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Moraghan Training - Stevie G
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Hello all. Back from Malaga last night, so time for a bit of a run through. I will have to take a bit more time for a read-back of what others have been up to, but thought I'd better get my stuff in first.
Certainly going into the races felt like I was in decent shape with a 15:25 5000 PB only 3 or so weeks before. Did the last 3000 at Watford the Wednesday before I flew out, it wasn't an awesome race with a 9:01, but I do typically need to blast out the cobwebs after I've been on holiday, so wasn't too surprised. Finished 4 seconds behind Jess Judd, and had a chat with her on the way back to the bags. She lovely - incredibly friendly and down to earth.
So then, to Malaga.
Race 1 was the 5000 final, not in Malaga itself but in the renowned Brits-abroad package holiday destination of Torremolinos. Since I don't like getting sunburnt, or getting drunk and urinating in a foreign alley, I never thought I'd ever visit Torremolinos. How wrong I was.
No heats, the race was based on three seeded finals, so it was really all about which race you end up in. Fortunately, my seeding of 16th placed me in the A final, but, on paper, it was stacked. 6 Kenyans, who had declared recent times of between 13:57 and 14:30. At least 4 other runners with recent 14:xxs. Just try to hang onto the back and hope that it's a slow race is all I could really hope for.
Race was at 11AM. the weather was pretty overcast, so I thought that would be fine, but a good 27 degrees. "Oh well, at least it's not humid" I said to my wife. It was as soon as I started running that I realised how wrong I was. It was definitely humid. Bit of a warm up with GB's star man, Kojo, and then ready to go.
My hopes of a slow race fell away immediately as the Kenyans plus Kojo shot off. My friend in the 800 said that one or two of the Kenyan times seemed well overstated. This wasn't the case in my race. The gaps started to open straight away, and I found myself in a battle towards the back of the field with some Spaniards, a Belgian and an Argentinian. A first km of 3:08 felt really hard work (whereas a 3:05 at Wimbledon a few weeks ago felt easy), and stopped looking at the watch and just cranked it out. Found myself at the head of this group, with the others hitching a ride.
On my penultimate lap, I was lapped by the two Kenyans, and then by a third. Never been lapped before.
Plan was to start winding it up at a lap to go, but was taken by surprise at 500 to go when the Belgian (declared time in the 14s) and two Spaniards shot past. Tried to keep up but all my work on my finish over the summer was in vain, and I ended up 11th in 15:51.94. 3rd Brit, with the 2nd Brit (also with a recent time in the 14:50s) only 10 seconds ahead.
Could have done without being lapped to be honest, but all in all I had exceeded my seeding, and thought that the time was OK in the humidity. Big photocall afterwards that seemed to go on longer than the race, but which also included the sister of one of the Kenyans in my race, the great marathoner Catherine Ndereba.
The 5000 was always going to be my main event, the half marathon was a bonus to make the trip worthwhile. We'd done tons of sightseeing on the Thursday and Friday, so that, in the heat, had probably taken it out of me. However, I was seeded higher in the half (10th) than in the 5000, so it was worth giving it full welly.
The start at 9AM did avoid some of the worst of the midday heat, but what it didn't avoid was the crushing 80% humidity. As soon as I started warming up the sweat was dripping off my back. Oh god, this is a mistake, I thought. Resolved to start at what I reckoned would be a "conservative" pace at current fitness (5:30) and see how it feels. Start was a bit of a mob scene, as all age groups and genders were starting together, with pushing and shoving all over the place, and ended up further back that I thought I should be. However, pace was around 5:30 so tried not to get too concerned.
Not going to drag out the report on this one, as I can summarise it thusly - start slow, get slower, oh my god when will this end, why are we going round this bit again?, surely this is the end, hooray there is the finish line. With only a couple of metres to go, a V40 Spaniard who I had no idea was behind me flew past and knocked me out of the top 10. So I was 11th V40 again! First V40 Brit, and second Brit in all categories.
The time? 1:14:49. Dead flat, but my slowest half in years. I was glad my watch packed up halfway through the race, as if I'd seen how slow I was going I'd have been tempted to jog it in. Just a horrid race. Tried to warm down, but got 5 metres and gave up. Spent the rest of the day knocking back sugary drinks just to try to recover. Probably shouldn't have flown back that afternoon, to be honest.
