The was a 'young man' from Longhope (- slight trade's description act misdemeanour there)
Who biked, rowed, pulled-up and sat-up
As he finished the session
Like a man on a mission
The balance of training's a tightrope
Cue feet up....
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
The Weatherman Didn't Lie
but why does he get it right when it rains? Seems a bit unfair if you ask me. Didn't really matter in the end though because I feel a bit knackered right about now. Just about managed to climb aboard the bike for an hour but that's me finished. I think I'm going to sleep like a log tonight.
Not really sure what I'll muster for tomorrow. Might give resting a thought with an eye on my long run Saturday and then the race Sunday. I'd rather get a quality long run than a tired, pained affair. I'll have to think about it...
Not really sure what I'll muster for tomorrow. Might give resting a thought with an eye on my long run Saturday and then the race Sunday. I'd rather get a quality long run than a tired, pained affair. I'll have to think about it...
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
I Should Have
but I didn't. During the drive home I ummed. I also ahhed. Should I? Would I? In fact, could I? As it turns out, I could ... but I didn't. That may be a mistake as I hear that the weather is on the turn. No more ladies wearing very little - which is a shame. Hopefully the milder, possibly damper weather won't last long and then we can get back to admiring the lovely views...
Anyway, with the umming and ahhing complete by the time I arrived home I embarked on a bike session and a row - but not concurrently - with some ab-crunches thrown in at the end for good measure. That all went OK but in light of the 'change' I think I should really have got out for a run to make the most of the sunny spring evening. Oh well, I can't turn back the hands of time. Funny, funny how time goes by and blessings are missed in the wink of an eye, why oh why oh why should one have to go on suffering - just kidding, there's no more suffering going on here, move along, nothing to see.
Looking forward to the weekend I've only one race, Chepstow's Offa's Orra on Sunday morning, a fairly short 12 mile hilly thing - so it won't be too taxing. It is a good race if you're interested. Starts out from Tintern, near the Abbey goes up a bit, a long a bit, down a bit and then back - a bit. Aside from the race, I need to give some thought to Saturday's run. The schedule says I need to run something in the region of 25 to 30 miles - gonna be an all day'er so I need to make sure I plan properly. Time to start experimenting with protein intake during the run. I'm getting used to carb'ing during the run, now got to get the protein issues right...
Anyway, with the umming and ahhing complete by the time I arrived home I embarked on a bike session and a row - but not concurrently - with some ab-crunches thrown in at the end for good measure. That all went OK but in light of the 'change' I think I should really have got out for a run to make the most of the sunny spring evening. Oh well, I can't turn back the hands of time. Funny, funny how time goes by and blessings are missed in the wink of an eye, why oh why oh why should one have to go on suffering - just kidding, there's no more suffering going on here, move along, nothing to see.
Looking forward to the weekend I've only one race, Chepstow's Offa's Orra on Sunday morning, a fairly short 12 mile hilly thing - so it won't be too taxing. It is a good race if you're interested. Starts out from Tintern, near the Abbey goes up a bit, a long a bit, down a bit and then back - a bit. Aside from the race, I need to give some thought to Saturday's run. The schedule says I need to run something in the region of 25 to 30 miles - gonna be an all day'er so I need to make sure I plan properly. Time to start experimenting with protein intake during the run. I'm getting used to carb'ing during the run, now got to get the protein issues right...
Monday, April 11, 2011
After The Work Is Done...
You go for a run. For the first time in yonks - what is the official definition of a yonk? I don't think it's an official SI unit of time, but I might be wrong - anyway, for the first time in yonks I managed to shift my arse out the door after the drive home. First off though, I chopped the veg, spiced sauce and lobbed the casserole in the oven. Then I ran.
A nice steady trot through Flaxley woods in the fading light of the evening sun was just what the doctor ordered. The blue bells were out. The birds were singing but other than me, not another soul was stirring. I covered the five and a half miles in a slow 46 minutes. But by god it was nice to be out there - especially knowing a nice bit of healthy grub would be waiting for me upon my return - I was hoping someone would call by with some decent food, failing that there would be my stew.
Going to finish off the nights training without a half hour ease down on the bike and watch the Gadget Show - could it be any better? Yeah, on second thoughts, don't answer that, it might upset me...
