Sprints and hills

July is made up of two 10k’s and possibly one 10 miler!

7th 10k Sherwood Pines
19th 10k Sherwood Pines
25th 10m Heckington

So I am going to concentrate on trying to get a bit quicker. As well as my long runs I am going to incorporate some sprint and hill work. My current best for 10k is 49 min 20 seconds set at Edwinstowe last December. My first 10k of this year is on the 7th at Sherwood Pines so I would like to knock off a couple of minutes.

Tonight training after a rest night last night will be a steady six miles followed by a couple of hill sprints. It is very warm today again so I will make sure I am fully lubricated.

My picture from the Mansfield Half has not arrived yet but as soon as it does I will share it with you. Until then here is a picture my brother took as you can see I take a crap picture when I know somebody is taking one!


ps the takeover of Notts County is going ahead! Champion's League here we come.

28/06/09 Mansfield Half Report

My local race only five minutes drive up the road! I awoke after rather a restless nights sleep to a very humid day no drizzle as forecast but it was cloudy!

Arrived at the venue at about 9am the race was due to start at 10am and the atmosphere was very good with a steel band and various tents and stalls, I was glad I had not taken my wallet as there were some bargains to be had in the form of some rather snazzy running shoes. My friend and his son registered for the fun run and I set off to the start at approx 9.50am. The race started just outside the park and was quite a decent route very undulating but no seriously steep hills unlike Stoke. It was the first race I have run where I knew the course this had its negatives as well as positives, I knew where the declines were but also the inclines. Mile eleven to twelve was not much fun as it was on the bypass which is very long and tedious. The last mile was also a long up hill drag but the finish was great! It was the second race I have competed in that finished on a running track. The last 150m were on the track which I sprinted having a little battle with the guy in front who I beat, I even dipped over the finish line! How sad am I? The weather was hot though as the sun did not manage to burn its way through the clouds until after the race had finished it did not feel too bad.
On crossing the finish line I forgot too stop my watch straight away but I did know I had run a personal best. On checking the official results today I did it in 1:40.54 which I am very pleased with, it was not a chip timed race so I could knock about 10 seconds off! Oh and no sore nipples!!

Will definitely run it again next year!

Also my official race photo is pretty good (even if I do say so myself) so I have purchased it and will be posting it on here when it arrives.

Mansfield Half 28/06/09 stats:
Time: 01:40.54(pb)
Position: 237 (out of 794 finishers)
Condition: Knackered & well chuffed

YEAH! a new PB!

One hour forty minutes ish! Official results not out yet but am well chuffed!

Full race report to follow.

The Mighty Magpies!

FA Cup Winners 1894

My football team is Notts County and at the moment being a Notts fan is quite exciting, we may be being taken over by an investment group with lots of money who plan on getting the team into the Championship within four years. The takeover just has to be approved by the Supporter’s Trust who are the major shareholders. Unfortunately I let my membership to the trust lapse so have no say. But I hope they vote in favour of the takeover if not what would we (the fans) have to look forward too? Yet another season of being in the bottom half of league two?

As mentioned yesterday last night was a rest night whilst tonight I will be doing a run of approx 75 minutes, a nice steady/easy run of around nine miles. It is warm again so I am expecting to get rather sweaty so I will be using some Vaseline!

The forecast for Sunday and the Mansfield half marathon is drizzle now this makes a change from the heat I have ran my last two races in! My mate and his son are entering the fun run (1.5m) and are giving me a lift to the start and my brother and his wife will be there at the finish, will be great to have some support and hopefully I will be able to put in a good show.

No post tomorrow in fact no posts until Monday! I am off work tomorrow and have no internet access at home so a full race report will follow next week!

Have a good one

Hot Hot Hot!

My four miler with hill sprints! Well I did it! Went out about 6.15pm and it was still very warm in fact probably the hottest I have run in to date! It is odd running the same routes in humid hot conditions that in February I was dodging ice and snow! Did the run in 33min 14sec which is the quickest I have done it, the last hill was hard work but once you reach the top it is pretty much down hill all the way home.

Treated myself to an American Hot Pizza from ASDA needed the calories after burning off so many the last three days, approaching 3000 calories used up on my last three runs!

Rest night tonight and I am ready.

