Moraghan Training - Stevie G

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  • bus, you doing commute doubles?
  • G'day Joe :smile:

    Yes Philip - back in the office Tuesdays and Fridays, so doing a double on the Tuesday. It's a pretty dull route, and, frustratingly lit for all but half a mile, so I have to take a headtorch anyway! All slightly uphill on the way back too :smile:

    Fancy a trip over to Wendover Woods sometime? Wed and Thu are usually good for a lunch run.

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Quite a few discount codes dotting around at the moment with the Black Friday.
    Race organiser have a 30%, Active Training world a 15%, Runthrough have a 20% ( literally came a day or 2 after giving me a personalised "we miss you"10% one, that no you can't combine the 2!!
  • SG/Reggie - I would be looking at that 6.10-6.15 pace at the moment for my tempo runs. I think that getting that pace right where you could do 15% more if you needed to is quite useful, previously i've felt a bit like the end of a race at the end of a tempo...which I don't think is the idea.

    One of the Podcast lot is a guy registered to Herne Hill - it's not bad, few decent guests but usually a bit distancey based, ultras and marathons etc.

    Good to hear from you Joe. Pretty sure I gave you a wave at London!
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    I suppose it tends how you're doing the tempo SC.
    I've ended the last couple i've done a little harder, whereas the 1st one I did was equal sort of pace the whole way.

    Nike doing Alphas as "low" as £156 at the mo....do it through quidco and potentially even cheaper.
  • The Bus said:

    Fancy a trip over to Wendover Woods sometime? Wed and Thu are usually good for a lunch run.

    My osteopath says I'm to keep off the hills for a while but as soon as I've got the all-clear on that side I definitely fancy that. 
  • Fair enough - not much flat around here! Even getting to the canal involves a bit of up and down....
  • Stevie G said:
    I suppose it tends how you're doing the tempo SC.
    I've ended the last couple i've done a little harder, whereas the 1st one I did was equal sort of pace the whole way.

    Nike doing Alphas as "low" as £156 at the mo....do it through quidco and potentially even cheaper.
    Probably as the Vapourfly seem more popular tbh?

    Sportshoes have got the NB Elite RC's 'down' to £160 odd too.
  • Can you imagine a few years ago people jumping at the chance of £160 bargains for running shoes!
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Madness isn't it.
    Looking at my quidco account there's already a 23.80 or so figure in there.
    Takes until March as I think they make sure you don't return them and just bank loads of 23.80s!!
    But assuming that 23.80 is straight forward as a cash back then 130 or so for these really does lift it into bargain price when they unleashed them at 260!
  • The most I’ve ever spent on running shoes was £110, and that was just once!

    I just don’t get it at our level. I’d hate to think that my just snuck in sub 3s snuck in because of my shoes rather than solid training and a chunk of determination!
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Some people seem to get decent pace gains, but I think I enjoy the feel and the probable recovery benefits.
    I do have a slight nag of whether the old flats have you closer to the road and easier to get the right pace going, but for our types, keen trainers who do good mileage, you have to try it.

    It's those who do about 20 odd miles a week, a year or 2 in forgetting the whole "train a lot, over years" thing and trying to cheat the process that rankles.
  • The Bus said:
    The most I’ve ever spent on running shoes was £110, and that was just once!

    I just don’t get it at our level. I’d hate to think that my just snuck in sub 3s snuck in because of my shoes rather than solid training and a chunk of determination!
    Paying £200+ for a pair of racing shoes kind of pales into insignificance a bit when you've invested hundreds if not thousands of miles into training for a race. I think it's worth having a pair for 'A' races that could last a good while. The shoes are the icing on the cake and don't replace the solid training and determination in my view. But then I do triathlon and it's all chump change  :D




  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Yes, things have evolved from the days you'd have some "racers" that also doubled as being used for sessions.
    These Nikes are definitely race only fare.
  • Hi Joe. Work comp wasn’t keen to load your report but I’ll catch up soon. Always good to hear from you. Looks like you love and run in wine country now. Yum 🍷 

    I guess I am using tempo/LT fairly loosely. But hoping to work in the region of max pace for one hour (10M).  

