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Moraghan Training - Stevie G
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SG - Had a little pot of nuts and a couple of bits of dark chocolate after the 3000m as I has 2 hours and it was just a 1500 - although I did feel a tiny twinge during the race LOL. Just some sports drink before the 800m.
Reg - Sensible to miss the LFOTM if you have a little niggle.
Will have a look at potential other options, but might be it as we move towards warmer weather and shorter races. Probably need to get the top speed up either way.
Battersea Park HM in May would have been an interesting one. 8.5 laps! But the Dashers presentation do is the night before, and although I'm a non boozer, even a humble leaving time combined with 40 min drive back doesn't scream optimal the day before a long race.
Also I wonder if you might have a similar sort of problem of constantly going past people and it slightly throwing your own pacing off.
I once got out of the portaloo at a HM after the race had started. Jogged the 500m to the start, over the timing mats just before they were rolled away & caught the back markers after half a mile. Spent the whole race passing club mates I’d never normally see & finished top 50: missed a PB by 2s too 😆
Big volume from SQ, Reg & TT.
Still struggling after my latest covid setback. Parkrun has been 22:20 then 22:33 the last 2 weeks. I did manage a very slow 22M on Sunday but it was a bit intermittent by the end. Recovered enough to plod 6M out yesterday but it was tougher than it should’ve been even at 9 minute mile pace.
I actually drove my work boss to a Silverstone HM once when it was billed as the "London half marathon", and somehow we started the race a full 5mins after it had started, so I literally cained through 1,000s of runners.
Really surreal experience, going past stuff like 10 people all linked up dressed as giant caterpillars and stuff!
The thing is, that was probably preferable to Sunday, as I had a pretty clear road and could then pick and choose my path to get through people once I'd hit the tail.
The first mile on Sunday was literally jumping in and out of gaps
The only other race close to these 2 was Henley 10k in 2009ish.
The geniuses had a HM on at the same time, and set it off 5mins before the 10k.
The route had a narrow section with stone walls either side quite soon in, so the inevitable happened... the front 10k guys, including me in 2nd stormed into a block wall of runners, and it was similar to the first mile yesterday, little surges, stops, jumps one side, squeezes...i.e. the perfect way not to race
Enjoyed the report, SG. I ran the Chichester half once, arriving late and starting from the back. A strange experience indeed but quite nice to be overtaking for the majority. Probably something in it! And your Henley experience sounds like Rutland a few years ago. The marathon went off, followed by the half three (!) minutes later. Not ideal trying to cross the narrow barrage at the same time as the entire marathon field.
TT – funnily enough my right quad a little sore after. Why do you think wind would lead to that? Fine now though, just the lingering sore hamstring. Nice long run from you to start the week.
Reg – I am hoping for the mantra to be true as well! What is your plan for Reading?
Sounds a great day of racing, SC. I’d love to get on an indoor track one day. Great results from you. Do you find it hard to be psyched up for more than one race in an outing? Good luck at LFOTM.
Sorry to hear you are struggling, Jools. This latest bout seems to have really knocked you about. Manchester still on the cards?
Ran at 1730 yesterday, which is a bit of a rare time for me. Had been at a 7s tournament in the afternoon so managed to somehow rack up 14000 steps before lacing up my running daps. Probably not great from a performance perspective, but again probably quite useful for the end of marathon feel.
Toyed with various sessions in the 2h available, settling on 2 x 6M progressive with a mile jog in between. Planned to go steady, MP, HMP, but the wind was again filthy and this proved beyond me. The first set was about 7:00 – 6:40 pace and the second 7:00 – 6:50. The headwind on one side of the racecourse was ridiculous, although it was nice to get a tailwind on the riverside. All in 17.5M at 7:14s.
Back out early this morning, and with only a nine hour gap, I guess it wasn’t surprising the legs weren’t the freshest. 5M at 9:20s including a spectacular low blood sugar level in the third mile.
I feel like I am very strong and pretty resilient, but not especially fast. I’m kind of hoping that a taper a few shorter, sharper sessions means it will all magically come together for Manchester. In some ways, June’s Dartmoor Discovery currently seems the more achievable!
Can still feel some DOMS today, so certainly worked out hard either way!
