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Moraghan Training - Stevie G
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I guess that Eilish is seeing a blood sugar spike from fuel but it then plummets and causes honking issues, but to be fair she probably needs a break as PMJ says, but i was also watching her racing on a track 10wks out from London, then 8 wks, then 6......there's no way you can then do a couple of long road runs and a few tempos and be marathon competitive in a few weeks otherwise the elite marathoners wouldnt be putting 100 mpw in for 12 weeks.........I used to run long fuelled by fresh air, but not anymore, i take a gel or 2 and a drink on the longer runs, i see it as recovery before youve finished. I still do my weekday morning runs on fresh air, but have to make sure ive eaten enough and of the right sort of things for evening commutes, otherwise I can get blood sugar issues.
5m easy today, legs were real tired, could be a tough long run tomorrow. 4 weeks to go.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZx8yK1crU0
A couple of mins into this I noticed a slightly older boy in red and black (and shades!) and realised it was your bad self!
Looking at the results, they run the A and B races together then?
Have probably only run without eating in the morning a couple of times over the years. Not a fan of this "fasted" business.
I have really enjoyed seeing Eilish’s 5000 and 10000 success this summer. But surely that is truly targeted and a marathon four weeks away wouldn’t have been an honest A race? Maybe not thought and the Hugh mileage of an elite wins out.
Agreed PMJ re UK paths, you go to France or NZ etc and things are so simply signposted it is a wonder.
Straight in with a 6M tempo is strong, SG. Good going. I fear that kind of continuous effort in training.
Come on chaps, not buying this low blood sugar business. Just wait until you accidentally take 10u rather than 1u of insulin 😆
Alderton 5k is a local race, only 13 minutes north of me, but not one I have done before. The full spectrum of paces and a great atmosphere. Simple out an back affair with the finish in a playground field. Ideal for family spectators. Marginally downhill first half with a slight tailwind, so inevitably a slower return, especially as things spaced out a bit.
Lightening start with a few very unlikely characters haring off, but who am I to judge. 5:35 opening mile is ludicrous (51 ft net descent), and equals my track mile in July, but net downhill as said. Into a nice little group, and enjoying the cheers from the side. Turnaround at approx 2.5k, and shocked to see a) a buggy runner a couple of seconds back, b) my undertrained good friend just behind that. Better get a shift on! 5:45 second mile.
Buggy runner soon overtook me and, to be fair, provided a great wind break and spot of motivation. Pulled away a little, but provided close enough motivation to push hard. 6:07 for the third mile (49 ft net ascent) and into the field. Pulling out the Tom Cruise hands by now, can I catch buggy runner? He only bloody stops with 20m to go and calmly unstraps his daughter to run home. Fortunately I take them 😆.
18:11 official time. Delighted with a season best, especially off a huge 24M hilly Monday and tough 13M session day Wednesday.
Race started at 11:06, in the car by 11:28 to drive my daughter to gymnastics. I assume that is what Jake Weightman does, anyway. 8M extended cool down/general mileage along the canal about 45 minutes later.
Now to hang on for the next seven weeks back at work. Mileage will definitely drop, but hope to keep the sessions in there. London would probably have been better timed than Abingdon, but never mind, just wasn’t ready to commit to it.
What's buggy guy doing? So serious to be haring behind you at that pace, then messing about at the end?
And of course our minor experiences with the old very occasional bloody sugar lows are mere small fry to what you deal with and have to plan so professionally
If you do mistime it, is it simply a hot chocolate / dextrose tablets type thing the likes of us amateurs do? Or is it always jabs?
Found a small bit of dosh burning a hole in my pocket so entered a little stash of races.
Last race was 3 weeks ago now, it's amazing how quickly time rockets away at times.
Nice one SG, gives you a few more fixtures on the list.
Legs were pretty ropey as expected, when i went out today. Started pissing down just as i got back from doggy walk, so i waited for it to stop and didnt run til 10am, and was wet through within a few miles anyway due to it being so humid. Pushed on a little in the 2nd half and ended up with 22m in 2:58. Which was a much needed time on feet. 79m for the week, 4 wks til the b of the bang.
That’s a huge week, TR. You are peaking mileage at the right time.
Buggy was a little unexpected SG, but I guess he is just a very fast runner who wanted to finish with his daughter. I’ve never fancied running fast with the buggy, just can’t see the risk/reward in it.
I jest re the low blood sugar levels, but thank you for asking anyway. In essence, if I have only a tiny bit of excess insulin in my system it is just a matter of dextrose tablets (hot chocolate too slow acting). If I’ve cocked things up to a greater extent, it is full on mental confusion, black stars, sweating like a pig etc. Still dextrose, but longer lasting and might have to eat an additional snack. Fortunately this is relatively rare - a good thing as the blood sugar rollercoasters that follow are taxing.
