back and I inform her I would rather crawl all the way, I then rock back on to my hands from being seated on the road, springing majestically onto my feet as if to show her how foolish she was. I then start my run back and it is a run, my watch is dead but I am ticking along nicely. As I reach gates my flow is interrupted enough to command a brief walk and with two gates close together I don’t bother running between but otherwise progress is fluent. Until I get lost again. I go a few hundred metres down the wrong path before chatting to some tourists, covered in tattoos and saying something almost indistinguishable in Essex accents, they inform me it’s probably the other way, my inner prejudice doubts them so I continue until a significant landmark is enough to convince me they were right and I am a deeply bigoted fool 😊

     

    Back on track and I pass a chap I have already passed after getting lost the first time. I fly past him whilst explaining why I am now behind him again. I look back and he’s already several hundred metres behind and soon out of sight. That is until I get lost again, I back track and wait for what seems like an eternity, some caravanners staying at the sane campsite we’re due to go to that night try to help but they’re clueless, after a few minutes my mate, who I will call Satnav, catches up. We have a laugh at my expense and he makes a futile attempt to explain the final few turning, insisting how simple it is. I thank him and disappear into the distance again. As I get to a bridge I again get confused and this is starting to piss me off now. I have a choice between a path towards the road and another away from the road. I can’t make my mind up, little did I know that they just run parallel and it doesn’t make any difference. In my mind though I don’t want to do the wrong route after all this time so I just wait for my mate Satnav to turn up again but I have missed him and I spot him a few hundred yards ahead on the other track. I catch up and he insists I really can’t go wrong now. He was right this time as there’s less than a mile left, I still put over a minute between us and as the finish come into sight, I see the family waiting, patiently wondering why I have been so slow! I look for the finish line but there isn’t one and I just run into transition. My wife congratulates me whilst seemingly simultaneously letting me know the campsite gates are being locked soon and we need to get going!

     

    I get my hefty slate medal on, I feel fine and the organiser chap asks me if I’m alright, not because I look tired, quite the opposite, I feel like I can carry on. Time not on my side though so I quickly thank the organisers and head off, jumping in the van in the same kit and hitting the road, still wearing the medal. Excluding relay teams I had finished 12th in 16:24:11. I had expected 14-15hrs if I am honest but this would have won the race so perhaps it was optimistic but then perhaps I should have won the race. The winner was about the same as me on the Bike/Swim sections so I’d just need to do the run properly. It wasn’t really about winning though or even placing well, just about completing a challenge without ruining my body and I did that. Mind you I say that and it’s a lie as my lasting feeling is one of slight failure. There is an even more extreme version though, they’ve held it once before and only one guy finished so watch this space….


  • SCoombes2SCoombes2 ✭✭✭
    OMG thats the most detailed race report ever on here! Sounded nice, but perhaps over two days? Well done though!

    Nothing nearly as exciting here - just a really horrible and warm session at Luton last night - 6 x 800 off 80, 2 mins rest then 6 x 300 off 80. Averaged about 2.29 for the 8's and 49's for the 300's. Hardest session since we've been back.
  • Reg WandReg Wand ✭✭✭
    Cheers, I think words per mile it's fairly concise  :D 

    For balance, 10 mile TT last night on the club course with 10 roundabouts and a hill you do twice. 22.19 and the KOM which I was pleased with considering legs are still a bit fatigued and power was well down.
  • SCoombes2SCoombes2 ✭✭✭
    No damage done then ;)
  • PeteMPeteM ✭✭✭
    Fantastic effort AG; that Ironman sounds about as tough as any event out there and to finish 12th is a massive achievement whatever you think about your time. Don't know how you coped with all the hassles on both the bike and the run; me and I'd guess most on here would have just given up. 

    Doing a 16k TT a few days later at over 40kph is just taking the piss! Stop it😉

    Great track stuff too Simon, as SG said those times for a 20 something would stand out. To do it late 40's, just brilliant. 
  • The BusThe Bus ✭✭✭
    Ha ha - didn't sound 'nice' to me Simon! 

