Moraghan Training - Stevie G

1177917801782178417851915

Comments

  • I’ve done Buckingham PR a few times as my brother lives near by. 1st time was a week after my 1st full IronMan in 2014 - nearly collapsed afterwards. Quickest was 19:20 the day before Abingdon marathon in 2016. Neither could be classed as sensible :D 
    Repeated my session of 1K/5x600m off 80” walk/jog 200s. Legs lacking a bit of VaVaVoom after Sunday’s effort so bailed on tonight’s club session.
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Not sure many of the London crew would have been doing Marlow or Hanney in fairness :D 

    But there's loads of races up and running now, so it's moving away from there being 1 race option a week, meaning 15min winning times for the most low key of 5k events :)

    9miler today, fusing the longer route of my usual midweek medium, with 15x1min efforts, with a race on Sunday to work round.

    I don't feel particularly sharp at the moment. Probably because it's been a bit disjointed with Endure then the 5 week recovery period from the tight quads, but steady sort of 6.15 pace for most of them, a couple quicker (the usual where it gives a 20+ sec difference depending if the gps has you at 0.16m or 0.17m, then 3 or so up the hill, woods and field incline, where it was much slower naturally.

    Felt a decent work out, and that's me done for today.
  • Sorry not to be able to catch up, SC. Only half a very brief time in the Red Lion (details below) – would have far rather stayed for longer and widened the social net a bit. Hope you had a good day out. Your lad is going very well – you are an inspiration to him. 

    Come on Jools, a parkrun the day before a marathon is comparatively sensible to the morning of! Very tasty long run. I think you could go well in Newport. 

    Great stuff, Pete! 

    Great result, SG! I love a random off-road race like that. Take all the pots you can get. 

    It is low mileage Reg, but if you keep that consistent, and layer in the bike thrashings, you have shown you can get in very strong shape. 

  • London Marathon 2021 Race Report

    TL;DR great day out!

    Saturday

    A classic pre-race morning of various kids’ swim and gymnastics classics, with me joining in for one pool session quite a good way to loosen off. Didn’t manage to squeeze in a run, but wasn’t going to stress about that.

    Afternoon coach down to London, before arriving in the torrential rain. Having packed light, my only non-race clothes were absolutely soaked, and I spent the late afternoon and evening in the AirBnB/basic hotel largely wrapped in towels. 

    Watched a couple of London Marathon videos, with a good Ben Parkes one that got the juices flowing. Tried some visualisation, then turned in for an early (yet standardly fitful) night’s sleep.

    Pre-race

    Classic breakfast of banana pancakes (two eggs, one banana cooked in coconut oil) and a few cashews and plenty of salt (Himalayan pink salt – exceptionally middle class). Left the accommodation just after seven, leaving my overnight bag in the alarmingly open and unmanned reception desk area. 

    A smooth tube, train and walk to the Green start. The excitement really starts building on this section of the journey and you can feel the nerves of the first timers and anticipation of those a little more experienced. I am a rare visitor to London these days, so despite being bored there, the skyscrapers and world-famous views are exciting. 

    Whilst there were no celebrities to spot, there was the Guinness World Record registration photo area, with the amusing sight of Egyptian mummies, a brain, a 12-person train, a globe, a guy in wellies and more. 

    Reminded myself of my key messages and targets: start steady, bank energy not time, finish strong to sub-3. 

    Vassed up, carbon-plated up and dropped my medical gear with the information point team – as instructed. ‘Yes sir, this will be with your bag at the finish’ – perfecto.

    We could see and hear the elites start at bang on 0930, but we, despite no one in front of use, were not allowed to begin until 0933.

    The race

    We were off! Inevitably, got a little caught up in the downhill opening 5k (6:36 pace). It was a little weird with more slower runners in front than usual. No problem overtaking, but must have been a little annoying and daunting for them. That said, I was probably being overtaken more than me overtaking. Tried to view this as a good thing – I’ll see them later! Enjoyed a few signs, including a twist on the classic Lance Armstrong quote: “Pain is temporary, Strava is forever”. And plenty of variations on “You’ve got more left in your tank than my car”. And some anti-vax ones that really pissed me off. Then Mr Wellington-Boots overtook me – bloody outrageous!

