Today's Training

Following my Bolsover 10K fiasco in December and my quest to get a sub 40 minutes, yesterday I found myself at Ashley Hall on the start line for the Hale 10K. Hale is a village to the SW of Manchester whose residents include Footballers, Coronation Street actors and a lot of Ladies that Lunch. Apparently, they like to think they live in Cheshire when in fact they are located in the borough of Trafford in Greater Manchester :rolleyes:

It was a cool and breezy morning, especially so when I was stood for the second time in the portaloo queue, but I managed to get warmed up nicely on the half mile run to the start. Once there I joined the other 1,139 runners, many of whom were involved in the usual hugging and high fiving that tends to go on at these events. I found the pacer with the 40 min flag and my plan was to stick to him like glue.

Off we went through the village and then on to undulating country lanes that were closed to traffic. I ran alongside the pacer and at the the first KM marker a glance at my watch showed that we were at 4.15 min pace which I thought was a bit slow but put it down to perhaps a little congestion at the start. However at markers 2 and 3 were still over 4 min pace. Even whilst running, the simple maths of 10 x 4 = 40 and 6 x 4 = 24 was easy to work out so when we got to the 6KM marker and my watch showed 25.05 I was concerned. I felt reasonably comfortable so decided to push on as I knew that the last KM was slightly uphill and into the wind. I also started to slowly overtake folk which is always good.

As I usually deal in Miles it was quite pleasing as the KM markers seemed to appear very quickly. I managed to slowly pull back time so that by the 9KM marker I was at 36.09. I kept up the pace saving a little for the last few hundred meters but was unable to use it to full effect as there was a section of slippery mossy cobblestones followed by two sharp muddy bends to the finish line, the clock showing 39.59 as I passed underneath it.

As I leaned against a barrier getting my breath back I saw the 40min pacer finishing at 40.40! There were a few unhappy runners in his vicinity. My official chip time was 39.53 and 1st M60, mission accomplished. I won a £30 prize and free entry to next years event. Travs will have probably have come across the race winner who was Kadar Omar of Birchfield Harriers in 30.01. The first lady was Sophie Wood of Sale Harriers, 12th overall in 34.26.

I quite enjoyed the event and hopefully my time is quick enough for me to be selected for a Welsh age group vest at the Great Birmingham 10k. My road shoes have still got plenty of miles in them!

Yesterday evening my friend Joanne wanted me to join her for a run on the trail. She promised it would be steady so off we went. Along the Monsal Trail from Millers Dale. The only thing of note to report is that in one of the longer tunnels the lights went out as we were half way through. There are signs saying that they go off at dusk but it is still a shock when it happens. It is even worse when cycling. The two dangers are either crashing into someone coming the other way or dropping off the central 8 feet wide tarmac strip onto the sleeper ballast either side.

We just slowed our pace and eventually our eyes got used to the gloom and as we rounded the bend saw the light at the end of the tunnel!

A steady 4 miles, 96 feet in 35 minutes. Surprisingly my legs felt OK after my earlier 10K efforts

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Llani Boy

There are signs saying that they go off at dusk...

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I understand why...but still amusing to read.

Well done Llani on sub-40.... to pull back a minute in the last 4km is very impressive!

Yes Kadar is a very good runner and a regular feature in the cross country and road relays. Birchfield are always a strong club, but when they get Kadar, and Omar Ahmed out for the road relays they are a match for any club in the country.

Like you, i'd sooner trust the km markers than a pacer... even using the pace on your watch can be a bit risky, as sometimes the course can be a little long or short.

I had been planning to do the Ribble Valley 10km between next xmas and new year.... however i may well now plump for the Under The Lights 5 Mile in Battersea Park on 20th December instead.... aiming for under 30mins.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Travs

I had been planning to do the Ribble Valley 10km between next xmas and new year.... however i may well now plump for the Under The Lights 5 Mile in Battersea Park on 20th December instead.... aiming for under 30mins.

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NO! :D
Get to the RV!

Managed a 4 miler this morning, 4.18 in 40:50 and 500ft of climb.

Not sure what's going on with the Garmin - a couple of times lately the last mile or so the ascent has looked like a hacksaw blade and added 100ft today, maybe 200ft last week.

