Bike stuff & running stuff

I'll start with the bike stuff.

After a pretty hairy time on the bike last week I was kind of thinking that it would take some kind of act of god for me to be able to improve enough to take part in the triathlon next year, but I decided to give it another go this morning.

After I got the lads vans loaded up and they set off I got the bike out and wen't for a bit of a bimble around the warehouse again. The dog was loving it - trying to leap onto my lap, but once he realised he was actually getting a really good run-around, he set off ahead of me and I was able to do some laps.

So (and I know this is very slow, but I'm rubbish at the mo), it was seven laps at around 300m per lap, in 8 minutes - bearing in mind that I had to slow down for the bends, and to avoid colliding with the hound. That's 6:09 mile pace - 9.75mph (and I did my 200s on the track quicker last week) but it's a start.

On with the running stuff...

Tonight was the club 5k time trial - the conditions were perfect, and we had a pretty good turn out. I was set off after Alan & Helen (30secs?) so my aim was to try and catch up. I caught sight of them as we left the village, but it took me all the way past the Lakeside pub to catch up. I was literally only metres behind them for a good mile, but didn't seem to have that bit of oomph to get me there. Once I did catch up, Alan took up the pace and motored past me again. Brian came flying by with Peter hot on his heels. I was tiring, but managed to make it through to the finish in under 23 mins which was my goal.

Distance: 5k, time: 22:47, pace: 7:20

Not too unhappy with that to be honest - it's pretty much on par with the last couple of parkruns I've done (22:44 & 22:41) on a much tougher course.

Well done to everyone tonight - and a special well done to Peter for going sub 20 mins for the first time!

Goals, races, training and the year so far

Morning Campers

Well it's coming up to that time of year where you start to think about next year's targets, and how you've done this year. I'll start with the year so far, then crack on with my list of goals for 2010.

2009 - year of the sicknote

I had a pretty rubbish year to be honest, starting in January & February with the ligaments in my ankle - couldn't run properly till March. Since then I've had two bouts of flu which had me laid up in bed, and a chest infection. It's not all bad though. I managed to crack my 1 mile & 10 mile pbs, and I survived my first marathon (even if I was disappointed with the time). I couldn't get close with my 5k & 10k times, but given that I started my marathon training in June I only really had a few 10ks which I entered this year.

Another good thing to come out of 2009 was the addition of the Sunderland Parkrun, I've done two so far (because of work and pulling my back), but I'm hoping that next year they should serve as a good fitness gauge.

2010 - year of the triathlon

I'm really looking forward to doing my first tri, I've now been out on a bike (after a 24 year break), and did manage to do a few laps inside the warehouse at work once I'd got the hang of it (and Andy let go of the seat ). The cycling is gonna be the toughest part, but I've got 8 months to train for it, and it'll be a sprint tri - 400m swim, 20k bike, 5k run, so even if I'm totally rubbish at the bike at least it's not a huge distance to try and cover.

I've also got some canny race time goals for next year too - keeping my running fitness up.

• Sub 2:55 800m (pb 2:56)
• Sub 5:40 1500m (pb 5:49)
• Sub 6 mile (pb 6:09)
• 12min 3k (pb 12:23)
• want to get as close to 20:10 as possible over 5k (pb 21:07)
• 43:30 for 10k (pb 43:50)

I'd also like to crack 1:14:00 for 10 miles at Tynedale in September (pb 1:14:04), but I'm not worried if I don't

Races for 2010

I'm entered for the Resolution Run 10k on New Years day - 10k on the Town Moor again, not sure I'll be loving or hating it but at least it's only two small laps and not five big ones. I lost my shoe in a bog the last time I did it, so I may have to tape them onto my feet, or give my xc spikes a go if it's really muddy.

I've also got my entry in for the North Tyneside 10k - one of my favourite races along the coast from North Shields to St Marys lighthouse. That one is on Easter Sunday.

