back to running school - week 10 - the first target race (and the bonus one)

Monday of the big countdown week - with a double-header of races planned for the weekend. The big one was Saturday at the Northern 6-Stage Road Relays in Blackpool. The bonus Sunday race was leg 2 of the Sheffield Way Relay - a great race between local running clubs with 5 pairs from each club running 10 miles each to complete a full 50 mile route around the city.

After a short jog to work on Monday morning, I set off back home again in the evening feeling good. The plan said a few miles with some surges, so I went with that - although some of the surges were a bit longer than they should have been because I was feeling fresh. I also admit to being tempted into running quicker by the sight of a pack of local club runners on an easy run through Porter Valley. Really must grow up.

Tuesday's session was a jog to the track followed by a relatively light session of 3 x 1000m off 5 minutes rest. I was careful to run with a bit of control - trying to avoid the typical sprint finish and conserve my old legs. I was happy with a consistent 3:04 for each rep though.

Wednesday is usually rest day, and as usual, I completely failed to rest. I did however keep well under 120bpm for mile or jog to work and the 8 mile trot home. I felt fine throughout and afterwards.

Thursday's session was a proper taper speed session - 10 x 1 minutes at around 5:30 pace, with a minute jog between. It felt good running easy at pace on the grass and I even managed to keep the total mileage for the day to less than 5 miles.

By Friday I was feeling pretty fresh - although still mindful of the usual niggles and pains down my left leg. The aches and pains seem to shift around randomly between my glutes, hamstrings and outside thigh. I did some brisk walks but avoided running altogether. The weekend was going to be hard enough.

I had about the worst night's sleep in the world on Friday - probably should have gone out for a run after all!

Saturday morning's alarm arrived much too quickly. I managed to get Lola out of bed (who was running in the U13 girl relays for City of Sheffield) and we were on the road for about 9am. It was a nice drive over to Blackpool in the sunshine - with all kinds of crap modern pop music filling the car. We were both in a pretty good mood though. I was probably bouyed by having hit my sub-70kg weight target just in the nick of time for the race - meaning I was about 2.5kg lighter than a month ago - enough to take around 20 seconds off a 5K time. I was also feeling pretty bouncy after my day off.

Lola got her 3km out of the way in around 13 minutes - and was furious about her time for about an hour. I said that she couldn't train for months for sprints and jumps and then expect to compete at the front of the long distance races. I am hoping that the experience persuades her to come out on a few runs with me over the next few weeks so she can get stuck into the XC season!

The rest of the squad arrived at about 1pm and there was the usual banter and warm ups as we surveyed the course and the conditions. It was still sunny and warm - actually a bit too hot for comfortable racing. There was a slight edge to the atmosphere too: months of build up to a race puts a bit of extra pressure on, and you could sense it in the air as people wondered how they would do against their own goals and how they would compare to their training partners. We'd soon find out.

Our first leg runner was Will B, who knocked out a cracking 20:53 over the 4.07 miles. Will brought the team home in 23rd place - just inside the qualifying 25. This was a great start as we knew that the first leg would have more than its fair share of top runners.

My race started smoothly - not too crowded but still plenty of company to run with. I went through the first mile comfortably holding my tempo breathing pattern, and the 2nd mile passed without too much bother too. As my breathing started to shorten at halfway, I switched to my race effort breathing pattern (breathing out hard every 3rd step) and pushed through mile 3 and into mile 4. Unusually for me, I looked at my watch at this point and saw that my average pace was 5:21. This spurred me on to gasp through the last 800m to the finish - clocking 21:45 and 5:20 average pace. I was well pleased with that - well over a minute faster than 2 years ago and not far off my 5K PB pace on a twisty, turny course. And, I had managed to gain a place too - taking us up to 22nd (should have been 20th but I lost the sprint finish to two track-loving whipper snappers!)

The whole team then proceeded to do the business - with a string of decent runs bringing us home in 17th position - easily qualifying for the nationals on the 3rd October. Our second team were 8th B team - showing that increasingly have the strength in depth to make a dent at the 12-stage relays next year. We even picked up a bronze medal for 3rd yorkshire team.

The drive home was easy enough and Lola was good company (as long as I let her choose the music). I was feeling the effort in my legs thought and was looking forward to kicking back at home for the evening.

Saturday night was another shocking night's sleep - a combination of the adrenaline rush from a good race, coupled with my nerves about me or one of the other runners getting lost on Sunday's Sheffield Way Relay.

It was bright if a little chilly when we arrived at Grenoside Woods at the start of the 2nd leg. Deb was running with Claire S, and I was with Alex P. I wasn't quite as nervous as I had been a few weeks ago about running with Alex as we had run about the same time at the northerns the day before.

