Circuits turn into punchy reps and I'm offically injured

Two early shifts on the bounce at work and so I was in two minds about circuits tonight. It was so nice I decided to go anyway. But wait, this is a running blog I hear you cry! Hold on that bit is on its way.

Only elite out tonight were Jon 37min 10km Jones and yours truly. No sign of Kevin either. We duly paired up and predictably aced every session.

By the time the shuttle runs came it had cooled down nicely. Laurence announced the final "endurance" running event of the night would be teams of 4 running out to the far rugby posts and back. Some later research proves our estimate that it was 100m for one length spot on. Now for the twist. Jon and I get to run in a team of 2 and need to do 6 out and backs for everyone else's 3.

After a quick discussion we decided Jon will lead and we will do 3x400s rather then 6x200s each.

Jon paces the first set nicely and has built up a comfortable lead, which has diminished little by the time I hand back to him for rep two. One team in particular is making a big effort to make us work on the second round trip. Racing the fresh man is really making me work and think hard about the pace on the first rep. Needs to be fast enough to win, but slow enough to say with it on the 200 to 400m leg.

On the last rep Jon makes up the ground I've lost and puts me into the last 400m with a slight lead. I push out as fast as I dare and with, I think, enough left in the tank for the last 200m. Now I'm racing people who have done half the total distance and are just starting their rep. One guy goes for it, but I hold him on my shoulder to the turn at the posts. On the way back I can feel that I'm very close to level 5 and know I don't want to hit the maximum heart rate just yet. The teams are now going mental screaming at their men to go for it - I see Jon yelling at me that I need to go now as I'm being overtaken. How very dare they! For the third time in three weeks the Lockett Rocket gets let out: the arms pump a little faster, the legs respond, the lungs can't get enough oxygen in, everyone is going crazy, and I catch a glimpse of a grey top drawing level. Now! 50m out and I hear Malcolm Balk whisper "form wins over effort every time" and feel my neck relax and lengthen, then stride opens out a bit and the feet hardly touch the ground. I focus on the line, but I can see the pain the grey top's face and I know already that I have won. Only just, but what a race.

By the time I am done the left foot, ankle and inside shin are bothering me. My assumption that running on grass would be fine was wrong. By the next morning I can just make it to the station. Every footfall hurts. No more running for me until the Chase Corporate Challenge next Wednesday. If even then.

Update on Friday: Seems Thursday may have been the most painful day as Friday was slightly better. Tip from Mr. Sant on the toe rolls is helping as is the ice advice from Jean-Marc - merci.

So that's it for a while guys. Out injured - it's official.

Long Sunday Run

With Kenny off doing a Tri, we almost agreed that was an acceptable excuse for skipping the Sunday run, but only if a photo, official time and medal could be produced!

Anyway, the three set off. Out on Nicky line, off into Redbourn golf club and up the Herts 10km hill which seemed like nothing. Perhaps 7km of red-line effort before hand makes it seem worse.

Found a footpath so just took it with no-idea where it would go. M1 in front and planes coming over from the other side so vaguely head airport direction when the footpath disappeared. No farmers out patrolling their land, but a grouse cut me up at one point. Turns out the footpath did go straight on and down to the motorway junction so heading for the farm buildings was a better move.

Some guy in a huge house has some white, brown and black alpacs and Dave was convinced they were not real - look the black one moved - honest!

Dave had never see the gates of Luton Hoo before so we ran in and up the long tree lined drive. Got the hexagonal garden and the churnery and the sawmill but the mist had closed in and without the big house to fix bearings we flopped around and then finally found Paul's favourite hill to climb, but we did it in reverse.

The sight of the sewerage works is not pleasant but was a joy to us a that means only 3 miles to my house and it is all flat.

Dave clipped the last mile in 6:30 but neither Paul nor I were feeling much like Kenyans so we jogged in.

11.61 miles in 1:38:35, ave 8:29. Most of the time spent in the efficient zone.

Hot hounds and a roasted hare, plus one that was not meant to be there

17 runners today, with me starting 12th. So five fast hounds behind me.

Set of on time. Gelled up on the way down and for the first time in months was there well before my start time and had not needed a 6 minute mile to do it either!

Tied my laces again and started chatting to Martin about his accident where he fell off a kerb and bashed up his knee. He was sporting a suitably melodramatic bandage with more taping than an Egyptian mummy!

