North Derbyshire Running Club 10k
17th December 2006
Race #4 - Report
With Christmas nearly upon us it meant only one thing to me in running terms. It was my final race of 2007. I have been planning this race for a couple of months, as many of my work colleagues showed a big interest in the event. However by the time the race came around there was only me running the race through a mix of injuries and late entries being declined.
The show as the say must go on and I awoke race day knowing I was going to set a personal best. I did my usual routine of walking around the block with a gentle jog at the end, before a shower and a light breakfast. I left for Heather’s (a Heanor Running Club member) house at 9am and shortly after we were en’ route up the M1 to Bolsover, Chesterfield, to the race which had been described as a ‘fast, flat course’. As you will have guessed by my early quote this was little white lie.
We arrived in Bolsover around 9.45am and walked around a mile to Bolsover School where the race was starting. This was a good chance to warm up as although sunny it was a very ‘fresh’ morning. We handed our bags in for storage in the main hall and proceeded to make our way to the start line.
Heather had told me that she had ran a similar time to mine in the previous race so we decided to run together but Heather said if I want to push on to do it and not worry about her.
The race started at 10.30am and immediately left the town centre and led out into the country. I felt like my calf’s were not warmed up adequately and I felt them tighten up very early in the race. Luckily it soon passed and I was in excellent spirit and was focused on that PB. I had just missed out in my last race so this time I was more than determined.
I remember on the route into Bolsover we saw a couple of the kilometer markers. The more noticeable one had to be the 4k marker. The reason I remember this clearly is just after the marker there was a large descent down, which of course meant that running the other way made it a nice little hill to climb. As we approached the 3k marker I looked at my watch and saw 23.03 and I signaled to Heather that we were well on course for a PB. I believe that the running gods saw this as a sign to take advantage of me and sent a chronic case of stitch my way. As we climbed the hill just before the 4k marker the stitch got that bad that I almost had to stop. I knew I couldn’t but I had no choice but to slow down.
The pain got steadily worse over the next two kilometers and I saw heather pull away into the distance as I continually had to press into my side in an attempt to shift the pain. It just never seemed to go and I remember thinking this is the worst I have felt in many runs and all I could think of is the Heanor 10k. I was on course for a PB and that dam stitch prevented me from getting it.
It was around the 7k mark that I noticed that the pain was starting to ease up and then suddenly it was gone. My breathing and slowing down had worked but I had lost a huge amount of time and I thought my PB would now be hit and miss. I decided there and then that my mental state at the beginning of the race was to end it with a PB and I was going to get it. I opened up the legs and really went for it. I began passing all the runners that had passed me. I was a man on a mission and I just knew that my stitch had gone. How I knew this I will never know but I just knew if I concentrated on my breathing that it would not be back.
At the 8k marker the course took a long descent down into a valley and I remember thinking that no hill this steep can end without a climb back up the other side. Low and behold at the bottom I saw the runners in front of me struggling up this mammoth hill. Having saved sop much energy whilst struggling with the stitch I ran up that hill with ease, passing many runners and feeling amazing in the process.
At the summit of the hill I felt a little fatigued but I remembered my training and my form and pace soon returned. I remember passing the 9k marker and you could see school and I thought “dam that’s a long way” and I looked at my watch and I do not remember the time all I remember is thinking that it was going top be very close.
I turned the penultimate corner and remember hearing a marshal say “At the top of this hill, sprint”. I reached the last corner and kicked it, passing many runners that I have become accustomed to since no matter how tired I am I always have that reserve for that final push. I crossed the line in forty seven minutes and eleven seconds. My chip time was a few seconds slower but I had done it, a new PB over 10k. Without that dam stitch I would have ran a sub forty five minutes, but hey there are many races in 2007 and I ended 2006 by setting a new record.
Conditions: Wet, Mild
Time: 47.04 (PB)
“If you want to hit the mark you must aim a little above it.”
New York City
"Running 26 miles around this place.....I can think of nothing better"
Monday, 18 December 2006
Friday, 15 December 2006
14th December 2006
Heanor Running Club
Speed Work - 16x300m ‘Repeats’
Date: 14th December 2006
Conditions: Mild, Wet
When I joined Heanor Running Club, Rob (Club Chairman) told me that if we do not have a race on the Sunday that we do speed work on the Thursday. If we do have a race we simply go for a gentle five to six mile run. Having the Bolsover 10k on Sunday meant that I prepared for the latter. How wrong could I have been? The majority of our club is not taking part in the race so speed work it was.
We left Heanor Leisure Centre for the one mile warm up run to Heanor Gate Industrial Estate. On arrival Rob informed me that we will be doing relay runs in pairs. I was paired up with a young lad of thirteen called Joe. Now I knew his fitness would be superior to mine as his body is still fresh, unlike the ten years of corruption mine has had to endure.
The relay works like this. Imagine a three hundred meter horse shoe. I start one side and Joe the other. I was running up hill and Joe down hill (I had the choice and I thought running up hill first had to be the safest option). Joe started and ran the three hundred meter’s to me. As he tags me and I begin the three hundred meter’s up to where he started, Joe has to jog up a path (around one hundred meters) ready for me to tag him again, and of course once I tag him I have to run down the path ready for him to tag me again. Sounds pretty simple, but try doing this eight times. Then try a three minute rest before changing over and doing another eight the opposite way.
After around six laps on the first set I honestly thought I would not complete the course but every time I was near the finish, Joe would be spurring me on and this kept me going. I also thought that the second set (down hill) would be far easier. This was true but the run back up the path killed me each time and from leg three I had chronic stitch which never shifted until I finished.
The main thing is I finished and once I had I was so glad I didn’t quit. Running with the team really kept me going and on the slow jog back to base I was really proud that I had completed this. I would like to take the Football team to do this just to see how they compare. I thought I was fit. I was wrong but I didn’t lose my fitness overnight so I don’t expect it to come back that quick either. I now have two days rest until the race, and boy am I going to need it.
Positive: I finished the course which at one point I thought I never would.
Negative: I realized that compared to these guys my fitness is severely lacking.
"Don't take anyone else's definition of success as your own."
Speed Work - 16x300m ‘Repeats’
Date: 14th December 2006
Conditions: Mild, Wet
When I joined Heanor Running Club, Rob (Club Chairman) told me that if we do not have a race on the Sunday that we do speed work on the Thursday. If we do have a race we simply go for a gentle five to six mile run. Having the Bolsover 10k on Sunday meant that I prepared for the latter. How wrong could I have been? The majority of our club is not taking part in the race so speed work it was.
We left Heanor Leisure Centre for the one mile warm up run to Heanor Gate Industrial Estate. On arrival Rob informed me that we will be doing relay runs in pairs. I was paired up with a young lad of thirteen called Joe. Now I knew his fitness would be superior to mine as his body is still fresh, unlike the ten years of corruption mine has had to endure.
The relay works like this. Imagine a three hundred meter horse shoe. I start one side and Joe the other. I was running up hill and Joe down hill (I had the choice and I thought running up hill first had to be the safest option). Joe started and ran the three hundred meter’s to me. As he tags me and I begin the three hundred meter’s up to where he started, Joe has to jog up a path (around one hundred meters) ready for me to tag him again, and of course once I tag him I have to run down the path ready for him to tag me again. Sounds pretty simple, but try doing this eight times. Then try a three minute rest before changing over and doing another eight the opposite way.
After around six laps on the first set I honestly thought I would not complete the course but every time I was near the finish, Joe would be spurring me on and this kept me going. I also thought that the second set (down hill) would be far easier. This was true but the run back up the path killed me each time and from leg three I had chronic stitch which never shifted until I finished.
The main thing is I finished and once I had I was so glad I didn’t quit. Running with the team really kept me going and on the slow jog back to base I was really proud that I had completed this. I would like to take the Football team to do this just to see how they compare. I thought I was fit. I was wrong but I didn’t lose my fitness overnight so I don’t expect it to come back that quick either. I now have two days rest until the race, and boy am I going to need it.
Positive: I finished the course which at one point I thought I never would.
Negative: I realized that compared to these guys my fitness is severely lacking.
"Don't take anyone else's definition of success as your own."
Tuesday, 12 December 2006
11th December 2006
3 Mile Run = Home - Woodhouse - Smalley Cross
Date: 11th December 2006
Conditions: Cold, Dry
Notes: Having not run over two miles since the Heanor 10k and my subsequent injury I had my reservations as the whether running three or four miles would be a good idea. I decided after a long warm up that I would wait until I reach the mile marker and then asses how both my fitness and hamstring felt.
