Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
Options
Moraghan Training - Stevie G
The materials in this website are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor, qualified personal trainer, therapist, dietitian or nutritionist Runners's World, Part of the Hearst UK well-being network © Copyright 2017
Comments
Strolling through strava I chuckled at the mention by one of our 1.19 flat out guys describing his 1.21 as "cruising". While he's definitely done it sub flat out, I'm not sure 9 seconds a mile is the barrier between a flat out HM and cruising to be honest
Thought I'd put in one of my infrequent appearances, which have now slowed to once about every four years I think. This was inspired by seeing Reg at the finish of Reading yesterday and succumbing to a kind of rose-tinted nostalgia about old times on the thread. So I popped along expecting this thread to now be a hotbed of eager young runners with at least 50% women, but it appears that some things never change.
Firstly, sounds like a really good controlled run by Reg yesterday, which bodes well for a forthcoming marathon. Nice to be able to enjoy yourself all the way around a big local race like that. Never managed to hi-five one of my own children in a race, will have to organise that somehow.
Sounds like a decent showing at the relays SC. Surprised to hear you aren't at the Masters indoors championships with Dean. Thought you two were inseparable at the championships!
TT, obviously spoke to you afterwards, but congratulations are very much due, not on the race, but on those pink shorts. They were so bright that if I close my eyes I can still see their faint shape on the edge of my vision.
It's probably a bit rude to appear after years of silence and give you a big update on how things are going with me, so I shall summarise by saying that I had about 18 months of diabolical running for no obvious good reason, but that I can start to see the green shoots of recovery.
With the calf staying tighter for longer after the HM, I was starting to get a bit nervous how I'd fare. But I'd committed, I don't let people down as a rule and the order was settled.
Therefore, I took the unusual step of Friday and Saturday as total rest days, lots of thumbing the sore spots on the calf (most likely knots in the muscle), applied some deep heat. All the sensible steps.
A few walks that were feeling a lot smoother than earlier in the week too.
The day itself was LOONGGGGGG
8.30am departure, driving to Slough, where I parked at my work, and then wandered the close to 2miles in.
A mix of tightwaddery cash wise, and testing the tightleggery
Met a couple of the chaps, and a mix of trains, hanging about, wandering around Stratford for a bit, and we turned up at our tent at 11.50, with the event to start at 12!
Just the 3 1/2 hours of the day so far, and I'd not be up for another couple of hours, running leg 7.
I suddenly thought I probably should have eaten something in those hours, didn't have a tuna bagel handy, so got through with a banana, some tictacs and copious sips of Lucozade sport.
I believe the best in the world follow such a nutrition plan.
One guy in blue managed to slip over on the start, but got back up, but some guy in what looked like Southampton colours just walked, and seemingly quit out. Still wonder what happened there. Was he in some B or C team just as himself, and just sacked it off. Or was he in an A team and rucked the day up for the whole rest of his team!? Bizarre.
Our man Foster, who is a local legend, and 1.12 half guy at 47, coming in 30th. And the Coombes-meister being some way behind him. Enough said!
Our man on 2nd had a tough shift, inevitably losing us a string of positions despite having a good run.
By the time we got to down to me we were in 42nd looking at the post race results.
I'd vaguely thought sub 6 would do as a solid effort today, 4.5miles, twisty course with a couple of tight turns, and couple of little climbs - plus plenty of wind!
Then a nice slight downhill smooth runway, albeit you have to avoid assorted goons wandering across the path, or absent mindedly jogging with their back to you.
Past a marshal, who is doing well to stop people blundering across the race line, with a blind bend from elsewhere in the park - before a ridiculous narrow about turn where you have to down gear to about 25% pace and turn .
Lap 1 I had some lady right on my shoulder, turned and thought I had about 5seconds before she'd storm past, but never saw her again - genuinely no idea what happened there, as I certainly wasn't putting on any beans.
Right hand turn, then sweep to the left side of the grid, straight line on, left turn, then you sweep back down towards the same bit you'd run earlier, but with a very sharp left hand.
Kind of surreal here at times, as you'd have people level with you, but say half a mile or more different on the course.
Nice downhill here, then less nice uphill and bend round a corner, before you're back on the straight for another lap.
Our tent was the first you come to, so got to do some smiles/thumbs up, hoping they wouldn't be saying put some effort in, as it felt like one of those distanced race effort levels - where it was plenty enough but not vintage by any means.
Two more laps of that then. The experience was generally:
5.56 pace for 4.48miles. Slowest long leg in our team, 5th is probably where I should have been in this cast.
But could barely feel any tightness racing, hit the "solid" sub 6, didn't let anyone down, and once it's over, you're glad and feel sorry for the later leg guys, especially 11 and 12 which are real graveyard shifts - the women have finished, the winners have finished etc
Picked up in 42nd, handed over in 42nd.
