Monday 1st December 2008

Pinch and a punch for the 1st of the monthimage

Well done FL.  Lovely scenery in the pics -no not you or the other runnersimage

AF - not a good time for you, but it certainly does not reflect your ability or where you are. 

what - 7 miles
why - easy day

Comments

  • mavamava ✭✭✭

    morning all.

    Some good racing going on yesterday.  Sorry you weren't pleased with your race AF.  Great pic FL.

    Sorry not to say more - read the thread before my run and now no time to read back again.

    Interesting indeed to see headphone  wearers disqualified at Downton. 

    What: 3 miles d&d
    Why: it's Monday
    Last hard: that was
    Last rest: 9th November

    Have a good day all. 

  • Morning All

    AF: i would be happy with 10th!

    Loved the DQ's for headphones, time a few more races did that. In our club we dont allow them when were running on the roads, have seen so many people nearly come unstuck in traffic when they can't hear what is going on around them. Fine in the gym, perhaps on the track, otherwise throw them away!
    Personally when I'm racing I'm concentrating far too much too much on my running to listen to music. RANT OVER!

    What: 6 miles including 4 at 1/2M pace at lunchtime
    Why: will miss club run tonight, Mrs DD dragging me off to see Alicia Keys and George Micheal in concert
    Last hard: Saturday
    Last rest: 9.11.08

    Enjoy

  • yesterdays lyrics were Red Red Wine, UB40
  • Morning

    Gobster - eh? how's that work?

    • What: swim am, run pm.
    • Why: Monday

    Have a good day all.

  • Morning..

    FL great pic..it reminds me of thay "love your heart" Flora advert..running through the woods on a crisp winter morning...wonderful..you look relaxed and as if you are really enjoying it..

    AF I am far from being an expert..but even I can se that your half time would suffer with a non taper.. still an impressive time by most people standards.

    Mava.you ran ealry this morning..how often do you run at that time ?..

    What: 11 miles (later)

    Why: medium long run

    last hard: ?..over a week ago

    Last rest : 8 days..

  • GobiGobi ✭✭✭
    HW, get more use of those long runs :¬)

    What: 7.5 miles d&d
    3-6 lunchtime
    1-3 + dills PM
    Gym and swim PM
    Why: getting back on the bus
    Last hard: yesterday
    Last rest: 11th November

    Stats for my November rest month

    Miles 239
    Rest days 5
    Highest 92 miles
    Lowest 14 miles
    Races 10 (PBs 5 wins 1)

    Gotta love resting :¬)

  • Back from the lunchtime session

    8 miles with 6 at 1/2M pace, felt tired so was tough

    Still done, now mini taper into Fridays Dubai 1/2M.

    November Stats

    161 Miles
    Rest days: 9 (first 9)
    Highest: 60
    Lowest: 38 (excluding the big fat zero for first 9 days!)
    Races; Nil

  • morning

    week away last week so lots to catch up on.

    anxious to find out how ironmel did so early trawl caught that - the swim sounded vile (all swims sound vile to me but that was particularly grm) and you put up a great fight and superb attitude for a finish to be proud of. very well done -  hope you've been recovering nicely. i'd go for the fast marathon as your next goal

    congratulations mike on the M50 - should be in a good position to get a few scalps in the new group. hope you had a nice birthday.

    i think there was a pb from catch up which deserves a mention

    and lots of good goings on in the mud

    strange to see AF doing 'another' race - you might make a habit of it if you're not careful. and no chance of giving in - it's all part of the journey to who knows where

    nice pic FL, braving it out in the shorts

    encouraging noises from you mava - vodka must be doing you good image

    sadly only 33 miles in november but that was with 3 weeks off cursing the metatarsal. did some general gym stuff and lots of time taken up with elderly relative poorly, so it's gone quicker than i expected. 3 miles on road yesterday went ok. hoping to make it out for the next xc

  • Lyrics - yes, you didn't watch TOTP2 yesterday did you Hilly ?     DD - I always think of yesterdays song as done by Tony Tribe and UB40 covering it - forgot it was originally Neil Diamond.