I set out at a really slow pace and as I reached the mile marker I felt fantastic so I decided to make the run the four mile course I have ran so many times previously. I looked at my watch and to my amazement I ran a sub eight minute mile when I was aiming for a eight to nine minute mile.
As I ran down Dobholes Lane at mile two I remembered how I had struggled so many times with the approaching hill, and having not run through injury I was really worried that the hill will take it out of me, to the point that the rest of my run suffers. Again to my amazement I made it up the hill with ease and the following descend down towards mile three was one of the most enjoyable parts of any run to date. Reason being is every time I have been at this part of the run I have been suffering and wanted to pull out of the run. This time I was running down the hill with a huge smile on my face and I even spread my arms out as to mimic flying, because that’s how I felt!
As reached the mile two marker I still felt fantastic and the next mile which was undulating normally takes everything out of me. Not this time. I felt amazing and the Rocky tunes in my ears gave me that extra burst of energy ready for the long climb up towards Smalley at the mile three marker.
As I approached the hill my hamstring started to tighten up which worried me. Without even trying I was on for a personal best for the course but I did not care. As soon as I passed the mile three marker I stopped and stretched, deciding that I would finish timing my run here. I set a personal best for three miles in a training run without even trying. I was actually trying to do the opposite.
In closing I felt and feel good, my fitness levels are almost back to when I was peaking and I’m running faster in training than ever before. I will rest my hamstring tomorrow before returning to the streets on Wednesday for what will hopefully be another enjoyable run.
Positive: My fitness levels were far higher than I thought they would be.
Negative: I felt a slight pull in my hamstring at mile three.
Fast Mile: 7.55
Slow Mile: 8.16
Run Time: 0h23m08s
"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for; it is a thing to be achieved."
Date: 11th December 2006
Conditions: Cold, Dry
Notes: Having not run over two miles since the Heanor 10k and my subsequent injury I had my reservations as the whether running three or four miles would be a good idea. I decided after a long warm up that I would wait until I reach the mile marker and then asses how both my fitness and hamstring felt.
I set out at a really slow pace and as I reached the mile marker I felt fantastic so I decided to make the run the four mile course I have ran so many times previously. I looked at my watch and to my amazement I ran a sub eight minute mile when I was aiming for a eight to nine minute mile.
As I ran down Dobholes Lane at mile two I remembered how I had struggled so many times with the approaching hill, and having not run through injury I was really worried that the hill will take it out of me, to the point that the rest of my run suffers. Again to my amazement I made it up the hill with ease and the following descend down towards mile three was one of the most enjoyable parts of any run to date. Reason being is every time I have been at this part of the run I have been suffering and wanted to pull out of the run. This time I was running down the hill with a huge smile on my face and I even spread my arms out as to mimic flying, because that’s how I felt!
As reached the mile two marker I still felt fantastic and the next mile which was undulating normally takes everything out of me. Not this time. I felt amazing and the Rocky tunes in my ears gave me that extra burst of energy ready for the long climb up towards Smalley at the mile three marker.
As I approached the hill my hamstring started to tighten up which worried me. Without even trying I was on for a personal best for the course but I did not care. As soon as I passed the mile three marker I stopped and stretched, deciding that I would finish timing my run here. I set a personal best for three miles in a training run without even trying. I was actually trying to do the opposite.
In closing I felt and feel good, my fitness levels are almost back to when I was peaking and I’m running faster in training than ever before. I will rest my hamstring tomorrow before returning to the streets on Wednesday for what will hopefully be another enjoyable run.
Positive: My fitness levels were far higher than I thought they would be.
Negative: I felt a slight pull in my hamstring at mile three.
Fast Mile: 7.55
Slow Mile: 8.16
Run Time: 0h23m08s
"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for; it is a thing to be achieved."
Monday, 11 December 2006
First Marathon Date Set.....
I have made a decision on my first full marathon and that decsion is the Edinburgh Marathon 2007, which is on Sunday 27th May.
"Start by doing what's necessary, then what's possible and suddenly you are doing the impossible."
"Start by doing what's necessary, then what's possible and suddenly you are doing the impossible."
Friday, 8 December 2006
7th December 2006
2 Mile Run = Home – Adale Road - Home
Date: 7th December 2006
Conditions: Windy, Raining
Notes: This was my first road run since getting the all clear from the Physio. I went out in high spirits and not worrying about my leg. The rain was starting to come down but armed with my trusty Ipod I started the run and soon forgot about the weather. I hit the mile marker in a decent time without even trying too but I could tell I had not run for a while and my fitness levels had paid the price.
As I turned around at Adale road for the return mile the whole run changed. The wind and rain was right in my face and it made it like running up a mountain. It was the hardest conditions I had ran in to date and I could not wait for the run to end. I finished the run in a reasonable time but I know I must now put in the miles to be ready fro next weekends race.
Positive: My hamstring felt good and I believe my injury is now behind me.
Negative: The wind on the return leg made it like running up a mountain.
Fast Mile: 7.28
Slow Mile: 8.35
Run time: 0h16m03s
"If one asks for success and prepares for failure, he will get the situation he has prepared for."
Date: 7th December 2006
Conditions: Windy, Raining
Notes: This was my first road run since getting the all clear from the Physio. I went out in high spirits and not worrying about my leg. The rain was starting to come down but armed with my trusty Ipod I started the run and soon forgot about the weather. I hit the mile marker in a decent time without even trying too but I could tell I had not run for a while and my fitness levels had paid the price.
As I turned around at Adale road for the return mile the whole run changed. The wind and rain was right in my face and it made it like running up a mountain. It was the hardest conditions I had ran in to date and I could not wait for the run to end. I finished the run in a reasonable time but I know I must now put in the miles to be ready fro next weekends race.
Positive: My hamstring felt good and I believe my injury is now behind me.
Negative: The wind on the return leg made it like running up a mountain.
Fast Mile: 7.28
Slow Mile: 8.35
Run time: 0h16m03s
"If one asks for success and prepares for failure, he will get the situation he has prepared for."
Thursday, 7 December 2006
Acceptance.....!!!
Today is a good day. In fact no it's one of the happiest days of my life. Reason being, I have been accepted into the New York Marathon by one of it's official charities - 'Children with Leukaemia'.
Having informed them as to why I want to run for them, they immedialtely offered me the place once they learned about my friend's son having Leukaemia.
It is all now official. I will be running the New York Marathon, 4th November 2006 at 10.30am.
Having informed them as to why I want to run for them, they immedialtely offered me the place once they learned about my friend's son having Leukaemia.
It is all now official. I will be running the New York Marathon, 4th November 2006 at 10.30am.
Tuesday, 5 December 2006
4th December 2006
2 Mile Run = Breadsall Priory Gym
Date: 4th December 2006
Conditions: Indoors, Warm
Notes: With my hamstring still not 100% I decided to do a short run on the treadmill. I normally stay very clear of the treadmill as I find it so boring, but not to risk further injury I decided to give it a go. I warmed up on the cross trainer and then did two miles on the treadmill. Another thing about the treadmill is that it feels like you are running much faster than you actually are. I started slow and gradually picked up the pace, whilst also slightly adjusting the incline every minute or so. My hamstring felt a little tight afterwards but I followed the run with a twenty minute cycle and afterwards my leg felt ok. I am due to see a Physio again on Wednesday so fingers crossed he will have some good news for me.
Positive: My hamstring felt ok throughout the run.
Negative: My hamstring felt a little tight afterwards.
Fast Mile: 8.30
Slow Mile: 8.58
Run time: 0h17m28s
"The greatest test of courage on earth is to bear defeat without losing heart."
Date: 4th December 2006
Conditions: Indoors, Warm
Notes: With my hamstring still not 100% I decided to do a short run on the treadmill. I normally stay very clear of the treadmill as I find it so boring, but not to risk further injury I decided to give it a go. I warmed up on the cross trainer and then did two miles on the treadmill. Another thing about the treadmill is that it feels like you are running much faster than you actually are. I started slow and gradually picked up the pace, whilst also slightly adjusting the incline every minute or so. My hamstring felt a little tight afterwards but I followed the run with a twenty minute cycle and afterwards my leg felt ok. I am due to see a Physio again on Wednesday so fingers crossed he will have some good news for me.
Positive: My hamstring felt ok throughout the run.
Negative: My hamstring felt a little tight afterwards.