A nice steady trot through Flaxley woods in the fading light of the evening sun was just what the doctor ordered. The blue bells were out. The birds were singing but other than me, not another soul was stirring. I covered the five and a half miles in a slow 46 minutes. But by god it was nice to be out there - especially knowing a nice bit of healthy grub would be waiting for me upon my return - I was hoping someone would call by with some decent food, failing that there would be my stew.
Going to finish off the nights training without a half hour ease down on the bike and watch the Gadget Show - could it be any better? Yeah, on second thoughts, don't answer that, it might upset me...
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Wonderfully Lazy
You know sometimes you just got to do it. You got to forget what's right. Forget what's just. Sometimes you just got to be a lazy bastard. Today was my sometime.
I woke late. That was 'a sign'. The first one. Then, as I took my first step from the bed, I got a second sign. Pain in my left hip. To be fair, that wasn't so much 'a sign', more an actual complaint. It was OK yesterday during the race and afterwards but today it's a bit sore. With only seven weeks to go till my traverse I need to take care. One slip now and it's over before it's begun. I cancelled the planned run and did a non-impact bike session and row instead.
A part of me regrets not getting out for a run in the glorious weather. The forest looks great this time of year, with the sun's rays fighting their way through the burgeoning forest canopy. But I needed to listen to my body today, now more than ever. When it says, 'hang on a minute' I need to listen. And if I'm honest I feel ready for the traverse already - but I don't want to be cocky, I give the traverse utmost respect. It's just that the next few weeks are going to be a bonus. There's no doubt in my mind I am the fittest I've ever been. Yesterday's Sugar Loaf PB only confirms that. It's feels like the old days. The day's when I had no worries. No fears. The day's when I raced to finish top ten. Oh happy day.
With the days amended training complete I headed into the afternoon sunshine - well, the garden anyway. I fixed the dog eaten gate - can't think whose dog did that? Then I tied back the roses and trained the climby plant thing over the gateway arch - what? Do I look like Alan Titchmarsh, I don't what type of plant it is. Then I took down the worst of the eye sore anti-dog-jump-the-fence defences - it's not like they'll ever be needed again. The garden is looking less Colditz more country garden.
Been a lovely restful weekend with the bonus of a great race. Totally topper...
I woke late. That was 'a sign'. The first one. Then, as I took my first step from the bed, I got a second sign. Pain in my left hip. To be fair, that wasn't so much 'a sign', more an actual complaint. It was OK yesterday during the race and afterwards but today it's a bit sore. With only seven weeks to go till my traverse I need to take care. One slip now and it's over before it's begun. I cancelled the planned run and did a non-impact bike session and row instead.
A part of me regrets not getting out for a run in the glorious weather. The forest looks great this time of year, with the sun's rays fighting their way through the burgeoning forest canopy. But I needed to listen to my body today, now more than ever. When it says, 'hang on a minute' I need to listen. And if I'm honest I feel ready for the traverse already - but I don't want to be cocky, I give the traverse utmost respect. It's just that the next few weeks are going to be a bonus. There's no doubt in my mind I am the fittest I've ever been. Yesterday's Sugar Loaf PB only confirms that. It's feels like the old days. The day's when I had no worries. No fears. The day's when I raced to finish top ten. Oh happy day.
With the days amended training complete I headed into the afternoon sunshine - well, the garden anyway. I fixed the dog eaten gate - can't think whose dog did that? Then I tied back the roses and trained the climby plant thing over the gateway arch - what? Do I look like Alan Titchmarsh, I don't what type of plant it is. Then I took down the worst of the eye sore anti-dog-jump-the-fence defences - it's not like they'll ever be needed again. The garden is looking less Colditz more country garden.
Been a lovely restful weekend with the bonus of a great race. Totally topper...
Saturday, April 09, 2011
What A Corker
and I don't just mean the weather. I had another fabutastic race. True, I didn't score as many championship points as at the Hogweed Half but 96 points for fifth Chepstow Harrier home ain't bad - especially considering the cream of the Chepstow crop were out. We had four in the top ten so my fifth counter, 14th overall, wasn't too shabby and like last week, it was a large field. 108 runners buoyed up by the fact it was an East Wales Championship race as well.
So, to the race. I started towards the front but on the first climb I dropped back down the field. Either the cumulative sum of all my training miles were finally taking there toll or there were going to be a few runners suffering later on in the race. For those who don't know the race, the Sugar Loaf race comes in two varieties the cool winter version and today's variety, the fruity summer serenade. At only seven miles and 1,700feet of ascent it was a little short for me.
