- That race is crazily strong! I came in position 292 out of about 800 finishers. Comfortably in the top half but nowhere near top 10%. Clearly this is not a race for fun runners but to finish that low down the order in a mixed race is quite something.
- Starting further back is more fun. Being overtaken so much in the second half is not my style and not much fun. I must rein in that first mile next time. Having said that my HR was in the right place after half a mile and didn't go up until the last mile so the effort can't have been that wrong. Maybe just easing off slightly would pay off double in the last two miles.
- 10Ks are over far too quickly! If I am going to dedicate my Sunday morning to a race I prefer a distance with a bit more ebb and flow to it. Half Marathons are perfect for this.
- I am in decent shape. 2017 could be an exciting year.
Monday, 6 March 2017
Race Review
Now that the dust has settled on my 10K performance yesterday here are some more thoughts:
Trafford 10K
Decent 10K race for me yesterday. Almost missed the start when a closed motorway junction resulted in the most enormous diversion known to man so my planned 3 mile warm up became less than a mile.
As with the rest of the country conditions were very wet but not too much wind and the temperature was good for racing so no excuses there.
Started about 5 rows back and when the starting gun went about 200 people went passed me in the first mile! The race is crazily competitive. The lap pace showed about 5:40 after half a mile which is much too quick for me so I easy off and eventually got the mile split down to 5:57. Still my fastest split ever in a 10K but not too far off my planned 6:10 pace.
The next two miles are slightly uphill so they were a bit slower - 6:15s. My HR was in the right zone and the effort felt OK so all to plan so far. Went through 5k in just over 19 mins.
Mile 4 is a bit downhill and this felt nicer, eventually ticking of a 6:06 mile. Just two more fast miles and my time could be sub 38.
However I started to pay for the fast start here and had to dig in to keep the pace respectable. I normally finish races strong but this time I was getting overtaken now and then and didn't seem to be able to do anything about it.
Mile 5 is also slightly downhill so a 6:13 was a bit slow but not disastrous.
I increased the effort in the last mile as more people came past me and my HR was up near 95% of max. but I could only manage another 6:13. After an age the finish straight finally came into view and I managed a reasonably strong last 400 m at 5:50 pace.
A chip time of 38:03 - about 20 seconds faster than my time on the short course last year so I'll take it. And finally I'll have a decent 10K PB on Po10.
According to McMillan Running my 24:10 HM in January was a better performance but whatever, maybe I paced that one better.
One more week now before the taper
As with the rest of the country conditions were very wet but not too much wind and the temperature was good for racing so no excuses there.
Started about 5 rows back and when the starting gun went about 200 people went passed me in the first mile! The race is crazily competitive. The lap pace showed about 5:40 after half a mile which is much too quick for me so I easy off and eventually got the mile split down to 5:57. Still my fastest split ever in a 10K but not too far off my planned 6:10 pace.
The next two miles are slightly uphill so they were a bit slower - 6:15s. My HR was in the right zone and the effort felt OK so all to plan so far. Went through 5k in just over 19 mins.
Mile 4 is a bit downhill and this felt nicer, eventually ticking of a 6:06 mile. Just two more fast miles and my time could be sub 38.
However I started to pay for the fast start here and had to dig in to keep the pace respectable. I normally finish races strong but this time I was getting overtaken now and then and didn't seem to be able to do anything about it.
Mile 5 is also slightly downhill so a 6:13 was a bit slow but not disastrous.
I increased the effort in the last mile as more people came past me and my HR was up near 95% of max. but I could only manage another 6:13. After an age the finish straight finally came into view and I managed a reasonably strong last 400 m at 5:50 pace.
A chip time of 38:03 - about 20 seconds faster than my time on the short course last year so I'll take it. And finally I'll have a decent 10K PB on Po10.
According to McMillan Running my 24:10 HM in January was a better performance but whatever, maybe I paced that one better.
One more week now before the taper
Sunday, 5 March 2017
The bounce is back
Two easy days in a row and my legs are feeling bouncy again - a feeling I haven't had for a long time. The forecast for the Trafford 10K tomorrow is cold and wet but I don't really care. It isn't that windy so the conditions shouldn't affect times that much. It won't encourage spectators but then there are hardly any anyway!
