FLUIDS/FUEL
When Lorna and I decided that we were going to run Draycote a bit harder, I took a conscious decision to take no extra gloop or 'stuff' for the run.
The only marathon that i had used Gels for in the past, was Berlin. And although I ran a really good race, the whole timing gels and water stations and the like was more of a distraction than anything. And I wasn't convinced that it actually made any difference
Anyway - I wanted to do a little experiment with myself - just taking what was on offer on the course at Draycote - thereby minimising 'faffage' - and litter
So the fuelling strategy was this
Eat really well through Saturday and drink plenty
Porridge with banana and Maple Syrup 3 hours before - and 2 cups of coffee
No further fluid or food before the race started
This morning regime has been honed over many races, and I know is a formula that works well for me
- A visit to the toilet on arrival and just before Start
- Take the cups on offer at the end of each lap
I chose to take the High 5 drink only, stopping each time (because I didn't want my nice Fetch top to get all sticky )
I ran as well, faster, but not as hard, as I had at Berlin
Gels were definitely not needed for that effort level
I stuffed my face with the goodies on offer at the finish.
My total fluid intake during the race was 4 ½full cups of High 5 with about 50-75 mls in them.
No performance drop off - no low-sugar issues - and I drank as much as I felt I needed once I was done.
I'm not convinced by the marketing hype surrounding some of these 'essential' products that we are told will make us run faster, safer etc!
Of course, the difference at the 10 in 10 will be that re-fuelling is going to be crucial. And someone suggested that having SOME intake while running might help with that side of things. It’s certainly something to think about!!
RECOVERY
Once the plan to run Draycote at a hard pace - but not a Full-On pace had been made, it was clear that there was going to be a consequence in terms of the battering my legs took as a result.
I was also pretty certain that the pace that I was planning would not be easy - but as long as the weather conditions were kind, that I'd be OK with it as well.
And I was right on both counts. I was delighted with the metronomic pacing on a reasonably flat course - my legs hurt a bit at the finish, but once the Lactate Washout thing had gone (ably assisted by sugary tea and delicious munchies provided by the organisers) they felt reasonably OK.
And judging by the subsequent lack of Marathon Runners' Walk Syndrome, the effort level was hard enough - without being too destructive
But part of my plan is to run when I'm tired - because that WILL be a feature of the 10-in-10.
So..
By Wednesday of this week, I'd run twice each day since Draycote, purposefully at very low intensity.
(Apart from being very stupid to catch the John Lewis Delivery Man - which tweaked my Left Soleus!)
And while I could still feel the effects of the effort of running a marathon hard, about which I’m STILL smiling, I'm keeping runs really easy.
And by Wednesday I was still feeling a little tired in myself, as well as my legs feeling the same.
I've been concentrating on good form, at an intensity that has given me a kept my Heart Rate nice and low, and VERY aerobic
At the moment, there are very definite physical symptoms that say "Don't run too fast - You'll damage yourself" - and so I'm consciously running at a pace where nothing 'pulls' or 'twinges' or hurts.
No Central Governor Theory there - I'm just being careful
Why?
Because I want to get in decent mileage - and I don't want to 'over-train'
An early morning run today suggested that I ‘almost’ have my legs back, and I’m hoping that they will have recovered enough to have a bash at my 5 mile pb on Sunday!
Thursday, 26 February 2009
Monday, 23 February 2009
Another Training Need ticked off :o)
Much as I love the Windermere Marathon course, I suspect that it will lose a little of its appeal with frequent repetition. Boredom is not something I tolerate well. Forcing myself out to run the same route day after day will take a fair bit of mental resolve.
The Draycote Water Marathon didn't let me down. I knew it wouldn't. Last year, Leon and I entered the 35-mile ultra that's run at the same time and pulled out after 21 miles because we couldn't face doing the same uninspiring 4.71-mile loop around the reservoir three more times.
I was quite looking forward to the race. Lots of people we knew would be there, Leon was going to try for sub-3:10 (yes, he did tell me beforehand) and Aly's marathon PB was ready for an upgrade. Me? I'd have liked sub-4hrs, but my main objective was to get bored out of my skull and not quit. No performance pressure, then :o)
There was a vicious wind blowing, and it was so cold at the start that I regretted my decision to wear a short-sleeved t-shirt and shorts, and ran the first 4 miles wearing a down jacket. I knew early on that sub-4 was unlikely and dropped down a gear. I slowed down towards the end of the race, ploughing into The Wall at 17 miles and not getting over it till 23 miles, but that just helped to bolster my attempts to have the worst possible race I could have without actually getting ill or injured.
I succeeded. I ground out lap after lap, telling everyone who would listen that I hated the course and wanted to quit (though, in reality, I was never going to quit). I fought the temptation to walk despite being perfectly capable of running (proof = I did run every step of it). I stopped eating my Werthers Originals because they weren't sweetening me up. I had mild phantom trots. Lots of people lapped me ... but I wasn't overtaken much by other relative slowbies except when I popped into the Portaloo.
Once I'd given up on sub-4, I didn't bother checking the time until Mile 24. Sub-4:15 was looking achievable if I got a move on, and there was no reason why I shouldn't.
4:12:41 by the clock. The time may be adjusted by a few seconds in the official results.
I wandered around in my t-shirt and shorts for a while, cognitively aware that I was getting cold but not feeling it. Drank coffee. Ate several pieces of the delicious bread pudding that is a Draycote constant. I so need that recipe!
Steve Edwards and Aly Knowles were the Prize TiTs of the day. In a Good Way, of course. Well done to both of you, and to Selina (who completed the Challenge in 2008) for her 200th marathon. I just lapped her as I was finishing. If I'd known that this was her 2ooth marathon, I'd have stood back and applauded.
This is a fabulous event. Really, it is. I hated it for specific reasons of my own. But it's well-organised, friendly, on gently undulating and mostly traffic-free roads. There's lots of encouragement from other runners, cyclists, and people out walking their children and dogs. At the finish there is hot coffee, bread pudding and chocolate biscuits. Fetch had by far the biggest group presence there (by contrast, apart from one of the officials Leon and I were the only representatives from our running club) and it was a wonderful illustration of how positive the internet can be in bringing together people with a shared interest who might otherwise never meet.
Today I'm painfree apart from a tiny niggle in one foot which I think will settle if I don't do any more long runs in my clapped-out F-lite 230s, which are approaching 700 miles and are worn quite thin on the midfoot. Leon and I went out and did 7 miles at 9.06mm pace this morning.
Last week's training ...
Mileage: 73.43 miles, average pace 9.35mm.
Longest run: 26.2 miles at 9.39mm pace.
Cross-training: 1,830m of swimming on Saturday.
Niggles: A little sore area under my left 4th metatarsal head, which I first noticed after the Keswick/Buttermere 34k. It settled over the week, but returned after yesterday's marathon.
Sofa-spud day: Friday, by accident, ending a 21-day running streak.