Fast Mile: 8.30
Slow Mile: 8.58
Run time: 0h17m28s
"The greatest test of courage on earth is to bear defeat without losing heart."
Monday, 4 December 2006
29th November 2006
2 Mile Run = Home – Adale Road – Home
Date: 29th November 2006
Conditions: Cold, Dry
Notes: Having injured my hamstring through not warming up in a training run, and then continuing training, and running the Heanor 10k, I have been advised by my Physio not to run for a week. I took this advice and rested. I decided to go for a very steady two mile run. I set out having warmed up for over twenty minutes at a pace which felt too slow but I was not going to risk further injury, after all this was purely a run to see how my hamstring was. I got to the half way point and my leg felt ok. I upped the pace for the return leg but only a fraction. Both miles were very slow but I was not out to break any records. By the end my leg felt ok but I will leave it another few days before beginning my intense build up to the Bolsover 10k on December 17th. This is a huge race as I have convinced people at work to join me.
Positive: My hamstring felt ok throughout the run.
Negative: I could tell my fitness levels have dropped.
Fast Mile: 8.40
Slow Mile: 9.07
Run time: 0h17m47s
"We only do well the things we like doing."
Date: 29th November 2006
Conditions: Cold, Dry
Notes: Having injured my hamstring through not warming up in a training run, and then continuing training, and running the Heanor 10k, I have been advised by my Physio not to run for a week. I took this advice and rested. I decided to go for a very steady two mile run. I set out having warmed up for over twenty minutes at a pace which felt too slow but I was not going to risk further injury, after all this was purely a run to see how my hamstring was. I got to the half way point and my leg felt ok. I upped the pace for the return leg but only a fraction. Both miles were very slow but I was not out to break any records. By the end my leg felt ok but I will leave it another few days before beginning my intense build up to the Bolsover 10k on December 17th. This is a huge race as I have convinced people at work to join me.
Positive: My hamstring felt ok throughout the run.
Negative: I could tell my fitness levels have dropped.
Fast Mile: 8.40
Slow Mile: 9.07
Run time: 0h17m47s
"We only do well the things we like doing."
Friday, 1 December 2006
Heanor 10k 2006
Heanor 10k ‘Pudding Run’
19th November 2006
Race #3 - Report
This was my third ever race. I was no longer new to race day events however this was no ordinary race. This was my local towns 10k race and more importantly my running clubs race. As stated in my first race report I don’t get nervous (I just spend all morning in the bathroom), however I did struggle to sleep last night so when I awoke at 7am I was very tired. On top of that my warm up jog around the block was a killer as freezing temperatures and overnight frost took its toll. The sun however was shining so I was optimistic of yet another excellent day for racing.
On return back to my house I had a light breakfast, consisting of a Nutrigrain bar and two plums. Having had a quick shower I soon got to warming up and stretching so to give my Hamstring the best chance of holding out throughout the race.
I left to pick up a friend at 9.30am and on arrival in Heanor, runners were already filling the streets. This felt more peculiar than any race so far as these were my streets and my town. Until now I had no idea of where I was on arrival in a race and where the race would take me. I hadn’t even lined up yet and already I could picture the whole course, which I am still deciding on whether this is a good or bad thing. I knew that at the 9k mark there is a grueling hill to climb which I was already thinking about.
I continued to warm up until the race started at 10.30am sharp. As we set off I was with the front runners until we reached the 1k mark and the climb up towards Smalley. This was very early in the race so the hill was a breeze, and it felt good running in the middle of a usually very busy road that I use every day. I felt good and the first of two hills was behind me.
The road through Smalley which was between kilometers two and four seemed to go on forever. I knew how far we had before we turned off for Bell lane but still it dragged on and on. As we reached the end of Kerry Drive (my street) in Smalley, I was welcomed by my own paparazzi in the form of Mum and Dad, which felt good and also gave them chance to see me in action as they only ever see me start and crossing the finish line.
After passing Mum and Dad it seemed like seconds rather that minutes until I was turning left off the main road and onto Bell Lane. Now Bell Lane was the highest point of the race so I was really looking forward to the long descent down towards Shipley Park. How wrong could I have been? I had done this run in training, but at a slower (much slower) pace and in the middle of summer. Not after a week of heavy rain!
First of all I had forgotten how deceiving the descent down was. Imagine a decent that still rises. That is Bell lane. It’s like an angled descent so you believe you are descending (which you are) but at the same time your legs are still feeling the strain of a hill. Coupled with the slush and pot holes made this the hardest part of any race to date. After a few minutes on this new surface I felt tired, I had the stitch and I saw my goal of a PR quickly fading away!
At the water station I had to walk for 5-10 seconds so to shift the chronic stitch I had incurred. It was at this point in the race that I truly realized that by having an injury and not training that it will without a doubt affect your next race. To top the whole thing off I could really start to feel my Hamstring tighten up.
Having pulled through the remainder of Bell Lane I entered Shipley Park in fairly low spirit but still determined to break my PB. As I approached the final hill I told myself this was it, one final push and it’s all over. The hill on Thorps Road was a killer. Once I was at the top I was physically and emotionally exhausted. I had just run my hardest race to date. I can honestly say that mile eleven in my first half marathon was easier than the final few hundred yards of this 10k. As I approached the final straight of the race I passed two of the elite runners from my running club, who had long finished but they gave me a burst of much welcomed energy and adrenaline. I saw the crowd near the finish line and kicked it, but as I came around the final corner with fifty yards to go I slipped and nearly fell. I managed to keep my balance and passed around four runners to cross the line in forty eight minutes and ten seconds. I finished 235th out of 590 finishers.
In closing this was a hard run. It was not until after the race that many of my clubs runners told me that it is a notoriously hard course and one of the hardest on the local circuit. Despite the course, my fitness levels and the injury I am carrying, I still crossed the line a mere thirty two seconds off my PB, and this course was harder (a lot harder) than my first 10k two races ago. I now know that had this been a flat course I would have smashed my PB, but what I have set is a PB for this course. Next year I smash this year’s time. That is not a goal it is a promise to myself.
Conditions: Sunny, Cold
Time: 48.10
"The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it."
19th November 2006
Race #3 - Report
This was my third ever race. I was no longer new to race day events however this was no ordinary race. This was my local towns 10k race and more importantly my running clubs race. As stated in my first race report I don’t get nervous (I just spend all morning in the bathroom), however I did struggle to sleep last night so when I awoke at 7am I was very tired. On top of that my warm up jog around the block was a killer as freezing temperatures and overnight frost took its toll. The sun however was shining so I was optimistic of yet another excellent day for racing.
On return back to my house I had a light breakfast, consisting of a Nutrigrain bar and two plums. Having had a quick shower I soon got to warming up and stretching so to give my Hamstring the best chance of holding out throughout the race.
I left to pick up a friend at 9.30am and on arrival in Heanor, runners were already filling the streets. This felt more peculiar than any race so far as these were my streets and my town. Until now I had no idea of where I was on arrival in a race and where the race would take me. I hadn’t even lined up yet and already I could picture the whole course, which I am still deciding on whether this is a good or bad thing. I knew that at the 9k mark there is a grueling hill to climb which I was already thinking about.
I continued to warm up until the race started at 10.30am sharp. As we set off I was with the front runners until we reached the 1k mark and the climb up towards Smalley. This was very early in the race so the hill was a breeze, and it felt good running in the middle of a usually very busy road that I use every day. I felt good and the first of two hills was behind me.
The road through Smalley which was between kilometers two and four seemed to go on forever. I knew how far we had before we turned off for Bell lane but still it dragged on and on. As we reached the end of Kerry Drive (my street) in Smalley, I was welcomed by my own paparazzi in the form of Mum and Dad, which felt good and also gave them chance to see me in action as they only ever see me start and crossing the finish line.
After passing Mum and Dad it seemed like seconds rather that minutes until I was turning left off the main road and onto Bell Lane. Now Bell Lane was the highest point of the race so I was really looking forward to the long descent down towards Shipley Park. How wrong could I have been? I had done this run in training, but at a slower (much slower) pace and in the middle of summer. Not after a week of heavy rain!
First of all I had forgotten how deceiving the descent down was. Imagine a decent that still rises. That is Bell lane. It’s like an angled descent so you believe you are descending (which you are) but at the same time your legs are still feeling the strain of a hill. Coupled with the slush and pot holes made this the hardest part of any race to date. After a few minutes on this new surface I felt tired, I had the stitch and I saw my goal of a PR quickly fading away!