Shame to have missed Dean and Simon's race, but had to clear our stuff out of the apartment, but I was able to get to the stadium to watch their heats the previous day, and finally met Dean after all these years, Will look forward to their reports.
Overall, for me, the 5000 was by far the better experience, and I will bear that in mind if I ever come back to one of these championships in a hot country. I won't make a habit of it, but might look at it next time I'm at the bottom of an age group.
Long races in humid conditions are no fun whatsoever. It looks like a lot of the field suffered a lot more than you did, with many in your category and the younger one looking to have merely put in training runs!!
So, following the session last week I followed it up with a strong weekend of... nothing. Picked up some kind of minor stomach bug, legs felt awful and empty on Friday, and then I was pretty rotten for the weekend, so wasn't able to run a local HM come Sunday. All seems better now, so going to go for a little trot later.
I mentioned previously about readjusting GSR as a target race - I'm now more inclined to do so.
I'm up in Leeds for a few days at the beginning of November for a course, and realised that I'd be travelling up the same weekend as the Leeds Abbey Dash - so thinking of going up on the Saturday and changing this to my target. Gives me two more weeks of training.
Have any of you guys done the Abbey Dash? If so, worth doing whilst I'm there?
I remember seeing the results, and a local quality guy, ie sub 30, took about 40secs off his pb one year - shocking!
Report later, on the lash now! 🍺🍺🍺
right this will sound like a long list of excuses but I include for context to show what I have had to endure to make the start line. About a month or so ago I contracted a virus, it left me bed ridden for a week, I lost 9lbs in 3 days I could only eat ice and I have never felt so weak. The following week I could eat small amounts and move around so I started to do some easy running as I was scared I was missing too much training. It hurt so bad to do 4m super easy pace. But I stupidly kept that from coach.
A week of small runs and I went to the track thinking I will get through. I couldn't keep up in the 2m warm up (7.45 pace) and at the track I physically couldnt do strides. I had shooting pains from my legs up my back and I was wincing. I looked at my coach and he realised I wasn't as healthy as I made out and i was sent to the stand for my own good. A few more days rest and I start to feel better and manage some 200s. I push them out in 29s so I'm grinning and the pain is subsiding. I can get back on it I'm thinking.
I have lost 2 weeks 5/6 weeks before a champs it's going to be hard but maybe get back to where I was. Before I was ill I was flying. In week 3 I did a time trial. 500, 30s rec, 700, 30sec rec, then 300. 10mins rest then 5*300 in 45s. I did these as fast as I did before Madrid where I was 4.06 shape and it was only week 3! I was defn on for something special. The training after illness was awful, I was so low. I rarely hit any of the paces I was given, 6*600 target 1.39s. (1500pace). Hitting 1.48 on the first and dying to 1.54s later. I was telling the coach I was giving everything but it's not there. I'm dry.
This basically continued to the finals, training was shit, I missed a 1200m rep by 22seconds! I questioned even going as I was so low. I wasn't enjoying this, if it was an injury I could cope better with the disappointment but this felt different. I just could run anymore. Every now and again a bit of the session came out great. 400s in 59/60. Or last session 10*400 in 65 off 60s in blustery wind. I couldnt get any races in due to the sickness so pushed a couple in late. A win at Charnwood in 4.15 and then 2 days later 4.11 at Stretford. That's when I knew I was in trouble. Simon had posted a 4.09 front running solo. I was miles off.
so I changed up my tactics, I can't run strong and dominate but maybe sit and kick? I still had the world lead time...so maybe just maybe.... Also through out all this illness and awful form I kept this from everyone. I told Adrian Haynes who organised the world record 800m relay attempt but swore him to secrecy. I didn't want anyone to smell weakness on me. I still wanted an air of the guy who ran so well in Madrid.
Before I left the training group could see how broken I was but they still surrounded me in confidence and positivity. I had a moment 2 days before flying out about withdrawing. To be honest, and this sounds really wanky, you can't be a true champion if you don't put yourself out there when you are not your best. Im not quitting, and i will learn more about me from this than when everything is perfect. Even if it means I'm embarrassed or dumped out in the heats. Fuck please at least get to the final!
anyway a race report
Anyways, to worsen my mood I'm in heat 1 again but with Simon , mark symes and a fast American. 2 to qualify and 8 fastest across 4 heats. The 2 to qualify is interesting as all 4 of us are chasing medals not just qualifying. A chat with Simon before and he starts questioning my race at Stretford, I lie, or at least leave out the key bits about why i was slow.
