My Last Run

1888889891893894927

Comments

  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    We don't have youngsters in my club...something to do with insurance and safeguarding. A couple of members have good teenage girls who they are waiting to age up before joining.

    5 miles recovery yesterday and a rest today.
  • Risked a still sore calf and did local parkrun. 
    Good news: got away with it and did 21.14.
    Less good news: not only beaten for the first time this year on this course, but well beaten by over a minute.

    I'll probably cry myself to sleep tonight!


  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    My heart bleeds, John.
    Train strike meant no touring for me. I mulled over going to one of the ones a few miles away that requires a bit of a run there and back, but realised I couldn't be arsed so just did my local. Still the same underwhelming 27+ time. Where the hell is my top gear?
  • I forgot to mention we had a VW85 run at our PR today. She did it in 41 mins. For this astonishing effort she got a measly 76% age grade which seems somehow unfair.

    Cal, at least your recent birthday has helped your AG?

  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    That seems low, John! And a little, but I'll let you know once I actually manage to do a decent time again.  :'(

    I went out for 14 miles today - my longest run since Manchester Marathon. Haven't felt great this week so when I saw my HR getting a bit high towards the start of the run, I forced myself to try and keep it in the 150s (my standard easy...Dr Maffetone wouldn't approve but there it is...). Which wasn't easy - at that pace, I was barely picking my feet up so almost tripped a couple of times, and oddly, various parts of me felt more sore than I do at a faster pace. Weather wasn't too warm and there was a nice breeze so can't blame that, but I've had a succession of disturbed, sweaty nights and I guess that wears on you after a while.
    Of course there was no way I could keep HR below 160 up Rectory Road (one of the hills up from Tooting to the common), but tried to go as easy as I could without walking.
    Anyway, glad to have that in the can. First 40 mile week in forever, too.
  • john bateman 6john bateman 6 ✭✭✭
    edited June 2022
    Cal, well done. That's a really good distance and a good weekly total. I have a very shuffly style and live in fear of uneven pacing slabs.

    I'm trying to step up distance (the bar is very low at around 20k per week) as I'm targeting a 10k in exactly 4 weeks time.
    So today managed a 10k which sounds a bit pathetic as a 'long run'.
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Ha, I have stacked it more than a few times, often when tired. I am basically a hovercraft.
    Anyway, 10K is a fine long run if you're targeting a 10K.
  • Agreed with Cal, being able to bust out a low 21 John with a dodge calve doesn't seem so bad ! 

    Completed a 5 day everyday training section including 2 interval sessions inc' (finally) 6x 400m hill sprints, 22k yesterday and my 25th Parkrun which Bruno ran with me. He was on for a doggy PB but he went too soon and borked at around 3.5k and needed to walk a while plus relieve himself :D 

    It was a big training week knowing next few weeks I'm going to be struggling for time. Need a rest day though, 22k yesterday and legs feel tired rather than achy. Fist 1/2 since April though so good to get that done...

    Got back on Saturday and dog was done...


  • DH, nice set of runs. You seem to be good at periodising (is this a word?) your training. I could do with a really systematic approach to targeting a specific event, but I'm rather addicted to my weekly parkruns and, in effect, am trying to peak every week all 52 of them.
    However, with my 10k event in 4 weeks time firmly in my sights, I did a hardcore intervals session today, 4mins fast, 4 mins recovery 5 times followed by 4 x 1 min fast with 1 min recovery.
    It was tough.
    PS great picture of Bruno.
  • For the main I've used Garmin coaching which does it all for me. Then re-arrange into what I can do that week inc' that 5k Parkrun

    Recently I've purchased a few Ben Parkes training plans which you can plonk yourself into mid training block so you don't need to start from scratch like Garmin wants you too. You can pick the sessions then but they generally follow a pattern, one high & medium session plus 2/3 lows each week

    I've got into the flow now...
    Monday - rest
    Tuesday - Interval or Easy 
    Wednesday - Opposite to Tuesday
    Thursday - rest, maybe
    Friday - Easy/Small Tempo
    Saturday - Parkrun
    Sunday - Long run

    It's helped having that structure although having to travel to work Tuesday is buggering up my week :( 

    That sounds like a good interval session !! I like a good interval session but only after it's complete 
  • DH, sensible! Did I mention that Ben Parkes came to my local parkrun and uploaded his video? He seems a genuinely lovely guy.
    I also like Harry Morgan and of course the crowd from the Running Channel.
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    John, I have to fit my weekly training around parkrun, so I understand, although I'm touring so I am not trying to beat my time every week. I always push as hard as I feel I can manage on the day, though.