One hour fifty minutes!

Good run last night, it was very warm and humid but managed to do an easy 12.8 miles burning off 1,520 calories. I really really hope it is a bit cooler on Sunday! Did a slightly different route as I wanted to check out where the start of the race is, so had a few more slight hills to contend with! Have got to remember to get vaselined up for my longish training runs as now it is hot I am sweating even more so my running tops are getting wet and heavy and rubbing on my poor little nips!

Some hill sprints tonight included in my steady four miles should take about 35 minutes will go out as soon as I get home from work the more practice running in the heat the better just have to make sure I drink plenty of water throughout the day!

Last night I counted the takeaways I run past, one KFC, one pizza place, one Indian and two chippies, oh and a chinese. Not including at least four pubs all producing tempting food smells running is a test of willpower in more ways than one!

cheers

This week’s timetable!

In my build up to Sunday’s Mansfield half marathon below is my proposed timetable for the week!

Monday - Last long run of 2 hours
Tuesday - 4 miles easy including two hill sprints
Wednesday - Rest Day
Thursday - Run of 75 mins steady (8+ miles)
Friday - Rest Day
Saturday - Very Easy 3 miles
Sunday - Race Day

Plus carb loading & hydrating!

Best laid plans…

Saturday was only a two mile run & walk!

Why?

Well my daughter wanted to come with me, she is seventeen and wants to get fit so once she had got changed and I had made her tie her trainers we set off. She did pretty good though she complained she ached the next day & will never go running with me again!

Sunday I could not get out of bed, my fifteen miler became an eight mile run and some hill work! So I need to get a two hour long run in tonight before I start tapering ready for the Mansfield half on Sunday! Weather forecast looks as though it is going to be another warm one! Great! Though I am going to make sure I am fully hydrated and vaselined up and checking out the route it has no major hills it is undulating but without any steep inclines like Stoke. Mansfield is going to be my last half until Newark on the 9th August. July has two 10k’s and hopefully the Heckington 10 miler so as soon as I have recovered from Mansfield I am going to do some speed work to hopefully enable me to beat my 10k pb!

cheers

8 miler

Ran eight miles last night with no pain in my foot and it is fine today! Did it in exactly one hour so I am getting quicker! Was very humid again but I enjoyed it, no running tonight a quick three miles tomorrow and about thirteen on Sunday!

cheers and have a good one

Rattlesnakes

Last night was a rest night the bit of pain I am getting in my right foot has eased off overnight so a run of six miles plus tonight should be ok though oddly I get no pain when running!

Confirmed my Great North Run entry yesterday so now I have my reference number, so I am good to go for the 20th September it will be my second GNR and am really looking forward to it. No chance of a pb but the atmosphere is simply amazing.

The local paper ‘the Chad’ had an article about the forthcoming Mansfield half marathon (28/06/09) in which it announced that one of Asia’s top marathon runners would be taking part. Serod Batochir who came 25th in last year’s Olympic marathon will be competing at Mansfield as part of his preparations for the World Championships. This is one of the great things about running here I am a 41 year old bloke who has been running for just over a year competing against an Olympic athlete obviously no chance of beating him but I can say I ran against an Olympian.


The title of this post is a reference to Lloyd Cole my all time favourite singer/song writer who’s music I was chilling out to last night, brilliant though I do prefer something a bit angrier to listen to when training!

cheers

Another race!

Sent a cheque off yesterday for the Heckington 10 (ten miles). Entry is restricted to 250 so hopefully I will get a place it is on Saturday the 25th July and is at the Heckington Show which is apparently the biggest village show in the country. The show is over the weekend and the race which was first run in 1965 is the oldest road race in the Midlands. I have also been invited to a party on the Saturday night, nothing like a few pints after a hard race on a hot day!

Last night ran 6.06 miles in just under 48 minutes I took it steady as it was very hot and humid but it is looking promising for a pb in my first 10k of the year on the 7th of July.

Have got some pain in my right foot at the moment! Now I know I should really rest it but…..

Picture of me at Stoke!

Looking good!
Thanks to Bryan Dale who provides free photos at www.racephotos.org.uk/.