    Training - 90 minutes bike
    Why - Dec 1st start back on cycle training for next year - try and do 90 minutes if I've time just to start to get the legs used to it.   Challenge will be to keep up the running  at a half decent level until the end of the XC season alongside the cycling.   


    Stats for 2008 so far
    Miles Run - 204
    Miles cycled - 6003

  • Nice, sort of different, but appropriate in several ways, song choice Hilly! Oh and big congrats on the recent champs title. Good way to round off what sounds to have been a mixed year running wise for you.

    Have been reading but not posting, not quite caught up yet though.

    Up and down with me, nothing new there. Here's yesterday:

    Back on track for first time in eleven days. I have been busy training though. Mainly hills and endurance stuff and weights back in London. The wine at the 60th birthday bash on Sat didn't help. I was restrained but we were there from five o clock til half ten and three (smallish) glasses of white - even with lots of water in between - has an effect on the following morning's efforts. Does for me anyway.

    Mr. Sharkie was running the hard and hilly Crowborough 10k so it was a hard and hilly 50 minute walk for me to track and back. Walk lap and jog lap to warm up as usual - I could tell I was not firing on all cylinders when I lagged behind and ground to a halt.

    Told coach Pete what I'd been up to while I was away - with the hills and the run-walk etc. "Overdoing it then?", was his retort. I was at pains to explain that the run-walk means I DONT overdo, and he seemed to think it was a good thing.

    Session was tough. Oh, big surprise.
    200, 400, 100, 300 x 2 all with 200 walk recoveries between runs and 1 lap walk recovery between sets.

    The boys gave us a 50 metre start, but all too soon I heard them thundering up behind me as I fell behind the other girls, and Pete. So first 200 fairly average from me. After a 200 walk the 400 was next and I fell behind the girls even sooner on this one. I had been hopeful of completing the 400s but it wasn't to be today. Completely ran out of steam by 300 metres - and it had taken me 74 seconds. That's not good, and I had struggled from 250. Disappointing.

    Pete was his usual encouraging self as we walked round to the 200 start for the 1st 100m run. I walloped it!  Finished ahead of the two other girls - not quite sure how as they are faster than me. Confidence returning I accepted the offer to start the 300 just a few seconds ahead of the others. I don't always do this as I want to be able to hang on and stay calm and positive even when I am steadily losing ground. But on the whole it's easier to maintain a lead and sometimes that's what I need.

    It seemed to work. I ran the actual 300m nearly 15 seconds quicker than the 300 of the failed 400. 60 seconds to be precise(ish). Still not great and I went to panicking pieces on the final 25 metres and started flat foot running, ie not sprinting, - something I haven't done for ages.

    The second 200 was good and fast. Phew, I am getting my speed back. Probably too fast because after 200 walk I was not ready for the 4, and it was another mini disaster. I got to about 250 metres this time before my legs conked. another 200 walk recovery and again I picked up for the 100. Even better this time. I hugged the bend - we were running from the 200 start round to the 100 start - went for it as much as I could, beat both the girls AND was only just behind Pete. Come on!

    The final 300 was a case of "I will finish this however long it takes me." I think the curfew had tolled the knell of parting day and the lowing herd had wound slowly o'er the lea by the time I crossed the line.

    I then plodded my weary way home via Morrisons.

  • nearly choked on my pear at the last bit sharkie !
    i was willing you on through that session, really pulled it off and kept your place nicely - great for the confidence. have you got any indoor stuff coming up?

    sounds like a good birthday bash on saturday, good practise for the upcoming season tooimage

  • mavamava ✭✭✭

    afternoon.  a brief respite from a day full of interviews (candidate accepted a job elsewhere) so a quick catch  up.

