With a bit of wind as well, it felt super cool today. But the humidity had me finishing with a vest absolutely drenched, so in a way it felt a tougher run than yesterday!
Probably didn't help starting with the woody climb, meaning a 10min first mile, then skulking along the overgrown verges into Flackwell. Nice run after that though!
I need to get my head around humidity. I should understand it better as I work with fluids. Paula Radcliffe was explaining that the dew point was more important than the humidity itself and this article seems to agree:
That road into Flackwell Heath (Heath End Road) is one of my least favourites. We have a few like it around here: they aren't big enough to have pavements but are big enough to have a lot of fast traffic. The one past Wycombe's training ground is pretty much the same.
Think you're spot on there, and I think Bus has said something along these lines before.
If you look at the bbc weather every day, the "humidity" percentage is always fairly high, and higher the earlier in the day. But that percentage doesn't tell you when it'll feel uncomfortable. We need that dew point on the weather really!
What I find people get mixed up with, is humidity and heat. The two can go hand in hand, but they're two quite different things!
Yesterday - exceptional heat, very little humidity/dew point etc = fairly comfy run personally speaking.
Today - fairly low temperature relative speaking to recently - very high humidity/ dew point - awkward sticky conditions - the sort I dread to see in a race.
I forget that the road into Flackwell isn't always well maintained. At its best you have the equivalent of decent pavements when they've trimmed those crops/bushes down. But at the moment they haven't so you have to dip in and out and look for gaps in traffic!
Think you're spot on there, and I think Bus has said something along these lines before.
If you look at the bbc weather every day, the "humidity" percentage is always fairly high, and higher the earlier in the day. But that percentage doesn't tell you when it'll feel uncomfortable. We need that dew point on the weather really!
Yes. Air is like a sponge and can absorb water vapour. The "humidity" is how much water vapour is in there, so 0% is none and 100% is the sponge full. When you take warm air at say 50% humidity and cool it down, the water vapour in the air stays where it is but the "sponginess" of the air decreases so the humidity goes up. Cool it enough and the water vapour can't be contained any longer and comes out as liquid.
A belated happy birthday, SG. What a spot of hot racing to celebrate!
I’m pleased the injury is healing, SC.
Cracking racing the World Champs 1500 last night.
A week away in South Devon last week. My goodness, if you fancied an accidental repeat of 2020’s Everesting in a month, this would be the place to do it. Genuinely couldn’t find any flat. So plenty of slow road running on quiet lanes, averaging about 150ft ascent a mile. Squeezed in one treadmill with 5 x 1k at about 5k effort.
My extreme heat workout yesterday was a full tour of Legoland. Log flume for the win.
Track 5000 tonight. Worried I have been seeded on an old PB. Might request to go down a wave.
Haven’t really got into a groove since Manchester in early April, so think I’ll knock any thoughts of an autumn marathon on the head.
Morning all. It has been a while so hope all are well and injury free.
Interesting article on dewpoint PMJ. I'd imagine last night at track was probably nudging the moderately uncomfortable range.
I hope the 5000 went well SQ?
I've been the same as SQ since Manchester. Combination of too many stresses and too much on my plate has meant some major bouts of CNBA with far too many low mileage weeks. Decided to try address it by doing my first group track session in probably 10-11 years last night. Opting to try hang with the front group was inevitably painful, but probably just what I needed to get the juices flowing again, so hopefully that kickstarts some form of decent training.
Keep at it chaps, good to hear from you both, and good luck SQ.
Even when I'm having a good and regular year of racing, it feels like this last couple of weeks has been a bit of a lull. A small gap in the racing calendar, the heat etc.
Will have to push the button on a couple of races soon, get some stuff lined up. I've earmarked the Murder Mile on a Friday early August as a definite, but just have to work out if i'm doing footy games up north on the Sat and/or Sun, and thus where and whether a parkrun is doable, and then a Monday 5km race too.
Can't knock a few hills SQ, I need to think about building up again for the xc qualifier in Derby in October. Hardcore running in that heat TR.
Welcome back TT, i'm missing some fitness too now after the turned ankle. 4 weeks which for me is 6 weeks, as I go with the every week off after 2 weeks counts double formula.
