Hounds and Hare: Traffic winners and losers

After a bad start to the week with food poisoning on Monday from a dodgy chicken pitta bread overlayed with a cold I was not so sure about taking up Charlie's offer of swapping my race director role for that of competitor. Plus, having done rocket lockets the day before (6x 800) up at the canal the excuses were many.

I did it anyway and didn't need the excuses. What a race! Must have been about twenty of us and my new (upwardly adjusted) handicap of 33 was spot on. I did it in 33:02.

At the off I had one guy on the same time and another six seconds ahead. The front dude stormed off and inside mile one he took a green man that changed as he was crossing and I still had some 20m to get to the traffic. Two lanes so massive injection of pace swerving wide into the road and just made it over - the traffic was moving as I cross in front of them - that move is not in the green cross code - but I was sure I had the pace to clear both lanes. Even better the dude who started with me was now stuck on the other side of the road. Took him two more miles to catch me!

Came through Green Park feeling strong and pegging back Clive the whole time. Reeling him in the whole time, closer, closer. Overtook a few more and getting very close along the Mall and over took him crossing the road after going through the tourists on Horseguards. BUT at Northumberland Avenue I could not see a gap in the traffic, so when down to embankment and got well and truly scanked. Could not cross hand had to wait a whole lights cycle to get over - somehow Clive found a kink in the traffic and had crossed higher up and all I could do was watch him put distance between us. Tried and failed to catch him, let Stuart (29:10) past and watched in amusement as Clive (34:00) tried in vain to hold him off.

The guys were mocking me as I finished for waving two lady joggers off my racing line as I came in for the sprint finish.

Felt so much better to be racing with people around me the whole time. Really enjoyed it and with some better race prep (ie no reps the day before and not being sick) I am looking forward to doing it again in March (can't do Feb as too close to Berkhampstead half).

Next time Clive, next time!

Measured Reps

Only seven of us made it to the session at the canal today.

I was the only back marker, with the next worst guy clearly in the semi-elite category.

My plan to throw an easy rep before the turn backfired, as the plan was explained. From a certain grey marker point thing to the humped bridge over the side canal is just over 800m. So strides/recovery out to the furthest point then run the section in 2 mintues 30 seconds and 1 minute 30 seconds recovery, so a four minute cycle to be done 6 times.

Unfortunately, it took me 3 minutes 15 seconds to do each rep, so my recovery was only 45 seconds against their 90. Hmmmm. Turns out at the end the point of this VO2 max session was for me to have gone much faster then normal reps, but stop after 2:30 to get the full 90 recovery. Bother, messed that up!

Greenway or Wetway?

Looking at the weather forecast since Friday - it did not bode well for the Sunday morning long run and seemed to get worse and worse each time I looked at it. The rain was battering off the conservatory roof as the Garmin found the satellites and I pulled on the wet weather gear.

On the drive with a minute to spare and Kenny was peaking out from his shelter in the porch as the roar of Dave's car screaming in could just be heard over the lashing rain.

Off we went, I'd planned the route to avoid the paths (except the Ayot Greenway) on the way back as I figured it would be wet. Boy was I right.

Felt fine (cold receding and knee deep heated) but could not get any pace together. Cruising at over 8 minute miles, chatting, avoiding puddles and trying not to think about the rain. When we found the Greenway at mile six I was probably too delighted to see it as that revealed I'd no idea where we were for a bit.

The huge puddles on the road slowed us down as did the rain, on reflection, given the conditions the run was ok. Some of the puddles were massive - cheers mate to the bloke in the Jag that decided to drive though the puddle as we were half way across.

Suited Kenny well as he made it all the way to the end (well he ducked up Crabtree lane). I'm sure he actually initiated a conversation at one point and on several occasions gave more than an one grunt response to a question: his stamina is definately improving. No dumps today from Kenny, but some noisy jet propulsion at one point. At least there is not much risk of being behind Kenny - surely not a place I'd ever want to be.