Other than those I'm hoping to do these:

• 9th Jan - NEHL 2 (cross country) at Cramlington
• 30th Jan - NEHL 3 (xc) at the Town Moor (lol not again...'ware the moor)
• 13th Feb - NEHL 4 (xc) at Wrekenton
• 20th Feb - NEHL 5 (xc) at South Shields
• 6th March - Royal Signals Relays (if I can get a team from the Jarrow & Hebburn ladies)
• 27th March - NEHL 6 (xc) at Prudhoe
• 4th April - North Tyneside 10k
• 11th April - Sanddancer 10k multi terrain
• 18th April - Rising Sun 5m (Wallsend)

I'll also do the Pier to Pier depending on the date, Clive Cookson 10k, and the Sunshine Run 5k in July. This leads me up nicely to my choice of two sprint tris in August - the T&W Fire Brigade Hebburn tri, and the Sun Tri in Ponteland. I'm pretty sure that the Hebburn one fills up pretty quickly, so I'll have to be on my toes getting the entry form in.

Training - back down to earth now for a training update from this week

After picking up that silly back injury last week I was sensible - listened to my training gurus (Alan, Helen, Jim and Mick) and took a week off. It's done me the world of good, and with the assistance of a microwavable heat pack (thanks for the heads up on that one Mick) I'm now almost fixed!

Tuesday 8th saw me back at the club for a pretty swift training session on Wood Terrace. Anti clockwise round to the roundabout (.42 miles average for each rep) 200 jog recovery
3:02, 3:00, 2:54, 2:46, 2:46, 2:43

total distance:2.52 miles, 17:11 (6:49 pace)

Wednesday 9th - usual Wednesday bimble - shorter route cause I was bloomin' knackered

Thursday 10th - track session:

17 x 200 - 3 man 10k relay, this was first proper track session since my marathon and I was feeling good.

First rep was pretty slow till Jim said "these are supposed to be fast" lol, but I got progressively faster finishing on 39 secs for the last 200.

total distance 3400m 12:55 (6:07 pace)

Apologies for the epic post, but some inconsiderate so & sos stomped down the back lane shouting at each other at 3:45am So I've been awake for bloody ages Hoping to get a bit of a nap at some point this morning.

Happy running folks!

Bloody Christmas tree lights

I love Christmas, let me say that before we start, I guess I have to seeing as my Christmas starts with my first delivery at the end of August. So it's no wonder that I have to get into the spirit of things and put my tree up early. Actually not as early as some, but two weeks into November is early enough for me.

So (you're wondering what the point of my ramblings are right), I've had my tree lights switched on and off for the last three weeks no problem, then as soon as I start to feel fit and ready to get back into training, bang goes a muscle in my back switching the sodding things off.

It's so frustrating, especially with how good I was feeling after Farringdon xc. I just wanna get out there, but after a couple of test-bimbles on Tuesday & Wednesday I've had to give up the idea as a bad 'un. I was hoping to do the Sunderland Parkrun this weekend too, but that'll have to go on hold for the next two weeks now.

Bah...

Oh, on another note

George has put some Newcastle Marathon footage on YouTube (see here), This musta been before I lost the will to live on lap five, as I'm still moving and lying in 4th place. I'm still annoyed with myself for not trying harder, but it's done now, and I'm already thinking about what to do next year.

I thought I'd have a go at triathlon.

There's one organised by Tyne & Wear Fire Brigade in Hebburn (near where I do all my running training), so it'd be rude not to take part . Though I haven't been on a bike since I had my paper round in 1985 or 86 (It was many many moons ago), so god knows what kind of cyclist I'd make, but seeing that I'm willing to give almost anything a go I was thinking 'why the hell not'

Will keep you folks posted on my biking efforts, if nothing else they may earn me two hundred & fifty quid for looking stupid on You've Been Framed

Happy running people!

NEHL 1 : Farringdon XC

Morning Campers!