Certainly seemed about right for how I felt last night at the Doug Anderson 5k. Ran my unofficial 5k PB here of 15.38 back in the day, but it's an ARC as Bedford Harriers are an ARC club so no PO10. Bit different last week, now 50 and been out for 4 weeks.
Thought i'd aim for 3.20-3.25 K's and perhaps got for sub 17 if I got close to get the V50 prize. Its the same as the Bedford parkrun, 2.5 laps but annoyingly this way round means you have two long drags up and two short sharp downs, instead of the other way round.
So off on time, starts pissing down with rain that doesn't stop until I get picked up by the missus at 9pm!
3.25 first K, feeling ok - at this point is monitoring the ankle and making sure it's OK. 3.20 for 2nd K and relatively stable up to 4K and on course for 17.15 ish. Then the V55 I know from Bedford & Co came past. Feeling really tired, but I thought I would try and hang on - it worked and up the half drag to the finish I managed to pull back away and get over the line in 17.03. I think (presume) I'm first V50 and think it's a course record.
So - at least I know I need a lot more fitness, but the ankle was really good, especially as this morning it was fine too. So all systems go from now hopefully...
How have you pulled up from the track session, TT?
I wouldn’t worry about a couple of relatively down weeks, SG. You’ve had a hell of a year racing so far.
What does ARC mean, SC? Very good racing off the back of the injury and great on the V50 record. Agreed that sharp up and longer down is better.
Cheltenham Midsummer 5000 last night. Definitely should have requested to go down a wave!
Started at the back and then gapped almost immediately. Still, if you start in last, you probably won’t be overtaken 😆. 1:26 first lap and then consistent 1:28s until about lap 8. Managed to reel in another runner at about half way and hoped to tag onto the back of him on the windy home straight. Unfortunately he thought it was the leaders coming to lap him so he moved to lane two. Rapidly pulled away from him, and with two DNFs, did at least manage to move a little up the field.
The warmth and surprising wind caught up with me (as well as holiday and Legoland) and slowed to 1:31-33 a lap int be final mile. Slightly sped up for the final 600 to finish in something like 18:40.
Disappointing not to improve on June’s time but a fun evening nonetheless. Always a great atmosphere at the track and brilliant to see the madness of the pole vault, 65 year age gaps between competitors in the 800 and a former pupil in the shot put.
Warm down whilst watching the A race, with the leader sub 15. Another level.
Felt surprisingly sprightly on this morning’s recovery. 6M at 8:18s on a rolling route. Cheeky 3M double this afternoon before settling down to an hour of climbing madness in Le Tour.
Hang on Simon, you took 12 seconds off over the last km? That's some serious monstering there!
I can't imagine a track 5k SQ. Good to get you back into some turnouts though.
Had the potential of a 3x1mile relay in Battersea Park on Monday, but my 2 teammates, that had joined me the last time this event was on both pulled out for different reasons. Could probably try and seek out new ones, but I think i'll just carry on training - sessions Tue & Fri and usual sort of Sunday run without wondering whether a race the day after could be impacted sort of thing.
The Murder Mile is my next definite race, and would be race 300 which would be nice. It was number 200 as well!
May put something else in in between, but that might be the start of a flood of racing so is ok.
Can't believe you've not seen me boring on about it TR, unless that's irony
Assuming it's not the latter, it's a south wales ridiculous 680 foot climb over a mile. Bearing in mind there's a couple of relatively flat bits in there and the second half is a lot steeper than the first half, it gives an idea of how mad the steepest bits are
Well done on the longer runs this time of year. The mix of doing my weekly day in the office and the humidity caught me out a little today, as I'd barely drunk any water to refuel, meaning the "dark" pee. Quickly resolved, but a reminder not to think a single hot drink is any substitute for water for refuelling.
Great to hear you’re back SC. That’s a cracking final K especially up an incline. You may have lost some sharpness but definitely far from unfit. Good to hear from you SQ. Decent enough 5,000m off hilly plodding. ARC = association of running clubs - alternative licensee to UKA I’m in for the Murder Mile SG, my usual summer shenanigans are evaporating due to my mate’s long CoViD. He’s been struggling since last July! Worked a bar at a small do down in Cornwall last weekend. Mount Edgcumbe parkrun on Saturday was very slow. Had 3 days off after that then did 25M of SWCP yesterday as it was cooler.