The Draycote Water Marathon didn't let me down. I knew it wouldn't. Last year, Leon and I entered the 35-mile ultra that's run at the same time and pulled out after 21 miles because we couldn't face doing the same uninspiring 4.71-mile loop around the reservoir three more times.
I was quite looking forward to the race. Lots of people we knew would be there, Leon was going to try for sub-3:10 (yes, he did tell me beforehand) and Aly's marathon PB was ready for an upgrade. Me? I'd have liked sub-4hrs, but my main objective was to get bored out of my skull and not quit. No performance pressure, then :o)
There was a vicious wind blowing, and it was so cold at the start that I regretted my decision to wear a short-sleeved t-shirt and shorts, and ran the first 4 miles wearing a down jacket. I knew early on that sub-4 was unlikely and dropped down a gear. I slowed down towards the end of the race, ploughing into The Wall at 17 miles and not getting over it till 23 miles, but that just helped to bolster my attempts to have the worst possible race I could have without actually getting ill or injured.
I succeeded. I ground out lap after lap, telling everyone who would listen that I hated the course and wanted to quit (though, in reality, I was never going to quit). I fought the temptation to walk despite being perfectly capable of running (proof = I did run every step of it). I stopped eating my Werthers Originals because they weren't sweetening me up. I had mild phantom trots. Lots of people lapped me ... but I wasn't overtaken much by other relative slowbies except when I popped into the Portaloo.
Once I'd given up on sub-4, I didn't bother checking the time until Mile 24. Sub-4:15 was looking achievable if I got a move on, and there was no reason why I shouldn't.
4:12:41 by the clock. The time may be adjusted by a few seconds in the official results.
I wandered around in my t-shirt and shorts for a while, cognitively aware that I was getting cold but not feeling it. Drank coffee. Ate several pieces of the delicious bread pudding that is a Draycote constant. I so need that recipe!
Steve Edwards and Aly Knowles were the Prize TiTs of the day. In a Good Way, of course. Well done to both of you, and to Selina (who completed the Challenge in 2008) for her 200th marathon. I just lapped her as I was finishing. If I'd known that this was her 2ooth marathon, I'd have stood back and applauded.
This is a fabulous event. Really, it is. I hated it for specific reasons of my own. But it's well-organised, friendly, on gently undulating and mostly traffic-free roads. There's lots of encouragement from other runners, cyclists, and people out walking their children and dogs. At the finish there is hot coffee, bread pudding and chocolate biscuits. Fetch had by far the biggest group presence there (by contrast, apart from one of the officials Leon and I were the only representatives from our running club) and it was a wonderful illustration of how positive the internet can be in bringing together people with a shared interest who might otherwise never meet.
Today I'm painfree apart from a tiny niggle in one foot which I think will settle if I don't do any more long runs in my clapped-out F-lite 230s, which are approaching 700 miles and are worn quite thin on the midfoot. Leon and I went out and did 7 miles at 9.06mm pace this morning.
Last week's training ...
Mileage: 73.43 miles, average pace 9.35mm.
Longest run: 26.2 miles at 9.39mm pace.
Cross-training: 1,830m of swimming on Saturday.
Niggles: A little sore area under my left 4th metatarsal head, which I first noticed after the Keswick/Buttermere 34k. It settled over the week, but returned after yesterday's marathon.
Sofa-spud day: Friday, by accident, ending a 21-day running streak.
OOPS!
Time to come clean...
At the point where Lorna and I decided to mini-taper for the Draycote Marathon, I knew that there was no chance of me running a 3:30 to see how it felt to train through a decent paced race.
My publicly started goal of 3:20 (and a Boston Qualifying Time) was the minimum I was after.
I toyed with the idea of 3:15, which had been suggested to me on one of the threads on Fetch
Sub 3 was definitely out - a tempo run at that pace was run at too high an effort level to make it feasible for the Marathon Distance - AND I had to be able to pick my training back up straight away.
And the pace difference between 3:15 and my current PB was quite small!
So in my own mind I cemented 3:10 as a target
That's 7:14 min/mile
A challenging pace to hold on the Draycote course, especially with the forecast wind, which was going to be in our faces on the undulating section of the course if the Weather Men were correct!
I had about four different plans that I'd use depending on how the first lap panned out :o)
On Saturday evening Aly came down to ours, clearly Up For It, and almost as nervous as me!!
We were joined by a friend, Michelle, who was coming to support, and look after Lorna's youngest during the race.
And we had a very pleasant, quiet and relaxing evening doing not much - eating, and lounging about on the sofas!
I'm awful on race mornings.
I don't mean to be - but I get very nervous, and experience has shown me that I need to get my breakfast down a Full 3 hours before the start of the race.
So I was up at 6 - making the porridge.
This worked out quite well really, because of the time we had to leave to get to Draycote in plenty of time to park and get ready. The morning wasn't rushed - and there wasn't time to pace about too much.
When we arrived, we bumped into Steve (Edwards) and had a really good chat with him before heading off to the Finish area to dump our bags and get ready.
There were a huge number of folk associated with the Fetch site taking part in the race (60 of the 200 entrants at the last count), and supporting. There were more of the Red, Yellow and White vests (as well as the 'away' colour of Black and Red) around than any other, I think. Amazing.
And so to the race itself.
7:14's would give me 3:10
And when we set off Steve and I had a little chat about the kinds of times we were looking for
"Around 3:15" he said. He's SUCH a fibber
;o)
The hooter went and we headed off for the first loop of the marathon course, which is the only bit that is different to the Ultra 35 course, and takes the marathon runners to the back of the field.
Once we turned around to head back to the Start line on the Upper Road, we had the wind behind us. And it made for nice effortless running at Planned Pace.
After the Sailing Club Building the first really exposed section had the wind coming from the side. Not too bad - but the 'buffeting' was quite wearing.
On the first lap you loop back to run this twice - so get to see most of the other runners at least twice - so waved to Lorna both times.
I wouldn't see her again for quite a while.
The first mile exuberance saw me clocking 7:12 - and I settled into a really nice running rhythm that had me peppering either side of 7:14's - to the extent that at 11 miles - and towards the end of the second lap - I was spot on target.
Mr Edwards (the aforementioned 'fibber') had shot off, and was out of sight in no time at all!!! ;o)
The undulating part of the course on the far side of the Reservoir was slightly 'slower' than the rest with the last mile and a half back to the finish being quite a lot 'quicker'. So by 16 miles, I was a Whole Second up on the time I'd set myself to run!!
The fourth lap I found the most gruelling. The pace was at the top end of where I was comfortable - and by this time I'd become a little bored of the tedium of seeing the same landmarks coming around with such regularity.
My mindset changed about 2 miles from the end of the lap (So that period only actually lasted 3 miles!!) Where I could feel that I had enough left in my legs to up the effort for the last lap - which I thoroughly enjoyed.
