The subject of this blog post is about the mental demons that can eat away at you during a run, especially a marathon, and explore whether there are methods of combating them.
The reason for writing, is that unfortunately, for whatever reason (I don't know the in's and out's) one of Wesham's runners that was participating in today's Liverpool Rock and Roll Marathon found themselves pulling out at the 11 mile mark.
As disappointing as this must have been for them after all the weeks of hard training, they are not alone. There will have been many that didn't complete the course, as there were at London 7 weeks ago - I remember passing several athletes who had pulled up over the 26.2 mile course.
Now of course some of these will be due to physical over-exertion, dehydration or injury. But the chances are, I reckon at least some of them will be due to suffering mentally, as the distance takes you to some painful places psychologically, just as much as it does physically. Sometimes people just cannot be prepared for this side of the challenge as readily as the can the physical aspects.
In relative terms, if you are looking to just get around the 26.2 miles, regardless of time, it is relatively easy to prepare yourself physically. However, the marathon is not just a physical challenge. I would argue that as much as 30% of the task you face in running any marathon is mental, and that is something which can be somewhat harder to prepare for.
Unless you are an elite and targeting big times, then it is highly unlikely that you will actually complete the full distance of 26.2 miles in your training - most will probably get up to around 22-23 miles at most. So straight away, this can leave you asking yourself - can I complete the full distance?
Once you start to question yourself, the doubts can quite easily start to creep in.
I have never hidden the fact that I too found myself questioning my ability to complete London in my targeted time at stages of the race - especially between the 16-18 mile mark. The reason for this? Simple - I was tired, I was eating into my energy stores, and during this period of the race you can find yourself in a bit of a 'no-man's land', where the adrenaline of the first few miles has worn off, and you are too far away from the finish to feel like you are on the 'home run' just yet.
It is an immense mental task to stay focussed and doubt-free for such a length of time - most runners will take 4 hours plus to complete the course don't forget, so how hard must it be to completely concentrate for such a long length of time?
Elite professional athletes are in a privileged position where they can prepare for such events with access to sports psychologists, who can help to train the mind. Unfortunately, unless you have lots of money and time, it can be difficult for us amateurs to experience this benefit!
So what can we do to combat the mental demons and dark forces of self-doubt, that almost all runners will experience during a marathon? Perhaps we should all start talking about it more! We all share our experiences of physical pain and exertion in the aftermath of a marathon, and warn people what to expect, but rarely (if ever) have I seen or experienced people talk about the mental challenge they faced and experienced in their journey.
Furthermore, the amount it can help when running as part of a group can be amazing too. So get people in and around you, and talk to each other, let each other know when you are finding it tough and encourage each other.
Between you and me, I reckon if I hadn't landed lucky and got running in such a fabulous group, in the scenario I found myself in at London, I genuinely felt like the wheels were about to come off at that stage prior to those fantastic last 6.2 miles.
Anybody who saw my marathon coverage on the TV though, will also have seen some (yes, funny)questionable face-pulling, grimacing and pain-ridden expressions. What you can read more into this though is the tiredness I was experiencing mentally as I tried to shut out everything going on around me and focus on that finish line and keeping my legs moving. Watching it back, and the amount of comments that I had about the amount of times I was seen checking my watch, should also tell you about how my mind was beginning to play tricks on me over time and distance to go etc.
So if you find yourself struggling mentally when running, remember you are not alone, and that it affects us all - and if you don't manage to finish it, scratch it off as a lesson learned and experience gained. After all, none of us manage to learn to ride a bike, without falling off a few times first!
Sunday, 14 June 2015
Building blocks
Training can seem a little bit daunting and/or repetitive sometimes.
If you are looking to make significant improvements in your times and performances, then if you don't break your training down in to small, manageable chunks, then it can be easy to get lost and forget exactly what the aims and objectives you are striving to are.
Conversely, if you was to take each session separately, and fail to form some sort of cohesive training plan, then it can be difficult to maximise your training and get the most out of your sessions as you can.
To that end, I try to target specific races and put together training plans that are moulded more towards preparing myself to perform over that distance - whatever that may be.
Now, obviously when training for a marathon, these training blocks are a bit different. You tend to work off in the region of a 16 week training plan. For London this year I actually trained specifically for the marathon distance for 19 weeks. But even then, it is possible to break up those 16-19 weeks into smaller chunks and set yourself little targets, or goals, in order to make the training seem slightly less daunting and more manageable.
Since London, I have moved onto my next wave of training and set my sights on the Freckleton Half Marathon as my big 'goal' to work towards.