At the water station I had to walk for 5-10 seconds so to shift the chronic stitch I had incurred. It was at this point in the race that I truly realized that by having an injury and not training that it will without a doubt affect your next race. To top the whole thing off I could really start to feel my Hamstring tighten up.
Having pulled through the remainder of Bell Lane I entered Shipley Park in fairly low spirit but still determined to break my PB. As I approached the final hill I told myself this was it, one final push and it’s all over. The hill on Thorps Road was a killer. Once I was at the top I was physically and emotionally exhausted. I had just run my hardest race to date. I can honestly say that mile eleven in my first half marathon was easier than the final few hundred yards of this 10k. As I approached the final straight of the race I passed two of the elite runners from my running club, who had long finished but they gave me a burst of much welcomed energy and adrenaline. I saw the crowd near the finish line and kicked it, but as I came around the final corner with fifty yards to go I slipped and nearly fell. I managed to keep my balance and passed around four runners to cross the line in forty eight minutes and ten seconds. I finished 235th out of 590 finishers.
In closing this was a hard run. It was not until after the race that many of my clubs runners told me that it is a notoriously hard course and one of the hardest on the local circuit. Despite the course, my fitness levels and the injury I am carrying, I still crossed the line a mere thirty two seconds off my PB, and this course was harder (a lot harder) than my first 10k two races ago. I now know that had this been a flat course I would have smashed my PB, but what I have set is a PB for this course. Next year I smash this year’s time. That is not a goal it is a promise to myself.
Conditions: Sunny, Cold
Time: 48.10
"The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it."
16th November 2006
2 Mile Run = Home – Dobholes Lane – Home
Date: 16th November 2006
Conditions: Cold, Dry
Notes: Having suffered with the strain in my right Hamstring for the past week or so I was beginning to worry about my chances of running a PB in the forthcoming Heanor 10k. There will be double emphasis on this race as not only is it my local town’s race it is also my running clubs race so the need to impress my piers is even more so.
I decided to go out for a very gentle two miles just to limber up ready for the race on Sunday. I did not bother with timing the run I simply warmed up, ran a mile, then stretched and finally ran the last mile home.
The first mile was ok and having stretched at the mile marker the second mile was fairly easy too. I could feel my Hamstring was tightening up towards the end so not pushing it turned out to be a wise decision.
Positive: I really took my time and the extra stretching was invaluable.
Negative: Only bad thing was I hate not timing runs.
Fast Mile: N/A
Slow Mile: N/A
Run time: N/A
“It is in our moments of decision that shape our destiny.”
Date: 16th November 2006
Conditions: Cold, Dry
Notes: Having suffered with the strain in my right Hamstring for the past week or so I was beginning to worry about my chances of running a PB in the forthcoming Heanor 10k. There will be double emphasis on this race as not only is it my local town’s race it is also my running clubs race so the need to impress my piers is even more so.
I decided to go out for a very gentle two miles just to limber up ready for the race on Sunday. I did not bother with timing the run I simply warmed up, ran a mile, then stretched and finally ran the last mile home.
The first mile was ok and having stretched at the mile marker the second mile was fairly easy too. I could feel my Hamstring was tightening up towards the end so not pushing it turned out to be a wise decision.
Positive: I really took my time and the extra stretching was invaluable.
Negative: Only bad thing was I hate not timing runs.
Fast Mile: N/A
Slow Mile: N/A
Run time: N/A
“It is in our moments of decision that shape our destiny.”
9th November 2006
Heanor Running Club
6 Mile Training Run
Date: 9th November 2006
Conditions: Cold, Dry
I arrived at Heanor Leisure Centre expecting to run to Heanor Gate industrial estate to do speed work. On arrival I found that we would be running to Ilkeston Hospital and back which is roughly six miles.
It was a very cold night so I was sure to spend a good half hour prior to meeting warming up. As we set out I felt good and could not feel the strain in my right leg that I picked up on Monday.
The run was going well until around the second mile where my legs felt really tired and I found it hard to breathe. The elite runners of the group started to pull away and I was sort of left behind but this did not bother me. What I learned was that just one week off from training can cause you to regress rapidly and this had happened to me. Little over a week ago I was running a half marathon with ease and here I am now struggling to run after only two miles. I was also getting the diaphragm pain that has haunted me since my training began.
As we reached Ilkeston Hospital I was really tired and I was finding it hard to breathe. I realized that this was just one of those few runs that you do not enjoy. We lapped around the hospital and began our journey back. Just knowing that we were now heading home gave me a boost.
It was at this point in the race that I started to really feel the strain in my right Hamstring but aerobically I was starting to feel better and it was then I realized that no matter how tired or low you feel during a run, if you concentrate hard on your breathing and form it soon passes. That it did and I was soon feeling great again.
The next two miles passed easily and the final push up towards Heanor really tested me but once at the top as mentioned so many times I just concentrated on the form I had lost on the incline, and the final straight along Ilkeston Road back to Heanor Leisure Centre was just a formality.
In closing and all honesty, I hated this run from start to finish. The second half was easier that the first but it is a run I will put down to experience. Regardless of fitness or motivation, not all runs will bring the same enjoyment as others.
Positive: Running with the team kept me going even when it was really hard.
Negative: This was one of those really hard runs that I did not enjoy.
Fast Mile: N/A
Slow Mile: N/A
"The human spirit is stronger than anything that can happen to it."
6 Mile Training Run
Date: 9th November 2006
Conditions: Cold, Dry
I arrived at Heanor Leisure Centre expecting to run to Heanor Gate industrial estate to do speed work. On arrival I found that we would be running to Ilkeston Hospital and back which is roughly six miles.
It was a very cold night so I was sure to spend a good half hour prior to meeting warming up. As we set out I felt good and could not feel the strain in my right leg that I picked up on Monday.
The run was going well until around the second mile where my legs felt really tired and I found it hard to breathe. The elite runners of the group started to pull away and I was sort of left behind but this did not bother me. What I learned was that just one week off from training can cause you to regress rapidly and this had happened to me. Little over a week ago I was running a half marathon with ease and here I am now struggling to run after only two miles. I was also getting the diaphragm pain that has haunted me since my training began.
As we reached Ilkeston Hospital I was really tired and I was finding it hard to breathe. I realized that this was just one of those few runs that you do not enjoy. We lapped around the hospital and began our journey back. Just knowing that we were now heading home gave me a boost.
It was at this point in the race that I started to really feel the strain in my right Hamstring but aerobically I was starting to feel better and it was then I realized that no matter how tired or low you feel during a run, if you concentrate hard on your breathing and form it soon passes. That it did and I was soon feeling great again.
The next two miles passed easily and the final push up towards Heanor really tested me but once at the top as mentioned so many times I just concentrated on the form I had lost on the incline, and the final straight along Ilkeston Road back to Heanor Leisure Centre was just a formality.
In closing and all honesty, I hated this run from start to finish. The second half was easier that the first but it is a run I will put down to experience. Regardless of fitness or motivation, not all runs will bring the same enjoyment as others.
Positive: Running with the team kept me going even when it was really hard.
Negative: This was one of those really hard runs that I did not enjoy.
Fast Mile: N/A
Slow Mile: N/A
"The human spirit is stronger than anything that can happen to it."
6th November 2006
3 Mile Run = Home – Smalley Cross – Dobholes Lane
Date: 6th November 2006
Conditions: Cold, Dry
Notes: This was my first run since my half marathon. I had spent a week getting all the necessary rest so I could get back into my training this week. This was originally going to be a four mile run but due to me being too eager and an insufficient warm up I had to pull out during the final mile.
We are now well into the winter months and the nights are cold and dark. As I left the house I was extremely cold but that soon passed once I started running. I took my time with mile one and as it was dark I took extra care at kerbs to ensure I did not injure myself.
As I passed the one mile marker I felt really good and I know now that I was too eager having not run for over a week and so I decided to up the pace as I felt I was ok with it. I ran the second mile with ease and was only eight seconds off my PB.
The third mile was the killer. It was a steep climb up Wood Lane and I was running it far too quick at the start. Half way up the fatigue started to kick in and I could tell it had been a while since I had ran. I reached the top and in a respectable time.
As in past runs I knew that once at the top and back on a steady flat that I would recover from the hill and soon regain the form I lost on the climb. This never happened and I felt my right Quadricep/Hamstring getting tighter and tighter. I decided to stop and knew exactly why what happened, happened. I had not warmed up properly and had gone out far too quickly. I am now carrying an injury and have learnt my lesson the hard way.