I passed Lorna towards the end of the Lap - and just as she predicted - she was not liking the course, and was bored of it - Job done, then ;o)
3 Seconds down on my target time at 22 miles, and feeling strong. This was going to be a Good Day!!!
And come the nice flat run in to the end, I opened up a bit.
Legs were tired now - but turning over pleasingly well.
And when the finish clock came into sight it said 3:08:55 - No chance of beating it to 3:09 - and I stopped my watch at 3:09:12.
A 2 minute PB
OOPS!
Bumped into Steve who'd finished a few minutes previously and had a little chat with him
:o)
In reality, I didn't think I'd be holding that pace for the whole distance. I'm delighted that I was strong enough to. The REAL test will be in how quickly I recover from that.
It was really windy and cold - so I clambered into every stitch of clothing I'd brought - 5 top layers including 2 fleeces and a Down Jacket.
I didn't get cold - just!
Time to get a cuppa tea and have a chat to a few folk - see Aly come in in a fantastic PB that also won her the F40 First place prize - OUTSTANDING!!
Then waited for Lorna to come in as well - which she did in around 4:12.
What followed was a bit of a blur of encouraging the ultra runners - congratulating a seemingly endless stream of people who'd run really well, balanced with commiserating with the few who'd not done so - or had to pull out for various reasons......
and eventually collecting everything and everyone up to head home.
It was a fabulous day.
The Support was awesome
The post race snacks were amazing once again.
For those that like stats, here are the numbers
26.22 miles
3:09:04 (official)
pace 7:13
Mile Splits:
07:12
07:15
07:14
07:15
07:15
07:16
07:16
07:15
07:14
07:09
07:13
07:15
07:17
07:15
07:16
07:06
07:15
07:13
07:14
07:15
07:13
07:18
07:10
07:10
07:15
06:53
06:28
1st Half: 94:53
2nd Half: 94:19
Saturday, 21 February 2009
A Quiet Week - and an Uncertain Goal
Having run strongly last weekend, Lorna and I both decided that we'd use the Draycote Marathon tomorrow as a run to put in a little more effort.
So we also decided to have a mini-taper into it as well.
So the mileage this week has been much lower. I've run just 36 miles - which with the marathon will be a weekly total of just 62 miles.
It's ALL about balance. We want to run this marathon at a decent intensity - but the GOAL is getting to May 8th healthy and ready to go. So rather than training through and pottering the marathon, we chose to allow our legs to rest a bit - run harder on Sunday - and be able to pick the training back up straight away next week.
That brings me to the business of the Uncertain Goal.
I'm not in sub 3 hour condition - at least, not as a goal after which I'll be looking to run a big week
3:30 pace would be reasonably easy
3:20 pace would give me a Boston Qualifying time - and should be perfectly feasible
3:15 pace is probably going to take a bit much out of me
sub 3:11:12 pace I think would be possible if I was targeting it - but would probably be foolish to contemplate.
So I think that 3:20 looks like the fella.
I'll have a far better idea after the first 2 laps. And I'll report back tomorrow.
Alyson will be getting here later, which will be fabulous :o)
Tuesday, 17 February 2009
Getting Stronger
Well - that IS the focus of training at the moment.
The basic plan has been to run twice, most days, one shorter easy run, and then a 'main' run of the day.
The vast majority of our miles have been nice and easy paced, the idea being to build a really strong and robust endurance/aerobic base.....
and NOT get injured.
It's working.
Last week - I racked up 87 training miles. That is on the back of a 73 and 85 mile week.
they are without dount the longest three weeks of continuous training that I've done, and yet I didn't feel that I had had to work that hard for it!
Each run of every double day felt like the first one - and there are good signs that I'm adapting well to running long, and running again without ill-effects.
Last week was a funny one. Having run the Windermere course on Sunday, I'd intended to have a full rest day - but actually ran twice, notching up just 9 miles with 2 really easy paced runs.
Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday saw main runs of around 11 miles, and short ones of 4-5, and on Friday - just a short one of 5 miles
Of all of those runs - just one was run at PMP for the Challenge - the 11 miles on Wednesday
Everything else was nice and easy.
For the weekend we were heading to the Lakes - the Keswick Buttermere 34k beckoned as a "Brathay Time-on-feet" run for me - and a benchmark training run for Lorna.
On the way up we stopped of in Bramhall, to take part in the Bramhall Park Time Trial - a 5k Parkrun, and to meet up with a friend who is helping me with aspets of a website I'm building.
I wasn't planning to run this particularly hard - under 20 milutes would have done, but I was feeling good a mile in, so put the hammer down a bit, and posted an 18:43 for my pains.
And it felt good
And I felt strong.
Just 20 seconds outside of my best time for the distance, and I hadn't intended to race!
When we arrived in Keswick, we met up with another friend, and had a little leg-turner around Latrigg - before getting an early night for Sunday.
The Keswick Buttermere 34k is a GEM of a race.
Taking in Honister and Newlands Passes, it can be described as 'lumpy'.
We weren't racing - this was out LSR for the week, just on Cumbrian 'undulations' which is something we don't have in the West Midlands.
I never stopped smiling. Running conditions were fabulous. The course is an absolute peach - and Lorna and I resolved to come back and run it 'properly' sometime.
And we finished in 3:28:55. Perfect Marathon Time (for the Challenge) on feet for me - and an outstanding run for Lorna who is running more and more strongly as the weeks go by
:o)
The best bit - really springy fresh legs on Monday and Today.
It is a great feeling to 'feel' like you are running strongly, and for all the evidence to be suggesting that, in fact, you are!!
Draycote Marathon is on the horizon at the weekend, and Alyson is coming down for that.
Can't wait!!
Last week's training :o)
First, the big announcement ... LEON RAN MORE MILES THAN I RAN! On the one afternoon that we had to run separately, I ran seven miles and he ran eleven. That doesn't happen often ;o)
Here are my stats:
Total distance run: 85.28 miles. Another big week.
Profile: Can't be bothered dissecting it out in detail, since there were two very different races, and some off-road running, and some jogging back from the supermarket with glass bottles of beer in my rucksack. Average pace 10.03mm.
Longest run: Keswick/Buttermere 34k (or 21.3 miles). Average pace 9.53mm.
Niggles: Slipped on the kerb on Friday and grazed my left knee sufficiently for it still to need a dressing.
Sofa-spud days: None, but I took my fall on Friday as evidence that running while slightly sleep-deprived is hazardous and omitted the planned short evening run in favour of a very early night.
One of the advantages of the way Leon and I are training - doing easy doubles most days - is that no individual run is particularly significant so it doesn't matter if circumstances mean that we have to miss a run. It also means that this week, while we have most of our children staying with us, we can pounce on opportunities to go for short runs.
My weight has remained steady at 50kg despite the increased mileage. That's reassuring. To run one fast marathon, skinniness is an advantage. To run ten marathons in ten days without crumbling, being strong and well-nourished at the start is far more important.
Here are my stats:
Total distance run: 85.28 miles. Another big week.