On the last click Dave and I tried to pick up the pace for home. 400m out we raced to the bridge and much to my amazement, Dave stormed out ahead but could not hold the lead. By 100m to go I was closing fast and took him just before the bridge, he came with me but too late! Ha! Those reps are really paying dividends.

Heart rate was fine, shade low in the 140s and still over-recovering downhill.

Now where was Paul? Is he a wetaphobe?

Easy four miles

Hung over, tired, wet and feeling pretty grim with a cold the thought of intervals made me feel ill, but I made it out for a Westlake Westminster loop.

Firm pre-run agreement to go easy and stuck to that, 7:52s for 4.19 miles 33 mins on the nose.

Right knee bothered me a little at the start, but cleared up quickly.

Cold and general tiredness kept the pace slow.

Long Sunday Run

The internet is a great thing. Via mapmyrun I managed to meet Paul this morning who has lived less than 100m from me since 2000 and been running the same trails I have been running. So plenty to chat about and when I came out onto the drive Kenny and Paul were there and ready to rock. Only no-show was Magnus - I'll rib him on Monday night.

Luminous yellow was the team colour today with all three of us opting for the bright option kit wise.

Decided against the paths early on and stuck to the route I'd done about three weeks ago with Dave. I'd had it in mind that Kenny had done the route too that day, but he ducked out at Childwickbury so had never made it to the lake with us. He was dropping back and as Paul and I chatted away the 8 minute miles kinnda turned into 7:30s. We kept glancing back and making sure Kenny was still behind us and I'd seen him as we went up the hill after the Ancient Brition to the town centre. Next thing I know we're half way around the Verulanium Lake and no sign of Kenny. Paul and I reckon he must be just out of sight and loop back along the lake (hence 13.2 rather then 13.1 miles) but no sign. He's gone. In the gents?

We head home feeling pretty guilty by the time we get back to Harpenden. I've left a little trail of gels as my gel belt elastic has gone. Text Ken when I get home and leave a message on his answer phone.

Finally hear the good news that he is alive and well.

As he was not actually with us three weeks ago he did not know how to get down to the lake from the town centre so he went all the way down hollywell hill (having spotted two blokes up ahead in fetching yellow, they turned out to be road workers!) and in via Westminster Lodge. Adding a good 1.5 to 2miles onto the route. He went around the lake came out the way we went in. Then back home the way we had come.

Here is the route (including the bit we did at the lake as a Kenny loop back).

Thursday Intervals

Thursday intervals. Two on the bounce this week. Bit of psychology going on with Steve at the start suggesting that I'd run well on Tuesday, but could I cope with Thursday too?

Having passed up the opportunity for an earlier whip around Westminster I set off, to bump into Mr Westlake on the way in from aforementioned loop. Steaming and sweating rivers he didn't look like it had been an easy run. Er, nope he'd done it in 28 minutes. Animal!

I got to the meeting place and there were plenty of semi elite and back markers to keep me company. Session today was 1km of 30 on/off strides followed by 8 sets of 2 minutes on and one to recover, with two minutes recover after the fourth set.

Held my own through reps one and two, but as we were turning at three and the gap was binging to appear between me and everyone else rather than keep jogging out for the rep three recovery I turned and jogged back. No-one caught me on rep four, but I could hear them at rep five coming for me and by six they were streaming through. Interesting complication was that by doing 3 out 5 back we were back too soon, so six, seven and eight all had "jog back" elements which resulted in me being over taken by the same people three times! Starting late reps amongst the elite was unusual and pretty impressive to see just how fast some of these guys can move.

Justin caught me on rep 8, by which point we'd gone past the normal finish - there were only 45s left on the rep and I managed to find something extra to drive though to the finish and overtake him back and recover some honour. I admitted to my switchback at rep 3.....

Felt like I'd really worked hard today and was going pretty fast for me. Encouraging. Oh yeah, Steve, I was ok today. Ha.

Tuesday Intervals

Tough session today. As Justin pointed out I blogged his lack of understanding a similar session on 28th October, but that was a 7 min cycle, today's was an 8 minute cycle.