SG - seen it mentioned, but didnt know details. Is it actually a mile ? South Wales for a mile?.......i was pretty dehydrated adter ydays 14m, ive been taking a couple of bottleson the weekend 20 milers.
Goods news (for me) bad news (for your mate and usual touring) there Jools.
It makes it a slightly less mental trip for me if I'll actually know someone, albeit internetally (new word). Although I'll obvious jabber to randoms there, and even have one guy from last year on my strava.
Just take this tip.... drive to the top of the hill to collect your number the longer way... don't try and drive up the murder mile itself. I'm still traumatised by struggling to get going in 1st gear, and a smell of burning clutch sooooo bad, that people in the big parking field were mentioning how strong a smell there was
The mental torture is applied by once collecting the number, having to trot down the hill. It's so steep it's actually quite hard to run down, I do wonder if it was me being in better shape in year 2 that got me by best time there, or whether it was because I arrived late, didn't go to the top, so avoided that dread of going down the hill, knowing what was coming afterwards!
Can anyone else make it for some insane reason? SQ, I suppose the only one with a vague chance?
I think I took it as 0.99m TR last time, and annoyingly it was in that spell strava had of rounding down, so showed as 0.9m on the display cue smug comments from at least one clubmate
But it's classed as a mile for the PO10 purposes and it's as close as it needs to be in my eyes. I saw it on RB as "unmeasured road race", so we'll see if there's something different on there this year, no reason why it should be though. I dare say when you're doing close to double your flat pace it doesn't make huge difference
The last 2 times I've been I've done a parkrun the day after, for a bit more of a trip.
I was boring a workmate with the videos and stats today actually. Quite interesting how the numbers have come on.
I think 2018 was something like 150, whereas 2019 had got so busy they had to split it into 2 races, and there were not many fewer than 150 in race 1!
SC - how did you manage to turn your ankle that badly? That's a quality comeback 5k. Sounds like you ripped up the last km too!
SQ - Nicely done on the 5000 in less than ideal conditions! I'm still feeling the track session this morning Trying to hang with the lead group meant I ran the majority of the 6.8km of effort (2 x 1km, 6 x 400, 4 x 400, 4 x 200) around current theoretical mile pace!! Definitely got my juices flowing though.
6.8k of intervals at one mile pace, TT. Bet you’re sore!
Thank you for the heads up for the Murder Mile, SG. Had a look on the website. Suspect I have run routes this steep, but never at all out 10 minute effort. Must be brutal! 1h50 from me, so will probably opt for the Cranham Boundary Chase the following afternoon instead. A hilly 6M road race I haven’t done before - just my cup of tea. You really smashed out those 400s this morning. Can’t believe you haven’t done a track 5000.
Good to see your mix of parkrun/long running on the SWCP, Jools. Straight into summer.
TR, I stopped for water this morning mid run. Wouldn’t usually but had the opportunity. Nice one getting into marathon mode.
Had a great long run this morn with a mix of everything in there. 1.2M buggy to drop the lad off, 7.5M very hilly trail loop with a friend, 1M buggy from his back home (always a bit weird without a small human in there), then 7M solo road loop. 16.8M at 8:26 average with 360m ascent. Nice to get a proper long run done, although destroyed since!
Good effort on the track there SQ and solid 5k SC, glad to see you're getting back into it after the injury.
Usual fare from SG I see, race number 300, is that just this year, you've been quite prolific!
Since the crash I have been struggling, it took a good couple of weeks for all the impact injuries to heal and I also had a bad cold and then put my back out. The latter is just about mending now. As a consequence training has been sparse. I have managed a bit of easy running but every run was painful. Today was the first day I have felt able to run with only mild discomfort so did a tempo; 3k warm up, 5k tempo and 2k CD.
Felt a bit rusty having not done anything quick in months but manged low 17:1x with 3:30, 3:27, 3:24, 3:28, 3:21. Happy enough with that.
Oh to be struggling that much Reg Great sessions from SG & TT.
I’ll get MM booked asap too. Finished South Cornwall SWCP yesterday with an 18 miler & 3,800’ setting off at 1:45pm 😆 Amazingly managed a course PB at Lanhydrock parkrun this morning on my 4th visit & 3rd course iteration. I set my PB back in 2014 when the course finished 70’ lower than the start & I only clocked 3.01M vs today when it started & finished in the same place & I clocked 3.14M. I’ll take that as a double win.
