Not since the great storm of 1953 ...

have I been buffeted and rocked by winds of such magnitude and ferocity. The two(ish) laps of the Hangover 10k at Kewstoke were, to say the very least, extremely testing. I had this great idea last Friday that I'd start the year with a pb and chose the Hangover 10k as the race to do it. What a brilliant idea - NOT. On the morning of the race I realised it wasn't gonna happen. I came home just outside 39 minutes, about 1:26 off my pb and every step on that last lap was hard. The wind was horrendous. I recon that somewhere between 4 and 5k of the race was run into the wind. The section down the see front was bad - really bad, directly into the wind. The wind just did not let up and it must have been a good mile. What made it even worse was the fact that after the first lap you knew what was coming at the end of the race - I've seen grown men cry at less (all right, all right - I've cried at less). Anyway, I'm glad I did it. If nothing else it was good training. Then I went down the gym afterwards for a crafty half hour on the exercise bike - what? I pass the gym on the way home from Weston, it'd be rude not to. Introduced myself to the delights of level 14 interval.

The usual suspects were all on parade (just goes to show I'm not the only sad git who drags themselves out of bed on New Years Day). There was the Mighty Phil Parry, fresh from his run at Exeter yesterday, leading the way home, finishing just outside 33 minutes. Then came Dangerous Dan Moore finding it tough in the wind. When I met him at the finish all his hair had been blown off! (Nice to meet Mrs Dan by the way). Next up was Ben Robinson, coming back from injury, and finishing somewhere around 36 minutes. He was a bit disappointed with his time but I think he'll be pleasantly surprised the next time he races in calmer conditions. Following on his heels (well almost) was his dad, Matt 'get your slippers' Robinson. He showed me a clean pair of them today, beating me by about a minute (the swine). Sian was there and Graham Grew too (think that's his Surname - I'm terrible names).

Finally, let me wish all of my faithful bloggerets (all three of you) a happy and fortuitous New Year in 2007. Long may you run like the wind (no reference to Crumpies brussels sprout soup intended).

What a terrible night

The wind (outside) was whistling round my windows all night. Had a terrible nights sleep. I felt so tired in the morning I just couldn't face a run in all that pants weather plus I can feel the knee thing again.

Managed to get down the gym instead for an hour on the exercise bike, interval level 13. I tested my fitness level before I got started with the hour session. You enter your weight, age and sex and then peddle away for five minutes. At the end of that time it gives you a rating of between 1 and - well I'm not actually sure what it goes up to but over the last few months I've been able to hit the ranking of 'Elite' for a score over 51. I'm guessing this is the top rank unless of course they have the 'dogs bo#@*cks' rank but I'm suspecting they haven't programmed that one in! I was stuck on 'excellent' for ages before I finally made the break through. Not sure it really means much but I guess it means I'm going in the right direction fitness wise. And it's nice to pose when the ladieeess are near, you know the kind of thing, just a casual bit of peddling with 'Elite' flashing on the screen, sweating like a pig and breathing like an asthmatic - ok, so maybe not such a good idea :)

Anyway, the bike session was good, if hard work come the last fifteen minutes. Really felt it in the quads. Finished off with some ab crunches, some bicep curls and some chest work. Then home for tea.

Not so easy easy run

I joined in with Clive, Graham and Terry for their annual Christmas run. They tell me they get out between Christmas and New year almost every year. There's nothing better than going for an easy(ish) run with friends at Christmas - just a shame I only had Clive, Terry and Graham to run with - ONLY KIDDING.

The weather was a stinker. Continuous drizzle and very strong gusting wind - no, I'm not talking about Graham and his brussel sprout soup!

Clive is still buzzing after his boxing day exertions and so led from the front taking Graham with him. Terry and I held back. We ran up over Dundry and back down the A38. Not sure how far it was but it took just under 34 minutes. On the run in Clive and Graham were 150m ahead after the hilly section. Terry and I just let them get on with it. After my hard session last night I wanted an easy recovery run but it was a real effort to stop myself from trying to chase them down. With about 800m I finally lost the battle. I couldn't hold back any longer and set off in pursuit. I didn't manage to catch them but made up about two thirds of the distance over that last 800m so I was fair flying along come the end.

Long may this Christmas tradition continue. It's great to join their hallowed ranks. Just hope it's better weather next year.

We're all going to the zoo tomorrow

Well actually we went this evening instead! Well around the outside anyway. We ran three double laps around the zoo (6:02, 6:07 and 6:14) followed by three single laps (2:53, 2:52 and 2:50) with a two minute recovery. The double lap was 1.7km and the single one 820m.