Profile: Can't be bothered dissecting it out in detail, since there were two very different races, and some off-road running, and some jogging back from the supermarket with glass bottles of beer in my rucksack. Average pace 10.03mm.
Longest run: Keswick/Buttermere 34k (or 21.3 miles). Average pace 9.53mm.
Niggles: Slipped on the kerb on Friday and grazed my left knee sufficiently for it still to need a dressing.
Sofa-spud days: None, but I took my fall on Friday as evidence that running while slightly sleep-deprived is hazardous and omitted the planned short evening run in favour of a very early night.
One of the advantages of the way Leon and I are training - doing easy doubles most days - is that no individual run is particularly significant so it doesn't matter if circumstances mean that we have to miss a run. It also means that this week, while we have most of our children staying with us, we can pounce on opportunities to go for short runs.
My weight has remained steady at 50kg despite the increased mileage. That's reassuring. To run one fast marathon, skinniness is an advantage. To run ten marathons in ten days without crumbling, being strong and well-nourished at the start is far more important.
Monday, 16 February 2009
Racing on a Shoestring :)
Many charity fundraising events, from parachute-jumps to walking the Great Wall of China, appear to be nothing more than cynical ruses to allow people to ask friends and family to fund them to have experiences and holidays that most of us can only dream of. I can see the point of contributing if someone is also going to push back the boundaries of human endurance like Sir Ranulph Fiennes, or even to give their own limits a stringent testing. But trekking up Mount Kilimanjaro or running an overseas marathon ... just don't ask, please. All you'll get out of me is a sincere expression of hope that you have a good time.
The Ten Marathons in Ten Days Challenge is gleamingly free from such tricks. Each participant has paid £500 in advance towards accommodation (which won't be luxurious) and infrastructure. The training weekends are a bit extra. It doesn't involve big carbon footprints or worry over environmental damage. Running the same road marathon every day isn't a holiday even if the scenery is delightful. And I think it passes the "stretching boundaries" test for all 15 of us in one way or another.
Having blown most of our recreation budget for the foreseeable future on two pairs of skis and the deposit for a week in Wengen with five of our children next year, Leon and I have had to be sensible about our race choices. For example, we had a notion of doing the 39.3-miler in Connemara next month, but decided to do two 20-mile races closer to home that weekend.
When someone on Fetch tipped us off about the Keswick/Buttermere 34k, it sounded just what we needed. A long run on Cumbrian road undulations, adequate but not lavish support, and only £5 to enter. I took a nervous look at last year's results, and was reassured to note that the last finisher took four-and-a-half hours. The "for experienced senior club runners" comment on the Keswick AC website, obviously didn't mean that the event was only for fell-whippets.
We started the weekend early on Saturday morning. Leon had arranged to meet Neil, who is helping him with his new business website, in Cheshire. Neil was planning to do the Bramhall Park Run, so we decided that a short speedwork session in company would be good for us too. What a well-run event it is, and, like all Park Run events, entry is free. A pleasant, interesting 5k course, partly on tarmac and partly on trails, with a couple of challenging little climbs. In a pleasing bit of symmetry, Leon was 11th overall and I was 11th female (and 94th overall). My time of 25.14 was a PW for the distance, but I ran at a tempo-run rather than at a 5k-race effort level, so I can't complain.
In the afternoon we went up to Keswick and met Stuart, who took us on a run around Latrigg, followed by a trip to the Lakeland Pedlar for crumble and custard. Portion sizes were such that I DNF'd. It's possibly the first time in my life I have failed to get to the end of a pudding.
We stayed overnight at Cragwood B&B, on Blencathra street, where Janet looked after us very well and gave us an excellent breakfast.
The main event of the weekend was, of course, that appealing-looking circuit of the Honister and Newlands passes. The Keswick/Buttermere 34k may be quite unlike the Park Runs in terms of its target population, but it is similarly uncomplicated and basic. Entry is on the day with a simple entry form that doesn't ask about ethnicity or preferred Sunday newspaper, and costs £5. There is a distance-marker and a water-station every 5k, and the "marshalls" are orange signposts with arrows on them. And the course is just mind-blowingly scenic.
The threat of rain had drifted away. We lurked for a while in the cricket pavilion, chatting to people, then followed the other hundred or so runners up to the start at the Moot Hall. When the starting signal was given, we let everyone go. We weren't racing.
The first 7.5 miles of the race are benignly undulating and we trotted them out easily at 9 - 9.30mm pace. Then the course turns right towards the Honister Pass and our splits became a little more interesting ...
Mile 8: 14.44
Mile 9: 12.29
Mile 10: 7.49, including a pause at a water-station.
We LOVE downhills!
We took the rest of Honister Pass at an easy pace, conscious that we still had half of the race to do. Mile 15 was the ascent into the Newlands Pass and the only wholly uphill mile. We walked, passing someone who was running. 15.29 minutes. Not bad, considering!
By this time, Leon was offering everyone we passed a handful of Werthers Originals and sounding irritatingly fresh. And we were. Our legs were fine and we were loving every step of the way.
From the top of the Newlands Pass, the route is all downhill to Keswick in an undulating sort of way. At some point I mentioned the possibility of going under 3:30.
We blatted the descents - no point holding anything back now. About two miles from the finish, Leon, who had stuck close to me all the way, suddenly went ahead. Not out of sight, just about 10 metres in front.
What's that all about?
Aha!I know! He's pacemaking!
He half-killed me. For those last two miles, I had to get out of my comfort-zone. My legs stiffened up in protest. My head said, "Hey, remember your mantra! Pain is horrible, sub-3:30 is just a number."
We did it, though. 3:28:55. We were still a long way down the field, but we'd expected that. Next year, Leon can race it instead of running at my pace.
At the finish we were provided with draught isotonic drink and SiS Go Bars in my favourite cherry-vanilla flavour, tea, biscuits, and soup, and we chatted with people we knew from Fetch and the Runners' World website and people we'd met on the day. It's SUCH a friendly event!
In theory, my time yesterday should predict a sub-3:45 at the Draycote Water Marathon next weekend. In reality, I run far better on undulating courses than on flat ones (we measured 670m of ascent and descent yesterday) and, well, what do I want sub-3:45 for anyway? Having decided not to take up our GFA places at London this year, I can't see us wanting to do it again.
The Ten Marathons in Ten Days Challenge is gleamingly free from such tricks. Each participant has paid £500 in advance towards accommodation (which won't be luxurious) and infrastructure. The training weekends are a bit extra. It doesn't involve big carbon footprints or worry over environmental damage. Running the same road marathon every day isn't a holiday even if the scenery is delightful. And I think it passes the "stretching boundaries" test for all 15 of us in one way or another.
Having blown most of our recreation budget for the foreseeable future on two pairs of skis and the deposit for a week in Wengen with five of our children next year, Leon and I have had to be sensible about our race choices. For example, we had a notion of doing the 39.3-miler in Connemara next month, but decided to do two 20-mile races closer to home that weekend.
