Quedgeley Christmas 5-miler - Race Report

Just a brief report this time...

This was a small race in Gloucestershire, organised by the local methodist church to raise funds. There were only 60 or 70 runners, so the fact that I finished 7th wasn't as impressive as it sounds!

I lined up close to the start line and kept the leaders in sight for a short while, although when my watch chirped 6:03 for the first mile I did ease off a little. That's about 5km pace for me! A bridge over the M5 marked the end of any busy roads and the start of winding, picturesque country lanes. Great scenery and barely a breath of wind. I was enjoying myself by now.

Mile 2 took 6:20, which I felt was too slow. So from then I tried to maintain a slightly quicker pace. I was just off a pack of runners chasing the lead for the entire race. Nobody overtook me, nor did I overtake anyone. My remaining 3 splits were pretty even and I managed a time of 31:05, knocking a huge 55 seconds off my previous PB, set in May. All in all I was thrilled. A thoroughly enjoyable race!

See my Garmin data here and the official results here.


Distance: 5.00 miles
Avg pace: 6m 13s / mile
Avg HR: No HRM
Conditions: Cold and clear

Keeping it short and sweet

I wanted to post separately about this. See, while it's true I have been slacking off in some departments, I've been pulling my socks up in others, especially speed work. I've been consistently joining Cardiff Triathletes for their Monday evening run, which typically entails fast intervals or hill sprints, and hammering out the odd lung-bursting tempo run.

And it seems to be paying off: on 3 December I knocked 12 seconds off my 5km PB, posting a time of 18:47 at Cardiff Parkrun. And at last night's regular Monday evening session I had sprung on me a 2-mile time trial, but surprised myself with a time of 11:22. That's the first time I've ever been timed over that distance (other than as part of a duathlon), so whatever time I ran was always going to be a PB. But it felt good to be the first runner home and to average a blistering pace of 5:41/mile.

So now I just need to keep up that speed work as well as the long runs, cycling and swimming. Easy! Next major test, though, is a small 5-mile race on Saturday, and I have my current PB of 32:00 in my sights. Let's end this calendar year on a high!

Note to self: get back on it!

Over the past few weeks my long runs have been a bit sporadic: I've surpassed 10 miles only three times in 16 days. My cycling has also fallen by the wayside: nothing for the past week-and-a-half and only a handful of spin classes before that. Even swimming is down to one weekly session. I could lay the blame on a whole bunch of things -- not least my work schedule -- but excuses are for losers. I think what I need is some kind of forfeit system for every time I have that 'let's give tonight a miss' feeling. No biscuits for 24 hours, perhaps?

DB Max 'Chilly' Duathlon, Castle Combe

This was my first ever duathlon. Running I can do, but as I waited eagerly on the starting line I had an attack of bike-related nerves and jitters: would I be penalised for unwittingly drafting, would I cycle one too many laps, what gear had I left the bike in again? Argh! However, ultimately my concerns were ill founded and the race panned out as smoothly as I could have hoped for.

From the off I was immediately whipped up in the mass hysteria, zipping off at 6:00/mile pace and failing to heed my friend's pragmatic words of 'bugger this'. The race format was 2-mile run, 10-mile bike, 2-mile run and my strategy was to hit the first leg of the run at about 5km pace (mainly to make up for the last leg, which I knew would be considerably slower!). I made good ground and overtook quite a few folk.

In the fray: can you spot me? ;-)

Transition 1 went pretty well. Shoes changed, helmet on and away. On the bike I looked to average about 20mph, which I thought would stand me in pretty good stead. But not long after I hit the circuit, the more accomplished cyclists were already passing me. I figured I had ended the first leg pretty high up the field, so didn't take it to heart. This was, after all, my first ever competitive bike ride!

The best bit about the bike ride was passing the spectators five times, which gave me a continual boost. In fact, I really enjoyed the cycling -- full stop. I played cat-and-mouse with some of the riders around me and really got into the swing of it, before giving it a bit of welly for the final half a mile and filtering into the dismount area for transition 2.

Prising off my cycling shoes for something a little more comfortable

Having done a few brick runs in training, I had some idea of what lay ahead of me. So while T2 again went pretty smoothly, I didn't run so much as hobble off for the final two miles. It was like wading through treacle, or trudging the wrong way up an escalator. I felt like I was running 10-minute miles but was actually cruising somewhere around 7:00/mile. I was expecting my calves to loosen up but that never really happened. My breath was short and sharp, too. Thank Christ it was only two miles, I thought!

I found a spurt for the final few hundred yards, pulling away from a couple of fellow runners and overtaking another. By the time I reached the finish line I was wearing my trademark grimace, but I was more than pleased with my overall effort. So, did I make it under the hour mark?

That trademark grimace I was talking about

Results

Run 1: 12:09
T1: 01:10
Bike: 28:13
T2: 01:16
Run 2: 13:38

Total: 56:29 (putting me 80th of 251 finishers)

See official results here.

Just to get even more stat-tastic, here are my bike splits:

5:29; 5:33; 5:32; 5:37; 5:37

Would definitely do this again!

Cardiff Half Marathon - Race Report

Since the Berlin Marathon I had been taking it relatively easy. That meant I hadn't trained specifically for this race, but I knew I had enough miles in my legs to put in a decent performance. I had only ever run one half marathon before in The Hague (see race report here), where I set my PB of 1:30:43. Naturally, this time I wanted to get under that 1:30 barrier.

It was a perfect day for it: sunny but not too hot (15°C), with a nice, light breeze. It had been a bit fresh when I left the house at 7 a.m. but I was glad I hadn't worn my running tights.

At the start I nestled in at the back of the sub-1:30 wave. Right from the gun people were darting around me from either side, but I couldn't have cared much less: I wanted to run this race for myself. The plan was to cruise at around 7:00/mile and then pick up the pace over the last few miles, so when the first couple of miles passed by in 6:50 and 6:45 respectively, I wondered if I should ease off the gas a bit. But I felt comfortable so I kept on, taking care not to get carried away.

Annie had come out to cheer me on at the 3-mile marker, despite feeling really under the weather with a stinking cold (so her support was doubly appreciated!). Public support was sporadic but nonetheless energetic. There was a nice buzz about the whole race, and it was good to be a part of.

My split times remained remarkably consistent -- 6:50, 6:52, 6:47 -- and I clocked 10km in 42:30 or so. A year ago that would have scared the bejesus out of me, but I knew I had enough left in the tank at that point.

From there we headed onto the dual carriageway. There had been a lot of talk about this new section of the course: generally speaking, people were worried it might be a little drab and also demoralising to see more accomplished runners looping back on the other side. But I really appreciated the view as we passed over the marina and tried to take some inspiration from the elites and faster club runners who were zipping along in the opposite direction.

I was enjoying myself. Don't get me wrong: I wasn't taking it easy. In fact, I remember wondering whether I could sustain the pace I had managed so far. My slowest split was 7:00 following a little undulation during mile 7. But otherwise, my legs just kept on going. I was never going to make my target by a huge margin, but at no point did it feel beyond the realms of possibility.

As we headed over the barrage, I did begin to tire. But by then I was so close that I couldn't let it slip. The crowds were starting to build, and along with it the public support. With 200 yards to go, I picked up the pace, twisted around one bend and then another and powered inexorably towards the finish line. The gun time showed 1:30:00 as I crossed the threshold and my official chip time was 1:29:33, putting me in 374th place out of over 10,000 runners. Can't complain!

So another race and another PB. Long may it continue!


Distance: 13.14 miles
Avg pace: 6m 49s / mile
Avg HR: No HR monitor
Conditions: sunny, 15°C

From brick runs to swimming like a brick...

Tonight I wandered over to Fairwater Leisure Centre to join Cardiff Triathletes for a swim session. Well, I say a swim session. I mostly just floundered around in the inside lane, annoying all the actual swimmers.

I don't remember ever being taught front crawl properly as a kid, so naturally I'm pretty crap at it. I don't know how to swim even semi-efficiently and, crucially, I can't fit my breathing into my poor excuse for a stroke.

So it's right back to basics. I spent much of the session not swimming at all, but simply exhaling underwater, turning my head to the right or left and inhaling. It turns out my breathing was way too shallow. You have to exhale with much more force than I had realised. So that was lesson number one. Then I did a few lengths holding a float with one arm and crawling with the other, then swapping sides. That was about it. And even that was a challenge.

