Today's Training

[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

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!

[Llani Boy]

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

[Graham Breeze]

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

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

[Travs]

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.

[Witton Park]

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.

NO!
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.

[anthonykay]

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.

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.

[Travs]

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.

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.

[Travs]

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.

[Mossdog]

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....

[Travs]

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.