By the top of the first ascent I was two minutes quicker than last year to the same point - that was a worry. I was still well down the field, probably outside the top thirty, but it felt like too much of a time gain. What the hell was happening?
Then, after the mile and a half section across the flat I'd gained another minute but was still well down the field, although I had improved my position a little. Shortly there after we started the final climb up to the Sugar Loaf and fortunately I began to make some decent headway. Nearing the top my arch nemesis came into view, Matthew L - he's not really, but we've had some close battles over the last couple of years. He hit the top first but with the fast descent to come I knew the race was mine. Regrettably though, I'd lost much of the time I'd gained over last year's race to that point but I was still to the good but only by thirty seconds - boo.
Finally it was time for the rapid descent - not quite into hell, but Abergavenny is pretty close. I gained a few more places before hitting the final road section and then another few more to finally emerge onto the finishing field in 13th place only to be out sprinted by some young whipper snapper - and he made me look like I was walking he was so quick.
I crossed the line in a time of 58:36 which I think is almost a full minute quicker than last years time. So all in all I'm well pleased. My running continues to go from strength to strength. Just imagine if I actually tapered for a race...
So, to the race. I started towards the front but on the first climb I dropped back down the field. Either the cumulative sum of all my training miles were finally taking there toll or there were going to be a few runners suffering later on in the race. For those who don't know the race, the Sugar Loaf race comes in two varieties the cool winter version and today's variety, the fruity summer serenade. At only seven miles and 1,700feet of ascent it was a little short for me.
By the top of the first ascent I was two minutes quicker than last year to the same point - that was a worry. I was still well down the field, probably outside the top thirty, but it felt like too much of a time gain. What the hell was happening?
Then, after the mile and a half section across the flat I'd gained another minute but was still well down the field, although I had improved my position a little. Shortly there after we started the final climb up to the Sugar Loaf and fortunately I began to make some decent headway. Nearing the top my arch nemesis came into view, Matthew L - he's not really, but we've had some close battles over the last couple of years. He hit the top first but with the fast descent to come I knew the race was mine. Regrettably though, I'd lost much of the time I'd gained over last year's race to that point but I was still to the good but only by thirty seconds - boo.
Finally it was time for the rapid descent - not quite into hell, but Abergavenny is pretty close. I gained a few more places before hitting the final road section and then another few more to finally emerge onto the finishing field in 13th place only to be out sprinted by some young whipper snapper - and he made me look like I was walking he was so quick.
I crossed the line in a time of 58:36 which I think is almost a full minute quicker than last years time. So all in all I'm well pleased. My running continues to go from strength to strength. Just imagine if I actually tapered for a race...
Friday, April 08, 2011
Not Sure I'll Be Rested
For tomorrow's Sugar Loaf race. My legs feel heavy, very heavy. I haven't run today and despite the lovely weather, brighter evenings and plenty of time, I held off running. An hour on the bike to get yesterday's long one - no - out of the system doesn't feel like it worked. Maybe thing's will feel differnt in the morning.
I'm looking forward to having a bit of a battle against my Chepstow mates in the race, a bit of a natter afterwards and then for once I'll be home mid afternoon to enjoy the rest of the day and relax. That will be the calm before the storm of another longer run on Sunday. I might try the Malverns again...
I'm looking forward to having a bit of a battle against my Chepstow mates in the race, a bit of a natter afterwards and then for once I'll be home mid afternoon to enjoy the rest of the day and relax. That will be the calm before the storm of another longer run on Sunday. I might try the Malverns again...
Thursday, April 07, 2011
Grade A Day
Yeah baby. Bloody great recce and boy, what a day for it. I had to apply sun block for the first time this year! Bloody marvellous.
It was a circular loop today so started my run just below the change over point before the Pen Cerrig Calch climb and ran backwards. Well, not actually backwards, reverse direction might be a better choice of words. Anyway, I headed over to Tor-y-Foel and up to the ridge. Non of that part is in the traverse, just a means to an end to get me to the run across to Ystrad. I ran nice and steadily. Nothing too ambitious and found my way to the recce start proper. With Ystrad in clear sight I began.
Taking it steady, I wound my way over to it. I got the route pretty spot on. From there I cut across to the woods. Again I picked the lines pretty good. I mucked up slightly on one little bit but because Pat had showed me almost hidden paths I was able to bear back onto the correct line almost instantly. If I hadn't run this part with Pat there's no way I would be able to run it so quickly.