Thinking about it, I am not sure why dextrose tablets aren’t a little more popular towards the end of a marathon - they are the very fastest way of getting sugar into your system, and I can’t see a gel having much of an impact with a mile to go.
I once tried "lucozade" tablets...I assume they were actually dextrose type ones but I always remember it as Lucozade tablets for some reason. Combined with loads of water pre an August half marathon in 2002 for my 2nd ever race.
I ended up pants down in the bushes about 9miles in and my only memory can be described well as "stinging ring piece".
So erm, I'm loathe to try tablets pre race again
Out to Marlow, gentle down / flat.
Monster hill, then gradual slight wood incline, but 300 feet over 1 mile.
More woodyness and fields, through a subway then a small climb again, before a flat then made the same downhill through some more woods.
Mid 7s. Decent run.
You’ve been working hard too TR: plenty of miles & reps. Can’t fault that 22M.
Usual mix of parkrun & hilly lanes/trails for me. Got out for my longest run since my SWCP epics at the end of July: 17 hilly trail miles in 2:30. Socks & shorts were wringing wet by the end even at my sedate pace.
Good to make the long runs lumpy SG, good for strength.
Good to see you jools, youve had enough great summer of adventures. I often think of you when I'm running the same commute lanes day after day (even though some of them are nice country lanes).
5m easy recovery run today.
I like to think of Jools as doing in his normal week to week life, what I do as an adventure/trip
Nice to hear you coming into form SQ.
I manged 37 miles last week which was good, every single mile hurt in someway mind you! I am definitely less fit and a little heavier but I am hoping I am arresting the slide from here.
5.55, 5.59, 5.55 saw that off.
It's funny how that sort of 15secs faster zone can feel a higher step up than that.
But anyway, all banked. A work conference Thur/Fri causes some awks training wise, so I'll probably try and scrape an easy run in one of the days, and do a rare Sat run to make up for it.
SQ - again, more great training. Nicely done with the 5km SB too.
SG - nice MLR and nice 3 x 10mins. What races have you gone for?
Ended up with a good week last week after a slow start. 78m with a decent mix of efforts. Longest run was only 15m though. Started this week with a 5m jog/Aussie Quarters double yesterday. 17:12.8 for the AQ on grass, with some left in the tank (last 400 was 73) so I'll take that for now.
That was the key call to get back to the tempos and tempo rep type stuff.
Outside chance of a late year HM, but we'll have to see how it all stacks up, as I certainly don't like going into those without a proper buildup, which for me means at least 5x15milers.
78m is strong volume. That's more what you're about
For me I just need to get in the rhythm of sticking those weeks together now and I'll be sorted.
On that note, weekly long run done. Easy 18m (7:26). Only effort were 3 uphills of ~ (1200m, 400m, 700m) spread across the middle third. Feeling stronger this week, which was handy as I've got a bit of a mental block on getting out the door for long runs at the moment (I'm out of practice).
Good change of emphasis SG, i like the tempo and 10 min reps. You could do a 1/2 off that, 5 x 15 isn't really necessary given your usual mileage, but i guess the odd 15 is good for confidence. I bet Ellish hasnt done 5 x 15m recently.
Very tired and achey 10m last night, which made me wonder about this mornings session, but got going a bit as it went on and 12m inc the standard 14x3mins. Legs were very achey in the wd, i can tell its nearly marathon time. Will defo get a good freeing up by the fizz lined up.
But a "performance" one, I think for me needs that body of work.
The easiest motivating factor is clicking the button on a race entry! That seems to work well!
I can imagine how you must feel clattered mentally and physically this close to a race. I bet it goes well on the day though.
TT - Yes Gosport is the late year option. I dare say I look every year and veto it. I've been down there twice, this little pen pic is from that race - a particularly bleak part in the wind, solo, late on
But you can see how old it is, in face, and club vest (!) The course is totally different as well now.
I love the south coast races in general, and like to do a few little trips down there each year. So far it's been Chichester, Eastleigh, and Gosport itself.
You can easily take this for granted, and it wasn't that many years ago I wasn't sure if I could be back racing again, let alone the perfect scenario of it being worth these decent length trips for races.
Add in the pandemic taking it all away from us for so long, and I'm definitely in the vet footballer "appreciating it more" zone, even if I hope I'm not close to the end of my career like them. But you never know, that's the point.
I suppose if a couple were "B" races, you could treat them as being instead of a tempo in the plan and re-jig the week. But you'd need to make sure the long runs weren't neglected and probably have to fit an awkward one in midweek.
A few years ago I got into a decent flow of Thursday morn 15milers just pushing my work hours back 1hour, then a Sunday XC.
