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Moraghan Training - Stevie G
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Any of you London based guys know of a good place to do speed reps on a Monday morning near EC2A 2EG??
Track preferably that I can get onto early doors on Monday!
This might help. This one probably nearest though you might want to ring up and confirm opening times.
Thanks Lit - perfect.
There appears to be a cinder track at Victoria Park which is 0.2 miles closer to the hotel I'm staying at. Upon viewing it on the satellite images, I spotted that that's a kick in the arse from the Olympic Stadium. What do I need to do to be allowed on there at 6.30am on Monday morning for speed reps!?
Failing that, I'll go to that track you suggested which looks to be open from 6.30am.
Make sure you use the lockers if you go to Mile End CC82. Some c**t nicked my iphone when I was doing a 1500 race! Teach me to leave my bag in the stands eh?
If you sneak in the OS early you will have to go round the footie pitch!
de lurks - the cinder track at Victoria Park is pretty poor.
But... having said that... more generally the park's a great, and very popular place to run (and cycle). It's flat and there's a wide, smooth tarmac path the whole way round the perimeter (about 4km in total) - so still a good place for speed reps if Mile End track is closed.
re-lurks
SC - will definitely do that. At the track in Aberdeen, I don't bother with the lockers, but I wouldn't trust anyone in the Metropolis (or Zootropolis?) that is London. Especially with the 300,000,000,000,000,000 benefit migrants you get daily.
Cheers Stanley - I did think that everything round about the river or the park would be pretty flat for reps in any case. It will be better than the paths and pavements I've been using the past 2 weeks in Westhill. (The name of the town tells it all. Great for hill reps, shit for speed reps)
Quiet on here today?
My quads are still shagged, so no running today. On the plus side, I can just about walk down stairs again now
. It's a weird feeling - like I have no control over my own quadriceps! It's putting a big dent in my year for year mileage comparison 
you will have still run more mileage than me this yr bus. im on about 30 ave a week at the mo
It makes your times even more remarkable Dean! Your emphasis is clearly on quality over quantity and it definitely works for you. I suspect my endurance would suffer and my weight increase, but I do think my 10k and 5k times would actually improve though if I reduced mileage, improved quality of key sessions and didn't eat so much though!
Too quiet maybe? Who fancies a race report?
Yateley 10K - a midweek fastish 10k race series that I've run 8 times previously. I've won it twice, come second three times and third twice, so usually in amongst it somewhere. I even won the series in 2013.
The hope tonight was to sneak under 33. My fastest here has been 33:15, which I've run twice, but I seem to be in good shape. However, my warm-up was a bit of an eye-opener, as I felt very heavy legged and a bit rough.
On the start line, I somehow managed to stop my Garmin rather than start it. By the time I looked at it after a mile, it had merrily reverted to showing me the time of day, which was no f***ing use at all. This meant I had no idea what time I'd run for some time after I'd finished. However, that did leave the way clear to just run it to feel.
Few local faces there. From the start I'm back in 5th or so. My clubmate (PB about 34:30) always starts at a comically suicidal pace, and on this occasion he is leading out a local chap who has a sub-30 PB. Good one.
As the first mile ticks by, I move past my clubmate, gently pointing out the error of his ways with a hint of fatherly affection as I do so. Leader is cruising away to a sizeable gap, annoyingly still wearing the t-shirt he must have warmed up in, and behind him it's a group of three or four, including one Datchet, one Basingstoke and my good self. Datchet opens up a few metres lead, but it's not a big gap, and we pull it back. I hit the front of the group at the top of the hill (about 3km) and try to plough on fast but relaxed.
Leader is well and truly gone. I'm at the front, of the next group, so I can't entirely see, but I think the group is down to Basingstoke and me by the time we get to the water station at halfway. At this point, my stomach is feeling very tight and unpleasant (as it did on the warm-up), but my legs feel strong, which is a strange combination.
As we head towards 6km, I try to get a gap with a subtle change in pace, but Basingstoke hangs onto the back of me. I try to do the same at 7km, but again he is able to keep with me. However, as we approach 8km I can sense he is hanging on, and another push opens up a gap. The gap seems to grow quite quickly now, and I am able to relax enough to eye up a young lady at a water station, and also risk a look over my shoulder. Gap looks big enough to secure 2nd, and so it proves as I cross the line with about 12 seconds over 3rd.