It seems to always happen in the back end.

Think the Stan Bradshaw will be a bit too soon for me - will see what I can manage this weekend.

Great running in the 10K Llani.

Did you check the garmin against the KM markers? I have seen some races misplace their signs by as much as 50m.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Travs

I had been planning to do the Ribble Valley 10km between next xmas and new year.... however i may well now plump for the Under The Lights 5 Mile in Battersea Park on 20th December instead.... aiming for under 30mins.

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By coincidence, I have just found out that there are also 5km "under the lights" races in Battersea Park.

Before the start of last Saturday's parkrun at Beacon Hill, a young, fit-looking bloke in Loughborough Students sportswear parked his young, fit-looking bike next to my (old) bike. When I returned to my bike after the run, he was just about to leave, and I couldn't resist asking him if he was first finisher. He said that he wasn't: his knee had been hurting, so he was taking the downhills easy.

From the parkrun results and a bit of googling, I ascertained that he was Fintan Kavanagh. He has a 15:26 parkrun (not at Beacon Hill!) to his credit. On powerof10, I found out that he has also done a 14:32 5km Under the lights at Battersea Park (so he is rather ordinary, by Loughborough Students Athletics standards :)). In fact, he had done a 14:45 5km at the same venue the evening before I saw him at Beacon Hill.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by anthonykay

By coincidence, I have just found out that there are also 5km "under the lights" races in Battersea Park.

Before the start of last Saturday's parkrun at Beacon Hill, a young, fit-looking bloke in Loughborough Students sportswear parked his young, fit-looking bike next to my (old) bike. When I returned to my bike after the run, he was just about to leave, and I couldn't resist asking him if he was first finisher. He said that he wasn't: his knee had been hurting, so he was taking the downhills easy.

From the parkrun results and a bit of googling, I ascertained that he was Fintan Kavanagh. He has a 15:26 parkrun (not at Beacon Hill!) to his credit. On powerof10, I found out that he has also done a 14:32 5km Under the lights at Battersea Park (so he is rather ordinary, by Loughborough Students Athletics standards :)). In fact, he had done a 14:45 5km at the same venue the evening before I saw him at Beacon Hill.

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Yes, the Under The Lights 5km have a minimum standard of 17mins (20mins for ladies).

The 10km and 5 mile races are more generous, with 45min cutoffs for both.

Although in those races too, the standards are very high and attract a high quality field.... my target of sub-30 for 5 miles will likely put me in the back 10 or 20 of the field.

Conditioning circuit session tonight on the side of the track. 5 miles as well.

Went physio this afternoon and gave her full licence to absolutely pummel me in an attempt to be ok for saturday.... my tendonitis issue in the ankle is 90% better, but i have bursitis in my hip which is currently very painful... although at least some of that pain is from the absolute battering she gave it.

Hopefully it will settle down tomorrow. Reckon i'm 50/50 for the National on saturday, and i'll make my final decision on thursday.

Weasdale to Green Bell to Randygill Top and back. 7.02 miles 1801 ascent 1 hr 17 mins. First run out of Teesdale for weeks due to a calf injury a few weeks ago, meaning that I've stuck much closer to home and shorter runs, up to or towards the trig behind the house, as part of the recovery, with a good few fell walks of various lengths and steepness.

Given the weather and low cloud this morning I needn't have bothered as visibility was down to a few metres and I might as well have been running on any part of the peaty Pennines! Still a change is as good as....

Another 40min continuous treadmill effort at 15% gradient.

A couple of 10ths/km quicker than last time.... finished the session, again able to speed up a little in the last 5 mins, so i'm not quite at my absolute limit yet... although that's not to say i don't find these sessions incredibly tough.

Very pleased with how the hill work is going, albeit on treadmill.

Once the "winter training" is over and the spring road relays done, my early plan is to drop one of the club sessions, and move to two hill sessions per week... the current continuous treadmill run, and a rep session on the fells, with just one club speed session which will be more geared towards the track racers.

Group run tonight.

First few miles i kept it steady at about 4:45/km.... last few sped up to test the leg a little, at 4:17/km

7.5 miles total.