I'm just not a swimmer. But I'm determined to get better. I'll be having at least one, and possibly two, lessons a week from now on. Forget inhibitions. I'm inevitably going to look 'special' for quite a while yet!

I have a year to get this sorted. Then I have to swim a mile in the London Docks, not forgetting the ensuing 40km bike ride and 10km run. What have I got myself into?!

Bricking it!

Today I did my first ever brick run. For those not in the know: brick sessions consist of two disciplines, often cycling and running and usually in that order (thus simulating the final transition of a triathlon). The idea is to train your body to efficiently switch blood supply from one set of muscle groups to another. Doing this often enough should help to prevent any upsets during your first triathlon or, in my case, duathlon.

If you've ever tried brick runs, you'll know that your legs don't really feel like your own for the first couple of hundred yards. This can make it difficult to pace yourself. In fact, I've never felt so little control over my running as I did today: I looked down at my Garmin and realised I was unwittingly cruising at 5k pace. Cramp  quickly crept into both calves and I found myself emphatically heel-striking in a bid to stretch them out. Apparently, this isn't uncommon for newbies like yours truly.

I remember how blasé I was about signing up for the 'Chilly' Duathlon at Castle Combe, which entails a 2-mile run followed by a 10-mile bike ride followed by another 2-mile run. 'Two miles? Child's play!', I thought to myself. But my first brick session has changed all that. Duathlon and triathlon both command respect as disciplines. I'm just glad I realised that now rather than on the big day.

I have just over 5 weeks to train for the duathlon, and I plan to fit in at least one brick session per week. I'll probably try to mimic race day at least once in training, too.

Tomorrow evening I'm going to try and track down Cardiff Triathlon club at Fairwater Leisure Centre. If there's anything I need help with, it's swimming. Gulp!


Distance: 1.00 miles
Avg pace: 6m 23s / mile
Avg HR: No HR monitor
Conditions: windy, 15°C

I'm-a comin' home!

So the inevitable parcel arrived in the post this week: my rejection letter from the good people at London Marathon HQ. But you know what? London can keep its smelly marathon, because I've got other plans...

Like thousands of other London 'rejects', I have gone on the rebound. Accordingly, on 29 April 2012, I will be running the revived Greater Manchester Marathon. As soon as I've stopped feeling guilty about defaulting to the city of my childhood, I'll start training towards my sub-3:10 target time.

I've also yet to add a couple of other races to my events list: the 'Chilly Duathlon' (Castle Combe, 20 November 2011) and the Virgin Active London Triathlon (London (duh!), 22 September 2012). Yes, I said the 't' word, but don't worry, running is still at the forefront of my mind!

Back in the saddle

This morning I went for an easy 12 miles or so with my friend Webb. It was great to get some fresh air and give myself a bit of a workout after almost a week of rest. My legs felt a little heavy at times but I really enjoyed heading through Cardiff Bay and out over the barrage. Great views. Shame to come home via Grangetown, though! ;-)

Distance: 11.67 miles
Avg pace: 9m 26s / mile
Avg HR: No HR monitor
Conditions: warm, humid; 24°C

Berlin Marathon - Race Report

This was my chance to put the cauchemar of the Paris Marathon behind me. My training had not gone entirely plan: my impatience had earned me some pretty nasty shin splints, and prolonged a nagging gluteus strain. That said, I had managed long runs of 17, 19 and 21 miles, peaking three weeks before race day. After that, I moved house and my evening sessions became a bit few and far between amidst the chaos. In the week leading up to the marathon, I managed a half marathon and 10km, both at race pace. Somehow, though, despite the lack of preparation, I felt pretty good. I dare say the rest did me good.

On race day, I relied totally on my friend (a Berliner, but not the doughnut type) to get me to the start line. My sense of direction is shameful. Anyway, we took the S-Bahn because the trams weren't running (for obvious reasons). In the end, we didn't have much time to spare: I got to my starting wave 4 minutes before the off! But at least I didn't have to stand around getting cold (or listening to lame warm-up music). The elites were introduced, including Paula Radcliffe and good old Haile, both of whom received a rapturous applause. Then we were off.

In April, I had failed spectacularly to hit my target of 3:15 on a warm Parisian day, so logically, 3:15 became my target for Berlin instead. However, eager not to overstretch myself, I decided I would be happy to beat my PB of 3:24:15, set almost exactly a year previously in Brussels. God, I do go on. Sorry. I'll get back to the race...

The start was, of course, crowded. The odd numpty had somehow found their way into waves A or B and  was now successfully causing pile-ups. I tutted and flamboyantly veered around them, like I do on the motorways to middle-laners. But much to the disappointment of the martyr in me, pretty soon the field opened up (as I left 90% of my competitors behind me, that is -- muahaha!).

The first 4 or 5 miles were a blur. It was weird. They seemed to fly by. I think I was soaking up the atmosphere, or perhaps enjoying the scenery. I can't remember. Anyway, I was taking it relatively easily. According to the provisional results, I racked up my first 10km in 47:07. I was pretty happy with the way things were going. Well on track to beating my PB and not far outside that elusive 3:15. A kilometre later, my host and good friend, Nikki, took my photo and egged me on. Feeling confident, I made a 'victory V' sign. A little premature, maybe.

The 'victory V' at 11km

After that, things carried on much in the same vein. I seemed to have hit a groove: according to my Garmin, my split times all stayed at or under 7:30. By now I had noticed how amazing the public support was. People were cheering me on by name (our names were printed under our numbers); jazz ensembles, samba percussion groups and rock bands made for a great ambiance. At every turn I was lifted by the enthusiasm of the thousands of onlookers. I've never known any race like it.

The first time I felt any fatigue in my legs was around the 10-mile mark. 'Uh oh!', I thought to myself. The last time I remembered feeling that burning in my quads was about 16 miles into the Paris Marathon, just before I fell apart at the seams. But I cracked on in the knowledge that only three weeks before, I had run 21 miles on no breakfast, gels or any other carbohydrate concoction. Who needed glycogen? My legs could chew up fat reserves for fun. I had also been taking on plenty of fluids. I sipped constantly at my 500ml bottle of homemade, laugh-in-the-face-of-austerity powerade (half apple juice, half water), grabbed at any available cups of water and energy drinks like a crazed, lost man in the Sahara and took in an energy gel every 40 minutes or so. No, I would be fine. Mind over matter and all that.

I hit the halfway mark at 1:38:40. Nice. Still on track for a decent time, and my legs felt strong again. In fact, I started thinking silly thoughts about negative splits, got a bit giddy and threw in a handful of relatively quick split times (averaging 7:10 over miles 13, 14 and 15). I calmed down again after that, though. Since Paris, the 16-mile mark had definitely become a bit of a barrier in my mind. Even in training I would suddenly go all wobbly. So I settled back into the comfortable zone of 7:30(ish) per mile.

Plod, plod, plod. Gulp, sip, swig. Overtake, smile smugly, overtake again. Wow, this was a revelation! Legs, I love you! The miles were racking up -- 16, 17, 18, 19... -- and no sign of 'the wall' as yet. I know, I know: a lot can happen in the final third, but I couldn't help but grin. And grin I did. High fives for the little tykes on the sidelines, the odd 'danke schön' for the cheering spectators.

Inevitably though, I started to tire. I remember eagerly awaiting the 32km marker, just so I knew I was down to single figures. My friend Nikki had dutifully cycled to the 34km mark to cheer me on yet again, which was a welcome boost. My legs were aching, but I was still managing to hammer out split times around the 7:20 mark. Only at mile 24 did I slow noticeably. My slowest split time was mile 26, but even that was only 7:44.

 At 34km - looking decidedly less energetic

All in all, I was over the moon: by now it was clear I would beat my PB by a decent margin. Could I make that pesky 3:15? Well, yes and no. My Garmin hit 26.2 miles in just under 3:14. But clearly I'd run in zig zags because I was still almost half a mile from the finish line! And I'd made a concerted effort to follow the handy little blue markers on the floor as well! Tsk!

Ultimately, I crossed the line in 3:16:56. That's a massive 7:19 off my PB. Patrick Makau only beat the world record by a measly 21 seconds ;-) And the cherry on the icing on the cake? I even managed a negative split. Gotta be happy with that!