Neither him nor I have managed to properly time our runs, and the usual race clock is not at the finish line, so time is all a bit of a mystery, but pleased with 33:10 when it is texted to me. If my watch had worked, I may have been able to slip under 33 if I'd have known how close I was. Not entirely sure I was operating at 100% either, given how dodgy I felt before and during. So a decent night's work.
Not posted in a while as although I can view on my phone whilst I've been working away, I can't post. By the time the weekend comes I've missed a week so just have a read usually. Some great racing going on by pretty much all of you!
2 fell races in 2 days is bonkers Bus! Nice to see SG back in the mix too. Great to see Scott back at it and I saw Dachs solid time on FB yesterday.
Still bumbling along. Had planned on doing a Sale sizzler 5k tonight although it looks a 4.9k according to strava.
Got a 5k lined up for the end of the month so thrown a few shorter sessions in. 3 mile on my own the other week in 15.4X suggests I should be dipping under 16 in a race.
I'm supporting my first Bob Graham attempt next Friday evening in the lakes. Leg 1 and 2 starting at 7pm. roughly 25 miles with around 11000ft of ascent. My longest run since October last year has been 15/16 miles I think and I don't even own a headtorch.
In at the deep end as I'm hoping to have a crack at my own next year.
Nice to hear from you again ML - good luck on the big one.
Dachs - great time under the circumstances, I wouldn't be able to do that not feeling 100%, coming into shape and possibly PB in a decent race. I think that's why the BUPA 10k gets 20/30 seconds more out of me - the standard of the race.
I did a 3000m Weds night in the Southern vets. Not too much to tell - the Serpies guy Ragdeh won the 800 in 2.04, but was still recovering from Ramadan so as we started on 9m pace he tucked in behind.
Basically kept tp 9m pace - 6mins dead for 5 laps..but starting to feel it and hot the bell on 7.48. But again the last lap is a real drudge and I think I ended up with 9.02/9.03 again..bit frustrating.
Then I thought it would be a good idea to run with my rucksack from Perivale to Harrow & Wealdstone station (4.9 miles) to pick up the train home. Basically its 75% uphill to arrow on the hill and the rest downhill. Very tiring
So training last night on the track at Luton - not expecting much after last night, but we were set 15 x 400 with 70/80 secs recovery. Surprised myself with them averaging 67's with one 69 and the last one a 63. Couple of well earned pints after ....
monster reps and training from you chaps as always! Legends!
Dachs, who the heck is taking you to school! You're a local hero!
Quick one from me, spend half the week fretting about racing pulse/breathing, probably making it even worse, but had some fun with the shortest total distance sesh today, 6x300 at 800pace off 2mins.
50, then 5x51.
I think these sessions re-assure me, as they get very breathy but legitimately!
Cracking race and report there Dachs! even time for a bit of flirting
Quick (if slightly frustrating) 3000 Simon and a rather splendid set of 400s last night!
Hello Matt - I was wondering if you were going to post again
. Now I understand what the head torch is for! Presumably a clockwise attempt? Depending on pace of course, you'll need pretty good battery life of around 6+ hours unless you get a full-moon and a clear night. The Petzl NAO will do it, but you'd want to be used to it first to get the best battery life out of it and it's probably not the most comfortable one for that length of time. One of the more powerful Black Diamond jobs may be a better bet as they have a reliably long battery life and you can take standard AAAs as spares, as will the LED Lenser SEO 7R. Not used this one, but it looks a cracking torch - comfy and bright - and has great reviews, like this one:
http://runningmonkey.co.uk/2015/06/led-lenser-seo7r-head-torches/
My legs are improving but still not yet up for a run, so biked to work instead.
A 9:02 3000m - I'd pay good money for that, but feel the frustration
Nice reps to follow it too!