Suddenly, I notice someone shouting my name. Oh! Is it me next? YES NOW GO! Bash yells at me. I'm off, but quick start the watch. Bother put it into alarm mode and mess up getting it out and finally at corner 1 there are numbers spinning up from zero.

Feeling strong, but not particularly fast as I push out along Embankment. I see Charlie in the distance, make a mental note to try and keep him in sight.

Go carefully around the road works on embankment and don't fall this time. Get stopped twice by lights and take the long route to avoid a standstill and that's ok. Make it over horse guards and not been taken yet. But I can hear them coming and it is inevitable. Along bird cage they come past, Chris and someone else. I can't hold the pace and heat is getting to me. I focus on keeping Charlie in sight, but even he is pulling away. I get a boost from overtaking someone. Coming out of St. James' park up to the mall I notice the road is busy but there is a gap behind the traffic so I cut long again, around the back and happy days as both those guys that took me on bird cage are behind me again. It is packed on the hill and I lead the group to the top shouting clear instructions to the tourists to keep us and them safe. I heard Chris tell his buddy to let Niall lead the way through them up the hill. Get to the top and they overtake me again! So I can't resist the comment "nice to see you again boys!"

Then I notice this short bald guy in very baggy shorts and a skimpy vest. Not a hare and not a hound, it is running fource's very own Paul Savage skelping along at a very respectable pace. I pass a message to Chris, if you pass that bloke in front of Charlie tell him Niall is right behind you.

Can't recall much from here except that Paul was constantly looking at his watch. But I never caught him. It was all about Charlie ahead and Martin behind.

I caught a glimpse of Tutankhamen less the knee bandage just behind me going into Horse guards. The thought of an injured Martin going past me really did not bear thinking about.

Made it through Horse guards and now began to think through how to get past Charlie. Made the decision to reel him in slowly unless Martin took me then I'd kick and red line from then in. Big guy that took me with Chris is slowing and now I am pulling him back too. Pass some poor guy who is walking and suffering in the heat, a roasted hare if ever I've seen one.

At half mile out I'm still closing and work out that I should take both of them unless they race early. Go super wide and run much of the last half mile in on the road or behind the trees to hide and finally kick at the last road. Never looked back and the Lockett Rocket inside of me was fully unleashed and screamed in. Later Charlie pointed out that the first he'd known of our race was when I overtook him in the last few metres.

Given the heat and very busy muggy conditions 33:33 is not too bad. Plus considering the relative placing, moving up net 4 places and swapping places with one guy three times to get in ahead of him shows a spirited performance.

Lockett's Rockets

Here are today's list of excuses:
1) I was on earlies, in at 7:15am so too tired and too long since breakfast.
2) It was too hot.
3) I drank too much coffee today and not enough water.
4) Heavy load last few days, max HRT sat., long run Sunday, circuits Monday. I am too old for four days on the bounce.

Bob still not found his speedos.

Session was 12 sets of 75 on with 45 recovery, no extra at half way six out six back.

I was mixed up with Martin and Paul for the first four no problem trying not to get ahead of them. Then I blew up at the end of rep 5. Half hearted attempt at the 6th and then the way back was a nightmare. Back group put 200m between me and them. Sort of recovered for the clip back which seemed pretty fast.
Highlight of the day was remembering to take my shades, first time they've been to the canal.

Clearly time for a lovely taper into Friday's Hounds and Hare.

The new cycle way takes shape

Lost satellites after less than a mile, so above is courtesy of Mr Paul Savage, thanks mate.

Paul led today's run and the first (and only real) incline of the day was made easier by jokes of Ken's lack of manhood and much tittering about what exactly his father's day treat could be that kept him out of running fource once again. He also failed to show at yesterday's Max HRT session. Perhaps we'll see him at the next curry night? Anyway, back to the run.

I struggled through the first 30-45mins and took a gel early which perked me up.

The climb all the way the top route takes us along tree covered footpaths eventually opening out with views across to Luton Hoo and the airport. We run past the castle ruins taking us into scary territory as my OS map runs out at this point - I'm worried we'll fall of the edge of the world. But as the airport boundary gets closer and we end up sandwiched between the perimeter fence and the railway a marker post points us across a field of corn. This is a classic off road experience akin to the start of gladiator when he walks through the field of corn, picture post card stuff and beautiful off road running.