What also feels sore, and shows how pathetically weak I am upper body wise, is my arms after a mere 5 or so mins of light weights! Not quite as bad as the last time I swam, which was about 3-4 days of insanely tight whole upper body, but shows some of us certainly train in only 1 way!
Your comfortable manner of casually booting huge mileage runs out is amazing I must say.
Obviously ignoring this weekend coming, which has some great choices - but clearly 1) too soon, 2) clashes with my relay.
There's an MK race "weekend", where the marathon has decent standard, perhaps 50 under sub 3, with a fair few in the 2.30s mixer.
But I'm not sure what happened in the HM, as 1.20 was about 6th. Imagine how bleak that could be coming so high up in that time and basically having a solo lonely run!
The course seems to end with about a 120 feet climb too, which sounds madness.
Bracknell HM, I think is hilly
Bristol HM seems to be fairly bootleg standard front end too.
There's a few runthrough events, Dorney is local, but looks to have a shocking standard at the front end depth wise too.
BP would be the one, but day after an awards do as mentioned...
Might be best to just look down the distances now. Could always come back to it late year if needs be when the choices open up again.
SQ - Good work on the progression run, it's a nice way of getting some quality in without killing yourself. I'll most likely do Reading as a progression run. No real targets just let the legs decide.
It's probably a stupid idea but I am tempted to see if I can do 100 miles this week. When I picked the plan there were a few weeks in the mid 80s and I thought about adding in a couple of extra recovery runs to get one of those weeks up to 100 and tick that off the to do list. With 22 planned on Sunday then I'd only need to average 13 miles a day Thu-Sat.
I dare say some of those you were storming into were finding it hard enough to keep moving forward, so any idea of niceties and etiquette were out the window.
SQ -no chance - my right calf feels like a block of rock at the moment as it is! Yet warms with a half mile or so of running. But will probably make sure Friday is a single, and then Sat is off, so I don't make my "certain to be obliterated by fast kids 20 years younger" experience on Sunday even less fun!
Hope you feel a bit better soon Jools - saw Joe's latest post on Facebook about his LC issues - heartbreaking
Bit of a nightmare last night- my friend Jo was giving me a lift to Luton and the car got a flat just outside town. So waited 45 mins for the AA man, got back home and did 8 x 400 off 60 with the 8 min tempo either side.
Little Strava chat reveals he was doing a 22 miler and is a Finch Coaster.
As my HR has been noticeably lower recently I grabbed my Strava and geeked out a bit in Excel rather doing real work. I've plotted my mileage against beats per mile, which shows my aerobic efficiency. This doesn't show my cycling but I've hardly done any of that since autumn. There's been a steady trend downwards since I focused on running since October. However it's gone down significantly this month from 1,073 to 1,025 and is currently around 990 on flat paved terrain. One interesting data point is that it peaked two months before I ran my PBs last year.
Just to and from work today as the LFOTM tomorrow and relays Sunday.
Jooligan - I'm seeing post covid issues with lung function that I didn't expect as I had a milder dose. It's a ballache for me so I can only imagine how much of a struggle it is for you to have it worse. Fingers crossed for you.
SG - Bracknell is hilly, but well organised.
Reg - I've tried, but failed, to get on with HR training. I can barely get a pair of socks I'm comfortable in, never mind a HR strap! I did wear one years ago for a few months and got some good readings for races (typically an extra 3bpm for each halving in distance), plus had to wear one when I had sports testing done (that was a lot of fun!). Your stats bode well though!
Yesterday am was 40mins easy + 6 x {30s stride, 30s float}. The average of the stride/float is usually close to/slightly over cMP across 6-8 reps so it's a nice leg stretch.
PM was track. 6 x 1km (3:38, 37, 37, 36, 36, 36} + 2 x 200m (38, 37). Wanted around 10km effort for the km reps, so this was probably there or thereabouts what I expected. It was brutally wet and windy, which kept triggering my asthma, which is a recent problem (was perfectly controlled before).
7m easy to work this morning.
It's a little demoralising to realise how far my fitness slipped over the last 3 months, and my lung capacity/function hasn't recovered from covid still (I had been putting it down to the cigarettes, but they're well out of my system now), but at least I'm (slowly) improving. I have a peak flow meter at home and I seem to be operating at about 75%. It is particularly noticeable when I try to run even slightly quicker than an easy effort, so my plan is to ease the mileage back down after this week and get some shorter sharper workouts in to try stretch things and see if I can kickstart some improvements there.
