Sunday 31 May 2009

Long Sunday Run

Just Dave and I this morning, no sign of Ken (second no show on the bounce) or Paul at 7:15am so off we went, heading out up to the top of Mid-Herts golf club and then to the end of Gustard Wood Common, doubling back down on the other side of the road on the footpath in the trees.

Then we went across Lamer Park towards Bride Hall. 4.5 miles on the map, zoom in on the place quite something. I'd never been here before so while Dave had a waz I checked out the lie of the land and decided that running right across this guy's front garden would not be the best plan (although it did look like the footpath did exactly that) so we went around the perimeter. Checked the OS map later and the footpath does indeed go right through the garden onto Bride Hall Lane. Anyway our route was better as more off road on wide open well cut grass pathways. Short bit on Bride Hall Lane then off up Codicote Road turning right at Ayot St. Peter road through the pillared lane.

I love Ayot Place especially the way the foot path takes you into the property with views of the main house glimpsed from the path. You actually go through a proper big door in the pillar of the gate, into the gate post itself and out another door on the other side. Quite surreal! Then down to the Ayot Greenway across a tiny footpath, that you'd never notice going in the other direction.

Back from Wheato cross country.

Took a shocking 1h 46mins to clear 12miles (that's 8:50min miles - eek!), but the sun was hot (though we were in the shade) and running seriously off road most of the time through trees does not make for fast running.

At one point my HR was down at 118 and ave. was 130, mainly due to the drift kicking in at mile 11, before gel two had done its stuff.

Ho hum, it was a nice run though.

Friday 29 May 2009

May Hounds and Hare

Some fast cats were lined up behind me, including Martin who'd earlier vowed to make me suffer in the middle as he was sure I've have him over 400m!

Anyway it was a scorcher, I was later arriving with the starter calling to me that I had ten seconds to go as I reached the starting point. I pretty much kept going, so not ideal to knock out a sub 6:30 minute mile to get to the start just in time.

I had someone 4 seconds behind me and with Martin 47 seconds behind I really wanted a good first mile so scampered off at a decent pace. There were loads of roadworks along embankment, forcing you to run carside in the road or squeeze through narrow gaps on the pavement. At the first blockage I was indecisive - changed my mind to go pavement side and felt a niggle on my right thigh shout so tried to move the weight over to the right foot, which worked but meant I landed on some baked dry silver sand which made the left foot slip away from me and I fell over. Landed right hand first and managed to do a hare like bounce back up and keep going. But then I was less strong and not a happy camper. I also realised around then that my gel was in the locker in the office and not in my tummy so no boost at 3 miles!

The first guy cruised past me at one mile and by St James' park I glanced behind me and they were queuing up behind me as I struggled to make headway on Mark in front. Martin finally took me at Green park far corner, I made an attempt to take the racing line and cut the corner as short as I could but it made no difference, he just breezed through. He was true to his word and not a thing I could do about it. Well done mate. By this time the heat was taking its toll I felt bad.

Coming back along embankment I went through a gap between a bomb-blast concrete block and a lamppost gouging a chunk out my right leg and leaving a large bruise that is throbbing away as I type this.

Managed to hold off a challenge in the last mile from a guy in a red top and was beginning to get into it as I sprinted the last section, but by then it was all over. Outside target by 31 seconds, time was 33:31.

Someone complained I was not wearing my trademark cap - was that the problem? Over training? Over resting? Who knows. Perhaps I'm just too old to go much faster.....

Tuesday 26 May 2009

Canal and back

Missed the Lockett Rockets, but instead took the Jean-Marc recovery express up to the canal for the elusive "easy" run.

