Victoria Park Assembly League: Start of the road to recovery?

For the first time ever there was some mass in the en mass at the back of London Wall at 6:45. There was Mark, Martin and I. We headed down to the tube and Mark astounded us by appearing to pull a blond at the ticket machine. Later he admitted it was his ex-girlfriend's best mate so that doesn't count. We met Andy Weir on the down escalator. Now that is putting some mass in en mass.

From mile end Martin had an efficient route for us to follow and amused us with tales of systems named after birds or prey or athletics events. At the railway we could have used the pole vault app, but opted for the more conventional route under the bridge.

At this point martin announced that he normally jogs from this point so we did, all the way up into the park. We were there before the seac numbers arrived, now that must be some kind of record.

We got got changed and I revealed my left leg all black kinesio taped up in a fetching, nay sexy even (according to some of my colleagues - yes Amanda, Clive and Jean-Marc that's you) way. The most experienced guys were of the view - "Are you sure you should be racing?" Well yeah the physio said it should be ok.




Steve hobbled up feigning injury and saying he was aiming for 24 minutes. He whipped around in 22 And while he joined me at the very back of the back he set off like the road runner, pushing through the slow pack and putting 30m between us by the first corner. I could see him and Mark (who thought it was 5k and shouted to the group he was with "last one gets the beers in" at 3 miles and sprinted for the finish which turned out to be another half miles way) was on my shoulder and complaining about Steve's pace. I could see him and that was ok for me. I decided the pace was ok and the leg was ok so I was not going to risk any more. Settled into the run and as ever remembering to land mid sole and not toe off did the trick.

By mile one I'd done 6:53 and planned to hold that for the next mile which I nearly did moving one at a time through the field. 6:59. (Third mile was 6:58 so steady if slow, but at one mile to go the race became interesting. Up to then every person I overtook just let me. But at 2.5 on they all challenged. It was hard work dropping them. At the playground I was just finishing off passing a group of three blokes when a small lady with the loudest footfalls you've ever heard crashed through inside us. Race on! I concentrated on breathing and form and lengthening my spine and held the pace she set up to the turn in the home half mile. She could not hold the pace she had set so was dropped and I told myself it was just a 3min rep to the finish. I did that last half mile in 2:39 which is not bad.

Total time: 23:31
Ave pace: 6:50
Ave Hrt: 163
Max pace: 5:00
Max hrt: 178

Very pleasant food, drinks and chats after with the SEAC boys. Good run and a good night out.

Martin and I got lost on the way to hackney wick and so had to run fast to catch the train. Including the switch backing up ramp at full speed! Just made it and found another rocket on the train.

Plenty of stretching now and we'll see how it goes once the tape comes off on Saturday night.

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.