    Reg sums up the shoe cost debate very well. 


    Worked from home today as had an online conference. Nice presentations, but also a useful opportunity to bosh the house cleaning and serve a cheeky track session for lunch. 

    12 x 150 fast, 250 slow. 30s down to 27 for the final. Nice to do some different and the track is always good for a bit of accountability. 

    Not brave enough to wear the Adios again, having done so on Tuesday. But NB1080 are a very good all rounder for such circumstances. 

    10M total at 7:35s.

  • *live. But maybe Joe loves there too!
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    SQ, I remember having an internal debate about whether £200 on a garmin was an excessive buy too :D
    Before realising it was a ludicrous thing to debate, as it's critical gear for a keen runner, and can double as a day to day watch too.
    Not like my work pal who said he has 7 or 8 watches, ranging up to £400, and is after a £1,500 or so watch next year.
    Now that I don't get. Unless you're like Joey Essex you only wear one watch at any time!


  • And nice run from SC today I see at LFoM!
    Progress is rarely a straight line. There are always bumps in the road, but you can make the choice to keep looking ahead.
  • Yep - very quick from Mr C yesterday!

    parkrun for me today. All very last minute and a bit hungover. Finally decided to do it at 8.35!  First mile was pretty ropey and couldn't get into my stride, but the second two were fine and actually felt like I'm getting some fitness back, even if the overall time didn't reflect it - 21:44, which is my second fastest on the course.  The slippery conditions in places probably cost a few seconds, but not much.

    Had the pleasure of bumping into Mr Spraggins, Katie and his speedy mutt at the end! Joe took the win! Unusually, no flat cap today, but a full kilt and Scottish hat instead! Takeover by Tring for their annual Kilt run or something, which can't be done at Tring parkrun as it doesn't exist anymore! Lot's of folk in tartan and a bagpiper to see us off! The combination of wintry weather and the woods made it feel almost like we were in Scotland!  Brrrrrrr!

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    edited November 2021
    Sounds blooming hard work for a 5k that does.

    On another note, I was sniffing around for any course footage of the Hatfield 5, but instead found something better - finishing line footage of the 2016 race.
    Had forgotten it was 5 years back that myself, Bus, Phil Minestrone Jones and a local pal all headed off there (might have gambled 2017).

    Must have been one of the last races I was in the red Sandhurst kit too.

    About 5mins 40 in, from 28 through to 32 on the clock you can see us all come in.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KZtWGugois

    Luckily we get to see Phil as there was a bit of doubt as 2 randoms stand directly blocking the camera for a good min, but the second of these guys disappears right in the nick of time.
  • Stevie G said:
    Sounds blooming hard work for a 5k that does.

    On another note, I was sniffing around for any course footage of the Hatfield 5, but instead found something better - finishing line footage of the 2016 race.
    Had forgotten it was 5 years back that myself, Bus, Phil Minestrone Jones and a local pal all headed off there (might have gambled 2017).

    Must have been one of the last races I was in the red Sandhurst kit too.

    About 5mins 40 in, from 28 through to 32 on the clock you can see us all come in.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KZtWGugois

    Luckily we get to see Phil as there was a bit of doubt as 2 randoms stand directly blocking the camera for a good min, but the second of these guys disappears right in the nick of time.
    Good find there SG.

    The Bus said:

    Had the pleasure of bumping into Mr Spraggins, Katie and his speedy mutt at the end! Joe took the win! 

    I'll point out that if you sort by age-graded Bus was second overall (not bad for an old 'un coming back from injury) and Joe third. 
  • Thanks Philip :smile:

    Good find SG - most interesting thing is the shoes back in those PV4% days :smiley:

    Longish for me today, but felt much harder than last week! 12.7 cold and hilly miles. Shows the difference between a very easy six miler the day before and six with a hard parkrun in the middle...
  • Reg WandReg Wand ✭✭✭
    edited November 2021
    Nice track session SQ, I had a stand off for years with my wife about cleaning the house, I refused to do it but she didn't want cleaners but I won in the end and now we have some ladies who don't speak a word of English round. I noticed they always put a triangle on the 'in use' toilet rolls so I have been leave progressively more and more toilet rolls out for them to fold each week, they did their origami on 7 bog rolls last week, any more and they might twig that I am taking the piss, if you'll pardon the pun  :D 

    Good parkrunning from Joe and Bus, sounds like a scene from Braveheart! Good time from SC and I am sure there will be a Hatfield report along soon.