JM was huffing and puffing and producing lots of stuff from inside him and he was right on my shoulder or pushing past all the way up to the canal, he wanted ten out ten back so we set off steady. Still a detour on the canal due to some works (that look finished too me) after the first side canal. Made it as far as the blue rail bridge. Took a minute or two to recover and then headed back, but I could not resist nudging it up a notch after each bridge, as the noise from JM faded I knew I had put some daylight between us and by the time I was back at the start of the canal there must have been a good 45 seconds between us - to be fair to JM he is still on his way back to fitness and would have buried me a year ago. He's nearly back. Steady clip home to the office, JM thought we did 7 min in total recovery and I clocked us out for 48 in total, which means that was 6.02 miles in 41 minutes, which in the grand scheme of things is not that bad.

Easy week as racing Friday in Hounds and Hare and next Thursday at Vicky park.

Monday 25 May 2009

Easy seven

Caught a cold on Friday, nocked me out completely on Saturday, had Katja's birthday on Sunday so no hope of a long run on Sunday morning. Saw Paul sneaking back from a cheeky nine as I served up breakfast in bed for the birthday girl.

Regrouped on Monday as it was a bank holiday, Kenny was "working" ie in bed until 8:15, Dave was in Rotterdam not doing a marathon?!? so Paul and I were the stalwarts heading out into the Hertfordshire countryside to keep the dream that is Running Fource alive.

I was time restricted as needed to be back by 8:30am as we were of to Celtic Harmony for the day.....

Came off the pace on the way out on the nicky line as I was feeling rough. The full Redbourn loop was clearly not on so we cut up on a footpath off the Nicky line heading for the Harpenden golf course. The rape seed was chest hight but there was definately a path. Then in over Hatching green and back down the treelined avenue to get back to Paul's place with 3minutes to spare. Walked home and arrived on the dot.

Thursday 21 May 2009

Thursday Intervals with Rocket Lockets

8 times 300, with a generous two minutes recovery between reps.

A very evenly balanced group B, with me holding off and refusing to go past Karen until after the fourth rep. Andy was looking good and pushing out beyond the group on the early reps, which we were doing at around 55.

By rep five I was up for it and kicked through the last 100m. Each rep from then in was harder and faster getting closer to 50. By the last one we were all in a line and I decided to risk leading from the front and at 100 to go the crashing of feet behind signaled a full on sprint that nearly caught the A group who were 10sec ahead. Cleared the lasted one 47 and no-one came past.

There was a dead pigeon on the towpath under the bridge, Andy Wier reckoned he bit the dust at rep 7. The pigeon looked pretty much how I felt!

Steve was there, but doing his own thing as he decide if we locked horns it might get ugly.....

Jean-Marc was up there too, and come through us just before a rep in his direction which he kinna joined in on - I'm looking forward to him coming back to the full sessions. When I first started going he was miles faster than me, now I'm sure the tables have turned.....

I also learnt something vaguely interesting. The reason you double up or squat down instinctively after explosive exercise is to make it easier for the heart to pump the blood around. You learn something new every day!

Monday 18 May 2009

Tuesday Intervals with Rocket Lockets

Was late up to the meeting point so missed the start. Saw Martin heading back to base as he'd had to go earlier - he shouted to me that I should be able to catch them.

No sight of them all the way up, but coming over the bridge at the canal I thought I saw someone I recognised. I pegged him back thinking him to be the back marker, but there was no-one in front of him - I asked him how far the others were in front and his response confused me - they're behind you.

With that I glanced over my shoulder to see the A-team tanking along at full pelt, I duck off the towpath and consider when would be wise to cut in. Andy calls out that they are in a 4 min rep so I sneak in after the elite and try and hold the pace (which I can't) for the rest of the 4.

I eventually work out the session is 4 3 2 1 1 2 3 4 minutes on with half the rep time as the recovery. Paul and Steve and I battle it out for last place and I get lost in amongst the elite a couple of times by not jogging back on the recoveries. The 10km on Sunday and the sharp clip up to the canal took its toll and I could not keep up with Sarah on any of the reps. Managed to hold both Steve and Paul off on the last 4, but Steve reckons he will be fully fit soon and won't be messing around at the back anymore.

With Paul off on hols, looks like I need to work hard at getting some buddies to the canal or I'll be the back marker all over again.....