Plenty for a weekend that is Jools I think I prefer keeping my mad long haul running stuff limited to youtube vids
Summer 13s feel long enough. Did a 12.5 2 weeks ago, but technically my first 13m in 4 weeks. Eased out and was getting to more like usual long run pace by midway, but then did an offroad section that lead to a bridge, and the slight climb of the Marlow 5mile race section before heading back towards one of the "Ups" back to Wycombe.
Deja vu back to about a year ago up a trail that lead to some woods, and a 50-50 call of left or right. Obviously took the wrong one, and ended up freestyling a dodgy route through 3 or 4 fields knowing what direction "should" bring be back where I wanted to be.
But we've all done that a few times and found solid hedge/fences and you can't get through. Instead, it beautifully brought me to a footpath just across the road from a hill back homeward bound. Oddly a footpath I can't ever have used before, so every day's a school day!
The week after the Murder Mile has choices galore literally every day for the week after. One of those sod's law spells where you'd quite fancy doing all of them, but know deep down you can't, unless you're happy doing much slower than peak times.
Reg - not surprised that crash left you sore. Good news on getting moving with the 5k. Did you book a redemption IM in the end?
SG - 13m is a good summer distance, it keeps a decent time on feet going and you're not going to take long to jump up to 15 or 16 if you wanted to for a 1/2.
SQ - 16.8 isnt far off mara training. Will you target some shorter races instead?
I have no long run planned for a couple of weeks due to going away and then having a trail 10m the following weekend, so i did a decent 21m yday as 5.5 easy, 11 steady, 4.5 easy. Didnt get out til 10 so it was a hot affair, took a litre of fluid with me.
ps that's a ridiculous Reg 5k tempo by the way. But a more classic total lack of running to achieve it! Good to see you got away without too long a recovery.
TR, strong run in this weather. As I set off I actually thought it was cool but a little sticky, but that'd had definitely ramped up to fairly warm nearer the end.
No redemption TR, I've basically been in some sort of pain or niggle for a month now. The race I was planning to do was today. Back still bad, ankle hurts, achilles is sore and knee pain. Probably better trying to rebuild for a late season half Ironman. Nice 21.
Good bit of exploring, SG. Can be a faff, but also a great way to find genius little paths.
21M in this weather is very solid, TR. you are a workhorse and it has paid dividends in the past.
Heck of a tempo when the body is struggling, Reg. Hope we get to see the Feb/March version of you again soon.
More strong SWCP running, Jools. Usually brutally hilly and that leg looks no exception.
Easy day yesterday with a parkbuggyrun 4M in the morning then 3M on the treadmill during gymnastics drop off.
Quads very stiff this morning - it was quite a steep descent on Friday morning. Waited until this afternoon for a light track session, although in hindsight I would have been better off going during the morning drizzle rather than the afternoon sun and wind.
Very much an effort based session:
1600 tempo (6:27) (300)
4 x 200 (41s) (200)
1600 tempo (6:40)
2 x 100
The track is on a reasonable slope, so the choice for the 200s was into the wind, or uphill. Not ideal 😆. Went for the slight uphill option. 8.6M at 7:25 average.
Easy couple of days coming up whilst camping with my daughter, before a track mile on Wednesday night.
Having ruled out an autumn marathon, I am now coming round to the idea of Abingdon in 12 weeks. Easy logistics, no faff, and a just enough time to get in shape if all goes well. Jools? TR? Anyone else?
SG - thats similar to here, was hotter than expected.
Reg - good job you didnt invest in a hefty IM entry then.
SQ - good mix of paces there. I do have an Abo entry, its 3 wks after London and id like to try to do both as id like to do Brighton and London 3 wks apart in April, so this Autumn would be a good tester. Trouble is marathons beat me up, probably from not being a light pitter patter of a runner and being more of a heavy thumper.....Newport has just been reschedlued ftom the same day, and it sounds like those folks are targetting Abo. So maybe enter anyway just in case. Its usually easy to sell them on via their transfer system......i make it 13 wks, so you get a bonus week........was wondering today thet given london is 10wks away, Elish Mc isnt going to have a typical 12 to 15 wk build up given she must still have commonwealth games or European champs to go yet.