    Night nurse - most days I get up between 5 and 5.30 in order to run.  I know myself well enough to know that it's the only way I'll get out there.  If I plan an evening run I spend the day talking myself out of it!   I actually really enjoy early morning running - feeling I'm the only one up and out there.  Spring and autumn are superb when the sun is just coming up. 

    clink - I am feeling quite positive.  This morning - for the first time in god knows how long - my average pace for a run was faster than 10min/miling.  It was only 3 miles and it was bliddy hard work but I came home at 9.47 pace with average HR about where it was for 10.15 to 10.30 pace.  Daily running is definitely speeding me up.  Have to work on speed endurance now.

    Right, back to the grind....

  • I remember that song very well (have a special reason for doing so)

    What: Lunchtime office running group - 2 steadily paced miles from London E1 out towards Mile End - one lap of the park and 2 miles back picking up the pace (taking it in turns to hit the front and push on)  - hard but enjoyable session

    Why: Lovely bright day to be out for a run

    Last hard: About an hour ago (the final push for home along Whitechapel Road, dodging startled pedestrians)

    Last rest: 3 days (Friday)

    Spent the best part of the weekend helping set out a cross country course for round 3 of the Kent Fitness League at Nurstead Court near Meopham in Kent - it's a real traditional cross country with grass, fields, woods (complete with "bomb holes") and a water splash - we had around 340 runners taking part (including Imski I believe) - my hands are covered in cuts and scratches courtesy of having to clear loads of brambles and thorns from footpaths - good fun though and nice to have spent the whole weekend outdoors (if a little cold at times).

  • Afternoon folks.

    Some good racing and training as ever over the weekend.

    On the headphones thing...our ladies captain recently ran the county XC champs wearing them...she's been named and shamed ever since (and will continue to be until this nonsense stops!!!).

    Yesterday, once again, absolutely baltic here in Glasgow. Out at the crack of dawn for a very chilly 4.2 miles (30mins), followed by 95mins on the bike (about 27miles). Snow flurries during the bike ride and absolutely frozen by the end it...any tips on keeping feet warm, beyond the 2 pairs of socks and pair of overshoes I had on? My water bottle even froze within the first 7 or 8 miles of the ride!

    For today...had a bit of a lie-in this morning so skipped my early run. Tonight's club session is hills (7 x ~2mins with jog down recoveries). Might be a bit slippy.

    Have a great day.

  • Morning all,

    it's chilly and cloudy here in Farmville.

    Sounds like a good session there Sharkie!

    Thanks for all the advice on races. On reflection I think I won't be able to have a good crack at 3.45 in the mara with an ultra shortly beforehand, so I'm going to aim for the Shamrock mara and then an IM in August. I'll see if I can enter the non M-dot one in Ottawa that I had to DNS this year due to stress fracture nonsense.

    What: possibly a short and easy run, possibly nothing
    Why: recovery and still slightly tender of back
    Last hard: 23 Nov
    Last rest: yesterday

    Good runnings all.

  • Afternoon

    DD - Totally agree with you. Was Downton the first. If so maybe other races may start to do so now someones made a stand. (Just seen Scobos' post)

    Mava - Excellent stuff. Glad to see its working

    November report

    Miles - 201
    Rest days - 0
    Highest week - 52 (twice)
    Lowest week 39
    Races - 6 (2 road, 3 track, 1 XC 2 pbs)

    Today

    What: 15 miles (well just over) in 2½ hours
    Why: Long run
    Last Hard: Today Counts
    Lyrics: Sounds familiar

    15 miles today run at normal pace HR 135 ish for around 10 min miling decided for last 4 miles increase to 145-150HR see how i felt

    9:25 147 (76%) start to increase pace
    9:18 149 (78%)
    9:34 151 (79%) man walking ahead on narrow path i shouted and shouted to ask him to let me pass. He didn't even when right on his shoulders. Think i scared him but he did have earphones in i noticed
    9:35 152 (80%) more undulating here and a bit of headwind

    Overall quite pleased

  • Afternoon all,

    FL:  Good to hear you're still running, and racing well by the sounds. 

    tinebeast:  Hills do affect my time, but I don't normally gasp for air and have screaming quads. 

    Welcome back clink!