I'm sure I saw Jean-Marc on the way up there.....

Oh yeah, how did I miss them? Well, they had sneakily gone the "wrong" way at the start so as not to get so far long the canal on the long first rep. Never thought of looking over the other side of the bridge - something worth doing if ever late again.

Sunday 17 May 2009

Wheathampstead 10km Race

The forecast was bad, but on Sunday morning the sun was shining. Dave enjoyed breakfast on his balcony and I could feel the heat on my back as I munched my pre-race breaky in the conservatory hoping the sun would hold out. Even the overnight downpour had failed to materialise.

However the journey over to Wheathampstead was to shatter any thoughts of a dry race. It absolutely lashed it down. We huddled in the car up to the last minute before the 2km kiddie race and dashed up to the start. Found my son who did it in 10:20 which was a new pb for him, but I somehow we missed my wife and daughter which lead to us all waiting for each other in different places and getting very cold, wet and miserable. Found Dave and Kenny just as the family decided they were off for a warm bath. Dave and I went out on the Greenway to get back onto Sheepcote lane to get at the front and Ken followed the signs to the back of the pack.

Found Paul taking a pre-race waz at the ford and thus the Running Fource was complete. (Although Dave who organised us into Running Fource was the only one not be recorded as in the team!)

Came back through the elite pen and shuffled up to just behind the sub forty brigade shaking Jon Jones of the St. Alans Striders hand as I knew he'd be around 38 (he was 38:01 8th place and 24s faster than last year).

The start, as it is every single year, was well late and we were all freezing in the rain before it finally kicked off. Then as we cruised through the first km the clouds parted and the sun shone. I did the first two (slightly up in 3:54 and 3:54) but when Dave went past me after 1.5km I knew then it was not going to happen for me today. I felt tired and not strong. Legs were heavy and just did not seem to have the motivation to work any harder than I was going. Dropped off the pace a couple of times and then managed to force it back. First woman overtook me at the 5th km and and I tried hard to stay with her but she was just too quick.

By the time I got down to the finish going into the playing field I had two people on my tail so I let them through and tucked in behind the last one. Felt like I was going slower than a snail by now and even when I kicked for the finish as the guy front of me rolled over I did not even need to work it up to the line.

Finished in 28th place (up from 35th last year) and official time was 41:16 although Garmin had it as 41:09 - seven to the start seems about right. Garmin also made the course short again, by about 130m.

Overall, disappointing. Felt I was running inside myself the whole way and was hacked off with the whole event. Slipped twice at 3rd and 4th km and that tensed up my back.

Highlight of the day was the post race massage.

Post race picture of Running Fource courtesy of Stacy, Ken's fitness instructor. (Based on that time she should be fired!) At least she got the legs in the photo.



Photo in race finish order left to right, Dave, Niall, Paul & Ken.



And here are my splits:



And the graphic from the Garmin, notice the lack of any significant red line activity - I normally race at 165 so this way down.

Thursday 14 May 2009

Lockett's Rockets

More first timers today. Charlie came along with Martin and I dragged Mark Westlake and the McCleery twins (that's another story) aka Andrew McCleery up to the canal to make it a JP Morgan fest.

17 Rockets headed out with some strides to warm up as some of the newbies were wandering out loud if those were the first reps. Nope. We started at the sign on the wall and knocked out 12x 200m off 2mins total (ie including the recovery). The recovery was supposed to be static, but we jogged back the first one.

We split into two groups as there were too many to go together and the elite went some 10 seconds before the middle/back group.

Mark was drenched in sweat after the first rep. but looked like he could have been at the back of the elite. Andy was up there powering through in the front/middle of the 2nd group. I was tucked in somewhere near Karen's pace for the first six or so. By then the first people were ducking out and at the end I counted 14 of us as survivours.

After the sixth rep. it was pretty clear this was not going to hurt my back so I started to push through from halfway and held the last 100m at around 90% - this change in gear was noticed and got a comment from Martin (who was also at pains to point out he was not the back marker) just incase he got blogged.