    Enjoyed the music and support in the second and third 5ks (both 6:38 pace), and especially having the chance to catch up with Macca for aa few miles. How he was running on post-spartathlon legs is beyond me. And more on this legend later! Took my first Maurten gel at 5M, with the intention of three or four in total. As usual, Cutty Sark was a real highlight, and it is hard not to speed up in the excitement. Great support here.

    It wasn’t too long until we were approaching 12M and then Tower Bridge. A runner from Winchester thanked me for letting him draft, he asked if there were any exciting bits coming up – most definitely! Crossing the bridge is always electrifying, absolutely love it. Pace probably varied a little here, but averaged out at 6:38, reaching half way in 1:27 and change. With the wind due to be less kind in the second half, this seemed about right.

    I was trying to rein it in, deliberately wanting to store up some energy for the final 10k. I loved seeing the elite ladies come past, including Charlotte Purdue and Sinead Diver – both have great stories, with Diver in particular being a real inspiration. 

    Average pace for these two 5k sections was now 6:41-42. Felt like I was maintaining, but it was certainly into the wind and the sun was coming out. I enjoyed being on the other side of the barrier a few miles later, trying to spot clubmates around the 14/21M mark. 

    Every few miles, I was scanning through the body, checking everything felt ok. The hamstrings were the most noticeably tiring, and at the greatest risk of cramp. I think this is linked to not being in the gym and deadlifting like in previous campaigns. 

    Finally at the 20M mark – HALF WAY! The plan was to gradually increase effort here. The desired input occurred, although in reality the output was to maintain pace/not slow too horrifically. I was noticeably overtaking more people now. The tide was turning, but still I was trying to maintain the balance between pushing on a risking debilitating cramps. 5k average in the 6:45 region now.

    Made it to the parkrun to section, and still enjoying the crowds. For me, this is a good barometer of how I am feeling – absolutely destroyed, and the crowds are oppressive and unhelpful, but today I was on just the right side and enjoyed every shout out of “go Josh”! 

    The sights were coming thick and fast now, the London Eye, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament. Less than two miles to go, then one mile, then a km. Buckingham Palace – come on! Curved round the roundabout and dug out a sprint finish of sorts. Crossed the line in 2:57:18, punching the air with a big smile! 

    Post-race

    So, seven minutes off a PB but exactly as predicted and a pretty strong 1:27/1:30 split. Finished strong and really enjoyed it. Smiles, knuckles and a few whoops. Someone get the beers in!

    The usual long walk to collect the bag – and medical box. “Sorry mate, nothing extra here”. Oh dear. I could kinda do with some insulin and my blood sugar tester (and phone). And so ensued a bit of a dampener on the day, but not one that will be remembered in the long run. A 3.5 hour wait, with no phone or medical supplies, not ideal! The volunteers were very helpful, taking me to the medical tend to use their blood sugar meter. Plenty of tea and food on hand as well. Essentially, I had beaten the luggage truck by quite a margin. Certainly a better system is needed for future years. The only annoying thing was this cutting into pub time – I was planning on the Red Lion with forumites, and then the Clarence with clubmates. As the RL is closer, I went there and had a fantastic, albeit brief catch up with TR, Millsy and Macca – with this legend lending me his phone and buying me a pint. There were lots of smiles, although I think Macca’s legs might finally have realised the beating they had taken in recent months. 

    A run, yes an actual run, to get various trains and bags before making the coach with seconds to spare. Then promptly got told off my the driver and threatened with expulsion if I opened another can of beer! A brilliant day out. Genuinely loved the race – a real highlight of the running calendar. 

     

  • The BusThe Bus ✭✭✭
    Nice one SQ - very well done on a big PB and a cracking report to boot!

    I had a similar issue at the end of my London - no phone signal and a long time in the medical tent with the family getting increasingly anxious or bore as it probably was!).

