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Moraghan Training - Stevie G
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3.5" Ric? Not a 5.25"?
So yesterday. Funny that actually the course has been muddier before and large parts were dry. But the muddy bits were very muddy and the mud pretty sticky rather than wet mud.
Been trying to shake the cold off and I had done, but still had the runny nose. So felt pretty normal, but the last time I had ran with a snotty nose was at Brighton last year in the southerns and had ran crap there. And so it proved that my legs weren't up to it right from the start. Started getting dropped from my usual compadres halfway through the first lap and went backwards from then on. Had a little word with Dachs as he came past on lap 2..lap 3 was just a case of getting slower and slower with a stitch to boot. Finally the finish and came in 197th as I've seen a photo of the results sheet. So as expected- if you're not 100% then Parly hill will spit you out!!
Anyway onto the pub and had a nice chat with Rob T and some of the other I was a runner Facebook lot. And the actress who played 'Charlotte big jugs' in the inbetweeners was in there too! Plus PP who has got a foot issue, hope he can get it sorted.
Bit of swimming today and a surprisingly ok hilly 45 min run after. Should be ok in a few days. Good run Bus and parkrun Pete
Simon. I've been wondering about John's whereabouts for years, but wasn't expecting anyone on the thread to know.
I may not have mentioned him by name before, but he has featured in at least a couple of my anecdotes.
One was at a previous edition of the Southern XC at Parliament Hill, where a somewhat garrulous member of my club distracted John at the start causing him to be facing the wrong way when the gun went off. Whether or not victory was secured I wasn't sure, but the psychological effects of being passed by an enraged Irishman going, 'F..k!, F..k! F..k!, F..k! F..k!, F..k! F..k!, F..k!, up that first hill must have sown the seed that, 'This man meant business'.
The picture btw came from the Middlesex XC at Ruislip around early 90's. I've more of those.
Incidentally, I've scanning and archiving a mass of negatives and transparencies prior to another project. The running pictures number around 1000 alone.
Just checked the PO10 results.
Codgers!
🙂
Is this Southern XC thing a club only event, I fancy doing this next year, would I need to join a running club?
Real races are 'club events'. To be in them you have to join a club. And if you want to be in the mix, you have to join a club with ambition.
I train by myself, but prefer to race in club events.
🙂
AG - Yes it's the Southern XC champs, club type thing. Please join a club and attempt the southern..it's lovely!
Ric - Funniest Downes moment was the Poole 10k when London Irish won the team prize and got a lovely framed picture - Bmth AC came 2nd and got a crate of Stella. JD was NOT amused as you could imagine..'You can't drink a f**king picture, can ya!' was his response
Had a look at the results, I don't think i'm in properly as im in black and down as a Senior man. Very telling that the 2 guys I was sandwiched between in the last Surrey league were 89th & 90th! I wouldn't have been that high, but should have been around 110th or so. Just can't handle that much mud (wimp)
Right ... report time
Each of the clubs is given a place to line up on the nice wide start line. We are right next to Thames Valley Harriers, who are lining up behind their top couple of guys. I feel like a bit of a fraud standing next to these chaps on the start line, as I’m sure they’re going to be featuring in the top 20-30, so I hover about a metre behind the line. Despite my attempted encouragement, none of my clubmates want to stand in front of me, so reluctantly, when it becomes clear that the gun is about to go, I shuffle forward and stand on the start line with the proper runners. I kick my legs forward, in an attempt to dislodge the significant amounts of mud that have already accumulated on the spikes on the walk to the start line, but the mud flies into the air and then arcs backwards towards the eager faces of the other runners, so I swiftly abandon that endeavour.
There is a brief moment of peace, where we collectively stare upwards and contemplate the task ahead - a 300m hill rapidly funnelling down to a narrow gap through the trees. The peak of the hill is the Russian guns, and we are each of us a thoroughbred steed, bred for our power and endurance. Our flanks glisten, our manes billow proudly in the wind, and our nostrils flare in anticipation. Each of us is ridden by a tiny hussar, a hussar called determination. We are ready to face our destiny. At this point, the analogy breaks down and the race begins.