From the finishing line at London, to the start line at Freckleton, I was left with pretty much exactly 8 weeks to prepare.
I took most of the week immediately after the marathon off to allow my body to fully recover. I had a massage on the Thursday, then left it until the 6th day after before I went on my first recovery run. It was possibly the slowest 7 miles I have ever run! But it was the start of the preparation for Freck. I then took the final day of that week off, so it was pretty much a full week of rest and left me feeling nice and refreshed.
It was hard refraining myself from running in that week, such was the buzz that I was on after finishing - but looking back now, I know it was the right decision and probably vital for my recovery and to make sure I was back fit to run hard as soon as possible afterwards.
The following week, I surprised myself slightly at how quickly I managed to get back into my training. I did the Avenham Park 5k on the Monday, and despite tiring half way through it and feeling leggy, I think it was a very important run for me, as the quick miles seemed to blast the remaining lactic out of my legs.
My last 6 weeks of training have seen me record the following miles per week: 65, 61, 64, 70, 70,68. So an average mileage of 66.5 miles a week over this period - which interestingly is pretty much exactly identical to the biggest 6 weeks of training I recorded in my training prior to the marathon.
With the Half Marathon at Freckleton now just one week away, the next 7 days will now be about conditioning myself to try and ensure I am in my best possible shape to run well on the day.
Then I will sit down and assess how things went and what I could have done differently. After that I will pick out my next race to target, and the same process will begin again.
Improving is a process and it will take all runners different amounts of time to achieve their goals, but take it one step at a time - I have come a long way sine I started out in this picture, my first run in a Wesham (borrowed) vest! But I hope I still have a long way to go on this journey to self improvement :)
If you are looking to make significant improvements in your times and performances, then if you don't break your training down in to small, manageable chunks, then it can be easy to get lost and forget exactly what the aims and objectives you are striving to are.
Conversely, if you was to take each session separately, and fail to form some sort of cohesive training plan, then it can be difficult to maximise your training and get the most out of your sessions as you can.
To that end, I try to target specific races and put together training plans that are moulded more towards preparing myself to perform over that distance - whatever that may be.
Now, obviously when training for a marathon, these training blocks are a bit different. You tend to work off in the region of a 16 week training plan. For London this year I actually trained specifically for the marathon distance for 19 weeks. But even then, it is possible to break up those 16-19 weeks into smaller chunks and set yourself little targets, or goals, in order to make the training seem slightly less daunting and more manageable.
Since London, I have moved onto my next wave of training and set my sights on the Freckleton Half Marathon as my big 'goal' to work towards.
From the finishing line at London, to the start line at Freckleton, I was left with pretty much exactly 8 weeks to prepare.
I took most of the week immediately after the marathon off to allow my body to fully recover. I had a massage on the Thursday, then left it until the 6th day after before I went on my first recovery run. It was possibly the slowest 7 miles I have ever run! But it was the start of the preparation for Freck. I then took the final day of that week off, so it was pretty much a full week of rest and left me feeling nice and refreshed.
It was hard refraining myself from running in that week, such was the buzz that I was on after finishing - but looking back now, I know it was the right decision and probably vital for my recovery and to make sure I was back fit to run hard as soon as possible afterwards.
The following week, I surprised myself slightly at how quickly I managed to get back into my training. I did the Avenham Park 5k on the Monday, and despite tiring half way through it and feeling leggy, I think it was a very important run for me, as the quick miles seemed to blast the remaining lactic out of my legs.
My last 6 weeks of training have seen me record the following miles per week: 65, 61, 64, 70, 70,68. So an average mileage of 66.5 miles a week over this period - which interestingly is pretty much exactly identical to the biggest 6 weeks of training I recorded in my training prior to the marathon.
With the Half Marathon at Freckleton now just one week away, the next 7 days will now be about conditioning myself to try and ensure I am in my best possible shape to run well on the day.
Then I will sit down and assess how things went and what I could have done differently. After that I will pick out my next race to target, and the same process will begin again.
Thursday, 11 June 2015
By the narrowest of margins...
Last night saw the latest round of interclub races, with Preston Harriers having their turn to host the event this time around.
It was the third race of the season and having won the previous two, the objective was clearly to try and keep up the momentum and add to that tally. However, having won easily last time out at Lytham, I knew that this one would be much tougher. David Rigby and Rob Affleck (who both missed Lytham, having finished 2nd and 3rd respectively at Blackpool in the opening fixture) both returned for this fixture.
The course was a certified accurate 4 miler, a two-lapper with some big undulations and testing sections to it. The start had been moved from where it had been last year - supposably to allow more room - although to me it seemed narrower than ever!
