Having all missed out on the Standard Chartered Great City run for various reasons the following massed for an elusive 'steady' run. Alan 'one pace and it's race pace' Ginn, Mark 'sweating buckets' Westlake, Julian, Paul and little old me.
On the way to the meeting point Alan and Mark dropped me like a stone with their random routes claiming short cuts. All I know is a sub six minute mile to the meeting place was not what I wanted on my bad leg.
Off we went. Alan started pulling away from the off setting a pace that was just too fast for me.
Paul Julian and I make a back group as Mark kept with Alan along the embankment.
By the Embankment tube I was cross to be 100m or so behind so I ducked up Whitehall instead of northumberland ave giving me 200m more of road crossing space. It worked I was over and under the gates of Hourseguards while they were all stuck in traffic. That moment made the whole run worth it!
Alan quickly caught me and we cut a corner out of st james' park to avoid the tourists. Held the pace with Mark Julian and Paul into green park as Alan again started to pull away.
Mass of tourists on the hill so I made a big shout and it had the desired effect - they moved out the road. By the top of the hill everyone was begining to put more distance into to the gap between us. I was well and truely at the back.
Paul's foot pod thing reckoned we were going at 7 min miles up the Green Park hill.
Leg was sore on the footfalls, but nicer on the soft grass.
Paul and Julian gave each a good race, by the time we were back at embankment they were in sight again and I suddenly losened up and speeded up. Thought I was closing on Julian but he kicked too trying to close the gap on Paul, but he could not do it. Paul finished in a stonking. 32:52 only seven seconds off my pb, while Julian just behind.
I did it in 34:10 which for not a race day is a fast tempo.
Mark limped in later with a knee injury, he forgot his knee support.
Then we, surprise, surprise, headed back to the office at the same pace.
Friday 17 July 2009
Tuesday 14 July 2009
Lockett's Rockets
Was getting my excuses in early at the meeting point, making sure everyone knew I was injured. Delighted to see Aisha, Karen, Paul and Paul's buddy Chris at the meeting point as these great people are not quite elite so there is half a chance of keeping up with them.
Much chatter about times and placings in the JP Morgan Chase Challenge with Karen getting 45th lady. Aisha nearly beat me, but I nipped over the line a few seconds ahead of her.
At City Road there are some roadworks and I took the roadside option giving me the opportunity to dart through a gap in traffic Hound and Hare style and with a cry of "cheat" from Mr Savage I found myself for the first time ever leader of the pack on the way up to the canal. Paul quickly closed the gap and I was pleased to have made him work. I made a note of his baggy shorts, I was thinking a few of us might be able to hold on to them for a boost, but he was a canny man today and we were both holding out for the back marker spot refusing to be goaded out of our slow pace for the first few reps.
The session was 10x 2min on 30 seconds off with 2min rest at the turn.
After the first one Paul was jubilant at that the pace for the 2min reps was slower than his last attempt at 3min reps! I don't think you finished those either, did you?
My leg was ok, but could feel it stiffening up at reps 3 and 4 so dropped back on the 5th. A few only did 4 out and 4 back but Paul, Chris and I regrouped at half way and made a punchy set of five back.
If I was very careful to land mid sole every step and not toe off, I could do it. Paul commented on a noticeable difference in my running style.
Paul was strong on the way out, with the wind behind and his shorts billowing out to catch the full effect of the tail wind. But on the way back the sail shorts back fired as the head wind took its toll. By rep 9 his mizzen mast was suffering from some sort of frigging in the rigging happened and he vanished, leaving Chris and I to hammer out a solid last rep holding off the elite who came through right on the finish.
We made it back almost exactly to the start, indicating a steady set of reps that were well balanced. I think we have Paul to thank for the pacing at the beginning and not attempting to peg back Karen at all.
Foot survived all the way back to the office and shin is ok and ankle better after some gel and ice as I post this.
Much chatter about times and placings in the JP Morgan Chase Challenge with Karen getting 45th lady. Aisha nearly beat me, but I nipped over the line a few seconds ahead of her.