The course was found to be short last year and I lost my PB. They have added the missing 100m now so hopefully I can repeat my time from last year and get a respectable 10K PB.
10K isn't my favourite distance really. A 5K is a fun speed blast and a Half is a good endurance test whereas a 10K is neither but still, it involves running so will be fun!
The course was found to be short last year and I lost my PB. They have added the missing 100m now so hopefully I can repeat my time from last year and get a respectable 10K PB.
10K isn't my favourite distance really. A 5K is a fun speed blast and a Half is a good endurance test whereas a 10K is neither but still, it involves running so will be fun!
Saturday, 4 March 2017
5 miles with strides
Two easy days now before Sunday's race.
5 miles is as much as I can fit into a lunch break so that was the plan today. Doing six 100 metre sprints in the run (often called strides) brought the average pace below 8:00 min / mile so quite fast for an easy run. Strides are supposed to improve your form and give you a chance to get some speed into weary legs without tiring you out too much. They make a change from the general slog of marathon training in any case.
Oh and the rain... February has been ridiculously wet and that is continuing into March at the moment. If I had a pound for every wet run I have done this winter...
5 miles is as much as I can fit into a lunch break so that was the plan today. Doing six 100 metre sprints in the run (often called strides) brought the average pace below 8:00 min / mile so quite fast for an easy run. Strides are supposed to improve your form and give you a chance to get some speed into weary legs without tiring you out too much. They make a change from the general slog of marathon training in any case.
Oh and the rain... February has been ridiculously wet and that is continuing into March at the moment. If I had a pound for every wet run I have done this winter...
Thursday, 2 March 2017
17 miles on a week day
Trying to fit Sunday races into a marathon plan is always tricky as you can't just do your long run on Saturday as that would ruin your legs for the race. If you are doing a Half Marathon you can do a long warm up and cool down to make the distance up to 18 miles or so but this can detract from the race day fun. If you are doing a 10k then this isn't really an option. The other possibility is to do the long run midweek which is what I did today.
Doing a 17 miler the day after a 14 miler is a bit risky in terms of injury but it went surprisingly well. My legs felt fine and the average pace came out at 7:52, despite me consciously going a bit slower than normal in the second half. As this run was in the morning and the Tuesday run was in the afternoon it meant I had done 40 miles in 48 hours. However I find that having a sleep between runs is the major key. It is amazing how a decent sleep can reset your body, leaving you ready for the day's challenges.
One other thing I am trying over Lent is to eat a tin of sardines every day. With a tin containing almost 20g of protein and only costing 40p it is a pretty cost effective and tasty way of getting some more protein. The Omega 3 oils won't do you any harm either.
I have actually put on a few pounds of weight during this marathon training program, despite the high mileage I have been doing. The culprit is probably the nuts that I gorge on at work. While containing a useful amount of protein they also contain a lot of fat so my calorie intake must be through the roof. Will have to watch that one.
Doing a 17 miler the day after a 14 miler is a bit risky in terms of injury but it went surprisingly well. My legs felt fine and the average pace came out at 7:52, despite me consciously going a bit slower than normal in the second half. As this run was in the morning and the Tuesday run was in the afternoon it meant I had done 40 miles in 48 hours. However I find that having a sleep between runs is the major key. It is amazing how a decent sleep can reset your body, leaving you ready for the day's challenges.
One other thing I am trying over Lent is to eat a tin of sardines every day. With a tin containing almost 20g of protein and only costing 40p it is a pretty cost effective and tasty way of getting some more protein. The Omega 3 oils won't do you any harm either.
I have actually put on a few pounds of weight during this marathon training program, despite the high mileage I have been doing. The culprit is probably the nuts that I gorge on at work. While containing a useful amount of protein they also contain a lot of fat so my calorie intake must be through the roof. Will have to watch that one.
Wednesday, 1 March 2017
Marathon training
It's been a while...
Almost two years since my last post and still no sub 3 marathon. And now I am 41! What a crazy name for my blog in retrospect.