I dropped down through the woods and started the road section. My main aim of the day was to see whether my route idea, to miss out the private land of the Glen Usk Estate, is a goer. I managed a good pace along the road. Not too fast. Not too slow. As I neared the village I started my route. Heading off the road I bore to the left of the standard route to head into the village on the west side. I followed through the village and over the narrow road bridge. From there I carved through to the main A40 - the only slight down side of my route, a mile along the A40 but on the plus it was completely flat.
At the appropriate point I bore north off the A40 back onto footpaths which I then followed for a mile or so. Again flat running. Finally it was back onto road for the climb to the end of stage. All in all I am well pleased with the route. Although it's longer than using Glen Usk - but only 500m - it only utilises publicly accessible land. And because there is actually less ascent than using Glen Usk I don't think it will actually cost me much time.
My schedule for that section is 2 hours and 5 minutes. I ran it today, and fairly leisurely in 1 hour 39 which is great as I can afford to go even slower - and then it won't feel like I'm running at all. I'm kidding. I will have done many more miles in the real thing by the time I have to run that section but it's good to know I won't have to kill myself to hit the target.
The next part up to PCC was pretty text book. There is much opportunity for a balls up but fortunately I was able to follow the route properly. I walked the entire climb. No running, not even on the one or two flattish parts. I wanted to see what my time would be by taking it really steadily and not pushing hard. Amazingly I hit the summit in 41 minutes - the schedule allows for an hour and 8 minutes. Again, that's great because I was 27 seven minutes quicker and I really was taking it steady. I have to say I'm surprised but it all helps to build my confidence.
The descent back to the car was over in a jiffy and with some grub consumed I drove home. In all I covered just under 42 kilometres with 4,500 feet of ascent in 4 hours and 56 minutes. That's much quicker than I will be going in the real thing. And once home I even managed to get out the lawn mower and cut the grass - wonders will never cease!
Been a great day so far. Going to relax in a bit. Tomorrow is going to be a rest day ahead of the Sugar Loaf fell race on Saturday...
It was a circular loop today so started my run just below the change over point before the Pen Cerrig Calch climb and ran backwards. Well, not actually backwards, reverse direction might be a better choice of words. Anyway, I headed over to Tor-y-Foel and up to the ridge. Non of that part is in the traverse, just a means to an end to get me to the run across to Ystrad. I ran nice and steadily. Nothing too ambitious and found my way to the recce start proper. With Ystrad in clear sight I began.
Taking it steady, I wound my way over to it. I got the route pretty spot on. From there I cut across to the woods. Again I picked the lines pretty good. I mucked up slightly on one little bit but because Pat had showed me almost hidden paths I was able to bear back onto the correct line almost instantly. If I hadn't run this part with Pat there's no way I would be able to run it so quickly.
I dropped down through the woods and started the road section. My main aim of the day was to see whether my route idea, to miss out the private land of the Glen Usk Estate, is a goer. I managed a good pace along the road. Not too fast. Not too slow. As I neared the village I started my route. Heading off the road I bore to the left of the standard route to head into the village on the west side. I followed through the village and over the narrow road bridge. From there I carved through to the main A40 - the only slight down side of my route, a mile along the A40 but on the plus it was completely flat.
At the appropriate point I bore north off the A40 back onto footpaths which I then followed for a mile or so. Again flat running. Finally it was back onto road for the climb to the end of stage. All in all I am well pleased with the route. Although it's longer than using Glen Usk - but only 500m - it only utilises publicly accessible land. And because there is actually less ascent than using Glen Usk I don't think it will actually cost me much time.
My schedule for that section is 2 hours and 5 minutes. I ran it today, and fairly leisurely in 1 hour 39 which is great as I can afford to go even slower - and then it won't feel like I'm running at all. I'm kidding. I will have done many more miles in the real thing by the time I have to run that section but it's good to know I won't have to kill myself to hit the target.
The next part up to PCC was pretty text book. There is much opportunity for a balls up but fortunately I was able to follow the route properly. I walked the entire climb. No running, not even on the one or two flattish parts. I wanted to see what my time would be by taking it really steadily and not pushing hard. Amazingly I hit the summit in 41 minutes - the schedule allows for an hour and 8 minutes. Again, that's great because I was 27 seven minutes quicker and I really was taking it steady. I have to say I'm surprised but it all helps to build my confidence.
