Met Tenke lakeside to try to get her to come to St. Prex.
We were both tired and decided against attempting any kind of workout today.
Simply enjoyed the cool and went as far as the boat stop before returning.
Pushed it a bit on the hill to co-op.
Garmin
Friday 31 August 2012
5m classic Rolle route
Rain stopped.
The guy chairing the meeting said, hey Niall you know all this there is no point in you being on this call.
2 minutes later I was outside locating satellites.
Easy enough, but not nothing. Took about 3km to get through the recovery and then rather enjoyed it. Wonderful to be running in cool conditions with light rain. Perfect.
Garmin
The guy chairing the meeting said, hey Niall you know all this there is no point in you being on this call.
2 minutes later I was outside locating satellites.
Easy enough, but not nothing. Took about 3km to get through the recovery and then rather enjoyed it. Wonderful to be running in cool conditions with light rain. Perfect.
Garmin
Wednesday 29 August 2012
5.1m TPV La Sarraz 2012 Etape 4
La Sarraz had been carefully map my runed by Richard so the talk was of fast first km, the steady uphill work to the 4th km followed by the fast downhill to the finish. Then the bottom km which rises slightly and has a false finish before the real one.
We got properly warmed up with Tenke, who's warm up pace was pretty much the boy's race pace.
At the start I pushed a bit further forward, but it was not enough. I was boxed and the first km felt slow and was we narrowed for the first time I joined the ankle killers on the field edge to move through.
Lovely surprise as the kids and my wife had showed up and were cheering like made as I went past.
The first hill sorted some more and I clocked stompy a stocky guy powering up the hills in the oddest of steps. We traded places several times.
I was dropping more and more seconds and tried not to think about that. Snuck a few more places in the woods and held for the descent.
Came through the drinks station and went for the last cup which I rejected as it was full of some red stuff that was definitely not water. My disappointment was clear as I uttered something bad in french. Ten paces later the guy next to me offered me his cup of water. What a top bloke and thank you so much. That lifted me massively and we both hammered down the hill making more and more places. But not enough seconds. At 6km I knew I was too far behind last year's time to beat it.
Saw the family again which was a boost and focused for the finish.
Was gutted to turn the first tree corner for the third year in a row thinking it was the finish only to find there was another field to run past. I was having dark thoughts about never running again, but somehow dragged myself to the real last corner and cheekily skipped into the woods stealing two places before the single file kicked in. Steady through the patch of woods and then out for the big finish and three of us were racing for the finish. I stayed level with them and kicked just before the step up and overtook them both in mid air, neither of them had anything left and so James and Tenke got to see me nail two more for the finish.
The guy on the tanoy made a hash of announcing my name "Nee-ha-el mick en tree ehhhherrr, un des Tenke's Boyeeze - qui sont les premieres place pour les equipes mixtes" Yes. We won again. Well Tenke won and James and I did enough to keep us in first place.
Another victory for Tenke too. If I can talk Tenke into coming to St. Prex we're all set for me to get the first podium of my adult running career!
Stefan came in strong, James did well and Victoria forgot her lip gloss and late pass again. But she did bring a friend. Richard took ages in the shower, there is a lot of him to wash this year. All the better to hug him.
Patrick and I were on a bit of a downer, both being slower than previous years. I was 35:35 which was a minute away from last year and about 10 seconds away from 2010. Disappointing.
I think the lack of interval training is proving to be a performance reducing factor.
Garmin
Monday 27 August 2012
3.5m mountain recovery run
Short recovery around the botanic gardens, looping the bottom
field until bored then explored the inner paths and enjoyed the new
gardens they've built and noticed how the paths have been freshly
re-gravelled. A city with more money to spend than it appears it knows
what to do with it.
Garmin
Garmin
Wednesday 22 August 2012
5.16m TPV Mezieres 2012 Etape 3
Another hot evening. They were going mental with disclaimers and advice about how to keep cool and hydrated. Last week it seems some people ended up in a bad way and had to be recovered in an ambulance. That's bad news.
