Tuesday 16 March 2010

Sunday with the Strollers

Afternoon peeps :)

Just a quick update on last week's running efforts. After a pretty hefty session on New Road on Tuesday I could only manage a couple of short runs on Wednesday & Thursday on the track (due to time constraints). This was more than made up for by my trip over to Sunderland on Sunday.

It was a lovely morning, and in hindsight I should have opted for shorts & a t-shirt cause I was boiling after the first mile and a half. My ninja suit leggings and long sleeved top weren't the best option by a long-shot :S.

There was another good turn out of runners again this week, and I managed to have a pretty good natter on the way round. We set off up Queen Alexandra road towards Grangetown, then along past Ryhope towards Seaham. Once we'd gone through Ryhope I was in unfamiliar territory, and so going round the back of Seaham Hall through the trees I didn't have a sodding clue where we were...still there wasn't a great deal of mud on the menu (how unusual), so at least my feet were relatively clean.

We seemed to go cross country in a few places, then joined back up with the old railway line we had been along last week. At least I knew where we were then :). Once we were back down onto the playing fields I had the option of taking the shorter route with Dave, but he'd a bit of a metronome and I didn't feel up to going at his pace, so I stuck with the main group all the way through to the finish.

12.53 miles, 1:47:21 (8:34 pace)

This seems to be doing me a world of good with my speed, so hopefully (fingers crossed) I'll be fit for the track season coming up.

Happy running folks :D

Sunday 7 March 2010

March madness

or March hill madness to be specific....

This week has been all about the hills, starting on Tuesday with the club session on Springfield bank (Field Terrace). It was 12 reps hard up hard down. I was bloody knackered when I finished, but I worked pretty hard and managed to knock a minute off the last time we did the session (November).

02/03/10, 4.56mi - 32:32, Springfield bank x12
03/11/09, 4.56mi - 33:31, Springfield bank x12
06/10/09, 4.56mi - 32:02, Springfield bank x12
24/02/09, 4.56mi - 32:47, Springfield bank x12

I reckon I should be able to crack the 32 minute mark this year, feeling pretty positive about my running at the mo, so hopefully I’ll be getting quicker throughout the year.

I missed my Wednesday run due to work, but I did make up for it on Thursday at the track. I arrived late, but still in time enough to do 15 of the 16 300m reps. We were doing parlaufs (like a relay) run for 300m, jog back 100m to meet your partner.

1:14, 1:06, 1:06, 1:08, 1:08, 1:12, 1:12, 1:12, 1:13, 1:12, 1:14, 1:14, 1:08, 1:10, 1:12

Took the first one pretty steady, but went for it once I got going. I was pleased to get a few under 70 seconds, but would like to be a bit more even paced.

Saturday was going to be a parkrun at Sunderland day for me, but I had to work in the morning so I missed it again, and had to settle for my trip over there on Sunday

I started the day with a bit of a blast with Murph. It was -5 when I left the house, was wondering whether to go for a long run after or tuck myself back under the duvet with a cuppa & toast. I opted for the exercise (to try and burn off some of Saturday night’s pizza overindulgence), and jumped in the van to get over there before 9.

This is what was described as an 'Undulating' route with Sunderland Strollers. It was a fantastic morning, sunny and not a cloud in the sky. Bit of a tough run passed the lakes, up the werewolf path, up through Doxford and up again to Burdon village. Then we had farmer’s fields, mud and a stream. Back up again (after being informed that this wasn't hilly it was undulating :P) round to the back of the new school in Ryhope, then passed some playing fields and down onto Ryhope Road. Up (again) Queen Alexandra Road, and then back to the Barnes.

Not sure how a route could seem to be uphill for 90% of the time, but it seems that the laws of physics don't apply in Sunderland

So today’s runs:

Doggy woofer run: 1.75mi – 13:51
Strollers Run: 12.03mi – 1:43:34

A much better week running wise, but far too many hills for my liking. I did enjoy both hill sessions but my calves aren’t thanking me for it one bit. I’m gonna sit with my feet up and chill for the rest of the night

Happy running folks!

Tuesday 2 March 2010

...and that was February

Hi Folks!