We find a house with cars on the drive which is a great clue that there must be a tunnel to get under the railway but it takes us a while to uncover the nettle ridden track down to the tunnel. Suddenly we are on Lower Luton Road with the footpath above us and feeling exposed. We scamper south and make it through the undergrowth into the field and I can't wait to see the new path so scamper directly up the embankment while Paul smugly appears 20m further along having snuck in at the end.

The new path is the business and the last few weeks have seen massive improvements, the section between the Airport and Luton Airport Parkway is now complete enough to cycle and run on and much more of it is surfaced.

Dave's first traverse of the new foot bridge so we forced him to pick it up and lead over the road to much cheering and shouting from the rest of running fource.

All in all a top run. Following the data from the test most of the run was in my Zone 3 with a nice bit of Kenyan style finishing to hold off a challenge from Paul taking me into Zone 4 and then just touching Zone 5, but held him of with 4bpm to spare.

Cleared the 9.61 mile in 1h 22m. Taking into account the nature of the run and fact we were crawling under fences and trees and had no idea where we were at several points in the run puts the 8:37 pace in context.

Thursday reps and bad Bob jokes

Again still not feeling too hot. Head still bunged up and having to cough up muck every once in a while.

After Bob's dip (see Tuesday's blog) there was much chatter about that incident. Poor guy had to go for a tetanus jab as he was cut in the canal's manky water. His mate filled us in that even his colleagues in NY heard about his dip. They added it as a new item on the management meeting agenda.

The banter was thick and fast:
Bob could not make it as he can't find his snorkel. (or speedos, goggles, swim cap, etc)
Anyone fancy a Bob set? 4 on plus 100m doggy paddle?

Jean-Marc was out as was Paul and Martin appeared up at the canal. I tucked in at the back.

Session today was:
3x 400 effort and recovery in 3mins
3x 300 effort and recovery in 2 and a half mins
3x 200 effort and recovery in 2mins

Felt ok by rep three so decided to mix it up and see if I could stick with Karen. Which I could. Martin flew on the first few, but by the 300s I was cruising with the middle group. On the last 300 there was lots of walking way from the start and trying not to lead the 2nd group so I decided to give it a go from the front. Even pegged back a couple of slower elite on the 200s which I was very pleased with, came 5th of 13 on each of those.

Struggled back at a very slow pace but recovered just before the office.

Lockett's Rockets and a submarine

I was whacked after Sunday's half and not feeling healthy at all. Cough has become productive, so was 50/50 for session.

At the start there was only Aysha when I got there, but there were soon plenty of Neil B's buddies and finally a few rockets I recognised.

Decided to see what the session was before making the do it don't do it decision. It was called as an inverted pyramid off half recovery. So run on for 4 3 2 1 1 2 3 4 with half the on as the recovery. I decided to do it, but at not anything like full pace.

Several cotton shirted newbies zoomed off with the semi elite group and I took my rightful place at the back and watched them disappear. To my amazement after a couple of minutes the back group had slowed to my pace which was just inside half marathon at this point. Not feeling great, but not feeling like I am making myself any more ill so keep at it.

Steady as she goes takes me to the out bound 2 and 1 min reps which I make sure are no faster than Aysha. We turn and with only 30 recovery I suddenly find myself at 5km pace and Aysha closing fast. Two fast on the return 2 mins so stop and recovery and she over took me. Timed the 3min rep better and overtook Aysha. By this time the elite are coming through.

Rep 4 kicks off. I'm one minute in and happy at 5km pace. Newbie comes past me just before the bridge and is closely tailed by Neil and Ian (I think) who over take him in the tunnel. He stepped aside to let them through and slipped on the wet towpath and went right into the canal! When I came around the corner I could just see a head poking out of the water. Somehow he got his hands onto the side and vaulted out of the water and continued the rep like nothing had happened. I over took him. Interestingly no-one interrupted their rep to check he was ok. I was overtaken by an elite and decided to lock on for the last minute, which I did, held him to the end of the rep.

Jogged back to see how the tri-athlete (ha ha) was and he was ok. I introduced my self. His name? Bob. You could not make this stuff up.

Then someone else appears jogging in. He's Matt and he blew up having gone off too fast in the heat, but used to do a lot of interval training in the past.

Things just got very interesting at the back of the pack.