Hi All - I must have been talking rubbish about the 5k, looks like I gave the impression that I was slower before the last K as they were 3.19,3.2,3.26, 3.27, 3.26. Must have felt like I was going faster in the last K...much steadier race in reality!
TT - Rutted ground under grass, not that I was looking at the ground..looking at my watch. Idiot.
Reg. Hope the pains subside soon. But your tempo was only slightly slower than a time that virtually killed me, so not too bad. Monster Mileage TR! Good experience with the 5,000m SQ
Thursday - 5k am and 5m pm Friday - nowt Saturday - did local parkrun with the kid, did 21.35, first V50 LOL. Very tentative as it's quite uneven Sunday - Stupidly decided to do 12 to the Luton discovery centre near the track, leaving about 12.30pm. Had to buy a bottle of water for my head and back in Dunstable after going up this thing called Sewell cut. It's basically like a sandy hot V shaped valley. You feel like you're in a spaghetti western! So then dragged myself down the busway...then to get to the centre I had to go a route I hadn't been before..and i stuck a picture of it on my Strava. Ridiculously steep path. Today - standard 9 miles to Wing and back
Comments
https://www.powerpacing.run/dew-point/
That road into Flackwell Heath (Heath End Road) is one of my least favourites. We have a few like it around here: they aren't big enough to have pavements but are big enough to have a lot of fast traffic. The one past Wycombe's training ground is pretty much the same.
If you look at the bbc weather every day, the "humidity" percentage is always fairly high, and higher the earlier in the day.
But that percentage doesn't tell you when it'll feel uncomfortable.
We need that dew point on the weather really!
What I find people get mixed up with, is humidity and heat. The two can go hand in hand, but they're two quite different things!
Yesterday - exceptional heat, very little humidity/dew point etc = fairly comfy run personally speaking.
Today - fairly low temperature relative speaking to recently - very high humidity/ dew point - awkward sticky conditions - the sort I dread to see in a race.
I forget that the road into Flackwell isn't always well maintained.
At its best you have the equivalent of decent pavements when they've trimmed those crops/bushes down. But at the moment they haven't so you have to dip in and out and look for gaps in traffic!
A belated happy birthday, SG. What a spot of hot racing to celebrate!
I’m pleased the injury is healing, SC.
Cracking racing the World Champs 1500 last night.
A week away in South Devon last week. My goodness, if you fancied an accidental repeat of 2020’s Everesting in a month, this would be the place to do it. Genuinely couldn’t find any flat. So plenty of slow road running on quiet lanes, averaging about 150ft ascent a mile. Squeezed in one treadmill with 5 x 1k at about 5k effort.
My extreme heat workout yesterday was a full tour of Legoland. Log flume for the win.
Track 5000 tonight. Worried I have been seeded on an old PB. Might request to go down a wave.
Haven’t really got into a groove since Manchester in early April, so think I’ll knock any thoughts of an autumn marathon on the head.
Interesting article on dewpoint PMJ. I'd imagine last night at track was probably nudging the moderately uncomfortable range.
I hope the 5000 went well SQ?
I've been the same as SQ since Manchester. Combination of too many stresses and too much on my plate has meant some major bouts of CNBA with far too many low mileage weeks. Decided to try address it by doing my first group track session in probably 10-11 years last night. Opting to try hang with the front group was inevitably painful, but probably just what I needed to get the juices flowing again, so hopefully that kickstarts some form of decent training.
Even when I'm having a good and regular year of racing, it feels like this last couple of weeks has been a bit of a lull. A small gap in the racing calendar, the heat etc.
Will have to push the button on a couple of races soon, get some stuff lined up.
I've earmarked the Murder Mile on a Friday early August as a definite, but just have to work out if i'm doing footy games up north on the Sat and/or Sun, and thus where and whether a parkrun is doable, and then a Monday 5km race too.
Welcome back TT, i'm missing some fitness too now after the turned ankle. 4 weeks which for me is 6 weeks, as I go with the every week off after 2 weeks counts double formula.
Certainly seemed about right for how I felt last night at the Doug Anderson 5k. Ran my unofficial 5k PB here of 15.38 back in the day, but it's an ARC as Bedford Harriers are an ARC club so no PO10. Bit different last week, now 50 and been out for 4 weeks.
