Rob's Running Blog

Offerton 10k 2009 Race Report – Death by Hills and Heat!

The first of my 10k races this week, and coming on a very hot day. I knew I would not, in all probability, get a PB with heat and hills combined – but I did not expect the race to more or less kill me!

I got my taxi to Woodbank park, where Stockport Harriers are based, and located the track and got my number, and located the toilets, all so far so good! It was hot, but I had hydrated well and carried on sipping water, then started to do warmup laps of the track, going pretty slowly, then throwing in some bursts of speed, did some stretches, and although I felt pretty hot, I could feel my body getting into running mode.

So we lined up, and off we went, starting with 2 laps of the track before heading out into the park. I was well warmed up and running at what I felt to be a comfortable yet pacey pace, so was astonished to see the first k tick over in 4:13 – faster than the first k of my one mile flat out PB 2 weeks ago… But I didn’t feel I was pushing hard, and felt I could maintain it, so just kept going, and the second k ticked over in 4:29. Cool – I was heading for a sub 50, but by how much?! I knew the hill was coming and that it would slow me, but I thought I could afford to slow on the hills then pick up the pace again.

WRONG! The hill was a total and complete bugger, combined with the heat. Reached what I thought was the top of the hill, then there was a turn, and another uphill stretch, followed by another. By the time the ground was level again, I felt drained and my legs had gone shaky. I carried on, but my pace slowed dramatically and never got going again – and as the race was 3 laps, I knew that bugger of a hill was coming for another 2 goes at me, and didn’t even attempt to go any faster. I actually stopped at the water station to drink every time after that, and more or less walked the hills the 2nd and third time. The 2nd time, a lady runner was struggling with me, and walked a bit too, I said something to her about the sign saying 6 miles instead of 6k and that it bloody felt like 6 miles… I stayed with her for a bit and then she just pulled away, I had nothing left to stay with her, so don’t know if she sped up or I slowed down. 3rd time up the hill was murder then it was the slog back to the athletics track, a few people overtook me at this point, I really had neither the motivation, energy or inclination to get into a duel and just meekly trotted over the line in 54:45, my slowest 10k of the year, and I think my 3rd slowest to date Funny that I PB’d on a tough hilly course on a very hot day last year, in 51:40, maybe this hill was a really bad one, it’s certainly described as a testing course!

As I grabbed water at the end of the finishing funnel a nice lady handed me a bit of paper – she must have taken pity on my sweat-soaked, staggering, tortured form, and gave me a “spot prize” which turned out to be some tea tree oil shower gel. It would come in handy later!

I hung around for a bit then went off to the rendezvous with my taxi and had a nice chat with the driver.

Well done Stockport Harriers – a well organised race and the friendliest marshals! The encouragement was ace, I am almost tempted to join the club for more torture on the training runs up that hill

BUPA Great Manchester Run 2009 Race Report

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.

Bolton 10k 2009 Race Report – a sunny 51:12

My preparations for this race had not been the best, what with bereavement, a funeral, wills and all sorts of correspondence! Had managed less than 10 miles a week the previous 2 weeks, so had decided to just run the first half of the race easy, then see how I felt.

I was up early to a glorious looking day, and walked the dog – it felt decidedly chilly but the rising sun suggested it could get very warm while running. I had to be in Bolton for the 9am start, and also had to collect my number and timing chip, so had booked a cab with plenty of time to spare. I always seem to get the same driver early on Sundays and sure enough he turned up, and remembered the last time he drove me out to the Boggart Chase 10k, which had also been a nice day. We chatted as his sat nav took us along the shortest route. Got to Bolton in plenty of time; a couple of online friends from a running forum, Dawn and Neil were in the race so I was looking out for them but couldn’t spot them. I got a locker ok and located several lineups for toilets before finding a less well known one hidden away! Nobody seemed to know where the start was, but eventually droves of people were heading in one direction. I ran around a bit for a warm up and then it was time to line up. I had a few things going around in my head, but felt quite good.