At City Road there are some roadworks and I took the roadside option giving me the opportunity to dart through a gap in traffic Hound and Hare style and with a cry of "cheat" from Mr Savage I found myself for the first time ever leader of the pack on the way up to the canal. Paul quickly closed the gap and I was pleased to have made him work. I made a note of his baggy shorts, I was thinking a few of us might be able to hold on to them for a boost, but he was a canny man today and we were both holding out for the back marker spot refusing to be goaded out of our slow pace for the first few reps.
The session was 10x 2min on 30 seconds off with 2min rest at the turn.
After the first one Paul was jubilant at that the pace for the 2min reps was slower than his last attempt at 3min reps! I don't think you finished those either, did you?
My leg was ok, but could feel it stiffening up at reps 3 and 4 so dropped back on the 5th. A few only did 4 out and 4 back but Paul, Chris and I regrouped at half way and made a punchy set of five back.
If I was very careful to land mid sole every step and not toe off, I could do it. Paul commented on a noticeable difference in my running style.
Paul was strong on the way out, with the wind behind and his shorts billowing out to catch the full effect of the tail wind. But on the way back the sail shorts back fired as the head wind took its toll. By rep 9 his mizzen mast was suffering from some sort of frigging in the rigging happened and he vanished, leaving Chris and I to hammer out a solid last rep holding off the elite who came through right on the finish.
We made it back almost exactly to the start, indicating a steady set of reps that were well balanced. I think we have Paul to thank for the pacing at the beginning and not attempting to peg back Karen at all.
Foot survived all the way back to the office and shin is ok and ankle better after some gel and ice as I post this.
Sunday 12 July 2009
Easy six
No ambition of big things today.
Ken "Sick Note" managed to arrange a holiday in Tunisia to escape today's run and Dave was being punished for too much alcohol the night before and was a no show. His 9th place in 90mins for the half he did yesterday might have been a factor too, who knows.
Leg was ok.
I was tired.
Snails were overtaking so headed up the hill in Wheathampstead and back over the pay and play golf course to Harpenden and home. Ave pace 8:37.
Oh dear.....
Ken "Sick Note" managed to arrange a holiday in Tunisia to escape today's run and Dave was being punished for too much alcohol the night before and was a no show. His 9th place in 90mins for the half he did yesterday might have been a factor too, who knows.
Leg was ok.
I was tired.
Snails were overtaking so headed up the hill in Wheathampstead and back over the pay and play golf course to Harpenden and home. Ave pace 8:37.
Oh dear.....
Friday 10 July 2009
Too much too soon?
Buoyed by the official time from JP Morgan Chase Challenge - 23:01 I decided to take Alan Ginn up to the canal, on the condition he took it easy.
Took 23 mins to get out to the park and had to stretch the sore leg a couple of times so we turned back and home in 52.
Mid tempo run, felt I was holding Mr Ginn back the whole way. 11km or 6.5 miles. Not world record stuff but all time on feet and the injury hurt while running, but was ok after. Hoping no damage done.
Took 23 mins to get out to the park and had to stretch the sore leg a couple of times so we turned back and home in 52.
Mid tempo run, felt I was holding Mr Ginn back the whole way. 11km or 6.5 miles. Not world record stuff but all time on feet and the injury hurt while running, but was ok after. Hoping no damage done.
Wednesday 8 July 2009
JP Morgan Corporate Challenge, 2009
Set of only a shade late but no-one else at the meeting point so jogged down to mansion house, tube to sloane square and walked to the tented village.
Got changed, gelled up and dumped my bag.
Tibialis Posterior was ok and I was trying hard not to think too much about that.
Formulated a vague race plan to see if I could hold sub 4 min kms. Found Martin and he introduced me to John who is true elite and deserved the red dot on his number. Turns out John has had the same injury and his custom orthotics worked a treat.
Mr tanoy was gobbing of and the red dots were beginning to head to the wonderland that is the fabled front pen. We made our move and I popped a gel keeping the water until right before the start. Conditions near perfect. Some stupid woman stopped us going right to the front but by then we were only a few feet from the front so just jumped the barrier.
I stayed in the pack but could see Martin striding out with the uber fast boys and chatting away with the chaps that looked like they might win it. I actually recognised many of them from the canal.
After a fair amount of the expected chit chat with the sponsors and the personalities we were off.