Thought i'd aim for 3.20-3.25 K's and perhaps got for sub 17 if I got close to get the V50 prize. Its the same as the Bedford parkrun, 2.5 laps but annoyingly this way round means you have two long drags up and two short sharp downs, instead of the other way round.
So off on time, starts pissing down with rain that doesn't stop until I get picked up by the missus at 9pm!
3.25 first K, feeling ok - at this point is monitoring the ankle and making sure it's OK. 3.20 for 2nd K and relatively stable up to 4K and on course for 17.15 ish. Then the V55 I know from Bedford & Co came past. Feeling really tired, but I thought I would try and hang on - it worked and up the half drag to the finish I managed to pull back away and get over the line in 17.03. I think (presume) I'm first V50 and think it's a course record.
So - at least I know I need a lot more fitness, but the ankle was really good, especially as this morning it was fine too. So all systems go from now hopefully...
How have you pulled up from the track session, TT?
I wouldn’t worry about a couple of relatively down weeks, SG. You’ve had a hell of a year racing so far.
What does ARC mean, SC? Very good racing off the back of the injury and great on the V50 record. Agreed that sharp up and longer down is better.
Cheltenham Midsummer 5000 last night. Definitely should have requested to go down a wave!
Started at the back and then gapped almost immediately. Still, if you start in last, you probably won’t be overtaken 😆. 1:26 first lap and then consistent 1:28s until about lap 8. Managed to reel in another runner at about half way and hoped to tag onto the back of him on the windy home straight. Unfortunately he thought it was the leaders coming to lap him so he moved to lane two. Rapidly pulled away from him, and with two DNFs, did at least manage to move a little up the field.
The warmth and surprising wind caught up with me (as well as holiday and Legoland) and slowed to 1:31-33 a lap int be final mile. Slightly sped up for the final 600 to finish in something like 18:40.
Disappointing not to improve on June’s time but a fun evening nonetheless. Always a great atmosphere at the track and brilliant to see the madness of the pole vault, 65 year age gaps between competitors in the 800 and a former pupil in the shot put.
Warm down whilst watching the A race, with the leader sub 15. Another level.
Felt surprisingly sprightly on this morning’s recovery. 6M at 8:18s on a rolling route. Cheeky 3M double this afternoon before settling down to an hour of climbing madness in Le Tour.
I can't imagine a track 5k SQ. Good to get you back into some turnouts though.
Had the potential of a 3x1mile relay in Battersea Park on Monday, but my 2 teammates, that had joined me the last time this event was on both pulled out for different reasons.
Could probably try and seek out new ones, but I think i'll just carry on training - sessions Tue & Fri and usual sort of Sunday run without wondering whether a race the day after could be impacted sort of thing.
The Murder Mile is my next definite race, and would be race 300 which would be nice. It was number 200 as well!
May put something else in in between, but that might be the start of a flood of racing so is ok.
Good to see you get moving SC
Whats the murder mile SG, a beer mile alternative?
Hitting the marathon miles now, did a pretty hot 14m last night, and a rare 5 and 5 double today.
Assuming it's not the latter, it's a south wales ridiculous 680 foot climb over a mile. Bearing in mind there's a couple of relatively flat bits in there and the second half is a lot steeper than the first half, it gives an idea of how mad the steepest bits are
Well done on the longer runs this time of year.
The mix of doing my weekly day in the office and the humidity caught me out a little today, as I'd barely drunk any water to refuel, meaning the "dark" pee. Quickly resolved, but a reminder not to think a single hot drink is any substitute for water for refuelling.
Good to hear from you SQ. Decent enough 5,000m off hilly plodding. ARC = association of running clubs - alternative licensee to UKA
I’m in for the Murder Mile SG, my usual summer shenanigans are evaporating due to my mate’s long CoViD. He’s been struggling since last July!
Worked a bar at a small do down in Cornwall last weekend. Mount Edgcumbe parkrun on Saturday was very slow. Had 3 days off after that then did 25M of SWCP yesterday as it was cooler.
It makes it a slightly less mental trip for me if I'll actually know someone, albeit internetally (new word). Although I'll obvious jabber to randoms there, and even have one guy from last year on my strava.