The small cuddly outline of Richard greeted us at Nyon station and then Victoria appeared. Tenke was talking about throwing in the towel, but I talked her into keeping going. The loo was full in the train so I was still in work clothing and had to change in the car, luckly Richard suggested Tenke did go in front to save any blushes should the need to change in the car came up.
On the motor way there was 4 car shunt at the exit we needed to take which held us up for ages. Richard asked at one point why the bloke in the car next to us was waving and grinning at him. Turns out it was James (the other Tenke's Boys team member) who was there with his whole family who had come all the way from Scotland to cheer him on.
We got there just in time and then there was 10 mins delay to let everyone arrive. Loo Qs were long.
One highlight of the evening was Richard trying (and failing) to be added to Tenke's Boys. They were having none of it.
Jason was also there in the Administration zone trying very hard to remember his name, my dossard is in H for Hollinger, ah no sorry my name is Borgen it will be under B, finally they found it in V for Von Borgen. What sort of runner forgets his name - have you had enough water?
Hardly had done 2 laps of the track when it was time to shuffle down to the start. I had forgotten how tight this one got after the 1st km when we hit the woods and I was badly placed at the start and could not get to the right speed - went through a downhill 1st km in 4:16 which was annoying. The ground was chewed up by dangerous cows and there was a cow pat slalom - through the fields was hard work and ankle destroying stuff. I found the up hills tough but was good on the downhill bits making up some speed.
In the woods it was too narrow to overtake. Although I did sneak past a few when the woods cleared to the side.
The nicest bit was where there was fresh wood chip down on the ground, lovely springy feel and that lifted me a bit.
The last drag along the bottom field before the climb home took forever, just watching the guys ahead slog up the hill made me feel even more exhausted. Dug deep and held on. At the top - more hill a turn and then suddenly that's it 50m of running track and it is all over.
39:29 on the garmin and 39:43 - the bad placement at the start cost me some 15 seconds which were expensive as they contributed to the down fall of Tenke's Boys to second place in the mixed team event.
As usual Tenke won the ladies and James was in 2 mins before me. Jason and Naly had a brilliant sprint finish which Jason won by 0.4 seconds!
Great to meet James' family and get the old sausage meal and beer thing going again.
Garmin
The small cuddly outline of Richard greeted us at Nyon station and then Victoria appeared. Tenke was talking about throwing in the towel, but I talked her into keeping going. The loo was full in the train so I was still in work clothing and had to change in the car, luckly Richard suggested Tenke did go in front to save any blushes should the need to change in the car came up.
On the motor way there was 4 car shunt at the exit we needed to take which held us up for ages. Richard asked at one point why the bloke in the car next to us was waving and grinning at him. Turns out it was James (the other Tenke's Boys team member) who was there with his whole family who had come all the way from Scotland to cheer him on.
We got there just in time and then there was 10 mins delay to let everyone arrive. Loo Qs were long.
One highlight of the evening was Richard trying (and failing) to be added to Tenke's Boys. They were having none of it.
Jason was also there in the Administration zone trying very hard to remember his name, my dossard is in H for Hollinger, ah no sorry my name is Borgen it will be under B, finally they found it in V for Von Borgen. What sort of runner forgets his name - have you had enough water?
Hardly had done 2 laps of the track when it was time to shuffle down to the start. I had forgotten how tight this one got after the 1st km when we hit the woods and I was badly placed at the start and could not get to the right speed - went through a downhill 1st km in 4:16 which was annoying. The ground was chewed up by dangerous cows and there was a cow pat slalom - through the fields was hard work and ankle destroying stuff. I found the up hills tough but was good on the downhill bits making up some speed.
In the woods it was too narrow to overtake. Although I did sneak past a few when the woods cleared to the side.
The nicest bit was where there was fresh wood chip down on the ground, lovely springy feel and that lifted me a bit.
The last drag along the bottom field before the climb home took forever, just watching the guys ahead slog up the hill made me feel even more exhausted. Dug deep and held on. At the top - more hill a turn and then suddenly that's it 50m of running track and it is all over.