14/06/09 Stoke Half Report

Set off at 7.30am to hopefully get to Stoke about 9.00am no problems finding my way and was parked up just after 9! The forecast on Friday had said showers but the weather was fine, too hot again! A quick tip if you are planning a trip out when you need good weather pick a day I am running a race I have not had a wet one yet!

Made my way to the chip collection point, now the chips were different from the ones I have used before needing to be attached to the laces of one of your shoes with wire ties but it fixed with no problems. So then I had about ninety minutes to keep hydrating and visiting the portaloo about a dozen times. I was surprised that so many people don’t read their race instructions and I was asked half a dozen times where the chip collection point was!

There was a short walk to the start which was downhill it was quite crowded and difficult to get up to speed but once away I realised how undulating the course was going to be. I felt pretty good a bit stiff from football on Friday (have decided not to play football just before a race again!) and was doing well until the first major hill about mile 3 or 4 now it takes me three or four miles to get into my rhythm so the last thing I want to see is a steep hill. But I made it up and carried on, the whole route is very up and down and I knew there was one more steep hill to come. Now the support around the route was fantastic the best I have experienced to date, people with hoses, water & jelly babies they really helped. A big thank you to the people of Stoke on Trent. The big hill came at about mile 12 and it was very steep it looked like a ski jump I got a bit angry with the hill and started to sprint fellow runners were shouting encouragement I was determined not to let it beat me, but beat me it did and I had to really slow down three quarters of the way up. Bit of a silly thing to do really as I expended nearly all of my energy reserves. The last mile was ok and the finish was great lots of support and I managed to sprint in with a time of 1:44.34 just under the 1:45 so qualified for a silver finisher’s medal. T shirt is very nice as is the plate and I was well chuffed with my time only 59 seconds off my personal best so when you take into account the hills and the heat I am happy.

Driving back was not much fun but a stop off at Maccy D’s for a chicken & bacon deli of the day was just what I needed.

Now Mansfield Half in two weeks! Can I beat that pb?

Stoke Half 14/06/09 stats;
Time: 01:44.34
Position: 333 (out of 1,476 finishers)
Condition: Knackered & bloody (see previous post)

My first bleeder!

Yet another hot day and my first bleeding nipple not a good look with a white top. Did not manage a pb but pleased with my time 1:44.34 considering the heat and two very steep hills,

Full race report to follow.

Sweaty!

Ten and a half miles in 1 hour 25 minutes nice and steady. It was quite warm but with a breeze felt pretty good so should be close to my pb time of 1.43.35 on Sunday! Just printed out the route and it should take about 90 minutes to get to Stoke so will set out about half seven! Will give me plenty of time to park up and collect my chip. Pleased it is chip timed as will get an accurate time.

Might be playing football tonight, have not played for months as have not dare risk injury but I really enjoy it so pub first then 5-a-side football just need to get through another day at excitement central!

cheers

Stats
Distance: 10.54 miles
Time: 1:25.03
Calories: 1,236
Music: Eminem

Steady 90 minutes tonight

Last long run before the race on Sunday I am planning on doing my 7.9 mile route plus the 3 mile one so should take me just under 90 minutes if I take it easy.

Not sure how I will do Sunday? I feel quite fresh but it will be interesting to see how I feel only two weeks after Edinburgh. I don’t think a pb is in the offing as the course is supposed to have a few hills and the weather might be a bit wet. Though that would be a nice change from Edinburgh. I think I will just see how it goes if I feel good on the day then great if not it is only two weeks till Mansfield!

cheers

New muscles

I really enjoyed cycling last night did about 23 miles, 19 around Sherwood Pines and 4 miles home. It was fun to do something other than running and nice to see that I am pretty fit! The main difference between running and cycling is the sensation of speed when zooming down a hill, loved it. Just like being fourteen again and thrashing around the forest on a knackered Raleigh Chopper with thread bare tyres.

No adverse affects this morning apart from a bit of a sore bum!
(which I promise is from the cycling)

Tonight is a rest night I have my kids so tea out then home in time to watch the footie, a biggish run Thursday, rest Friday, short run just a couple of miles Saturday then on Sunday the Hanley Building Society Potters ‘Arf .