Just take this tip.... drive to the top of the hill to collect your number the longer way... don't try and drive up the murder mile itself. I'm still traumatised by struggling to get going in 1st gear, and a smell of burning clutch sooooo bad, that people in the big parking field were mentioning how strong a smell there was
The mental torture is applied by once collecting the number, having to trot down the hill.
It's so steep it's actually quite hard to run down,
I do wonder if it was me being in better shape in year 2 that got me by best time there, or whether it was because I arrived late, didn't go to the top, so avoided that dread of going down the hill, knowing what was coming afterwards!
Can anyone else make it for some insane reason? SQ, I suppose the only one with a vague chance?
I think I took it as 0.99m TR last time, and annoyingly it was in that spell strava had of rounding down, so showed as 0.9m on the display cue smug comments from at least one clubmate
But it's classed as a mile for the PO10 purposes and it's as close as it needs to be in my eyes.
I saw it on RB as "unmeasured road race", so we'll see if there's something different on there this year, no reason why it should be though.
I dare say when you're doing close to double your flat pace it doesn't make huge difference
The last 2 times I've been I've done a parkrun the day after, for a bit more of a trip.
I was boring a workmate with the videos and stats today actually.
Quite interesting how the numbers have come on.
I think 2018 was something like 150, whereas 2019 had got so busy they had to split it into 2 races, and there were not many fewer than 150 in race 1!
Fancied a bit of 8x600m (90s), 2x400m (60s), 2x200m (20s), usual, road loop
2.03, 2.02, 1.59, 2.02, 2.02, 1.59, 1.58, 2.01 (av 2.01)
1.16, 1.17
35,36
Felt a decent lick for road stuff, low 5.20 pace, so ahead of achieved 5k pace this summer, then lifting the paces for the shorter reps after.
SQ - Nicely done on the 5000 in less than ideal conditions! I'm still feeling the track session this morning
Nice session and paces SG.
Thank you for the heads up for the Murder Mile, SG. Had a look on the website. Suspect I have run routes this steep, but never at all out 10 minute effort. Must be brutal! 1h50 from me, so will probably opt for the Cranham Boundary Chase the following afternoon instead. A hilly 6M road race I haven’t done before - just my cup of tea. You really smashed out those 400s this morning. Can’t believe you haven’t done a track 5000.
Good to see your mix of parkrun/long running on the SWCP, Jools. Straight into summer.
TR, I stopped for water this morning mid run. Wouldn’t usually but had the opportunity. Nice one getting into marathon mode.
Had a great long run this morn with a mix of everything in there. 1.2M buggy to drop the lad off, 7.5M very hilly trail loop with a friend, 1M buggy from his back home (always a bit weird without a small human in there), then 7M solo road loop. 16.8M at 8:26 average with 360m ascent. Nice to get a proper long run done, although destroyed since!
Fair enough on the MM, it is a niche taste, albeit quite close for you compared to me
Do the Chase as well as this
Saw their head honcho say 100 entries in so far, so i'll book it this weekend for certain.
Morning 17milers are certainly not to be sniffed at!
Thought my Fridays of morning reps, and then the 4miler with 200feet climb in the woody bit was at lunch was tasty
Usual fare from SG I see, race number 300, is that just this year, you've been quite prolific!
Since the crash I have been struggling, it took a good couple of weeks for all the impact injuries to heal and I also had a bad cold and then put my back out. The latter is just about mending now. As a consequence training has been sparse. I have managed a bit of easy running but every run was painful. Today was the first day I have felt able to run with only mild discomfort so did a tempo; 3k warm up, 5k tempo and 2k CD.
Felt a bit rusty having not done anything quick in months but manged low 17:1x with 3:30, 3:27, 3:24, 3:28, 3:21. Happy enough with that.
Great sessions from SG & TT.
Finished South Cornwall SWCP yesterday with an 18 miler & 3,800’ setting off at 1:45pm 😆 Amazingly managed a course PB at Lanhydrock parkrun this morning on my 4th visit & 3rd course iteration. I set my PB back in 2014 when the course finished 70’ lower than the start & I only clocked 3.01M vs today when it started & finished in the same place & I clocked 3.14M. I’ll take that as a double win.
I think I prefer keeping my mad long haul running stuff limited to youtube vids
Summer 13s feel long enough. Did a 12.5 2 weeks ago, but technically my first 13m in 4 weeks.