Most enjoyable moment was rep 10 when I reckoned I could catch Mark and did, but he was claiming injury to his leg and then did not complete the session. It is not often I get to go past Mark, so it was a particulary sweet moment.

By the last two reps I was letting Andy get a little ahead until the halfway point which gave me a chance accelerate through the last 100m and try and catch him, which I managed both times at around 90% - I was certain I'd need the extra 10% on the last rep, but he just let me go past with out a fight.

Job done.

Tuesday 12 May 2009

Intervals with Locket Rockets

Today we welcomed Paul Savage into the Locket's Rockets lunchtime sessions. Having been suitably impressed by the SEAC experience at the Dome he came along to today's reps.

There were at least 15 of us and the session was 800m in 2mins 30sec (or 2mins 30sec for those of us who can't go that fast) with 90 static or catch up recovery. We did six of these four minute cycles backward and forwards.

At rep one there was a bit of jostling for the back marker place as no Martin today so Steve with his injured leg was kinnda there and Paul was wisely looking to pace himself. The odd reps were wind against and the even wind assisted, and after rep one I asked Steve where he was as I was looking for a wind break! Cheeky monkey was his quip. Rep three I set off and was right at the back and attempted to "tuck in" behind Steve who promptly took three steps to the right and virtually stopped - that caused me to burst out laughing which I think in turn Paul thought was pretty odd. Glad someone thinks this is funny.

By rep four the 90 second recovery felt like a minute too short and I was struggling to hold Karen's pace but through five and six I think she may have eased off as a few of us were mixing it up in the "middle" group a bit ahead.

Rep six about halfway through I notice I'd someone on my shoulder. He kicked about three times and I managed to match each kick and into the last 10 seconds I found a kick of my own which he matched and we were side by side when we both looked at our watches with 3 seconds left and so had a laugh about that and shook hands. This is exactly why you need to do these sessions in a group. His 405 reckons we were doing 5:30 min miles through the last rep.

Final interesting thing was the gobby jogger who wanted to know who we were and for some reason how fast we could run 4 miles in. He was claiming some totally unreaslistic time (based on the size of his beer belly and his kit) - "Not now obviously" was one comment I over heard. Yeah right whatever. See you on Thursday mate.

Held my own with the middle group u

Sunday 10 May 2009

Heartwood 9 mile loop





Just Paul and I for this one.

Nice route especially once leaving the St. Albans road. The trail on the far side of the railway down to Sandridgebury is excellent and now the woodland trust have the land Heartwood is being created here. For now the four original woods are opened up and the ones we went through are shown on the map.


Reasonable clip, working on the hills to hold the pace and just able to puff out a few words rather than the usual natter on the long runs.

Saturday 9 May 2009

One km reps, 4/6 cleared

Set off with 6x one km reps with 2 minute recovery.

Managed 4, but started to feel bad with 300 to go on of the 4th on, so eased off and decided to call it a day.

Felt I was going close to the max, but the last one was just over the magic 4mins so I stopped.

How I'll ever get 10 of those done with no recovery is beyond me!

More reps required. Great.

Thursday 7 May 2009

Trains and private jets, the Harpenden to Luton cycleway

The cycle route to Luton had to be tried at some point, and that point arrived this week.

Decided I needed some time on feet having not run since Sunday and checking out sustrains newest addition seemed like just the job. Been watching the construction phase of the bridge over the busy lower luton road (confusingly called Harpenden Road on google maps) and figured enough of the bridge was there to cross it, miles 3 and 5 shown below.



First section is fine all the way out to just before the second mile point where you get to Cooters End Lane. Do not try and follow the final route of the cycle way, turn left onto Cooters End Lane under the railway and sharp right into the field and follow the tree line. The official footpath is Nettle ridden right now so on the way back I was field side - take care here I as nearly went over on a nasty tuft of grass. Hugging the sewage works fence is not great, try and stay in the trees watching out for low branches and fallen trees on the path. I managed a 7min mile here so not too bad.