Will be on the start line for the National on saturday.

I sometimes make jokes on this thread about going for a paddle. But it's starting to get a little bit tedious; even with the good grip on my Walshes, it's difficult to get any speed up when I'm finding my footing through several inches of water over several inches of mud.

Anyway, today's slow splash was over Buck Hill and Whittle Hill (where I still haven't trimmed the holly), and back via Longcliffe golf course and Burleigh Wood.

Yesterdays RATRun was a return to The George at Youlgreave in order to do a recce of the Pommie Panter Fell Race which this May will have its second running.

On a cool and breezy evening under the moonlight, 4 of us set off uphill on the tarmac of Moor Lane for a mile then a left turn took us off road onto the Limestone Way and steeply down into Bradford Dale. A bit of wading across and alongside Rowlow Brook and then saturated fields to Rock Farm. More saturated fields to the corner of Bleakley Plantation via a short diversion to the TP at Hopping Top. More fields and a steep muddy drop into Mawstone Lane. Half a mile of downhill tarmac and then a left across a field, where we endured a cold hail shower, before steeply into Bradford Dale, up Holywell Lane and on to Main Street where the finish will be on race day.

This route passes the relatively remote home of former West Derbyshire MP, Matthew Parris, who holds the record for the fastest marathon time for a sitting MP. In 1985 he clocked 2:32:57 in the London Marathon.
He likes his real ale too and is often seen in local pubs, to which, in summer he travels by electric bike:rolleyes:

Back in The George, giant bowls of pre-ordered chips, some of which we had to give away, were washed down with a very nice Golden Glow 4.4%, brewed in the Black Country by Holdens

An enjoyable evening and apart from the first mile a good race route. It will be tougher than it looks on paper, especially if wet underfoot, as the uphills are not very steep but are long and gradual. The listed numbers are 5.8 miles and 876 feet.

We clocked 6.5 miles, 1,002 feet in 1hr 7 min with our TP diversion.

[QUOTE=anthonykay;687114]I sometimes make jokes on this thread about going for a paddle. But it's starting to get a little bit tedious; even with the good grip on my Walshes, it's difficult to get any speed up when I'm finding my footing through several inches of water over several inches of mud.

Anthony, a friend of mine has just done the Badger Challenge which is, as you probably know, as far as you can go in 6 hours on a 3.3 mile loop around Beacon Hill. He did just over 33 miles.

I just wondered if you had any experience of the event?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Llani Boy

Yesterdays RATRun was a return to The George at Youlgreave in order to do a recce of the Pommie Panter Fell Race which this May will have its second running.

On a cool and breezy evening under the moonlight, 4 of us set off uphill on the tarmac of Moor Lane for a mile then a left turn took us off road onto the Limestone Way and steeply down into Bradford Dale. A bit of wading across and alongside Rowlow Brook and then saturated fields to Rock Farm. More saturated fields to the corner of Bleakley Plantation via a short diversion to the TP at Hopping Top. More fields and a steep muddy drop into Mawstone Lane. Half a mile of downhill tarmac and then a left across a field, where we endured a cold hail shower, before steeply into Bradford Dale, up Holywell Lane and on to Main Street where the finish will be on race day.

This route passes the relatively remote home of former West Derbyshire MP, Matthew Parris, who holds the record for the fastest marathon time for a sitting MP. In 1985 he clocked 2:32:57 in the London Marathon.
He likes his real ale too and is often seen in local pubs, to which, in summer he travels by electric bike:rolleyes:

Back in The George, giant bowls of pre-ordered chips, some of which we had to give away, were washed down with a very nice Golden Glow 4.4%, brewed in the Black Country by Holdens

An enjoyable evening and apart from the first mile a good race route. It will be tougher than it looks on paper, especially if wet underfoot, as the uphills are not very steep but are long and gradual. The listed numbers are 5.8 miles and 876 feet.

We clocked 6.5 miles, 1,002 feet in 1hr 7 min with our TP diversion.

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Impressive performance my Mr Parris!
Worried by the fact you had to give away some of your chips!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Llani Boy

Anthony, a friend of mine has just done the Badger Challenge which is, as you probably know, as far as you can go in 6 hours on a 3.3 mile loop around Beacon Hill. He did just over 33 miles.