When someone on Fetch tipped us off about the Keswick/Buttermere 34k, it sounded just what we needed. A long run on Cumbrian road undulations, adequate but not lavish support, and only £5 to enter. I took a nervous look at last year's results, and was reassured to note that the last finisher took four-and-a-half hours. The "for experienced senior club runners" comment on the Keswick AC website, obviously didn't mean that the event was only for fell-whippets.
We started the weekend early on Saturday morning. Leon had arranged to meet Neil, who is helping him with his new business website, in Cheshire. Neil was planning to do the Bramhall Park Run, so we decided that a short speedwork session in company would be good for us too. What a well-run event it is, and, like all Park Run events, entry is free. A pleasant, interesting 5k course, partly on tarmac and partly on trails, with a couple of challenging little climbs. In a pleasing bit of symmetry, Leon was 11th overall and I was 11th female (and 94th overall). My time of 25.14 was a PW for the distance, but I ran at a tempo-run rather than at a 5k-race effort level, so I can't complain.
In the afternoon we went up to Keswick and met Stuart, who took us on a run around Latrigg, followed by a trip to the Lakeland Pedlar for crumble and custard. Portion sizes were such that I DNF'd. It's possibly the first time in my life I have failed to get to the end of a pudding.
We stayed overnight at Cragwood B&B, on Blencathra street, where Janet looked after us very well and gave us an excellent breakfast.
The main event of the weekend was, of course, that appealing-looking circuit of the Honister and Newlands passes. The Keswick/Buttermere 34k may be quite unlike the Park Runs in terms of its target population, but it is similarly uncomplicated and basic. Entry is on the day with a simple entry form that doesn't ask about ethnicity or preferred Sunday newspaper, and costs £5. There is a distance-marker and a water-station every 5k, and the "marshalls" are orange signposts with arrows on them. And the course is just mind-blowingly scenic.
The threat of rain had drifted away. We lurked for a while in the cricket pavilion, chatting to people, then followed the other hundred or so runners up to the start at the Moot Hall. When the starting signal was given, we let everyone go. We weren't racing.
The first 7.5 miles of the race are benignly undulating and we trotted them out easily at 9 - 9.30mm pace. Then the course turns right towards the Honister Pass and our splits became a little more interesting ...
Mile 8: 14.44
Mile 9: 12.29
Mile 10: 7.49, including a pause at a water-station.
We LOVE downhills!
We took the rest of Honister Pass at an easy pace, conscious that we still had half of the race to do. Mile 15 was the ascent into the Newlands Pass and the only wholly uphill mile. We walked, passing someone who was running. 15.29 minutes. Not bad, considering!
By this time, Leon was offering everyone we passed a handful of Werthers Originals and sounding irritatingly fresh. And we were. Our legs were fine and we were loving every step of the way.
From the top of the Newlands Pass, the route is all downhill to Keswick in an undulating sort of way. At some point I mentioned the possibility of going under 3:30.
We blatted the descents - no point holding anything back now. About two miles from the finish, Leon, who had stuck close to me all the way, suddenly went ahead. Not out of sight, just about 10 metres in front.
What's that all about?
Aha!I know! He's pacemaking!
He half-killed me. For those last two miles, I had to get out of my comfort-zone. My legs stiffened up in protest. My head said, "Hey, remember your mantra! Pain is horrible, sub-3:30 is just a number."
We did it, though. 3:28:55. We were still a long way down the field, but we'd expected that. Next year, Leon can race it instead of running at my pace.
At the finish we were provided with draught isotonic drink and SiS Go Bars in my favourite cherry-vanilla flavour, tea, biscuits, and soup, and we chatted with people we knew from Fetch and the Runners' World website and people we'd met on the day. It's SUCH a friendly event!
In theory, my time yesterday should predict a sub-3:45 at the Draycote Water Marathon next weekend. In reality, I run far better on undulating courses than on flat ones (we measured 670m of ascent and descent yesterday) and, well, what do I want sub-3:45 for anyway? Having decided not to take up our GFA places at London this year, I can't see us wanting to do it again.
Wednesday, 11 February 2009
The right tools for the job :o)
Long-distance running is a relatively inexpensive activity. The kit requirements, even for those of us who don't wear the same string vest, old P.T. shorts and black school daps winter and summer alike, are modest in comparison with other sports. As evidence, I offer you four bicycles, two pairs of skis, and a climbing rack. Use of the pavements and fells is free of charge. Joining a running club costs pennies, and most races are extremely good value for money.
You can, of course, turn this low-maintenance sport into a bottomless pit of expenditure if you're that way inclined.
You might, for example, insist that your racing calendar would be incomplete without the Great North Run or a full set of World Marathon Majors. You could decide that the Grand Union Canal Race (about 35p a mile, support included) sounds too, too boring to consider when the Ultra Tour de Mont Blanc and the Himalayan Stage Race are out there calling to you.
Or you might take note of all those articles in Runners World which suggest that failing to give your finely-honed athlete's body exactly the right fuel is tantamount to filling the petrol-tank of a Formula 1 racing car with unpasteurised milk. Rather than eating meals made of food, you become a consumer of sports nutrition products. Most of the calories in your diet come from three brands - Science in Sport, For Goodness Shakes, and Zipvit. Your supermarket trolley contains brazil nuts, blueberries, organic red peppers, and ... er, that's it.
Becoming a hypochondriac is quite effective too. To remain uninjured, you need full-body compression clothing, a weekly sports massage, a selection of Magic Sticks, eighteen different supplements, and gym membership to allow you to do resistance work and low-impact cross-training. To run your best, you need creatine serum and a Powerbreathe. Develop a niggle, and it's off to the Sports Injury Clinic. NHS? You mean, like, WAIT for an appointment? No, sirree! Osteopaths and podiatrists throughout the land live in mansions paid for by runners.
The fast-forward button to bankruptcy though, is the "CONFIRM AND PAY" link on the online entry site for your first triathlon. That's assuming the divorce petition doesn't get you first.
Oops! I went off on one a little bit there, didn't I?
Leon and I are fairly cheapskate runners, with one exception (two, if you include entering the Brathay Ten Marathons in Ten Days Challenge). We believe that, where sports kit is concerned, you get what you pay for. The recent cold weather has validated that view. Garments that we thought were extravagances when we bought them - Montane windproofs which pack down to the size of tennis balls, Lowe Alpine fleece-lined tights, Arc'teryx Rho baselayers, SealSkinz gloves, and, on a few occasions, down jackets - have played an essential role in keeping us running comfortably when the lure of the fireside and a cup of Horlicks was almost overwhelming.
I hope the weather is on the turn now, because next week most of my warm running kit will be on the ski slopes in Austria with my 12-year-old daughter. Oh, no, of course I'm not envious of her. Not even a little bit :oP
You can, of course, turn this low-maintenance sport into a bottomless pit of expenditure if you're that way inclined.