    Tremendous stuff Reg. Mightily impressive in its own right, but even more so when you consider the running training you've had hampered by injury plus the fact that the climbing was brutal on the bike leg (an FW on its own is enough of a feat!) and the brutal climbing on the run (and even a shuffle up SP counts as a run!) is supplemented by boulder fields ready to eat your ankles and other shite!  And 12th overall too! Chapeau!

    Although I've never done anything anywhere near as hard as that, I could really relate to the growing confusion and inability to think straight you were feeling at the end of the run - a sure sign that you are very close to the limit and your brain just wants to shut down and end the pain!!!

    Those shades have got to go though :wink:

     
  • JooliganJooligan ✭✭✭
    Good stuff Reg. I know the 1stF: she’s a member of my former Tri club & lives 5 minutes from me. One tough cookie.
    Your report inspired me to dig out mine from 2017
    Triathlon X 2017
    Friday
    A 4hr drive up the M5/M6 on a good day became a stressful 6+ hr drive in stop-start traffic from about half way wondering if I was going to make the 8pm cut-off to register!
    Fortunately once past Preston the traffic cleared and I made it with about 45mins to spare. After the compulsory kit check I collected my race pack then found a flat spot for my car (assisted by a couple of chunks of slate) & began to sort out all my kit.
    Ensuring plenty of high calorie snacks was essential.
    For the bike I'd prepared slices of buttered malt loaf wrapped in cling film, 3 wraps slathered with peanut butter & vegemite then halved, a multipack of 50g Snickers bars, a couple of gels, a couple of Cliff bars & some Hike bars from Aldi.
    For the run it was much the same without the wraps & malt loaf. I'd also put a Zero electrolyte tab in my bottle for the start of the run as I figured I'd have lost some on the bike.
    As I was doing all this the 2 lads in the van next to me got back. They were from Preston & very friendly so we chatted Tri til almost 11pm over cups of tea & set our alarms for 3:15. I then stretched out in my luxurious estate & failed to sleep at all!
    Race day
    Up before the proverbial lark I had a breakfast of muesli dowsed in protein milkshake, got suited & booted then began the multiple trips down to transition. It was 4:15 in no time & time for the race briefing. I knew it was going to be a tough swim when I couldn't spot the buoy from dry land! Time to get in the water ready for the 4:30 start & the washing machine. Somehow I'd ended up near the front & in the middle. Not the best place for a so-so swimmer!
    90 minutes & 2.8M later I was coming back on to dry land in about 80th & feeling cold for about the only time that weekend. Spotted the Preston lads about to leave T1 as I entered.
    10 minutes in transition to unsuit, eat, drink, toilet & dress before heading out on the most brutal bike course yet devised. Fortunately I'd spent May on the bike doing hilly hundreds over Exmoor, the Brecons & the Forest of Dean in preparation for this so I was reasonably confident of getting round inside the cut-off but wanted to bag as much bonus time as possible as I'd hardly run for 2 months due to a serious knee injury which wasn't getting any better
    Numb feet stayed that way right up the Struggle & beyond to Aira Force falls. Average pace was good though without being punishing but then I hit the A66 & the wind. Not having used the aerobars much (I'd only put them back on the night before for the first time in over a year!) I wasn't confident enough to get the full benefit unlike the Preston boys who'd done IM Lanzarote last month & powered away from me. A lonely stretch followed with a lot of self-doubt creeping in as the legs were feeling tight (Right glute, ITB etc ) & powerless. Had to keep the mental maths going to reassure myself I had time in hand & I would meet the cut-offs with enough spare to give myself a chance on the 'run'. Kept on eating & drinking thoughout. Got to the next big climb: Honister & powered up it overtaking people all the way. Caught the Preston lads at the drinks station at the top, filled my bottle with Mountain Fuel drink then pushed on quick with them chasing. Next up Newland's Hause & again I wasn't suffering as badly on the climbs as most since I overtook another couple of riders, descent followed then the climb up Whinlatter & the feed station. Overtook more on the way up, fuelled strongly from my bag & dumped the by now very sweaty gilet. The bike course is relentless with lots of tight turns, sharp inclines, narrow lanes, pot holes, grit, sudden shady spots & traffic which was now starting to build. 100% focus needed at all times. Almost lost it at one point when drink in one hand, top bar in the other the road suddenly dropped away from me, the surface was all cut up & there was a 90 degree bend ahead! Had to drop the bottle to get hold of the brakes but fortunately the bottle slid to my feet as I stopped so only lost seconds from my life.