I just wondered if you had any experience of the event?

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I thought about doing it last year, but decided against it (and anyway, I ended up injured at the time of the event). I looked at the details for this year's event a few months ago, and there was some reason why I definitely couldn't do it on today's date, but I now have no idea what that reason was! Maybe one day I will get around to trying it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Llani Boy

Following my Bolsover 10K fiasco in December and my quest to get a sub 40 minutes, yesterday I found myself at Ashley Hall on the start line for the Hale 10K. Hale is a village to the SW of Manchester whose residents include Footballers, Coronation Street actors and a lot of Ladies that Lunch. Apparently, they like to think they live in Cheshire when in fact they are located in the borough of Trafford in Greater Manchester :rolleyes:

It was a cool and breezy morning, especially so when I was stood for the second time in the portaloo queue, but I managed to get warmed up nicely on the half mile run to the start. Once there I joined the other 1,139 runners, many of whom were involved in the usual hugging and high fiving that tends to go on at these events. I found the pacer with the 40 min flag and my plan was to stick to him like glue.

Off we went through the village and then on to undulating country lanes that were closed to traffic. I ran alongside the pacer and at the the first KM marker a glance at my watch showed that we were at 4.15 min pace which I thought was a bit slow but put it down to perhaps a little congestion at the start. However at markers 2 and 3 were still over 4 min pace. Even whilst running, the simple maths of 10 x 4 = 40 and 6 x 4 = 24 was easy to work out so when we got to the 6KM marker and my watch showed 25.05 I was concerned. I felt reasonably comfortable so decided to push on as I knew that the last KM was slightly uphill and into the wind. I also started to slowly overtake folk which is always good.

As I usually deal in Miles it was quite pleasing as the KM markers seemed to appear very quickly. I managed to slowly pull back time so that by the 9KM marker I was at 36.09. I kept up the pace saving a little for the last few hundred meters but was unable to use it to full effect as there was a section of slippery mossy cobblestones followed by two sharp muddy bends to the finish line, the clock showing 39.59 as I passed underneath it.

As I leaned against a barrier getting my breath back I saw the 40min pacer finishing at 40.40! There were a few unhappy runners in his vicinity. My official chip time was 39.53 and 1st M60, mission accomplished. I won a £30 prize and free entry to next years event. Travs will have probably have come across the race winner who was Kadar Omar of Birchfield Harriers in 30.01. The first lady was Sophie Wood of Sale Harriers, 12th overall in 34.26.

I quite enjoyed the event and hopefully my time is quick enough for me to be selected for a Welsh age group vest at the Great Birmingham 10k. My road shoes have still got plenty of miles in them!

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Enter the Leeds 10k, it's one of the flattest and you should be able to push for a sub 39. Just leg it off the start as it winds through the shopping and bar districts, you don't want to get boxed in. After that it's straight out straight back. I've never followed a pacer, it never occurred to me to put my trust in some other bugger's judgement.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mr brightside

Enter the Leeds 10k, it's one of the flattest and you should be able to push for a sub 39. I've never followed a pacer, it never occurred to me to put my trust in some other bugger's judgement.

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A pacer? In my day they were only needed by students trying to break the 4 minute mile.

When I was chasing road times (Abbey Dash in 36.xx as a Vet 40 since you ask) all I needed was a Garmin that "beeped" my necessary time at each mile marker.

If you passed your marker before the beep you were OK and if you didn't you needed to get your legs moving faster - not look to see where your pacer was.

And as for pacers in parkruns? I just don't know what the world's coming to...:)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Graham Breeze

A pacer? In my day they were only needed by students trying to break the 4 minute mile.

When I was chasing road times (Abbey Dash in 36.xx as a Vet 40 since you ask) all I needed was a Garmin that "beeped" my necessary time at each mile marker.

If you passed your marker before the beep you were OK and if you didn't you needed to get your legs moving faster - not look to see where your pacer was.

And as for pacers in parkruns? I just don't know what the world's coming to...:)

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Garmin ????? It must have been a very early one Graham ;)

Was it the size of a house brick?