    As for me, enjoying the new trails, albeit only managing to squeeze in very short runs at the mo, which is probably best for the hamstring recovery anyway!
  • Great you have access to new trails from the doorstep, Bus. Local legend status soon no doubt! Just to confirm - no PB for me (PB is 2:50), but a great day nonetheless. 
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Cracking effort SQ. You put a good block of training in, and were rightly rewarded.
    Can see why Bus scan mis-read, as the classic "off a pb" can sometimes be read either way, but if ever there's a distance that the finishing is a big reward in itself it's that one!

    Extra dibs for your constant managing of the blood sugar situation too. Having had a couple of "lows" temporarily on that, I can't imagine it being a permanent part of life. But you manage that like a pro too.

    Nice to hear you're settled in Bus.
    We'll have to somehow/sometime put a couple of runs in together at some time. Must be about 18months since I last even saw you!


    6m morning for me. These seem to come out a slightly underwhelming 7.35 or so pace these days. Not sure if waking, eating, then sleeping again makes them more sluggish, or just the morning factor from the door (i used to drive to Slough for work which helped wake me up), or just a gentle lull post Endure / niggle.
    I know these paces don't matter as such...

    Tends to be quicker for the long runs, even with hills, and I suppose today did have a couple of climbs, and stops for people / cars, on the clock.

    Would like to get back to them coming out a bit quicker, at the same effort :)

  • PeteMPeteM ✭✭✭
    Great run SQ and a top quality report too! Really brought home the extra hassles you have to contend with as a diabetic. Hugely impressed with your pacing and discipline to stick to your plan. What next? Any aspirations to challenge your mara PB or back to shorter stuff?

    Good to see you already exploring the trails Bus but would expect nothing less of you ;)

    Very tasty casual long run Jools; maybe you've inspired Reg into putting in big mileage 

    I see Joe did VLM in the end; look forward to the report or at least a blog link ;)

    Felt a bit rough after my Hanney 5 exertions at the weekend (yes after a paltry 5m when some of you were doing 26.2!). Couple of days off then some cycling and two longish runs, so hopefully back in the swing of it now.
  • Nice one SQ, enjoyed the report, I find it hard to read race reports when I am not racing though, I think I get a bit jealous :-) As much as I like triathlons, nothing quite beats the simplicity of a running race.

    My initial motivation for upping the mileage was the impending start of the Zwift racing season and the need to get my weight down. Three weeks ago I weighed in at 77kg and currently I am hovering around 74.5kg with a  target of 72kg. It's not all running though, I cut out a load of crap from my diet.
  • Trying to cut some crap out myself Reggie - not going too well at the moment

    Great report SQ, I did try and look out for the vest and at the RL i knew you would have to spot me as I don't really know what you look like.

    I got a bit confused about the PB too-  but thought you would have made a bigger thing about going sub 3! Very well controlled race by the looks. I was just before the halfway point on the way out, then walked down to 23 miles.

    Stag trophy last night, 3 lap 4k blast around town - went better than expected and the Adios 5 felt great. Ended up with 13.08, happy with that as it was dark in places and there's about 10 ninety degree turns.
  • My ears must've been burning, as here I am after spotting Pete's comment. Brief rundown of London before a proper blog of course (dw, I'll post the link ;) )

    London

    Sunday was a complete journey into the unknown. I totted up the numbers - 5 'runs' in 6 weeks since getting knocked off my bike, the longest being 5 miles and a total distance of 20. All of them were easy/recovery pace. 

    We were in Suffolk for my Nan's 80th, not travelling back to London until after the celebration meal on Saturday night, so not ideal prep, but it was fun hanging out with extended family. Ended up getting to our hotel around 11pm.

    Car parking dilemmas taken out of the equation as my office is in Croydon, and this is where we decided to stay - sorry SG.

    Race morning dawned with Katie and I on the same start for the first time (it was actually her first London), and we bumped into loads we knew milling about in the pen, everyone looking like utter hobo's as there's no now bag drop so everyone has to bring loads of crappy clothes to bin just before the start. 

    Despite the lack of running, I felt 95% recovered from my injury so planned to still run pretty hard and just see what happened - YOLO and all that. Impossible not to get carried away at the start and I'm through 5km in 19:44 which is stupidly fast. Know that I'm going too fast, but I'm still grinning like a Cheshire cat because it really doesn't matter that much and I'm just so happy to have made the start. No training = no expectation.