You might, for example, insist that your racing calendar would be incomplete without the Great North Run or a full set of World Marathon Majors. You could decide that the Grand Union Canal Race (about 35p a mile, support included) sounds too, too boring to consider when the Ultra Tour de Mont Blanc and the Himalayan Stage Race are out there calling to you.
Or you might take note of all those articles in Runners World which suggest that failing to give your finely-honed athlete's body exactly the right fuel is tantamount to filling the petrol-tank of a Formula 1 racing car with unpasteurised milk. Rather than eating meals made of food, you become a consumer of sports nutrition products. Most of the calories in your diet come from three brands - Science in Sport, For Goodness Shakes, and Zipvit. Your supermarket trolley contains brazil nuts, blueberries, organic red peppers, and ... er, that's it.
Becoming a hypochondriac is quite effective too. To remain uninjured, you need full-body compression clothing, a weekly sports massage, a selection of Magic Sticks, eighteen different supplements, and gym membership to allow you to do resistance work and low-impact cross-training. To run your best, you need creatine serum and a Powerbreathe. Develop a niggle, and it's off to the Sports Injury Clinic. NHS? You mean, like, WAIT for an appointment? No, sirree! Osteopaths and podiatrists throughout the land live in mansions paid for by runners.
The fast-forward button to bankruptcy though, is the "CONFIRM AND PAY" link on the online entry site for your first triathlon. That's assuming the divorce petition doesn't get you first.
Oops! I went off on one a little bit there, didn't I?
Leon and I are fairly cheapskate runners, with one exception (two, if you include entering the Brathay Ten Marathons in Ten Days Challenge). We believe that, where sports kit is concerned, you get what you pay for. The recent cold weather has validated that view. Garments that we thought were extravagances when we bought them - Montane windproofs which pack down to the size of tennis balls, Lowe Alpine fleece-lined tights, Arc'teryx Rho baselayers, SealSkinz gloves, and, on a few occasions, down jackets - have played an essential role in keeping us running comfortably when the lure of the fireside and a cup of Horlicks was almost overwhelming.
I hope the weather is on the turn now, because next week most of my warm running kit will be on the ski slopes in Austria with my 12-year-old daughter. Oh, no, of course I'm not envious of her. Not even a little bit :oP
Monday, 9 February 2009
Planned Rest Day
In this household, it's wise to plan nothing!!
So Lorna announced that she'd like to pop out for a little run. And I thought that a gentle Recovery Run would be a reasonable thing to do - considering that I've been bounding up and down stairs for much of the morning.
"How about the 5 mile loop, and then see how we are..??" she said
I wasn't expecting THAT!
Anyway - 5 miles it was nice and gentle - and I discovered that my legs were nice and 'springy' today.
Glad we did that!!
Sunday, 8 February 2009
What Snow...???
With the rest of the country gripped by something approaching an Ice Age, and whole swathes of the country cut off from civilisation, perhaps forever (if half of what is written in the Popular Press is to be believed), I did the old fashioned thing...
I looked up the Mountain Weather Forecast....
And I phoned a friend.
Both of which told me that Lakeland was NOT buried under a newly formed glacier,
and the Saturday would be coolish,
and Sunday would also be coolish, with weather arriving sometime in the afternoon.
Good enough for me!
Once the Training Weekend had been cancelled, Lorna and I simultaneously said,
"Well, if the roads to the Lake District are clear - we're going up anyway"
They were
We did!
The journey up was extraordinary in the amount of Green we saw
It was everywhere.
Our country is a truly beautiful place.
Indeed there was hardly any evidence of ANY snow between home and the Southern Lakes - and once we could see the Fells, it was clear that the volume of snow even there was quite small - and quite high!
The plans for the weekend were that we would meet up with Alyson - who's also doing the 10-in-10 and accompany her on a run in her back yard.
Then make our way to a hastily booked B&B in Windermere with the intention of running the whole Windermere Marathon course on Sunday.
We arrived at Aly's at 11:30 having battled our way North on relatively quiet, dry, clear roads.
A quick cuppa and a chat and we set off for a 7 and a bit mile off-road run that was simply delicious.
Some mud (a bit frozen on the way out - less so on the way back);
Some gentle hills;
trails through a couple of woods;
and back to Aly's for some rather excellent soup.
It was a PEACH of a run.
And really fantastic to meet Aly and spent a short time with her.
Some pictures from that run:
And so to today...
Following a marvellous sleep and breakfast provided by the very welcoming Dave and Debbie at Cambridge House in Windermere.....
Lorna has already told you about the details of the run from her perspective....
Here is mine.
I lost count of the number of times I said "I LOVE this course"
Running conditions were perfect.
Running got stronger as we went.
I LOVE running with Lorna!
Today capped of an 86 mile week. Which is by far the longest training week I've ever had.
The mileage has crept up on me almost unnoticed, and I did less than Lorna because I had a complete rest day on Monday as I was suffering the edges of a virus that was giving me a slightly grumblesome bowel.
I also strained a calf muscle very slightly last week doing a Tempo run with inadequate warm up. So all the miles THIS week have been low intensity, allowing me to get the miles in, while my calf sorted itself out.
It was a very successful strategy, and the last remnants of said strain appear to have Left The Building.
A few pictures from today:
I looked up the Mountain Weather Forecast....
And I phoned a friend.
Both of which told me that Lakeland was NOT buried under a newly formed glacier,
and the Saturday would be coolish,
and Sunday would also be coolish, with weather arriving sometime in the afternoon.
Good enough for me!
Once the Training Weekend had been cancelled, Lorna and I simultaneously said,
"Well, if the roads to the Lake District are clear - we're going up anyway"
They were
We did!
The journey up was extraordinary in the amount of Green we saw
It was everywhere.
Our country is a truly beautiful place.
Indeed there was hardly any evidence of ANY snow between home and the Southern Lakes - and once we could see the Fells, it was clear that the volume of snow even there was quite small - and quite high!
The plans for the weekend were that we would meet up with Alyson - who's also doing the 10-in-10 and accompany her on a run in her back yard.
Then make our way to a hastily booked B&B in Windermere with the intention of running the whole Windermere Marathon course on Sunday.
We arrived at Aly's at 11:30 having battled our way North on relatively quiet, dry, clear roads.
A quick cuppa and a chat and we set off for a 7 and a bit mile off-road run that was simply delicious.
Some mud (a bit frozen on the way out - less so on the way back);
Some gentle hills;
trails through a couple of woods;
and back to Aly's for some rather excellent soup.
It was a PEACH of a run.
And really fantastic to meet Aly and spent a short time with her.
Some pictures from that run:
And so to today...
Following a marvellous sleep and breakfast provided by the very welcoming Dave and Debbie at Cambridge House in Windermere.....
Lorna has already told you about the details of the run from her perspective....
Here is mine.
I lost count of the number of times I said "I LOVE this course"
Running conditions were perfect.