39:29 on the garmin and 39:43 - the bad placement at the start cost me some 15 seconds which were expensive as they contributed to the down fall of Tenke's Boys to second place in the mixed team event.
As usual Tenke won the ladies and James was in 2 mins before me. Jason and Naly had a brilliant sprint finish which Jason won by 0.4 seconds!
Great to meet James' family and get the old sausage meal and beer thing going again.
Garmin
Tuesday 21 August 2012
6.1m Airport Hill in the heat
Running was a mistake today. It was far too hot.
I melted on the hill and even the hard clip back never really got up to the TPV race pace I was looking for.
Over took several people, of note the shuffling bloke in LONG trousers and a lady who in buckets of sweat and looked how I felt.
Lesson learnt - on days like this go early or go to the pool!
Garmin
I melted on the hill and even the hard clip back never really got up to the TPV race pace I was looking for.
Over took several people, of note the shuffling bloke in LONG trousers and a lady who in buckets of sweat and looked how I felt.
Lesson learnt - on days like this go early or go to the pool!
Garmin
Sunday 19 August 2012
5m with the lad
Got dropped at La Ligniere with Paul and the idea was for me to show him the route home without having to go along the main Route du lac. However, I think it is too complicated and hilly to let him try it on his own.
It was still hot, but we were also recovering from a lovely day in the Valley de Joux where we'd been sailing, stand up paddling and messing around in a Kayak.
Paul ran faster and faster getting more and more annoyed the whole way. He channels all his anger and determination into his running and was sometimes was emotional but super focused. No chance of any conversation. Just faster and faster kms - I've never seen anything like it. I'm not sure it's healthy for me to run with him....
Garmin
It was still hot, but we were also recovering from a lovely day in the Valley de Joux where we'd been sailing, stand up paddling and messing around in a Kayak.
Paul ran faster and faster getting more and more annoyed the whole way. He channels all his anger and determination into his running and was sometimes was emotional but super focused. No chance of any conversation. Just faster and faster kms - I've never seen anything like it. I'm not sure it's healthy for me to run with him....
Garmin
Saturday 18 August 2012
6.2 Sentier des Toblerones
It was the Last day of Kids Games when they go off to Avanches, so dropped off the children at the buses in Gland and noticed that Patrick was there in his running kit, so I suggested we run together. He was planning to run home to Le Vaud up the Sentier des Toblerones and I had nothing in particular in mind so that's what we did.
Great to see Patrick again and run with the mountain legend. The cool of the trees and the running water in the stream were much more enjoyable than the exposed road running I've done lately. We chatted all the way up as far as la Cezille where we hit 30 mins and I decided to turn back.
The way down was easier, but not much faster as this trail is tricky with lots of tree routes and stones to trip over.
Left foot was tight and the strain on the outside of the foot was bothering me more than normal. I think the rough terrain was not helping.
Got back slightly too soon and having only done 8km I added on another 2 by going down the trail past where we had the base camp on the last dangerous wide game and enjoyed those memories.
Good 150m climb today.
Garmin
Great to see Patrick again and run with the mountain legend. The cool of the trees and the running water in the stream were much more enjoyable than the exposed road running I've done lately. We chatted all the way up as far as la Cezille where we hit 30 mins and I decided to turn back.
The way down was easier, but not much faster as this trail is tricky with lots of tree routes and stones to trip over.
Left foot was tight and the strain on the outside of the foot was bothering me more than normal. I think the rough terrain was not helping.
Got back slightly too soon and having only done 8km I added on another 2 by going down the trail past where we had the base camp on the last dangerous wide game and enjoyed those memories.
Good 150m climb today.
Garmin
Friday 17 August 2012
6.2m with a fast km
Easy run in the mid-day sun with two interesting bits:
1) A fast 6th km. I have no idea where the thought came from, but it came and stuck and I did it. I ran the 6th km at TPV race pace. I was dying after one minute at 3:36min kms so eased and held it ok till the last quarter where I slowed and finished at 3:50. I should really be able to do that no problem. Breathing was wheezy and head spinning at the end. Legs we fine.