The first male team from Dark Peak came storming up the hill at about 9:38 - meaning they had covered the first leg at a decent pace. Alex and I paced around nervously wondering how much headstart the leg 2 runners would have on us. Soon after, the Kimberworth and Steel City Striders runners also handed over their batons. Just as I was beginning to get really worried, our leg 1 pair (Ben and Gareth) came bounding up the trail. It was 9:48am meaning the (pretty handy) Dark Peak pair had got 10 minutes head start on us. Uncatchable but we knew we needed to make a dent in their lead to give our other runners a decent chance.

We set off down the hill at pace - with my excitement spilling over into a daft war cry about 'catching rabbits'. The trail is pretty rough but runnable and the first beep of the watch confirmed the first mile in 5:13. The 2nd mile finished in the bottom of the valley (5:24). As we started the 700ft ascent up to Kirk Edge Rd, I felt the energy flush out of my legs a bit - a timely reminder that Saturday had taken quite a bit out of me. I hung back a bit and let Alex power up the hill. I was breathing hard and was worried about blowing up. The course is basically a tale of two big bloody hills with some semi-runnable hard descents. Not for taking lightly.

As we got towards the top of the first hill, we were back together and running well. I had got into a nice climbing rhythm and the brow of the first climb was in sight. We caught the Steel City Striders team somewhere around this point.

The drop down into Loxley valley was a nice break - but you can't let your concentration drift as the ground is uneven and the brambles unforgiving. As we reached the fishing pond that signals the start of the second 700ft ascent, I was feeling pretty good and increasingly confident about having a go at the leg record of just under 1 hr 5 min. Halfway up the second hill, Alex dropped back a bit, but not so much that I slowed down - just taking a breather really as I had done on the first hill. I took over gate opening and closing duties, meaning we stayed pretty much together.

Before we knew it, we were heading down the final 2 mile descent through rough fields, over stiles, and squeezing past farm vehicles. As we hit the final mile, I picked the pace up to around 5:25 and kicked for the finish - opening up a bit of a gap on Alex who was feeling the weekend's work a bit. As usual though he had a decent bit left for the glory finish and we handed the baton over side-by-side - finishing the leg in 1:02:40 - and smashing the course record. That'll do I thought. The day finished nicely in the Nether Edge Bowling Club with a post-face buffet, awards and a few beers. Made all the sweeter by the team victory. The ladies finished 2nd.

Great weekend's work. Now back to it and ready for the nationals...

back to running school - weeks 8 and 9

Week 8

After Sunday's hard 15 miler, I was glad that the scheduled Monday tempo run (31 Aug) was going to be a progression run. My legs were a bit stiff, but the easy warm up on the undulating trails round Damflask soon sorted things out, and the group moved nicely through the gears from 7 min/mile pace for the first mile to a bit under 6 min/mile pace for mile 4. As we hit the little bridge at the end of the lake, we started the final hard mile. I switched up to a race breathing pattern (blow out hardish every 3 steps) and picked up the pace to around 5:35 - meaning I ended the session in front on my own (I wasn't too unhappy about it!)

Tuesday's session was one that I would have dreaded a month or two ago: drills, short sprints, and then 8 x 400m flat out with 2 minutes rest between each. Thankfully, I have got more used to the hard, short stuff. Not a lot better at it to be honest, but used to it at least. 

The session went well although my continued efforts to regain control over my diet / weight meant I was a bit hungry and I had a shocking 7th 400m rep when my energy seemed to just flush from my legs with 200m to go. Still, the reps averaged between 69 and 70 seconds, which is a couple of seconds quicker than in previous attempts. Bizarrely I found that focusing my eyes on the top of the tree in the distance beyond the finishing line seemed to help me cope with the inevitable trauma of the final 100m.

Wednesday in running school is 'rest day', which I have managed to adhere to once in the whole 9 weeks. A gentle 7ish mile trot up the porter valley is a bit like a rest isn't it?

Thursday was a classic Dave Oldfield SRC speed session: 8km of hard efforts starting with 1600m, then 2 x 1200m, 3 x 800m, and finishing with 4 x 400m. Rests shortened with the reps from 4 minutes to 1 minute. All distances are approximate as they are round a field in Darnall. Not that time and space are in anyway warped in that part of the city.

I managed to get out for an easy lunchbreak run on Friday, giving my legs a bit more recovery time ahead of the hill session scheduled for Saturday, . Just as well because Saturday's session was hard work. It was basically loads (14?) hard 1-minute hill efforts, quickly followed by 5 x 30s hill sprints. At least we then got a 10 minute walking rest before the usual 1.5 mile hilly time trial. I actually felt pretty good throughout the session - perhaps feeling the benefit of carrying a few pounds less than a couple of weeks ago. I even managed to catch Alex P on a few of the reps - although any improvements I make seem to be more than matched over the shorter reps by Alex C.