    Speaking of... woke up nice and early for a run, but unfortunately my colon didn't so I ended up waiting until 10am to go out. That was no bad thing in the end as I wanted to do some faster stuff and I tend to be better at that a bit later in the morning as I'm not quite as stiff. The workout was 9 miles, comprising of:
    3 miles warm up
    2 miles tempo
    1 mile recovery
    2 miles tempo
    1 mile cool down

    Ideally I'd have done the tempo as a 4 mile block, but I'm a bit out of practise at that so decided to split it so my heart didn't explode (I was wearing the strap for this and HR was in the 180s for the tempo bits so I guess that was prudent). 
    I was bang on sub2 HM pace for the first two mile block but was a bit too fast for the first mile of the second lot then slowed a bit too much for the second one. Still, reasonably happy with that considering it's been a while (tempo really is horrible, isn't it?)
  • Cal, TBH I've never gone out to run a tempo session. I would guess that high HR wouldn't normally be associated with a tempo run? There's defo something going on under your bonnet! Another 9 miles ticked off by you. Are you monitoring weekly and/or monthly miles?

    Have you got any events longer than 5k planned? 

    I've now had 4 runs in 4 days which isn't like me at all. Today's session was hill repeats (fast up, slower down) although the hill wasn't much of a hill. I kept it up for about 35 minutes.

    The net result of this and the previous 3 efforts is that I'm totally shattered. Tomorrow I've got no run planned but a 15 mile bike ride, whiich is a bit of a rest.

    I'm trying to drop a bit of weight. I'm a chronic slacker so am trying to eliminate this habit. I only want to shed a few lbs and have ready lost 2 of them.

    I'd like to start my target 10k  racein under 9st 7lb and anything under that will be a bonus.


  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Well yes, I'm doing a marathon in October.
    My running HR is high, or at least it has been the last few years. I averaged in the 170s (with a few miles in the 180s) for Manchester Marathon, and I sustained that for 4:21. But if I compare that to Yorkshire back in 2019, I averaged in the 160s there, so it's definitely gone up. However, I was in the shape of my life for Yorkshire, so there's that.
    Also trying to drop a few pounds but am loathe to go on an actual diet as I used to have an eating disorder and I know that way lies hell. So trying moderation instead. Not that I eat unhealthily, but I may eat a bit too much at times.
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    A 5 mile recovery run today, trying to keep HR under 140...not easy as the bugger will climb any time I go up the slightest incline, cross a road or just let my mind wander. Had to resort to ridiculous slow motion running a few times. Honestly I've power walked faster than that.
    A couple of brief stops during the second mile to stroke cats (one tabby, one black and white) - given I was trying to keep HR low, why not?
  • Cal, this HR is your USP! Mind you, I daresay it's s not one youd like. Do any of your running pals have the same problem?

    Set out to run 8k in 40 mins which is a steady pace. However, unwittingly I found myself in a rhythm that was quicker and ended up with 37.54. Not too tired but will have a non running day tomorrow as I've got a parkrun in Chichester on Saturday. I've only done this once before when it was very wet, so I'm hoping I can surge past my previous time.
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    There's a lad in my club - younger than me, but his training HR is over 200. He says that's normal for him.
    Enjoy Chichester. I've settled on Royal Tunbridge Wells as it plugs an annoying gap in my parkrun map (I use the Chrome extension Running Challenges, which I love. Also available for Firefox...if you use a PC then I highly recommend it). Anyway, apparently it's a bit hilly but after Watergrove, I don't think that'll worry me much.
    8 miles today, normal pace, not worrying about HR or speed. 
  • Cal, so you are not alone!

    I've done RTW. It's a really lovely course but has a brute of a hill at the finish, so save a bit!

    T. Wells is quite nice to wander around if you get the time.

    My 'easy' bike ride plan was disrupted by a very strong wind. I'd go as far as to say that 35 mins of the ride back as hard an aerobic session I've done all year.




  • So Chichester parkrun. A nice course if a quite a few turns and a bit of a hill: 3 laps.

    21.39 was a bit better than I expected and got me an age cat win and an AG which was the 3rd best of the day. It was the 4th best time recorded in my category since they started the event.

    Mrs JB came 4th out of 8 and liked the course. it's about a 20 min walk from the station through the heart of this rather nice city.



  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Well done John, that's a good result. 
    Did RTW as promised...20 mins on the tube, 45 mins on the train, then a 1 mile, almost entirely uphill jog to the park. The park is indeed lovely, though I daresay the perfect weather helped.
    The hard path bit around the lake was nice...the bit in the grass field was so-so. It was mostly OK but there was a section where it was so hard and lumpy that it was like running on cobbles and I had to be careful not to roll an ankle.
    The uphill finish was indeed as you said, though not as bad as Bedgebury Pinetum. They had pacers today and I managed to squeeze ahead of the 29 minute one, though at the expense of kicking my HR into the 190s (watch only...no strap today). After that I was very thankful that the mile jog back to the station was almost entirely downhill.
  • Cal, well done. When I did it there was a big puddle at the bottom of the hill by the lake.
    The Pinetum PR is on my to do list so thanks for the heads up.