With the postponement of the National XC, the rest of the group were prescribed a parkrun (or 15 minute road effort) followed by 8 x 1 minute.

For me it was another hill session. Upping the pace a little more and grinding it out for 40mins.

Completed the session again, but it was noticeably more difficult than the previous couple. I'm probably nearing (but not quite reached) my current limit. Still managed a bit of a speed up in the last few minutes, but it wasn't as spritely as the last couple.

The most noticeable thing about today was that i was never sure i'd finish the session until i reached the final 5 minutes... in the past few i've known by halfway that it was in the bag.

9.5 miles. With my injuries seemingly fading away, meaning a return to club sessions, and next week's Cardingmill Canter, i expect it'll be a fortnight before my next hill session when i'll wind the pace up a tiny bit more.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Llani Boy

Garmin ????? It must have been a very early one Graham ;)

Was it the size of a house brick?

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Well I did have the first (of many) Garmin(s) when they arrived and it was big and chunky but the beep might well have been from a Timex Ironman or the like.:)

Extended run today around Darwen Moor.
Managed 7 miles 1280 ft, 90 minutes.

It was a beautiful morning. Driving the few miles up to the Royal, the moor between the Tower and Cartridge looked like someone had draped a cotton wool sheet over the top. At times I was simultaneously above and below the clag.
Some icy sections.

I think the Stan Bradshaw will be too much too soon for me next week, so I'll make a decision early next week, maybe wait for Pendle early April.

10 brisk miles this morning.

Weekly final score of 70 miles.

Looks like i'll be able to resume club sessions on tuesday. My original plan for this week had always been to "train through" and just deal with Saturday's Cardingmill Canter with whatever state my legs were in.... its not a priority race (although obviously i want to do well)

However given my lack of recent speedwork, i may well take the thursday session a little easier, and try and save something in the bag for Cardingmill.

Despite the challenging past few weeks, i feel like i'm in as good shape as i've ever been.... whether i'll be fell-sharp though is a different matter. One short night-race in December (25mins or so), and one downhill race on NYE (13mins) is the sum total of my fell activity since last summer.

Club night and i was rather apprehensive for my return to flat sessions.

Not feeling 100% fresh, and certainly not "sharp", but tonight was 3 x 1 mile (3 minute rests) on a damp and breezy evening.

I'd have snapped your hand off for 3 reps at or around 5:45 tonight. But exceeded expectations with...

5:38
5:36
5:32

Very pleased. I know i was knocking them off in the mid 5:20's this time last year when i was sharp, although i think that was only 2 x 1 mile. Still i'd like to get them down to 5:30 on sharper legs.

11 miles for the session, on top of 3 very easy miles AM. Feel very stiff and sore right now.... thursday is a track session, of which i'll do part, in order to save my legs for Cardingmill on saturday.

Club night and a track session.

Tuesday, despite running well, was a bit of a shock to the system.... could i defy the odds and run a decent session tonight as well.

Session was 6 x 500mtrs off 3mins rest. However due to saturday's impending race i only did reps 1,3,5... giving me almost 7 minutes rest between.

I was in the 2nd group and our target was 91secs... this is under 73sec pace for 400mtrs which i felt was too ambitious for me, and i personally felt 94-95secs would be a more realistic target.

1st rep i was very stiff and did run within myself, and was very pleased to run it in 95secs.
2nd rep i consciously sped up and ran bang on the target of 91secs.
3rd rep i went for broke and ran 89secs.

This final rep was a bit of a breakthrough for me as that is close on 71sec pace for 400mtrs... i'm pretty sure i've never gone below 73/74secs on a track rep.

Finished off with 5 x 60mtr sprints which i took as strides and just concentrated on technique, and ensuring my hamstrings didn't explode.

Ok it was only 3 reps and long rest periods, but given how i felt before and during, it was very pleasing... in fact i'm quite excited about the upcoming few weeks once i can shake off the fatigue of resuming speedwork.

On to saturday then... to be honest with the stiffness in my legs, if it was any other race i'd probably drop out... however i've already promised a clubmate a lift, and looking at the entry list, there's a mouth-watering number of runners who i know well, and however i run there's going to be "rivals" just in front or very close behind.

