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Moraghan Training - Stevie G
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He's on the approach to Honister now, which is the final rest stop before the last, and "easiest" leg (but only if you haven't done the other 4 first of course!). His pace has slowed a little bit on the last leg, but still should finish much closer to 23 hours than 24, barring some sort of disaster between now and Keswick (Dale Head is still a big bastard of a climb though - it's a killer as the last climb in the Borrowdale Fell Race and that's "only" 17 miles - and then the re-ascent to Robinson, and the descent down to the road from there is pretty technical even with fresh legs.
Shame he's not likely to do a race report
Impossible to relate to 25min miling for 10+ miles, except for comparing elevations to say that Murder Mile I did. More a moutaineering thing than running I dare say.
But anything for around 24hours without a proper break is mad, and I dare say needs a heck of a lot of recovery
Didn't last too long, but a run of 2 parts really. First half nice smooth and flat, then from somewhere around 6miles it went across a field that is normally a 1/4mile fairly easy footing despite being offroad/hard mud, but the way the farmer had done his field it was awkward rutting diagonally, meaning every step was awkward
Up Sheepridge, on some trail path next to a fairly fast road, normally decent, but today, all overgrown wet tree branches etc blocking the way
Then instead of trudging up, took the trail behind the Crooked Billet pub, and into those woods, brief moment of thinking I'd gone wrong, but eventually found the field that takes you towards homebound ways, only for the field to all be 5foot crops, all soaking and taking very careful footsteps in case there was some hidden drop/hole etc!
No sheep this time, although I swear there was a sheep carcass stripped to the bone on route, not sure what's been occurring there!
So all good, until realising I was back on the road I wanted to be on, but a mere 8.5miles in!
Cue a trudge back towards Flackwell, unable to use the paths as they're so overgrown, so very carefully staying over as far as possible, as cars monstered by at 50-60.
Into Flackwell, and finally down the hill and back for the standard 13miler, glad that was over... about 7.35 pace today, for a 62.5miler, first time sneaking over the 60 for a few weeks after a month of 57-59.5s.
I've heard some of the details from Dean, including that after Scafell Pike he lost his pacer and navigator as one of them gashed his head after a slip so he had to join another BG party to get the requisite witnesses and that after Yewbarrow the weather was pretty awful - explains the slowing from then on.
I decided to do my LSR on the road today after the torrential rain and kind of assumed it would be the easy option to get the 13 miles I wanted. It wasn't! I've not run on the road for ages, and even the very conservative 8mM pace proved too much for me and slipped to 8:08 (whihc was ironic, as I was left in a state!!!). It was unpleasant from the off and lots of things now hurt!
I don't think I've even once done a long run and been disappointed it was all over.
I suppose you get into a certain mental state, like when I do say 6-7 weeks of 15s pre half marathons, but a lot of the year i'm glad 13 is done and dusted.
I was up there for my annual Triathlon: the Half X.
Wasn't expecting great things after only restarting swimming at the end of April & minimal bike training. In the end I managed 17th in 8:35 gaining places on the bike & the run. Felt like I'd totally destroyed my legs on the bike but actually managed a PB on the run. Not my fastest time but not my slowest either. Bike was always going to be slow with wet roads after reaching Langdale, rim brakes & nervousness. In the end it was all pretty similar to previous years so a lighter fortnight since the SWT was all the recovery I needed apparently.
Here's a few pics:
Cheers Bus - Wasn't the most relaxing race!
SG - You can wear racing flats, but nothing over 25mm soles on the track. Track has always been more 'pure' athletics than roads - but they aren't saying you have to wear spikes either. I posted the link to the list of allowed/banned shoes a few weeks back.
Did a tempo run Saturday am, tried to stick near 6.15mm, after listening to a coach talking on a podcast about tempo runs. You should be able to carry on for another 10 mins if you have paced it right. Felt OK actually. Then off to Brum for drinks with mates.#
Managed 10 yesterday, not too hungover. 9 mile this morning, nothing tomorrow, the 8 & 3000 at Southern masters Wednesday.