My split times couldn't have been much more consistent

Distance: 26.63 miles
Avg pace: 7m 24s / mile
Provisional position: 3,013 (of about 40,000)
Avg HR: No HR monitor
Conditions: warm, 21°C

Berlin calling!

So I arrived late yesterday evening in Berlin and spent a good couple of hours sat up chatting with my good friend Nikki before bed. She's very kindly putting me up until early next week, so I should be nicely rested for the marathon on Sunday. We'll be heading out together this afternoon to pick up my number from the old Tempelhof airport. I'm excited :-)

I've neglected my blog of late, largely because my training has gone off the rails and to write about it brings me down a little. I've been plagued by shin splints and forced to rest intermittently. Nonetheless, over recent weeks I've managed long runs of 17, 19 and 21 miles. I know I'll 'get around' the course on Sunday, but I had hoped to set my sights a little higher. No matter. I'm here and determined to enjoy the experience.

Watch this space for a race report!

Fusion 5k, Llanelli - Race Report

Whew! That blew away a few cobwebs! I had been nursing a couple of minor injuries so hadn't run at all since the Tenby 10k on 31 July. It's funny how even a small break can knock your confidence. While I had managed to get in some cycling and swimming over recent days, I really wasn't sure what to expect from my body. 

This was actually my first ever 5k race. My running 'career' has all been a bit backwards. My first ever race was a 10-miler and I ran a marathon before I ran my first half. Going into this race, my 5k time was 19:16 (set unofficially in training, last year). I wanted to come in under 19 minutes but wasn't 100% sure I could. My strategy was to start at target pace and then hold on for dear life!

In the pre-race briefing, the organiser said the course was a good one for PBs. 'Mildly undulating' were his chosen words. The race was an out-and-back along a coastal path, so we were running into a headwind to start with (although oddly, there was no tailwind on the way back). I nestled in at the front of the pack and waited for the hooter, then we were away.

A young runner (16, it turned out) set the pace for the first couple of kilometers, and to begin with I was quite comfortable sitting in with the leading pack. We wound uphill to a bridge and then hit the tarmac path out to the sea front. The headwind was quite strong and I struggled to find cover. Approaching 1 mile, I was still sat in with the leaders (not something I'm used to!). My Garmin chirped. Split time for mile 1: 5:59. Body check: panting a little, perhaps going into oxygen debt. Oh well! Crack on!

A few hundred yards on and the lactic acid was definitely starting to creep into my legs. The halfway point was a welcome sight, even if the 180-degree turn did break my stride. I was overtaken for the first time. I knew he was coming, but I didn't fancy stepping up a gear just yet. And besides, I'd passed a few people myself. The leading pack started to pull away from me and a gap also opened up behind me. Bleep! Mile 2: 6:10. Body check: flagging, but close enough by now to kick my own arse to the finish.

We climbed the gentle slope back towards the bridge and my pace dropped noticeably for the first time. Only one kilometer to go. My Garmin showed 15 minutes and a few seconds. All I had to do was manage the final stretch at 10k pace and I was on for a PB. 

On the other side of the bridge, I lost sight of the runner in front of me. "Which way is that arrow pointing?", I thought. Straight on, I decided. Still couldn't see anyone. "Is this the right way?!" I shouted to an old lady with a dog. She motioned to the right. Argh! I had gone the wrong way! What an absolute muppet! Turns out the arrow was for the way out, not the way back. I shouldn't even have been able to see it! The next runner had closed the gap on me (obviously!). I cursed under my breath (probably out loud, actually!) and rejoined the path. I was determined not to lose a place. Mile 3: 6:09. 

Right, now go! Sprint! As I hit the final strait, I saw the big clock: 18:56, 18:57, 18:58... Arrrgghhh! Push!! And over the line in 18:59! Woo hooooooooooooo!!! Making my target time by the smallest possible margin somehow made it all the more enjoyable. I was absolutely thrilled.

Distance: 5k
Time: 18:59
Avg pace: 6:07/mile
Position: 7 of 89

Tenby 10k - Race Report

This race had been in my crosshairs for quite a while. All the signs pointed towards a sub-40 minute 10k: I had run my PB of 40:17 two months before and come close to that time again in training; I felt strong, notwithstanding a couple of niggles; the course was coastal, so it had to be flat, right? Well, not quite: it actually rose by almost 400ft, but my PB had been on a pretty hilly course too. So on balance, my target seemed realistic.

The start was crowded and there was no timing mat, so official results would be from the gun. With that in mind, I jostled for position. When the horn sounded I got pretty annoyed with a few dawdlers, but the field soon opened out.

The first mile consisted of a gentle half-mile climb (80ft or so) followed immediately by a descent of about the same distance and gradient. I resisted the temptation to let fly, unlike half of the 30 or so runners ahead of me. However, making the most of the downhill stretch, I clocked the first mile in 6:18. I felt well within my limits at that point.

The modest downward slope continued and by the end of mile 2, we were about 60ft closer to sea level than the starting area. So I wasn't concerned to hear my Garmin chirp after another 6:15. I was still happy with my running. Yes, this was a quick pace for me, but I hadn't gone like a greyhound out of the traps!

But from here on in, things started to get a bit more challenging. Mile 3 entailed a short but steep climb, just enough to make my quads burn. My split time fell to 6:36 for mile 3 and I passed the 5k mark in 19:48. Still on course. No cause for concern. All I had to do was hold it together.

Mile 4 involved yet more climbing. Not a particularly challenging gradient, but enough to take the edge off my pace. I had steadily moved my way up the pack by this point, gaining at least 10 places since the start. One runner in front of me had now started to walk, but as soon as I overtook him he sprinted past me again at a ridiculous pace. A few hundred yards later he was walking again. Then he took off again. This game of cat and mouse continued until the climb intensified a little, then he disappeared. Just as well, because I was finding it bloody distracting! I clocked 6:36 for mile 4. My average pace was bang on for a 40-minute 10k, but I had lost the benefit of my quick start.

We carried on climbing gently until about half way through mile 5, when we were greeted with a relatively steep downhill stretch. I managed to win back some time, posting 6:28 for the mile. I was hanging in there, just!

Still feeling pretty strong, I sat in with a couple of other runners for a few hundred yards. I knew the final mile was uphill, so I wanted to conserve as much energy as possible. But these guys were going too slowly, so I pulled ahead of them. I had unwittingly volunteered to be their windbreak. There had been barely a breath of wind all day and now I was running head on into a stern breeze. Then I got a stitch. 'Please, not now!', I thought. My spirits were momentarily lifted when I saw the 9k marker and realised I had a few seconds to spare, but I could see a steep climb ahead.

The hill rose by only 80ft, but it was 'all in one go'. I slowed to what felt like a shuffle and the two runners I had just overtaken came back past me. I wasn't going to let them get away. Mile 6 took me 6:50 and the sub-40 minute dream was slipping away. I had to do something.

The ground levelled off and a sign indicated that there were 400 metres to go. Knackered and not sure if I could sustain anything more than the pace I was already at, I found a kick from somewhere and overtook the last guy to have passed me on the hill. The course followed an 'S' bend, so I couldn't see the finish. Just when I thought I was there, the course took another turn. I looked down at my Garmin: time: 39:xx; pace: 4:40/mile! I was closing in fast on the next two runners, who were already battling it out between themselves. Face contorted, legs burning, lungs bursting, heart pounding, I powered over the finish line in 39:41. My mum and sister immediately ran over and congratulated me. As soon as the world stopped spinning, I thanked them both and we wandered off for a well-deserved pub lunch.


Distance: 10k
Time: 39m 41s
Avg pace: 6m 23s / mile
Position: 26 of 338 (putting me in the top 8%)

Official results here and GPS data here.

Week beginning 4 July

Nose back to the grindstone this week: just short of 43 miles covered, with a bit of swimming thrown in for good measure. Sluggish at times; more spritely at others. Looked like I'd been in the wars by Sunday evening!

Highlights of the week:

- Highest-mileage week to date
- Averaged target 10k pace over a 4-mile run without initially intending to - gotta be a good sign!
- Felt fresher than ever on an 8-mile marathon-pace run

- Spent Sunday's LSR discovering new footpaths. Just call me Columbus.