Quick reps SG
I did the planned 30 mins recovery run yesterday (8:3x / mile pace) on the treadmill and legs felt nice and recovered afterwards until I got stuck into some manual labour on my day off (wheelbarrowing barrowloads of sand uphill) - was f***ing knackered afterwards and my legs were stiff for it today!
3x 12 mins @ threshold pace on the cards so just went out and gave it a bash. Normally I would be aiming for about 6:10-6:15 pace but as I've been getting back into things I've not been pushing the threshold stuff, so aimed for 6:20 instead. Came out at 6:18 / 6:17 / 6:17. Legs were tiring by the end but pretty pleased with that.
That's just shy of 44 miles in the past 5 days and 10-12 miles planned for tomorrow. Shaping up to be my biggest week this year.
Tidy session cc and sg
Dachs that's a very good midweek 10k.
Simon think you will fly under 9 at Watford when it's not you having to lead it out. Plus very handy 400s too.
I had 3*4*300. Off 60s rec. Target was 46/47. Was windy but Managed to hit them all 46, with a few 47s, apart from the first which was a 44. Bloody hard lactic session. Rest now ahead of bmc gold race at Stretford on Tuesday.
Everyone away or something????
No LSR today for me. 7.3 hilly xc, which felt like about 15! Kinda nice to be out in the sun though
Odd week for me. Tuesday 5k in over 20 minutes, felt just can't be arsed and wasn't helped when my glasses got knocked off by a low branch and had to spend about 20 seconds back tracking and hunting for them. Thursday 2.5k (one lap of the same course we did two of on Tuesday) and I was much faster and felt much better. Saturday parkrun took it steady as I had a 4am drop-off for my son as he set off on a tour of the atrocities of the Second World War but cam out 19.2x which is what I have been doing when pushing recently. Nice run this morning in the sunshine up the Thames.
For some reason I haven't received the emails when people post here.
Good running all round.
Another 25mi TT today and another 10mi TT during the week. A bit of running midweek.
We're off to the Brecons at the end of the month. The Mrs wants to go up Fan-y-big.
Got some good news that my 3000m last week was actually 9.00.4, so it's getting closer..slowly. Did 10 X 200 eyeballs out with a 100m walk and 100m jog Saturday morning before going into London. Sort of 'semi session' so to speak
Had a silly plan this morning to run to Luton with my mate who is in training for the Chicago marathon (12.5 miles), then do the Luton 10k after. The run over as OK, got there about 10.30 so had time for some water and one of my caffeine gels. Sadly the sun came out dead on the off and there's an unreal hill at 1-2 miles. Obviously went out steady as apart from the first hill, the 2nd half isn't great either, tough course. Through 5k on 18.45, hoping to get a 2nd wind towards the end. Was 4th at that point, and started getting closer to my mate and then the guy who was way out in 2nd. So with 2 cups of water over the head after 7k I started to speed up a bit, got past my mate into 3rd and the guy who was 2nd in the last 400m, who then basically walked in and fell over the line!
Finished in about 36.30/40, so decent work out. Won eastern vets and ??20 for 2nd that got invested in Guiness at the bar..going to bed now, absolutely shattered.
Madness Simon
Oo er Iron! Pen y fan is the bigger than Fan y Big ironically....
Bit scorchio at lunchtime! 5M road, with the aim of just trying to remind the legs what a bit of speed felt like so overall steady, but with 1M at MP and one at 10k pace (which was most unpleasant!).
Good luck Dean at the BMC tonight. Should be nice and warm...
Very decent 10K as a training session there Simon, and good news re the 3000. That's getting pretty close, although my time last year has it beat in the close-but-no-cigar stakes.
Some decent stuff there Phil. What atrocities was your son looking at? War graves and whatnot, or the town centres of Plymouth and Coventry?
I parkran on Saturday. Fancied a crack at my parkrun PB (16:04). Unsurprisingly, two and a half days after a 10K race, that wasn't going to happen. 16:19 was OK, a bit faster than the last parkrun, but probably not reflective of current shape given the 10K in the legs and more difficulty passing people on the final lap than usual that must have added at least 5 seconds.
3000 race tomorrow. Will go for sub-9, but not sure I'm ready yet. Hopefully I'll be a lot closer in preparation for a more realistic attempt at Watford in August though.
