Archives for Club Runs category
Posted on Jun 01, 2013 under 5-10k, Club Runs, Regular Runs |
Had a week or so off running due to a trip to Wales (the trip I managed to double book over the Great Manchester Run so ended up not doing it for the first time in 5 years!). Indulged in about 40 miles of mountain and other walking, took my running shoes but by the day I had planned a run over the Orme, my legs were shot and my feet were burning up with blisters…
So waited till I got back and head out to Sweatshop Hyde community run on Wednesday, was a bit quietish with Tony absent and not a few people doing the Dovestone diamond, or recovering from the Bupa 10k. Set off at the front and had to reign myself in to stop myself getting too far ahead, pace felt very easy, so kept backmarking then catching the front then going back to backmark. In the end the front pack went way ahead and there were two ladies way behind so I looked after them while we were on the canals and then when we got to the big long hill at the back of Market Street they said I could charge off if i liked, so I did, and managed to make up the ground on the leading pack in the distance somehow, really flew up that hill, legs and body felt fantastic, grabbed by bottle and coat from the shop and decided to run home as well making up about 5 miles altogether.
Then a couple of days off, and a nice sunny Saturday late afternoon, so thought I would do a 10k and see if I could get under an hour. Had a route planned in my mind and off I went after the Garmin kept telling me the GPS signals were weak and taking ages to find a signal. First km was a bit slowish, then I picked up the pace and was just looking at the Garmin to see what km 2 clicked over in, when the blink of an eye it went from 1.98KM to 1.48km and so I ended up doing km2 in about 8 minutes but knew the Garmin had gone haywire as it occasionally does. Any thoughts of a real time trial sort of run with the Garmin playing tricks like that went out of the window, even still, I carried on and thought maybe just a tempo pace, but at 3 or 4k I really started to wilt, and when I got into Debdale Park I had to stop with my lungs really burning and revised my route to take me back home the quickest way. Had to stop a few times but once I got back to Hyde Road I pushed on and got to Victoria Park where I stopped the Garmin at 8k, with the .5 I had lost added on making up 8.5km so a tad over 5 miles which wasn’t bad and pleased I kept going though I did not enjoy the last few miles one bit, felt hot and weak and had to go pretty slowly just to make it home, but at least I didn’t walk it all or get the bus as much as I felt like it!
Posted on Mar 18, 2013 under 10-15k, Club Runs, Long Runs |
Not been to the Sweatshop Running group in Hyde for a while due to my work commitments, but a rare free Monday evening saw me champing at the bit! Setting off reminded me of runs just before Christmas in the middle of winter, so cold was it, my hands were going numb waiting for the bus – hard to believe it’s mid March, spring needs to get a move on!
Anyway my plan was to double up and do both the 5k and 10k runs. There was a nice greeting when I walked in the shop from some familiar friendly faces and I enjoyed catching up with some people, then we were off for this “flatish” affair that had some suspicious hillyish bits thrown in. Ended with a nice run along the old railway lines at Hyde where I discovered a different exit route to the one I was expecting!
Then it was back to the shop and attempted to keep warm and supple while waiting for the next run to start, and then off we went, with the darkness almost fully descended now, I felt I was starting off at a good pace but people I used to run with were off miles in front their training has obviously been paying off! Was wary of trying to go too fast and make the same mistakes as before, with injury or just blowing up, so reigned my speed in quite a bit, sometimes running at the back or moving up and down. By the end was feeling it in my lungs and legs but maintained form, and even managed a spurt of speed up Norbury Street or whatever it’s called (just a long steepish hill!), and made it up the hill, then eased down on the last few 100 yards to the shop, not wanting to risk an injury with some pointless sprint finish.
So with both runs was 15k or roundabout 9 miles ish, not bad, and no problems with my legs apart from a bit of tiredness!! Good to be back and hope my schedule allows me back some more soon!
Posted on Jan 17, 2013 under All Weather Running, Club Runs, Injuries, Long Runs |
Time to venture out to Sweatshop Hyde running group again, and this time decided to do the 5k followed by the new mid week 10k group which was set to run at an easier pace than the usual Wednesday 10k crew.