Well, it's a week since my jaunt around the Town Moor and I'm actually feeling pretty good. I had a bit of a bimble around on Tuesday at the club with Graeme - nothing too strenuous, then a day off on Wednesday, before throwing myself back into the mix on Thursday with the club track session.

It was 16 x 400 with 60 seconds recovery, I had thought I might just make it to ten, but told Coach Jim that I was aiming for 12, so when I tried to skive off the last two he got me going again

Total Distance 4.8k, total time: 20:36, pace: 6:55/mile

Rep times: 1:45, 1:46, 1:44, 1:41, 1:41, 1:43, 1:43, 1:43, 1:43, 1:43, 1:43, 1:41

Took the first couple to get into my stride, but felt pretty comfortable once I stopped chasing Alan *grins*

Saturday

North East Harrier League meeting 1 - Farringdon, Sunderland

I had to get there early to meet up with Alan & Simon to do any late registrations and then the results, but after my feel good session on the track on Thursday I felt that I was strong enough to take part. So I grabbed my kit, went to work, called into Start fitness for a sweet new pair of shorts (sorry folks the luminous ones are retired till my thighs shrink ), and then headed over to Sunderland.

We had a couple of minor glitches with the junior races, but nothing too troublesome, then as the mens race was finishing I dashed over to the start. Was nice to get some pre race encouragement from the Jarrow & Hebburn lads, and to catch up with some ladies I know from Sunderland Harriers, Strollers and Heaton, including a couple I saw at the Moor last week but hadn't met yet - well done ladies!

Before I could really get warmed up we were on the start line and off.

I'd been warned by my xc gurus Mick & Micheal, that the course was a fair bit muddy in places, but to be honest it was no worse than normal. The mud was in all of the usual spots, on the decesnt down the first hill (a lady took a tumble infront of me), on the corners, and as you climbed out of the stream.

My aim was a nice steady race, happy in the knowledge that no matter what happened I couldn't ever be as knackered as I was on the Town Moor. The plan seemed to work too, I'd kind of planned to take the first hill fairly steady, check out who was around me that I recognised and then hopefully stick with them.

Jenny from Heaton was well away, and I couldn't see Lisa Walker (Wallsend) either, but Helen Morris (Blyth), was pretty much right infront of me. I know she's a bit quicker than me, but the plan was to hang on for as long as poss.

I think we must have tag teamed it right round the course, because if I couldn't see her infront, I could hear folks cheering her on behind

The big hill didn't coma as a shock, so I just slowed and ran up it using Helen's (J&H) "I'm a little mountain goat" mantra. It got me to the top - along with some verbal encouragement from Micheal & Craig. Lap 2 was a carbon copy of the first, with the addition of the fast pack flying past, just nice and steady - could this mean that I've finally cracked this pace thing lol.

Anyways (I'm rambling and my stomach is rumbling for my brekke)

It felt a great deal slower than I'd normally do this race, the pace was very even, no crazy fast start, no dyig towards the end, nothing like my running style infact *giggles*

But...

I came through the finish in 28:10, a good 70 seconds faster than the last time I did it! (29:21)

What the hell is that all about! The course is the same, I know I've ran it often enough. Freaky huh!

Over the moon with that to be honest.

I had to the run from the finish, back round to the school (changing from my spikes before I got mud all over the reception), then cracked on with the ladies & junior womens results!

Busy day, but pretty rewarding

Many thanks to Sunderland Harriers for hosting, to all of the officials, marshals and timekeepers without whom the event couldn't take place - your work is most appreicated!

I didn't manage to catch up with Helen at the finish (will try and see you at the next one)

Results

I've got copies, but they will be available here: sportsoft race results

I'll post a direct link when they're up.

Ok so I've been a little remiss updating this blog, it's not cause I've stopped blogging, I'm just really pressed for time at the mo - so take a bimble over to real buzz and check out my updates there, and I'll hopefully get things back to normal here when I have some free time.