10.5 miles tonight, on top of 3 miles AM.

Only 3 of us for yesterday evenings RATRun from a new venue, The Olde Cheshire Cheese in Longnor, which has reopened after an extensive refurbishment. There used to be four pubs in Longnor, none for the last couple of years but now back to one.

It was cool but dry as we set off along Gauledge on The Manifold Trail over saturated farmland via Fawside to Hardings Booth where we left the Manifold Trail. Through Shining Ford and up to Newtown. Down to Hawks Yard, across more saturated ground and reedy, knee deep bogs to Boosley Grange before firmer ground up to Hallhill. Nice, gently downhill fields to the old mill at Bridge End, across and up the road before more saturated fields and bogs up to The Low. Down into the Manifold Valley over the river and more knee deep bogs to firmer ground at Ridge End Farm. More saturated fields up the Manifold Valley to Longnor via Lower Boothlow, Over Boothlow and Boothlow Hayes.

A very stodgy and strength sapping 8 miles, 820 feet in 1hr 26 min. Back in the nicely refurbished Olde Cheshire Cheese delicious cheesy, not Cheshire, and non cheesy chips were washed down with Dizzy Blonde 3.8% from Robinsons. Not the best pint I've ever imbibed!

New ground covered on this run and we will look forward to returning later in the year when it will be a lot drier underfoot and in daylight. Annoyingly I managed to tear the sleeve of my new Ron Hill Jacket on some barbed wire whilst squeezing through a gap stile. It was one of those where you can hear it rip but can't stop quickly enough to minimise damage. A square of gaffer tape inside and out of the L shaped tear should do the trick.

I know it's St David's Day, so we should expect some Welsh weather, but the amount of rain we have been getting is ridiculous.

The morning's rain had stopped by the time I set off on my run, but on the bridleway up towards the Outwoods I was half expecting a canoeist to come the other way; conditions on the path were certainly suitable for brown-water canoeing.

My decision to wear a waterproof top was vindicated in the Outwoods when the first hail shower started. By the time I had got to the top of Beacon Hill, the hail and rain had stopped, and it was actually bright and clear as I went around Broombriggs and Windmill Hill. But the second hail shower started while I was on the path across the open arable fields on the way home from Woodhouse Eaves; I was glad that the wind was behind me then, so that the hail was only pummelling my back.

So, another run that has not done much for my speed, but at least it was good practice for those fell races in difficult conditions.

Not quite ready for Stan Bradshaw, but Wrs WP fancied a potter around Clitheroe, so I had a trot around the RV10K course instead.

6 mile, 57:36 and it comes out as 350ft, which I think is slightly over-egging it.

Happy with that. My road runs in the last year have been around high 9s, low 10s per mile and typically over 3-4 miles, so I'll take 9:35 over the 6 without over extending myself.

I was amongst the 74 hardy souls that congregated this morning at Queens Park, Chesterfield for the North Derbyshire Running Club's monthly No Walk In The Park 5k. It was cold and murky but fortunately the forecast rain/sleet held off.

After the four tarmac path laps of the cricket ground and lake I was hoping for a sub 19 mins but had to be content with 19.10 after losing a bit of pace around the 3k mark. That will be the last of my tarmac running for a while and hopefully my 5 and 10K times will be quick enough for the Welsh Age Group selectors when they meet on 27th March.

Re-hydration was a mug of tea which washed down a full English and toast at a greasy spoon in Whittington Moor. Great value at £6 for the lot!

I heard jess ennis talking about professional athletes resting earlier today, and not due to injury. How do you rest? Just by running recreationally?

Well done Llani, superb time.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mr brightside

I heard jess ennis talking about professional athletes resting earlier today, and not due to injury. How do you rest? Just by running recreationally?

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I think for pro's it is easier, particularly if you are a track runner, as you have an "off season" during the winter (unless you're doing indoors which would mean you'll have two smaller off-seasons.

For me an "easy" day will still include one or even two easy runs of a few miles, nice easy pace. Will only have a complete rest day if i absolutely feel i need it.

