Today's Training

Last evenings RATRun was from the Red Lion in Litton. It was mild and mizzly as 6 of us set off out of the village on Conjoint Lane and then along Litton Edge. A short stretch of tarmac on Mires Lane before a lovely permissive path along the rim of Cressbrook Dale. Down into Tansley Dale, across the swollen stream and then up steeply to the TP at Wardlow Hay Cop. Back down to the gate and then very steeply down through the blackthorn thickets into the dale. Along the dale bottom before up the other side to Cressbrook. A narrow, muddy, off camber path for nearly a mile on the edge woodland above the dale before some lovely running across fields back to Litton.

I found tonight's run tough as there was a lot of mud and very slippery limestone to negotiate. A touch under 7 miles, 1'307 feet in a tiring 1hr 15 mins.

Back in the Red Lion cheesy and non cheesy chips were washed down, in front of a roaring log burner, with Absolution 5.3% from Abbeydale and Wainwright 4.1% from Marston's.

I know it's only a ..., But fastest parkrun for a year this morning at Roberts Park, Saltaire. Got into the 70% age grading and was the fastest VM65. It was racing my mate Mick that brought out the gazelle in me.
Not sure if this will help with the Blubberhouses 25 next weekend!

Well done Matt, that's a decent time....

I've taken the decision to pull out of my track 5km tomorrow.... managed to run an hour fairly hard this morning without any undue trouble with my toe/foot... but having missed half a week of training, and if i race tomorrow i can probably rule out training hard on tuesday, plus the risk that i might further damage toe.... i'm trying to be sensible this year and take the long-term view.... last year i'd have just thrown caution to the wind and raced it...

A year of training is bound to include ups and downs... and this week was a bit of a "down"

A freak problem with my toe and a 24hr bug pretty much destroyed any structured training since last tuesday, and also meant dropping out of today's track race.

But managed to continue with (very) easy running and strength work, and finished the week on 68 miles.

Next week will hopefully see a return to club training and a decent long run at the weekend... next race(s) are a bit of double header.... in a fortnight's time looks like i'll have Midland Road Relay on the saturday, followed by Wrekin Fell Race on the sunday...

i don't like doubling up races any more, but i can't let the club down in the face of a selection crisis with many people racing elsewhere or unavailable... and i need the Wrekin race to complete a full set of Shropshire Winter Champs races and retain my slim hopes of making top 10.

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Originally Posted by Travs

Next week will hopefully see a return to club training and a decent long run at the weekend... next race(s) are a bit of double header.... in a fortnight's time looks like i'll have Midland Road Relay on the saturday, followed by Wrekin Fell Race on the sunday...

i don't like doubling up races any more, but i can't let the club down in the face of a selection crisis with many people racing elsewhere or unavailable... and i need the Wrekin race to complete a full set of Shropshire Winter Champs races and retain my slim hopes of making top 10.

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It's the 12 stage Midland Road Relays, isn't it? In which case there are long and short legs, so make sure you bag yourself a short leg if selected.

As far as I can see, the course hasn't significantly changed since I raced it. If you don't get carried away in the first half mile then it's a hilly, but not mountainous, 5km race.

If you do get carried away in the first half mile, then you'll be deep in the red before the hill and it will be 5km of punishment, you'll be totally trashed at the finish, and the following day you won't feel like racing.

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Originally Posted by Marco

It's the 12 stage Midland Road Relays, isn't it? In which case there are long and short legs, so make sure you bag yourself a short leg if selected.

As far as I can see, the course hasn't significantly changed since I raced it. If you don't get carried away in the first half mile then it's a hilly, but not mountainous, 5km race.

If you do get carried away in the first half mile, then you'll be deep in the red before the hill and it will be 5km of punishment, you'll be totally trashed at the finish, and the following day you won't feel like racing.

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Yeah i've done it numerous times.... even scraped into the first team for the National 12 stage last year due to (another) selection crisis. It is very easy to hurtle down through the twisty start section, blowing up completely on the next section out to the turn.

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Originally Posted by Travs

Yeah i've done it numerous times.... even scraped into the first team for the National 12 stage last year due to (another) selection crisis. It is very easy to hurtle down through the twisty start section, blowing up completely on the next section out to the turn.

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I ran first leg a couple of times, (I think one was at the 6 stage, but the early part of the course was the same), and that was hardest as you got dragged through the first 800 metres in something stupid (it's mainly downhill).

Whilst it's very easy to say it, and a lot harder to do it, if you can back off the first twisty section to the bottom of the long drag then you'll feel a lot more comfortable, finish in better shape, and end up with the same sort of time.

I was never sure if I loved or hated the course, but with the benefit of hindsight I can see it's a good course for people who think through their race plan and execute it.

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Originally Posted by Marco

...people who think through their race plan and execute it.

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It's the execution i struggle with, i'm very good at planning how i want to run a race.

Club night tonight and a track session that is a lot tougher than it looks on paper...

5 x 300mtrs
1 x 1km
5 x 300mtrs

My target set by the coach was a very ambitious 52seconds for the 300's

First set.... 54, 53, 55, 53, 53

1km 3:25 (target 3:10)

Second set of 300's.... 55, 55, 55, 55, 55

Wasn't too bothered about missing my target on the 300's.... even without throwing a km in the middle i thought 52 was too much to ask.... was a little disappointed to be so far out on the 1km... would have liked to have been under 3:20, but again 3:10 would be unchartered territory for a rep session and a stretch too far in my view.... the intensity of a track session and the change of pace/distance really lump the fatigue into the legs.... those final set of 300's, each one was ran as if it was my final rep.

10.5 miles for the session, 15.5 miles for the day. Very pleasing to have no foot/toe issues, so its full steam ahead with training again.

Thursday is another fast and furious session, 1 x 500mtr, 5 x 200mtr, 5 x 60mtr..... i get decidedly nervous when the rep distances go below 400mtrs, its a very uncomfortable pace for me.

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Originally Posted by Travs

...i get decidedly nervous when the rep distances go below 400mtrs, its a very uncomfortable pace for me.

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That nervousness is something i've found difficult to shake off post-covid, basically because i'm slower post-covid. I can't remember more than one <5km session that i have faced with good composure, parkrun especially. For me composure comes from lack of doubt, you'll naturally have good composure unless doubt creeps in, and the doubt can come in many forms: injury, tiredness, lack of form...it goes on ad infinitum.