I am swiftly swamped on all sides by people streaming past, buffeted around like a pensioner at a Limp Bizkit concert. I concentrate solely on not falling over and avoiding the involuntary acupuncture that would inevitably follow. I survive the start, and enter the trees at the top of the hill, and I’m through to the other side and the free-flowing running that must surely follow and OH MY GOD WHAT IS ALL THIS SHIT?! Straight away we’re into an absolute quagmire of foot deep sticky mud stretching for hundreds of metres with no obvious firmer ground round the edges. With people crowded round on either side, you just plough through as best you can and hope for the best, but each time you pull your foot out is a supreme effort. Finally out onto firmer ground, but the great clods of mud make my shoes feel like diving boots, so it’s hard to take advantage. However, it gives a rare opportunity to look around, see who I can recognise and check where I am in the race.
Some way back is the answer. Time to work.
The first lap is extremely wearing, but the novelty of the route helps to some extent. More mud slicks follow, as well as climbs and descents in the woods (also a mud slick) with some wonderful bumps and dips hidden beneath the surface of said mud. Garggh, I just want to run fast!
Lap one of three comes to an end, and my spirits are briefly raised as I hear the hysterical shrieks of my legions of nubile fans. They shower me in rose petals as I pass and scream my name. I shall bed several of them later, and make a mental note to check their IDs this time.
Lap two is where I start making some progress through the field, despite the conditions of the mud, which seems to somehow be getting worse with every lap. Another runner steps on the side of my foot, and his spikes cut a hole in the side of my shoe and graze my foot. Close! I pick off a couple of local runners who I would usually be ahead of, but who have been too close for comfort recently. Two thirds into the second lap, I spot the unmistakeable figure of Simon Coombes ahead gamely struggling up a hill. He looks like he’s had it. I greet him as I pass, and, given how he looked seconds earlier, am surprised when he stays on my shoulder and exchanges pleasantries. I grunt something in response – I am not being rude, but this is all I can muster. Simon sticks with me for a bit and we make some progress through the field to round out lap 2.
The prospect of another lap at this point is about as welcome as a dose of hepatitis, or Peter Andre’s 2004 comeback album –choose whichever of those concepts most resonates with you. However, it has to be done. On we go, and the mud is worse again. People are now running at least ten metres either side of the shortest route to just get some traction. I am losing places now, and it’s all a bit of a blur.
At only a mile or so to go, a WSEH runner pulls alongside me, and on one of the firmer bits of ground, trips over. Unbelievably, he does a forward roll on the ground next to me and SOMEHOW COMES OUT AHEAD! As he stretches away, I yell “You still bloody overtook me!” at his back, and he chuckles as he disappears over the horizon.
Now it’s time for the downhill fast finish, but this is muddy too, and I prissily dance through it whilst at least two or three motor past. I can hear more at my back, so I sprint, and somehow manage to hold them off.
So, scores on the doors are 157th place in 58:16. In my more optimistic moments I had hoped for top hundred, and had this been a road race against the same field, I’m confident I’d have been there. But mud likes this exposes my lack of core strength badly. Results are disorientating. There are people I’ve beaten who are comfortably inside the top 80-85, whilst there are people who have beaten me outside the top 200. Definitely a better performance than my XCs before Christmas, but not exactly vintage. Never mind. I have survived, and if this doesn’t make me stronger nothing will.
Now looking forward to the Inter Counties. That’s much more my kind of course.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xY-4ljPTUQI
8 X 800 off 90s then 2 X 400 (60s) today
Dachs - come on, it's far too early in the year to be producing a report of that quality. I mean, where do we go from here?
Superb!
Funny stuff there Ric - they certainly took their time with those results. Nice long run too.
Matt, great fell racing exploits there, and a quality win. Do you just chuck fell races in as and when you feel like it still?
Nice marathon work AG. If you get the LT stuff done to the right level it will take care of itself, even if the pace isn't what you'd hope for,
Pete, good parkrun and first finish. I'm targeting well under 2:40, and I'm quite happy to have an easy pace of 7:20s a lot of the time, so maybe this chap just didn't want to be helpful
Simon - you weren't the only one having a tough day, and I would not have been wanting to tackle that course below 100%, so kudos to you. I must admit, I did wonder if you'd DNFed, so well done for sticking at it. My average pace of 6:46 minute miles tells the story of this course, to be honest. Looking forward to racing you properly at the ICs.
Theoretically 15km, but it was probably around 14.
Great report Dachs. Suprised I hung around for a bit? It was downhill and relatively mud free! In the mud I was toast again. Yeah hopefully Brum will be kinder! I did think I was fine, but realised I wasn't great, but still inside top 200 so obviously not THAT ill.