St Albans Half Marathon: Sweat, Blood and Snot

Having had a pretty ropey week I rounded my dismal race preparation off by failing to get much sleep at all the night before.

Even my secret weapon of a vicks nasal inhaler snuck into the gel belt was not going to save me today.

As he heat ratched up for the traditional St. Albans Half scorcher we made our way into the runner's village. At the entrance we were met by an efficient person who handed us bag tags (he'd already clocked us and put the numbers on the tags) and pointed us at the bag drop. Took a while to find Dave and quick set strides were all that was between us and the start. I went way back (I thought) but there were 2500 of us to it was difficult to see where the elite stopped and the mortals began. Picked my spot and went in far too close to the front. Had people going past all the way around.

Held steady on the first couple and took the extra speed on the first sharp decent from 2-3 and really was not comfortable. Was feeling hot and decided to back of and not push too hard. Struggled up the mile six hill, but recovered down the other side a bit and consoled my self that I was still holding sub 8 min mile pace.

Struggled through to nine miles and at this point there were some people on the pavements. A lady in a red straw hat shouted at me "You should have used Vaseline mate!". I was thinking that an odd comment as I had, then I glanced down and saw the lovely new v10 running top our running fource sponsors have given me had been stained with a red spot. Just like a cartoon character that only falls when he realises there is no longer any ground under him at the sight of the blood those nipples start to hurt. Metal note to self, that's why you have all those wee round plasters.....

False dawn as I pick up the pace through mile nine to be whacked at mile ten, by now I am walking through the drinks stations to on board as much water as possible. Gel timing was ok with one at 45mins, 1h02 and final one at 1h15. Keep holding the sub 1:40 though and do the sums, still ok even with a couple of slow ones.

As we came to the last hill before the mile decent to the finish there was a guy shouting position. According to him I was 209th at that point.




I pushed on and thought I could get into the top 200, but everyone else had that idea as well and I got past four before glancing at the Garmin, 6:25min mile and I was very unlikely to keep that up. Settled for staying in the bunch I was with and had to did deep to get through the park and was over taken by someone looking very strong in a blue top. Blue top had me on his shoulder as we accelerated into the finishing straight, I saw my family cheering me on and my kid shouted "Go on dad, you can take him!" so I tried. He responded and we both tanked it to the line over taking several others who were pretty surprised to see not one but two blokes screaming past them. The other guy was simply faster, but I gave him a good run for his money and he came to find me after the race to shake my my hand!




Oh yeah, 1h 38min and 1second chip time and came 186th. Dave was 35th in 1h26m and Ken was 1h49m. Wonder where Paul was? The thought of him behind me would have been the only thing to have made me go any faster.




Last thought. Does the desert I had at Cafe Rouge remind anyone of anything?

Easy Westlake Westminster

Made it out today after having been out of running all this week due so a sharp, but mercifully short, dose of some kind of man/swine flu thing.

Skipped the reps and went for an easy one with tri suprimo Mark Westlake. Was a bit stickier and I would have liked for a short slow one. Lots of tourists and a tube strike forcing everyone overground kept us slow.

Only one interesting thing happened. Mark did not make it through the gap I left him on Millennium bridge as I squeezed between two community coppers and a kid. Well ok, I pushed the kid out the road (very gently, honest and hey he was a big kid) to make sure I got through, but he bounced back up like a Weeble and right into Mark's road. Opps.

Cleared the 4.19 miles in 30:56 which is 7:25 pace and that felt like we were crawling, so I think after another two more days recovery I might be able to hold that for a while.

Had the desired effect of clearing my head of vast amounts of snot and left me feeling much better in the pm.

Result! Rock on St Albans Half, another 9 miles at that pace would be a 1:36 half which I'd settle for!



ps I double checked and full fource running(his blog is here), aka Paul where are you Savage was nowhere to be seen at the canal today!

Wet Redbourn Loop

As I cowered in my porch watching the rain batter off my car, at 7:13am the thought did cross my mind that if no-one turned up I might not go. At that moment a glint of luminous yellow meant at least Kenny had turned up. We were begining to think he'd taken the associate social membership of running fource. 7:15 saw Paul arrive and I could hear Dave's machine roar up Station Road so that was a full house, first time in ages all of us were up for it and what a morning! As Dave was at least 30seconds late we made a point of setting off before he was out of his car.