    Loved the crowds as always, atmosphere was incredible and the usual goosebumps going over tower bridge. Through halfway in 1:24 - ludicrous considering the build up, but I'm already feeling proper tired and certainly won't be negative splitting! 

    I was determined to enjoy every second and smile my way around, but from mile 16, I was already suffering big time. Having no real target, I'm not sure why I didn't give myself the option to just jog/walk it in and enjoy - I guess I'm not programmed that way. Leave it all out there, see what happens - constantly calculating how much slower I can run per mile and still go under 3. 

    The final 12km was absolute hell - it took everything to keep moving forward at a reasonable pace, and my legs were absolutely screaming at me. I've never had DOMS mid-race, but I guess they just didn't have the conditioning to get through a marathon after not being used for weeks on end.

    I really don't remember much of the final 7km, everyone is shouting at me - I'm barely registering it, just gazing forwards and trying to work out why each kilometre feels like it's own individual marathon. 

    I've never had to try so hard not to walk, and if I was anywhere but London and it's massive crowds and I think I probably would have. Turning right at the palace was one of the most satisfying feelings of my life.

    2:53 
    is way faster than I thought I'd be able to run, genuinely chuffed with that. Absolutely spent at the end, took me over half an hour to get to the other end of the Mall.

    Katie ran 3:07, her 2nd fastest marathon and I'm sure she'll have eyes on that magical barrier next year.

    Thankfully I seem to have come out of it un-injured. Been a rubbish 9 months running wise, hoping I can sort myself out and string some decent training together over the winter.
  • The BusThe Bus ✭✭✭
    Blimey Joe - that's most impressive given your recent issues!!!  Well done to Katie too.

    NOt much from me, other than enjoying shortish runs from the door, even managed a double on Tuesday, and hamstring seems to be holding up (touch wood!).
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Heck of an undertrained effort that one Joe! Had to check your pb, sub 2.40. But 2.53 off the lead up is a superb offering.
    Well done to Katie too, you'll have to get her to guest post on here occasionally ;)


    In much lesser impressive feats, I fancied my morning 6 to take in a steep climb over the first half.

    The beauty of running is that while it came out a close average to my standard current fare - 7.33, the first half had bits of hills so steep I was dribbling about 11min miling up one hill, and considering retiring :D 
    But then this quickly changed to feeling good again, 7.05 or so average the last 3, including some sub 7 action with the cigar out down a long steep hill.
    Funny old game this sport.

    4 later, SAT OFF, then a 10k turnout Sunday, aiming to beat the 41.40 from last weekend ;)
  • Reg WandReg Wand ✭✭✭
    edited October 2021
    Nice one Joe, that's the beauty of triathlon, you still have that aerobic fitness from big bike miles this year so see you through.

    Went for a gravel ride in the dark last night, well it started light and soon turned to dark. Flying about in the woods with nothing but a head torch was great fun actually!


  • Well done Joe - Just remembered that I saw you and you recognised me...Can't remember what mile it was.

    Did 6 x 1k off 90 with the New Nike Vapourfly. Feel light enough, that was my main worry. Felt good, will test them in the LFOTM in 3 weeks time. I may even be in a pub with a forumite by now? You never know...was good with PeteM and Alehouse a couple of years ago.
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Do you still use that incredibly expensive pub with the landlord who goes appenhaller if he spots a mobile out? :D 
  • The BusThe Bus ✭✭✭
    Wendover Woods parkrun for me (rude not too!). Beautiful morning for it and a great course, though pretty hilly and all off road. Ten minutes from my bachelor pad to the start!

    Happy enough with just under 22 minutes as a benchmark to start. 

    Sausage bap and coffee in the cafe as I write them a jog back home for a day’s flat packing 😊
  • Reg WandReg Wand ✭✭✭
    edited October 2021
    Nice one Bus, no surprise Wendover isn't flat!

    I backed up last week's 38 miles with the same this week. Finished off with a local 5k and children's races from toddlers 100m to 2k for the Year 5/6. My youngest decided to cry instead of running (glad I prepaid) but the eldest did the 1k coming 5th in about 4:20. Pretty good considering she does no running and was wearing some pink ankle boots! In contrast the winning boy was wearing  Nike Next % of some kind, I am no expert but I think they must have been ladies ones to cater for his size. His dad had orange ones on, personally I think putting an 8 year old in £200 running shoes is ridiculous!

