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Comments
What: am 23 miles fairly hard cycling, pm tennis and a bit of swimming.
Why: Step back week after three hard weeks.
Last hard: Friday
Last rest: Tuesday
1. You make an excellent point about the start times of races. I think that earlier races are when they have to close off parts of cities, like the Sheffield half (9am start, 1st June). Today's race was 11am as they could cone off one lane of a not very busy dual carriageway. In summer, the earlier the better.
2. What a fantastic achievement to go out and run 14 miles later. You have a real winner's attitude.
MikeS - no regrets. I tend to start races cautiously and pick my way through the field finishing strongly - all my best races have been like this. But every once in a while it does no harm to test the limits. Today was the time to do it as there was no pb on the cards and my prime objective was to beat (or finish as close to) my clubmates. As I said earlier, it was a good learning experience.
Speedie - good point on long runs. For the first couple of marathons get the confidence of being on your feet for a long time. When you want to get faster, try quicker paced runs.
The traffic around the course today was far worse than I've seen it in previous years. In the first mile I had a close encounter with a coach who failed to take any notice of the marshall trying to control the traffic. I did shout a few choice words, very unlike me:o)
It's amazing though isn't it when most of us wouldn't dream on going out for a run at mid-day on a hot summers day, yet we turn up to race at that time.
Loz, whish I had known that you were at the end and I would have popped by and said hi. Next time, I'll look out for you.
BR, another great result and time in the conditions.
Snicks, you never cease to amaze me. Keep up the good work and let us know how your marathon training's going.
today's session:
What: 20 miler, nice and easy
Why: scheduled 2 1/2 hour time on feet run
Last rest: Yesterday
Last hard: Friday
Well I did my bike ride about 2 hours, My padded shorts were in the wash so risked wearing my triathlon costume, as it was too hot for my other bike stuff, proved to increase heckle rate by 50%, but at least white van men saw me rather than ran into me.
Swim in the evening after 4 hours of allotment which I did in another swimming costume in an attempt to even up all the criss crossing strap marks of tan on my back.
Why does my training sound more like What not to Wear?
Monique-I know what you mean about different criss crosses! I went sunbathing on Saturday to try and get rid of a few!
I am so honoured to have a thread for myself!!! :P
Yesterday did my first 10K - Trent Park Triffic Trail, an undulating and mostly off-road course. Was v. nervous before leaving home - so much so that I had to pop an Imodium just in case!! There must have been a good 400 runners and the weather was fantastic: hot, but not nearly as humid as last week's Race for Life at the same venue.
Lined up at the start about halfway back, deliberately to avoid going off too fast. I have to say that I paced this race perfectly. Unfortunately I was looking out for the great big white km markers used for Race for Life, but they had morphed into very small yellow km markers and I missed the first two. Passed through 3K in 15 minutes so I knew that my planned pace of 5 minutes per km was pretty spot-on. Felt really comfortable at this point and started to relax into the race and enjoy myself. The course is beautiful and I was more prepared for the undulations as the Race for Life course was almost exactly the same as the first half of the 10K course. Missed two more markers and was grateful for a slug of water at what I guessed to be more or less the halfway mark. Still going strong and passed 6K in 30:00, still bang-on target. The field was thinning out but I managed to chat to a few runners en route, including Jason (fellow forumite) who I met at just past 6K. He urged me to leave him behind as he was struggling after a too-quick start. I knew that there was a final killer hill just past 8K so held a little back over km 7. The hill wasn't anywhere near as bad as I'd anticipated but I lost about half a minute going up. Picked up the pace a little and went through 9K in 45:55. Knew I had some ground to make up to get in in 50:00 but the last km was flat and on tarmac, so I put on a spurt. Nearly killed me sustaining this to the finish line and I wished I had left it a little longer before the sprint but too late by then! Gritted my teeth and crossed the line in 49:59 by my watch (although I think my 'official' time is probably a bit more as the clock was started before I crossed the starting line). Well chuffed, and really enjoyed my first 10K. Met Snicks afterwards suffering from a hangover - wish I could perfom like that after an alcohol-fuelled pre-race night (or even at all!) Fantastic race, Snicks: well done!
Did anyone out there do the Thame 10k too? What a generous goody bag for all finishers!
Out this am, a rather sluggish 6.5 miler - but at least it wasnt raining then as it is now!