In hot and sunny conditions, I was a little bit slow out of the blocks and actually found myself behind a couple of my Wesham team mates within the first few metres of the race, as I struggled to work through the field in the tight bunch. However, I soon managed to get into my stride, squeeze through and catch up to the front to lead out from the opening straight alongside Dave Rigby.
Dave has been flying recently and setting pb's left, right and centre, so I knew that I faced a huge task racing against him in that form. I also knew though that if I want to win the series this year, then the outcome of last nights race could be vital come the end of the campaign, so I was determined not to let the opportunity slip.
The opening mile was fractionally downhill and so the pace was fast - we went through the first mile neck and neck in 4:51, but the second mile saw two big hills, and therefore the pace dropped quite significantly to 5:24. We shared the workload through that mile, as the lead chopped and changed a couple of times, with probably less than a metre ever in it between us. Mile two was also notable for Neil McDonald struggling to get his bike uphill, and therefore all the leading racers overtaking him!
Slightly past the 2 mile mark, the second lap began and having got my nose in front I held the lead through this mile, as Dave seemed happy to sit behind, ready to attack later on in the race. The third mile included the second time up the biggest of the two steep hills, and the pace was around the 5:05-10 mark. By the end of this mile I could start to feel my legs tiring, but I just kept setting myself little targets, to keep in front to the top of the hill, or to the bottom of the next downhill section etc.
Anyway, it seemed to work, as I now found myself just one mile from the finish and thinking "Just hold out for 5 more minutes of pain and it will all be worth it..."
That final mile saw us lapping many of the runners towards the back end of the race, and meant we had to duck and weave, shout to say we were coming through and saw us a bit short of room. I know Dave felt hard done by for this perhaps denying him the chance to make a move through this section. If we had still had a lead bike, perhaps more room would have been afforded.
As we turned into the final corners, I could see Dave trying to make a move on the inside around the final bend and made sure to close any gap and hold the shortest line through the corner. Having denied him the chance to make a break for it there, it all came down to a sprint finish over the final 200 metres or so. I managed to hold out and cross the line ahead of him to take the win. In similar fashion to the opener at Blackpool, only one second seperated us again.
It has been a close faught battle between us so far this series, and I'm sure it will stay like that throughout, which is great as the rivalry is pushing us both to run quick times and improve each other's performance.
The final mile was 4:50 pace, to finish in 20:05 (unofficial).
It was the third race of the season and having won the previous two, the objective was clearly to try and keep up the momentum and add to that tally. However, having won easily last time out at Lytham, I knew that this one would be much tougher. David Rigby and Rob Affleck (who both missed Lytham, having finished 2nd and 3rd respectively at Blackpool in the opening fixture) both returned for this fixture.
The course was a certified accurate 4 miler, a two-lapper with some big undulations and testing sections to it. The start had been moved from where it had been last year - supposably to allow more room - although to me it seemed narrower than ever!
In hot and sunny conditions, I was a little bit slow out of the blocks and actually found myself behind a couple of my Wesham team mates within the first few metres of the race, as I struggled to work through the field in the tight bunch. However, I soon managed to get into my stride, squeeze through and catch up to the front to lead out from the opening straight alongside Dave Rigby.
Dave has been flying recently and setting pb's left, right and centre, so I knew that I faced a huge task racing against him in that form. I also knew though that if I want to win the series this year, then the outcome of last nights race could be vital come the end of the campaign, so I was determined not to let the opportunity slip.
The opening mile was fractionally downhill and so the pace was fast - we went through the first mile neck and neck in 4:51, but the second mile saw two big hills, and therefore the pace dropped quite significantly to 5:24. We shared the workload through that mile, as the lead chopped and changed a couple of times, with probably less than a metre ever in it between us. Mile two was also notable for Neil McDonald struggling to get his bike uphill, and therefore all the leading racers overtaking him!
Slightly past the 2 mile mark, the second lap began and having got my nose in front I held the lead through this mile, as Dave seemed happy to sit behind, ready to attack later on in the race. The third mile included the second time up the biggest of the two steep hills, and the pace was around the 5:05-10 mark. By the end of this mile I could start to feel my legs tiring, but I just kept setting myself little targets, to keep in front to the top of the hill, or to the bottom of the next downhill section etc.
Anyway, it seemed to work, as I now found myself just one mile from the finish and thinking "Just hold out for 5 more minutes of pain and it will all be worth it..."