    Having had a headache all night, I was feeling a bit rough and the codeine/paracetamol combo I had a couple of hours beforehand left me feeling a bit shaky but with the girls watching and wanting me to win a water bottle, I had no choice but to give it a go.

    A quick scope of the front couple of rows revealed a Wargrave runner, the Next % pushy parent, my neighbour who's a sub 19 minute runner and a kid that looked half decent. The remaining front slots were populated by the usual selection of over ambitious kids. 

    After a lap of the school field the Wargrave runner and previous winner of this event was in front and I just sit in behind using him as a wind block, I think he gets wise to my dirty tactics as he moves wider. We then head behind the school and under a horse chestnut tree being careful not to trip over the exposed roots and conker debris. First km comes up in 3:32 which was all on grass, Wargrave chap is breathing quite heavily and coming up is a narrow uphill path exiting the field onto the pavement so I move ahead and put a slight dig up the hill to see how the Wargrave chap is feeling. He drops off and his footsteps fade quite quickly as we go down hill before turning back off the pavement onto a mixed footpath. The route takes us on various tracks and paths of dirt & gravel around a nursey of the plant variety. Second km is 3:34 and this is a solo time trial now, although I did have a lead bike to follow which was nice.

    Despite knowing the area very well, I had no idea these paths existed, although now I know where all the Eastern Europeans were hanging out picking fruit, it was nice to see there were still some left. Just ticking over now and 3rd km is 3:35, no need to push too hard but this is a fun way to get back to racing. As I turn out of the nursery the lead bike stops and tells me he'll catch up, I assume that this means second place is not in sight yet so I know for sure the water bottle is in the bag. After a stretch along the road past the school I can hear the tannoy commentating that the lead runner is gogin past :),  I go beyond the school before a sharp turn takes me back into the school grounds and we return back to the start/finish repeating most of the first km. Fourth km was 3:29 and the final stretch around the field to the finish 3:30.

    I had 17:44 on my watch but I was given 17:50, happy with that at not 100% effort. I wouldn't normally write a report on a small event like this but it's been nearly two years! Nice to be back with a win by about a minute and also got a gym towel and a month's membership to the health club. Not that useful as I already belong to a gym. 
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Nice one Reg, if ever there's a day to pick up the prizes, it's Manchester marathon, Henley HM and Silverstone 5k/10k/HM day ;)

    On a more serious note, good to read a turnout effort whether it's the biggest event or the most cock and biscuits fare though.

    I best get a turnout report in myself, it's been...a week since my last one :)
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2021
    Silverstone for me then.

    Having done the Marlow 10k, largely offroad last week as a totally pressure free loosener, I fancied seeing what was what on a road version.
    Last time I did a road 10k was the pancake flat Staines 10k, a good 4 1/2 years ago. That was a 35:49 job.

    I've always fancied getting back to Silverstone, having done 4 half marathons there between 2003 and 2008. I have all sorts of memories of those races. Different pals I went with, driving my boss there once, meeting a girl I had a massive on-off saga with. Someone on Runners World being gutted that "some kid in Bart Simpsons" socks passed him ( ie me ;) )
     All in the 13-18 years ago mixer!!

    Back then it was put on by the London marathon organisers, and was quite a big event. 5,000-10,000 runners type fields.
    Just the HM as a single race. The Run Silverstone gang who have brought the race back, via the Race Organiser, do it as a triple option now. 5k-10k-HM.
    There has been a long time existing midlands grand prix 10k event, but it's the midweek after Marlow 5, so never fitted in. 

    I usually pick the shorter distance when there's a choice, so you avoid that dread of slogging more distance out when you know you could have turned off earlier, but that's more at your Run through type events, and especially when they're waved/staggered.

    This one was perhaps the day "proper" races were back for me. ONE mass start, all in together. Superb.   The first time in my 270+ race history I'd ever experienced a triple up scenario, where it was all in.