Happy running folks :)

GNR 2009

Hello Campers

The prep for the race was good, I felt pretty happy with my training before the start, but once I arrived in Newcastle I just couldn't get warm. The temperature was only 7 degrees, a little on the cool side to be standing around for 2 hours, but nevermind - the forecast was for it to warm up, so I just tried to keep moving and hope that I'd be warm enough by the time the gun went off. I had a chat to Alan from my running club (he looked bloody freezing), after meeting up with some forum folks.

I managed to get into my pen (Orange B) in plenty of time, despite a 40 minute wait in the loo queue (I'll be going back to the bushes again next year), and eventually met up with my clubmates Mick & Jimmy just before the race started.

The gun went off, and we went streaming along the motorway. This year for me the first time I'd gone on the right hand side of the carriageway. I'd deffo say if was a much quicker start - even by the time we started to go up the first incline there were some people walking and jogging on the left hand side (the carriageway that goes underneath). I'm not sure which is the better route though, as at least on the left hand side you get a little respite from the sunshine.
By the time we hit the Tyne Bridge the sun was really starting to heat things up. The forecast was for 17-18 degrees by noon, but it felt warmer than that even at eleven am. I had lost Mick & Jimmy by the beginning of the Felling bypass, where Speedy Goth (RW forums) came past and said her hellos.

I was desparate for water by Gateshead Stadium, not to drink, but to tip over my head. I didn't feel dehydrated, just close to melting. I got a bottle from Vicki from the Strollers, had a few sips and tried to cover myself with the rest. Things picked up a little after that, and I felt quite good up to Heworth where my family were waiting to cheer me on , then it was another long slog up to the Black Bull. I didn't have any of the Powerade on the course as the bottles were a bit on the large size, and I don't really like the taste, so I hung on down to the next water station at Whitemare Pool. At this point I was so hot I'd just decided to try and enjoy the race rather than go for a time, there seemed no point in trying to kill myself for a few minutes off my pb, so I just settled in for a bit of a bimble in the sunshine.

The firemen at York Avenue were a godsend - I could have stayed there all day in the spray, but I pressed on and Alan came striding past me, he tried to get me to press on further, but I was boiling hot, and just wanted to try and cool down a little. He cruised off up the hill, and I followed, seeing him head off into the distance.

The crowds through Jarrow and South Shields are fantastic. I had two quarters of orange, and an icepop from the wonderful folks on the John Reid road (much appreciated thankyou!), and the gel I'd taken at Whitemare Pool seemed to be kicking in, so I actually managed to put on a bit of an effort as we came up the the Bupa power zone. There were people there with big tubs of jelly babies!! Fantastic stuff. I was tucking into my second when Rachel came past. I actually felt good enough to stick with her all the way up the Nook, I think I was Jimmy (on the other side of the road) as we climbed, then she pressed on and I lost her, but could see Frankie from the club up ahead too.

Alistair from Knaresmere Harriers got me up to the Marsden Inn (spotted MTS - Hi mate!), he said he had credits riding on me on Fetch, but I was well outside pb times by then. I just wanted to try and catch Rachel again now. I saw her not far ahead so I pressed on, caught up with Alan again, and then the chase was on as we hit the seafront.

I've ran this last mile many time, in training when I lived in Shields, and for the Fetch Mile challenges, but I can honestly say that when I hit that last 800m, it was the longest 800m of my entire life. The road seemed to suck the life out of me, I gave up all hopes of catching Rachel, I just wanted to hang onto the sight of her and Frankie ahead of me and not let them get too far away. I was thinking at the Marsden Inn that if I could do the last mile in 7:30 I could at least equal last years time, I had managed the last mile in 7:03 last year, but there wasn't a hope in hell of it happening in the heat of the 2009 race.

The end finally came, thankfully as I don't think I could have ran another step. I felt like my face & shoulders were melting with the heat, and Alan crossed the line only seconds behind me, we hugged, and I've never felt so thankful for the end of a race.