  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Nice morning for a long run. Sunny but with enough of a breeze to make it tolerable. I did 15 miles, up the Wandle Trail to Beddington Park then back along a trail from there (it's very secluded but unfortunately nasty pebbly gravel - you'd hate it) to Mitcham Common, across that, then up to home from there. Right glute, ham and achilles were all quite grumpy, no doubt all stemming from the SI joint on that side (little bugger). Stamina-wise it was fine. I did take gels at 5 and 10 miles which helped (as I run before breakfast).
    Still, pace is not good. It was always intended to be easy pace, but my easy pace is a good 30-40 seconds per mile slower than it was before lockdown. I am still hoping I can get that sorted for Chester but, going by my parkruns, my body seems really determined not to improve.
  • Cal, difficult to see, on the basis of your recent runs, how you are going to claw back your pace; 40 secs per mile is pretty significant. What length is the Chester event.

    I can't match tour 15 miler, but I did manage 15k this morning. I really dont like anything much over 10k and this was a slog at 9 min mile pace.

    Now at least I can watch Wimbledon without too much guilt.
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Marathon. Not expecting to match my sub-4 Yorkshire PB but I'd like to do better than Manchester (4:21). My previous run at Chester (my 2nd fastest marathon) was 4:10:42 so beating that would be even better...but I don't know that I have it in me now. We'll see I guess.
  • Had a bit of a bad training week and didn't really do much as had so much on between work at the office, concerts, childminder with covid and sisters birthday yesterday. Not expecting much this week either due to weekend holiday this weekend... 

    Completed tempo session 4x 1.8k reps, Easy run with 4ish'k at 5m/km pace to get my eye in as I paced at Parkrun this weekend. It rained, big style, so turnout not great and with the mud/puddles it was really hard to judge. I fell short 7 seconds on my first k and then near 30s too quick on my second :( Still managed to get across in 24.35 so I was close overall - going to have another bash next month. 25k overall whereas normally over 45k min aim 50k...

    Back into half training now via Garmin aim 1.32, max Garmin goes too. Lots of easy this week to start apparently but still going to track Wednesday and have lined up a new Parkrun towards Pendine for Saturday 

    Someone stole 30 before we could get a picture  :D 


  • Cal, my fastest marathon (of a paltry 3) was 4.19. Just not my distance so respect due to you.

    DH that sounds like a rather disrupted period of training. Sometimes life just get in the way of running, eh? Isn't Pendine where world landspeed records were broken back in the day?
    Should be a bloody quick Parkrun then! I lived in Ferryside  back down the coast. Lovely part of the world.
    That's you and Cal who have both done the pacer job. Well done but makes me feel like a loafer!

    5x500 and 4x 250 intervals today along a rather warm prom. All at sub 4 min per km pace and with short rests of 1 minute. Felt strong.
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    John, I guess it must not be your distance - going by your 5K times you should be loads faster than I am!

    DH...life happens, eh? But I'm sure you'll get back at it. 

    Day off yesterday (just a leisurely 5 mile walk) but 6 miles today including some strides. Got the last race in the Wimbledon Trail Series tomorrow...dreading it a bit as it's longer than the others (the standard route is 5 miles but there's another, slightly shorter lap for the last one of the year, taking it up to just under 8 miles). And that's a tough course. I'm sure I'll manage, though...I'll just need to be sensible about pacing myself.
  • Cal, good luck for your trail race.

    Cross training on the rower for me today: 8x250m at almost exactly the same pace as I'd run them. Spooky.
  • dangeroushamsterdangeroushamster ✭✭✭
    edited July 2022
    Yeah not going to be my greatest training week. I could get out very early to get them done but I struggle with that. I'm like Garfield I don't do mornings...

    Like that session of yours john. Recently done a 10x 400 90s recovery and was dead at the end... Also would highly recommend pacing ! Adds a different objective to simply going balls out all the time

    Track session later which I'm looking forward too. Managed some easy runs last few days. My easy pace over 10k borders on 5.30m/km or over and new training plan calls for easy runs between 5-530 so not sure if I push harder or stick to my HR plan  :|
  • Cal JonesCal Jones ✭✭✭
    Still not tried the track, DH, although I've done a couple of track races.

    I did a gentle three mile recovery run this morning, low HR, then took it easy until the evening.

    Wimbledon Trail Series Race 3. Unlike the first two races, the third race is longer - almost 8 miles - and it was my first time doing this as the first year I ran, I was injured for the last race, while last year the series was held later (due to the pandemic) so the last race was the same length as the others as it was in September, when there's less daylight. The technical Alps section is not repeated, but the rest is, so it's twice up the steep Rifle Butts (unlike last time, this was not a muddy slip 'n' slide, but I decided power walking the steepest part was more efficient than trying to jog up it) and twice up the horrible Toast Rack, which was particularly sandy today thanks to all the dry weather.
    I figured I'd be around 80 minutes and I came in at somewhere under 82 so I wasn't far off. I really slowed down second time up the Toast Rack but the main issue I had was painful intestinal cramps towards the end. I had one that literally stopped me in my tracks and made me double over within view of the finish. 
    This isn't the first time this has happened - I had the same thing at Kingston half back in 2019, though I managed to pull myself together enough to get a PB. Not a concern today as it was a weird distance and I'm not in shape, but could've done without it.
    Anyway, it's done! And at least I have a time to try and beat next year.
Sign In or Register to comment.