Cross West Hyde Road and this takes you to the new green bridge over the B653. Wonderful. then a nice stretch of avenue to three miles and then Copt Hall Road. Over the field here there is not a lot between the railway and you, a fast Midland main line train tooted at me and made me jump. At this point you are also very close to the runway of Luton Airport and a Lear jet took off in front of me. Not too sure where you are meant to go from the next tree clump and farmers path, but just in front the diggers and workmen were busy and I'd run out of time so I turned around and headed home.

Decided to pick it up from a mile out and clock a 7minute mile then ratchet back along the tarmac section lapping out some points with the Garmin to get some measured distances. Last to ratchets of 0.1 miles each were at 6:32 and 5:36.

Sunday 3 May 2009

Wheathampstead 10km Dress Rehearsal

I admit it. For the first time in years I slept in and was a few minutes late to my own drive. Fortunately, Paul had heard the flush from the pre-run essential so hung on a minute more than he normally would have and Kenny was still hanging around at the crossing between the footpath and Crabtree lane trying his best not to look suspicious.

We decided to head over to Wheathampstead and check out the 10km route. It was a reminder that this race is over a challenging course. You feel like it is all uphill and this because you give the climbs back on steep steps over a tiny distance or on a sheer downhill, or on a very uneven surface. I think you just need to push it though the whole way and knowing the course definitely helps as some of the turns are unexpected and sharp. There are a couple of open stretches where you can make up time, most notably through the outbound leg of the Ayot Greenway, along the bottom at the river and and downhill back to Marford lane.

As Paul and I scouted the course Ken started to drop back a bit and so due to the lack of marshals etc we waited for him to come through and clapped and cheered and made helpful crowd like comments such as "nearly there" at he 4km point and "last hill" at every hill.

Pretty sure between us we got the course pretty much spot on. I think we were doing just over 4min kms but hard to say with all the stopping.

Our buddy Dave was in Edinburgh and it was a shame as we met loads of lovely dogs. Very friendly they all were too. I think they smell the fear from Dave and that sends even the cutest dog into a rabid man eating monster that heads straight from him.....

All stems from an incident with some prison dogs in India, but that's another story.

One kind dog owner surprised us by seeing us coming and running on to open the gate ahead and cheer us on. How friendly is that? He also saw Ken a bit behind us and asked "Are you meant to be with them?" Ken shamefully grunted "aye" between gasps for air to which the cheery retort was "You'd better get a move on!".

On the way down the last Marford Lane drag Paul and I were getting close to race pace and enjoying the downhill when a (and I think I am being kind here) portly gentleman and his missus were jogging up and we going to hit the gate at the same time as them. They were delighted to give way and let us through, again encouraging us on our way. Ken saw them too and gave them this pearl of wisdom "Turn back now, while you can!". I believe they kept going.....

Over the last mile we were not to sure when to cut off the Greenway, I reckoned it was level with the narrow bridge, but Ken had not followed the race directions, so as Paul and I waited there Ken had sneaked cross country and was suddenly going over the bridge 100m ahead of us - race on we think, but no. Ken turns right over the bridge presumably on some short cut hunt, as Paul and I are screaming at him to turn left. The woman with another dog shouts to Kenny "It was your other left sonny!". So now it is into pure race territory, Paul on my shoulder and as Dave says at that point when you come into the park you can smell the burgers. Round the football pitch, steady, steady not yet, then just before the end of the pitch kick for home 600m to go round and up and you can suddenly see the finish line the crowd roars and you let rip for home - maxed out now you drop the guy who had been on your shoulder for the last 3km and that's it. Just enough time to recover to cheer Ken home and force him to work that finish - "She's right behind you!" seemed to do the trick.

We crawled back to Harpenden at a snail's pace and when Ken ducked up Crabtree I could not prevent myself picking it up along the river and then one last sprint up the hill to the shop. In spite of Paul's whining he was right on my shoulder at the finish. Top morning's running.