That final mile saw us lapping many of the runners towards the back end of the race, and meant we had to duck and weave, shout to say we were coming through and saw us a bit short of room. I know Dave felt hard done by for this perhaps denying him the chance to make a move through this section. If we had still had a lead bike, perhaps more room would have been afforded.
As we turned into the final corners, I could see Dave trying to make a move on the inside around the final bend and made sure to close any gap and hold the shortest line through the corner. Having denied him the chance to make a break for it there, it all came down to a sprint finish over the final 200 metres or so. I managed to hold out and cross the line ahead of him to take the win. In similar fashion to the opener at Blackpool, only one second seperated us again.
It has been a close faught battle between us so far this series, and I'm sure it will stay like that throughout, which is great as the rivalry is pushing us both to run quick times and improve each other's performance.
The final mile was 4:50 pace, to finish in 20:05 (unofficial).
Tuesday, 9 June 2015
Track Tuesday
Tuesday nights usually mean one thing for me - about 2 hours of training on the track, and a session of pure pain. But it is well worth it because you know it will benefit you and make you quicker. That's why we do it, and why we keep going back for more!
Until I began training under the influence of coach Affleck, I had never set foot on an athletics track in my life - but 18 months or so on from it being introduced to my regime, it is now probably the single most important aspect of my weekly training plan.
I have come on quite a way since in those last 18 months, and I strongly believe that this has much to do with the Tuesday night pain game I put myself through most weeks! The actual hard part of the session only probably lasts for about half an hour, but with a stringent warm up and cool down being an essential part of the process (in order to avoid silly injuries) the session as a whole can take well in excess of three times that long.
When I first started out on the track sessions, I struggled to get my head around how such short reps could really make such a difference to the performance of a long distance road runner. But results don't lie and having taken chunks out of everything from 5k through to marathon distance, there can be no doubt of the influence the pace work has had on me.
Usually my session will consist of a 20 minute jog to warm up (2 - 2.5 miles), stretches of all the major muscle groups in the legs, a series of 50 metre sprints, and heel flicks. When the muscles are nice and supple we get into the hard part.
Each week I look to get through anything from 3-5 miles worth of pace work, depending on whether or not I have had/do have a race in the few days before or after.
In the last few sessions I have been doing slightly shorter reps as I am focussing on increasing my top end speed. Prior to that I had been doing longer reps, as I wanted to increase my endurance as well as my pace. Last weeks session saw us doing 5 lots of 1200 metres, and 1 x 400 metres at an average pace of 4:48 per mile. The shortest reps I have done so far are 400 metres, and the longest 2 miles.
On completion of the session, I do another 20 minute jog to cool down, before stretching again to complete.
I train at the UCLAN Arena athletics track at Cottam, the same one used by Helen Clitheroe, Stuart Robinson, David Rigby, Chris Livesey and Chris Tulley (and more!) and hopefully in the near future I will be looking to jump on with their sessions to try and eak out a bit more pace.
Considering how much I used to dread it, I now look forward to #tracktuesday each week!
Until I began training under the influence of coach Affleck, I had never set foot on an athletics track in my life - but 18 months or so on from it being introduced to my regime, it is now probably the single most important aspect of my weekly training plan.
I have come on quite a way since in those last 18 months, and I strongly believe that this has much to do with the Tuesday night pain game I put myself through most weeks! The actual hard part of the session only probably lasts for about half an hour, but with a stringent warm up and cool down being an essential part of the process (in order to avoid silly injuries) the session as a whole can take well in excess of three times that long.
When I first started out on the track sessions, I struggled to get my head around how such short reps could really make such a difference to the performance of a long distance road runner. But results don't lie and having taken chunks out of everything from 5k through to marathon distance, there can be no doubt of the influence the pace work has had on me.
Usually my session will consist of a 20 minute jog to warm up (2 - 2.5 miles), stretches of all the major muscle groups in the legs, a series of 50 metre sprints, and heel flicks. When the muscles are nice and supple we get into the hard part.
Each week I look to get through anything from 3-5 miles worth of pace work, depending on whether or not I have had/do have a race in the few days before or after.
In the last few sessions I have been doing slightly shorter reps as I am focussing on increasing my top end speed. Prior to that I had been doing longer reps, as I wanted to increase my endurance as well as my pace. Last weeks session saw us doing 5 lots of 1200 metres, and 1 x 400 metres at an average pace of 4:48 per mile. The shortest reps I have done so far are 400 metres, and the longest 2 miles.
On completion of the session, I do another 20 minute jog to cool down, before stretching again to complete.
I train at the UCLAN Arena athletics track at Cottam, the same one used by Helen Clitheroe, Stuart Robinson, David Rigby, Chris Livesey and Chris Tulley (and more!) and hopefully in the near future I will be looking to jump on with their sessions to try and eak out a bit more pace.
