Archives for Hill Work category
Posted on Jul 23, 2012 under 10k, Club Runs, Hill Work |
Another Monday night with the Hyde Sweatshop Running Community, next run I will have been there, done that, and got the T-shirt, ha ha!!!!
I knew it was going to be hill reps tonight, was slightly in two minds about I felt about this, given the oddly warm July weather for the last couple of days. Anyway, I arrived and saw some familiar faces, and then we set off for a warmup jog, I kept my pace nice and sedate, and had my Garmin going, but forgot that I had the fast pace alert set, so it started annoyingly bleeping at me, I tried to fiddle with it on the move but it kept flashing lap times at me so I elected to just switch the damn thing off!
Then we arrived at The Hill, and did the first reps with a sort of relay, I didn’t find the hill too bad and just took it easy on the recoveries. Then we started the hard work, doing walk then sprint between lamposts for 5 minutes, followed by jog then sprint (I think) and then we had to run to the first post, then back down, then the second, and so on! And then finally we had to kind of run as fast as we could to the top. Overseeing this ordeal was Tony H, who offered gentle encouragement and the odd admonishment to those who took the hills too fast early on!
I say it was torture/an ordeal with tongue firmly in cheek as I really enjoyed it, there have been plenty of runs where I’ve struggled and sworn and got frustrated in the past, but I felt at home on this hill and felt good and strong, though breathing hard of course! A picture was taken with a genuine grin on my face which was a nice thing because I had not really had the best day before the run!
Demented, Delirious victims released from their torment!!!
We went a longer way back to the shop and I once again experienced the other runners stretching ahead in front of me before I found my 5th gear again and cruised to the front with some of the more experienced runners. It started getting tougher in the last mile or so but I stayed with the pace and felt I could have gone on for a while yet.
So all in all a great outing, felt strong on the hill reps and was able to maintain form afterwards. It will be interesting to see how these harder sessions with other runners affect my pace, as I it would be good to get closer to 50 minutes for 10k again, on this evidence it may just be a possibility, who knows!
Next time I run I should get my 5-week bonus prize of a Sweatshop Running Community Technical top, like the yellow ones in the picture – I will no longer feel like the new boy, lol!!!!
Posted on Jul 16, 2012 under 5-10k, All Weather Running, Club Runs, Hill Work |
I had been warned last week that this Monday’s outing would be along Apple Street, which I had vaguely looked up but wasn’t too sure about. I decided to give it a go, despite my love/hate relationship with hills!
Chatted with a few people in the shop and it started raining just as we set off. I settled into conversation with someone as we started climbing gently towards Werneth Low, and at times I seemed to be going quite fast and it was a struggle to keep up the conversation.
Then we got to Apple Street, and I became a little worried when the group leader set us off in waves, so challenging was this crazy hill! I wondered what I had let myself in for! A group was sent up and then I was sent up next, with the leader imploring me to take it slowly. I made the first incline, it was steep and quite long, but I felt fine, and caught up with the first wave of runners, then the hill zigzagged and there was another long incline. I thought that might be it but then we reach a snaking bit that seemed to get progressively vertical, and I started going really slow. I was breathing very hard and my heart was working overtime – it was a tough hill, but I was up for it, and enjoyed it in a weird kind of way, managing not to curse in the slightest but just keep going and then even powered up the last little slope. Taking it slowly early on helped, and the heavens opened at the top. In actual fact, we were in the heavens – the hill had taken us up so far that we were actually in the clouds, and the next bit of running was over Werneth Low, where we ended up running through the hill-kissing clouds.
At that point I got a bit worried as the rest of the group seemed to start going well out in front of me, I couldn’t tell if they had sped up or I was slowing down. On the descent I was careful not to go too fast, wary of damage to my knees, and just tried to stay in touch and conserve energy. Once we got back to familiar territory and I knew there was only about a mile to go, I got a second wind, and caught up with the back markers, and suddenly I was flying along at about 4 mins per km, faster than I have run in a long time. It was downhill, but suddenly I was stretching out and flying along and the rest of the group were left behind. I felt like I could carry on like that for miles, but it also felt great to come to a stop back outside the shop and wait for the others to finish. One of these days I will stop overcompensating for my ill-fated first run with the Wednesday group, ha ha!!!!