Positive: I was running at a comfortable sub eight minute pace prior to my injury.
Negative: I pulled a muscle in my leg due to a poor warm up and over eagerness.
Fast Mile: 7.14
Slow Mile: 8.49
Run time: 0h23m58s
"Lord grant that I may always desire more than I can accomplish."
Date: 6th November 2006
Conditions: Cold, Dry
Notes: This was my first run since my half marathon. I had spent a week getting all the necessary rest so I could get back into my training this week. This was originally going to be a four mile run but due to me being too eager and an insufficient warm up I had to pull out during the final mile.
We are now well into the winter months and the nights are cold and dark. As I left the house I was extremely cold but that soon passed once I started running. I took my time with mile one and as it was dark I took extra care at kerbs to ensure I did not injure myself.
As I passed the one mile marker I felt really good and I know now that I was too eager having not run for over a week and so I decided to up the pace as I felt I was ok with it. I ran the second mile with ease and was only eight seconds off my PB.
The third mile was the killer. It was a steep climb up Wood Lane and I was running it far too quick at the start. Half way up the fatigue started to kick in and I could tell it had been a while since I had ran. I reached the top and in a respectable time.
As in past runs I knew that once at the top and back on a steady flat that I would recover from the hill and soon regain the form I lost on the climb. This never happened and I felt my right Quadricep/Hamstring getting tighter and tighter. I decided to stop and knew exactly why what happened, happened. I had not warmed up properly and had gone out far too quickly. I am now carrying an injury and have learnt my lesson the hard way.
Positive: I was running at a comfortable sub eight minute pace prior to my injury.
Negative: I pulled a muscle in my leg due to a poor warm up and over eagerness.
Fast Mile: 7.14
Slow Mile: 8.49
Run time: 0h23m58s
"Lord grant that I may always desire more than I can accomplish."
Worksop Half Marathon 2006
25th Worksop Half Marathon
29th October 2006
Race #2 - Report
I have been running little over ten weeks and during this time I have covered around 80 miles which for a dedicated runner is a mere two weeks worth of miles. I took all the advice thrown my way and did not rush into anything. This time was supposed to be for base building so that come the November 4th 2007 I could run the New York Marathon comfortably. This was until I tasted a ‘race day’ three weeks ago when I ran my first ever 10k. The ‘buzz’ I got from crossing the finish line was unreal and I knew there and then that running was becoming a way of life and not just a means to get fit in time for next November.
People told me I was mad for entering a half marathon so soon but I believed I could do it and knew I had put the work in to be able to get round the course in one piece. I had been carrying an injury for over a week on my left shin and this nearly caused me to pull out. I decided however on Saturday night that I would be running on the Sunday and that I would take whatever pain came with it.
I awoke three hours before my race (I planned it to be two but having put the clocks back but forgot to set mine I was up at 7am instead of 8am). This gave me plenty of time for a light breakfast and a good warm up ready for the start of the race at 10.30am.
I left for the race at 9am and arrived around 9.45am in the middle of Worksop. I expected a closed off town and hundreds of runners to be crowding the streets. I could see a few runners but nothing to the scale I expected. We made our way to the starting area and that’s when I saw all the runners I had expected to see on arrival. Now there were only sixteen hundred starters but having run my first race with four hundred entrants it seemed more like sixteen thousand.
I did my warm up and made my way to the starting line. There was a delay due to a guy having an epileptic fit, but once he was cared for by the paramedics on call, we were off. The sun was shining and this had brought many of the locals out so there were hundreds of people clapping and cheering as we set off.
The first mile was relatively flat as the route led out of the town centre and through the suburbs, but that all changed very soon.
The next two miles were a hundred meters flat followed by three hundred meter climbs, over and over for what seemed like an eternity. As I reached the third mile marker I looked around and all I could see was a valley. We had to start descending soon as there was nothing left to climb. We were only three miles into the run and I felt good but I was already sick of the hills.
Then it came, a long descent down towards the first drinks station at the mile four marker. What I found at this stage in the race was that I was going from feeling amazing to tired, back and forth every few seconds. This was all forgotten when I saw a guy not only running the marathon but pushing his disabled brother round in a wheelchair. I had so much respect for this guy that it gave me an injection of energy and determination.
After the mile four marker the course became a steady flat run along a country lane that led into Clumber Park where we were greeted by the first official race photographers. At this point I noticed a girl I thought I recognized form school. It turned out not to be her but I noticed that for around the next three miles we were passing each other back and forth. She really helped me through that part of the course as it just seemed to go on and on.
At the six mile marker I asked a guy running next to me how long we had been running (silly me forgot to start my watch). Amazingly he said 47minutes. Here was me thinking that I was running at a very conservative pace and I had run the first 10k in the same time I had ran my first ever 10k. Now to say I took over a minute a mile off my training time during that first race I was astounded that I was running at that pace without even knowing it. I guess that speed work with my running club worked without me even knowing it.
The second set of hills came at around mile seven but there was a good crowd at this point so they carried me up the hill. I felt a little fatigued at the top so I opened the gel I had been carrying since the start. This was a bad mistake as a combination of the weather and my body heat had took its toll on the once cool gel and as I took a gulp I nearly choked on the hot sticky gel. Luckily the next water station was just around the corner and after downing two cups of water I was back on track again. The energy gel was soon thrown into the woods.
My favorite part of the run was as we left Clumber Park and entered Sherwood Forest. The surroundings were amazing, hundreds of tall trees and just a long straight road through the middle. I remember hearing a lady say that there were no more hills and I was very thankful of this. I cannot clearly remember passing the next two or three mile markers but I remember entering the ‘zone’ and blocking everything out as there was a constant string of runners stopping to rest and I was determined not to join them.
The next clear marker I remember was mile eleven. I will never forget this mile as it was the hardest thing I have ever done. The furthest I had ever ran prior to that day was seven miles so every step I took I was breaking my record. I remember thinking that the lady who said that there were no more hills forgot one, the mental hill. I will always remember how much I had to dig deep to get me through that mile. My legs had never felt so tight and my energy levels were at zero. If the ‘wall’ myth is true then I believe I hit it. I was running on pure determination. I remember re entering civilization late in mile eleven and as we passed Worksop College I knew that the final push was soon to be upon me.
We came out of the college grounds and I saw it, it was like a giant firework display in the middle of a dark desert, the mile twelve marker. The feelings I got from passing that marker were too good to explain. All I can say is writing this down has sent shivers down my spine. I had made it. One more mile and after running twelve I could have ran that last mile with a broken leg. As we came down the final road I saw a crowd of people in the distance and I knew there and then that just around that corner were the finish line and two very proud parents. I entered the final straight to hundreds of claps and cheers and as soon as I saw the finish line I kicked it and sprinted past many runners to cross the line.
My goal was simply to finish the race. I told everyone finishing was the main thing but I would like to run a sub two hour race. My personal goal which only I knew about was sub one hour fifty. I crossed the line in 1.49.58 (Chip time 1.49.33). Could I have cut it any finer!!
I saw my parents who both had enormous smiles and seeing this gave me so much pleasure. I will never forget crossing that line. I had done it and beaten all three goals but more importantly I am half way to running a marathon and I have exactly a year until New York.
Conditions: Warm, Sunny
Time: 1.49.33 (PB)
"In the face of uncertainty, there is nothing wrong with hope."
29th October 2006
Race #2 - Report
I have been running little over ten weeks and during this time I have covered around 80 miles which for a dedicated runner is a mere two weeks worth of miles. I took all the advice thrown my way and did not rush into anything. This time was supposed to be for base building so that come the November 4th 2007 I could run the New York Marathon comfortably. This was until I tasted a ‘race day’ three weeks ago when I ran my first ever 10k. The ‘buzz’ I got from crossing the finish line was unreal and I knew there and then that running was becoming a way of life and not just a means to get fit in time for next November.
People told me I was mad for entering a half marathon so soon but I believed I could do it and knew I had put the work in to be able to get round the course in one piece. I had been carrying an injury for over a week on my left shin and this nearly caused me to pull out. I decided however on Saturday night that I would be running on the Sunday and that I would take whatever pain came with it.
I awoke three hours before my race (I planned it to be two but having put the clocks back but forgot to set mine I was up at 7am instead of 8am). This gave me plenty of time for a light breakfast and a good warm up ready for the start of the race at 10.30am.
