The week that was (including One Race and 2 PB's)

My apologies for not posting for a while, I have been very busy at work and obviously doing a LOT of running as well. A quick recap of the main things from last week.

Weds 16th
Re-visit to Shooting Star Children's Hospice this time with Debs (my PR superstar), met with Emily from Shooting Star and Chris from Chase who do the PR, along with Karen, the fundraising supremo for Shooting Star. We had a lovely guided tour and got to find out a bit more about how the Hospice is run and the funding (lack of) from the state. We discussed getting my challenge out there to a bigger audience, and with Debs ground work and Emily and Chris' contacts this should start to gather some momentum over the next few weeks. The visit just confirmed my original feelings from Sunday's visit, that it is a special place doing amazing things for some very special children and there families. I think Debs was really impressed, I think she mentioned looking into volunteering!!

Sat 19th
As I had been doing a lot of training and no racing I entered the Dorney Lake Half Marathon, it was also where I had set my PB almost exactly a year ago, so with that in mind decided I was going to really go for it and see what happened. My mate (Ed) from work had also entered, and as he had recently run a 1:32 I was hoping we could pace eachother to a quick time. On arrival it was pretty cold and we took a while to decide on amount of layers, but as the sun started to come out decided it was better to start a bit cold as we would soon warm up once running. A quick jog the 1mile to the start and line up, not too near the front but maybe 4 rows back, and then off. A very quick start saw sub 6min mile pace for the first 400m or so but I quickly settled into about 6:40pace for the first mile and watching the speedier runners start to go ahead saw I was in about 45th place. I was slightly ahead of Ed and didn't se him for the first few miles, I was very happy that I was finding the pace ok, and thought that a sub 1:30 might be on the cards. At the 9k point Ed pulled alongside and said he was going to pull out at 10K, as his ITB/knee was again playing him up, but was going to put his foot down to 10K as he was on for a PB. I saw Ed pull off to the side and I looked at my watch as I went past 10K in 42:11, a new 10K PB, which was nice. I couldn't help noticing how good I was feeling as I don't do a lot of distance running below 7min mile pace, but just thought about staying relaxed and keep going. I had started to make a few places up on the next 5k lap (this race is 4 and a bit laps of the Lake, bit boring, but it is flat) and thought I must be in about 35th place, and had actually got faster over the last lap. I did think that any minute the wheels were going to come off and I was going to suddenly slow down a lot, but I was really enjoying myself and talking to the other runners and offering words of encouragement to those that I thought needed a little boost. Ed gave me a big 'Come on' as I went past him to start my last lap, I had been making a conscious efort to keep my Heart Rate under 160 or so, as this is the point I think I start to burn up, but with only 5K to go really put the foot down. I soon caught and passed another couple of runners before myself and 2 runners made a little group and were pushing the pace together, this was good. Quick glance at the watch and mile 11 was 6:29, pick it up a bit more, mile 12 in 6:22, past the 20K mark and realise later that this 2nd 10K was done in 40:50 a new 10K PB. The last mile was really going for it and went past in 6:11, which is faster than my 5K pace!! Gave it absolutey everything coming into the home straight and think I was screaming Aaaaarrrrgggghhhhh on the way into the finish line. I managed to stop my Garmin and hand on knees sucking in air like no tomorrow, I look at the watch and can't quite believe the time, I go to the Race Organisers computer to get my official Chip Time and finish posistion from them, and it is confirmed, my time is 1hr26mins50secs (WOW) thats 6:38per mile, 29th finisher overall of 359 finishers and 19th in my category. I basically had hoped to get near to 1hr30 for a Half Mara somtime this year, and had the run of my life and did a 10K and Half Mara PB in the same race. Days like this don't happen very often. Seems like the long miles are paying off.

Sun 20th
Didn't have time to 30miles in one go to-day so, 14miles this morning, then 17 this evening, felt really spaced at mile 14 of the evening run but resisted the urge to down a gel and just slowed a little and pushed on through, but boy was I tired when I got home. Yesterday took it out of me big time.

Total Miles for week: 83.3

Running Easy

Easy 10miles this evening as this week is an easy week (I do 3 weeks hard 1 week easy), and I am having difficulty running slow, well, what I mean is, slow enough for my 4 x Marathon in 24hrs next month. I seem to be running at about 8.15 to 8.30 per mile pace as default easy pace, this is too fast. Never thought running too quickly (in relative terms) would be a problem.

Meet up with the Shooting Star runners tomorrow at 9am in Richmond Park for an easy 8miles, and then I am visiting the Hospice in the afternoon. All of the people who are running the Virgin London Marathon for Shooting Star have been invited to visit the Hospice, we will have a group photo and a tour of the Hospice, promises to be a really good afternoon.

Warp Speed Mr Zulu



‎06:25am and half hour into my run, I look happy!!!!





Run finished, happy/looking a bit psycho.



The weekends training runs went a little like this:

Saturday 5th March

‎30.2miles of Richmond Park covered this morning, very eerie at 5:45 in the morning, and very quiet. Had my Shooting Star t-shirt on (with another 3 layers), I had forgot how hilly the park was, as 3300ft of ascent for the run. Lucky to have Sherrine (a work colleague) join me for the middle13miles, she did very well and is looking good for her race, Kingston Breakfast Run (16miles) on 27th March. I felt really good and picked the pace up a little bit over the last few miles in fact 3miles (24to26) were covered in 22mins including the hills. Total Distance: 30.2mi / Time: 4hrs16mins49secs = 8.31per mile average 

Sunday 6th March
Having spent the morning at the zoo with the family, managed to get out for my run early PM, which was a bonus. Legs felt pretty good and set off at easy pace and didn't pay much attention to the Garmin until I stopped for a quick chat with a friend (Jayne, thanks for the words of encouragement, nice to see you) where I noticed 7miles done at 8.11 average!!! Blimey it didn't feel like I was running at that pace it felt very easy. So I set off and back along the Thames at 11 miles towards Bushy Park for the last 9miles, and with the wind with me I was now doing sub8 pace for the same effort. I saw Jo Pavey twice during my lap of Bushy Park and even got a friendly wave (I hope she does well at the NYC Half Mara this month), so I picked the pace up a little more towards the end, and a 7.16 last mile.
Total Distance: 20mi / Time: 2hrs39mins12secs = 7.58per mile average
I didn't think sub 8min miles for 20miles would have felt so comfortable, especially having done a 30miler round Richmond Park yesterday. Training seems to be coming together. Warp speed Mr Zulu.........

Total Miles Run for the week: 82.9 (lets call it 83)

Brighton Marathon - 4hr Pace Leader for CLIF Bar Pace Team

Really chuffed as I have been chosen as the 4hr Pace Leader at the Brighton Marathon on 10th April for the CLIF Bar Pace Team. So I will have the responsibility/honour of running at a very consistent pace for the whole way to ensure those runners trying for a sub 4hr marathon can follow me to the finish and get a time of 3hrs59mins59secs or less (no pressure then!!). CLIF Bar will also have a stand at the expo the day before so we meet runners and offer advice and encouragement (I am doing the 4-6pm slot), we also get Saucony running gear including trainers, overnight accommodation and obviously free race entry along with CLIF Bar goodies. Really looking forward to it although it is only 6days before I attempt the VLM 4 x in 24hrs, but 4hr pace will be slower than my easy long run pace, and I am feeling like the training is really going well, so I hope a really steep taper (resting up) after Brighton and before London will have me raring to go.

Some of the other Pacers in the CLIF Bar Team are vv serious athletes, 100+ marathons and World Championship runners, seems like the 4hr runners may have drawn the short straw as they have me pacing them (!!!!!).