The descent back to the car was over in a jiffy and with some grub consumed I drove home. In all I covered just under 42 kilometres with 4,500 feet of ascent in 4 hours and 56 minutes. That's much quicker than I will be going in the real thing. And once home I even managed to get out the lawn mower and cut the grass - wonders will never cease!
Been a great day so far. Going to relax in a bit. Tomorrow is going to be a rest day ahead of the Sugar Loaf fell race on Saturday...
Wednesday, April 06, 2011
It Happened
The lunch run, that is. The sun shone. The birds sang - well I expect somewhere birds sang - and we ran. The clockwise loop and I ran like a sack of potatoes - and a sack of old, sprouting ones at that. But it didn't matter to me. I got out there, and that's what's matters. Martin, on the other hand, is still on fire at the moment. Having set a new sub-eighteen 5k pb last week, he continues to run well. I finished off my exercise for today with an easy thirty cool down on the bike.
I've booked a day off work to head back over to the beacons for more recceing. This time I am attempting to carve out a new and somewhat intricate route from the village of Llangynidr to the start of the climb to Pen-Cerrig-Calch without using the Glen Usk Estate. I want the route of my traverse to be entirely on public rights of way. To use private land - albeit with permission - doesn't seem in the spirit. I know it will cost me time and distance but I have to try. To make my mark. Where I lead maybe others will follow...
Anyway, to that effect I believe I have determined a cunning new way that only adds 500 metres. OK, that's a couple of minutes but if my calculations are correct - and I have every faith they are, my route entails 75 feet less ascent and you know me, I'm a great believer in not losing too much height. I reckon I'll get back some of the 500m from that. Tomorrow I'm going to try it out.
Other than that bit of excitement it isn't going to be the most exciting of runs. Up Tor-y-Foel, along the ridge, a practice crossing to Ystrad and then back down the road - boo. Then my new section - yeah. Then up Pen-Cerring-Calch - boo. Then back down to the car and home - yeah.
Right, time to detail the route....
I've booked a day off work to head back over to the beacons for more recceing. This time I am attempting to carve out a new and somewhat intricate route from the village of Llangynidr to the start of the climb to Pen-Cerrig-Calch without using the Glen Usk Estate. I want the route of my traverse to be entirely on public rights of way. To use private land - albeit with permission - doesn't seem in the spirit. I know it will cost me time and distance but I have to try. To make my mark. Where I lead maybe others will follow...
Anyway, to that effect I believe I have determined a cunning new way that only adds 500 metres. OK, that's a couple of minutes but if my calculations are correct - and I have every faith they are, my route entails 75 feet less ascent and you know me, I'm a great believer in not losing too much height. I reckon I'll get back some of the 500m from that. Tomorrow I'm going to try it out.
Other than that bit of excitement it isn't going to be the most exciting of runs. Up Tor-y-Foel, along the ridge, a practice crossing to Ystrad and then back down the road - boo. Then my new section - yeah. Then up Pen-Cerring-Calch - boo. Then back down to the car and home - yeah.
Right, time to detail the route....
Tuesday, April 05, 2011
Legs Eleven
The number of 'em I would have needed had the lunch run taken place. From the moment I reached the top of the stairs at work I knew I wasn't going to run. Three flights of stairs was all it took for me to hit the 'burn' - that's poor. We have rescheduled for tomorrow. An hour on the bike and a bit of a row this evening should sort me out.
Is that a cake I smell burning?....
Is that a cake I smell burning?....
Monday, April 04, 2011
Sugar Low
Well not so much a sugar low, more a race low. Last week was a great week but now I've crashed. That's not to say today's been a particularly bad day. Work was good but it wasn't a race. Can the coming week measure up to the last? There's the Sugar Loaf but that's not till Saturday - and that's practically five days away. Can I last without a race till then? Can training possibly fill the void left by the absence of a race? Nope, but I'll just have to get over it and train anyway. I'll store the race energy and recapture the buzz next Saturday. It's a Chepstow championship race so hopefully I can claim good points and beat last years time into the bargain.
Tonight I mustered for 90 minutes on the bike. My legs have felt pretty dead all day so I took things pretty easy. The forecast for tomorrow looks a bit rubbish so the planed lunch run might not happen...
Tonight I mustered for 90 minutes on the bike. My legs have felt pretty dead all day so I took things pretty easy. The forecast for tomorrow looks a bit rubbish so the planed lunch run might not happen...