My time 1:43:44

We actually only had a seconds difference on our watch times, which was a clear indicator that the up & over righthand carriageway makes no difference other than a speedier start. I will be returning to the left hand side for a few reasons next year, not least that it makes me run a little slower at the start, but I'm glad I gave it a go, just to see for myself.

Split times as follows:
5k: 22:1510k : 47:1415k: 1:12:52finish: 1:43:44

A good minute slower than last year, but acceptable in the heat. I'd love to do a half in the winter where I could really go for it without overheating.

A big thanks to all the folks who come out to cheer us runners on, to the water station peeps, folks marshalling, to the clean up crew who tidy up afterwards, and a specialy 'many thanks' to the gardening guys who were out at 9pm on Saturday night making Gateshead & South Tyneside look lovely for everyone on the Sunday morning!

Club stuff to follow

Jarrow & Hebburn runners finishing times
ANDREW CLARK - 01:29:11
Caitlin Lloyd - 01:30:51
IAN SALKELD - 01:31:23
michael joyce - 01:31:35
Roy White - 01:32:16
Rachel Lowther - 01:40:00
Robert Seaton - 01:40:22
FRANK DOCKERTY - 01:43:09
ALAN JOBLING - 01:43:40
Victoria Thompson - 01:43:44
stephen rodgers - 01:43:58
JAMES FORD - 01:47:29
barry pascoe - 01:51:47
MICHAEL JAMES SHERRIFF - 01:51:53
Michelle Hartley - 01:54:55
Anne-Marie Shiels - 01:55:23
JOSEPH PRUDHAM - 01:56:40
Maria Marshall - 02:07:36
GRAEME SLESSER - 02:15:16
ALAN SLESSER - 02:15:16
SUSAN BARNES - 02:16:16
Jeff Clark - 02:23:00
Rachel Andrews - 02:23:08
Alison Slowther - 02:24:14
margaret quinn - 02:24:34
simon simpson - 02:31:14
JAMES BARKER - 02:32:50
Emily Coyne - 02:36:05
THOMAS FRANCIS QUINN - 02:43:34
ELEANOR THOMPSON - 02:55:15
Emma Winter - 03:02:20

Diary of a Scapa Virgin

I've been thinking of titles for this post all week, I came up with a few decent ones like (wo)Man verses Midge, The Cider and Soup diet, and The Wreck Witch finds Wrecks, but I think the Scapa Virgin sums it all up quite nicely.

So, a week off from running, replaced with a weeks work of wreck diving - superb

It all started early in the am on Saturday the 1st. I could start with all the planning and packing, and checking (and rechecking) I hadn't forgotten any kit, but it all kicked off with a 6:20 am pickup from my two diving club companions Hunter & Tommy. After an eight hour drive from my house in Felling, to John O Groats you might have thought we'd have ran out of things to chat about, but it was like traveling with two James Mays (of Top Gear fame), all very entertaining, they even managed a ten minute conversation on the merits of an articulated lorry trailer (yes I know the mind boggles), but it was all in good jest. In true magpie like diver form they even managed to find some kind of valve or switch in a car park eliciting much ooohing and ahhing :S

We caught the new Seacat ferry from Gill Bay, and after a short crossing, we were on the Orkney Islands!

By 9:30pm I'd eventually found the place I was staying (with the kind assistance of Gordon & Viv), and the lads headed off to the boat.

Sunday: My first day diving in Scapa Flow.

We were aboard the Sharon Rose, everyone all eager to get going, I didn't know everyone yet, but they all seemed very friendly. My buddy for the week was Tommy - which is just as well because most of the time I haven't got a sodding clue what I'm looking at, but he's happy to give me some sign-language-like clues .

I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I had thought it was going to be pretty cold, 14-17 degrees, that's almost tropical! It was soo much warmer than what I'm used to in the North Sea.