Considering how much I used to dread it, I now look forward to #tracktuesday each week!
Monday, 8 June 2015
Could you cheat?
OK, I am a few days behind on this - but I finally got around to watching the Panarama programme "Catch me if you can". Now I am sure you are all aware of this intriguing and fascinating piece of investigative journalism by the time you read this, however for those of you that aren't I will write a quick summary and urged you to seek it out on the BBc IPlayer!
The programme follows Scottish journalist - and amateur athlete - Mark Daly, in his quest to uncover holes in the WADA blood passport system. Astonishingly, without any medical help or guidance of professionals, he manages to 'beat the system' and improve his performance through taking EPO. Not only that, but he also documents and looks at a series of allegations of drug use and systematic cheating by a number of athletes over past decades, and suggests that athletics super-coach Alberto Salazar - who trains amongst others, Mo Farah - may be involved in cheating the sport.
Watching the documentary on Sunday afternoon, after completing my own training run, I found it difficult to comprehend how easy it was, and also how rife a problem it would appear that the abuse of the system could be.
Then, on the back of viewing a programme about catching out the cheats in sport, I turned over to Sky Sports 2 and watched one of the hardest working, and cleanest sportsmen in the world in his quest to break another world record. Yes, Bradley Wiggins smashed the hour time trial and set a new record of close to 55 kilometres. The contrast between the immense feeling of joy I had spectating history in the making, and the allegations of Panarama couldn't have been more stark.
It got me thinking, and convinced me that I had to write a blog as a way of rambling on about my feelings on the issue of doping.
To really understand the rationale behind an athletes decision to become a doper, I suppose you have to try and put yourself in their mind frame - what possible justifications could they have? Let's have a look:
The programme follows Scottish journalist - and amateur athlete - Mark Daly, in his quest to uncover holes in the WADA blood passport system. Astonishingly, without any medical help or guidance of professionals, he manages to 'beat the system' and improve his performance through taking EPO. Not only that, but he also documents and looks at a series of allegations of drug use and systematic cheating by a number of athletes over past decades, and suggests that athletics super-coach Alberto Salazar - who trains amongst others, Mo Farah - may be involved in cheating the sport.
Watching the documentary on Sunday afternoon, after completing my own training run, I found it difficult to comprehend how easy it was, and also how rife a problem it would appear that the abuse of the system could be.
Then, on the back of viewing a programme about catching out the cheats in sport, I turned over to Sky Sports 2 and watched one of the hardest working, and cleanest sportsmen in the world in his quest to break another world record. Yes, Bradley Wiggins smashed the hour time trial and set a new record of close to 55 kilometres. The contrast between the immense feeling of joy I had spectating history in the making, and the allegations of Panarama couldn't have been more stark.
It got me thinking, and convinced me that I had to write a blog as a way of rambling on about my feelings on the issue of doping.
To really understand the rationale behind an athletes decision to become a doper, I suppose you have to try and put yourself in their mind frame - what possible justifications could they have? Let's have a look:
- Steroids, or other drugs, will make me stronger - Wrong. If you take drugs, it does not make you a stronger person. In fact, it couldn't be further from the truth. By taking a banned substance you are admitting that you are in fact a very weak person, with no will power to improve the hard way.
- I'm only a cheat if I get caught - This is the one that I really, really struggle to et my head around. How can somebody cheat so blatantly, and then stand in front of a camera and try to pull the wool over everybody's eyes and deny the lot? To be the sort of person that would do this must mean that they have some sort of different psyché to the rest of us. I know for sure that I could never bring myself to hide in full view of the public behind a web of lies!
- I only cheat because I want success more than everyone else - Wrong again. In my opinion anybody that can take these sort of shortcuts to success doesn't want it any more than the next person, in fact it shows that they want it less than others. I say this because those who really want to improve enough to win things and be successful are prepared to put in then hard yards and all the painful hours in training. Those that cheat simply can't be bothered to suffer as much as the rest to reach the level that they aspire to.
I have been running now for nearly 4 years and have taken a great deal of pride in how far I have come along so far. I have worked tirelessly and continue to try my hardest every week to push myself out of my comfort zone and keep improving. Never in my wildest dreams could I ever bring myself to cheat - eventually they all get caught out anyway - but even so, deep down they must realise that all their 'gains' and improvements are false? They are not real achievements and surely the cheats must even realise this themselves deep down?!