The gun went off, and off we went. I spotted Louise Gilchrist in front of me and decided to keep her in my sights as I know she’s a 50ish 10ker (at 76!). I did the first k in 5:01, then there was a bit of a hill which I attacked, and I was feeling good, but determined not to push too hard too soon. It was starting to feel warm and Louise had pulled away into the distance somewhere, but I kept to my own pace and was running around 5 minute k’s. About 4 or 5 k’s though I seemed to slow to 5:20, and at the 5k mark I decided to push harder, producing a 4:49, I overtook quite a few people, and had caught up to Louise by the time we reached the big hill at 6k (it hadn’t seemed to steep driving up it in the taxi!) – it took it out of my legs a bit but I refused to stop. Louise took a little breather, and I overtook her, and felt good when I crested the hill – until this marvellous lady came flying past me again! The downhill stretch was a relief but I was starting to tire and can’t remember much about the last 2k apart from this chap cheering me on, I had no idea who he was at the time, didn’t even really know who I was (it was actually Neil one of the online people!). By the time I got onto the athletics track for the finish, I had nothing left for a sprint and just kind of stumbled over the line. I certainly felt the lack of miles in my legs by that point, and PBing off less than 10 miles a week is not going to keep happening. But my time wasn’t bad at all in the context of my other times, at 51:12 it wasn’t far off my PB and with some proper training in coming weeks, I am going to smash that 50 minute barrier soon!

Afterwards I cheered on some of the later runners and Neil came and found me, then we went and cheered Dawn in. It was really good to meet a couple of other runners I had only been in touch with through email, and they are thoroughly lovely people. I went off to wait for my taxi and they offered me a lift, but I doubt the taxi driver would have been pleased as I hadn’t paid him for the trip yet and he knows where I live! He did turn up a little late but got me home safely, and I relaxed for the rest of the day. I will certainly revisit the Bolton 10k next year, and look forward to more races and better times

Salford 10k – 50:36 PB – For Mum!

Well I had a race report here, but it vanished

I posted it on a forum though so it can be read at:

http://www.runnersforum.co.uk/10k-5-miles/7606-salford-10k-2009-race-report.html

Mizuno Trafford 10k March 2009 – sunny – 53:11

My first race back since that horrible injury, and what a glorious day for it! The sun was out, it was really spring like, although decidedly chilly early on.  I arrived in good time and found a locker, stowed my jumper away and soaked up a bit of the atmosphere, and it didn’t seem long before we were lining up at the start.

One runner went over in the melee at the beginning, I tried to keep a very sedate and conservative pace, thought I was running excruciatingly slowly and in fact did the first k in 5:11!  Settled into a nice rhythm and felt good at 2k, then at 4, and just pushed the slightest bit, overtaking a few runners at a time, but not trying to go for broke.  It was lovely and sunny. At one point heard a shotgun go off, or it may have been a vehicle backfiring!

At 5k was feeling good even though my split was 27:00 – pretty fast for me recently for a 5k on its own! But I still kept finding a little bit more and sped up, overtaking more runners as we reached the last few kilometres.  By the last K I was starting to hurt a bit, but put on a burst of speed and kept it going until the finishing line, clocking 53:11 with the Garmin. On a day where I thought a sub 55 might just be possible, that represented a fantastic time for me – only a minute or so off my course time last September, which I ran with a recent races and a lot more training under my belt.  With plenty of 10k’s coming up, the 50 minute barrier is now only a matter of time I feel!

Race Splits:

5:11
5:34
5:35
5:21
5:19
5:16
5:12
5:11
5:12
5:06

Average 5:18/k

It seems strange to me that I was trying to run pretty slow at the beginning, and trying to run as fast as I could at the end, but the splits are the two fastest, lol! But that’s running!