    Cold Fell followed into the headwind which seemed to have been attacking us continually since the A66 (though in reality had been behind us up Newland's) then we turned the corner for the easiest part of the course downhill along the main road from Calder Bridge to Holmrook before turning for another climb to Santon Bridge & Eskdale Green. More Mountain Fuel in the bottle, a pee (reassuringly clear) & then onwards to the Hardknott/Wrynose double death climbs. Once again I went up them better than most. Lots of people walking by now. No sign of the Preston boys since Honister. Wasn't sure how I was doing in the race but was now feeling confident I'd get this done with enough time to walk the marathon (good job too) if needs be. Descent off Wrynose & then Little Langdale is not for the faint-hearted or vague of mind - good job I'd had plenty of sleep The route then climbs to the A593 where you turn towards Coniston rather than home. It was at this point my legs said NO. I realised although it was only 15 miles since the last feed that that was 90 minutes of hard climbing in the midday sun at 30+ degrees. Pulled over in the shade to get more supplies out of the saddle bag. Fuelled & watered I set off again & lo, as if by magic, I was feeling good again. Good job as there was one final sting in the tail: Hawkshead Hill. The only part of the route I'd not done when I reccied the course in 2015. Ouch. A 1.5M twisty climb rising over 500ft was not pleasant after the previous 100 but with the end in sniffing distance morale was up. Arrived back in transition pleasantly surprised to see so few bikes. Apparently I'd passed around 40 people out there.
  • JooliganJooligan ✭✭✭
    Run
    Quick shoe & sock change, drank the remaining water in my bike bottles, shouldered my pack & marched out of T2 unsure how the legs would respond if I asked them to run. It was 2:40pm & I now had just 27.5M of tarmac, gravel & boulderfields to go. After a brief walk I began jogging but the heat was so intense I was struggling. Found a stream after a mile which crossed under the road & dunked my head which helped but we were headed uphill which didn't. Then it was downhill & over a bridge to the riverbank. I stopped, took off the pack & lay back in the water for 5 minutes whilst my legs twitched & my adductors verged on cramping. Couldn't stay too long though as still had 25M to go. Up from the river to the waterpoint & more Mountain Fuel then onwards, into the oncoming stream of MacMillan charity walkers, to Dungeon Ghyll & the feed station. This section was totally runnable if you had freshish legs & cooler temperatures. As it was I was struggling along at 10-11min/m but still going forwards. I was moving with a chap who'd completed it the year before in 18:xx but was finding it harder this year - almost certainly due to the heat. He later DNFd with heatstroke.
    T2A Dungeon Ghyll - quick refuel & hydration then off with a spaniard to run along the gravelly track up the valley to Rossett Gill. By now the slight blister on the ball of my foot caused by the pressure from my cleats was really hurting with every step as another piece of gravel would press in to it. I carried on though & again dunked my head in a handy stream. My Cambridge companion caught me again at this point & we stayed together till the serious climbing started - about 1,000m in 5K. My hill strength showed again & although I was only power walking he fell away quickly. By Angle Tarn I'd run out of water thinking there was another water point - there wasn't. This was bad. Fortunately the next marshal had a large bladder & gave me a pint. If I'd realised I would've drunk from a stream earlier but by now we were in the arid rock fields around Broad & Ill Crags. The summit was in sight but what's this 2 vicious descents & ascents over the boulder fields: Broad Col & Ill Col before another ascent over similar terrain to the summit itself reached in about 4hrs15 for 13.86M. Huge THANKS to Megan for the awesome photos.
    I then began the descent. Mentally this was easier as I knew that I was done so was able to jog most of it & began overtaking people + saw how many people were still coming up. Caught Peter, a Belgian I'd spoken to the previous evening who was doing his first ever tri!!, & we stuck together for the next 10M or so. The steep uneven steps were painfully jarring so I tried to hug the grass where possible but it became too steep & narrow to do this after a while & then I had my 2nd spin-out of the day. Stopped, fuelled & regained the earlier gained places but by now I was also dehydrating so needed to get to Old Dungeon Ghyll as soon as possible. Made it and drank prodigiously - only water as the bag of MF had run out! Left & had my 2nd pee of the day - bright orange this time.
    Jogged along with Peter the Belgian til we turned up that tarmac hill with just 2M to go. Walked up it but span out at the top & had to eat then walk for most of the rest of the way. The downhill was too painful on my blisters to run, the heat was still intense & I was feeling pretty unsteady too. Got overtaken by 4 or 5 people on this stretch but couldn't respond til the final K when I went from power walking to jogging even managing to overtake one of the guys who'd gone past me a few minutes ago.
    Swim: 1:31, T1: 0:12, Bike: 8:27, T2: 0:05, Run: 8:15. Total time 18hrs30.
    The best day yet. I thought I'd never top the feeling I got from completing the last Wasdale but this was another level. Probably because I'd been so worried about my knee & the consequent inability to run. I'd done Cader Idris a month previous & it near killed me. Man v Horse the week before had also been demoralising as in spite of pacing it for a slower time I was struggling badly by the end finishing in a PW & almost an hour slower than 2016 when I'd done a parkrun immediately before it!
  • JooliganJooligan ✭✭✭
    Yes, you read that right: I did TriX 7 days after racing Man v Horse 🤣
    All on a strapped up knee. 
  • Reg WandReg Wand ✭✭✭
    I enjoyed that Jools, it was nice to read a report written by someone with some knowledge of the names of the places rather than some clueless fool  :D 