2) Tibet massacre: out side the president Wilson hotel there were about 10 Chinese soldiers with wooden machine guns pointing them at the heads of the kneeling protesters and praying monks. Very effective and successful way to get their point across. I think I feature in some of the press photos! They also had a small army of people collecting signatures and telling people about the show. Pretty impressive operation.
More about my protesting Tibetans
Garmin
1) A fast 6th km. I have no idea where the thought came from, but it came and stuck and I did it. I ran the 6th km at TPV race pace. I was dying after one minute at 3:36min kms so eased and held it ok till the last quarter where I slowed and finished at 3:50. I should really be able to do that no problem. Breathing was wheezy and head spinning at the end. Legs we fine.
2) Tibet massacre: out side the president Wilson hotel there were about 10 Chinese soldiers with wooden machine guns pointing them at the heads of the kneeling protesters and praying monks. Very effective and successful way to get their point across. I think I feature in some of the press photos! They also had a small army of people collecting signatures and telling people about the show. Pretty impressive operation.
More about my protesting Tibetans
Garmin
Thursday 16 August 2012
5m Rolle Classic
Set off thinking an easy run to recover and actually managed marathon pace (8 min miles) which was pleasing.
Not done this route for a while so good to whip around and nothing bad from the race. Felt recovered, if a little sleepy from the late nights.
Garmin
Not done this route for a while so good to whip around and nothing bad from the race. Felt recovered, if a little sleepy from the late nights.
Garmin
Wednesday 15 August 2012
5.0m Penthaz TPV 2012 Etape 2
That's more like it!
The clouds moved in through the afternoon and took the edge off the temperature. It was hot, but not unbearable.
Tenke, Stefan and I were all on the same train, I found Tenke in the station at Nyon and we found Stefan in the train to Genolier.
Caught up with James before and then everyone split for their warm ups while I hung around waiting for the family to show up and got my hrt going by trying to work out the childcare arrangements and stressing my self that they had yet to show up. Once they were here we quickly figured the finer points of the handover and I shot off to try and get a quick warm up in. But it worked well, I ran out the first 800m, fiddled with my shoes and ran back checking out the elite and saw Tenke too. Saw the family encamped on an embankment so had a quick chat and made my way back to the start. Went 10 rows deep as I wanted to run fast down the first 3.5 km and then just try and hold my place from there.
Race went almost according to plan. I took off like the wind and clocked a 3:40 first km followed by a 3:59 and then a 4:01. That's red line for me. Then the hills. I tried to tread them like old friends, having run here lots with the mini foullee glandoise I know these trails well. I tried to focus and keep pace on the ups and work the downs hard to keep the placing I had.
I had to walk twice, but on the second time I was overtaking as I walked. About km 5 I started trading places with a tall and noisy lady. She got noisier as the race went on. I had to concentrate hard not to drop off the pace on the zig zag and then down the steep hill to the brook nearly sent the lady flying. I skipped down and kicked hard over the wooden bridge trying to claw back some time before the horrible climb back to the finish.
And it was tough. I caught a glimpse of the building through the trees and it seemed so very high above us. Still I knew we were nearly done and pushed through and decided the crowd were only cheering for me and that got my past the lady. As I got to the top I sprinted for the line - the kids were there and I kicked again for them. Great feeling.
New nice touch was a massage which was very welcome as was the free apple and drink.
Then I saw Stefan come in and he was looking good.
Tenke found us and Lia and I helped her with the paparazzi who were interviewing her in French as guess what, she was the winning lady, in a stonking 31:35!
Caught up with Jason too, he was running under his pen name tonight, but great to see him again.
Saw Patrick and also Victoria and finally met her hubbie Rob.
Naly, Stefan, Jason and the kids then enjoyed a great meal.