SC – I enter the V40 this July. Yes also saw Joe’s post, so sad ☹. To your final paragraph – I got a flat two weeks ago. Electric car, so apparently can only have certain tyres @ £200 a pop. Not ideal. Then this morning, on a different tyre had a bloody nail (not actually bloody). Fortunately, fixable at £27 thank good. Well done for getting your session done after such dramas!
Good graph, Reg. Fetcheveryone logs bpm and will graph it, but not, to my knowledge, overlay against mileage. Bodes well for next month. Mind you, he is very open to feedback so would probably add that as a feature. I would need to get a HR strap rather than rely on a few years of WHR wonkiness.
That’s interest, TT, cheers. Have Cleevewold 14M MT race this Sunday – a absolute classic of a race, but not my focus. So will have tomorrow off and do only 4M on Saturday as a very mini taper lead in. Manchester in two and a bit weeks to come. Impressive km reps with your asthma being triggered.
5&3M recoveries yesterday both slower than 9m/m. Legs very tired from Tuesday. 10M easy on the canal tonight, very pleasant evening although a relatively stiff breeze on the return. 7:55 pace.
My Next%2 have 700M+ on the clock and were very beaten up, so they have been through the full cycle of race, long workout, long run, recycle. Don’t seem to have any ‘session’ shoes so have moved the endorphin pro 2 into that category and have taken delivery of some Adios Pro 3. Used my annual Vitality 50% discount at Runners Need to pick them up for £110. Haven’t worn adidas super shoes before but always enjoyed old school adios.
Thoughts on Next 2 versus Next 1 anyone?
I used my Next2s for the first time in the Fleet HM, fine during, and well battered calf after, limping to the car.
Probably not a lot different to other long races in fairness, but just wondered how people found the difference?
Wish I'd taken the TUE OFF like I usually do with HMs, but with SAT OFF coming, and a short race Sunday, thought it'd kill the week's mileage, so cracked on with easy runs.
Last 2 days 6&4 both days, taking 400m limping to warm up, then alright ish. But seizing up rock solid in between.
However, got a bit nervous about Sunday's relay, so am forcing a 2 day rest - light walk only. Ibuprofen, deep heat (first time in years!)
Walking feels better, so hoping 2 sleeps gets me raceable - don't need heroics, sub 6 for 4.5miles will be plenty. But slightly nervous I'm mid order (7/12) so don't want to ruck anything up for anyone. If it really felt bad in 2 days I'd ask for an emergency order change and slot in 12th, and "get round" it
Have vetoed Maidenhead 10 - too soon when I'm already nervous about the weekend. If I get through fine and it's back on track will look at an alternative shorter Easter race.
Maidy is the 1st race of the club champs, but I've only got deeply involved once in my 6 years (last year), most of the season went brilliantly for me to come 2nd - so sometimes you have to recognise you've hit the glass ceiling and move on!
Britain’s Dean Richardson breaks the listed world masters M50 1500m record with a 4:06.02 run entirely from the front building pace throughout the last 400m and 3000m winner Anthony O’Brien finishes third
Decent session TT and with a couple of big weeks from nowhere you're bound to be on an upward trend now.
SG - Blooding your Next % 2s after the 3s have come out :-) I've never had a pair actually, only the original 4% jobs. I am tempted to get some though for shorter races.
Reading half tomorrow and I think I'll use it to see how the Metaspeed Skys do in a race and save the Alphas. Not that I am planning to race. In fact the original plan was to do 22 miles with the Reading half blended in but I have already done 87 miles this week! Hence I'll just do the race with a standard warm up and cool down. I'll let me legs decide on the pace could be just a social run or it could get up to MP if the week's mileage hasn't done too much damage.
It does mean that I will miss out on a final long run but I did do an 8 +14 double earlier in the week, I finished the 8 at just before 8am and started the 14 at 11:15 so I reckon that's not much different to a full long run in terms of training effect.
Been having a read through. Have to admit to some concerns, both here and on the O60's thread.
Btw, this is a Rhea. And there's a Buzzard in the top left as well.
🙂
SG - hopefully you were pain free for the relays today.