Gun goes and Simon and a Irish chap take out a 10m lead. I sit back with the pack. Simon extends his lead and looks super strong, striding away. We real in the Irish guy and I'm in 2nd. But it's congested behind me. We hit the bell and Simon has maybe a 15m lead and we all raise the pace. Into the last 200 and I'm still 2nd but the American and mark have a nibble but I hold them off. I want an auto qualifying spot. Into the last 100 and mark symes takes off, I go with him and we both accelerate hard. He overtakes but as I see we are about to overtake Simon a few meters from the line I ease off slightly. A GB 1-2-3 in 4.11 I think. I turns out that these are easily the fastest 3 qualifying times and I think 8 finalist come from our heat alone, such was the pace mr coombes set. Stories of winning heats come in around 4.20s. Have all 3 of us just blown our chances in the final. That was too fast. I felt ok in that race but in truth not sure I had much more to give. I'm in the final so I haven't embarrassed myself but I have no more left. If Simon does that again I might be in trouble this time.
https://youtu.be/tBz8EeJtVlo
as the heat was 6.45 pm it's late to eat and the final is 11.25 am.
Later that night I start shivering, and sweating. I'm sick. I don't sleep. Im sweating gallons and im stone cold in my body. I search the house for a duvet or rug. Im wearing socks, leggings, 2 t shirts, and wrapped in a rug and I'm lying on my bed still shivering. WTF. What is this. It's midddle of the night I have no one to call so I front it out. I takes everything I can get my hands on, electrolyte drink, vitamin tablets, vit c drink, paracetamols. Also before the heat I was getting pain going for a piss, burning searing pain. And I kept needing to go. Simon will probably nod here and realise why on warm ups and warm downs I kept stopping to go now. I wonder if I had some sort of infection and this was the effect of it. I don't know, all I know was I was sick and it wasn't getting better. At about 4am I called time on the race. I wasn't going to make the start line. I made the call to myself to stop panicking and allow me to relax. It was over. I was still shivering and sweating but relaxing I nodded off for about 1-2 hours. I woke feeling groggy but not quite as shivery. I take more paracetamols and I'm not quite as bad as I was a few hours earlier. I take a shower and reverse my decision. I will race. If I can't do the warm up fine I pull out but I'm going. My wife shakes her head. Right I'm sorry that's another excuse but that's what happened, I kept this from Simon after as well only because he is going think I'm a right moany winge bag.
i don't feel too bad during the warm up so it's a go! The warm up area is manic as all the half marathoners finishers are directed into this area to congregate where the 1500m finalists are trying to do strides it's chaos.
tactics are to try and hang on Simons tail, he is bound to go out like the clappers again, right?, wrong he sits and waits. I somehow find myself leading the race through 300 so I slow it down, right down, someone will have to make a move. Come on Simon where are you? He doesn't bite, but I think the Irish guy does so I sit on him. Fairly uneventful couple of laps but I'm thinking what's Simon upto? I know mark symes will sit and kick, I know the 2 Americans will do similar, the Dutch guy is where I expect but Simons trotting alongside me. Why hasn't he gone? I think I got it, he normally does a 3.01 1200 pace then a 68 ish last lap he is reversing it, slow start then long build up. Then he takes the lead I follow close behind. So does the rest of the group. We are all close then I get boxed in by the dutch, polish and American. I'm inside behind Simon but totally screwed. Damn if Simon doesn't go hard at the bell I'm going to lose time on these others. 500 to go and I start to look for a gap I lean against the American to create space but as I do it gets filled by the polish chap. Hit the bell in a really slow time. Simon leads, im boxed in, I create a gap and escape the long way and give chase. I'm on the shoulders of the lead group we are all surging including Simon but no one is getting away. It's a race. A proper race now. I cling on at 200 and try to push but I'm empty, I hold the group and get into Lane 2 with 100 to go I'm in 4/5th I think. I kick...it's not there but it's better than some others. It's a drag race, about 3 of us in a line at 50 to go I get ahead, a few metres I grimace I am shot I have nothing left the line feels miles away and my form goes I keep the lead and with 15m to go mark symes strides past gloriously to take the win. I see him when he is level and I push with everything I have, my legs buckle, they are empty, I almost fall but I carry on just to the line for silver.