    In the meantime, I did Sandhurst TVXC today. I've been having calf issues for several weeks so I was a bit concerned but decided it should be ok. Didn't realise how far away Lord Wandsworth school was so I was surprised when I jumped in the car and the sat nav revealed my ETA was 10:48 for an 11am race. By the time I arrived I needed to use the facilities but after queuing I vacated the bogs at 10:58, ran to the now deserted team kit area, dumped my bag and ran to the start with 10 seconds to spare.

    Just had time to set the watch and survey the front two rows to see who was about, spotted three of the four that finished ahead of me at Datchet plus some unfamiliar faces.

    We're off quickly and slightly downhill and I am back in about 10th, thankful I am not leading it out this time as I've had no warm up. After an open field we move into the woods following a single track, what mud there is, is mostly frozen still but every now and again there's a soft patch. After getting in the front group through the first mile, I start to lose contact in 5th, two Datchet guys have moved away and I am 10 metres behind Sandhurst's Graham and the furtive Datchet guy that sneaks up on you. At 3k we hit the downhill and in the space of a couple of hundred metres I have flown past the two in front and closed right up to the two leaders. At the bottom we turn sharp left and hit the steep uphill, it's a lung buster, 0.11 mile at 16.6% on Strava. 

    The leaders restore the gap on the uphill but I hit the top in third and hold the position despite staying controlled on the hill at just over threshold. RF in first has pulled away from the other Datchet chap who looks to be slowly coming back to me as we start the second and final lap. I close slowly on second but hold back and I wait for the downhill and as soon as we get there I open up the stride and fly past into second, I catch a glimpse of first but he's too far ahead and looking strong still. Up the steep hill and I pace it well saving some for when we're over the top when I expect those behind me to be taking a breather but I actually get up the hill 5 seconds quicker than lap 1. We then hit a more technical downhill section and we're now lapping the tailenders who thankfully step aside as I exit the woods and hit the final field that clogs up the shoes with mud, I take a couple of glances and ease it home for seconds place.

    Pretty pleased with that one. Never beaten Graham before and finished ahead of two of the DDs that beat me last time out. Pretty much the same pace for lap 2 so I paced it well and probably have more to give based on the HR.
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    edited November 2021
    What did I tell you Reg, it's definitely up for grabs this season.
    I heard there's been some strange blow up at Bracknell, with a "road runners" outfit starting up, and Kevern seems to have disappeared totally to Bracknell AC. Thought he might be doing some 2nd claim action or something.
    I think it was this event once where some guest turned up and monstered him which was quite an upset!

    But 2nd, without even a warm up is impressive. I'm not surprised with that latter part though, as you generally seem to exist about 95% off the bike miles, and the actual running is what disrupts your running :D 

    Quite a varied course isn't it. I know how cold it was from where I was this morning, but was surprised to see so many of our faster boys in thermal trousers out racing!

    The rampage downhill, then trudge into the woods, then slightly undulating woods. Then some sort of loop round and that mad wall you describe well. Stagger into another bit of woods and some pretty dangerous rootsy bits, and then that trudge back up the field to finish.
    Then a second lap!
  • Yes, it's a good varied course, not too much trouble with lapping, little bit for everyone with woodland, fields, climbs and very runnable descents. The roots were tricky on lap one when following others but less so second time around. I was surprised by the trousers, perhaps it's from being out yesterday, I got hit by the sleet early on in an easy run and despite always being against tights, I was kind of wondering if I was cutting my nose off to spite my face or legs.
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    edited November 2021
    You do see an array of snoods, hats, gloves, trousers, arm warmers all of that, but if it changes a race for someone from miserable to comfortable, then fair play. Personally some lycra cycling short type things (with a compartment for key) with shorts over them and a vest do me nicely. 
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    edited November 2021
    I had a turnout myself then, over at Hatfield 5miler.

