Posted on May 31, 2009 under Long Runs, above 15k |
10 mile run in the blazing sun. Had to walk at some points, especially a few hills, also sojourned in an air conditioned Co-op as I had foolishly gone out without water but wisely taken some emergency money – which came in handy, although I was a penny short for the gatorade so had to make do with Oasis and the tight shopkeeper git wouldn’t let me off for the penny 
Really needed the drink, but 10 mile mission accomplished, though it hurt a lot by the end and was going very very slowly but enjoyed it.
Posted on May 29, 2009 under 5-10k, Fartlek, Uncategorized |
Failed Fartlek session – felt Ok to start with but first fast k did me in completely, never really got going and cut it short, felt far too hot by the end – was a very hot day and it was hottest part of the day, though I did pass a guy in a woolly hat so either he’s mad or I am!
Posted on May 26, 2009 under 5 miles, Tempo Runs |
5 mile tempo run, started off with a sedate 1.5k warmup before kicking up to a faster pace. Tried to push the pace harder at points but never went into real top gear, with a fastest k of 4:54 but some slower ones too, so didn’t manage a sub 40 five mile, but did get a PB by over a minute 
Posted on May 24, 2009 under 10-15k, Hill Work, Long Runs |
Very nice longish run in the sun, and hilly too – uphill most of the way in fact, and maintained same pace as on my last 8 mile run, so not bad at all – but felt a deserved the last 2 miles cruising downhill on the route I planned (followed at the end by a very steep incline which killed my legs in the end!)
Posted on May 22, 2009 under 5k, Easy Runs, Recovery Runs |
My comeback run after the Great Manchester Run. Have been feeling very tired all week and didn’t feel like running at all. Someone said I might have a bit of an iron deficiency so I looked it up and have been taking iron supplements all week.
A few more red blood cells to carry around oxygen seemed to help, as I ran an easy first k and felt better than my last 2 runs, and even put in a speedy couple of k’s relatively speaking (5.00 and 4:54 – faster than I ran at any point in sunday’s race and I felt good), then slowed down as it was after all a recovery run.
Felt much better afterwards and looking forward to finding that kind of form in a race sometime soon
Posted on May 17, 2009 under 10k, News, Races |
Well, I had been really looking forward to this, and been training well, with 5k PB’s and all sorts, so had some confidence that I could go sub 50, although I knew it might be a bit tough due to the 33,000 strong field.
The race came at the back of an emotional week, with a few things going on – have started the clearout operation at my mum’s house, which is proving to be a mammoth task, and just lots of little emotional bursts at having to throw things out, finding old notes/letters etc, so I have been carrying that around in my head, but felt quite chilled on the eve of the race. Had also been feeling a bit run down with some spots and a mouth ulcer developing – despite eating well and taking the usual multivitamins. Last pre-race run was a bad ‘un, did 5k in 29 minutes and felt awful, but that’s happened before and resulted in PB on race day so I didn’t worry about it too much.
Didn’t get to bed too early, then was up before 7am, felt groggy but that’s not unusual for me at that time of the morning! Unfortunately I also woke up with a tongue the colour of a brand new cricket ball, felt a bit sore as well, so used some mouthwash after a breakfast of peanut butter on toast. Walked the dog then got my kit on, made sure I had my chip around my ankle then went to get te bus. It felt a bit chilly, but was warm on the bus. I holed up at Piccadilly rail station for a bit to keep warm, plenty of other runners around, but no real opportunity to jog for a warm up. Used loos etc – an old lady asked me if I could stay and listen out for the phone for her, as she was waiting for a call, then she asked if there was a first aid man about to check her blood pressure as she was getting stressed out waiting for this call. I hope she got the call, but I had to leave, lol.
So I went to join my wave, jogging from the station to Portland Street, and they were doing the mass warm up. I jogged on the spot a bit, but felt a twinge in my shoulder area, think I have a bit of a strained muscle there. In any case, as we moved forward I ended up next to a person dressed as a big teddy bear – I automatically thought “Wait till I tell mum about the teddy bear…” as she always used to like the fancy dress element on the TV, then of course I realised I couldn’t share such things ever again and the waterworks started up a bit so good job I had the shades on In any case, I steeled myself and off we went, a long walk to reach the start line and then people around me broke into a jog. Great atmosphere as usual!
I felt a bit crowded in at first, and was zigzagging and dashing to make headway, although I felt being kept in check for the first few k might actually do me good and save a bit for the second half. So I went over the first k in 5:08 which was pretty slow but not too much to catch up if I was to get a sub 50. As we headed onto the long road out of the city, I started to get really bad pins and needles in my hands, have no idea why, maybe it was a by-product of adrenaline, as I had felt pretty nervous and pumped up about the occasion at the start. This did go, and I felt ok, and at 4k I put in what was to be the fastest kilometre of the course at 5:02. I was getting hot but not too breathless, and bypassed the water stations, but thereafter I was totally stuck in 3rd gear and couldn’t find anything else, I put on some bursts of what felt like speed but couldn’t keep it going. I thought if I could see the last 3k as a time trial and blast through them I could make up the time (I was way off the intended pace by then) but I had nothing left and by the time I was in the finishing straight I was pretty much dragging myself along and just wanted to get it over and done with. My shiny left Adidas Supernova had been dyed red by blood, the sock was soaked with the stuff, think a little nail was digging in to the toe next to it – have run quite a bit in the shoes and done a race before without problems, looks like this just wasn’t my day all round!