I had an optimistic attempt at sub 3 at Chester last autumn and faded after 16 miles, finishing with a 10 minute positive split but a big PB of 3:08.
This winter I have been following the P&D 55-70 miles per week 18 week plan, with extra easy running to make it a 60 - 80 mpw plan.
In January I smashed my HM PB with 1:24:10 at the Four Villages Half. So another sub 3 attempt is in order at the Manchester marathon in four and a half weeks.
But for now, for Lent, I am blogging every day up till the marathon.
So today was 14 miles MLR (medium long run.)
Doing 14 miles before work is quite tough as it means a 5:30 am wake up and setting off in the dark. I won't miss these runs after the marathon.
However today the weather was dry and there was a hint of daylight even at 6 am.
14 miles averaging 7:55 pace. That'll do.
Almost two years since my last post and still no sub 3 marathon. And now I am 41! What a crazy name for my blog in retrospect.
I had an optimistic attempt at sub 3 at Chester last autumn and faded after 16 miles, finishing with a 10 minute positive split but a big PB of 3:08.
This winter I have been following the P&D 55-70 miles per week 18 week plan, with extra easy running to make it a 60 - 80 mpw plan.
In January I smashed my HM PB with 1:24:10 at the Four Villages Half. So another sub 3 attempt is in order at the Manchester marathon in four and a half weeks.
But for now, for Lent, I am blogging every day up till the marathon.
So today was 14 miles MLR (medium long run.)
Doing 14 miles before work is quite tough as it means a 5:30 am wake up and setting off in the dark. I won't miss these runs after the marathon.
However today the weather was dry and there was a hint of daylight even at 6 am.
14 miles averaging 7:55 pace. That'll do.
Tuesday, 23 June 2015
Reset
It had to happen eventually.
After years of considering myself to be immune to injury I got injured.
About four weeks before Manchester Marathon I did two 20 mile runs in less than 48 hours in ill-fitting shoes. This stupidity resulted in a blood blister which then had me running on the front of my foot. This resulted in a sore foot.
Like an idiot I kept on training but the sore foot did not go away. After my marathon is was particularly painful and again a week later after a mere 6 miles I was limping everywhere.
I tried doing my running on grass but this didn't cure it so after a last race (a hilly 5 miler) I decided to stop running until it was better. That was in mid May. It is now getting towards July and I am still not running. The foot is getting better but l am probably still two weeks away from starting to jog again.
Luckily I can cycle and swim. This exercise is keeping me sane but watching the summer racing pass me by is pretty frustrating.
One positive is that after two and a half years of constant training I am giving my joints a long break and hopefully clearing up all my niggles.
I have enjoyed the swimming and cycling and may have to try a triathlon one day! Going from being a decent club runner to one of the slowest swimmers in the pool is pretty humbling and will certainly address and ego issues!
As Arnie said, I'll be back. Hopefully I'll be wiser I'm future and listen to my body.
After years of considering myself to be immune to injury I got injured.
About four weeks before Manchester Marathon I did two 20 mile runs in less than 48 hours in ill-fitting shoes. This stupidity resulted in a blood blister which then had me running on the front of my foot. This resulted in a sore foot.
Like an idiot I kept on training but the sore foot did not go away. After my marathon is was particularly painful and again a week later after a mere 6 miles I was limping everywhere.
I tried doing my running on grass but this didn't cure it so after a last race (a hilly 5 miler) I decided to stop running until it was better. That was in mid May. It is now getting towards July and I am still not running. The foot is getting better but l am probably still two weeks away from starting to jog again.
Luckily I can cycle and swim. This exercise is keeping me sane but watching the summer racing pass me by is pretty frustrating.
One positive is that after two and a half years of constant training I am giving my joints a long break and hopefully clearing up all my niggles.
I have enjoyed the swimming and cycling and may have to try a triathlon one day! Going from being a decent club runner to one of the slowest swimmers in the pool is pretty humbling and will certainly address and ego issues!
As Arnie said, I'll be back. Hopefully I'll be wiser I'm future and listen to my body.
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