mark is the deserved winner, he got a pb in the 800 semi and a pb of 4.11 in the 1500 heat. So hit perfect form at the perfect time. A top man and deserved champion. Championship racing is all about being the best on a given day...I wasn't good enough to do it this time, he was. I have no demons (well a few what might have beens but they will pass). The winning time here was 4.14 and I did 4.06 in Madrid a few months before. I have missed a great chance to claim a title but I will be back to try again.
https://youtu.be/CqZsLeIgHRI
great to catch up with simon after, and gutted he didn't make it a 1-2-3 GB on the podium. He was so close.
Great double dachs, the half marathon sounded particularly enjoyable!
We are in Ibiza for my race and I am stuck between wanting it to be hot for my wife when she's lying in the sun and wanting it to be cool for my race. Unusually the race starts about 1pm so if it's hot it will be horrific. Imagine the hot half marathon after a 1.9km swim and 56 mile bike!
If the two of you couldn't win I am really pleased for Mark who I have known pretty much since I started running competitively. Back then we both ran Frimley parkrun most weeks from its start about 9 years ago when he was newish to running, had no club and was not even the best Symes in his family (brother Darren was better then!). To add a few facts about him; he is almost v50 (think he turns 50 next month) and so to win v45 cat now is quite staggering. He does have that unbelievable finishing kick now though that rivals yours Dean. As you say he seems a modest unassuming guy and still runs (usually wins) Frimley parkrun most weeks. He has run over 300 but has volunteered even more than that! To this day he usually sets the course up beforehand each week.
Below is a typical result from Frimley in the early days, he has come a long way from there and the class of runner finishing one place behind him has improved somewhat
Frimley Lodge parkrun # 39 - 06/11/2010
Interesting reading all those tactics and how it all goes so quickly for a race of 4mins or so. Do you think you worried too much about Simon's race? And overlooked Symes? Or was that due to the lack of ideal build up from post 1?
Either way a medal is a medal!
reggie, good luck. Who knew the Med could be so hot n humid in September
sg - whiteman retired. In fairness his 1500 is behind mine and Simons this yr. he focused on the 800 in his fairwell yr. regards mark, no he did exactly what I thought he would do, sit and wait and go for the big kick. The trouble was I would normally be about 5 secs clear and it wouldn't matter but I wasn't fit enough to get clear.
Truth is i wasn't good enough and mark was better this week. but I continue in my streak of always returning with a medal when competing in a national, or international champs on road, Xc or track with a medal. So I'm happy for that streak to continue.
4x2miles. (3200m as on a track) off 2mins, as a further continuation of a few weeks of sessions.
One of those sessions I actually was up a couple of hours before properly waking up, with adrenaline! We're definitely back to the Moz era type training again!
Aiming for 1.28 laps, all 32 on or quicker.
- 1.26x2, 1.27x1, 1.28x5
- 1.26x1,1.27x2,1.28x5
- 1.25x2,1.27x3,1.28x3
- 1.24x1,1.26x1,1.27x,1.28x5
Typically first lap the fastest, then locked down into the pace once it had settled by lap 3.Rep 3 felt surprisingly sprightly.
Felt so warm on rep 1 it was amazing, had to ditch the shirt, but all nicely to plan or quicker. Looking at the makeup of those reps, we're probably looking 5.48-5.50 instead of 5.52
Glad of no second run needed today, and a short one tomorrow
Johnas tells me this isn't a "big" threshold session
But then he was an absolute machine, when he was peaking with all this sort of training, so I'm not listening to that!
There's a colossal session in a couple of weeks time that I don't even want to think about for now
But I wasn't speculating about that on here.
Once I'd read that you were bed ridden and had lost 9lb's in weight, with all the attendant issues of simply trying to run at all. The race report took the form of a glorious salvage job.
And it was close. Fantastic result under the circumstances.