Clearly Brocket Hall was not going to happen today, being mainly riverside trails. So we went for the Redbourn loop out on the Nicky line but extended it for the A team through downtown Redbourn and across the common while the B team kept going along the nicky line and back to Beesonend Lane the direct route. The idea being to catch Kenny on the return.

Before the turn into Redbourn Paul had been keeping Kenny company and so had put in an effort to close the growing gap Dave and I had created. On the narrow trails I was trying to call the obstacles, puddles, trees etc, but gave up when Dave started on about cuddly toys and decanter and glasses.

We were beging to think about increasing the pace now and the banter died down as catching Ken became the focus. Two interesting things just over the B487 the bridge to the footpath has just been rebuilt and very nicely too. They've cleared the ditch too, so no flooding there anymore and much less manky now! Then coming crashing through the undergrowth I disturbed a massive grouse that shot into the air right in front of me and scared the living daylights out of me - I let out a scream and I'm sure I heard at least one of the other guys yelp!

Beesonend lane had become a river. As we got to the foot, Dave goes for a very badly timed comfort stop and Paul announces this is where the fun starts. We're pounding up the hill and I can only hear our footfalls splashing through the sheet of water flowing down. Around halfway Paul moves level with me and before he can creep past I just touch the accelerator and he laughs, "just checking Niall just checking". On the way out Paul had been suggesting my long runs were too slow, so I thought we should correct that today. At the top we congratulate each other on a good hill and then Dave comes charging through the rain chirping way about how great he feels. No recovery then....

No sign of Ken on the home strech. He'd managed to hold his 8:25 pace and was in the shower before we got to Crabtree lane. Splashed our way down over the common, Dave challenged again on Crabtree lane, but I dug deep and picked it up again and he did not seem too bothered about going with me and Paul had vanished, later found out he had blown up on the Crabtree lane hill.

Managed some seriously negative split running today. Felt good, only having done 3.5miles in the previous week meant I was very fresh and felt light and fast in spite of the horrific conditions.

Assembly League: Vicky Park June 2009

Error number one was leaving my running shoes at my desk and only realising once fully kitted out, had to walk through the office in running vest, shorts and socks to get my shoes. Just pretended I do that all the time, but caught my boss sniggering in my general direction!

Needed a last minute number two so that plus the shoes made me miss the guys at the meeting point (who had all missed each other by that time) and made my own way to mile end. Jogged up to the canal and took the side canal to the park. Seemed like for ever to get to the Victoria Park Harrier's club house and by the time I got there, there were loads of runners warming up and a clutch of them were pointing at me so I aimed for them and sure enough SEAC base camp had been established by Martin.

Got my number, met up with Running Fource buddy Paul and warmed up. Remembered to eat the gel stuffed into my shorts.

Before the race I had decided to try and go out with Martin and Steve and see if I could hold the pace. At the off there seemed to be so many people and most of them were going fast. I held the plan for the first mile. I could see Martin ahead and Steve went past after about a mile. Then the first ladies flew past and just as they got to Steve, his watch fell off! He stops takes a step back and picks it up. If only I had been a few steps closer I could have booted that watch into the trees and had half a chance of finishing ahead of him!

Could not hold the super fast sub six min miles for any more than mile one, so dropped back a little and did not like being overtaken. I made a fair few work hard to get past me, but the highlight of the night was the last half mile. I had only managed to half convince my Garmin to go back to imperial so it was auto lapping and alerting me after each 1km, while I was trying to convert that to miles and having a tough time. So I was not really that sure how far it was left to the finish. One more went past then another and suddenly I did not need any arithmetic or Excel spreadsheets I could see the finish and when the next guy went the Lockett Rocket in me was unleashed. He pushed past with 300 to go, and I drew level, he tried to get away with 200m to go but again I let him think he had me then motored past him, but then eased off and he drew level with me at which point I let rip for the line and he shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.

22:17 on the Garmin, compared to last year which was 23:05 so a stunning year on year improvement. Even more significant is my average pace, which is under the magic four min kms. Hold that for another 4.4km and I'm under 40mins. Roll on the Herts 10km.

Steve and Martin were jubilant in the pub having left me for dust after one mile, which is weird given how I get on at the canal. I think now I need to do some long reps and get back into the threshold runs that I've been skipping.