According to the Garmin it was 52:53ish for 10.1k, will see what the chip time is but not really bothered – I felt half dead going through the finishing funnel. Not sure what’s going on as that’s 2 races on the trot where my time has got progressively slower after a good PB, don’t know if it’s just been the hard week, or whether the red tongue and stuff is just a sign I have picked something up and am not fully fit tho I don’t feel ill (although throat is starting to get sore now) – certainly I know I can run much better than that, but I couldn’t find my top gear at all today. I don’t know if it was because I couldn’t find my own rhythm early on as I was having to slow down with walkers in front of me, then sprint-dash around them when space allowed – probably a bunch of factors that didn’t allow me to run at the pace I know I can.
Still I enjoyed the day out and the atmosphere and raised a few quid for Marie Curie. The day didn’t end up so bad – in fact it’s not every day you run in the same race with Haile Gebreselassie, then get to watch Usain Bolt and Christine Ohuruogu race, and end up with high fives off Usain Bolt, who had just recorded the fastest ever speed recorded by a human in running the fastest 150 metres time in history as part of the Manchester Great City Games 2009
Bolt even made the rain stop when he was due to come out to run – respect!
I have entered plenty of other races so I have to come good in one of them sooner or later for that sub 50.
Posted on May 14, 2009 under 5-10k, 5k, Easy Runs, Jogs |
Last easy run before Sunday’s Great manchester run. I seem to follow a pattern of my last run before a race being awful – meant to do 4 miles today but was feeling it getting harder and harder so stopped at 5k and was pretty hot and sweaty despite the cool day – and had not gone very quick at 29 minutes for the 5k, but had a bit of tummy trouble and felt a bit tired. Didn’t feel I could possibly have gone any faster and no idea how I ran 23:38 for a 5k last week!
Last time my pre-race run was so bad, I PB’d and nearly went sub 50 for the 10k, so it may be a good omen!
Posted on May 11, 2009 under 5 miles, Easy Runs, Jogs, Trail Running |
My niece is a bit ill lately so is taking a break from her training, I had held off running today to see if she was up to it; as she wasn’t, I ended up going for a run in the early evening sunshine. Intended to run aroun 6 mins per k and started off at 5:59, then slowed a bit due to inclines and wooden steps in hills! Took the scenic route which was nice, and running at a slow pace was almost like walking used to be, felt I could just keep going, although would feel a bit puffy after hills.
Saw more runners around than I normally do in my daytime runs! I am doing the Dennis the Menace 5 mile race in June so a few evening runs will be good preparation, but took it really nice and easy today.
Hamstring seemed to twinge a bit when I did a burst of race pace for a few 100 metres, but doesn’t seem to be anything major. Think I will rest for a couple of days before another easy 5 miler, and then prepare for the Great Manchester Run 2009!
Posted on May 09, 2009 under 5 miles, 5-10k, Milestones, PB's, Tempo Runs |
After getting a 5k PB the other day I felt I needed an easier run, but a little longer, so opted for a nice easy five miler, although I guess it ended up being my 5 mile PB even though I wasn’t running for a time.
Good thing was, I ran it much easier than my last five miler, felt better, and did it several minutes quicker, including a couple of later K’s where I unconsciously ran nearly at race pace without trying.
Definite improvments in speed and endurance lately – starting to get excited about the Great Manchester Run now, if I can weave around the Scooby Doos and Marshmallows quickly enough, I may well PB and go sub 50, in fact I know I can do it! Just depends on the speed of the runners around me and if I get crowded I think, but it might work in my favour if I take the outgoing half quite easy then go full pelt on the way back into Manchester
Posted on May 07, 2009 under 5k, Milestones, PB's, Time Trials |
First 5k time trial for a while, and have finally shattered the 24 minute barrier – 23:38! It’s been a long time coming, a PB by 22 seconds and 40 seconds than my previous best this year but definite improvement now after being stuck just over 24 for some time. Was definitely helped by more mileage last week then a 3 day rest, I think, so I felt fresh and raring to go.
By the end I was almost ready to collapse – felt very tempted to stop at 3k, thinking I had gone way too fast and couldn’t go any further, then I thought I might even break 23 minutes if I could just keep going and that gave me some motivation to keep going, but I was tiring in the last 2k and lost quite a bit of time just hanging on during kilometre 4, but still kept it below 5 mins/k and just sprinted as best I could in the last seconds, focusing on a lampost up ahead which I duly hugged/fell around as I finished!
Splits were:
4:34
4:44
4:38
4:54
4:46
This time I had the endurance to blast off and then just keep it thereabouts, so the training is working! The Macmillan race calculator now predicts 49:06 for 10k from this 5k time, and in recent times it has been pretty accurately predicting my 10k times from my 5k trials
I am now looking for sub 23 within the next few months – and who knows – sub 20 within a year?!