    For a 100mile round trip, with a higher field than standard Runthrough stuff, I didn't see doing a 5k as a sensible option for £25 or so quid. Especially as I'd not done any sharper speedwork for a couple of months.

    50 or so miles then, about an hour, get going by "Latest" of 8am I thought, get there by 9, race at 10. Easy.
    Obviously the "latest" became the actual start off time, but about as easy a drive as you get, M40, A43, bingo.

    Silverstone hosts huge crowd events, so parking effortless.
    Although I had totally underestimated the sort of attendance this one would have, despite recently watching a vid of baze187 on youtube who said "thousands" go :)

    9am and big queues, and loads of car parks already packed. Two lanes though, efficient and easily parked up.

    Parked next to a car of hotties, weighed up some chat, but quickly realised that getting sorted for the race was by far my bigger priority - probably something I should have realised years ago wasn't the right priority ;)

    Started the mile or so walk to the pick up - having some slight alarms midway, realising I had to 
    1)Get there
    2)Pick up number
    3)Toilet
    4)Get back to car and change
    5)Get back to event

    all in about 45mins...
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2021


    Had forgotten what a walk to the start it is, even though they'd reminded us :)

    They did have a genius system for number collection though. Once people had realised that queuing in the nearest queue wasn't clever, when there were about 8 of them, dropping in numbers from near to far.

    For the first time ever in an event where you sign up well before the day, they allocated numbers when you signed in.
    None of this taking ages for them to dig out your exact number.

    Simply allocate you a number, scan it, and you're away.
    Even better, a chip in the number itself. Always far better than that stressy pissing about trying to mess with a tiny bit of twine late doors, where everything feels a lot harder and more pressurised than it should.

    Jog back to the car, kitted out, and had 25 or so mins to jog back, sort the key pre race stuff out, and then the bit I always forget at Silverstone, trying to get even remotely near the proper place on the grid.


  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2021

    (featuring a guest appearance from my thumb).


    I've done a fair few 5ks since the whole covid thing blew up, but today felt like a big proper race again.
    The stress of the impending dead start time, rather than knowing it's all waves and doesn't really matter, and the pre-race toilet "this has to be the last time" feeling :)

    Two directions for pen starts. Pens 5-9 to the left, pens 1-4 to the right.

    Slightly worried at getting there at 9.55 to see a massive throng to get through a very narrow gate, bundling (politely) through, and then slightly perturbed to see I was only at pen 5 :D 
    I once raced Silverstone half starting from the absolute back. That was a mad day, overtaking 1,000s of people! Not something I wanted to repeat today!


    VERY thin route to get past the side of these gates, and slowly eased past numerous people blocking it, ringing someone, generally looking lost, and then a bit quicker in between in the space...before finally emerging at the front of all of it, and being one of those bastads who joins from the front, and bundles in. Trying not to cheese anyone off by standing right in front of them when they've been waiting ages :blush:

    With 3 races, and them specifying sub 20 is a Pen 1 job for 5k, along with an ever so slightly wide 30-40mins for 10k (!) you just knew it'd be a bit of a free for all.

    Saw some girl who looked about 12 at the front of it, and a few burly people, and guys in random jogging gear, but just thought about books and covers, and remember anyone can be a faster runner than you, irrespective of those initial judgements.

    Noticed there was a wheelchair race about 10metres ahead of the massive throng of runners, and was relieved that they sent them off a couple of mins ahead, rather than risking carnage of stampeding runners.

    The actual race then son?
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2021
    After last week's dodgy footing, I was looking forward to the creamy smooth Silverstone surface.

    For 10k, you do one main lap, and then take a different route back, before repeating the first 2km in the opposite direction.
    People always say wouldn't Silverstone be a boring course, but back in the half days, they design the route very cleverly so you never repeat the same bit in the same direction.
    While I wouldn't necessarily fancy the half there these days, the 10k made great sense.


    Hooter goes, and we're off.

    Feels nice, quickly hoover up a few optimists, but then people behind are probably counting me as the same, as they come past me.
    Current pace looks decent on the watch, mid 530 type fare, the classic out a bit fast, but feels fine type scenario.