Reg - good to see you today. You looked smooth. You make a bloody awful windbreak though
I had meant to run an easy 8-10m yesterday am but some stuff got in the way. When I did get out for 7m later in the evening though, all of a sudden things felt like they were starting to click and I was having to slow myself down.
Onto today, and ran a 5m warm up to the race start, and after the standard slightly spicier start, I allowed the uphill in the 3rd mile to even out to about marathon effort overall. Kept that up to 10m (60:20 on the markers), before picking it up a little over the last 5km (18:10 - 5:50 pace).
I had some back stiffening/leg drive issues during miles 8 and 9 which cost me time, but I was pleased to see that I was able to (comparatively) comfortably lift the pace after that settled.
3.7m back to the car made it almost 22m for the day, and a 104m week. Needless to say I'm pleased to have put ton up weeks back to back. Bit of a shame that I lost 3 months as things could've been quite different in 3 weeks time otherwise.
I really enjoyed today's 'race'. I wasn't sure what pace I was going to run but the main aim was to get a feel for a marathon pace, whether it be slightly soft or slightly ambitious. I'd remembered my HR belt this time, I'd expect MP to be around 170, previous marathon was 173, so that would be my guide.
I started a fair few rows back to try and not get involved in the opening stampede and keep it easy. Thankfully the higher mileage made it pretty easy to keep it sensible and I was also conscious of easing my hamstrings into it gradually. For that reason I waited for the first hill to put in a more steady effort but kept it shy of threshold and through the first 5k in 18:19 (HR 159) so aerobically this is just steady running.
Second 5k is more downhill so the pace increases without too much extra effort and I have a small train using me as a pacer, and as TT alludes to, a poor man's windbreak. When racing this would be annoying but I was actually enjoying it and every now and then I'd put in a little surge to test them out. Just before town then the second 5k is 17:44 (HR 161).
I love coming into town, especially the drums under the flyover and also my family are waiting on Friar street. There's just one chap left behind me now and as I high five the little ones and wave to my wife I push on a little and start to distance the chap on my heels. Onto hill two on Russell street and I fancy a beer from the Nags head beer station but I can't see any out so crack on up the hill. Third 5k including the hill is 18:09 (HR 162) and things are strung out but there a few ahead to catch and keep it interesting but most are running strongly.
I catch a young Reading AC chap who responds and keeps me company for a while so we have a chat and I give him some motivational guff about catching the people in front and we head into the last 5k. I up the effort a bit here to see how my legs feel as they enter their 100th mile of the week and the answer is not too bad. Final full 5k is 17:30 (HR 164) and 5:30 pace for the final km and change for a 1:16:17.
Averaged 162 on the HR so on paper at least that's quite a bit below MP. Looks promising barring an injury or very hot day. Also I wore the Asics today and they felt great so I have a decision to make there too.
So did a wet LFOTM Friday. With relays in mind, thought i'd start on 3.30's and see how I felt. Didn't warm up properly because of the weather, so as you know if you donlt warm up properly it can catch you out and the first 2k's were on 3.30's but felt hard. Got a stitch twinge half way, but that went and started to feel a bit better, quick chat with a tall guy who burst past me. Into the last 800m and got dragged into a race for the line and just got under 17 on the watch, 17.00 official.
Southern Road relays yesterday - on the choo choo to Olympic Park with the missus and kid. I was first out for the B team, which was a good sign for our A team.
Interesting course, start on a slippy field for 100m, then onto a long stretch down a wide path to a 180 degree turn, back up, a right turn across the bridge towards the velodrome, a left turn, then another left back across to drift left to join the main path and follow this to another turn. This took you right up the top end, going under the bridge and around to the top end where the start was. So that was one lap (even though it had 2 mini laps within it). Had to do three of those.
My pace was OK after Friday, went through 5k on 16.30 and ended up with 23.58 for the 7.2k, average 3.20's. Was relatively close to the Datchet main guy (RF), but he definitely pulled away during the race to a low 23.xx. Only managed to have a few small convo's with SG - I'm sure he'll describe the lap better than me!
Decent day for HHH, Silver for the ladies and 8th for the A team, 30th for the B team. Nice chat with Katie Snowden too, good to see her supporting, there with her bf (who was running but who will remain nameless
My legs felt pretty decent today, they certainly didn't feel like they'd done a race so I think I gauged the effort about right yesterday. A pair of 7 mile recovery runs to get this week rolling with 14 for the day.