Sunday, April 03, 2011
The Might That Is Team Bristol Water
My legs felt like someone had detached them from my body, driven over them with a steam roller and stuck 'em back on again. Suffice to say I did not feel confident of a good run in the Bitton Road Relays. At only five miles it should have been a doddle - it was not.
We met at the race HQ to organise ourselves and work out team tactics - 'run as fast as you can' - I kept quiet, not knowing how 'fast' my brand of fast was going to be. With team orders registered, we headed out - an easy mile to the start.
Up first was Martin 'The Speed' Bailey and he got us off to a good start. Not sure of his time but I think he came home in fifth place. While Martin was running I set off in pursuit at a leisurely pace to try and get my legs into some sort of operational state over the five mile trek to Bath, ready to start my leg when the time came. That gave me a chance to get some marker points to gauge my pace when I ran back in the race proper.
Our second runner was 'Dead Speed' Dan Massey, running from Bath back to Bitton. He played a blinder moving us up to fourth place in a time of 28 minutes - an absolutely cracking time.
Third, taking us back to Bath was Graham 'Wonder Legs' Crump. He's had a few injury problems over the last year or so and is getting back into the swing of things. He held the ship steady to reach Bath in 5th place. That put the pressure on me. I have to be honest, I was hoping he would have taken it easy so I could pootle home. As it was the sixth place runner less than a minute behind - and that meant I had to run as hard as my frail legs would permit me. Damn it.
I set off with the intention of running even splits. To that effect things were going well until the mile marker when the sixth place runner moved up to fifth and there was nothing I could do to hold him off. He edged away. Out to fifty, maybe seventy five metres but then the gap stopped growing. The racer in me kicked in and I dug deep. I got a nice rhythm going - I'm a great fan of the rhythm method - and slowly but surely - don't call me Shirley - I started to reel him back. At first I wasn't even sure the gap was reducing. Mind tricks. But after a few minutes I realised it was.
Little by little he came back to me as I pushed hard. I felt, despite the poor shape of my legs, that if I could get to within ten metres of him by the time we reached the home straight that I could fire up my long forgotten and rarely used afterburners to take me past.
In the end, the question of whether the afterburners would fire up or not didn't raise it's head as by the time we hit the four mile marker we were level. As I nudged ahead he kicked to stay with me but I just kept pushing and finally he broke as I pulled clear. In the end I finished 100m clear, ensuring we remained in a great 5th place. My time of 33:11 was only thirty seconds off my time from 2006 - and I hadn't raced the day before when I set that time. Pleased? You bet.
All round it was a great team performance. Team Bristol Water had held it's head high. Man of the match has to be Dan with his 28 minute 5 mile. Corking.
My splits (kilometres), for the record, were; 4:11.5, 4:18.5, 4:13, 4:07, 4:08, 4:02, 3:56 and 4:00 (there was an additional 15 seconds to tag on because kilometres and miles do not mix). A pleasing set of splits as it proves my strength. Read my lips, 'I don't fade'...
We met at the race HQ to organise ourselves and work out team tactics - 'run as fast as you can' - I kept quiet, not knowing how 'fast' my brand of fast was going to be. With team orders registered, we headed out - an easy mile to the start.
Up first was Martin 'The Speed' Bailey and he got us off to a good start. Not sure of his time but I think he came home in fifth place. While Martin was running I set off in pursuit at a leisurely pace to try and get my legs into some sort of operational state over the five mile trek to Bath, ready to start my leg when the time came. That gave me a chance to get some marker points to gauge my pace when I ran back in the race proper.
Our second runner was 'Dead Speed' Dan Massey, running from Bath back to Bitton. He played a blinder moving us up to fourth place in a time of 28 minutes - an absolutely cracking time.
Third, taking us back to Bath was Graham 'Wonder Legs' Crump. He's had a few injury problems over the last year or so and is getting back into the swing of things. He held the ship steady to reach Bath in 5th place. That put the pressure on me. I have to be honest, I was hoping he would have taken it easy so I could pootle home. As it was the sixth place runner less than a minute behind - and that meant I had to run as hard as my frail legs would permit me. Damn it.