    Woke early this morning although not as early as last week so took the gravel bike to the lookout to ride the MTB trails. It was fun but pushing the bike to it's limits a bit!
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2021
    That's more like it, some proper race reports to read - both recent and historic!

    Made me laugh at the "slightly posh bloke, a bit keen" line - thought that was some sort of mid race delirium self analysis Reg ;)

    But certainly does not sound the sort of event that would be fun for 99% of us. Having once got into difficulties on a mere half, I could well appreciate some of those late race meltdowns.

    ps Simon - decent length report yes, but I'd put that out for a 5k :D 


    pps - looks like Boris will ensure another month or so of being locked at these distanced events then. Probably kills half of our local summer series, that have no chips, and couldn't possibly stagger. But never mind - hopefully the end is very much in sight now.
    I'm still in for a turnout next weekend.
  • The BusThe Bus ✭✭✭
    Good read that Jools.

    12M today - longest run since March to celebrate turning 53 :smiley:   Bloody baking hot too!!!!
    I was very slow on the hills, though fine on the flat, but every time I was climbing, I was getting heart 'palpitations', with zero energy and had to slow right up - heart rate was ok though. I think it is possibly a covid jab hangover plus heat and had a similar thing on the bike yesterday.

    I was tempted to push on to13M to make a nice round 40 for the week, but the hammie was a bit niggly in the last 3/4M, so called it quits.  Just as well as its sore sitting here now.

    So a decentish week with a upsetting 39.2M and 4100ft total.
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2021
    Happy bidet Bus.
    12 out of 37 is a decent percentage of your week too.