Monday

3-mile recovery run

Distance: 2.93 miles
Avg pace: 8m 56s / mile
Avg HR: 137 bpm


Tuesday

A sluggish 8-miler first thing in the morning. Barely got under 8-minute mile pace until halfway through. But it's all miles under the belt ;-)

Distance: 7.98 miles
Avg pace: 7m 41s / mile
Avg HR: 151 bpm


Wednesday

AM: 1km swim (getting a bit quicker: 40 lengths in 26 minutes, but still swimming breast stroke like an old woman).

PM: 4-mile easy run. Plenty in the tank this time. Felt pretty fresh.

Distance: 4.00 miles
Avg pace: 8m 30s / mile
Avg HR: 139 bpm

Thursday

What was supposed to be a 5-mile tempo run turned into a 4-mile slog after I got giddy during miles 2 and 3 (split times: 6m 44s; 6m 13s; 6m 06s; 6m 47s). On the plus side, that's an average of 6m 27s per mile -- my target 10k pace. 

Distance: 3.97 miles
Avg pace: 6m 27s / mile
Avg HR: 168 bpm

Friday

Rest (phew!)


Saturday

8 miles at bang on target marathon pace. Fresh as a daisy :-)

Distance: 8.03 miles
Avg pace: 7m 20s / mile
Avg HR: 159 bpm

Sunday

Long slow run which involved climbing over 1,700ft, being repeatedly stung by nettles and cut by brambles, trudging up to my ankles through mud and getting lost both in a potato field and on a 4x4 off-road course. I think I'll limit myself to one of these kind of runs per month!

Distance: 15.71 miles
Avg pace: 9m 12s / mile
Avg HR: 151 bpm

27/6 - 3/7 - A week of rest?

After three consecutive weeks of building distance from around 28 to 38 miles, 27 June - 3 July was scheduled as an 'off week'. I ran 33 miles in all, but perhaps overdid it here and there (at least, I didn't feel particularly rested by Sunday!).

Highlights of the week:

- Running injury free (nothing more than tightness/niggles)
- Had a really quick, successful interval session
- Slotted in another 1km swim -- variety is good!

- Managed to stay disciplined on my long run


Monday

3-mile easy/steady run finishing with a small spurt.

Distance: 3.07 miles
Avg pace: 7m 38s / mile
Avg HR: 149 bpm


Tuesday 

Really pleased with this session! 4x 1km intervals with 2-minute recovery jogs -- check out the split times: 

Km 1: 3:54 (6:16/mile) 

Km 2: 3:43 (5:59/mile) 

Km 3: 3:32 (5:41/mile) 

Km 4: 3:38 (5:51/mile)

Distance: 3.34 miles
Avg pace: 6m 48s / mile
Avg HR: 163 bpm


Wednesday

Rest


Thursday

AM: 1km swim (my technique is still horrible, but I might be getting some lessons in September!).

PM: 7 miles steady, finishing at 10k pace. Experimented with cadence: increased turnover during the last couple of miles and felt I could run faster with less effort.

Distance: 7.03 miles
Avg pace: 6m 59s / mile
Avg HR: 158 bpm


Friday

5k recovery run with Annie. Nice to have company once in a while! :-)

Distance: 3.09 miles
Avg pace: 10m 06s / mile
Avg HR: 127 bpm

Saturday

Did my long(ish) run today instead of Sunday, just to suit circumstances. Stayed disciplined and hovered around 8 mins/mile. Tiring, but in a different way to the quicker sessions earlier in the week.

Distance: 9.86 miles
Avg pace: 7m 57s / mile
Avg HR: 151 bpm

Sunday

7 miles at marathon pace -- heavy legged! Don't think I refuelled soon enough after my long run yesterday. My Garmin also went crazy and lied to me about my first two split times, so I ran too hard for the remaining 5 miles (in fact, I stopped about one-third of a mile short of 7 miles because I knew something wasn't right). Ate within half an hour of getting back this time!

Distance: 6.71 miles
Avg pace: 7m 10s / mile
Avg HR: 157 bpm

Week beginning 20 June

Highlights of the week:


- Ran 38.33 miles (highest weekly mileage this year!) in 4h 48m 36s
- Started to inject a bit more speed into my training
- Completed my longest training run since Paris (13.98 miles)

- Experimented with foot plant, with some interesting results


Monday: 3-mile recovery run finishing with a small spurt

Distance: 3.05 miles
Avg pace: 8m 21s / mile
Avg HR: 142 bpm


Tuesday: 1 mile easy, 5 miles tempo, 1 mile easy. Felt uncomfortable, like the first speed session in a while, but I think I got the intensity just about right.

Distance: 7.00 miles
Avg pace: 7m 14s / mile
Avg HR: 165 bpm

Wednesday: 3-mile easy/recovery run

Distance: 3.03 miles
Avg pace: 8m 19s / mile
Avg HR: 149 bpm


Thursday: 5 miles starting at half marathon pace and ending at 10k pace. Felt it!

Distance: 4.97 miles
Avg pace: 6m 56s / mile
Avg HR: 165 bpm


Friday: Rest.


Saturday: 10km averaging target marathon pace. Before my run today I read a decent piece of advice in a triathlon book: imagine you're running with a string attached to your head, holding your body in place. In other words: run tall. So, I started off easy and slowly built up to 10k pace, concentrating on form: mid- to forefoot striking and good, tall posture. The result? I still had plenty left in the tank at 6:40/mile. I can't believe how much less energy I used when I didn't slouch. Looks like I may have turned over a new leaf!


Distance: 6.15 miles
Avg pace: 7m 19s / mile
Avg HR: 156 bpm


Sunday: Long slow run. Concentrated on form again, results similar. My heart rate remained relatively low and I didn't feel like I was running hard, yet I posted some decent mile times. Bit hot out there, mind!

Distance: 13.98 miles
Avg pace: 7m 40s / mile
Avg HR: 154 bpm

Week beginning 13 June

Highlights of the week:

- Upped my weekly mileage by just short of 10% to 32 miles
- Ran my third 10k race in 10 days

- Completed my longest training run since Paris (13.1 miles)

- Went running somewhere completely new

Monday: 3-mile recovery run following the Ross-on-Wye 10k

Distance: 3.07 miles
Avg pace: 9m 09s / mile
Avg HR: Forgot HR monitor

Tuesday: Rest before Wednesday's race

Wednesday: Malvern Joggers 10k

Distance: 10km
Avg pace: 7m 18s / mile
Avg HR: No HR monitor


Thursday: Slow run in a bid to shake off the aches of Wednesday's race. Very heavy legged!

Distance: 4.79 miles
Avg pace: 8m 36s / mile
Avg HR: 145 bpm


Friday: Rest.


Saturday: Long slow run, finishing around marathon pace.

Distance: 13.05 miles
Avg pace: 8m 08s / mile
Avg HR: 155 bpm


Sunday: Easy 5-mile run out on the common at Llantrisant while we were staying with Annie's cousin. Saw lots of horses and foals and very few cars. A bit hilly here and there, but most enjoyable!

Distance: 4.96 miles
Avg pace: 8m 26s / mile
Avg HR: 148 bpm

Malvern Joggers 10k - Race Report

Boy, was this tough! The Malvern Joggers 10k was my third race over that distance in 10 days, and felt like it! The event was relatively local but nonetheless well attended, with 271 runners competing in all. It was also very well organised, I must say: no veering off in the wrong direction this time! All I knew about the course beforehand was that it was 'undulating', which of course left a lot of room for interpretation. Not knowing what to expect, it was difficult to set a target. I thought 45 minutes might be realistic, but I really wasn't sure.

The starting area afforded everybody plenty of space (oddly, we were counted in by a pair of Chuckle Brother lookalikes!). From the off, I nestled in among a few runners just behind the leading pack and made my way along a remote tarmac road. Mile 1 passed by in 6m 49s -- pretty respectable, I thought, given the gentle incline. 

We branched left onto a woodland trail and the hills got a little steeper, just enough so that I could feel them. After another few hundred yards we emerged onto a grassy knoll, climbing all the while. I clocked mile 2 in 7m 44s. By this point I was pretty puffed but could finally see the brow of a hill. Over the first 2.25 miles, the course rose from 175 to 510ft. By no stretch of the imagination was it a fell run, but to an unsuspecting road runner like me it was a challenge!