Photo Courtesy of Flaming Photgraphy Race Sponsored by Sweat Shop Hyde

First 10k training run of 2009 – 58:14

Was disappointed with time at first after I finished this run, even though I didn’t set off meaning to do a 10k time trial, I thought I would just jog around 10k and see how I did, but I felt so good in places I speeded up for some faster splits!  Still, it is only the first time I have run this distance in quite a while, so sub hour is good, and now have something to build on – at least I know I can run 6.2 miles again, and can now build up with some more long runs and feel ready for some hill work soon.  Seems to be starting to come together, and those times will start going down

Splits:

5:41
5:49
5:48
5:47
5:56
6:01
5:50
5:50
5:42
5:46

Last K included a steep hill or would probably have been quickest of the lot!  Guess first step now is to run at 5:30 pace over a 10k, which would equate to a 55 minute 10k.  Doing 10k in 51:40 and hoping for a sub 50 still seems a way off, but I was nearly there last September – hard to believe now!

Boggart Chase 10k Race – Hot & Sunny – 51m 40s PB!

This was a race I had been a bit apprehensive about, not least because I had been feeling so tired earlier in the week. I took 3 days off running to try to let my energy levels return to normal, and concentrated on some other stuff. I was also thinking the nature of the course (undulating) would prevent me from another PB, just when I was on a roll!

The race started at 11:15, so I had ordered my taxi for 10. I got there with plenty of time to spare and managed to locate the toilets. I also had chance to enjoy watching the 3k fun run for young athletes before getting myself geared up for the main event. I did some stretches and for a minute thought I had damaged my hamstring but it was just a spasm as I managed to go and jog around the track a few times, and after a few trips to the loo it was time to be under starters orders!

This was quite a small race compared to some I’ve done, so I milled around near the back of the pack as usual, and then the horn went. Starting off on the track was a bit confusing – we did 2 and a bit laps before heading off on to the road, so I asked this lady I was passing if it was all on the track, lol! I set off pretty slowly, trying not to go off madly, and just get into a rhythm, as I knew some hills were coming and didn’t want to blow up half way through the race. Off we went on to the road and things were already thinned out where I was. A veteran lady (Louise Gilchrist) I have seen at other races came past me, and we headed into the park, down something of a slope, as I clocked the first k in 4:39, and then another couple of ladies overtook me, then we reached the first hill, where I powered up and overtook the ladies and the veteran, and left them behind, as well as leaving behind some people who were clearly knackered by the top of the hill and I must admit my legs felt a bit wobbly, but I just carried on trying to maintain my pace. Weaving around the park was lovely, it was lovely and sunny but I was feeling pretty hot already, just kept reminding myself of all the training, and just to keep going.

Further on, the veteran lady and the other two ladies came past me again as we went round an out and back cone extension thing, and then we got to the biggest hill of the course and I took them again there and left them behind again. Just after the cone extension there were some small dogs wandering around off leads, the marshall nearby had obviously told this woman to leash them, because she was yelling, “Yeah, I’m selfish aren’t I, you miserable, nasty old bast&*$”. I’m sure she would have been delighted if a runner had run into one of the beasts injuring the thing. By that point I had been running sub 50 pace, my splits for the first 3-4 k were all under 5 minutes but the hills were double whammies – first slowing me going up them, and then the sapping effect they had on legs and energy, so about k’s 6. 7 and 8 I lost quite a bit of time. I kept digging deep, and there were some people in the distance in front of me who I caught over the last 2k. The ladies and veteran caught me again, but I left them on the hill again, and thereafter I overtook some people and there was one chap I clung to like glue but he still passed the line a second before me – the hills had taken it out of my legs, and although I was motoring the last 200m, I couldn’t really call it a sprint! I stopped the Garmin at 51:40 – and was amazed that I had had taken a chunk off my PB again – when the last PB was gained on a flat PB course in perfect conditions

My Garmin went a bit haywire in the last 2k – it was clocking k’s just shy of the markers all the way round, and then towards the end it showed 8.4k, and next time I looked it had gone down to 8.27, and was stuck at 8.5 when I went past the 9k marker. Figure it must have been the extesive foliage overhead, as I don’t have a supersensitive GPS model, just the old Forerunner 101! Still, it did me good for the time and the early splits – I know now on a flat course, I can run sub 50 pace for the first 5k, and without hills to sap my speed and energy, I feel confident I could maintain that for another 5k. Now I just need another 10k race, but there may not be one until the spring, so it’s time to look at my winter strategy and I aim to smash through 50 minutes first race back next season

10k’s Worth of Hill Work – 54m 51s

Seeing as my next 10k is described as “undulating” I thought I’d better put in some hill work.