I set off with the intention of running even splits. To that effect things were going well until the mile marker when the sixth place runner moved up to fifth and there was nothing I could do to hold him off. He edged away. Out to fifty, maybe seventy five metres but then the gap stopped growing. The racer in me kicked in and I dug deep. I got a nice rhythm going - I'm a great fan of the rhythm method - and slowly but surely - don't call me Shirley - I started to reel him back. At first I wasn't even sure the gap was reducing. Mind tricks. But after a few minutes I realised it was.
Little by little he came back to me as I pushed hard. I felt, despite the poor shape of my legs, that if I could get to within ten metres of him by the time we reached the home straight that I could fire up my long forgotten and rarely used afterburners to take me past.
In the end, the question of whether the afterburners would fire up or not didn't raise it's head as by the time we hit the four mile marker we were level. As I nudged ahead he kicked to stay with me but I just kept pushing and finally he broke as I pulled clear. In the end I finished 100m clear, ensuring we remained in a great 5th place. My time of 33:11 was only thirty seconds off my time from 2006 - and I hadn't raced the day before when I set that time. Pleased? You bet.
All round it was a great team performance. Team Bristol Water had held it's head high. Man of the match has to be Dan with his 28 minute 5 mile. Corking.
My splits (kilometres), for the record, were; 4:11.5, 4:18.5, 4:13, 4:07, 4:08, 4:02, 3:56 and 4:00 (there was an additional 15 seconds to tag on because kilometres and miles do not mix). A pleasing set of splits as it proves my strength. Read my lips, 'I don't fade'...
Saturday, April 02, 2011
Bloody F&%king Brilliant
She was there. He was there. And you know what? I felt fine. More than fine. I feel fan-bloody-tastic. I'm the fittest I've ever been and I feel great. I can see clearly now the pain has gone. My life is better now. [shit I've just switched from past to present tense in the same paragraph - that can't be good, oh well]. I've no regrets. It's been like sailing through a tempest. Like navigating into the eye of the storm but I've made it through and I honestly do think my life is better now. Life is one big lesson and f*%k me I've learnt a lot this last year. And now I'm back to enjoying life. I started the day with a smile. I started the race with a smile and I god damned finished it with one.
The race to which I refer, of course, is the 15 mile Llanbedr To Blaenavon fell race. A testing little race consisting three main climbs to Crug Mawr, Sugar Loaf and Blorenge accounting for the 4,500 feet of ascent. In truth the race was a little too much of a sprint for me. To really show my strength I need something a little longer - oooh matron - but I did my best.
As a one trick pony - or should that be, one speed pony - I started steady. Remained steady on the middle section and finished steady.
The race usually attracts about thirty runners. Maybe fifty in a good year but there were 110 starters this year on account of it being part of the Welsh Fell Championships (or something like that). I didn't fancy my chances. It was also a Chepstow nominated fell series race which I didn't realise.
I was never really sure of my position through the race but I did over take a few here and there - especially when some of those ahead charitably decided on experimental new routes - not sure their choice of 'long' cut were particularly sensible though. Anyway, I knew the route and ploughed my own furrow - ssh, stop it - to traverse what I believe is the optimum route. I remember the words of my Nepalese Guru well, 'Always stick to the route you know'. OK, you might lose out from time to time as those with local knowledge pick a shorter line but you lessen your chances of what is commonly referred to in fell running circles as 'a cockup'. So, if you only take away one piece of advice from me - I ain't a wise man - it would be:- always stick to the route you know.
By the time I hit Blorenge I was still feeling good. I fueled up on my final energy gel at the start of the climb and by the time I hit the mid section I was going well. I hit the top with something to spare and got running quickly. The final two to three miles can be heaven or hell. I've done hell before and today it was heaven. I can't claim to have blasted across the top at lightning speed but I certainly went well and didn't fade. And fortunately I didn't make any mistakes on the final drop through Blaenavon to finish in a time of 2 hours and 31 minutes - a PB by two minutes - whoop. Better than that though, I was top ten - yeah, baby - 9th place - whoop whoop. Ninth place in a large field and a championship race too boot. Magic, bloody magic.
So far it's been a corker of a week. Fastest 5k for over three years. PB on Thursday night in the Chepstow Handicap by over a minute and another personal best today. And possibly better than all that - hard to imagine what could be better than that - I've only got meeself a bloomin' pizza for dinner.
Right, I'm off for half an hour on the bike to unwind - got my fourth race of the week to prepare for, the Bitton Road Relays. If you're running, I'll see you there tomorrow - just don't expect me to run the 5 miler very quickly.