As we reached that first peak, I thought I recognised one of my fellow runners (though there's a limit to how familiar the back of a person's head can be!). I pulled alongside him and sure enough, it was the guy I had spent the entire Ross 10k behind. We had a brief exchange and, knowing that he had finished a good few seconds ahead of me last time, I sat in just behind him. Ultimately, he would finish some 22 places ahead of me. I guess either he was more accustomed to the hills or his legs were fresher than mine! We coasted downhill for about two-thirds of a mile before beginning another brief climb just before the next mile marker. Mile 3: 7m 32s.

The next three-quarters of a mile were quite emphatically downhill, mostly on tarmac. I was tired, but I picked up my pace as best I could. At the foot of the hill was a water station. I grabbed a cup of water and, faced with another climb, I used the excuse to walk for a couple of paces. Mile 4 took me 6m 53s, thanks largely to gravity.

The hill set in just after the drinks station and seemed to go on forever. In reality, it rose by about 225ft over three-quarters of a mile. My quads were burning. I was slowing to a crawl. I wasn't going to stop, was I? Where had all my will power gone? Sure, I was tired, but what was new? Why should I stop here? Eventually, my legs conceded defeat. I walked. I was immediately disappointed in myself. I thought about my injury and the lack of speed and hills in my training. It had all knocked my confidence. I may still have been climbing, but in every other sense I had hit a trough. As ever, the other runners offered me a few words of encouragement, I picked myself up and slogged my way to the top. Mile 5: 8m 37s. If Garmins could laugh, mine would have been cackling like a hyena.

The remaining 1.2 miles or so were entirely downhill. I tried for a bit of a spurt and was hit by a stitch almost straight away. Probably all that stooping up the last hill! Gradually, the pain increased and my breath grew short and sharp. I felt like I was functioning on half my lung capacity. With the end almost in sight, I slowed to a walk again. I was no longer disappointed: I was angry. This was pathetic. I had to pull myself together. There goes mile 6: 6m 35s. A few hundred yards to go. I picked up the pace again, taking in what air I could. Another runner passed me by but I had no response. The finish line had never felt so empty. I think I'm going to have to exorcise this performance next year.

I'll be back

Distance: 10km
Time: 45m 55s (total ascent: 705ft)
Avg pace: 7m 18s / mile
Position: 43 of 271 (putting me in the top 16%)

GPS data here and official results here

Ross-on-Wye 10k - Race Report

Well, this was an interesting one. I knew a couple of other people running, which is always good for a bit of banter. Naively, I expected neither to pose much of a threat but one of them, my mate Will, almost pipped me at the post! The conditions were dire, unfortunately. Lots of rain and wind to keep us on our toes and lots of mud to bog us down! Still, a good atmosphere and a decent attempt by the organisers at staging a first event.

A small pack (I'm guessing around 70 runners) set off from the rowing club and followed the muddy banks of the River Wye. Immediately, one runner sped ahead of the rest (and ultimately won). I believe he was a sub-2:40 marathoner, so I for one wasn't about to try and keep up with him! A couple of other runners got giddy but started gasping for breath after about 1 mile, so I picked off a few of them and ended up in 5th place, quite a way behind the next runner. A gap also opened up between me and the next runner (my friend Will, who I only spotted with about half a mile to go!).

The first couple of miles were nice, flat and steady. At times it was difficult to get a purchase on the ground (the whole course was 'off road'), but I was happy to run the first mile 6m 33s and the second in 6m 40s. I pushed hard enough but didn't go all out. Just as well, as I knew next to nothing about the course and there was a hill around the corner.

After almost three miles we left the riverside and headed up a country lane ('up' being the operative word). We climbed steadily for 145 feet, just enough to labour the old breathing and force a change in pace! Mile 3 was steady enough at 6m 43s, and after 3.5m the hill petered out. The ensuing downhill stretch allowed me to catch my breath and make up for some lost time. All the same, mile 4 took 7m 13s (my slowest split time).

Mile 5 led us back out onto open fields. I took a look behind me to see the next runner had closed the gap a little. I had also made ground on 4th place, but not enough. We were being hit by some pretty nasty headwinds and keeping up the same pace started to become a battle. I was pleased, therefore, to see my Garmin show a split time of 6m 36s.

Things went a bit wrong during mile 6. I had been relying on the runner in 4th to lead the way as the course wasn't particularly well marked out. There were marshals but they weren't at all strategically placed. So when my pacesetter veered left, I naturally followed. Nope. Wrong way. The marshals in the distance furiously flapped their arms and we both muttered profanities under our breath and got back on track. The wind continued to howl and I just about managed to get my head down and hold my place until the end.

The course came up about a third of a mile short of 10k. I wasn't complaining at the time, but it's always a bit disappointing when you run an event and your time doesn't truly reflect your ability over that distance. This was especially true given that I came home in just under 40 minutes. But then this wasn't a target race by any means. It was something I had decided to do quite last minute and while recovering from various niggles. All in all, an enjoyable day.

Distance: 5.87 miles
Time: 39m 43s
Avg pace: 6m 46s / mile
Position: 5 of about 70

No official results yet. My Garmin data here.

A note on training

You might have noticed I've been posting less frequently. I've decided from now on I'm going to post a summary of my training at the end of each week. That way there should hopefully be less dross and a bit more quality!

This week I managed 28.8 miles, including a 10k race today. Recently I've been avoiding hills and speed work with a strained gluteus medius, so I'm not at my sharpest. Still, at least I'm able to run. I think I'd go mad if I had to rest for a week!

Highlights of this week's training:

- I went swimming for the first time in a long time and enjoyed the workout :-)
- I upped my total weekly mileage by about 10%
- My osteopath told me the strength was returning to my right hip.
- I came 5th in the Ross-on-Wye 10k!

Monday: 3-mile recovery run following the Magic Roundabout 10k

Distance: 2.98 miles
Avg pace: 9m 41s / mile
Avg HR: 135 bpm

Tuesday: 1km swim before work and 6 miles easy to steady in the evening  (I'm a dreadful swimmer: I usually resort to breast stroke because my front crawl is so inefficient it's exhausting. Good for a low-impact workout, though!)

Distance: 5.91 miles

Avg pace: 7m 33s / mile

Avg HR: 153 bpm

Wednesday: Another 3-mile run at recovery pace.

Distance: 3.09 miles

Avg pace: 9m 43s / mile

Avg HR: 134 bpm

Thursday: Long(ish) slow run -- felt pretty sluggish being out of the door by 6:50am, but got into the swing of it eventually. Finished at marathon pace.

Distance: 7.94 miles

Avg pace: 8m 11s / mile

Avg HR: 147 bpm

Friday: 3 miles at dead on 8 minutes per mile. Felt harder than it should have. My heart rate suggests the same. Think I was a bit dehydrated.

Distance: 3.00 miles

Avg pace: 8m 00s / mile

Avg HR: 150 bpm

Saturday: rest (aka climbing up the walls)

Sunday: Ross-on-Wye 10k

Distance: 5.87 miles

Avg pace: 6m 46s / mile

Avg HR: No HR monitor

Magic Roundabout 10k - Race Report

I didn't go into this race with the right mentality, or even in the best shape. I had been taking it easy all week with a strained gluteus medius, an injury that was still nagging at me when I woke up. Not running had crossed my mind, but only fleetingly. I decided instead to take it easy. Easier said than done, of course! I set myself a target of 45 minutes, which would turn out to be pretty realistic.

The morning's preparations were all a bit rushed. I loaded up with porridge a couple of hours before the race and then got my stuff together. Argh! Garmin not charged and only 20 minutes before we have to leave! Contingency plan: bring the laptop and carry on charging the Garmin in the car! Sorted.

We got there to discover the starting area was the best part of a mile from the car park, which further complicated matters! I ended up having to jog up a sizeable hill to make it on time -- consider it a warm-up, I thought! When I lined up at the start, I noticed a lot of club runners in the crowd. The event was quite small and local but immediately friendly and very well organised. After a quick briefing and a 5-4-3-2-1, we were away.

The first two miles were almost entirely downhill. And having seen the course profile, I knew I would need to make the most of the descent. And sure enough, those two miles went by in 12m 49s, a pace I was pretty happy with.