    Bit of a givaway with the title in the lyrics, but I appreciate the sentiments -  image

    Glad most people seem to support the "name, shame and DQ" policy for headphones at Downton.  I was stood next to one bloke who had his ipod 'phones on whilst they gave the pre-race briefing of the policy.  When it was over, he moved to the start still adorned with headphones!  Probably couldn't hear the briefing image

    Thanks for the advice & support after yesterday's debacle.  I actually felt better than after the usual 20 miler, so I'll just write it off as for some reason I wasn't racing.  I either need to stop whingeing and race more, or accept the consequences of the eggs in one basket approch. 

    November Miles:  349, Rest days 1, Max 91, min 73, average pace 6:54

    • What:  10m with 10x100m strides
    • Why:  I'll give FLM a try before I hang up my running shoes, although I'm feeling a bit of a fraud to be on the champ start.  Amazing, the restorative powers of a bacon sarnie image
    • Last Hard:  Thursday
    • Last Rest:  6 days

    Have a good one!

  • What: 4 and a bit up and  down a hill.

    Why: strengthening.

    I've never worn headphones while running - can barely stand the things in my ears when stood still.

    November Miles:63, Rest Days: 17, Max week: 20, Min week: 9.

    Far from great, but between illness and injury it was my third highest month this year and highest since May. Average running pace is coming down week by week and stamina is improving. December target - 80 miles, which would put me in reach of 100mile months from January onwards....

    Have a good day all

  • Afternoon,

    Just psyching myself up to go out in the cold for a 6M run.  Think I need to find all my warmest running gear.

    I sometime wear headphones when out on my own, but never would in a race.  Got blocked by lots of headphone wearers in the recent Swindon 10K which confirmed my view that you shouldn't wear them in races.  I'm a bit phobic about having them too loud, so when I wear them I always have them turned down so much that I can still hear traffic coming up behind me.  I think running on country lanes makes that easier, as well, as there are fewer cars and not such a general background noise.  In built up areas I can see that it would be very difficult to know what was coming from where to knock you over.

  • Greetings from an internet caf in Florence.  Only had time to glance back, so sorry for highlights I.ve missed, but Happy significant Bday to MikeS and commiserations to AF seem to be in order.

    I had a strange race (Florence marathon) on Sunday and can.t  ( don.t know where the apostrophe is on this Italian keyboard!) make up my mind whether to be pleased or disheartened,

    anyhow...  it was very cold and then poured with rain before the start, and although huddled in a little tent, for about an hour, mostly at least I was sitting on a stray beer crate; then followed over 30mins standing in the start pen, so I along with everyone else was freezing cold by the time the gun went off.  The first mile was everso slightly uphill but then followed 3 or 4 miles downhill which should have made for a brilliant start, but even with the downhill I couldn,t get up to planned race pace ie 8minml.  I later found that lots of people had the same problem, so I think it must have been the cold.  Anyhow I worked at what felt like marathon effort, though my HRM also seems to have objected to the cold and never got going.   At halfway I was nearly 5mins behind schedule though working really hard at being positive and relaxed.  Then the sun came out a bit and my legs felt easier and I had the courage to work really hard, and from then on I was getting faster and faster and working at what seemed like 10k effort.  Apart from slowing a little in the last 5k when we were back in the centre of Florence and running quite a bit on hard stone slabs, each 3k was 3-5 secs per km quicker than the one before, and a one min  overall negative split from half way.   I can honestly say I,ve never worked so hard in a marathon, or concentrated so well.  So all that has got to be really positive.  Only problem was final chip time was 3:38.2x, so to far off my 3.30 goal t be too happy.    And they haven.t yet put the age categories onto the results, so don.t yet know where I was in the my cat.