I was 36:11 (one age place better and 11 seconds better then last year but slower than 2010) added to James' time of 34:11 put us in first place.
And it seems last week's result was recalculated and Tenke's Boys were first there too!
What a great feeling to be in a winning team!
Garmin
Monday 13 August 2012
6.1m Airport Hill
Airport hill in the heat. Again.
Not a lot to say, except hot and hard. Swim tomorrow in the outdoor pool to recover for the race.
Garmin
Not a lot to say, except hot and hard. Swim tomorrow in the outdoor pool to recover for the race.
Garmin
Sunday 12 August 2012
3m super easy
Very tired following the fisherman's fete at the port on Sat night.
Out with Paul and Charles. After 0.8 miles Paul headed home, Charles apparently walked.
Squeezed out the port and back to make the 3 miles.
Garmin
Saturday 11 August 2012
13.1m slow half
Thankfully the planned run with James was called off at the last minute as I don't think there is any way I could have held his marathon pace for a half today, which was kinnda the plan.
So I was billy no mates on the train to Nyon.
From there I took route 4 all the way back to Rolle, going down to the port via the Pre Vert to make sure of the 13.1 miles.
Struggled more at the beginning and felt better as it progressed.
In Gland just after the river tunnel where the mini hydro station is I thought there were two guys hanging out of the roof of the power station. Actually, it was two biker's all in one leathers hanging, but it really looked like two people!
It is hard to go fast on the trails and I noticed I was a bit faster on the roads.
At the end I made it to marathon pace for mile 12 down to Rolle, but I forgot I was trying to go more quickly until half way through the last mile so tried a sprint finish but even that was not enough to get the last mile under marathon race pace. 1:54 for a half is pretty slow by any standard, but I wanted an easy long run today, so that's what I got. Hrt ave was only 128, felt like I could keep going for ever at that work rate.
Garmin
So I was billy no mates on the train to Nyon.
From there I took route 4 all the way back to Rolle, going down to the port via the Pre Vert to make sure of the 13.1 miles.
Struggled more at the beginning and felt better as it progressed.
In Gland just after the river tunnel where the mini hydro station is I thought there were two guys hanging out of the roof of the power station. Actually, it was two biker's all in one leathers hanging, but it really looked like two people!
It is hard to go fast on the trails and I noticed I was a bit faster on the roads.
At the end I made it to marathon pace for mile 12 down to Rolle, but I forgot I was trying to go more quickly until half way through the last mile so tried a sprint finish but even that was not enough to get the last mile under marathon race pace. 1:54 for a half is pretty slow by any standard, but I wanted an easy long run today, so that's what I got. Hrt ave was only 128, felt like I could keep going for ever at that work rate.
Garmin
Friday 10 August 2012
7.2m including 4x1km reps
It was very hot and sunny today.
The fete de Geneve is still going on so both the left and right banks of the lake have been transformed into a massive fair ground for rich people. 6 francs for a ride? I'll pass.
The heat was made all the more heady by the smell of street food being prepared everything from hot dogs and pasta to candy floss and bonbons was on offer.
Grandstands were set up for the fireworks this weekend and there were too many people.
Found Tenke zipping around the Jardin Anglais as planned and we had to get beyond the baby plage de Geneve before there was enough space to do anything.
I had in mind 1km reps and so we agreed to do 4, 2 out and 2 back.
It was awful. Tried to hold the 4min km pace and was gutted each time the 4m were up and I seemed to have not managed the 1km.
But actually it turned out I was not doing 4mins on as I thought but 1km reps by distance.
3:57 for the first one
4:06
4:05
3:57 for the last
So considering we were tired from Wed's race, that was ok I suppose.
Jogged back and took a cold shower to try and cool down, which worked for a bit.
That was pretty intense, although Garmin only rated it as 3.7 effort.
Garmin.
The fete de Geneve is still going on so both the left and right banks of the lake have been transformed into a massive fair ground for rich people. 6 francs for a ride? I'll pass.