The month seemed to leap past at a blistering pace. Not quite sure what I've achieved running wise, but at least I actually got my arse into gear and got out there to run. I was accused erm..it was suggested that I was being a bit lazy Embarassed, which is true I guess, so I've put in a bit more effort and tried to get things back on track.

Before I get on with the round up there's some info here for the VAANEE (veterans athletics assoc. North East) cross country championships. The closing date for entries is the 13th of March, so if you read this, and you're resident in the North East of England, and are like me (an old codger) veteran - then you could get yourself signed up for the race and pop down to the championships on the 20th of the month.

All the info can be found here: VAANEE website

It'd be nice to get some new faces down there, so if you're over 35, and a member of a NE running club get your entry form in the post!

Back to the roundup....

February.

Marginally better than last month for running, but my pace seems to be consistent at least, even if it is getting slower Undecided

  • Sun 28 9am – Long(ish) Run 9.36mi - 1:17:01. Sunday morning run with Sunderland Strollers. Down to the seafront, then back via the shorter route with Dave & Chirpy. This was my first long run with the Strollers since the beginning' of last year - what a friendly bunch - it was like I'd been there only last week Laughing
  • Thu 25 6pm – Track Session 3.11mi - 22:11. 5 x 1000m
    4:07, 4:31, 4:31, 4:31, 4:31. I tried sticking with Frankie for the first rep which turned out to be a wee bit too quick to be honest. I should be looking at something around 4:22 per 1000m
  • Wed 24 6pm – General Run 6.6mi - 54:31. Tech to York Ave, then jog back to meet Jim, then back round to Tech with Jim & Alan
  • Sat 20 2pm – Temple Park XC 1.86mi - 15:00. Pulled out of S/Shields xc - pain in calf. I was shown some stretches by Steph Bingham at the xc, and they seemed to have done the trick - cheers!
  • Sat 20 9am – Time Trial 3.11mi - 23:51. Newcastle parkrun, took it steady - doing xc later in the day
  • Thu 18 6pm – Track Session 2.98mi - 19:33. 12 x 400m
    1:46, 1:40, 1:41, 1:36, 1:39, 1:35, 1:38, 1:34, 1:39, 1:35, 1:36, 1:34. Frankie's idea of fast and slow didn't quite work out and it ended up being fast then faster Tongue out
  • Wed 17 6pm – General Run 6.6mi - 54:51. Tech route with Jim
  • Tue 16 6pm – Road Session 5.59mi - 40:35. Wood Terrace 1 lap 2 laps x 3
    4:06, 9:11, 4:21, 9:12, 4:15, 9:30. Felt worn out after Wrekenton xc on the Saturday.
  • Sat 13 2pm – Wrekenton XC 3.73mi - 33:16. Enjoyable & very muddy
  • Thu 11 6pm – Track Session 2.49mi - 16:53. 8 x 500m
    2:07, 2:08, 2:09, 2:00, 2:10, 2:07, 2:07, 2:10, 2:02
  • Wed 10 5pm – General Run 5.42mi - 52:57. Usual Wednesday route with Jim
  • Tue 9 7pm – Warm Down 0.92mi - 9:10
  • Tue 9 6pm – Road Session 4.8mi - 33:55. Leam lane, 6 x 1300m - 5:29, 5:38, 5:47, 5:37, 5:47, 5:37
  • Tue 9 5pm – Warm Up 2.49mi - 21:06. Warm up for club session
  • Thu 4 6pm – Warm Up 1.4 10:15 7:19 8.2. Warm up for track session (which I didn't start)
  • Wed 3 6pm – General Run 5.42mi - 52:29 Shorter Wednesday route, knackered after last night's hill session. We had snow, ice, wind you name it.
  • Tue 2 7pm – Warm Down 0.7mi - 7:15. Bimble back to the car after the hill
  • Tue 2 6pm – Hill Session 5.25mi - 43:11. 10 x Springfield, plus along at the top. Hard up, hard along, easy down. Tough session but I worked really hard.
  • Tue 2 5pm – Warm Up 1.3mi 12:47. Solo warm up for club session

Not too bad overall, but I need to start being a bit more focused about getting out on a Sunday, and maybe doing a couple of extra miles on a Wednesday.

Hoping for some good weather in March too.


Happy Running Folks!