Felt good on the 5k, a nice warmup, ran out at the front quite a bit and felt stronger than I have in a while. Tried to conserve energy for the following 10k but didn’t do too good a job of this.
Got a bit cold waiting for the 10k to group and set off, tried to stay moving. My plan was to run most of the route and then break off and head back home when the group reached Denton, rather than running all the way back to Hyde and then having to bus it back.
Lot of ice around, which was negotiated safely, and I felt strong, and put in some strides, mostly running out at the front. When we got to Denton my laces came undone so I stopped for a minute, and elected to catch the group up then turn back towards home further down Hyde Road. Managed to catch the group, then turned off, and about 200 yards from home my hamstring twanged and I cam to a stuttering halt 🙁
So if it’s not my lower right leg, it’s my upper left leg – looks like a few days off running at least, and another slow comeback after feeling the fitness was coming right back. Glad I have not entered any races apart from Great Manchester, would just be a waste of money at the moment as I seem to get more and more injuries so will have to go back to slow jogging again…
Posted on Nov 12, 2012 under 5-10k, Club Runs, Injuries, Slow Runs |
Just for my own personal record, I have missed a couple of updates, so just making a brief note of them:
The other week, did a 6.5 mile hillyish run with SRC, meeting new people and seeing some familiar faces, and ran at the back at a nice slowish pace. Leg was fine the next day.
This Sunday 11/11/12, did a gentle 5 miler in about 55 minutes, leg felt a little niggly, but still ok as long as I keep the pace down to a very gentle trot.
Will keep plugging away!
Posted on Oct 31, 2012 under Club Runs, Fun Runs |
The Sweatshop Hyde Running Group Jekyll & Hyde Monster Mash Halloween Run asked participants to turn up in fancy dress for a 4 mile run combining both groups and welcoming runners of all abilities!
I arrived in my Friday the 13th outfit, complete with hoodie, ski mask and meat cleaver, already glistening wet from rain, rather than the fresh blood of victims along the way!
The outfits were all really amazing and I didn’t even recognise the Devil behind the counter in the shop! This Motley Crew of Ghouls, chainsaw murderers, vampires, witches, imps and zombies went out into the wet October evening and wreaked havoc on unsuspecting public and delighted children alike! We even stopped by the home of one of the running group members and several runners raided the children’s sweet bowls! Check out this bunch of impish, ghoulish, devilish runners! (Pic courtesy of Jackie!)
This cast of jogging oddities raised a few eyebrows and occasioned several appreciative beeps of horns, thankfully no pile ups were caused at the shock of seeing this gleeful lot going full tilt up and down hills in the sodden conditions.
Our illustrious coach nearly suffocated in his mask, and I must say running in full horror movie regalia was a hot and breathless affair, but I managed to run and kept to a sensible pace, and hopefully the leg will be OK come tomorrow!
Posted on Oct 17, 2012 under 5-10k, Club Runs |
Had a free evening so decided to head to the Sweatshop Hyde running group. I hasten to add, the 5k group, not the speedy 10k lot – not just yet, anyway!
Decided to jog to the shop as a bit of a warmup, and saw one of the crew in his car, he joked I would get there before him with the traffic!
Felt a bit strange arriving for the 5k, but saw a few familiar faces from the Ron Hill run on Sunday, and then we were off, I tried to take it steady but then felt comfortable and sped up a little, and after the first hill, and a bit of a stop, kept up with the front runners for a while. It was quite challenging in places with the hills, and we were “encouraged” to run back to meet up with the back markers at a number of points, which resulted in running nearly 6k in the end and doing a few of the uphills twice!
I felt good and was able to sustain a good pace right at the end, though I felt my hamstring protest a little. Didn’t feel too bad at all on the hills and felt strong all in all. So with the 2.5k to the shop, and the 5.8km group run, I managed to do a shade over 5 miles, which is pretty good going considering the time I’ve had to take off lately!