Drove to the Lakes Friday to take part in my annual Triathlon: the Half X.
Wasn't expecting great things having only swum once a week for the last 2 months after 22 months off & barely doing any biking either.
Arrived at registration with 15 minutes to spare having taken almost 6 hours to get up there. Fortunately race HQ, T1 & T2 are all in Waterhead car park so having dealt with the formalities we parked up on the flat bit, got the Kelly Kettle out for a cuppa, sorted the back of the Passat out ready to sleep in it, adorned the bike & helmet with their latest set of stickers & chatted to a few other competitors.
Headed into the water a few minutes before 8am
Came out after 40:47 in about 40th place after swimming across Windermere to Brathay & back from Waterhead, so not great but not a disaster.
Did my usual faffing in T1 so didn't leave til 45:24 but hadn't lost any places as most others were equally relaxed about this part of the event.
The OH was supporting again & she greeted me with hot coffee in T1 then headed up to the summit of Wrynose Pass which I'd pass twice on the bike at 23M & again at 47M. This was her view
As you can imagine she was a tonic to all of us with her enthusiastic whoops, cheers, sustenance & hot drinks.
I stopped for a couple of minutes each time.
Going out:
Coming back with Jelly Legs having done Hardknott both ways!
As you can see the roads were a little damp
Back to T2 after 4:45:02 for the 22nd fastest split of the day. I'd survived without coming off (unlike several others) or snapping anything on the bike.
The last K or so of the bike overlaps with the 1st K of the run & I spotted several competitors who'd recently begun their final leg so knew I'd have some targets to aim at. Still spent an inordinately long time in T2 but no-one else arrived before I left.
I then started hunting folk down. The first 2.3M of the run is almost flat but then it kicks up viciously with 1800' over 2M before a flattish mile then another 1000' in 1.3M to the summit of Fairfield. You then turn & retrace your steps back to Transition.
After 1.5M the lead man passed me heading back for a stunning 6:01 finish!
I caught & passed my first on the steep steps up to Nab Scar and then another at Heron Pike & again at Great Rigg. By now we were in thick clag so I had no idea how far the summit was or whether I was closing on anybody. Approaching the summit half a dozen runners came down encouraging me by telling me it was less than 400m away.
I got to the top, posed for this pic & then caught all bar 2 of them on the descent then held them off on the flat to finish in 17th overall & 12th fastest run time.
Enjoyed a nice sit down at the finish line cheering everyone in afterwards
Had a great day but I would love to do this race in the dry again. I had said I was done with Tri but I'm sure I've got a sub 8 in me with the right training & better weather so I may well be back next year.
SC - even more reason to avoid track races like the plague. It's bad enough turning up at an event and seeing 20-25 years younger chiseled powerhouses doing weird little drills, encouraged furiously by their pushy parents, and the most over zealous of all the officials, but messing with shoes is even sillier.
And yes I'm still bitter at having got as many tellings off in track races as total of track races completed! 3v3
A long time no post. Too much screen time already, and prioritising the running! I will enjoy an epic catch up, but thought it better to jump back in rather than delaying forever and then boring everyone recapping a month’s worth of running - although no doubt it has been epic (Jools 😮)!
Frampton-upon-Severn 10k last Monday evening. Pretty good evening for it - 19C, very low winds, overcast. My goal was to start sensibly and aim to pick it up. I guess I kind of did this, with a steady 6:07 opening mile. Ended up more or less this maintaining this pace, albeit with a slight negative split. A solid 38:22, but certainly nothing spectacular. 2.5 mins off a PB 😞.
Nice to post a first post-stress fracture 10k. For some reason, I am really struggling to truly push myself. Don’t seem to have it in my to ‘bury’ myself like in certain races. In reality, I am just probably a chunk heavier than in PB days and this is the biggest factor. Only really writing this here to try to keep myself accountable 😆.
Got pinged on the NHS app and had to isolate Thursday - Saturday. Not a massive surprise given my proximity to Sixth Form - especially as we have sent them all home due to numerous cases. That said, a definite ball ache given a double-vaccine.