I left for the race at 9am and arrived around 9.45am in the middle of Worksop. I expected a closed off town and hundreds of runners to be crowding the streets. I could see a few runners but nothing to the scale I expected. We made our way to the starting area and that’s when I saw all the runners I had expected to see on arrival. Now there were only sixteen hundred starters but having run my first race with four hundred entrants it seemed more like sixteen thousand.
I did my warm up and made my way to the starting line. There was a delay due to a guy having an epileptic fit, but once he was cared for by the paramedics on call, we were off. The sun was shining and this had brought many of the locals out so there were hundreds of people clapping and cheering as we set off.
The first mile was relatively flat as the route led out of the town centre and through the suburbs, but that all changed very soon.
The next two miles were a hundred meters flat followed by three hundred meter climbs, over and over for what seemed like an eternity. As I reached the third mile marker I looked around and all I could see was a valley. We had to start descending soon as there was nothing left to climb. We were only three miles into the run and I felt good but I was already sick of the hills.
Then it came, a long descent down towards the first drinks station at the mile four marker. What I found at this stage in the race was that I was going from feeling amazing to tired, back and forth every few seconds. This was all forgotten when I saw a guy not only running the marathon but pushing his disabled brother round in a wheelchair. I had so much respect for this guy that it gave me an injection of energy and determination.
After the mile four marker the course became a steady flat run along a country lane that led into Clumber Park where we were greeted by the first official race photographers. At this point I noticed a girl I thought I recognized form school. It turned out not to be her but I noticed that for around the next three miles we were passing each other back and forth. She really helped me through that part of the course as it just seemed to go on and on.
At the six mile marker I asked a guy running next to me how long we had been running (silly me forgot to start my watch). Amazingly he said 47minutes. Here was me thinking that I was running at a very conservative pace and I had run the first 10k in the same time I had ran my first ever 10k. Now to say I took over a minute a mile off my training time during that first race I was astounded that I was running at that pace without even knowing it. I guess that speed work with my running club worked without me even knowing it.
The second set of hills came at around mile seven but there was a good crowd at this point so they carried me up the hill. I felt a little fatigued at the top so I opened the gel I had been carrying since the start. This was a bad mistake as a combination of the weather and my body heat had took its toll on the once cool gel and as I took a gulp I nearly choked on the hot sticky gel. Luckily the next water station was just around the corner and after downing two cups of water I was back on track again. The energy gel was soon thrown into the woods.
My favorite part of the run was as we left Clumber Park and entered Sherwood Forest. The surroundings were amazing, hundreds of tall trees and just a long straight road through the middle. I remember hearing a lady say that there were no more hills and I was very thankful of this. I cannot clearly remember passing the next two or three mile markers but I remember entering the ‘zone’ and blocking everything out as there was a constant string of runners stopping to rest and I was determined not to join them.
The next clear marker I remember was mile eleven. I will never forget this mile as it was the hardest thing I have ever done. The furthest I had ever ran prior to that day was seven miles so every step I took I was breaking my record. I remember thinking that the lady who said that there were no more hills forgot one, the mental hill. I will always remember how much I had to dig deep to get me through that mile. My legs had never felt so tight and my energy levels were at zero. If the ‘wall’ myth is true then I believe I hit it. I was running on pure determination. I remember re entering civilization late in mile eleven and as we passed Worksop College I knew that the final push was soon to be upon me.
We came out of the college grounds and I saw it, it was like a giant firework display in the middle of a dark desert, the mile twelve marker. The feelings I got from passing that marker were too good to explain. All I can say is writing this down has sent shivers down my spine. I had made it. One more mile and after running twelve I could have ran that last mile with a broken leg. As we came down the final road I saw a crowd of people in the distance and I knew there and then that just around that corner were the finish line and two very proud parents. I entered the final straight to hundreds of claps and cheers and as soon as I saw the finish line I kicked it and sprinted past many runners to cross the line.
My goal was simply to finish the race. I told everyone finishing was the main thing but I would like to run a sub two hour race. My personal goal which only I knew about was sub one hour fifty. I crossed the line in 1.49.58 (Chip time 1.49.33). Could I have cut it any finer!!
I saw my parents who both had enormous smiles and seeing this gave me so much pleasure. I will never forget crossing that line. I had done it and beaten all three goals but more importantly I am half way to running a marathon and I have exactly a year until New York.
Conditions: Warm, Sunny
Time: 1.49.33 (PB)
"In the face of uncertainty, there is nothing wrong with hope."
22nd October 2006
3 Mile Run = Breadsall Priory – Morley Hayes - Home
Date: 22nd October 2006
Conditions: Cool, Dry
Notes: Today is one week before the Worksop Half Marathon. I am facing one major problem in the build up to this race. Whether to run it or not! The pain I have been experiencing in my left shin has not eased up at all and I am starting to wonder if the pain is the start of shin splints?
I decided that my usual Sunday long run should be replaced by a shorter ‘test’ run to see how my leg felt at the end of the run. I got a lift to the Gym where I did a twenty minute warm up in the pool followed by a stretch session to prepare myself for the run home.
Having done a full warm up I felt ready for the three mile run home but I really took at steady as I did not care about my time but more about whether my leg will endure thirteen miles in seven days time. It turned out that my first mile was well under eight minutes but I thought I was going really slowly and my leg felt ok.
As I got to about half way into mile two I did feel my leg start to ache slightly but nothing major. I was still running really slowly and this was shown as mile two was nearly one minute slower than mile one.
As I passed the mile two marker and approached the dreaded hill up to Smalley I was apprehensive as to how I would be physically once at the top. It turns out I was fine and the aching in my leg never got any worse. I crossed the finish line thinking if this is all the pain will come to then I will run the race. I am seeing a Physiotherapist on Tuesday however to get a professional opinion. If she clears me then its Woksop here I come!!
Positive: I believe I am ready for the Half Marathon.
Negative: have still not ran over 10 miles and the Half Marathon is here.
Fast Mile: 7.43
Slow Mile: 8.51
Run time: 0h25m03s
“It is in our moments of decision that shape our destiny.”
Date: 22nd October 2006
Conditions: Cool, Dry
Notes: Today is one week before the Worksop Half Marathon. I am facing one major problem in the build up to this race. Whether to run it or not! The pain I have been experiencing in my left shin has not eased up at all and I am starting to wonder if the pain is the start of shin splints?
I decided that my usual Sunday long run should be replaced by a shorter ‘test’ run to see how my leg felt at the end of the run. I got a lift to the Gym where I did a twenty minute warm up in the pool followed by a stretch session to prepare myself for the run home.
Having done a full warm up I felt ready for the three mile run home but I really took at steady as I did not care about my time but more about whether my leg will endure thirteen miles in seven days time. It turned out that my first mile was well under eight minutes but I thought I was going really slowly and my leg felt ok.
As I got to about half way into mile two I did feel my leg start to ache slightly but nothing major. I was still running really slowly and this was shown as mile two was nearly one minute slower than mile one.
As I passed the mile two marker and approached the dreaded hill up to Smalley I was apprehensive as to how I would be physically once at the top. It turns out I was fine and the aching in my leg never got any worse. I crossed the finish line thinking if this is all the pain will come to then I will run the race. I am seeing a Physiotherapist on Tuesday however to get a professional opinion. If she clears me then its Woksop here I come!!
Positive: I believe I am ready for the Half Marathon.
Negative: have still not ran over 10 miles and the Half Marathon is here.
Fast Mile: 7.43
Slow Mile: 8.51
Run time: 0h25m03s
“It is in our moments of decision that shape our destiny.”
19th October 2006
Heanor Running Club
Speed Work - 12x200m + 10x100m ‘Repeats’
Date: 19th October 2006
Conditions: Mild, Dry
This was my first taste of speed work training and it was a real challenge but more importantly I know this style of training will help come race day.
We started at Heanor Leisure Centre and did a fifteen minute warm up by running down to Heanor Gate industrial estate. Once there we started off by doing 12 x 200 meter sprints. Six downhill and six up, with a forty second break in between each leg. I was pared with a Pete, who runs a thirty eight minute 10k so I knew he would be running the two hundred meter shuttles at a fast pace. The first six were ok but I started to feel it at around leg seven. I finished all of the two hundred meter sprints but was absolutely shattered.