    I can thoroughly recommend the race though, as the course was great, and apart from the downhill start and 2 bridges was completely flat, and ideal size field, well organized etc etc, and of course a great place to spend a long we.   I.ve still got all tomorrow to play here, before coming home on Wed morning

  • Bravo TmR. I was thinking of you on Sunday. Congrats for staying positive. I think that is a really tough thing in any relatively long race (oddly enough, similar situation with sailing - just got to put the past behind and keep concentrating). Cold may be good for running in, but I certainly don't think running from frozen is a particularly good start to a race. I think it can take a very long time before you stop fighting your own muscles (trouble relaxing the opposing muscles that need to relax). Having an inefficient first few miles is going to cost something. You didn't have quite the perfect prep, although that may have paid dividends in stopping you fretting about whether it was going to be a perfect run.

    I guess what one wants is a day which starts sunny and warm and gets a little colder. Not sure that can be arranged.

    Me? Idle. One more week of term..

    take care all.
  • TmR: well done from a cold start- it certainly can't have helped in the early phase of the race.

    Is it that time again for the headphones debate? The only races I wore them were my first (a 5k) and I figured I was missing out on something. The second was the Duchy marathon, because there are miles and miles of running on your own with nobody to talk to. As soon as I found a victim to exchange a few words, or a marshal, I took the earphones out and talked with real people. Half maras can be a bit long without some distraction if you're just looking to finish, but it certainly can be done. On training runs I mainly listen to podcasts and catch up with some short oriental language classes, as it is often the only time I have to do that.

    Stats for Nov: 38 miles but off the injury bench now. No races
    Today: what: nothing
    Why: no time+ osteo-puncture session

    I'm off to my parents tomorrow for the rest of the month, so if you don't hear from me, it's because I am clocking up miles in Flanders' (flat) fields. I'm sure I'll miss these devilish hills!
  • Well done TmR - sounds like a good race and good effort.
  • Well done TmR. Couldn't of been a good start with the cold

    Tinebeest - Enjoy your time away see  you in 2009

  • TRTR ✭✭✭
    Well played TmR

    Sharkie - good session!

    Clink - pear or pair ? I like a nice juicy pear (or pair ). Woof woof !

    Swimbling and pedalling for me.
  • TMR - great stuff  - very well done. I'd be very happy with that time. Enjoy the rest of your time there.

    AF - sorry you didn't get what you wanted, but it is hard to get the training/racing thing right.

    Mike - welcome to the niffy fifties!

    ssing - hope you get sorted quickly.

    The headphones thing - I don't have any, so certainly don't run in them. I usually have a song in my head though. I think they can help new runners block out the pain and help them get to the finish, so whatever gets them through, I think is fine. I don't think it is a problem, unless they aren't listening to race info before the start, or if it's a lap race, and they can't hear the runners coming from behind. Think they must be a hazard when training though - not being able to hear what is around you.

    What: Not very much running I'm afraid. Been away since Friday with husband and gkids. Done heaps including swimming in the sea, sand surfing down big dunes. Must admit I almost had to have my eyes closed and a push off because I was so scared, and I dug my feet in to slow me down! Not eldest gdaughter or husband - they loved it. The trek up the dune was the hardest bit though.

    Must run today.

    Good running everyone.

  • Well paced and executed TmR.  I guess you might have been on the website that shall not be named and seen that 3:38.2x gives you a top 10 marathon ranking for the yearimage
  • What...Athletics Data? Oops...

    Fine effort TMR.

    Forgot my November stats...

    Miles run - 270 miles
    Non-running days - 2
    Races - 2
    Races won - 1
    PBs - 1 (9.36 for 3k)

    Good hill session tonight in the company of some of the country's top hill runners. Session was 7 reps of a hill in one of the local parks with jog down recoveries. Hill was apparently 480 metres or so and was covered in icy patches. Happy to run consistent rep times ranging from 1.55 to 1.59. With a long warmup and cooldown, it was a very worthwhile and enjoyable 9 miles or so.

    Have a good night.

  • evening

    en route to bed having fallen asleep in the living room......

    ....but well done TmR - the circumstances of the start didn't really give you much chance of hitting your target time really.

    what: 5.5 miles d&d lunchtime in 38:24
    why: only time available for a session

    night night

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