    I thought I'd expand on last week's mix of Thames Path, by doing a proper go on there this week.
    Drove to Boulter's Lock type area, paid my £2 to park, and headed off towards Windsor.
    Basically 6.5miles one way, then back.

    2 bottles of water smashed pre run and took one on the run that I sipped from every miles from about 5miles on, kept it all sensible hydration wise.

    Felt fairly comfy pace, eased in with 3miles around 7.30, then it naturally ramped up a little and was 7.17 all in, was finishing by midday, so certainly pretty hot by then.
    However, "just" hot, not humid, which is always better, as long as you don't go silly.

    Can imagine how little fun it would be to race long distance in that.
  • JooliganJooligan ✭✭✭
    Happy birthday Bus. Wise to quit early. You’ve been building nicely so no point compromising the consistency with an obsessive extra mile.
    Just 48M for me this week. Final recce yesterday: the flat 4M & the final massive climb which rises over 2,000’ in less than 4K. 3 peaks ticked off, then a downhill cruise for 7K made it 13.8M in the heat of the afternoon.
    Today was a big bike ride followed by a 4M shuffle.
    It’s going to be a week of 4 milers
  • Reg WandReg Wand ✭✭✭
    edited June 2021
    Prodigious stuff as ever Jools.

    I've never run from Maidenhead to Windsor on the TP, used to work in Maidenhead but never went that far. I used to enjoy escaping from the office and doing the section to Cookham though.

    Happy Birthday Bus. I forgot how old I was the other day when my daughter asked me! I got it wrong but I  had added a year which was a nice surprise!

    Having dropped the motorhome off in Princes Risborough last Monday, we realised we'd forgotten to put one of the bed sheets back so I used this as an excuse to get out on the bike again. Decided on the TT bike as I have a cut in the nether regions from the road bike and the TT saddle and position doesn't rub it thankfully. Quite a nice 67 miles to bolster a recovery week, possibly beyond what i should have done as I was useless for the rest of the day. I did redeem myself in the evening by jet washing the patio and doing a few other chores. 45 minute run this morning was a slow and languid affair.
  • Definitely going through a hot spell weatherwise. I'm fairly lucky in that I naturally wake up early, can have a cup of tea and go out for a run before the sun gets up and it gets to be properly hot. I've run in places where that didn't help: Texas can be 100 Fahrenheit at 4am and humid with it too. 

    Bumped (literally) into a bunch of hikers up on the ridge behind West Wycombe: the track there is easily three-wide (standard rut on either side and grassy bit down the middle) and a dozen / fifteen were coming along towards me. There is usually a quick exchange of "jogger" ("I'm no jogger, call me a runner") or "runner" ("Thanks for calling me a runner") with the leader so I carried on until it was too late. I called out "please look up" and managed to swerve left up a bank to avoid the first bunch but my momentum brought me back into the bunch and I caught a tail-ender. 
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    I had looked at doing the full length of the Jubilee River Reggie, which I think is 7miles one way, but in the end the Thames Path just seemed an easier step.

    Some of the route was nicely cool in the shade, but the second half quickly becomes exposed.
    All good new motivation though, as it can be an ask to boot the long runs out in this weather with no particular events that require long runs coming up anytime soon.
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Phil, I have visions of you storming along clattering poor oldies now.

    The Thames path route on Sunday is generally either wide enough or gives you a long view ahead to at least get over if someone is coming.

    But inevitably there's a few bits round bends where someone zooming along on a bike adds a bit of a rude awakening. 

    Seems to be a bit of a mix of where you can and where you can't cycle down that route. Saw a couple of signs for cyclists to turn off, but have no real idea who was breaking any rules or not for most of it.
  • Stevie G said:
    I had looked at doing the full length of the Jubilee River Reggie, which I think is 7miles one way, but in the end the Thames Path just seemed an easier step.