As stated in an earlier log however, my recovery time was becoming really short so I was ready for the next part of the training within minutes of finishing the first part. The second part consisted of 10 x 100 meter strides. The idea of this session was to start off slowly and get to a sprint by fifty meters and then slow it back down to a stride by the end of the leg. I really enjoyed these but again they got hard as the break in between each one was cut to twenty seconds. By the end of the ten legs my legs felt really tight and I knew I had done a hard session. After a minutes rest we headed off back to Heanor Leisure Centre. This was our cool down so we ran a really steady pace. This gave me chance to talk to Pete (club secretary) and get to know more about the club. By the time we reached the leisure centre we had ran over five miles but it felt like ten as most of it was done at finish line pace!
In closing I really felt the benefit from this run and know I have made a wise decision by joining a running club. I will not be attending next weeks training session as I will be tapering off ready for the Worksop Half Marathon.
Positive: I know that this training will be of huge benefit on race days.
Negative: My left shin was aching by the end but I iced it immediately.
"Our real problem, then, is not our strength today; it is rather the vital necessity of action today to ensure our strength tomorrow."
Speed Work - 12x200m + 10x100m ‘Repeats’
Date: 19th October 2006
Conditions: Mild, Dry
This was my first taste of speed work training and it was a real challenge but more importantly I know this style of training will help come race day.
We started at Heanor Leisure Centre and did a fifteen minute warm up by running down to Heanor Gate industrial estate. Once there we started off by doing 12 x 200 meter sprints. Six downhill and six up, with a forty second break in between each leg. I was pared with a Pete, who runs a thirty eight minute 10k so I knew he would be running the two hundred meter shuttles at a fast pace. The first six were ok but I started to feel it at around leg seven. I finished all of the two hundred meter sprints but was absolutely shattered.
As stated in an earlier log however, my recovery time was becoming really short so I was ready for the next part of the training within minutes of finishing the first part. The second part consisted of 10 x 100 meter strides. The idea of this session was to start off slowly and get to a sprint by fifty meters and then slow it back down to a stride by the end of the leg. I really enjoyed these but again they got hard as the break in between each one was cut to twenty seconds. By the end of the ten legs my legs felt really tight and I knew I had done a hard session. After a minutes rest we headed off back to Heanor Leisure Centre. This was our cool down so we ran a really steady pace. This gave me chance to talk to Pete (club secretary) and get to know more about the club. By the time we reached the leisure centre we had ran over five miles but it felt like ten as most of it was done at finish line pace!
In closing I really felt the benefit from this run and know I have made a wise decision by joining a running club. I will not be attending next weeks training session as I will be tapering off ready for the Worksop Half Marathon.
Positive: I know that this training will be of huge benefit on race days.
Negative: My left shin was aching by the end but I iced it immediately.
"Our real problem, then, is not our strength today; it is rather the vital necessity of action today to ensure our strength tomorrow."
15th October 2006
10 Mile Run = Home – Denby – Ripley – Codnor – Heanor - Heanor Gate School
Date: 15th October 2006
Conditions: Mild, Dry
Notes: Having took a risk and signed up for the Worksop Half Marathon before I had done my test run, today’s ten miler was even more important to me than before. I had stayed in all weekend and felt like I was ready for the challenge ahead. I awoke and prepared myself as though this was an official race.
As I started off I felt more than fine but decided that it was vitally important that I forgot all about time and concentrated on finishing the run. I did still however time the run purely for my training log.
As I passed the one mile marker I felt a slight pain in my left leg which I thought nothing more of but did know that it may be due to me slipping on my ankle in Wednesday’s outing with Heanor Running Club. I had not mentioned this previously as at the time of the accident, I had no pain and thought nothing more of it.
I continued with my run but the pain never went away. I was also feeling a slight cramp in my right foot, so from mile three to mile four was the hardest part of any run to date. What was sickening though was the fact that I felt fantastic physically, and had it not been for the pain in my legs I would have really enjoyed this run and would have finished it, knowing I can push that extra three miles on race day.
I decided that at mile four I would pull out of this run and walk the a mile to my mates for a lift home. I was absolutely distraught, but I know it was better to pull out of the run before I gained a serious injury which would have ultimately ended my chances of finishing the Worksop Half Marathon in two weeks time.
I know with the enough rest, hard training and the right mental approach that I will finish the race and finish it well. I am still after the sub two hour time.
Positive: My fitness level felt great. I never once got out of breath.
Negative: I had to abort the run after four miles due to a slight injury.
Fast Mile: 8.21
Slow Mile: 9.09
Run time: N/A
“In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.”
Date: 15th October 2006
Conditions: Mild, Dry
Notes: Having took a risk and signed up for the Worksop Half Marathon before I had done my test run, today’s ten miler was even more important to me than before. I had stayed in all weekend and felt like I was ready for the challenge ahead. I awoke and prepared myself as though this was an official race.
As I started off I felt more than fine but decided that it was vitally important that I forgot all about time and concentrated on finishing the run. I did still however time the run purely for my training log.
As I passed the one mile marker I felt a slight pain in my left leg which I thought nothing more of but did know that it may be due to me slipping on my ankle in Wednesday’s outing with Heanor Running Club. I had not mentioned this previously as at the time of the accident, I had no pain and thought nothing more of it.
I continued with my run but the pain never went away. I was also feeling a slight cramp in my right foot, so from mile three to mile four was the hardest part of any run to date. What was sickening though was the fact that I felt fantastic physically, and had it not been for the pain in my legs I would have really enjoyed this run and would have finished it, knowing I can push that extra three miles on race day.
I decided that at mile four I would pull out of this run and walk the a mile to my mates for a lift home. I was absolutely distraught, but I know it was better to pull out of the run before I gained a serious injury which would have ultimately ended my chances of finishing the Worksop Half Marathon in two weeks time.
I know with the enough rest, hard training and the right mental approach that I will finish the race and finish it well. I am still after the sub two hour time.
Positive: My fitness level felt great. I never once got out of breath.
Negative: I had to abort the run after four miles due to a slight injury.
Fast Mile: 8.21
Slow Mile: 9.09
Run time: N/A
“In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.”
12th October 2006
Heanor Running Club
4 Mile Training Run
Date: 12th October 2006
Conditions: Mild, Dry
I decided that if I am going to take my running serious that it would make sense to join a running club. Being born and raised in Heanor made it an easy decision to join Heanor Running Club. They also have a very successful team who win many of the events they enter.
We met at Heanor Leisure Centre at 7pm but were informed that they were running up towards Smalley. Sods law that I come down Heanor to run a different route and the team is running up to where I live. To stop me being stuck up Smalley with my car in Heanor I decided to join the team at the top of my road and finish the run into Horsley Woodhouse.
Whilst waiting I did a vigorous warm up and once the team arrived in Smalley I joined them, at a pace which I was more than happy with. I run a little quicker on my own but it was a comfortable pace. From my house we ran the route I have done so many times (Home - Woodhouse - Smalley Cross – Home). However for the first time since my running began I did the route in reverse and maybe it was the team that helped me on but I found this run far easier than any before.
For the first mile through Smalley and down towards Smalley Cross I was talking to a guy the whole way and never tired. I was running at what they call conversational pace. I could not run at any pace whilst talking a month ago which shows how far I have come.
As the path narrowed just into the second mile we started running in single file and still I felt amazing. I was having fun with this run and the whole team feel to it made the experience even more enjoyable. It was at this point that I realized that I had made it through the hard part of my training. Those first few runs are so hard. You get aches and pains and lose you breath at every hill. I was now running with ease but did not let this cloud the fact that I had a long way to go to reach my goal.
At the sharp bend just into mile three and the approach to the steep climb up Wood Lane there were no street lights and this was amusing to say the least. Nobody could really see where they were going but we made it through it and the hill was upon us. I kept at the pace I was happy with but it felt like I was running faster as the people in front of me slowed off. Now I was not going for any “look at me” first time heroics but I also refused to slow off from a pace I was happy with. As we climbed the hill I got talking to another really nice guy who was asking about my past and giving me some good advice on running and cross training. Now I made it to the top of Wood Lane without stopping or slowing and more importantly I was in conversation the whole time and to my amazement when we reached the summit I was not even out of breath. I simply carried on running at a fast pace the short distance to the pub where everyone was going for a post run drink.
I never intended to stay for a drink but I hung around a while and got talking to another guy who really welcomed me and it was then I realized that this was my new team. I had given up the Football team to pursue bigger goals. It was the best decision I had ever made.