Stoke on Trent weather forecast for Sunday: HEAVY RAIN!

cheers

31/05/09 Edinburgh Marathon Report

My first marathon! 26.2 miles! Yes really!
Well I entered this on a whim I had run three halfs and thought ‘why not, it can’t be that much of a jump from 13.1 miles to 26.2!” Ha Ha Ha, yeah right.

Well, training had gone ok including five long runs ranging from 17 to 20 miles. Having decided to run it for charity I was running for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (nice t-shirt!). It was on Saturday the 30th of May my Mother took me to East Midlands Airport to catch my flight to Edinburgh, oh did I mention I don’t like flying? The plane was full of runners which was good as the conversation took my mind off plunging 23,000ft to my death! The main topic of conversation was the heat and that it was going to be completely the wrong kind of weather for a decent marathon time. My hoped for time was just under four hours but getting round would be great as it was my first marathon and Edinburgh was having a heat wave.

Arriving in Edinburgh I caught a bus to the city centre and had a walk round it is a very beautiful city and will be even more so when they finish the tram! After an XL bacon double cheeseburger & fries from Burger King, I needed the carbs! I jumped on a bus to take me to Heriot Watt University where I was spending the night. On arrival and finding my room I felt like Norman Stanley Fletcher! (‘Porridge’ a prison reference). Basic but adequate and then I started on the most important task of the day hydrating myself ready for the race. After a good night’s sleep and receiving lots of good luck text messages I ventured down to breakfast, hmmmm porridge but staring up at me was a full Scottish (English) breakfast oh what the hell it is three hours until the start! Catching the shuttle bus it dawned on me what I was about to do, run a marathon in 23 degree heat with no shade and hardly any breeze but I was equipped with a cap, a bottle of water and covered from head to toe in sun cream and Vaseline.
Handing my bag in at the start going for a last wee and I was ready, I was pretty sure I would be ok till about mile 21 but after that was a journey into the unknown. The race started at 9am for the elite runners I got underway at 9.15am and I felt great and did so for 19 miles then it started to hurt, it was red hot and after about 17 miles the supporters ran out until we circled back and reached approx mile 23! At mile 22 I walked a bit and realised that a sub 4 hour was not going to happen. I was in Edinburgh on my own and had a flight to catch at 6.30pm I could not afford to collapse as people around me were doing. I kept drinking water & lucozade, running a bit then walking a bit. My legs were really hurting when at the 25 mile marker I decided to go for it and ran, even sprinted the last mile and a bit crossing the finish in 4:18.29 I had done it! A Marathon!

On autopilot I managed to make my way back to the city centre then to the airport where I bartered for a Cornish pasty! The flight (I was too knackered to be worried) was on time and I was relaxing in a hot bath on terra firma at 9.00pm, job done!

Edinburgh Marathon 31/05/09 stats;
Time:(26.2m) 04:18.29(pb)
10k 00:54.22
Half 01:58.22
30k 02:49.10
Position 3,789 (out of 13,104 of which 8,257 finished)
Condition: Knackered

Would I do another one? You just watch me!

Look! It's me!

Nearing the finish of this year's Retford Half Marathon(22/03/09) taken on my Brother's iphone. Time for the Half Marathon 1:43.48 not a bad race bit of a nasty hill near the end though the support was great! Thanks Tammy!

A new blog!

Recording my running and other random rambling rambles of a forty plus bloke!

A bit of history,
I started running on the 1st May 2009 and have to date run two 10ks, six half marathons and one marathon. My PB’s (personal bests) are 49.43 10k, 1:43.35 half marathon and 4:18.29 marathon.

My aim this year is too run ten half marathons and one marathon (done it! Edinburgh 31/05/09) and various 10ks. I would like to get a new pb in the half of less than 1:40 and get under 48 minutes for a 10k.

Next race is the Stoke half on Sunday the 14th which is supposed to be a bit hilly but training this week is going pretty well did eight miles last night in 1:00.43 which is my fastest to date for said distance.

Tonight I am going mountain biking around Sherwood Pines a local country park and also the venue for quite a few 10k races throughout the year. Have not been cycling for a while but it will be a change from running and should be a good laugh. Am using my brother’ bike a very nice Raleigh Team replica which fingers crossed he will forget I have, though not if he reads this blog!

Will let you know how I got on tomorrow, Ta Ta!