    I park just over Maidenhead Bridge and then a 13-mile run gets you out along the Thames Path and back on the Jubilee Rover (and parking is free) https://www.strava.com/activities/5147373490

    Stevie G said:
    Phil, I have visions of you storming along clattering poor oldies now.
    I try not to do so as a matter of habit but I saw this group a long way off and the leader clearly saw me as well and I assumed it would be a totally uneventful passing. The large groups normally have it all sorted out, so a shout goes down the group. 
  • SCoombes2SCoombes2 ✭✭✭
    Good report Jools- Yes I suppose by 'nice' I meant nice surroundings. Race does sound brutal though. Cheers PeteM ;) I'll turn into a big head with any more of that LOL.

    Bus - happy birthday and I thought Reggies shades were OK.

    Saturday - 30 x 200 Saturday over the track (the 10,20,30 recoveries one)
    Sunday - Greensand Ridge relay reccie, backwards from the Millbrook proving ground near Center Parks back to LB. How the hell folk do Ultras I'll never know, 17 miles of heat and uneven ground. Had one of those bottles you put your hand through, house keys and my bloody headphones case..as they drove off and I forgot to leave it in the car. Idiot.
  • Reg WandReg Wand ✭✭✭
    edited June 2021
    Those sunglasses are my cycling ones and were actually chosen on the basis that they'd offer good performance for cycling, i.e. a good field of view, without looking too stupid. Unlike these ones.


  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    One of the Dasher top boys did a 15.46 tonight, at 46! Just insanity, but he was top draw as a teen, and that quality never goes away really. Can't remember being as, not shocked, as he is quality, but taken back by the extent of the time someone has done for years.

    Followed 2 years of next to nothing, and he's just accelerated over this last couple of months, sub 7 paced 26.2mile Thames Park training run etc!


    On a more down to earth level, finished my marathon 3 day training course and exam.
    Some classic SG report stress, in that the work laptop refused to load the correct software for the exam, meaning I had to wheel my slow home laptop out, and eventually start 20mins late, but eventially got going.

    Passed with 80%, so thank goodness for that.
    I was pretty academic as a kid before the "jock" stuff took over ;) so it's re-assuring that I can still properly study and take stuff in over a short period again. 
  • The BusThe Bus ✭✭✭
    Cheers for the birthday wishes chaps.

    Just for a second there Reg I thought that was a photo of you rather than whichever one of the Yates brothers it is (the yellow should tell me, but brain's dead!)! 

    Well done on the course SG :smile:

    Unexpected early finish of a meeting this evening left me with a half hour slot I wasn't expecting, so dashed out for a blast round the fields behind my house. Probably a bad idea doing something at what passes for pace these days after a "long" run yesterday as its a bit sore now, but we'll see...
  • SorequadsSorequads ✭✭✭

    Outrageous pace in the shorter stuff, SC. 

    Bus - good to see more running from you. I know what you mean about running in the heat. I reckon you (I) have to get hydration/electrolyte levels spot on to make it work, so easier to get things a bit wrong and feel lethargic or a bit ropey for a few hours. And happy birthday!

    Reg - epic! Good call to draft the second lap of the swim. For some reason I don’t find it hard to imagine you smashing down a descent. An incredible tough run - the mental challenge of route finding must have been so hard at that stage. Well done - soak in the glory!

    Jools - I have missed tales of sleeping in your car! Enjoyed re-reading that report. The Old Dungeon Ghyll is a hell of a pub. 

    SG - well done on the course. Not sure I had you in the jock category 😆


    Entered the inaugural Cheltenham Festival of Running relatively last minute. As suggested in its name, it is held within Cheltenham Racecourse. The route really couldn’t be any closer to where the Gold Cup etc are held - unless you were asked to clamber over some of the jumps. 

    Four laps for the half marathon, with each giving you lovely views on hills on either side. Never any outrageous climbs, but constantly rolling. So not a fast course, nor was it Bourton Hilly Half level of tough. That said, the 26C and zero shade cover added a punch!