My leg did feel a little niggly still, so will see how it responds, but there was no real pain after the run, just a sense that I need to be careful with it!
Posted on Oct 14, 2012 under 5-10k, Club Runs, Milestones, Trail Running |
Have not been able to make the Hyde Sweatshop Running Community runs for over a month, both due to my injury woes and also the fact Mondays and Wednesdays have been inundated with client bookings in the evening. So when I recieved an invitation to run a 4 miler with Ron Hill this Sunday morning, with free breakfast to follow, I felt I couldn’t really say no!
It was a bright, albeit chilly morning, definitely a few notches down on the thermometer, especially early in the morning. I wore my long sleeved top underneath my short sleeve SRC yellow top, and my tracksuit bottoms. I put the old-ish trainers on as I expected we might hit the muddy trails!
Got to the shop and it was still quiet, chatted to a few people, and soon some familiar faces arrived. I had to remind myself I have not had much running for a month, so didn’t want to start trying to maintain whatever pace I had last time I was there!
We set off into the bright Sunday sunshine with Ron Hill leading, and I held back my pace, feeling tempted to try to hit the front markers but knowing that might not go down to well with my legs or lungs! Chatted to someone I hadn’t seen before, and felt quite good at the pace we were going. When we hit the trails around the Tame valley things got very muddy, I was able to attack the hill before Mill Lane and put on some bursts of speed, but then waited for back markers at various points. We went through the woods and up the stairs in the hillside, I took it easy, and then there was a bit of a detour back up to the canal path, which was extremely muddy. There was talk of ecoli and plague in those dangerous puddles as people tried to avoid them but I just went straight through a few – I hope I shall survive!
On the hills up to the shop I watched a few roads and stayed with the person I had chatted to at the beginning, and supported her to the end, as this wasn’t really a run to go hell for leather with pace, but I really enjoyed the company and the bright sunshine of the run.
I felt quite good at the pace I ran and it didn’t feel like I hadn’t been out for a run with other people for so long, so hopefully the swimming and the few jogs I’ve managed have kept my fitness ticking over.
Work permitting, I might venture back to the 5k Wednesday group, and will hopefully meet some more nice new people as well as familiar ones, and I can slowly build my distance and pace back up so I can enjoy some long winter runs.
My leg and back seemed to hold up well on this one. But my trainers certainly needed a spray with bleach solution and a dunk in hot water, and are now steam drying on the radiator, ready to eat more mud another day, although the evening runs will probably be on roads from now on with the dark nights!
Posted on Sep 05, 2012 under Club Runs, Regular Runs, Trail Running |
Had missed a few weeks at the Sweatshop group with one thing and another, and, aware of my penchant for running hard, was determined to take it easier with a race coming up on Sunday, and not too convinced of my legs just at the moment!
After the usual chat at the shop and getting the members card stamped, we set off into the trails of the Tame valley, and I settled into a nice slow pace somewhat behind the front runners. Not long into the run I felt a sharp twinge in my right calf, so really took it easy, but it never happened again.
Had a few chats with people and caught up with what people had been upto as we ran though Hulme’s wood towards Stockport Road. Had a bit of a breather there, then we were off up the hill and took it easy up the hill while chatting to a new member. We rested again at the top, and for the next leg I ran at a faster pace with the front runners for a bit, felt good and strong, but only wanted to get some strides in really and test my legs running at pace. My groin/hip was feeling mildly niggly now for some reason (after a week where I only ran 5k, the rest didn’t seem to have done me many favours!).
I took it easy on the way back to Mill lane, and we passed some miniature schnauzers barking at us, then a little dog scared the lady I was running next to, barking its head off. At Mill Lane I decided on the long route through the woods, but ran at the back, really needing the miles but just taking it easy.
By the time we got to the canal I was feeling fine, but there was a runner right at the back, and the others had sped off. I decided to stay with the back runner and offer some support up the hills back the the shop. We got up the hills and then had a little dash for the shop, and all in all felt like a nice run out to keep me loose and enjoy the scenery and company.