I'm really pleased with the session as I put in big effort and worked hard throughout, especially the last three singles. My mile pace was good, all of them being at least as fast or a good bit faster than my last Aztec session. Additionally, the lap has some sharp turns where you have no choice but to take them slow which makes the pace on the rest of the lap even better.

I'm hoping I can take the same work ethic into all my future sessions. I'm more determined than ever to crack the whip (ooh kinky). I've been guilty on more than a few occasions in the past of just going through the motions during training and not really pushing myself. Tonight was the real deal for me. I pushed it to the limit and didn't cheat on the recoveries, keeping them tight.

Here's to a 17:30 5k in the first part of the coming year. It will happen - and you can take that to the bank.

Fading memories

Clevedon is but a fading memory... Now the hard work begins in earnest (not sure what he's got to do with anything but there it is). I was just outside the top 50 target at Clevedon finishing in 52nd place. In my category (SM) I was 47th but five ladies - I mean women (that's a private joke) beat me. That's close enough for me though.

Reflecting back over my year (running wise) this has been by far the best one ever. I've looked through my records and I've set 13 pb's this year verses six in 2005 and seven in 2004. And of those pb's I've actually knocked off far bigger chunks of time this year as well. I must be approaching my physical limit by now but then again I thought that at the start of this year. Is a seventeen minute 5k possible? I'm not sure but I wouldn't bet against it.

On a final note, the knee is much better today. I've been down the gym for an hour on the bike and the 'popping' is no more.

Body popping

Just finished the Clevedon Boxing day 4 mile race. As ever, greatly enjoyed by all who race and spectate. On the downside I can feel a kind of popping in my left knee as I walk. It's been a bit dodgy over the last few days and I don't know where or when I picked up the niggle but it definitely didn't affect my run and I'm sure it will be alright in a day or two. On the upside I set a new pb by over a minute, 23:15. Further on the downside, I thought I had the beating of Helen today - bol#*cks did I. I was soundly thrashed - oh well - it's not like I've ever beaten her before. Looks like she might remain unbeaten - ho hum. Well done Helen (through gritted teeth). On the upside though, I skinned the Skinner, Pete that is. He's beaten me soundly at the Bridge 5k races all season but I managed to get the upper hand today - Every cloud has a silver lining!

It looked like another big turn out for Clevedon. It never fails to amaze me how many damn fools there are out there that roll out of bed Boxing day morning to go and run 4 miles in the cold. As ever, the crowds were brilliant and this year we even had the luxury of chip timing and instant results - very professional. A big well done to Clevedon AC for great organisation and a great race.

Must add a well done to Clive T, good to see he enjoyed his run. Nice to see him actually smile after a run - a very rare thing I might add. Was it the first time? Answers on a post card to....

Well done to Gareth C. He had a good run today. He was only just behind me and I fear, catching fast.

Graham C had a good run as well, beating his time from last year.

Good to see the Dickinson twins out again, Mark and Matt. First race in a while for the pair of them. Hopefully we will see a bit more of them in the coming year. Sorry I didn't have time to stop and chat at the end - had to shoot.

And finally to Matt R, I'm behinndd yooouuu! - but I recon I'm catching. Don't go looking over your shoulder cause I'm a coming.

God, this has turned into a bloody Oscar style speech - I'll get my coat....

It's Chrissssmmmmaaaassssssss

Merry Christmas everyone and what a great day to clock up my centennial post. Obviously I'm not going to be running today. Always think it would be nice to get out and run on Christmas morning but each year when the day finally arrives can I be bothered? can I F*@#.

Anyway, eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die - well hopefully not - at least not until after a new pb at Clevedon tomorrow.

Christmas Eve

Not sure what Sean had for breakfast this morning but what ever it was I need some. He was really tanking it along come the end. Left the rest of us for dead. We had quite a good pace going ourselves. We just let him go.

Liam was out with us today. He's just back from New Zealand - so I guess the weather was a bit of a shock to the system, it's the summer down there. Still, he seems in good shape so he's obviously not been slouching while over there.

And finally - Happy Christmas, and don't eat too many mince pies if you're racing at Clevedon on boxing day. I wonder if I can make the top fifty this year ?........

Just the two of us

Graham and I got out for longish run today along the Bitton railyway cycle path. It was my longest run since the marathon - about 15k. We took it easy and all in all it was a good run. I'm out for another easy run tomorrow before a rest day and then Clevedon.