    I had plumped for the Adios - my first race in the 5s - rather than 4%, as I had a sneaking suspicion that there would be a reasonable chunk of loose stony paths and some softer sandy surfaces. The right call in the end, but today does feel like someone has taken a baseball bat to my calves.

    My first RunThrough event, and I was impressed with how well managed it was. Everyone very spaced out, in spite of well over a 1000 competitors. Rolling style start, self seeded - so really not that different to a mass start, just a little more spaced out. Mind you, one or two very ambitious sub-80 minute runners were lined up near the front…

    Some nice touches en route, with a live saxophonist the highlight. With the half off at 10am, 10k at 10.50 and 5k at 11am, the final lap did become quite congested which slowed things down a little. That said, I seemed to pace myself fairly well, to average 6:3x, with a bit of swing for the net ascent/descent miles. 

    The heat and a slightly, ahem, tight fitting vest, meant I was there for solid workout rather than all guns blazing. Picked off several runners each lap, with only the fastest 10k runners gunning past. 

    1:26:24 for 15th/300 and a tenuous podium of third V35. Got to grab them whilst you can!

    Nice jog back home for about 18M for the day. Beers, paddling pool and barbecue to follow 😃

    Double recovery of 4 and 5M today. Standard 8:45 pace. 

  • The BusThe Bus ✭✭✭
    Good work SQ - sounds like one of those races that is as much about the event as the time, but a strong time nonetheless.

    Feeling a bit annoyed currently. I'm off to the Lakes on Sunday, camping for a few nights. After weeks of sunshine, the forecast, covering the four days I'm away, is for rain and cool temperatures!!!
  • PeteMPeteM ✭✭✭
    Nice turnout SQ and must have been hard on the legs in that heat. They reckon the course is tough for the Gold Cup horses and they only go about 5k ;)

    Good to see you pretty much back to normal Bus; look forward to tales from the Lake District epics again soon!

    I did the same race at Battersea as SG's clubmate Rob last night. Unlike him there was no improvement at all in my time (even with a first race in new Next % 2's) but happy enough to record 18'57 on a pretty hot evening. So only 4 secs down on my last 5k at that super fast Ardingly course which shows some consistency at least. The format was great to be honest; the field split into 5 groups of around 30 and I was in group 5. I think it was done by age after an elite lot off first then a women only wave. Actually liked being in the last wave as felt fair enough to start right on the line and was actually in the top 5 of my (admittedly duffers) wave throughout. Splits 3'41, 3'50, 3'50, 3'57 and 3'39 so only the 4th needing a bit more effort and concentration. Quality of the field there was as brilliant as usual; winner sub 15, a 1/3rd sub 18 and my sub 19 only just good enough for top 50% (75th of 152) and almost all runners sub 22. Not one for your average parkrunner ;)
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Duffers!!  Hahah cracked up at that!
    Self effacing as ever - when the real note is the decent consistency of times in and around what you consider your current right pace. Enough of the summer to get it down though.

    SQ - half marathons in summer are the stuff of maniacs, so well toughed out!

    Just noticed my Mile/5k double in Gosport at the weekend has a 9am start for the mile.
    Frig sake! That means it'll be a 6am set off :o 

    The 5k route has the slightly dodgy loop from the first time I did the double, a little stoney beach section! The second time I'd gone they made it similar to the 5k summer series route, that has a loop round a grassy/path section instead.

    Will be a fun double turnout either way - won't expect high things, but will have a rampage.
  • JooliganJooligan ✭✭✭
    Well raced Pete & SQ.
    I'm starting out at 2am & will have been running for 90 minutes by the time you leave SG so not much sympathy here :D
    Easy 4 milers this week.
  • Reg WandReg Wand ✭✭✭
    Apart from tales of staggered starts, it's almost like old times with these race reports. Nicely done Pete and SQ.

    I will actually be in Gosport at the weekend, on my sister's boat, I think we'll be anchoring near the Isle of Wight but if we're in the Marina I could come out and heckle  :D
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