Weather cold to start off with, but sun came out about half way – went off quite slowly, 2nd k downhill was quick, then the hard hill reps began! Felt I went quicker up the hill than last time I did this routine, of course it hurt going up the hill but I held it together and even went for a fourth lap, but ended up only going half way down and back up the hill again (less severe incline at the top) as I could tell I was getting pretty tired – still managed to put on a little burst at the end until slowly jogging down to the 10k mark.

Mizuno Trafford 10k Sept 2008 – Cold – 51m 57s PB!

The Mizuno Trafford 10k.

After an easy training week, I had nonetheless been feeling tired in the week and over the weekend, so it was with some trepidation that I rose at 7am on Sunday morning and got ready for this race. After such a good PB in my last race, I was wondering if I could repeat such feats, and was even dreaming of a sub 50. I looked out and the weather was blessed – cold and wet!

My taxi arrived and off I went on a 20 mile Odyssey to Partington on the other side of Manchester. Had a chat with the taxi driver, and then was mostly quiet. Arrived at Partington Leisure Centre in plenty of time and had leisure to find the few toilets and the start, then soaked up the atmosphere and jogged around a bit to get warmed up.

The lineup was a bit chaotic at first, I thought we were starting at a gate, but we needed to exit the gate and then line up facing the right way (I know what I mean!). I was fairly near the back, but this has worked for me in the past. Off went the horn and off everyone went, although it took me a small while to actually reach the start line. It was all pretty crowded at first and I felt I was going slowly, so darted about a bit to get some clear road. The plan had been to start off quite slowly, about 5:10 per k, and slowly build up. I did feel I was going slowly, but the Garmin clicked over 1k in 4:30 – way too fast. But then it was another 30-40 seconds of running before the official 1k marker came up, and I thought oh no, it’s like the City of Manchester 10k all over again – that time the discrepancy between my Garmin and the markers had really messed me up, but experience must have helped this time, and I thought I would just run to the Garmin and then see what the time was at the end. So I kept going, and slowed noticeably according to the Garmin, although I didn’t feel I was going that much slower. In the early stages a few people overtook me and I overtook quite a few, a lot of the way it was fairly even. A couple did overtake me very early on and I kept them in my sights, they never got out of sight, at least! I was glad when 5k came up and I kept trying to at least not lose pace even if I didn’t feel I could increase it – I was feeling frustrated because the sense of ease I had felt in my last race wasn’t coming and I knew I would have to push my legs hard all the way to the end.

At about 8k I caught up the small group that had overtaken me earlier, and bided my time, hanging on their shoulder. At 9k, my legs were feeling heavy and I was breathing hard, but I found something within me to accelerate past them and one or two others as well, and when I looked back they weren’t going to catch me, even though I had started hurting by then and wondering if my legs were going to give out under me as I sprinted hard for the finish! I overtook another lady, and then this other lady grabbed her child from the crowd and started doing a victory approach with him, which was touching. I almost kind of let them win, but sprinted past them on the line, not because I wanted to beat them, but to get as fast a time as possible. I had not been convinced I was even on PB pace (by 5 KM I knew I would struggle to do a sub 50 for sure), but after a fumble with the Garmin which stop-started it instead of stopping it, I came out with a time of 51:57 – almost another minute off my PB of a few weeks ago, and the Garmin said I completed 10.2k as well (in which case I would have passed 10k at 51:05 according to my lap counter!). My official time was 52:08, but it took 11 seconds after the horn to actually reach the start line!

So having done a number of races, some are spot on with the Garmin, others I seem to end up running over distance – but it’s just one of those things. The sure thing is, even though I found this race harder than the last one, I in fact ran a whole minute faster than the last one – maybe that’s why it hurt! But that 4:30 start off pace needs working down, unless I can work out a way to start off like that and keep it going

Birchwood 10k Road Race – 52m 49s PB!