In the end we finished 40/60, which for our sized club, heavily weakened is probably spot on.
One of our young lads somehow did the equivalent of about a 17.05 5k on the short leg, despite never breaking 19 for a parkrun. But I believe he's one of those casuals at parkrun - footy shirt, silly trainers, so it seems he has a tonneload of potential, as you'd hope at early 20s!
Good to see the Coombes meister, a few at Wycombe Phoenix, different guys from our Endure 2019 and 2021 teams. Saw one of DT2 and Joe B's ex teammates Jamie too, he now runs for Hercules.
A good bit of chat, few snaps and thanks to Foster who did magnificently scraping a 12 together against all odds - 1 guy pulled out as late as midweek for example!
Then it was along trudge home feeling more knackered than a 7.5mile day should be (lap warm up and cool down).
With West Ham having a home fixture half a mile away, and Westfields always a heaving shopping centre anyway, it took a while to get near a train. Then it was the stop at every station long version.
Luckily got a lift back to my work, but then another 30+ mins drive home for a gone 6 return.
8.30 - 6pm is quite the shift
No chance I'll ever be a long leg guy again, could well slip out of the 12 in another year, but then I haven't signed up for Dashers yet for 2023/24, so we'll see what happens.
Not sure what I think of the venue. I think the course is probably more interesting than MK, and I certainly appreciated the shortness. But it's just such a trek to get to for me. And I'll always prefer to have my car within reach too.
Glad to have got this 3 week block of races out the way now. All similar results really - solid, but lacking top end.
As soon as I'm 100% over this tightness, I'll do my best to find a faster gear. But until then, no plans whatsoever. Won't aim to do the club champs this year, no more relays for the foreseeable so that takes any binds away, so will come back in at the right time.
Jonny D, very occasional poster on this thread actually led Lap 1 home for Reading AC, although they dropped a fair bit later.
Glad you sound a bit cheerier than at Runnymede last summer
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C18Z5GXC
Well done at Reading Dachs, good to see you getting back towards top form, more to come I am sure. TT did suggest he was prone to heckles in training and suggested his shorts might be the reason and think that's it confirmed!
Bit nippy for this morning's run, my hands get freezing these days, probably because I run a lot more at a much lower heart rate so I think I need to invest in some properly warm gloves next winter.
The funny thing with some of the comments I get about my short shorts at track is that if the roles were reversed I'd probably get in trouble, but this way around seems to be ok! Good post-race volume from you!
SC - that's a good weekend's racing there. Well done.
Dachs - haha! My Dad would have been very happy with the shorts/trainers combo. They got a lot of comments on the way around the race! Good to see you getting back to form.
SG - sounds like a solid run out, with the benefit of not putting any more strain on already tight muscles.
10m easy yesterday. All functioning ok.
Dachs - Great to see you back on here, please post more regularly, love the acerbic wit etc
Not really fit enough for Poland. I could have probably eeked out a 9.05 for the 3000, but still not good enough for a medal. Way off the pace for 1500. Tony OB got the bronze in the 1500 in 4.11 or something - my last race was 4.20.
But you're probably right - I was in that sort of not going all out, but didn't particularly have the want or ability to go much faster!
A decently varied course I think.
Keep your ears out for Masters relays. Already binned off to the autumn, and apparently it won't be at Sutton Park.
Some sort of comment about wanting somewhere to give a "fuller experience" to runners. So goodness knows what that's about.
As a national event it could be anywhere couldn't it?!
10 mi with 5 x 800m this morning. I did just over 4 miles leading into it with a few pick-ups to try and get warmed up but it wasn't easy early morning. Opened with a 2:40, 2:37 & 2:40 but legs didn't have any zip, kept the rest intervals to 60 seconds jog so shorter than prescribed but last two I eased off with 2:44 & then even more so 2:50.
First three days have been a bit of a phony taper with 36 miles done but next few days have a lighter load before the final long run on Sunday. Should be around 75-80 this week then 55-60 next week before the final week of about 30-40 pre-race. Can't see any rest days on the plan!
Agreed they could go anywhere - interesting comments on what they are aiming to give experience wise!
Good Session Reg. London yeah? Need reminding on who else is going. Should be at the normal point, left hand side by the Farriers arms at 8.5 miles. About 800m before the right hand turn at the Surrey Quays Spoons.
Nightmare work wise with the Virgin broadband outage yesterday, so braved the dogwalkers over the track over the road to do 30 x 200m. The usual 10 with 10, 10 with 20 then 10 with 30. Kept them at 36's, nice to get the Adios 3's out and do a non super shoe session.
Down in Poole now, nice run to the beach hut in the drizzle soon.
Great to see the thread on fire - spring racing season is well and truly upon us.