We dropped down the shot descending to our first wreck - the Köln or Coln

..the wreck was impressive, a massive hulking figure disappearing into the gloom, and this wasn't even one of the battleships, it was a light cruiser We didn't drop right off to the seabed, making it a canny bimble around at 29m. I'm not going to go on and on about the dives (even though I could I'd be here all night) but it was hard to get your head round the sheer scale of these ships.

A brief run down of the week went as follows:

Sunday
AM: Koln - 29m, PM: Karlsruhe - 23m
Monday
AM: Brummer - 35m , PM: The Doyle (blockship) - 13.5m
Tuesday
AM: Kronprintz Wilhelm - 36m, PM: Seydlitz - 21m
Wednesday
AM: Dresden II - 33m, PM: F2 & Barge - 16.5m
Thursday
AM: Konig - 39m, PM: V83 - 15m
Friday
AM: Dresden II, PM: Karlsruhe

The battleships were bloody enormous, the vis wasn't brilliant for the Kronprintz Wilhelm, but you could get an idea of the scale. The Konig was equally impressive, but my favourite dives of the week were the two we repeated for the Friday dives - the Dresden II and the Karlsruhe. I could have probably spent every dive of the week on the Karlsruhe and still been happy, it's a fantastic wreck dive with loads of stuff to see (here's some youtube footage).

Our non-diving (or at least my non-diving) highlight of the week was when the lads did their hard hat diving in Stromness harbour. I haven't had as much fun in ages. They were using some gear in the days before Scuba, with the big metal helmet, and the bloomin' heavy lead boots, and loads of lead hanging from their chest. Its surface fed, with two people operating a pump, basically the harder you pump, the quicker the air is fed to the suit - the diver has to hit a valve inside the helmet with their head to dump the air, or they automatically head to the surface.

The first to give it a go was Todd. After his bimble about in 4m, he made it up to the surface and bobbed about like the Michelin man face down in the water (I'll have piccies at some point). Tommy, Tony and Gordon all looked as if they had a fantastic time, grinning from ear to ear when the helmet came off.

Richie donned the suit, and after his epic trudge from the harbour wall 40m under the lifeboat and back, he made it to the point where he was going to do a graceful ascent back to the surface. He had the pleasure of Tony & I operating the pump for his turn though, and we'd decided that it would be much better if he could come out of the water at a pace, then float around like a beached whale . When we got the word he was ready to go, we picked up the pace so we were turning the wheel like some mad comedy hand operated railroad truck from a black & white movie. I was bloody knackered, but the cheers of applause & laughter from the gathered crowd told us we'd had the desired effect .

On to the midges. I have a few battle scars from the trip - not least the 14 (count them and weep) midge bites on my head alone, not forgetting the ones on my arms - I've been eaten alive , and that was only from one night in the garden!

I'm a happy bunny though...

My cider & soup diet appears to have done the trick. Normally I'd go on holiday and put of weight, but after a week of eating not much more than soup, apples and cornflakes during the day, then drinking (far too much) cider and eating fish & chips on the night I've some how managed to lose half a stone!!!!

To be fair I've done a lot of diving, and I did 5k runs before breakfast on the Monday, Tuesday & Thursday, but Ali's soup on the boat was the best soup I've ever tasted (wonder if he does take out), very very filling, and worth the trip for that alone. Not sure how the hell I managed to lose weight, but I'm not going to knock it.

I'm gonna call it a night before I ramble on and on and on, but I had a great time, and I'd be back up there next week if I had the time and spare coin.

Many many thanks to my dive buddy Tommy & Hunter for taking me up there, to the crew of the Sharon Rose - Kev & Ali, and Andy from the Jean Elaine, and to the rest of the group - Tony Twintanks, John, Stuart, Ruth, Richie, Gordon & Viv, Gordon (Hunter's bro), and Todd & Sam, for making it a cracking holiday!

...a Scapa Virgin no more