What i have found over the last 18 months is doing less races has helped, allowing me to train properly in between... when i'm racing two or three weekends a month, good quality training is a real problem as i'm either recovering, or taking it easy before the next race.

Today I kept the many dog walkers and dogless walkers in the Outwoods amused with my first hill reps session of the year (in recent weeks the rain has given me all the excuse I need to avoid doing reps). The times were:
2:35, 2:42, 2:45, 2:40, 2:44, 2:43.
Although I have previously said that a mean of 2:40 is par for a good session of these reps, I was pleased with these times, given my current lack of fitness, just coming out of Winter.

Wildboar Fell, from Flass, to Sand Tarn to TP, to High White Scar, along The Band, and return via Cold Keld to Street. 8.36 miles, 1 hrs 54 mins, 1963 ft ascent.

Bright blue skies and a good dollop of snow still on the tops, and a steady, but not unpleasant, headwind on the way up. Sat on the tailgate of the car supping a coffee afterwards, out of the wind and soaking up the sun, with Rough Fell sheep, nibbling the grass around my feet. Heaven.

Another 40 minute continuous 15% gradient run, another notch up on the pace, and my first failure to complete.

Could only manage 35 out of the 40 minutes running, and needed two brief periods of power walking which made up the lost 5 minutes.

At least i know i'm working right up to my limit now. Not sure i've ever sweat so much in a (UK) gym.

Next week.... we are about to start a new 10-12 week training phase at the club and not yet recieved the training plans, so unsure of this weeks sessions. No doubt next weekend will see a second attempt at today's hill session.

Next race is Midlands 12-Stage in a fortnight.... last few years i've made the first team (even for the National 12-Stage as well), but always felt it was by default due to lack of numbers, rather than on merit... this year, although a number of the fast lads are available, it'll be interesting to see if i can get in the first 12 on merit.

A slow paddle over Beacon Hill and Windmill Hill in the rain and the clag. For once I remembered to put on gloves (as well as a waterproof top); I have come back from some recent runs with rather cold hands.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by anthonykay

I know it's St David's Day, so we should expect some Welsh weather, but the amount of rain we have been getting is ridiculous.

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Rain?

What do you call a parrot in the rain with an umbrella?















Pollyunsaturated.

Club night and 3 x 2km (actually the rep is about 15-20secs longer than 2km)
4mins rest

Having been pulverised at the physio this afternoon i was quite sore, and given permission to only do two reps if necessary.

We are set off at handicaps so that we are chasing down the slower guys, and the faster guys come flying past me at some point. Which keeps things keen with people to chase.

My target for the reps was 7:20..... i thought 7:25 was a decent aim, so the target wasn't too ambitious.

7:30
7:37

Not sure what happened on the 2nd rep, it felt as good as the first one, and although a bit sore, i certainly couldn't make the excuse of being in pain.... although the guy who went off on the same handicap as me reckoned we went off a bit slower on the 2nd rep.

And admittedly its only 2 days since that brutal hill session... and they are currently my toughest sessions of the week.

I thought about trying to redress it by putting everything into a 3rd rep... however feeling a bit sore, and with a gruesome track session coming up on thursday, decided it would be more sensible to call it a night.

I used my new GPS watch tonight for the first time (after leaving my previous GPS watch on the roof of the car getting changed after the Cardingmill Canter and then driving off and losing it somewhere on the A49 or M54!)

10 miles for the session, plus 4 easy miles this morning.

Breached the subject with my coach of dropping down to one club session a week after the road relays, in order to do two hill sessions per week... this recieved a positive response, and i'll be starting that within the next month.

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Originally Posted by Travs

I used my new GPS watch tonight for the first time (after leaving my previous GPS watch on the roof of the car getting changed after the Cardingmill Canter and then driving off and losing it somewhere on the A49 or M54!)

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Ouch - sounds expensive!

Indeed...

I had one of those Garmin Fenix thingies worth £600.... luckily i'd paid "only" 250 for it second-hand.

Cost me £220 for a new one. Went for a Coros Pace 3, which looks to me to be the best in that price range. I looked at the cheaper Garmin watches but the build quality is so poor.