Incredible stuff with a century week and a strong MP Reading as well, Reg. Going to HR doesn’t seem a sensible way of going about things. I might reinvest in a strap. 80M ‘taper’ this week 😆. Will you add in a day off in race week?
Adios 3 are up there with my all time favourite shoe, SG. Not quite my PB for the marathon, but only 10s slower at Abingdon vs London in a super shoe. Annoying to get sub 17 on the watch but not official. Enjoy Poole.
Good going at the relays, in spite of the long day, SG. Always enjoy your summer race planning - what is int he offing?
Hope those green shoots continue, Dachs. Let’s hear about them.
Big day, big week and a cracking result for you TT.
Cleevewold race report:
Cleevewold is up there for ‘race I have done most number of times’ - Bourton 10k and London Marathon probably on a par. It is around 14M and takes in every trail you could think of on Cleeve Hill, and then some private land as well. Beautiful but brutal, it is an epic.
With the focus on hills this year, I thought I might be in pretty good shape. And with the Forest of Dean half marathon happening simultaneously, I wondered whether a decent placing might be on offer. A quick scout around though showed top 10 at best.
A couple of miles easy road warm up before dropping off the extras at HQ (an ancient tithe barn) and joining the short walk up through the woods to the start for a leisurely 1030 KO. I suppose that technically it is net downhill as a race…
Half a mile of flat before the first beast of a climb up from the washpool. I was somewhere in the top 15 and picked off a mile before the we reached the golf club a couple of miles in to sneak into the top 10 (highly significant - the race is sponsored by a local brewery and top ten get extra beer in the prizes). I was leading a gaggle of three Almosts, and our fastest guy, Mike, haring off in front. I could just see him and one or two others and followed them. I couldn’t quite remember the route, partly because I have run some of these trails hundreds of times and it blurs into one a bit, partly because the organisers (retrospectively) feared that some of the stakes/ticker tape had been removed. I received a few shouts from a way back, and had probably added about 0.7M and a couple of hundred feet of ascent. Not ideal, but it cost me four places. Incredibly, it really mentally affected for the rest of the race. I couldn’t stop thinking about it and it put me off from really giving it the absolute beans. Or perhaps I did give it the absolute beans trying to catch in the next couple of miles and burnt myself out. Stupid either way.
Along the top of the hill into the butterfly reserve, enjoying the views across to the estuary, the Forest of Dean and Wales beyond.
The climbing really started to pinch and we weren’t even half way through. I had an absolute ‘mare at a gate, not realised it was a ‘pull only’ type. A bit thick really. I was also getting a bit annoyed with a bloke casually chatting close behind whilst I was blowing out of my arse.
Back on to the common and over the back into the private land. More course markers absent but just caught a glimpse of a couple ahead so jumped a gate to rejoin without too much added. The hills and now mud kept on coming. Another climb then big descent towards Winchcombe before the big climb to Belas Knap, and ancient roman hill fort. Kept running the whole time (just) although didn’t actually gain on my club mate a couple of hundred metres ahead as he ran/walked with purpose.
Big descent and then really surprised and delighted to see the family. They timed it unbelievably well. Stoped briefly for kisses and high fives - they had made the effort and I wasn’t chasing for places (although in retrospect I could probably have caught a Malvern Buzzard by the end if I hadn’t). This brought I smile back to my face so much I ignored a marshal’s instruction of ‘bridge only’ to plough through the small river beneath. Another climb, through a farmyard and along to the finish. 14.6M (usually about 13.8), 2465ft ascent for 1:58 (anywhere from 1:40-1:50 in the past). Bit of a chat, and another 1.8M road warm down to round out the day and a final long run before Manchester.
Possibly the toughest bit is then the walk back up to the car park at the golf club - thank god I hadn’t won any extra beer!
It was/is a great race, but I will try to give something back by marshalling next year. No point complaining about signage and never helping out. Stiff quads for the next couple of days as expected - nothing quite like race intensity descents to mash them up.
So that is two XC, one road race and one hilly race in a row that have been a little underwhelming. Each for pretty valid reasons, I suppose, and I should look at the week as a whole and respect the fact I choose not to taper: 17M with 12 of MPish on Tuesday, 10M on Thursday and a 70M week in total.
Very keen for a taper now and I will break all my rules and have two flat weeks. Got out for a bit of quality this morning: 10M including 3M at MP effort (6:39s - a bit sharp), 2M at half m effort (6:30s), 1M at 10k effort (6:16). All of a mile easy. Nice to see a double digit run average under 7m/m. Credit to the new shoes - adios pro 3. This was a trial to see if they will be ok for Manchester ✅ - and they will now go back in the box. Horrific colours, although my daughter does like them. Used my annual Vitality 50% discount at Runners Need to get them for a relatively cheap £110.
Rest days are for wimps! I'll definitely have one if I need it but I feel once you're doing 'higher' mileage, a single 4-6 mile run feels like a day off!