Eased out and was getting to more like usual long run pace by midway, but then did an offroad section that lead to a bridge, and the slight climb of the Marlow 5mile race section before heading back towards one of the "Ups" back to Wycombe.
Deja vu back to about a year ago up a trail that lead to some woods, and a 50-50 call of left or right.
Obviously took the wrong one, and ended up freestyling a dodgy route through 3 or 4 fields knowing what direction "should" bring be back where I wanted to be.
But we've all done that a few times and found solid hedge/fences and you can't get through.
Instead, it beautifully brought me to a footpath just across the road from a hill back homeward bound.
Oddly a footpath I can't ever have used before, so every day's a school day!
The week after the Murder Mile has choices galore literally every day for the week after.
One of those sod's law spells where you'd quite fancy doing all of them, but know deep down you can't, unless you're happy doing much slower than peak times.
SG - 13m is a good summer distance, it keeps a decent time on feet going and you're not going to take long to jump up to 15 or 16 if you wanted to for a 1/2.
SQ - 16.8 isnt far off mara training. Will you target some shorter races instead?
I have no long run planned for a couple of weeks due to going away and then having a trail 10m the following weekend, so i did a decent 21m yday as 5.5 easy, 11 steady, 4.5 easy. Didnt get out til 10 so it was a hot affair, took a litre of fluid with me.
TR, strong run in this weather. As I set off I actually thought it was cool but a little sticky, but that'd had definitely ramped up to fairly warm nearer the end.
Good bit of exploring, SG. Can be a faff, but also a great way to find genius little paths.
21M in this weather is very solid, TR. you are a workhorse and it has paid dividends in the past.
Heck of a tempo when the body is struggling, Reg. Hope we get to see the Feb/March version of you again soon.
More strong SWCP running, Jools. Usually brutally hilly and that leg looks no exception.
Easy day yesterday with a parkbuggyrun 4M in the morning then 3M on the treadmill during gymnastics drop off.
Quads very stiff this morning - it was quite a steep descent on Friday morning. Waited until this afternoon for a light track session, although in hindsight I would have been better off going during the morning drizzle rather than the afternoon sun and wind.
Very much an effort based session:
1600 tempo (6:27) (300)
4 x 200 (41s) (200)
1600 tempo (6:40)
2 x 100
The track is on a reasonable slope, so the choice for the 200s was into the wind, or uphill. Not ideal 😆. Went for the slight uphill option. 8.6M at 7:25 average.
Easy couple of days coming up whilst camping with my daughter, before a track mile on Wednesday night.
Having ruled out an autumn marathon, I am now coming round to the idea of Abingdon in 12 weeks. Easy logistics, no faff, and a just enough time to get in shape if all goes well. Jools? TR? Anyone else?
Reg - good job you didnt invest in a hefty IM entry then.
SQ - good mix of paces there. I do have an Abo entry, its 3 wks after London and id like to try to do both as id like to do Brighton and London 3 wks apart in April, so this Autumn would be a good tester. Trouble is marathons beat me up, probably from not being a light pitter patter of a runner and being more of a heavy thumper.....Newport has just been reschedlued ftom the same day, and it sounds like those folks are targetting Abo. So maybe enter anyway just in case. Its usually easy to sell them on via their transfer system......i make it 13 wks, so you get a bonus week........was wondering today thet given london is 10wks away, Elish Mc isnt going to have a typical 12 to 15 wk build up given she must still have commonwealth games or European champs to go yet.
TT - Rutted ground under grass, not that I was looking at the ground..looking at my watch. Idiot.
Reg. Hope the pains subside soon. But your tempo was only slightly slower than a time that virtually killed me, so not too bad. Monster Mileage TR! Good experience with the 5,000m SQ
Thursday - 5k am and 5m pm
Friday - nowt
Saturday - did local parkrun with the kid, did 21.35, first V50 LOL. Very tentative as it's quite uneven
Sunday - Stupidly decided to do 12 to the Luton discovery centre near the track, leaving about 12.30pm. Had to buy a bottle of water for my head and back in Dunstable after going up this thing called Sewell cut. It's basically like a sandy hot V shaped valley. You feel like you're in a spaghetti western! So then dragged myself down the busway...then to get to the centre I had to go a route I hadn't been before..and i stuck a picture of it on my Strava. Ridiculously steep path.
Today - standard 9 miles to Wing and back