It's official - I'm now a vet!!!! Yes that's right, M35 today. Not many races host the category - and quite right too because 35 is way to young to be classed a vet - I'm still getting quicker for pities sake. I can't be classed a vet or I'll have to get out my pipe, smoking jacket and slippers. All this equality stuff has gone entirely too far. I don't want to be a vet and I not going to be one - I'm too damn young. I'll be able to enter the South West Vets Championships in the coming year. Am I going to? Hell no. To my mind I'm not really a vet for another five years.

Four Hill Christmas Special

Tonight's hill session over at Sneyd Park was different from the normal one. I'd never run this one before. It was Mike's four hill Christmas special. 2 sets of 4 different hills. The last one of the set was the normal hill loop so you could use it to gauge your performance. I ran the last one in 3:51 on the first set and 3:45 on the second. I put in a real effort on that last one, stumbled a couple of times with the tiredness, but it was worth the effort. In all it was about 4 miles of running on the hills and 5.5 miles in total (including the recoveries).

After three hard days I can have a rest day tomorrow. I'm continuing to really enjoy the training, I think, even more so because I'm coping so well with the three back to back hard sessions. I'm aiming to start adding a bit of twice a day training after Christmas. Running three or four easy recovery miles before work and then a hard evening session. Hopefully it will allow me to work even harder in those evening sessions.

Finally, only three and a bit days to go until Christmas - Oh bugger, I haven't got a Chimney!

The Fog ...

The night was chill. Fog lay like a blanket across the dark moonless moor. No sound could be heard except for the blood curdling scream cutting through the darkness like a surgeons scalpel .......... TRACK!

I really enjoyed tonight's track session. Of the lads only Sean was present but I am assured that the others had been out training earlier in the day. I shall of course be asking the official adjudicator for confirmation of this.

We ran ten 400's with a 100m, 60s jog recovery. I paced each one pretty consistently with a slight edge towards quicker laps at the end of the session with lap times of 82.0,79.0, 77.5, 77.3, 75.7, 76.8, 76.0, 75.3, 76.0, 73.2. Sean put in some good work chasing down Jerry and I (he gave us a wee head start). Really can't explain why I'm feeling such a buzz from training at the moment. I really look forward to the sessions. Just hope it continues because right now, I'm lovin' it.

Excellent Aztec

Just completed my fastest and most consistent session on the Aztec mile reps. Ran 4 hard and 1 easy. The set of 4 were run at 5:48 (correction from 5:50 after checking the gps, making it an even more consistent set than I at first thought), 5:45, 5:45 and 5:48. The average pace was somewhere in the region of 4s a lap faster than my previous fastest but much more consistent. The last one was hard work but it was definitely worth the effort. I seem to have come back so strong after the marathon. I can feel myself lifting from the plateau that I'd found myself on for the last month or so. I'm hoping to get into the 23's for Clevedon. Last year I was in the 24's so I think it should be realistic.

A restful Monday

... well almost. Today was a non-run day so it was off to the gym straight from work. Put in a hard session on the bike, whacked it onto high resistance interval and relaxed while I read my book for 45 minutes. Then onto the concept II rower for a quick ten minute blast - does that bad boy ever work you into a sweat! Then it was a quick twenty mins on the upper body, got to keep in trim, before home for tea.

Well done to monsieur Crump on his cracking new 10k PB of 40:18 set at the Wyvern Christmas Cracker. Setting a new PB at his age, why that's almost illegal :)

Ashton no questions tell no lies

Up Ashton court this morning. We ran for an hour. Rick, Sean and me too. Gary and Tim put in an extra half hour. Went out of Ashton Court over to the Ashton Plantation, it's a good little run if you enjoy your hills as I do.

It felt easy. I pushed hard on the last couple of hills - just wanted to probe where I'm at. Felt really strong so things are looking good. I've had a slight twinge on my left hip over the last three or four days. I only felt it once today so I'm sure it will be gone in the next day or two. Went down the gym afterwards for an hour on the bike set on high level resistance interval.

I haven't decided what I'm doing tomorrow. Probably just a visit to the gym and some bike and concept II rower work.

I've planned my race schedule for the first part of the year ahead. I'm going to run a 5.4k trail race in early January. I might run the 10k version but definitely not doing the 15k one. Following that will be a short fell type race the following week. It's only two miles but sounds quite steep. It'll certainly be a bit of test on the way back down but fortune favours the brave (or stupid - not sure which category I fall into!). Next up is the Bridge Inn of course at the end of January followed by the Dursley Dozen on the 11th February and then a repeat of the January trail race on the 18th. Up next is the Final Winter Bridge Inn followed by the Tumble fell race on the 3rd March (not sure if it's mandatory to actually take one but knowing me I probably will - a tumble that is). If I'm required for a leg of the 12 Stage Midland road relays then I'll stick that in at the end of March.