Definitely didn’t do a solo Moose Fartlek on Thursday whilst working form home.
Anyway, 65M for the week, so a solid base continuing to be built. One more week until the 12-week countdown to London.
As a birthday gift, my wife has entered me into the Bourton One Mile this Saturday evening. I reckon it is the only PB I could possibly scrape - wind dependent! Although despite run Britain accepting the cashola, there seem worrying few details available.
Before binning it off as an idiotic idea
I looked this year and like you say it all seems a bit sketchy details wise.
Know what you mean about not burying yourself right now. I think until the proper races are back on, we won't have a true idea of what paces we're actually running.
When we do, it'll hopefully help training be shaped easier.
For those few people who don't believe in "race day magic", or who seem to put the same pace in whether it's solo, distanced, cock n biscuits race, or smothered in quality in a top race, they must wonder what we're on about.
2 weeks ago they said they're "On order".
Hopefully arrive before I forget I was ever down there!
Jools - a tough day out and a great result - even more so considering you really shouldn't be in any state to race after the SWT just yet
Silliness is seeing men running a 1500m or 3000m with trampolines on their feet
Kept Monday as 2x4mile, to take the car in for servicing/run back, then the opposite, and today's morning a 4, pre Dasher hills tonight. Because of that session, 2x4miles makes sense tomorrow then!
Probably good timing as got a bit of a sore spot on the quad, must be tight to some degree.
Can run through and it eases up, but fairly unusual in the scheme of even 60mile weeks all year.
Just a f*cking annoying wet school run this morning, London tomorrow and masters after work.
Only about 20-25 or so in the gang this week, as I think people view it as a "hard session".
But 8x3mins was fairly decent.
Reasonable hill for a couple of hundred metres, curving round a bend at the top, then a flat stretch, slight down into a side road, the same slight climb back, and then reversal.
No-one too close in pace around, so had some fun occasionally unnecessarily booting past people. Probably felt better on the quad than easy runs oddly - one of those ones that you think about more at easier paces.
8 x 3 on hills is a tough one, SG. Good going. Sore quads is the sign of champs 💪.
Looks like you had a decent time in the Lakes, Bus. Hope the recovery continues.
Treated myself to a 5am Three Hills of Cleeve. 1500ft over nine or so miles. Decided on this as it is always a great challenge, but also for the mental training it would require. The final hill is so steep, that the only concern is not to slow to a walk. Hope this will toughen me up a bit for future races! Well rewarded with some stunning views at the top.
Passed an older runner twice towards the end of the segment, whilst in the middle of nowhere. Slightly concerning that, despite being in usual running kit, he was carrying a metal claw hammer.
Sounds good SQ...Love a nice hill with a view.
Won both races last night, softer fields due to the football. 800, went out infront, windy up the back straight, but wind boost to the bell in 67. Put some effort in on the 2nd back straight and tried to hammer the home straight, 65 2nd lap for a 2.12.
3000 was OK - Pace at the start was about 78's I think, feeling nive and controlled. My team mate and the Hillingdon guy weren't too far behind, so upped it a bit over the last 3 laps to put a bit of a gap in, ended up with 9.37 - 77's I think, not too bad.
Well run Simon.
Happy enough to have seen a win at the high profile Gosport 5k the other week
Would be nice to find any other races that offer 2 races as a combo, outside of the track, if anyone knows any?
Jools, presume the "red" stands for "red raw" after all your exploits
Week and a bit off work for me then, as I dribble through the V40 barrier.
No particular plans, as not especially big on milking bdays, so a turnout, or maybe two, mixed in with a few drives to do runs in different places will do the trick.
10 today over in Marlow. Not the usual Thames Path sort of route, but instead, an attempt to re-create a 10 we used to do at Marlow Striders. Probably got the first 1/3rd right, but not surprisingly couldn't remember the rest a decade and a bit on!
Couple of climbs in there though, and about turns, so 7.11 was decent enough.