Sunday's run was an easy 3 miles on my own and then a nice social 12 miles with Trevor, Gareth and Kev B along the reopened canal towpath to Rotherham and back. The pace was just under 7 minute miles - until the last couple of miles, when Kev B always puts his foot down. I wasn't mature enough not to respond so the last mile went by in about 5:45. I think there is a lot to be said for Sunday runs with a hard finish.

Week 9

Whilst I considered the training during the first few weeks of running school a bit 'soft', the gradual increase in the quality work had left me in doubt that a lower-mileage / higher-quality approach can take more out of your legs. My average mileage for the last few weeks has been around 60 miles per week, compared to 80 in the months before London Marathon. But, if anything, my legs were probably more tired - my hamstrings in particular almost constantly aching.

My heart against pace calculations, my watch's VO2 max estimate (up to 65), and rep times, were all suggesting that the training approach was working for me - but I had no idea how this would play through to a race situation over any decent distance. It was also all a bit complicated because I had put on nearly 4kg of extra weight (8lbs) after reaching my low of just under 11 stone (69kg) before London. My basic conclusion after (too much) analysis was that I was probably fitter, but that the extra weight was masking the improvement.

Thankfully, operation food control was now in full swing and I was managing to maintain the ridiculous amount of discipline needed to avoid the biscuits, (extra) beer, kids leftover meals, second helpings and so on needed to live within my calorie target of 2,000 calories per day (net of calories burned doing exercise). Meeting this target should deliver a weight reduction of around 0.25kg per week. However, as the graph below shows, I was managing to exceed the target most days, so the weight was coming off a bit more quickly and by Monday I was bang on 71kg having lost 2kg (4.4lbs) in around 2 weeks.  

Monday's tempo session at damflask has quickly become my favourite session of the week and this week's session was a nice 2 x 15 minute at tempo pace off about 5 minutes rest. I ran the session with Alex P, which meant the tempo segments of the run were a bit quicker than usual - around 5:45 pace. But it felt comfortable and there is something a bit special about weaving through winding trails at pace. Deb, Lola and Isla all came out for a run round the dam as well - as the kids prepare for the XC season. Nice to hear the odd shout out from across the water.

Tuesday is track day [shudders] and I knew this was probably going to be the last hard session before we started to wind down for the big day on the 19th (the Northern 6-Stage Road Relays we have all been training together for). The session was 2000m, 1609m, 1000m, 800m, off 5 minutes rest. I had to run to the session from work due to a late meeting, so I missed the drills and strides (funny how quickly you feel weird if you don't do drills before a quality session!) But, the session went well - following the usual pattern of me doing relatively well on the longer reps (6:28 on the 2000m and 2nd or 3rd of the group), before falling to the back over the shorter stuff (2:29 on the 800m). Still, felt good.

Wednesday's rest day was a bit of a fail as I ended up showing clubmate Gary Baker the first leg of the Sheffield relay. I had promised to take it nice and steady but I hadn't reckoned on Gary attacking all of the hills like a madman (all 1,200 feet of ascent over 9 miles). Still a nice run in good company and a lift back to EIS from Bev to collect the kids from athletics.

Thursday was the club mile time trial evening. I was firmly focused on the 5km qualification at Hillsborough Parkrun, which we were going to use to select the team for the Northern 6-Stage, so I had already decided not to have a go at my mile PB of 4:58 from a few months ago. Instead I helped a few club mates round by doing the pace making duties for 7 min/mile then 6 min/mile, and then the first two laps with the 5 min/mile group. Really enjoyable evening.

Friday's run was a short and slow 4-mile recovery run. I felt absolutely shocking - legs like lead, breathing hard, and a bit confused as to why. I put it down to over zealous food control and made sure I picked up the protein and calories intake for the rest of the day.

I had about the worst night's sleep ever on Friday night - with the qualification race on my mind, coupled with Isla's first school XC race of the season, complications around Lola's recent change of school, and the logistics of a Saturday that would see us spending most of the afternoon in Cudworth at the inter-counties were Lola was sporting a South Yorks vest for the first time (representing our great republic in the 100m and 100m relays, which are always about 3 bloody hours apart).

I needn't have worried. Isla had a great first race despite a pretty lazy summer - finishing 6th, and looking like there was more to come. Lola looked great in the 100m. And, the qualification parkrun went really well. I felt strong, light, and in control all the way round, running 3 evenly paced laps to finish in 16:56 - a big PB on the Hillsborough Parkrun course in less than ideal conditions. Members of the training group took the first 7 positions! It was good fun.

about 400m into the 3rd lap (alex p is about 15s ahead!)

about 400m into the first lap 

Sunday started nice and early with a relaxed 12 miles from Infirmary Rd up to Bradfield and back - most of it with Joe SP.

Next week is all about maintaining a bit of quality, getting some freshness in the legs, and then attacking the 6-stage relays on the Saturday like a madman. Last time we did the Northerns we scraped qualification for the national 6-stage relays (top 25 clubs). This time we will be disappointed if we don't get in the top 15.