    Fancied this one from ages back, and have always meant to get back there after the thread outing back in 2016.
    Luckily, the club had a strong 6 or 7 for the TVXC team, so I managed to weasel out of that a while back by offering up another event in future :)

    Back in 2016 this felt a breakthrough, not in the older days of time necessarily, like a pb, but in a different way of realising I could still do good times after the whole Wycombe 2015 HM stuff. Did 28.14 that day, but knew that wouldn't be on the cards today.

    Didn't really know what would be in honesty.
    Marlow 7 was 6.09 pace for an average of 90feet climbing a mile, so obviously a chunk fastsr than that for flat and 2miles fewer, but Silverstone 10k's 36:53 had been 5.56 pace technically, but again had been shrouded in a bit of doubt as it was a 6.31mile on the watch, and actual pace of 5.51.

    I've got back in the habit of doing some decent tempos since, and some of the reps have been on grass which probably builds strength or sommat :) 
    So who knew. Get there and give it a good go was the plan, on what was going to be a freezing one.

    Felt decent this pre-race, none of that sneezing fest nonsense a few days before, of a couple of recent races

    45min trip then, obligatory designating 8am to be the leaving time, actually leaving 8.20am.
    They had initially worried us by saying the "fast" race would be 9am, and the rest at 10am, but quickly emailed to say all in 10am, thankfully.
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    edited November 2021
    Nicely to the venue by 9.01 then, expecting the multi storey car park from the last time.
    Instead there was a much easier huge open single level carpark the other side, easy job.

    Was pleased to see that this lot, Active Training World, employed the same approach as the Silverstone 10k lot (not sure what company that was), in allocating numbers on the day.
    Much easier all round.
    No taking ages stuffing 800 envelopes and ordering the numbers/names, then taking ages finding them, simply join any queue, and they scan and allocate you a number as you arrive. All races should do this really.

    Couple of miles warm up in two instalments, into the gear 20mins before hand feeling nicely toasty despite only hitting 8.15 pace on the first mile!
    And to the start line.

    Herts county champs apparently, so lots of local clubs in and around. No-one I recognised at all, bar Trevor from Handy Cross, but he's post pace maker and mid 50s these days, and finding his way back in. (26:10 for 5miles at peak I believe he said when I cooled down with him later).

    The start is a little tight and has a few random mats beyond even the timing mats for some reason. I always go wide, and I'm on the grass a bit at the start.
    Tight bit making not sure to rip my hip off on some metal, and we're onto a bit of a smoother path.



    I've seen 4.55 pace on my watch early doors which surely can't be right, but we're off.
    Nice smooth first half mile away from the college, and It feels like I'm well down. 30s or something. That's probably ok I think, it is a county champs etc.
    I remember seeing 3 women went sub 29 in 2019, the last running, and I can spot a couple have flown off this year too.
    Also a guy who must be V50 is well ahead too, and you know early doors this isn't a V40 pot hunt :D 

    Left out of the college lane and over a bridge, but not especially with an incline, then into a bit under the cover of woods.
    I make the mistake of looking at the current pace and it reckons 6.00 dead, and I think, bloody hell I can't even hold sub 6 for the first mile.
    Some nobber is jogging on the course with his dog for some reason, meaning we all have to go wide, and I realise that 's slightly harsh thinking and he's facing my 6.00 blowback in my thoughts :D  

    First mile marker is up though, and I check my watch and hang on it's 5.30!
    I let the watch auto record the split, and that's 5.32, so the 6.00 was just a one off current display not reflective of the pace.
    It's a bit tasty out, but classic doesn't feel too bad fare, although will obviously slow. But it feels like old days where you get out harder.

    Some young lad has his mate from another club chatting to him. Piss off son, chatting at this pace :D 
    He does quite quickly and cruises off into the distance, and I clock what must be the 2nd lady working hard just ahead.
    I get on both of their heels, and the lad gently drops away.