So all in all a great outing, I conquered an evil hill, ran through clouds, and flew for a mile – not bad for a rainy Monday night!
Need to take it easy, but if I could run like I did in the last mile in a 10k I’m sure I could smash 50 minutes again!
Posted on Apr 05, 2012 under 5 miles, Hill Work, Injuries, Regular Runs |
Am starting to hope my calf injury might be a thing of the past!
Was out early today socialising, so was looking forward to an early evening run. Although it was cold early on, and there is still snow on yonder Pennines (Snake Pass closed!), the sun came out and although chilly, was bright. Put on shorts and set off, felt really cold, but Garmin found a signal quite quickly so could get going and warm up a bit.
Took in an incline that sometimes leaves me gasping at about 1.5k and felt fine, then headed down the long hill into the woods, and negotiated the loop by the river. At one point a little dog’s owner started calling it, and then it popped out of the undergrowth and started barking and snapping at me, running alongside me. The owner was very apologetic but I waved it off quite nonchalantly, funny little pooch!
Headed through the woods and experienced some kind of pain around my left chest, which disappeared when I stopped briefly, so figured it was some kind of stitch, and I felt fine so carried on and it went away. Saw some well behaved dogs, and reached 5k just as I got to the bottom of Stockport Road, a big hill which has defeated me on recent outings.
I took it slow and steady, keeping the legs turning over, and got up the really steep bit on one piece, then carried on, noting that the next km turned over in 6:36, exactly the same as the last 2, so I had managed to maintain my pace up the hill! That seemed to be a springboard for the last stage of the run, and although I was careful not to lengthen my stride (and therefore stretch the calf muscles) too much, I did get them turning over quicker, and did the penultimate KM in 5:51 and the last one in 5:45, the fastest couple since the calf went twang.
Had hoped to come in under 51 mins but it didn’t really matter to go a few seconds over, another 5 miler in the bag, 10 miles for the week, and might even add a few more on Sunday. Still need to get my confidence back in terms of running at pace and really pushing it, will just keep up with regular runs and perhaps run a little quicker for a few KMs in the middle stages.
So far so good!
Posted on Jun 01, 2011 under 5k, Hill Work, Regular Runs |
This was supposed to be a gentle easy run to ease back into it, but ended up feeling good after 2.5k despite sluggish start and decided to tackle the massive Mill Lane Hill – UPWARDS. This is almost suicidal and is hard enough to walk up. Managed to jog all the way and crested the top, but legs and lungs were protesting all the way after that!
Hurt by the end but was good to be out running again. 🙂
Time was 31:17 but a bit irrelevant.
Posted on Apr 20, 2011 under 5k, Hill Work, Trail Running |
After Sunday’s outing didn’t want to run too far, as knew I would still be recovering from the longest run in a year. Decided to run towards the local woods and take in a bit of scenery on this sunny day. Felt ok at first, especially on the downhill bits of trail, but would pay for the view later going up the big Stockport Road hill – where I did quite a bit of hill work in the last couple of years. This would be my first taste of that hill in quite some time, and it really sapped me, the first part being a sharp, leg-killing inclinde, followed by a gentler, but lengthy upwards slope. Combined with the sun, it really had me wilting, and as I reached the top I was aware my pace was pretty slow, but I plodded on, and felt my legs were starting to complain just a little, so eased down to a stop at the planned 5k without trying any heroics, feeling very hot, but pleased to have negotiated the big hill.