On the good side, the rye bread prior to racing seems to have sorted the guts out. Last 2 xc races and not even a twinge after. Can't believe it. Obviously not wheat intolerant as such, but cutting it out near races seems to do the trick.
Epic report Dachs. Your imagination knows no bounds.
As for the 'shit' at the bottom of the first hill. When I watched the National, I couldn't believe how the leaders appeared to be able to sprint across it.
However, not all were sprinting. After all it helps if you're wearing shoes.
I wonder how many were left behind this year?
Here's picture from the files. Down 'that' hill.
Yes it's a pair. Of sorts.
🙂
Why are real races club events, that seems like nonsense to me?
Nothing more accurate than walking around the course counting the clicks of a wheel. From what I have seen on Strava it was about 14.1km.
Nice report, Dachs, as Team Captain for RRR do you have ambition beyond writing epic reports?
Probably a bit of wheel spin in all that mud
Club events like the Southerns may be "real" races but so are plenty (all?) of open races - otherwise none of the marathon majors would even be real races. Depends on how elitist you are being I guess
It's then also disgusting to see how much time Jonny Hay put into everyone
SC - Going gluten free was the best thing I ever did. Can't remember the last time I had a sandwich or pasta or felt the guts go on a run since. Occasionally I'll have the odd thing. Milk / dairy is also good to cut out pre race. I've gone seriously lactose free in my diet and I don't feel bloated or gassy, gluten I'm not so anal about.
Still having problems in that region though and a discussion Wednesday may determine wether or not I will have a haemorrhoidectomy
Quick heads up for anyone interested, Staines 10k entries now open but it will probably sell out in a day or two so go for it now.
Dachs, thanks I'll tell the 2'40 guy his training pace is too fast; or maybe I should find someone like you who will run long at 7'20 when capable of nearer 5'20
Why Staines?
I'd like to do a 10k in May, looks like a choice between Woodley 8th, Shinfield 2nd & maybe Staines 15th seeing as you mention it. Staines gives the most time to recover from VLM.
I don't think Woodley is UKA so won't appear in your power of 10 records if you're bothered about that. I'd say Staines is a bit faster course than Shinfield but both are good races and po10. You could do them both, as I may well, but Shinfield doesn't sell out early and not so easy I suppose if you're also doing VLM!
Is Woodley definitely not UKA? I know the organiser doesn't usually with her other races, but Woodley was always UKA in the past, and they say it's runbritain certified on the website.
Apologies, Dachs is right, just checked and it is in the Run Britain list with a full UKA licence.
ok, the idea of going to Staines to run just seems abhorrent!
The only PO10 10k I have run was Wargrave in 39:59 so I could do with a revision of that.
It's a fast course, very flat and well organised. You even get a free swim at the end????
Real races are 'Internationals' like Dean runs. County races which Dachs and the like can run. Club races which I can run in.
The races are organised by the AAA's and other governing bodies. Those are real races in the greater scheme of things. They existed long before the London Marathon and other events which required no personal commitment beyond one's own insular self.
The rest are glorified fun runs.
🙂
Video up on Youtube of the Southerns.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJrrPpmnx_0
Simon and I both feature, including running together from 20:00, but you get some idea of the ground - or rather you still don't, because they mostly filmed some of the less unpleasant bits. Apart from the hill they initially film on, and it is quite fun watching how dodgy even some of the front runners look going up it.
The trouble with the written word on here is you can't always tell if someone is serious or just being silly!
By the looks of things, the realness of a race is in inverse proportion to the number of non-participants watching it.
12 including 6 @ LT this lunchtime. When I took the kids to school this morning the wind was non-existent. Lovely day for a tempo, thought I. Well, I should have known better. By the time I finished my warm up it was blowing like a MF'er. So I decided not to bother timing it, and just run to perceived effort. Not much fun, and I dread to think how slow it was.
Count yourself lucky, Dachs, I have 10 w 5 @ LT and it's all into the wind and in the dark along pretty crap pavements.
How are you guys determining LT pace?? Around 10m pace?
I myself had a similar run planned.. I have been running to c75% HR for ages and the last few weeks added in some "steady" miles which is between 80-85% max.. My tempo pace being controlled at 85-90%
Today 6 steady with 1 easy each side. Came out 83.1% / 158bpm