I would much sooner take the pain and the time and all the miles training to get as good as I can, rather than take a few injections and speed up the process. I may never win an Olympic medal, but atleast I will know that all my achievements are real and can't be taken away from me.
In fact, going back to the documentary, Mark Daly found a very interesting quote in an archive article from the Times back in the 1980's which said something along the lines of "if you line up in the blocks and you aren't on something, then you might aswell be in plimsoles, whilst the rest are wearing spikes"...
...in which case, can't we just bring the plimsoles back please? I wonder if I could find myself a pair in orange...
Wednesday, 3 June 2015
Happy national running day!
So it papers that today has been dubbed 'National Running Day', well we are in an age where every single day must be blessed with a special title - be it 'World Hugging Day' or whatever. But who suggested to put it in the Calender on my rest day! Humph :(
Well of I'm not going to run on such a day, I may aswell write about running instead...
I decided to write a short entry about my favourite races on the running Calender - hopefully any readers can join in and tell us all your own top 3 that you look forward too and mark out at the start of every year!
I have avoided the London marathon from this particular list, seen as I don't intend on entering next time around, and have selected races which I have already participated in and have made me eager to return next time around.
I will include the dates too, for incase I tempt any of you to join me :)
1) Freckleton Half Marathon (21/06/15):
This race is an annual fixture in my race Calender, and is also the one that has the most special place in my heart. Not because it is a particularly fantastic course (although it is a good one), and certainly not because of the conditions it seems to throw up every year without fail...
No, you see I am a Freckleton lad from growing up. I attended Freckleton C of E primary school as a boy and grew up living down Green Lane - which is a stones throw away from the Bush Lane playing fields where the race starts and finishes.
I have vivid memories from a young age of sitting out and watching the runners go by, and the event seems to always bring out the village in full force - the support of the locals is brilliant at Freck.
Being from the local community, I always want to do well when I return to run here. Many of my family and friends turn up to encourage and cheer everyone on.
Not only that, but Freckleton Half was actually my first ever race that I competed in too. I was an unattached, inexperienced 20 year old when I first did this. I completed it in 1:24:28 and actually broke the Junior record by some 8 minutes!
I have never looked back since, and am determined to return one day in the future and hopefully become the first local lad to win the race in a good number of years. We will see, it's some way off yet, but it's always good to have aspirations!
Freckleton is also the oldest Half Marathon in the UK, having celebrated it's 50th year in 2014.
Negatives? The heat of the summer, the plastic cups that I never seem to be able to get any water from by the time I've scooped them up on the run(!), and the start time - a 2pm start in the middle on one of the hottest days of the year? I still can't quite get my head around that one either...
But it is a fairly flat, rural course and has PB potential too, if the weather is kind. It also gets a good standard of runner out every year.
2) Wesham 10k (28/11/15):
How could I include a list of my favourite races without my Home Club's 10k!?
This is a slightly undulating, but fast 10k course, over one lap of country roads.
Last time out I came within 10 seconds of a PB time, so it is a quick course.
The race is special because it takes place on the morning of the Wesham team's biggest day of the year - which concludes with our trophy presentation evening and dinner dance.
I haven't won this race yet either, but it is certainly another one on the list to target!
Starting downhill and finishing with a climb, make sure you leave something in the tank for that last mile.
3) Lancashire Cross-country Championships - Witton Park, Blackburn (no exact date sorry! I tried...usually first Saturday in January):
As you may already know, I am a massive cross-country fan and participant.
Now, this race is important as it is used as a qualifier to make the Lancashire Intercounties team, which I was fortunate enough to make it into this year, and would love to be part of again in 2016.
As far as tough, genuinely muddy, old fashioned XC courses go - you can't really beat this one!
It is a 3 lapper of a course (approximately 10km) and includes a massive climb at the halfway point of all three laps. On the way back down, you throw yourself through a cow field, which sees you almost knew deep in mud in places - lovely!
The fact that it is just after the seasonal festivities and in the coldest month of the year, makes this an even tougher, even better crosscountry challenge!
So there you have it, now what is your own top 3 races you look out for every year?
Hope you've all had a great National Running Day - and hope you did an extra mile for me!
Rob
Well of I'm not going to run on such a day, I may aswell write about running instead...
I decided to write a short entry about my favourite races on the running Calender - hopefully any readers can join in and tell us all your own top 3 that you look forward too and mark out at the start of every year!
I have avoided the London marathon from this particular list, seen as I don't intend on entering next time around, and have selected races which I have already participated in and have made me eager to return next time around.