    Some guy I recognise from an Aylesbury boxing day 5k comes storming past outside the grid, almost utterly "nads-ing" himself on a cone, but got away with it, and I see he eventually won the half in 1.13.

    I'm slightly surprised to see 1k come up at 3.41 and note that's a 0.66mile job. But then the 1mile marker in the HM comes up dead on where the watch makes 1mile, so I give it no more thought.

    Until 2km, when the same thing happens. 3.52 for the km, and another 0.66miler.

    A couple of older blokes come past. Very obviously doing the 5k ;)

    Notice some kid with probably the 2nd oddest running style I've ever seen, after the "frantic imaginary rope climber" from Wokingham years back.

    This guy has a style I can only describe as planting one leg, while leaping with the other leg over some unseen dung. Amazingly weird style, that can't be very efficient, and must really kill his momentum.

    Yet he's ahead of me, so shut up I think.

    Totally miss the third km, probably due to watching this kid, and being in a throng of runners, so I'm in no man's land as my next split is a mile split of 5.55!

    However, I'm well under 6 min miling on the mile splits that are still accurate, so I'm hoping the km situation rights itself somewhere down the line.

    Surprisingly the 5k route buggars off somewhere after 3km, even though on the map I thought they only cycled off around 4.8km or something, for a cruel view of them finishing, knowing we had the same again :D 

    Easily marked, so no chance of burgling the route thank goodness.
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2021
    As I'd bungled the split taking totally, this did mean that my next split came out at a very silly 1min 17 , but back on "sensible" split taking by the 5th km.

    But another odd one of 3.57.  Again, a 0.67mile job.
    What the heck is going on here, it "feels" a good pace, but the extra mileage is killing me here.
    People's watches were beeping were the markers should have been but we always seemed to have a long straight extra.

    This all added up to a 3.21mile "5k", just so far. I feared it might be one of those 0.3m or so extra jobs.
    The clock has me around 18.45 at half way.

    Even if I keep pace, that'll be 37.30, and who keeps pace second half of a 10k?

    I relaxed a bit, and strove to keep working at the right level, and from 5k onwards, things started sorting themselves out a bit.

    There had been a couple of quite windy sections in there so far, but 5k-7k felt pretty smooth, pretty decent, and a couple of people running in the right mixer.

    3.33 for km 6 leapt out as a step up (0.61m)
    3.34 for km 7 (0.62m)

    Overtaking "dung leap" kid in this spell somewhere. He'd obviously gone off way too hard.
    And somewhere in this mixer the HM race carried on right, while we turned left.

    3.35 for km 8 (0.61m) including a dodgy hairpin turn, and about 10metres on big sharp stones :D 

    This is more like it I thought.

    For the first time I did a calculation of where I might pan out, and at a conservative 4mins per km, i'd come out in the 37s. That's in and around where I thought would be a decent effort today.

    Only slight issue was that the last 2km were one seemingly massive straight, and into the wind :D 

    I had a chap here working with me which helped, and was pleased to see the 9th km off in 3.34 (0.60m), and all of a sudden a sub 37 looked on.

    The longest straight in the history of 1km run ins, into wind, but that glorious finish line.
    I can see the clock, and i'm going to be under 37...beautiful.

    a 3.52 km, for another mad 0.66miler (!) and we're in for official time of  

    36:53


    That's 19th out of 1,700+ to give an idea of the scale of this event. 1,400+ in the Half, and 570+ in the 5k, and you've got quite a big event here.
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2021
    Glad to dip into the 36s, an unsurprising big improvement on 41.40 last week for the off roader.

    The distance came out 6.31miles, but I suppose you're always struggling to run the minimum route, or get that accurate a GPS on such a wide circuit, even though it felt we were taking sharp lines.

    Just seemed odd that the first 3 HM 1mile markers were dead accurate on my GPS, yet the kms weren't.

    Had a bit of jibber jabber with the guy I'd shared the last few kms with, and also the weird style kid.
    He told me he'd never gone sub 18 for 5k, yet did that today half way through a 10k!
    But he was around 38mins so paid for it second half.

    While I was doing perhaps my only ever big negative split 10k, aside from Wycombe and Wooburn 10ks that have huge hills up first half, huge hill down second half.