May do a little more hill work in the next two weeks, would be good to have it in my legs for the Great Manchester Run! I don’t really seem to be picking up any speed at the moment, though must try a 5k without hills maybe next week just as a time trial to see if I can closer to 28 than 30, or my 55 target for Manchester is going to remain a pipe dream…
Posted on Mar 16, 2011 under 5-10k, Hill Work, Regular Runs |
Wanted to try to get at least 5k in, and wanted to do a fresh route, or at least one I haven’t done for a while, so opted to do the Mill Lane circuit. This is an undulating route, starting with a mild incline, then featuring a sharp elongated descent, before a series of gradual but tough inclines. First k was relatively flat, and then used the descent to coast and get into gear, then took the inclines quite gently. At 4k I decided to try to keep going all the way up to 6k, and somehow managed it, even injecting some pace into proceedings as I felt endorphins swimming along my spine 🙂
Posted on Apr 17, 2010 under 5k, Hill Work, Park Run PBs, Park Runs, Time Trials |
Felt strange not needing to walk the dog when I got up. Was a nice sunny day, albeit a bit cold so set off early, and this time managed to get to the park in plenty of time 🙂
Did some warm up laps of the track, few strides but nothing major, then lined up. Saw Mark the triathlete again, and we chatted, then we were off and I said I’d see him at the finish line. I was near the front and went off fast – I am used to seeing the leaders snake off around the track before heading into the park – but this time, I was with them, in the first 7 or 8 runners âž¡ As we headed out into the park a few more overtook me as the faster runners zoomed off (either they quickened up or I went back to my normal pace!) – then it was the usual duel with the hills, trying to survive up them without them sapping the hell out of my legs too much, then the recovery, then the bloody hill again before the last k home.
A la the Salford 10k, I didn’t look at the Garmin, just ran how I felt, and I was starting to feel the pinch by the end. On the second lap Mark caught up with me and we took the hill together – he took a breather and I tried to launch myself off the top. The hills and the fast start were making me hurt. A gorgeous looking lady went past me and I must admit I tried to keep up with her as there is nothing like chasing after a lady to get one motivated, but she zoomed off and I didn’t have too much left. I got to the path leading into the stadium and Mark came past me yelling encouragement at me, I tried to put on a burst of speed for a duel all the way to the finish line but I was running on dead legs and my gasp rate was going off the scale – so he got revenge on my previous “victories” 🙂 I think we both really helped each other along though so it was good teamwork in a way – and we both PB’d 😀 I got a sub 25 in 24:43 which is good going and who knows on the flat…
My splits were:
4:11
5:06
4:47
5:17
5:20
Easy to see where the hills took their toll – and no wonder I was up with the leaders with that first split! – if I’d kept up that pace I’d have been in the top 10 I think âž¡ Still, it gives me confidence that I have that pace, I know I can run that fast – I just have to work on maintaining it, and also coming to terms with those hills – and they are getting “easier” 🙂
In all a good run and nice to have a chat with Mark afterwards. Well done Mark – good luck with your Triathlon training, and I look forward to a rematch in a few weeks 😀
No pics as the Park Run site has been down since Saturday – evidently calculating my and Mark’s speed has broken it 😉
Posted on Apr 15, 2010 under 5 miles, Hill Work, Trail Running |
Went out for a walk last night and spotted a nice little loop I could run, so tried it today. Starts off on road before hitting the woods/trails. Was a lovely day.
Went off quite quickly but slowed on the ankle-twisting terrain, then had to tiptoe over loads of cobbles, before powering up the big Stockport Road hill and then increasing pace a bit more off of that.
Lovely run 🙂
Posted on Mar 06, 2010 under 10-15k, Hill Work, Long Runs, Milestones |
This was my longest run in 6 months. Set off slowly, for a planned 8 miles, and was struggling a bit at first as I went down Stockport Road and into Bredbury, having to tie my shoelace en route. Then I hit the uphill part of the course and just pushed myself to keep going. Then coasted off the hills on the flat and downhill bits and built up a real head of steam until the next hill, near the end. Slowed down a bit then and just jogged to the 8 mile point. Think I need a couple of rest days now to let my legs recover from the hard sessions lately.
Posted on Sep 06, 2009 under 10-15k, Hill Work, Regular Runs |
Pretty slow run with plenty of undulations, but felt fine throughout. Ran the reverse route up through Hyde over the hills then back up Stockport Road. Nice easy pace but didn’t feel the hills were too hard and recovered very quickly for an enjoyable run. Lower left leg seems to have a bit of pain on impact, but been there for a bit so just need to be careful with up and coming 3 races in a row.