We did four sets of (5 minutes on, 30sec recovery, 60secs hard, 90 recovery) total 8 minutes per set, two out and two back.

Just about held the first set with Justin and Karen, but by the second there was some distance forming and growing.

Thankfully Martin turned up and did the last 1.5 reps and started racing Steve - his geen shirt was not actually getting any further infront of me through reps 3 and 4.

Confirmed my place as the slowest rocket locket. Still, it was good to be out, weather was mild beats sitting in an office.

Kenny's hatricks of dumps

Frosty dark morning as we headed off into the frost gloom. Ken was worrying about the ice that wasn't there before we started, but little did he know that would be the least of his worries at mile five.

Shade over 8 minute miles out uphill and then up to just over 7s on the down bit of the Nicky line towards Rebourn. Lovely bright red sunrise behind the treeline was pretty special. Spotted a guy out in front and pick it up through 3 to 4 miles to catch him. Nicely done as a group.

Paths were frosty but clear, however Ken suddenly vanished at round mile five. I turned around to see him flapping in a ditch at the side of the field. He'd stepped on a stone that popped out of the ground in the frost and it had turned his ankle and over he went. He popped back up like Zebidee assuring us he was fine and had not had a drink since August 2008. One beer and he's anyone's I reckon. Dump number 1. 200 yards later and Ken declares he needs a system dump, too much vegetable stew the night before and he'd not managed to empty it all out before we set off. Dump number 2.

We hit the hill and mark out the reps - half mile up (and another half mile down), footpath sign after the ford and single tree after the kink at the top. Two minute recovery at the bottom is probably too much as hrt recovered way down to 110s.

First
Climb, 4:42, 140-160bpm
Desent, 3:28, 155-149bpm, 7.01min/miles

Second
Climb, 3:52, 120-160, 7.49min/miles
Descent, 3:20, 157-146, 6.41

Third
Climb, 4:04, 120-160, 8.13min/mile
No descent - run home from here.

To see the hill reps at around mile six check out the elevation profile here.



And the hatrick? Well, we dumped him on the home leg, although he tanked it back down the common to pull some of that back.

Great fun and learnt some more about how we're still not pushing hard enough on the down hills in terms of speed and heart rate. Recovery is getting faster and hoping the interval sessions will show some speed again soon.

Thursday Intervals with Rocket Lockets

First Rocket Lockets of the year.

Not moved this fast since November 2008. Much discussion of Surrey League among the elite so the decision was an "easy session"! 10 sets of 30s on 30s off strides out to the start and then 10x 1 minute on 30s recovery. On the 3rd rep Karen vanished and failed to appear after the recover so Justin and I returned to find her ok, but with pain in her little toe. Oddly it was ok on the fast and only hurt on the slow. I was fine and held the back marker group pace up until the 7th rep, and on the "away" all it took was one breath of icy air before I had to take the foot off the gas. Caught up through the 9th recovery but was struggling for those last three.

Here is the route.

Odd four miles

Went out expecting to do a hard threshold, but just could not get going.

By halfway was 18 mins so kicked hard and came back in 14, but a pathetic 32 for 4.2 miles. Ave pace 7.45 !!!!!! Ahhhhhhh.

I blame the circuits on Monday more than the run on Sunday.

Wee Half to kick 2009 off

Dave and Kenny came along for the first run of the year and we decided to keep mainly off the trails today and stick to the roads and lanes due to freezing conditions and darkness.

Used the first hill to aggressively get the heart rate way above normal training rate and recovered back to 80%, which worked well. First few miles were probably a bit punchy and resulted in dropping Kenny at the Childwickbury turn off as Dave and I pushed on for St. Albans.

Were rewarded with a sunning pink sunrise heading into St. Albans, an lovely completely iced over Verulam lake and great views of the Gorhambury estate and house. Come over one my favourite trails from Batchwood road to Childwickbury lane.

Cold, but enjoyable. No heart rate drift today and noticeable over recovery on the downhill sections. Must remember to push those through.

Managed to guess the distances perfectly, 13.1 miles in 1h 46m 08s. See route below.