This was my fourth race, and like the last one it was a fair distance to travel, although this time I was using a combination of bus and train!

I got up early and set off after forcing some breakfast down. It was a really cold morning (surprisingly cold for August – I could swear the cars along a road I walked actually had ice on the windows) although the sun was out. I got to Oxford Road Station in plenty of time and hopped on the Liverpool bound train (although had a dodgy moment when the doors wouldn’t open and everyone was wondering what was going on!), then got off at Birchwood. By now it was raining and looking pretty overcast and miserable – awful for hanging around in, but I figured it would be good for running in! I could already see a few runners warming up, including one or two faces I was sure I’d seen before at recent races!

I had a wander round and went in the Birchwood shopping centre to try to keep warm, before spotting a Marshall and finding out where the start line was. I started warming up with a little jog and some stretches then made a last trip to the loo before assembly at the start. I tried not to get too near the front, there were quite a lot of runners, I think I was about half way back from the front. Being a fledgling, I find it quite psychologically damaging during a race if loads of people are going past me. Just makes me feel slow, so I tend to quicken up when I shouldn’t – and early on that can cripple me for the later sections of the race!

Anyway the horn went, and everyone surged forward – then stopped – then started again! I don’t know what that was about, really! But then I was off, and the amount of people around meant I was forced to start of pretty damn slowly – but that was a good thing for me! I took it really easy up to about 3k, but was still overtaking people, and getting overtaken by one or two, until everyone was evened out into their own pace and race. I felt far too comfortable at 3k, so accelerated and started overtaking people – I felt really good, although at the back of my mind wondered if I was going off too quickly. Still, I felt good, and checked the Garmin at 5k and saw I had done the first 5k in just under 25 minutes. I thought I was going way too fast, as that was going to hurt later on, as I was already starting to feel it – so I went into a gentler pace for a couple of k, tucking in behind two runners who seemed to be going at a nice gentle pace, and forcing myself not to overtake them – but once I had recovered I sped up once again, and other people were going quicker now too – then at about 7 or 8k there was this pretty steep hill. I remembered thinking about the hill I run up in training, it was nowhere near that bad, and I was already going, so I pushed on up the hill and must have taken 20 people there, a woman was making quite a noise, so I turned and asked her if she was OK before I sped on (she said she was) – talk about role reversal from my last race where I was the one wincing! I managed to keep going, although the hill did take it out of my lungs a bit – and then a bit later on there was another hill! I kept going though, playing cat and mouse with this guy in joggers – I had overtaken him way back, only for him to overtake me, then vice versa (although he beat me in the end!). I was hurting a bit by the 9k mark but not suffering too badly so I just tried to give as much as I could as I knew the end was in sight, and hopefully a PB, when I saw the finish arch I just went as fast as I could, for the first time I had a tiny bit left for a sprint finish and didn’t slow down until I was over the line! I stopped my Garmin and had done 52:50 – almost 2 minutes quicker than my previous race PB, and my Garmin had clocked an extra 100 metres with all the weaving and turns. My official time ended up being 52:49

This race, put on by Spectrum Striders Running Club was very friendly and extremely well organised – especially bearing in mind it was run on roads which weren’t fully closed off – they marshalls etc did a

fantastic job of keeping the runners and the traffic moving At the end there were children holding out flowers, but I didn’t know if they were meant for me! However I did appreciate the luxury bath towel I was given – it was bloody useful for keeping a bit warmer, as I had to wrap it round me on the way home – now it will take pride of place in my bathroom! As usual I went to the finish line and clapped in all the others still running – I will always do this when I can (although will keep a better eye on the clock next time as I missed the 11:49 train and had to wait for for 12:37 back to Manchester!)

Although only my fourth race, the experience of the first three helped a lot – I was much better able to switch gears, alternating between full race pace and cruise pace, and also felt much more aware of how I felt and knew when I was able to give more or was giving too much – and also managed to set off more gently to warm up better for the later stages instead of being spent! All in all very pleased – now I am going to put the work in to get that sub 50