Running got stronger as we went.
I LOVE running with Lorna!
Today capped of an 86 mile week. Which is by far the longest training week I've ever had.
The mileage has crept up on me almost unnoticed, and I did less than Lorna because I had a complete rest day on Monday as I was suffering the edges of a virus that was giving me a slightly grumblesome bowel.
I also strained a calf muscle very slightly last week doing a Tempo run with inadequate warm up. So all the miles THIS week have been low intensity, allowing me to get the miles in, while my calf sorted itself out.
It was a very successful strategy, and the last remnants of said strain appear to have Left The Building.
A few pictures from today:
The best "cancelled" weekend ever :o)
There's been some weather the past week. Allegedly. Can't say we've seen much to get excited about here in Birmingham, although there has been just enough snow and ice to give our F-lite 230s an opportunity to demonstrate their excellence in slightly slippery underfoot conditions. Between Monday and Friday I ran 60 miles, and the only time I hit the deck was when I accidentally trod on some greasy chips that had been dropped on the pavement.
One unfortunate casualty of the alleged weather was the training weekend at Brathay Hall. With the local roads unrunnable and some of the participants coming from parts of the country in which driving conditions were treacherous, it was thought best to postpone the event.
Leon and I had already made arrangements to be free to attend, so we decided that if we could get up to Cumbria this weekend, we would.
On Saturday, we drove up to Ulverston and met fellow-participant Alyson Knowles, who offered us very generous hospitality and took us for a lovely off-road run. We were delighted to meet her. Alyson works at Brathay Hall and supported at the 10 Marathons in 10 Days Challenge in 2007 and 2008, so she knows more about the event than anyone else in the world. She's also, as her e-mails and video had suggested, a lovely warm and enthusiastic person.
Alyson kindly 'phoned Brathay Hall to let them know that we'd pop in today.
We had booked accommodation in Windermere for Saturday night, and our random choice from the internet proved to be an excellent one. We stayed at Cambridge House , whose proprietors, Debbie and Dave, are both runners! We had a good comfortable room and a particularly large and delicious Cumbrian breakfast for less than the cost of a broom-cupboard in Ambleside. Having dined on butties from Booth's and some sugary snash, we were more than ready for our morning fry-up and it was well and truly digested when we started running barely an hour later.
Rather than running an offset circuit starting from Windermere, we drove to Brathay Hall, introduced ourselves and checked that it was OK to leave the car there while we ran. Steve on reception told us that they'd had another 10 Marathons in 10 Days Challenge participant staying there and he'd (surprise!) gone out for a run. We hoped we'd meet him.
We wore cold-weather running-kit, including gloves, and hi-viz vests. Leon had a bum-bag with our Montane windproofs in it. For sustenance, we planned to stop for coffee and cake along the way. Memo to self - there were times on the run when the psychological comfort of a Werthers Original would have been welcome. Don't forget them again.
Two miles in, we met Tom Giles and stopped briefly for a chat. He'd run to Hawkshead and was on his way back.
I had a bit of a hard time psychologically at the start of the race. There was absolutely nothing to come over all mardy about. It was a perfect day - cold and clear, not icy underfoot, and with beautiful views. I was fine, give or take a bit of calf stiffness, and was running well. My head, however, wanted to quit, or at least wanted me to accept permission to quit early at a distance it considered "safe". Five miles in, I took my first walk-break up a little hill. I walked a lot of the seven-mile hill, notching up a 12.47-minute mile. I talked negative stuff to Leon. He talked positive stuff back to me. I accepted that, far from struggling, we had actually done a respectable number of hilly miles on tired legs at an average pace of around 10mm.
We'd discussed stopping at Newby Bridge (with the option of a second stop at Bowness), but I suggested running on and stopping after half-way. If I'd known how far after half-way the next coffee-stop opportunity would be, I might not have made that decision. At 17 miles, we came upon the Beech Hill Hotel . It's a rather elegant establishment, but we couldn't have been given a warmer welcome. The coffee was plentiful, we were given glasses of tap water on request, and the shortbread biscuits were a million times better than gels for mid-race fuel replenishment.
I told Leon that I was having a bad dress-rehearsal, and he pointed out that I was running strongly, and that we'd averaged 10.06mm pace so far and were in line for a big course PB if we maintained that.
Sometimes stopping during a run just results in difficulty in getting started again and, for me, it's one of the few situations in which I get hypoglycaemic. On this occasion, it was a very successful strategy. Most of our fastest miles came in that last 9-mile section, and I only walked a small part of the 21-mile hill. I even managed to run that last nasty little upswing into the grounds of Brathay Hall.
We ran 26.46 miles (the extra is because we started in the grounds rather than at the official race start) in 4:26:41. Our 26.22-mile split was 4:23:04 - my fourth-fastest "marathon" ever. We had a 2-minute negative split. And our average pace of 10.03mm is my "dream scenario" average pace for the event itself.
As an experience, it was very successful. I didn't let my head sabotage the run. We didn't hit the Wall. My intestine was a model of placidity. I had no aches, niggles, cramps, blisters or ... well, anything, really. I also don't think there's any risk of me getting lost running the course on my own now.
It had started to snow when we were about 6 miles from the finish. Running through the light snow was lovely, but it was getting heavier so we didn't linger. We headed off home, eating our way through our stash of fruit, flapjacks and the Trek bars that Aly had given us, and stopped at a service-station for coffee and sandwiches.
This week's training ... no, I haven't forgotten!
Total mileage: 93.29 miles, average pace 10.03mm.
Profile: 86.19 miles of road-running, average pace 9.58mm, and 7.1 miles of hilly off-road running, average pace 11.16mm.
Longest run: 26.46 miles, average pace 10.03mm
Cross-training: None.
Niggles: None.
Sofa-spud days: None.
I have never, ever run over 90 miles in a week, and don't intend to do it regularly. If I can sustain 60-70mpw, I shall be delighted.
We'll just tick over this week. For our next long run, we'll be heading back to Cumbria, this time further north for the "slightly bumpy" Keswick to Buttermere 34k. I feel far more confident about that race now :o)
One unfortunate casualty of the alleged weather was the training weekend at Brathay Hall. With the local roads unrunnable and some of the participants coming from parts of the country in which driving conditions were treacherous, it was thought best to postpone the event.
Leon and I had already made arrangements to be free to attend, so we decided that if we could get up to Cumbria this weekend, we would.
On Saturday, we drove up to Ulverston and met fellow-participant Alyson Knowles, who offered us very generous hospitality and took us for a lovely off-road run. We were delighted to meet her. Alyson works at Brathay Hall and supported at the 10 Marathons in 10 Days Challenge in 2007 and 2008, so she knows more about the event than anyone else in the world. She's also, as her e-mails and video had suggested, a lovely warm and enthusiastic person.
Alyson kindly 'phoned Brathay Hall to let them know that we'd pop in today.