    Jogged back to the car, calf aching one side, but sort of went away after a couple of jogs.

    Made the cool down to 2miles, to make it a 10mile day, and had a look at the HM crew carrying on




    The above is the one little hill on the course, but it's only on the HM. Quite short, and this pic probably doesn't really show it, but it's a little bridge. Into the wind though, so no doubt not a fun bit of the course.

    I remember years ago someone on RW being adamant that it wasn't a "flat" course, and I was amazed at such an opinion.
    It has 100 feet in the 10k which isn't much really, but your perception is that Silverstone is pancake.


    But all in a great day, so good to get a non 5k onto the 2021 little tracker grid on po10! Will have to get a couple more distances on before 2021 is out.

    Not 10miler or HM though maybe, as this was "Only" 5.51 pace as measured at 6.31miles. 
    If measured as 10k it's only 5.56.

    I'd prefer to be more certain of a sub 6 for 10m-HM, so clearly wouldn't be right now. Might scrape a sub 60 out for 10mile, but no need to force it really.

    However, it's good to get a 10k in and gives me some reasonable idea to re-zone and see what we can produce going forward.
    I might seek out another 10k as I dare say you need to do a few to maximise. And obviously move the training that way too. Tempos, and longer 1k rep sessions etc.


  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    The guy I mentioned as the HM winner is now in 2nd...but I note there's a FV40 down as having run 1hr 11 apparently :D 

    Would imagine that'd be close to best in the country for that category. Clearly she's done the 10k or taken a massive short cut.

    17.34 for 3rd in the 5k and V40 1st...could have given them a race, but happy with the 10k decision.
  • Excellent racing RegSG Bus.
    Enjoyed the reports chaps.
    Fairly standard weekend for me: Parke parkrun in 22:36 on Saturday. It's a lumpy off-roader & I wasn't expecting much but disappointed to be 70s slower than I was when I did this course previously back in March 2017.
    Another 20M on Sunday. Averaged 7:56 but it was 7:40 for the 1st 17M then struggled in the last 3. It was a hillier route (965') than last week's & I took no fuel + I'd had 2 night's of awful sleep & spent an inordinately large amount of time driving Friday/Saturday.
    Another 62M week
    Taper time - not that I've really had a proper training block.
  • The Bus said:
    Wendover Woods parkrun for me (rude not too!). Beautiful morning for it and a great course, though pretty hilly and all off road. Ten minutes from my bachelor pad to the start!

    Happy enough with just under 22 minutes as a benchmark to start. 

    I had a peek at the results and there was a very fast lady from the Fell Runners Club ahead of you. Odd coincidence to have two from the same odd club so far from the hills!

    Stevie G said:
    Silverstone for me then.

    There has been a long time existing midlands grand prix 10k event, but it's the midweek after Marlow 5, so never fitted in. 


    That event was always on the race circuit and was a couple of laps. One of the biggest problems was that what is a "narrow circuit" for cars travelling at about 200mph is a massively wide track for runners and that means finding the shortest route between corners is quite an art. 
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2021
    Yep Phil - It'd be interesting to have seen what i'd run in 2006 for the HM, the year I started 5mins late, and had to overtake the majority of the 5,000 field! Bet that was closer to 14 than 13 for sure.

    There is the incentive to find another 10k with a smooth surface and good field, that potentially measures a little bit keener!

    Bus - good to hear of a turnout (can't recall if I missed it earlier!) amongst the woes.
  • SG - It was short about 7/8 years ago, but folk's PB's still stand on PO10 as normal and I don't think it's marked as short. Good race though!

    Good win there Reggie, good showing off before some yummy mummies eh ;) Good runs Bus and Jools too.

    HHH didn't qualify for the national relays this year, so Dunstable Downs Parkrun with the kid on saturday, 23.49 this time, harder course than last week at Buckingham, so he was happy with a course PB.

    Then home to do that horrible 8 minute tempo, 10 x 400, 8 minute tempo session. 3 minutes before and after the 400's, 60 secs recovery for the 400's. And it was horrible. Good 5k training tho.

    17 miler yesterday (17.11mm pace) - need to buy more NB Propel, getting a bit flat.
Sign In or Register to comment.