Gun time equals chip time, boy do those red dots help at the start! Never before have I got away with such a good start at this race. This is the highlight of the race, being at the front! Before I know it we clear km 1 in 3:55. Next one is spot on again going through the second in 7:50 something. Third is ok too in 11:50 something, but then there is some grass and the uneven surface makes me nervous. I ease off a bit, but not much. Go past km 4 at 16:11. Grrr! Chris goes past me here and looks fresh as a daisy gliding effortlessly along chirpily encouraging my good running. More Grrr! Thinking now of the last bit as a 1600 rep and don't look for my time at the 5th marker, but hear the tanoy say something about 19 mins which is the first lady in. The whole pack I am in surges to the finish and I make a semi sprint finish (the Lockett Rocket was not on display tonight!) going over in 23:09 - given injury I am pretty pleased with that, esp. the first 3 km. I just need another 7 at that pace for Harpenden in October and the ability to go up that hill at speed too. Just checked and last year I did 23:41 so a massive improvement on that time and average pace was 4:07 so getting closer to target pace.
Bumped into John at the finish, he was 8th out of 13,000 in 17mins something. Martin thrashed me but I was a few seconds faster than my old buddy Spencer Lane which really made the night complete.
Food as usual was great and some how the beer tastes better when cold and free!
Got changed, gelled up and dumped my bag.
Tibialis Posterior was ok and I was trying hard not to think too much about that.
Formulated a vague race plan to see if I could hold sub 4 min kms. Found Martin and he introduced me to John who is true elite and deserved the red dot on his number. Turns out John has had the same injury and his custom orthotics worked a treat.
Mr tanoy was gobbing of and the red dots were beginning to head to the wonderland that is the fabled front pen. We made our move and I popped a gel keeping the water until right before the start. Conditions near perfect. Some stupid woman stopped us going right to the front but by then we were only a few feet from the front so just jumped the barrier.
I stayed in the pack but could see Martin striding out with the uber fast boys and chatting away with the chaps that looked like they might win it. I actually recognised many of them from the canal.
After a fair amount of the expected chit chat with the sponsors and the personalities we were off.
Gun time equals chip time, boy do those red dots help at the start! Never before have I got away with such a good start at this race. This is the highlight of the race, being at the front! Before I know it we clear km 1 in 3:55. Next one is spot on again going through the second in 7:50 something. Third is ok too in 11:50 something, but then there is some grass and the uneven surface makes me nervous. I ease off a bit, but not much. Go past km 4 at 16:11. Grrr! Chris goes past me here and looks fresh as a daisy gliding effortlessly along chirpily encouraging my good running. More Grrr! Thinking now of the last bit as a 1600 rep and don't look for my time at the 5th marker, but hear the tanoy say something about 19 mins which is the first lady in. The whole pack I am in surges to the finish and I make a semi sprint finish (the Lockett Rocket was not on display tonight!) going over in 23:09 - given injury I am pretty pleased with that, esp. the first 3 km. I just need another 7 at that pace for Harpenden in October and the ability to go up that hill at speed too. Just checked and last year I did 23:41 so a massive improvement on that time and average pace was 4:07 so getting closer to target pace.
Bumped into John at the finish, he was 8th out of 13,000 in 17mins something. Martin thrashed me but I was a few seconds faster than my old buddy Spencer Lane which really made the night complete.
Food as usual was great and some how the beer tastes better when cold and free!
Sunday 5 July 2009
Tibialis Posterior Injury
Tibialis Posterior turns out to be my injury.
This muscle/tendon runs from under the foot arch through the ankle and attaches to the inside of the shin.
A massage and some ultra sound (Monday am) and I was suddenly pain free. I needed some orthotics to control the pronation and after not really finding the right ones I wanted at Boots I got the closest and popped them in straight away.
Been wearing them for two days now and walking is once again pain free.
However, running for the train today was not.
But running from the train to the school was ok, so long as I remembered to land mid-sole and not toe off.
This muscle/tendon runs from under the foot arch through the ankle and attaches to the inside of the shin.
A massage and some ultra sound (Monday am) and I was suddenly pain free. I needed some orthotics to control the pronation and after not really finding the right ones I wanted at Boots I got the closest and popped them in straight away.
Been wearing them for two days now and walking is once again pain free.
However, running for the train today was not.
But running from the train to the school was ok, so long as I remembered to land mid-sole and not toe off.
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