It seems niggles might be a feature from now on, but so far they have not turned into injuries. Fingers crossed for Salford then, just a couple of easy trots before then, and we shall see what happens on the day!
Posted on Aug 14, 2012 under 10-15k, Club Runs, Fartlek, Regular Runs, Trail Running |
Another Monday, and time to head out to the Sweatshop Running Community again! Was a nice day but threatened rain when I set off, and my plan was to run very easy after struggling last week, since the hard run on Monday.
The best laid plans often change though, I set off slowly and tried to keep my pace down but still ended up near the front, though was mindful not to try to keep up with the very front runners until I had got properly warmed up. Quite a few people had raced at the weekend and were taking it easy, so I just jogged along for a while, and we had fun going the wrong way and then having to catch up, which was fun!
Once we got into the run I started to pick up pace and kept nearer the front, I find these runs are more fartlek than anything for me, as I seem to get a real mix of pace from easy to tempo to sprinting with the odd rest stop and on this route some hills, so I suppose it’s good for going through different heart rate zones, not that I measure such things!
When we got to Mill Lane we were given a choice of going through the woods or the quicker route back to base, I elected to go the longer way, aware that this involved the steps and a fair few big hills at the climax! As I had been running quicker in bursts, I started to feel this extra distance and fell back a little at times, conserving my energy, but maintaining form, and gritting my teeth!
The last 3 hills up to Church Street (I think it’s called, there always seem to be church bells ringing when I run up those three big slopes, or maybe it’s just my heart hammering in my ears!) were very tough, and a few people pulled away from me, I felt I had nothing left and was really gasping, my legs turning to rubber, and I honestly felt I might die any second. Then as we crested the hill and reached flat ground, I had my moment of what must have been Mo Mania, as I just couldn’t resist accelerating and sprinting the last 2 or 3 hundred yards and seemed to find this burst of energy out of nowhere! One of the top runners came pelting past me and I worked really hard to stay in touch, even though the pain was excruciating by this point, real oxygen debt spreading through my body. Got a tap on the arm from the coach and a well done, which was nice, and I think those sorts of finishes on runs are really going to pay dividends in the last stages of the City of Salford 10k, I could perhaps knock half a minute off going at that pace, which might make all the difference to a PB one day!
Need an easy run and a longer run this week. The good news is the niggles that I felt at last Monday’s run and the day after have disappeared, so the few days off seem to have had the desired effect!
Thanks again to everyone at SRC, is really fun running with you all 🙂
Posted on Aug 06, 2012 under 10-15k, Club Runs, Regular Runs |
Another Monday and time to head off to the Sweatshop in Hyde for the running group.
When I got there the shutters were down, turned out the owner had gone out with the 5k group, but they opened it up again when the 5k group got back, was a bit of hanging around while some new people sorted out there cards and others got their new t-shirts. There were quite a lot of new people.
Set off at the front at a very easy pace, and got a bit confused at first when we ended up along the canal, stopped, and people started running back, so then I ended up near the back, and there wasn’t much room to overtake without danger of a swim in the canal! Got back to the front, feeling comfortable, then went the wrong way and had to backtrack so ended up at the back again.
Started to work a bit harder midway through the run, attacking hills and putting in some bursts of speed, then taking advantage of leads I developed to take a rest while waiting for the rest of the group. About 5k in I started feeling a twinge in my left leg so slowed a bit, which seemed to ease it, and also felt my back hurt going up a hill, so just took it easy for a while.
At one of the rest points one of the ladies asked for a drink of my water to help her swallow a fly which had only got half way, lol… pesky insects!
At the last stage we went the long way back, including the steps and the hills up from the canal. I attacked the hills and maintained my pace, then started to struggle a bit up the last hill. Then when I came off the top of it I found another gear and sprinted the last 400 metres to the shop.
Think 2-3 rest days are in order, especially as I was feeling a bit niggly in the run and don’t want to overdo it with only a month to go till the City of Salford 10k!