I will include the dates too, for incase I tempt any of you to join me :)
1) Freckleton Half Marathon (21/06/15):
This race is an annual fixture in my race Calender, and is also the one that has the most special place in my heart. Not because it is a particularly fantastic course (although it is a good one), and certainly not because of the conditions it seems to throw up every year without fail...
No, you see I am a Freckleton lad from growing up. I attended Freckleton C of E primary school as a boy and grew up living down Green Lane - which is a stones throw away from the Bush Lane playing fields where the race starts and finishes.
I have vivid memories from a young age of sitting out and watching the runners go by, and the event seems to always bring out the village in full force - the support of the locals is brilliant at Freck.
Being from the local community, I always want to do well when I return to run here. Many of my family and friends turn up to encourage and cheer everyone on.
Not only that, but Freckleton Half was actually my first ever race that I competed in too. I was an unattached, inexperienced 20 year old when I first did this. I completed it in 1:24:28 and actually broke the Junior record by some 8 minutes!
I have never looked back since, and am determined to return one day in the future and hopefully become the first local lad to win the race in a good number of years. We will see, it's some way off yet, but it's always good to have aspirations!
Freckleton is also the oldest Half Marathon in the UK, having celebrated it's 50th year in 2014.
Negatives? The heat of the summer, the plastic cups that I never seem to be able to get any water from by the time I've scooped them up on the run(!), and the start time - a 2pm start in the middle on one of the hottest days of the year? I still can't quite get my head around that one either...
But it is a fairly flat, rural course and has PB potential too, if the weather is kind. It also gets a good standard of runner out every year.
2) Wesham 10k (28/11/15):
How could I include a list of my favourite races without my Home Club's 10k!?
This is a slightly undulating, but fast 10k course, over one lap of country roads.
Last time out I came within 10 seconds of a PB time, so it is a quick course.
The race is special because it takes place on the morning of the Wesham team's biggest day of the year - which concludes with our trophy presentation evening and dinner dance.
I haven't won this race yet either, but it is certainly another one on the list to target!
Starting downhill and finishing with a climb, make sure you leave something in the tank for that last mile.
3) Lancashire Cross-country Championships - Witton Park, Blackburn (no exact date sorry! I tried...usually first Saturday in January):
As you may already know, I am a massive cross-country fan and participant.
Now, this race is important as it is used as a qualifier to make the Lancashire Intercounties team, which I was fortunate enough to make it into this year, and would love to be part of again in 2016.
As far as tough, genuinely muddy, old fashioned XC courses go - you can't really beat this one!
It is a 3 lapper of a course (approximately 10km) and includes a massive climb at the halfway point of all three laps. On the way back down, you throw yourself through a cow field, which sees you almost knew deep in mud in places - lovely!
The fact that it is just after the seasonal festivities and in the coldest month of the year, makes this an even tougher, even better crosscountry challenge!
So there you have it, now what is your own top 3 races you look out for every year?
Hope you've all had a great National Running Day - and hope you did an extra mile for me!
Rob
Sunday, 31 May 2015
Running like an idiot
Part of the process of trying to become a better runner has been more than just getting quicker and stronger. It includes learning to run more intelligently and how to structure a race.
Last night at Catforth 5k, I had a race plan in mind, but failed to stick to it. I wanted a 5k PB last night, and although I know you can't do it in every race, last night I should have done. Catforth is one of the flattest 5k courses in the area, and the conditions were just about perfect. It was dry, not too hot, and only a gentle breeze. For my part, I am in good condition and training well. I knew it was on as long as I ran sensibly.
My PB is 15:24, which breaks down to around 4:58 per mile - so to break that would require me to run 3 miles at 4:57 pace or less. However, I also managed to let myself get roped into a bet with club mate George's Kennedy that I couldn't break 15 minutes (which I know is probably a bit beyond me right now, but I feel confident that I am capable of running a low 15 in the right conditions). Furthermore, race organiser Alan Taylor was keen on me trying to break the course record, which is held by Stuart Robinson (15:30), so there was quite a bit of pressure on me to run fast!
Turning up, I knew that there wasn't likely to be much in the means of company and competition to push me around in that sort of time, so much of the race was going to be run alone (this is becoming a bit of a theme in these race blogs at the minute isn't it...) This made it even more important that I stuck to the race plan and ran smart.
I had aimed to run the first two miles at approximately 4:55 pace, and try to get through the 2 mile mark in under 9:50 to leave myself in with a shout of these fast times if I could then throw down a big last mile. My quickest 'in race' mile so far recorded is 4:40, so if I could repeat that it would give us the sub 15 I aspire to achieve.