Did Mark after the race, ask if anything was wrong? he would have been aware of your normal ability.
🙂
There's always the next champs to go for gold, and I'm sure you'll get it. Rest up, take it easy a few weeks, and then get back to where you were post-Madrid.
Brilliant session there SG. Looks like you're in a good place. Perhaps worth a parkrun sharpener or something a week or two out from GSR?
For me, what a difference a few days makes. Legs felt back to life yesterday on my easy run, pace back towards where it should be.
With that, I opted for a 30min tempo run - not sure how it was going to turn out relative to the session on Thursday. Split it into 6 x 5mins on the watch just for regular checks - first one came out at 6:45/mi or so for mid 80% HR, surprising! Creeping up to around 90% by 20mins, and pace now a touch below 6:45. By the end, HR had reached a maximum of ~93%, with average HR of 88% overall for 6:41/mi. So in fact a progressive effort, right around tempo/threshold.
Very pleased with how it turned out, so time to get back on the horse and see what I can do before GSR.
Despite how perfect Abbey Dash sounds, I'm opting not to do it - it's expensive for the extra night, and so not really worth the expenditure given I'm not in PB shape or peaking!
Always find it hard to work out your zones and sessions Matt. Especially since you told me you did that low 28 5miler that time
Don't write GSR off, have a good smash there!
Just had a look at the Victory 5 on Dec 2nd.
Don't like the line about it starting somewhere else due to some sea defences.
The whole beauty of that race is the unique setting of a couple of track laps to set it off and finish, and the running down the pier out and back.
If it's starting elsewhere (couple of miles away), it's a completely different race, and therefore one you have no affinity with.
You understand races have to change every so often, but I do dislike a route change. Chichester 10k for instance, used to start with a half km climb, which was different! Now it's near the race course?
Gosport half used to be 2 laps of an airfield included, now not.
Tadley XC was the worst ever course change for me. An incredible course originally, it just felt soulless when they changed it.
Last year's version was horrible! Laps, and stuff like trees across the route that you had to almost limbo dance to avoid smashing your face off. That and mixed with the deepest mud ever, that you only saw when leaping over other logs.
Was less XC, and more Assault course stuff.
Marlow half was a real shame too, albeit a race I only did twice.
The whole "Charm" was the ruining mile at about 8miles, the final last hill at about 10.5, and then a glorious down last mile - pure glory!
Now, the final down is completely different, and about a mile from the finish. Just not the same.
They also took out the infamous hill - Rotten Row.
Don't worry, I struggle just as much to work out my zones. It's coming up to 2 years now since I was in decent form - since then struck by flu, injury and everything else getting in the way. It's a case of making sure I get a solid rebuild in, with week-to-week consistency, and then approach where I was!
Baby steps for the moment - anything sub-7 in sessions are good to me
I did notice the route change for the Victory 5 - and wondered why, given that a 5km series is run there, as well as a summer 10km... The same patches get boring after a while!
Really enjoyed Victory 5 the time I did it (that 28:19) - will need to get back there when I'm back on it.
Tadley XC was down a field and back at the start and then...somewhere else.
Marlow HM... would have been nice in the summer, when the promotional photos were taken.
Most course changes have been forced upon the organisers due to safety concerns.
I redesigned a club race course myself once for that very reason.
Little did I know how important to my club that was. They were resigned to losing the fixture.
Glad of that. To all intents and purposes I do next to bugger all for them.
I'm running again. Minor minor stuff left to deal with.
🙂
Hi everyone - i'll try and get a report out later, might just be the final though. I would do both but to be honest Dean has done a good job and he's likely to be better at typing than me!
I can just about see to type through my tears of frustration
In the meantime, session 2 of this week was 4x1mile Threshold (1min), 2x1km at 1.21 lapping (3mins), 4x200 at 37 (200m jog)
So, on paper less of a monstering than Tuesday, but half the recovery on the threshold stage, and then ramping the pace up.
Went well, albeit again, shirt off after the miles, as was burning, must have been a bit humid, mixed with the body effort!
Miles
1 - 1.26, 1.27x2, 1.28
2 - 1.25,1.27, 2x1.28
3 - 1.26x3, 1.29
5 - 1.25,1.26,1.28,1.29
kms - 2 1/2 laps
1 - 1.20,1.29,39secs
2 - 1.19,1.21,38secs
200s
4x35s
A couple of 1.29s crept in, but surrounded with faster reps, especially number 3, so no alarm, and all to schedule.