Shortly afterwards, a deceptively long climb seemed to stop the entire field of runners in its tracks. It didn't look much to begin with but got gradually steeper, totalling 250ft over 0.8 miles. If I'm honest, it probably caught me out, too: I was really short of breath by the time I reached the top. Helpfully, an unhealthy-looking spectator with a camera chirped 'ah, that's not a hill!'. So whoever you were, thanks for that!

It's never nice getting to the halfway point and feeling completely knackered, but that's how I've felt for the past couple of races. Some of that has to do with the events I've chosen, but ultimately it's down to me. I needed a lesson in pacing, and that's what I got! What was nice, however, was seeing my girlfriend and her family just before the 6k marker. I wish now that I'd had the energy to look more enthusiastic when I saw them! Miles 3 and 4 took 15m 47s - quite a drop in pace, but one I was expecting.

Shortly before the 6k marker

I was glad to discover that mile 5 was mostly downhill. I sat behind a club runner who had just overtaken me on the last slope. He had been kind enough to offer a few words of encouragement as he passed my tired and slumped frame, and I just about found the breath to thank him! But just as I was starting to get comfortable again, the course took a hairpin bend, directing us up another energy-sapping hill. Mile 5 took only 7m 02s, but the final 300ft ascent was a real test, and mile 6 staggered by in 8m 24s.

I came over the brow of the hill to see the finish line -- what a relief! Almost straight away I heard the thudding feet of another runner on a mission to gain a couple of places. Not today, squire! I mustered up all I could and sprinted home, averaging 6m 32s over the final 0.2 miles and -- most importantly -- keeping my place :-)

Next to the course profile with a brew and a banana!

Distance: 10km
Time: 45m 16s
Avg pace: 7m 19s / mile
Position: 21 of 144 (putting me in the top 15%)

Official results here and my Garmin data here.

Gait analysis

On Saturday morning I went along to see the good people at Runaround Sports in Worcester for a gait analysis. The only assessment I had ever had before was very informal, and given the volume of running I do now compared with back then, I figured it would be wise to get it done properly.

Since that initial assessment, I have always run in neutral (cushioned) shoes, and during that time, I have never suffered with any significant injury. Recently, however, my calves have been quite tight and my hips sore. I wondered whether any of that could be pinned on my gait, but apparently not. It turns out I do have a neutral foot plant after all. In other words, I don't overpronate and I don't need stability shoes.

I invested in another pair of neutral shoes (Mizuno Waverider 14 - see what ransacker has to say about them here) to see me through my training for the Berlin Marathon. My first impression is that the Waveriders are a bit on the bulky side and not as swift as the Brooks Launch. On the plus side, they're well cushioned and apparently quite durable. For this reason, I'll be using them for the lion's share of my mileage and saving the Launch for speed sessions and the marathon itself.

The analysis

In the videos below, you'll see that I land on the outside edge of my heel and my foot rolls inwards to absorb the shock. I push off again with virtually all of my toes, suggesting normal pronation. If I overpronated my foot would roll excessively inwards and I might push off using only my big toe.

Barefoot - walking speed

Brooks Launch - 8 mph

Mizuno Waverider - 8 mph

As for the niggles, I guess they must be down to overtraining. I'm fairly confident my hip pain can be traced back to a run about six weeks ago when I pelted it up a massive hill. Too much too soon, I think. As for the tightness in the calves, I think that might be down to some stiffness in my ankles, especially on the left. I'll be asking my osteopath about this on Friday.

Longest run since Paris

While this was by no means a monster run, it was the longest since my puny efforts in Paris. For now, I'm happy to build things up slowly but surely. I followed my usual hilly route and finished with a couple of miles along the town trail at target marathon pace, totalling about 10 miles. Pretty windy out there today, which made one or two stretches quite tiring, but I'm far from exhausted. Still feeling strong.

Distance: 9.95 miles
Avg pace: 8m 24s / mile
Avg HR: 158 bpm
Conditions: overcast, 16°C

Feeling fresh

Legs felt great today. A couple of days' rest seems to have made all the difference. I managed 5 miles at target marathon pace, perhaps a touch quicker.

Distance: 5.00 miles
Avg pace: 7m 10s / mile
Avg HR: 163 bpm
Conditions: sunny, 17°C

A few miles in a different neck of the woods

Annie had an interview in Durham this week so I took a couple of days off work and we travelled up there together. The B&B we happened upon was really quite pleasant (a nice surprise, given my most recent experience of hotels and the like). I was at a bit of a loose end while Annie was actually at her interview, so I pootled off in the car and found a footpath to run on.

The trouble was, Annie had packed my bag the day before so we could leave as soon as I got home from work, and the only running shorts she had included had their own lining. That meant I had to strip naked in a lay-by, which might have looked a bit dodgy to passers-by! Of course, as soon as I was half undressed, a cyclist appeared right in front of my car! I just carried on and acted like what I was doing was completely normal. "Yea, what?"

Anyway, the run was enjoyable. I passed a couple of farms, a field full of horses and a golf course. Everyone should spontaneously run in new surroundings, I thought to myself. All those extra things you see and hear that you wouldn't otherwise. Beats sitting in a car park for a couple of hours!

Afterwards we mooched around the city and found a decent cafe to eat at, then headed another couple of hours up the road to stay with my auntie and cousin in the Borders. I decided not to run the next day because my shins were playing up again. In fact, I'm not running today either.

I get so frustrated sometimes with how rubbish my body is. I'm going to make an appointment at the osteopath later today and I'll take the opportunity to fire a few questions at him. There must be a reason for the constant tightness in my left soleus. I've not been pushing it, really. Hell, I'm barely running a marathon over the space of a week! So what is it? The lack of flexibility in my left ankle? Flat feet? I hope I find out before my marathon training really gets going.

Distance: 4.21 miles
Avg pace: 7m 33s / mile
Avg HR: no HRM :-/
Conditions: light rain, 13°C

Runner's World Trailblazer Series - Forest of Dean 10k - Race Report

This morning I ran my first ever 'off-road' event! Being sponsored by Runner's World, the race was well signed, well organised and a generally positive experience. Public support was sporadic and the course was perhaps not the best for a PB, but very scenic. Given the undulation and the wind, I set myself a modest target of 42:00 and went about enjoying the experience.

The whole pack of around 700 runners was split into several modestly sized waves, giving runners plenty of elbow room right from the off. I was in the first wave. Before the gun, we were guided through a warm-up sequence by an enthusiastic aerobics instructor. Then we sauntered over to the starting area and heeded a few instructions before setting off to a lo-tech 'three, two, one, GO!'.

I found myself right among the leaders at the start. A few runners got way too giddy and sped off. I looked down at my Garmin: we were cruising along at sub 6-minute mile pace. No thanks! I eased off the gas a little. As it happened, I would see a few of those giddy runners looking decidedly less enthusiastic later on.

I knew the first couple of miles were downhill, so I didn't take it too easy. The first mile whizzed by in 6:12, but I was happy with the pace, and -- perhaps most importantly -- so were my lungs! The downward slope continued along beautiful wooded trails, and I clocked another quick mile: 6:18. I had accepted that the chances of a negative or even split were slim.

A few hundred yards ahead, a long ascent started to come into view. As we began to climb, the pace immediately dropped. Despite hardly flying myself, I started to pass a few other runners. Mile 3 took 6:49 and I was starting to flag, but the climb went on relentlessly. In actual fact, the hill lasted about 1.25 miles and rose by just over 200 feet, but it felt longer and steeper (as these things inevitably do!). At last, about half way through mile 4, we were greeted with a gentle downward slope -- I was happy not to push it and to concentrate instead on getting my breath back. I clocked that mile in 6:44.

I did a few mental sums and realised that, thanks to my speedy start, I wasn't far off a sub-40 finish. Unfortunately, mile 5 involved another modest but lengthy climb. Not enough to stop me in my tracks but just enough to take the wind out of my sails! I passed another couple of runners on the way up -- maybe my new, hilly Sunday route was paying off, I thought. Clearly I spent too much time thinking and not enough running, as my slowest split time limped by in 6:55.