We had booked accommodation in Windermere for Saturday night, and our random choice from the internet proved to be an excellent one. We stayed at Cambridge House , whose proprietors, Debbie and Dave, are both runners! We had a good comfortable room and a particularly large and delicious Cumbrian breakfast for less than the cost of a broom-cupboard in Ambleside. Having dined on butties from Booth's and some sugary snash, we were more than ready for our morning fry-up and it was well and truly digested when we started running barely an hour later.
Rather than running an offset circuit starting from Windermere, we drove to Brathay Hall, introduced ourselves and checked that it was OK to leave the car there while we ran. Steve on reception told us that they'd had another 10 Marathons in 10 Days Challenge participant staying there and he'd (surprise!) gone out for a run. We hoped we'd meet him.
We wore cold-weather running-kit, including gloves, and hi-viz vests. Leon had a bum-bag with our Montane windproofs in it. For sustenance, we planned to stop for coffee and cake along the way. Memo to self - there were times on the run when the psychological comfort of a Werthers Original would have been welcome. Don't forget them again.
Two miles in, we met Tom Giles and stopped briefly for a chat. He'd run to Hawkshead and was on his way back.
I had a bit of a hard time psychologically at the start of the race. There was absolutely nothing to come over all mardy about. It was a perfect day - cold and clear, not icy underfoot, and with beautiful views. I was fine, give or take a bit of calf stiffness, and was running well. My head, however, wanted to quit, or at least wanted me to accept permission to quit early at a distance it considered "safe". Five miles in, I took my first walk-break up a little hill. I walked a lot of the seven-mile hill, notching up a 12.47-minute mile. I talked negative stuff to Leon. He talked positive stuff back to me. I accepted that, far from struggling, we had actually done a respectable number of hilly miles on tired legs at an average pace of around 10mm.
We'd discussed stopping at Newby Bridge (with the option of a second stop at Bowness), but I suggested running on and stopping after half-way. If I'd known how far after half-way the next coffee-stop opportunity would be, I might not have made that decision. At 17 miles, we came upon the Beech Hill Hotel . It's a rather elegant establishment, but we couldn't have been given a warmer welcome. The coffee was plentiful, we were given glasses of tap water on request, and the shortbread biscuits were a million times better than gels for mid-race fuel replenishment.
I told Leon that I was having a bad dress-rehearsal, and he pointed out that I was running strongly, and that we'd averaged 10.06mm pace so far and were in line for a big course PB if we maintained that.
Sometimes stopping during a run just results in difficulty in getting started again and, for me, it's one of the few situations in which I get hypoglycaemic. On this occasion, it was a very successful strategy. Most of our fastest miles came in that last 9-mile section, and I only walked a small part of the 21-mile hill. I even managed to run that last nasty little upswing into the grounds of Brathay Hall.
We ran 26.46 miles (the extra is because we started in the grounds rather than at the official race start) in 4:26:41. Our 26.22-mile split was 4:23:04 - my fourth-fastest "marathon" ever. We had a 2-minute negative split. And our average pace of 10.03mm is my "dream scenario" average pace for the event itself.
As an experience, it was very successful. I didn't let my head sabotage the run. We didn't hit the Wall. My intestine was a model of placidity. I had no aches, niggles, cramps, blisters or ... well, anything, really. I also don't think there's any risk of me getting lost running the course on my own now.
It had started to snow when we were about 6 miles from the finish. Running through the light snow was lovely, but it was getting heavier so we didn't linger. We headed off home, eating our way through our stash of fruit, flapjacks and the Trek bars that Aly had given us, and stopped at a service-station for coffee and sandwiches.
This week's training ... no, I haven't forgotten!
Total mileage: 93.29 miles, average pace 10.03mm.
Profile: 86.19 miles of road-running, average pace 9.58mm, and 7.1 miles of hilly off-road running, average pace 11.16mm.
Longest run: 26.46 miles, average pace 10.03mm
Cross-training: None.
Niggles: None.
Sofa-spud days: None.
I have never, ever run over 90 miles in a week, and don't intend to do it regularly. If I can sustain 60-70mpw, I shall be delighted.
We'll just tick over this week. For our next long run, we'll be heading back to Cumbria, this time further north for the "slightly bumpy" Keswick to Buttermere 34k. I feel far more confident about that race now :o)
Tuesday, 3 February 2009
Lots of small bites :o)
Last week's summary.
Running: 73.55 miles. One 5-mile race at 8.17mm pace, and 68.55 miles of easy aerobic running, average pace 10.00mm.
Longest run: 10.54 miles, average pace 10.10mm
Cross-training: 1.01 mile of swimming to complete my 12-mile challenge.
Niggles: A mild dose of enteritis at the end of the week, not severe enough to stop me from running. Leon had it worse than I did.
Sofa-spud days: None.
Plenty of mileage, then, and several doubles, but none of the long, grind-it-out runs which ought to be the main feature of our training. We're looking to start setting that right this week.
This coming weekend, we'll be joining some of the other 10 Marathons in 10 Days challengers for a training event at Brathay Hall, including a course recce. That's something I need; navigation isn't my strong point and although I ran the Windermere Marathon in 2007 and 2008, that was with a large race field, Leon at my side, and a cheerful Westmorland Freemason about every 100m along the route. Running on my own is quite a daunting prospect. I truly, genuinely, could get lost along the way.
I am looking forward very much to meeting the other runners, and am hoping that it will be the impetus I need to immerse myself in training and fundraising for the event for the next 4 months without being distracted.
Meanwhile, February has got off to a good start. I've already run over 34 miles this month, including an 11.5-miler, which is almost two hours of running ... well, it's a little step towards those back-to-back long runs!
Running: 73.55 miles. One 5-mile race at 8.17mm pace, and 68.55 miles of easy aerobic running, average pace 10.00mm.
Longest run: 10.54 miles, average pace 10.10mm
Cross-training: 1.01 mile of swimming to complete my 12-mile challenge.
Niggles: A mild dose of enteritis at the end of the week, not severe enough to stop me from running. Leon had it worse than I did.
Sofa-spud days: None.
Plenty of mileage, then, and several doubles, but none of the long, grind-it-out runs which ought to be the main feature of our training. We're looking to start setting that right this week.
This coming weekend, we'll be joining some of the other 10 Marathons in 10 Days challengers for a training event at Brathay Hall, including a course recce. That's something I need; navigation isn't my strong point and although I ran the Windermere Marathon in 2007 and 2008, that was with a large race field, Leon at my side, and a cheerful Westmorland Freemason about every 100m along the route. Running on my own is quite a daunting prospect. I truly, genuinely, could get lost along the way.
I am looking forward very much to meeting the other runners, and am hoping that it will be the impetus I need to immerse myself in training and fundraising for the event for the next 4 months without being distracted.
Meanwhile, February has got off to a good start. I've already run over 34 miles this month, including an 11.5-miler, which is almost two hours of running ... well, it's a little step towards those back-to-back long runs!
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