Had a slight downer after, as my watch buzzed with the team XC chat, which I had to say I'm out for October. Unfortunately, the organising clowns have organised 3 events in October, for the first time ever! It's been one the last year or 2, which has broken the long tradition that it all starts on the weekend of Remembrance day at Windsor.
Oh well, I've certainly done my bit for the teams this last couple of years, and I need to faithfully work to this schedule Johnas has very kindly prepared me over the next 5 weeks.
That's me done until Saturday now - another session then. It's the 600-300-150 sets. Will check the details nearer the time, but it's recovery time now!
So - may not do everything now, got 15 mins before I need to get changed and leave for home.
Races.
Heat - So a bit amateurishly I wanted just to make sure that I got to the final. Anyway, picture the scene. The heat is 18.45, I'm relaxing at the hotel at 1pm when I get a text from my HHH team manager that I'm not on the heat lists. So within 30 mins my dad and I are on our way to the stadium to get it sorted out. So half an hour later an official sees that my receipt says that I signed in on the Thursday afternoon and puts me on the list - in heat 1 with Dean and Mark Symes. Possibly too much pre race Pepsi and I race off and finish in 3rd, faster than was needed - but I was expecting the slowest qualifier to be about 4.16 - not the 4.23 it ended up being. But the issue is being in the first heat. Anyway, in the final OK.
Final - Chaotic warning up as Dean has alluded to - scenes from Shaun of the Dead as half marathon zombies wander all over the warm up track. Feeling OK though, very warm though after a nice warm up with Dean and Mark. So analysis...I really wanted to go off hard and test them..perhaps if I'd found out that Dean was a bit under the weather I would have done it. But I just didn't feel I had the legs to try and go for it. I've got a bit more speed than last summer, so perhaps I'd have the speed to stay out in front. Obviously didn't;t happen and perhaps I might have sneaked a medal if I HAD gone out hard..i'll ever know. The dutch guy who was 3rd is a decent 10k runner too, so there's no guarantee that I would have ran away with it to any degree. Ended up a bit gutted that I didn't have anything in the last 50m, but the last lap was around 62 secs, so that's probably why. I'm fast...but not that fast..sadly! Really pleased for Dean though and nice meeting his family again - and especially Mark, a great guy and a fellow member of our record holding 4x 800 relay team from Lee Valley
General overview of the trip and lessons learnt to follow...
So all in all it was a very enjoyable long weekend with my old man and various Herne Hill team mates and racing associates like Dean and Mark.
Possible lessons learnt? Perhaps going with the usual go out strong routine in all races. Even top runners like Laura Muir can move away from her natural racing to what you ‘should’ do in a final. It can be hard to stick to the tried and tested routine, but I suppose sometimes you need to try something different to know what suits you.
Also, perhaps learn a little from Dean about what you allow your competitors know? Although it’s not likely to happen often. Yes/No answers from now on LOL.
Away from the racing, Malaga is great and very underrated. Museums, great architecture, great food and nice bars. And, well..it’s a very good looking place. In fact it’s the slobby holidaying Brits that generally let the side down. Actually it was a blessing most of them feck off to Marbs and Torremolinos. Yeah bit snobby, but you holiday to try and escape home! Oh and the Nectarines are massive and juicy.
Anyway. No rest for the wicked, Southern road relays on Sunday, going for V40 Gold , a certain Symes competing for AFD. Revengeeee?
Good luck Sunday Simon!
I've just read a feature on Scottish Distance Running History where someone I knew mentioned a mile pb of 4:01 which included a poor last 100m.
At the time, the sub 'four' was almost inevitable. But it never happened. Frustrating.
I wonder how many days pass before you realise something like (it) isn't going to happen? The moment has gone.
I've a couple of 10 mile races like that. Flying in both until halfway when something went wrong. Pb forever stuck at a time I should have shattered by over a minute. Tough.
My marathon pb was always soft. But again, I assumed I'd beat it 'no problem'. Instead the deal evolved into 'yes problems'.
In fishing we call it the 'one that got away'. It does happen.
🙂