The heat was made all the more heady by the smell of street food being prepared everything from hot dogs and pasta to candy floss and bonbons was on offer.
Grandstands were set up for the fireworks this weekend and there were too many people.
Found Tenke zipping around the Jardin Anglais as planned and we had to get beyond the baby plage de Geneve before there was enough space to do anything.
I had in mind 1km reps and so we agreed to do 4, 2 out and 2 back.
It was awful. Tried to hold the 4min km pace and was gutted each time the 4m were up and I seemed to have not managed the 1km.
But actually it turned out I was not doing 4mins on as I thought but 1km reps by distance.
3:57 for the first one
4:06
4:05
3:57 for the last
So considering we were tired from Wed's race, that was ok I suppose.
Jogged back and took a cold shower to try and cool down, which worked for a bit.
That was pretty intense, although Garmin only rated it as 3.7 effort.
Garmin.
Thursday 9 August 2012
3.8m Recovery
Super slow recovery run in the heat of the day.
Explored the beach just beyond the bottom field, pain to get to as you need to run along the big road, but still nice once there.
On the way back a guy in front of me had a drink at the bottom of the botanic gardens and then I had to tank it up the hill to avoid him overtaking me.
Garmin
Explored the beach just beyond the bottom field, pain to get to as you need to run along the big road, but still nice once there.
On the way back a guy in front of me had a drink at the bottom of the botanic gardens and then I had to tank it up the hill to avoid him overtaking me.
Garmin
Wednesday 8 August 2012
5.26m Penthaz TPV 2012 Etape 1
I was a full 2:42 slower than last year at this one. 74 places over all and 16 in my age group worse than last time, so the heat excuses don't work as that should have applied to everyone!
I don't understand how my running is so bad these days.
Still it was a hot evening. But at least the warm up with Tenke and James meant my Hrt profile looked ok in the race. I tried to go faster, but somehow the whole thing felt like a training run. I saw Partrick in the first km which was a slow 4:40 running through the crowed, but I found myself chatting away with him before I recalled this was actually a race!
Anyway, James was semi injured and Tenke was disappointed with her time. But her time was so amazing it compensated for my poor showing.
Tenke was first lady and that pushed Tenke's Boys to 2nd place. Whoop Whoop.
Garmin
I don't understand how my running is so bad these days.
Still it was a hot evening. But at least the warm up with Tenke and James meant my Hrt profile looked ok in the race. I tried to go faster, but somehow the whole thing felt like a training run. I saw Partrick in the first km which was a slow 4:40 running through the crowed, but I found myself chatting away with him before I recalled this was actually a race!
Anyway, James was semi injured and Tenke was disappointed with her time. But her time was so amazing it compensated for my poor showing.
Tenke was first lady and that pushed Tenke's Boys to 2nd place. Whoop Whoop.
Garmin
Monday 6 August 2012
Sunday 5 August 2012
Friday 3 August 2012
23m total of holiday runs
Catch up!
Some nice running in Sirmione, but really too hot.
Was eaten alive by the insects and could not sleep as it was too hot and we were being bitten. That mean it was hard to get up and run early enough to be out before the sun started to make running impossible.
6m run
1.5m run to get the bread with Paul
10m run only decent distance achieved over the two week holiday
In Vittorio Veneto it was a similar story, but add lots of good food and wine, getting up was even harder.
3.5m run around the villa
1.5m run along the cycle track, then the running track 400m reps in the heat of the day
And that's probably going some way to explain my poor performances of late.
Some nice running in Sirmione, but really too hot.
Was eaten alive by the insects and could not sleep as it was too hot and we were being bitten. That mean it was hard to get up and run early enough to be out before the sun started to make running impossible.
6m run
1.5m run to get the bread with Paul
10m run only decent distance achieved over the two week holiday
In Vittorio Veneto it was a similar story, but add lots of good food and wine, getting up was even harder.
3.5m run around the villa
1.5m run along the cycle track, then the running track 400m reps in the heat of the day
And that's probably going some way to explain my poor performances of late.
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