Unfortunately, the plan went completely out of the window inside the first mile. I failed to reign myself in and set off way too quickly. I didn't check my watch until it bleeped to tell me I was through the first mile mark, and a quick look told me that I had done exactly what I had intended not to - 4:46, some ten seconds too fast. It might not have been such a disaster if I had of had people around me to push me on, but as it transpired the extra energy that I put into that mile sapped out of me as the race went on...
Mile two was much steadier, but the damage was already done. If anything I became too cautious in this second mile, relaxing a tad too much. A 5:04 mile meant that I had achieved my goal of getting to two miles in 9:50, but I knew that I was already slowing and wasn't going to have that energy for the 'big last mile' I spoke about earlier in the piece.
I am surprised at just how much damage that first mile did for the rest of the race in a way - the wheels came off in the final mile a bit, 5:11 leaving me to finish in 15:34, four seconds outside of the course record. It is still a solid performance, but God I was mad at myself afterwards. All I could think about on my cool down was how I had blown an opportunity. There will be others - with the next Catforth race just a month away, and plenty more around. But last night was a genuine chance to run a really great time.
The pace seemed to have a knock on effect with everyone else too, speaking to Joe Monk (who ran a great PB of 16:15) he said his first mile was much quicker than intended, as he tried to keep me in sights, and looking through Facebook it is the same story - Helen Lawrenson and Kerry Eccles further down the field both speak of a first mile that was too fast. So sorry guys if it was because of the pace set at the front!
Finishing on a positive - that is now 5 race wins on the bounce, a new best run of form for me.
Next up? Preston leg of the interclub series in 10 days time.
Last night at Catforth 5k, I had a race plan in mind, but failed to stick to it. I wanted a 5k PB last night, and although I know you can't do it in every race, last night I should have done. Catforth is one of the flattest 5k courses in the area, and the conditions were just about perfect. It was dry, not too hot, and only a gentle breeze. For my part, I am in good condition and training well. I knew it was on as long as I ran sensibly.
My PB is 15:24, which breaks down to around 4:58 per mile - so to break that would require me to run 3 miles at 4:57 pace or less. However, I also managed to let myself get roped into a bet with club mate George's Kennedy that I couldn't break 15 minutes (which I know is probably a bit beyond me right now, but I feel confident that I am capable of running a low 15 in the right conditions). Furthermore, race organiser Alan Taylor was keen on me trying to break the course record, which is held by Stuart Robinson (15:30), so there was quite a bit of pressure on me to run fast!
Turning up, I knew that there wasn't likely to be much in the means of company and competition to push me around in that sort of time, so much of the race was going to be run alone (this is becoming a bit of a theme in these race blogs at the minute isn't it...) This made it even more important that I stuck to the race plan and ran smart.
I had aimed to run the first two miles at approximately 4:55 pace, and try to get through the 2 mile mark in under 9:50 to leave myself in with a shout of these fast times if I could then throw down a big last mile. My quickest 'in race' mile so far recorded is 4:40, so if I could repeat that it would give us the sub 15 I aspire to achieve.
Unfortunately, the plan went completely out of the window inside the first mile. I failed to reign myself in and set off way too quickly. I didn't check my watch until it bleeped to tell me I was through the first mile mark, and a quick look told me that I had done exactly what I had intended not to - 4:46, some ten seconds too fast. It might not have been such a disaster if I had of had people around me to push me on, but as it transpired the extra energy that I put into that mile sapped out of me as the race went on...
Mile two was much steadier, but the damage was already done. If anything I became too cautious in this second mile, relaxing a tad too much. A 5:04 mile meant that I had achieved my goal of getting to two miles in 9:50, but I knew that I was already slowing and wasn't going to have that energy for the 'big last mile' I spoke about earlier in the piece.
I am surprised at just how much damage that first mile did for the rest of the race in a way - the wheels came off in the final mile a bit, 5:11 leaving me to finish in 15:34, four seconds outside of the course record. It is still a solid performance, but God I was mad at myself afterwards. All I could think about on my cool down was how I had blown an opportunity. There will be others - with the next Catforth race just a month away, and plenty more around. But last night was a genuine chance to run a really great time.
The pace seemed to have a knock on effect with everyone else too, speaking to Joe Monk (who ran a great PB of 16:15) he said his first mile was much quicker than intended, as he tried to keep me in sights, and looking through Facebook it is the same story - Helen Lawrenson and Kerry Eccles further down the field both speak of a first mile that was too fast. So sorry guys if it was because of the pace set at the front!
Finishing on a positive - that is now 5 race wins on the bounce, a new best run of form for me.
Next up? Preston leg of the interclub series in 10 days time.
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