Today's race route:-
The race to which I refer, of course, is the 15 mile Llanbedr To Blaenavon fell race. A testing little race consisting three main climbs to Crug Mawr, Sugar Loaf and Blorenge accounting for the 4,500 feet of ascent. In truth the race was a little too much of a sprint for me. To really show my strength I need something a little longer - oooh matron - but I did my best.
As a one trick pony - or should that be, one speed pony - I started steady. Remained steady on the middle section and finished steady.
The race usually attracts about thirty runners. Maybe fifty in a good year but there were 110 starters this year on account of it being part of the Welsh Fell Championships (or something like that). I didn't fancy my chances. It was also a Chepstow nominated fell series race which I didn't realise.
I was never really sure of my position through the race but I did over take a few here and there - especially when some of those ahead charitably decided on experimental new routes - not sure their choice of 'long' cut were particularly sensible though. Anyway, I knew the route and ploughed my own furrow - ssh, stop it - to traverse what I believe is the optimum route. I remember the words of my Nepalese Guru well, 'Always stick to the route you know'. OK, you might lose out from time to time as those with local knowledge pick a shorter line but you lessen your chances of what is commonly referred to in fell running circles as 'a cockup'. So, if you only take away one piece of advice from me - I ain't a wise man - it would be:- always stick to the route you know.
By the time I hit Blorenge I was still feeling good. I fueled up on my final energy gel at the start of the climb and by the time I hit the mid section I was going well. I hit the top with something to spare and got running quickly. The final two to three miles can be heaven or hell. I've done hell before and today it was heaven. I can't claim to have blasted across the top at lightning speed but I certainly went well and didn't fade. And fortunately I didn't make any mistakes on the final drop through Blaenavon to finish in a time of 2 hours and 31 minutes - a PB by two minutes - whoop. Better than that though, I was top ten - yeah, baby - 9th place - whoop whoop. Ninth place in a large field and a championship race too boot. Magic, bloody magic.
So far it's been a corker of a week. Fastest 5k for over three years. PB on Thursday night in the Chepstow Handicap by over a minute and another personal best today. And possibly better than all that - hard to imagine what could be better than that - I've only got meeself a bloomin' pizza for dinner.
Right, I'm off for half an hour on the bike to unwind - got my fourth race of the week to prepare for, the Bitton Road Relays. If you're running, I'll see you there tomorrow - just don't expect me to run the 5 miler very quickly.
Today's race route:-
Friday, April 01, 2011
You'd Think I'd Rest
Ahead of a tough race. Yeah, you'd think but oh no, not me. No I go for a lunch run and then half an hour on the bike. Stupid boy.
I really felt drained after the run. To be fair, I felt pretty darned drained during the run. 33:30 for the Dundry loop ain't pretty. Though I honestly felt I was going to close to thirty five minutes so in a way, 33:30 was a result. I almost stopped on the hill but I don't do giving in and just kept plugging away until I hit the summit. From there I took it easy all the way home - wee, wee, wee?
I've had two races already this week and both have been season best's. To me though, running on empty is all good practice for what I will encounter on the 28th May. So long as I avoid injury [touches head] the tough schedule won't do me any harm. I'm sure there are many that would frown on my training technique but I'm of the 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger' school and so far, I can't complain. I'm not dead and if I'm not there already, I'm damn close to being the fittest I've ever been. Certainly not the fastest. Speed means nothing to me - oh, Vienna. But fit? You bet your ass baby.
Bring on tomorrow's race. I'll not win but I'll try f^%king hard...
I really felt drained after the run. To be fair, I felt pretty darned drained during the run. 33:30 for the Dundry loop ain't pretty. Though I honestly felt I was going to close to thirty five minutes so in a way, 33:30 was a result. I almost stopped on the hill but I don't do giving in and just kept plugging away until I hit the summit. From there I took it easy all the way home - wee, wee, wee?
I've had two races already this week and both have been season best's. To me though, running on empty is all good practice for what I will encounter on the 28th May. So long as I avoid injury [touches head] the tough schedule won't do me any harm. I'm sure there are many that would frown on my training technique but I'm of the 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger' school and so far, I can't complain. I'm not dead and if I'm not there already, I'm damn close to being the fittest I've ever been. Certainly not the fastest. Speed means nothing to me - oh, Vienna. But fit? You bet your ass baby.
Bring on tomorrow's race. I'll not win but I'll try f^%king hard...
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