Yep perfect weather for a 1500..Just know it will be crap next week at Watford.
Decent PR Dachs, even at the best courses like at Poole it can get tricky with traffic in parts. Good luck with the 3000m, probably best to try and keep to 72's if poss - at least if you get deep into the race you know there's a chance.
Hot and breezy last night at Luton on the grass - cries of disbelief as were set 8 x 1k! To be fair it did cool off a little by the time we started, although the first rep was a tentative 3.23. But started to get into it and was pleased to do three 3.15's and 3 3.14's with a 3.06 to finish and nicely take the average back to 3.15.
Still walked most of the commute today - no point getting too tired before work.
fast park run Dachs. sounds like things are building nicely to a PB
i suffered in the heat last night. 1500 felt like i ran it on grass , uphill! plan was for 65s to bring in a sub 4.05. which judging by my recent training was easily capable of. but felt tired and lethargic in the warm up. i wasnt feeling it. race starts and through 400 in 65. then 800 in 2.11. so a 1 sec fade but i put that down to lack of concentration. i worked hard but my legs were heavy. im now last place. despite working hard i hit the bell in 3.02 ish. my legs were so heavy i knew i was in trouble. i pushed hard and was 20m or so cut adrift at the back. coming off the bend i decided to try and catch the back marker. put in a sprint of sorts, caught him just before the line, to cross in 4.08.16. a very small seasons best. There is definately a much faster race in me...but at the moment its hiding well. hopefully i can recover and run better at Oxford BMC on saturday.
Nice PR Dachs and 1500 Dean.
Good effort in the heat, SC. I have hardly done any running in this weather.
In fact since the marathon (12 weeks) I have averaged just 16 miles a week
I am starting to get a bit stressed about not doing enough. I'd like to be around 30 miles a week through the summer. Just don't seem to have time.
Think I will do something at lunch today but not sure what. Probably just an easy run along the river.
Nicer today Reg well there is a nice breeze coming through the office window at least..should be ok for a nice run.
Quick last lap Dean - 66 on tired legs is OK - can see a quicker time coming up at the weekend. Funnily enough got a reminder on facebook from last year when I was on the beer in Oxford, that was a good day!
Looking forward to Watford next week - 'double mad for it' as LG would say
. Got to get to the bell in 3 mins. That's the aim....
More good running guys
Low 16s for 5k is damn good Dachs. And cracking 1k reps SC. Another quick one Dean despite not feeling it. More to come off I'm sure! And nice Parkrunning PMJ.
Life got in the way for me and didn't run Saturday - Monday, so no track session in London town sadly. Opportunity arose for a quick speed session after I got home last night though and went for 2x (4x400m) off 60s, 4:00 between sets. Flattish bit of road just down from my house. Went for 1:15s came out at:
1. 1:10.4
2. Garmin crashed so no idea!
3. 1:12.8
4. 1:18.8
5. 1:13.6
6. 1:14.3
7. 1:19.1
8. 1:14.0
2, 4 and 7 were slightly uphill and into the wind. Was trying like f*** to bring it in on pace but just couldn't do it on those reps. The others were then obviously slightly downhill but no tailwind - the wind seemed to be blowing both ways!!
EDIT: And usual garmin measurement caveats... Need to get to the bloody track sometime!!
An easy 7.3 miles at lunchtime today.
Nice 400's CC.
Nicer today you say, SC?
I've just got back from an easy 7.3 at lunch just like CC. It wasn't easy though at 30c.
I found a nice loop out to Cookham and back along the Thames to M'head though.
Dean,
The heat will stop anyone who hasn't had two or three weeks basking and training in it.
Just keep topped up with fluid and accept lower performances while it lasts.
When the conditions cool down, you'll see where the speed was hiding.
🙂
Wise words, softly spoken Mr F
Still a bloody quick time by mortal standards anyway Dean!
Likewise Dachs - impressive parkrunnning.
Quality sessions in the heat from Mr C and Mr CC too! My track session is due tomorrow and should be cooler (but will still be pants
).
Getting the bike miles in though AG?
Double 6 today. Thank heavens for beech woods is all I can say