Mile 6 was up and down. I tried to compensate for my last split time but quickly tired. The marshals started to chip in with 'last bit!'. That depends on your definition of a bit, I thought! To my satisfaction, I had pulled it back a little. Mile 6 passed by in 6:39. Just a few hundred yards to go! The course led us onto an open, uneven field and I was absolutely battered by a stern wind. Nice way to finish a challenging race! I dug in and pushed for the finish line. Done! I looked down at my Garmin: 40:18 - nice! Smashed my target time! What's more, I hadn't run a 10k since 2010 and had knocked almost 2 minutes off my previous PB! Give me a bit of flat tarmac and that sub-40 will be mine! ;-)


Distance: 10km (Garmin: 6.11 miles)
Time: 40m 17s (Garmin: 40m 18s)
Avg pace: 6m 29s (Garmin: 6m 36s)
Position: 11 of 558 (putting me in the top 2%)

Official results here and my Garmin data here.

Ice pack at the ready!

Went on a short recovery run to discover a niggle in my left leg. Felt like the beginnings of shin splints, so I iced the area around the soleus straight after getting back. That seemed to alleviate any pain. Rest day tomorrow anyway. I'll make sure I don't run too hard next week.

Distance: 3.96 miles
Avg pace: 8m 42s / mile
Avg HR: 143 bpm
Conditions: sunny, 16°C

Intervals... where have you been?!

This was a great session. I'd forgotten how invigorating intervals could be. I ran 6 x 1km at 4:00/km, interspersed with 3-minute recovery jogs. Here are the splits:

1st km: 4:12 (6:46/mile)
3-min jog (8:15/mile)
2nd km: 3:59 (6:25/mile)
3-min jog (8:16/mile)
3rd km: 3:50 (6:11/mile)
3-min jog (8:19/mile)
4th km: 4:05 (6:35/mile)
3-min jog (8:22/mile)
5th km: 4:09 (6:41/mile)
3-min jog (8:11/mile)
6th km: 3:49 (6:09/mile)
3-min jog (8:14/mile)

The route was undulating but at no point did I feel exhausted. I pushed a little harder for the last interval, but if I was tired, then it was a 'good tired'! My only concern is that I should be working a little harder in sessions like this (perhaps shorter recoveries?), but I'm racing on Sunday anyway so I figured leaving a little in the tank was the best strategy.

Distance: 5.88 miles
Avg pace: 7m 09s / mile
Avg HR: 162 bpm
Conditions: sunny spells, 16°C

A few easy miles

This evening I got a few easy miles under the belt. Felt a little light headed at one point, but I think that's because I ate too soon before heading out. One thing I did notice was my shoes: they were like clogs! It's the first time I've worn my Glycerins in a while and I think the cushioning is more compacted than I'd realised! Maybe I'll have to phase them out more quickly than I'd planned to. More running = more shoes = more money. Oh well!

Distance: 5.18 miles
Avg pace: 7m 43s / mile
Avg HR: 153 bpm
Conditions: cloudy, 16°C

Steady 10k

Tonight I ran 10k at target marathon pace, finishing with a spurt. I must have hit 5m 30s/mile pace for all of 200 yards ;-)

Felt nice and refreshed. Perfect start to the running week.

Distance: 6.18 miles
Avg pace: 7m 13s / mile
Avg HR: 163 bpm
Conditions: cloudy, 15°C

More trees 'n' trails

Today's run was the best in a long time. I headed out through Coneygree Wood (I'm getting used to that 250ft climb!) and over fields into Eastnor. From there I went on into the deer park and picked up a trail that seemed to go on forever. I hit 4 miles and thought I'd better turn back -- I didn't want my weekly mileage to creep above 25 really. Still easing my way back into things.

Felt great, though :-) I'm looking forward to heading back out there for a 10-miler to see how far that path goes!

Distance: 7.97 miles
Avg pace: 8m 53s / mile
Avg HR: forgot my HR monitor! :-/
Conditions: cloudy, 14°C

Target marathon pace

Just a few miles at target marathon pace today, i.e. somewhere between 7m 15s and 7m 25s per mile. Felt strong and fresh. No soreness in the legs, other than the usual tightness around the soleus (especially on the left leg). I'm making an effort to massage and thoroughly stretch my calves after every run.

Distance: 3.99 miles
Avg pace: 7m 22s / mile
Avg HR: 156 bpm
Conditions: Sunny, 14°C

Recovery run in Brooks Launch

Just a short recovery run today. I went out in my Brooks Launch, which seem like a relatively quick shoe: not overloaded with cushioning but with enough bounce to keep you comfortable over long distances. I'm not a huge fan of their appearance, though. I think they look a bit on the cheap side, but in terms of performance they seem solid enough.

Distance: 3.09 miles
Avg pace: 9m 58s / mile
Avg HR: 138 bpm
Conditions: Sunny, 12°C

Brooks Green Silence - the verdict

After heading out for quick 3-miler in my new Brooks Green Silence this evening, I thought I would jot down my thoughts...

N.B. This is not a review per se -- I may be something of a running geek, but I'm not quite well informed enough to discuss the intricate details of running footwear! Check the reviews at runblogger and ransacker for more comprehensive info.

First impressions


When I put on the shoes, my first impression was that they weren't like any other racing flats I'd ever worn. Most of the weight seems to have been ditched from the upper, so what you're left with is a single layer of gauze cloth. The lack of padding is most obvious in the tongue, and the shoes didn't fit as snugly as my old Saucony Fastwitch, but they were certainly light, airy and comfortable. My Brooks Glycerin -- and all my non-running shoes, in fact -- are UK size 11, and I didn't need to go up a half-size or anything like that with the Green Silence: 11 was just fine.

Green Silence feature asymmetric lacing -- not something I'd ever encountered. Apparently it's supposed to reduce the risk of irritation on longer runs, but given that I rarely suffer from blisters or sore spots, I might not be in the best position to say. It hardly seems a revolutionary system to me, though, and I certainly don't understand how anybody could 'love' or 'hate' it. If anything, I found asymmetric lacing a minor irritation because I usually tuck my laces in to the right of the tongue and there was no gap to do so, but that barely even qualifies as a gripe.

On the move


I don't have any issues with pronation so I tend simply to wear neutral shoes, and Green Silence seem to fit the bill in that respect. When I jogged up and down on the garden path, there was more of a wedge under the heel than I was expecting, but that could be a sign of how knackered my old racers had got! But for shoes that didn't initially feel -- or even look -- like racers, Green Silence performed surprisingly well. Once I got out onto the pavement, I noticed the smooth heel-to-toe transition seemed to 'encourage' quick running (though they're not going to make you faster -- only you can do that!).

Appearance


The shoes come in either green and black or red and yellow (rhubard and custard!). I wasn't brave enough to go for the latter. When I've knocked another few minutes off my 10k PB I might consider it, but right now I prefer the understated look ;-) See the Brooks site for pics.

In the flesh (well, cloth), the shoes look more like casual footwear than running shoes, at least to my eye they do. I feel like they wouldn't look out of place as part of a hippy outfit, but maybe that's intentional. After all, the shoes have some impressive green credentials: they're almost entirely recycled, with water-based adhesives, soy-based inks and a biodegradable midsole!

I like this aspect of Green Silence. Given that runners are advised to change their shoes every 300-500 miles or so, the waste generated by the running apparel industry must be immense, so it's nice to see a company making a difference, however small the impact may ultimately be. No doubt it's a marketing ploy as much as an environmental statement, though ;-)

That's all, folks


Like I said, I'm not an expert, so I'm not going to spout facts and figures at you. Just thought I would share my opinion!

The run

On my run, I gradually picked up the pace from 7m 20s to around 6m 40s per mile, without feeling I was really making a concerted effort. I'm looking forward to trying out the Green Silence in an organised race. Maybe I'll give them a go at the Forest of Dean next week. Will be sure to report back if I do!

Distance: 2.95 miles
Avg pace: 7m 10s / mile
Avg HR: 161 bpm
Conditions: Cloudy, 11°C

Berlin Marathon training schedule - revised

I've tweaked my Berlin training schedule a bit. Essentially all I've done is take out the odd speed session where it was too close to one of my 10k races (I figured the races would serve as speed sessions pretty well, anyway). The Tenby 10k on 31 July looks a little like it's been 'shoe horned' into the schedule, so I've knocked one or two miles off the following week. While there's a steady progression throughout the plan, the mileage does tend to jump about some weeks, but I think it's good to have the odd 'off week' to let your legs recuperate. Fingers crossed I make it through this plan unscathed. If I learned anything from Paris, it's not to try and catch up with training missed through injury.