    I basically then spend the next 3 or so miles with the 2nd lady, taking turns to work hard, and when I get ahead she comes back at me.
    Mile 2 & 3 both came up dead on 5.48 for some decent consistency, and I was thinking by now I'm having a good one, how good can it be.

    The first mile is fast and smooth, the next miles have mixes of footpaths, and a couple of tight turns, but still sort of works well.
    There's one curb where a marshal warns at the ice in front of it, so that's a jump job (!) and the lady is breathing hard, so I know she's ideal to have along, as there's a bit of a distance ahead, and I'm sure behind now. Without her I dare say I could easily have dropped a little.

    I see 3miles around 17mins. And think that'd be about a 5k at 1735 or so, pretty similar to my best 5ks this summer. Shows what difference a "proper" race is compared to those distanced ones isn't it? (Or the Sri Chim one me and Pete arrived with about 10mins to the start :D )

    Mile 4 as expected is a bit harder. Feels like a bit more of a slog as you're on the way back on the loop now, and it's a bit of a long slog. A few people are walking on the path so a quick dip onto grass and another turn and we're 4miles in with a 5.53 split.

    At 4miles I make the decisive move ahead of the 2nd lady, having entertained the thought of being just behind her in the pics, and video camera footage etc :D 

    She's not far behind, but sometimes you can just tell someone has fallen off a slight bit.

    On we go another 1/3rd mile or so, and what's this, it's the first woman dropping back into sight. Oh no...the same issue, but with someone else :D  

    She's coming back a fair bit and I'm gearing up for the inevitable monster in.

    Not long after I've gone past, for some reason muttering something to her about 2nd lady is 50metres behind and getting no response :neutral:

    I go to move over to the left as some vehicle is conveniently blocking the racing line, and almost stack it on the road, possibly put off by the surprisingly now in the scene low sun.
    "FRIG SAKE" echoes across the area, and I take that as my warning to get it together and hold this position now.

    Perfect scenario really. Just under half a mile to go, 2 runners right on my heels battling each other in a big finish. Just what you don't want at the time, but realise it's ideal to a good time.
    Ticking off the 0.2miles now realising they'll have to be putting in a huge effort to get ahead of this finish, and just one more to go and the end is in sight. Sneak a look behind and I'm golden,...

    Over the line for a 5.34 last mile, and a very pleasing (eventually confirmed) ...

    28:35


  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    edited November 2021
    Delighted with that, 5.43 average, and quicker than my 5milers in both 2018 and 2019.
    That's definitely my best turn out post pandemic without any doubt at all, and felt much more like proper racing. A really good trip out.




    Certainly wasn't a huge gap behind, as the ladies had their battle just 3 secs apart in the end, just 6-9 secs behind me.

    Reminded me a bit of the Eastleigh 10k in about 2013, where I literally was in the middle of the women's race. Me and the winner doing the same time, and 2nd 2 secs behind :D 

    Did the race times comparison calculator and glad to see the equivalent 10k would just sneak into 35 territory by 1 second! (35.59!) But a darn sight better than the 36.53 that I was fairly satisfied with a month or so ago.
    Pleased to see the 10mile equivalent is now back under the hour. 1hr 19 or so for a half. But hopefully can develop further before doing a longer race again.

    Will have to decide whether to follow this up with another one next week, or hold off for the Reading XC in 2 weeks.

    There is another fast flat 5miler next week, but maybe I've "done" the 5mile distance with today's and it might feel after the Lord Major's show.
    Am at United v Arsenal Thur night, driving back on Friday, so maybe that's not surpreme build up either, not sure.
    May have a look at other races on, might be something else fun. But that's all for another day I think :)
  • ML84ML84 ✭✭✭
    You not fancy the Podium 5k in Leicester next Saturday SG? Me and a mate are heading down for a crack at it.
    Also got the Battersea one lined up that's filling Armagh's place next feb. 

    Well run at the 5 miler and congrats on the XC Reg! 
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