So without a commute, getting out at 7am it's doable without much messing.
Alternative I suppose is just to a 2 for 1 around the race. 3m warmup, say 10k race, 5-6 or so miles cool down.
Whether it's as beneficial split into 3 I don't know though, and do you lose that post race joy of the chats after etc?
Good race SQ - Monster miles TR.
Decent weekend, great seeing Notts mates Saturday at Forest and winning 3-2. Eastern masters final on Sunday was a long day after starting with a slight hangover might have been handy, good excuse to pop a couple of Anadin extra down me for the morning....
1500 first, decent enough 4.24 although the first track race is always the worst. 800 was 45 mins later, went off the curve with the V60+ gang too. Went in the lead at the start, 65 first lap which was ok, had the Bedford V50 record in mind (2.13.2), which I got with a 2.11.7. Not as good as earlier in the year, but getting better.
Later I had to do a 400m (2nd last as expected as I had to run 'down' in the V40's) and finally a 400m in the relay. Good day, but pipped yet again by MK for the title. Both 1500 and 800 were Bedford and league final records though which was some recompense.
9 miles Monday, did a minute pyramid yesterday 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1 with 1 min and 2 min recoveries.
Simon - good range of distances there, congrats on the record.
Slow and easy 6m today for me.
From heat to humidity, today was into fairly decent rain at one point on my single 8.
Then the dreaded wind, as you mention there TR.
A 2 lapper with what must be 3 or so miles each direction could be torture for 6miles. Imagine that Chichester 10k wind for 6miles like that
Will do my best to nick a run or 2 the next couple of days over this Midlands work conference. Will at least guarantee one by doing it before I set off, early tomorrow.
Tearing up the old man record books SC, well played.
Easy 9.5 for me today. A runner turned onto the same road as me about 100 metres ahead and seemed to be going at a fair lick so I suspected it was Kevern. Having lost a few CRs to him recently, I was aware he was running on my patch! By the time I turned onto what is a good long stretch of road he'd already disappeared out of sight. That was despite me doing 3:55 for that particular km.
Hopefully Bedford Parkrun will be on tomorrow. Sadly that V50 best has been 'Leached'. As in Andy Leach (Matt Leach's - 7th in big half in 64 mins' dad) has set 16.36! Damn
But surely a 64min half guy should be nearer 1436 than 1636 unless its a beast of a parkrun?!
Simon - youd defo win some prizes if you tergetted it, i win the odd one and you're a few gear changes quicker than me, I'm 1.22ish.
Reg - got to pick your training races carefully.
Couple of easy days after Tuesday's session, decided that Legs were ok this morning so took the 9 or 10m left turn instead of the 5 or 6m straight on, regretted it later and finished on very tired legs. Long run tomorrow is going to be a grind.
Looks possibly a nice trail route from your conference location, SG? I know what you mean about races and long runs/weekly mileage and schedules. Just got to be flexible I guess. Tagging some miles on post race can work well if you avoid injuries. As TR says, we shared a good chatty 7M or so round Goodwood. I quite enjoy doing some of the route in reverse straight after a race and cheering on club mates.
Heck of a day at the track, SC. When did you last race a half?
Big week and cracking 5k in training, TT.
Sounds like I should keep spare dextrose for Reg not SG 😆
Back into the thick of things at work, so opportunistic running returns. Haven’t quite squeezed in the weekly BAC session, but had a couple of good ‘uns nonetheless.
Recovery doubles Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Usual trail, 9m/m affairs.
Only an hour to play with on Tuesday, so headed to a 0.75M flat road loop and ran eight laps progressively. 6:53 pace for the first down to 6:29 for the last few. Solid enough 6M tempo.
Long with stuff yesterday, heading round the river to get back to the 2M flat as a pancake racecourse loops.
3ish mile warm up (7:50 pace)
4M MP (6:47)
2M steady (7:24)
4M MP (6:43) felt good!
2M steady (7:19)
2M MP (6:57) legs had absolutely had it.
2.7M WD (7:33)
All in 19.6M at 7:06 average. Not quite the MP I’m looking for (6:40s ideally) but a good first higher quality long run.
Instead, I did a mix of skulking round the extremities of the golf course , turning swiftly back if I saw anyone playing, or any maintenance types
In fairness, the actual nature walk wasn't as clear to follow as it could have been and we ended up way off from where we should have been. But frustratingly it would have been a much better run regardless
Oh well, got 2 runs in there, which is beyond the call of duty I think on a work away trip.
How you motivate to get out for 20milers, let alone with faster miles in there I do not know. Looks a good effort.
Tracking a few pals and clubmates aiming for a marathon, most of them seem to get fairly clattered, I think it's a gift alone to be robust to train for them, AND come out the other side without a down period.