SC - big volume of 200s. Nice pace.
Reg - I want to know how she managed to blag a free pair! I agree re: high mileage/rest days. I will generally have 1 rest day a week though, which is mainly to stop me overdoing mileage. My plan going forward for future campaigns is going to be 3-6 weeks of very high mileage over 7 days, before dropping back down to 6 days a week and a moderately high mileage.
Track last night. Prescribed was 4 x 1600m + 2 x 400m. Right hamstring and glute were getting a little tight during the third one (our track is getting a bit old and gets slippery underfoot with even the slightest bit of rain), so changed tack.
Aimed for 5m-10k effort. End result was 3 x 1600 (5:37, 5:35, 5:37) + 4km @ ~marathon effort (14:51).
In other news, I see Reading HM have placed next year's race even later in the calendar - 14th of April, which is just 1 week before London. It seems a bit weird to rule out a large proportion of your target participants, but I believe they're under new management, so suspect it's now being run by a company proper, rather than a company that has an active interest in running.
Reading being so late can't make business sense, perhaps they are constrained by stadium availability and other council red tape things. Easter is 31st March so I guess there's a reason they can't do the week before or after.
Got held up on the way there due to a bike time trial along the main road to the start, but in the end, 2.9m wu (remembered to do a few strides and some hip and hamstring mobility drills this time), then 10m as a hard tempo/training run, before a 5m+ cool down to make 18.
Got 58:29 chip time for the 10m. Ran even effort which gave a 3s negative split, so nice and controlled. Plan was really to just see how much effort it would take to run a sub-59 (went through Reading at Marathon effort in 60:20), and I reckon that today was probably a touch slower than current HM shape. I'd have expected flat out to be 40-60s quicker.
I think that puts a London target of 6m/m (maybe a smidge inside) as a reasonable target. And, tbh, I'd take that given how the last few months have been - it'll give me something to kick on from for the autumn.
SQ Well raced, that sounded brutal!
Currently waiting at MK for train to Leicester for football, just done a few 5/6/7 mile runs down at the old dears. Took Ollie on my cycle to school route, then picked up my old school xc route. Nice few days of weather too.
Jogged over to Dinton parkrun though Saturday morning, still a bit muddy on the footpaths so nearly stacked it on the way over but just stayed upright. Followed the leaders for a couple of kms before opening up a bit when we got to the nice path and moved clear to finish first in 18:08. Just doing enough to win and get a bit of steady/threshold in. Amazing how short a parkrun feels after marathon training!
Last long run today, it should have been 17 miles but I miscalculated/misguessed the route length so came out at 18.6 or 30km. Average pace 6:29 was still in the easy zone so I am pretty pleased with that, albeit I'd like to be able to up the effort and get some MP into these run but I seldom have the will or courage to do so.
Looks my idea of hell there SQ - long distance, offroad, hilly and mst importantly - raced. Jubbling about dispensing anecdotes I'm sure it'd be lovely, racing, not so much
Easy zone at 6.29 Reg? We'll be expecting 5.30 at least at London then
In truth I'm certain it was just a stronger case of Doms than usual, mixed with less than clever recovery plan.
An easy week of 55miles, with a 12miler without feeling anything at all today was good. Very slight feel of tightness at certain angles when sat, and still have a very slight tender spot, but probably nothing to worry about.
Slight perception that I'm breathing slightly heavier than I should for 7.21 pace on a route with a hilly first 5miles, but good to see a 12 casually come out at that pace.
Will look to reintroduce some effort this week, then explore what's what race wise.
Absolutely zero confirmed plans as it stands, though SQ you'll be delighted to hear I have a print out of every single option over the summer.
I best not post it or the races will be flooded with forum fans
Therefore, will dip down to 10k longest for a few months and try and get some speed back.
But will no doubt get some enjoyable turnouts in either way - can't get too obsessed with race times or you'd never turn out for months.
5 mile ‘Langmay Trophy’ with LBAC this morning in the pissing rain with Oliver. Hilly course and just over 7mm so not bad for him.
I have considered Bracknell as a bit of a fun hit-out, contingent on marathon recovery. Especially as I work there so I can easily park up at the office and it's a short jog to the start.
Reg - you're sounding ready to go, potential lurgy notwithstanding. Funnily enough I've just been prescribed antibiotics for a sinus/ear infection, which at least explains why I didn't feel fantastic for/on yesterday's long run.
SG - solid week.
Last long yesterday. Bit of a mental struggle to get out the door, and as above, wasn't feeling particularly fantastic physically either, but 20m as 4.5m easy, 1min pickup (4:55/m), 5min easy, 4min pickup (5:41), 5min easy, 1.25m (6:51 - 5:29/m), 3m very easy, 7m brisk (6:52/m), and 2m jog. Definitely a tick in the perseverance and stubbornness box. Wind was brutal.