(Click to enlarge)

Back to business

Apart from the 5-mile race I ran pretty much on the spur of the moment earlier this month, tonight was my first dedicated speed session since before Paris. I ran 1 mile steady (7m 14s), 4 miles tempo (6m 44s on average) and another mile steady (7m 12s), clocking 6 miles in 41m 07s. Not a bad workout at all, but I could feel it for sure, especially during mile 5. Feeling pretty buoyant now :-)

I think that will be my last run in the Saucony Fastwitch - sad times! :-( I could feel every piece of grit under foot. The cushioning -- well, what cushioning there was to begin with -- is completely gone in the forefoot, which played havoc with my calves. I think I land mid-foot naturally, but I'm not quite ready to go barefoot yet ;-) (not that I'd want to -- I'm not really part of that camp. Maybe I'll change my mind when I finally get around to reading Born to Run...).

My Brooks Green Silence were dispatched today. With a bit of luck I might get to wear them to my first Parkrun!

Distance: 5.97 miles
Avg pace: 6m 53s / mile
Avg HR: 171 bpm
Conditions: Overcast, 13°C

I'm excited...

With my Brooks Glycerin around the 400-mile mark and my two pairs of racers at death's door, I've just splashed out on two new pairs of shoes! Both are by Brooks, despite my fondness for my worn out old Saucony Fastwitch.

The first, a pair of Brooks Launch, will serve as my new roadrunners. They seem to be marketed as a kind of hybrid between everyday cushioned shoes and racing flats, which appeals to me. I'll phase out my Glycerins slowly in a bid to prevent any niggles.

The second are a pair of Brooks Green Silence. They are more lightweight still and marketed as an out-and-out racer. In addition to looking pretty cool, they're apparently made from 100% recycled material, and I'm a real sucker for that kind of thing.

Both have had rave reviews by seemingly impartial third parties on other blogs. I'll report back soon with my own experiences...

Lights, (no) camera, action

This morning I got all kitted out to film one of my scenic runs through woodland trails, but no sooner than 2 minutes in the batteries died. I think they were about a thousand years old or something. So I got some pretty funny looks with a camera strapped to my head, and all for nothing! :-)

Of course, I carried on regardless. I followed a relatively hilly route with a 450ft ascent over the first 5 miles. And since this was supposed to be a long slow run, I had to virtually crawl at times to keep my work rate down. Very enjoyable, though. Intermittently challenging.

Distance: 7.95 miles
Avg pace: 8m 54s / mile
Avg HR: 156 bpm
Conditions: Overcast, 13°C

Bloody weather!

This morning I went to work in a t-shirt in glorious sunshine, only to get rained on all the way home. By then it was cold, too, so I decided to wear more layers than usual for my evening run. Of course, the sun immediately came out again and I was sweltering! Still, I daren't complain about the weather being too good ;-)

I managed a steady 5 miles this evening. Still some tightness in the deep calf muscles of my left leg, so I stretched thoroughly afterwards. I envisage running 21 miles this week -- I'll need to be comfortable with 30 miles per week again by the time my schedule starts in a fortnight. In truth, I've been taking things relatively slowly since the marathon, but I think it was important to give my body a bit of a rest and build up again gradually. Anyway, no running now until Sunday. I feel slightly guilty whenever I have two days off!

Distance: 5 miles
Avg pace: 7m 20s / mile
Avg HR: 163 bpm
Conditions: Sunny spells, 14°C

Cardiff Bay 5 - Photos

The Cystic Fibrosis Trust has posted photos of the Cardiff Bay 5 event on its Facebook profile. Not everyone made it into their album: there seem to be more pictures of the front of the field than the back. Anyway, here's my ugly mug:

Easy 3-miler

Just went for an easy 3-miler. Some stiffness in my shins and left ankle, but otherwise OK. Rest tomorrow and 5 miles or so on Thursday evening.

Distance: 3 miles
Avg pace: 7m 41s / mile
Avg HR: 154 bpm
Conditions: Sunny, 15°C

Tata Steel Cardiff Bay 5 2011 - Race Report

The Cardiff Bay 5 was very much a last-minute affair. I had only decided to run the week before and had still yet to register half an hour before the gun! Even so, I was left with plenty of time to amble over to the starting area and chat with a few friends who would also be running. The atmosphere was warm and amicable right from the off. Indeed, I would have been utterly relaxed if only my Garmin hadn't flat refused to find a satellite signal.

At first glance, Monday, 2 May 2011 was a perfect day: Cardiff was graced with blue skies and lavished with spring sunshine. But looks can be deceiving. A stern wind was whipping in off the coast. Before the start, the announcers said the conditions would be 'tough'. What's in a word? Well, quite a lot, it turns out...

I had purposefully left a little room between me and the starting line -- I knew that the front runners had posted times well below 30 minutes the previous year, and I was aiming ambitiously for 33 minutes. My friends were with me right up until the gun (well, the horn). This was a welcome change. I'd grown accustomed to lining up alongside strangers at events like this.

Honk! We were away (and thankfully, so too was my Garmin!). Immediately I fell into a quick but comfortable rhythm. My usual strategy would be to sit back and save something until the final third, but that wouldn't cut it today. The latter half of the course was along a barrage completely exposed to the wind, so I was anticipating a tough final mile or two.  Best to get a decent start, I thought.

In fact, the wind was a factor much sooner than I had anticipated: Lloyd George Avenue served as quite an effective corridor! I tucked in behind another runner who seemed to be pacing himself quite well. Mile 1 was on the horizon: 6m 26s. Hmm. A touch quick, perhaps. But how did I feel? Well, pretty good, actually! 

After the first mile marker, we looped back on ourselves and were aided briefly by a tailwind. I could still see the front runners ahead, but they were stretching steadily into the distance. It would have been silly to up my pace. As I made my way back down Lloyd George Avenue, I could see the rest of the field on the other side of the central reservation. I heard a "go on, Ed!" from my friend Helen but sadly couldn't see her! Then I gave a wave to my friend Martin, who still looked pretty comfortable at that point. Mile 2: 6m 27s. Steady as she goes.

We had a bit of a break from the wind next. Mile 3 ran alongside the docks and various warehouses afforded us some shelter. It suddenly struck me how warm it was in the sunshine so I veered off into the shade. Some runners started to fade; others -- mostly club runners -- held it together. Mile 3: 6m 34s. OK, so I had slowed a little, but not by a great margin. So far so good.

Just after mile 3, a club runner from Port Talbot struck up conversation. This was his first event in several years. He had been quite an accomplished runner in his younger days and wanted to get back into it. He asked me what I was aiming for. 33 minutes, I replied. He 35, apparently. I assured him he was well on track. He asked if he could stick with me until the finish line, and I was glad of the company. We egged each other on as the barrage came into view.

Tailwind. Grab it with both hands, I thought! In fact, I said as much. My newfound friend agreed. We made good progress along the seafront, but when we looped back on ourselves, we were immediately battered by 20mph winds (well, that's what the forecasts said, but I would love to have had an anemometer!). I put my head down and leaned forward. The wind was hitting us diagonally and was a definite obstacle. Mile 4: 6m 34s. I was tired by now, but the end was within reach.

A few hundred more yards of the barrage. I saw Helen and Webb coming in the opposite direction and told them both to brace themselves! Soon I was winding my way towards the finish. Somehow I had become a wind breaker for a pack of runners. With less than half a mile to go I was exhausted -- the conditions had really taken their toll. Then I saw the finish line. "Come on, last push", I said to my fellow runner. I sprinted for the remaining few yards and came over the line in 32 minutes dead. Great stuff.

Distance: 5 miles (Garmin: 4.88 miles)

Time: 32m 00s (Garmin: 31m 50s)

Avg pace: 6m 24s (Garmin: 6m 32s)

Position: 40 of 655 (putting me in the top 6.1%)

Official results can be found here, and my GPS data here.

P.S. I noticed there was no mat at the start line, so I think chip times were from the gun. That would explain the discrepancy with my Garmin time.