I said goodbye to the guys I had met and started the one and a half mile run home. Just before the half mile marker I decided to attempt to break my PR for a mile and hopefully run a sub seven minute. I set my watch and was off. I was running at a pace which I was sure would get me that time. At around the half way point I eased off as I was well ahead of my target time. This was a fatal error as I crossed the finish line in seven minutes and six seconds. I set a new PB but due to lack of conviction and a little complacency I missed out on my sub seven minute mile.
In closing I made a decision to start running and run the New York marathon. I now have that fitness base so I actually now enjoy my runs and I also have team mates to help me through the more difficult times ahead.
Positive: Running with a team made things so much more enjoyable (and easier!!).
Negative: I didn’t get to time the run as I set out purely to get a feel for running in a team.
Fast Mile: 7.06 (PB)
Slow Mile: N/A
"The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.”
4 Mile Training Run
Date: 12th October 2006
Conditions: Mild, Dry
I decided that if I am going to take my running serious that it would make sense to join a running club. Being born and raised in Heanor made it an easy decision to join Heanor Running Club. They also have a very successful team who win many of the events they enter.
We met at Heanor Leisure Centre at 7pm but were informed that they were running up towards Smalley. Sods law that I come down Heanor to run a different route and the team is running up to where I live. To stop me being stuck up Smalley with my car in Heanor I decided to join the team at the top of my road and finish the run into Horsley Woodhouse.
Whilst waiting I did a vigorous warm up and once the team arrived in Smalley I joined them, at a pace which I was more than happy with. I run a little quicker on my own but it was a comfortable pace. From my house we ran the route I have done so many times (Home - Woodhouse - Smalley Cross – Home). However for the first time since my running began I did the route in reverse and maybe it was the team that helped me on but I found this run far easier than any before.
For the first mile through Smalley and down towards Smalley Cross I was talking to a guy the whole way and never tired. I was running at what they call conversational pace. I could not run at any pace whilst talking a month ago which shows how far I have come.
As the path narrowed just into the second mile we started running in single file and still I felt amazing. I was having fun with this run and the whole team feel to it made the experience even more enjoyable. It was at this point that I realized that I had made it through the hard part of my training. Those first few runs are so hard. You get aches and pains and lose you breath at every hill. I was now running with ease but did not let this cloud the fact that I had a long way to go to reach my goal.
At the sharp bend just into mile three and the approach to the steep climb up Wood Lane there were no street lights and this was amusing to say the least. Nobody could really see where they were going but we made it through it and the hill was upon us. I kept at the pace I was happy with but it felt like I was running faster as the people in front of me slowed off. Now I was not going for any “look at me” first time heroics but I also refused to slow off from a pace I was happy with. As we climbed the hill I got talking to another really nice guy who was asking about my past and giving me some good advice on running and cross training. Now I made it to the top of Wood Lane without stopping or slowing and more importantly I was in conversation the whole time and to my amazement when we reached the summit I was not even out of breath. I simply carried on running at a fast pace the short distance to the pub where everyone was going for a post run drink.
I never intended to stay for a drink but I hung around a while and got talking to another guy who really welcomed me and it was then I realized that this was my new team. I had given up the Football team to pursue bigger goals. It was the best decision I had ever made.
I said goodbye to the guys I had met and started the one and a half mile run home. Just before the half mile marker I decided to attempt to break my PR for a mile and hopefully run a sub seven minute. I set my watch and was off. I was running at a pace which I was sure would get me that time. At around the half way point I eased off as I was well ahead of my target time. This was a fatal error as I crossed the finish line in seven minutes and six seconds. I set a new PB but due to lack of conviction and a little complacency I missed out on my sub seven minute mile.
In closing I made a decision to start running and run the New York marathon. I now have that fitness base so I actually now enjoy my runs and I also have team mates to help me through the more difficult times ahead.
Positive: Running with a team made things so much more enjoyable (and easier!!).
Negative: I didn’t get to time the run as I set out purely to get a feel for running in a team.
Fast Mile: 7.06 (PB)
Slow Mile: N/A
"The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.”
11th October 2006
5 Mile Run = Home – Morley Hayes – Three Horse Shoes – Home
Date: 11th October 2006
Conditions: Cool, Raining
Notes: This was my first run since my first race on Sunday. I rested on Monday, and on Tuesday I did a Body Sculpt class at the gym. So now it is back to the training and preparation for my next race which will either be the Worksop Half Marathon in three weeks or the 10k Heanor Pudding run, in around four weeks. The decision on which will be my next race will depend on how my ten mile long run goes on Sunday.
So on to today’s run. I decided to opt for the out and back run to determine if I can hold a steady pace for five miles. I did this perfectly with a three mile run but this was an extra two miles with a hill each way.
It was a dark, wet evening when I set out on my run but as I have been told many times, the hardest point of running when it is cold and wet is getting out the front door. This is so true because literally minutes after I was running I was hardly aware it was raining and when I was it was refreshing. The first mile was a breeze as I was taking it really steady. I did get a pain in my right Gluteus Maximus but I believe this was down to Sarah pushing me so hard in last nights Body Sculpt class. This pain soon went as I massaged the muscle whilst running.
The second mile has the long steady hill up towards Morley Hayes and I was dreading this because last time I attempted this hill I nearly quit the run due to the reoccurring pain just below my diaphragm. I took my time up the hill and reached the top no problem with no pain at all.
Once at the top it was now a long straight along a muddy path until I turned around at the Three Horse Shoes for the return two and a half miles. I felt amazing the whole time and was really enjoying the run at this stage. It was dark and wet but I didn’t care.
After the half way point it was back to hill but this time it was a decent rather than an ascent. I took my time down it as once I reached the bottom and crossed the four mile marker I had one last push up Smalley Hill before the home straight through Smalley.
The climb up Smalley Hill was a tough one but far easier than any other attempt in the past and more importantly I had tackled both hills without stopping. Once at the top the fatigue started to kick in but as always I concentrated on form and remembered why I was doing this to myself.
The last push was a difficult one and the sprint finish really took it out of me but I crossed the finish line in a respectable time for a training run.
My next run is a ten miler and will determine whether I enter the Worksop Half Marathon!!
Positive: I ran roughly the same pace both ways.
Negative: I had a terrible muscular pain during mile two.
Fast Mile: 8.01
Slow Mile: 8.42
Run time: 0h41m14s
“When you discover your mission, you will feel its demand. It will fill you with enthusiasm and a burning desire to get to work on it.”
Date: 11th October 2006
Conditions: Cool, Raining
Notes: This was my first run since my first race on Sunday. I rested on Monday, and on Tuesday I did a Body Sculpt class at the gym. So now it is back to the training and preparation for my next race which will either be the Worksop Half Marathon in three weeks or the 10k Heanor Pudding run, in around four weeks. The decision on which will be my next race will depend on how my ten mile long run goes on Sunday.
So on to today’s run. I decided to opt for the out and back run to determine if I can hold a steady pace for five miles. I did this perfectly with a three mile run but this was an extra two miles with a hill each way.
It was a dark, wet evening when I set out on my run but as I have been told many times, the hardest point of running when it is cold and wet is getting out the front door. This is so true because literally minutes after I was running I was hardly aware it was raining and when I was it was refreshing. The first mile was a breeze as I was taking it really steady. I did get a pain in my right Gluteus Maximus but I believe this was down to Sarah pushing me so hard in last nights Body Sculpt class. This pain soon went as I massaged the muscle whilst running.
The second mile has the long steady hill up towards Morley Hayes and I was dreading this because last time I attempted this hill I nearly quit the run due to the reoccurring pain just below my diaphragm. I took my time up the hill and reached the top no problem with no pain at all.
Once at the top it was now a long straight along a muddy path until I turned around at the Three Horse Shoes for the return two and a half miles. I felt amazing the whole time and was really enjoying the run at this stage. It was dark and wet but I didn’t care.
After the half way point it was back to hill but this time it was a decent rather than an ascent. I took my time down it as once I reached the bottom and crossed the four mile marker I had one last push up Smalley Hill before the home straight through Smalley.
The climb up Smalley Hill was a tough one but far easier than any other attempt in the past and more importantly I had tackled both hills without stopping. Once at the top the fatigue started to kick in but as always I concentrated on form and remembered why I was doing this to myself.
The last push was a difficult one and the sprint finish really took it out of me but I crossed the finish line in a respectable time for a training run.
My next run is a ten miler and will determine whether I enter the Worksop Half Marathon!!
Positive: I ran roughly the same pace both ways.
Negative: I had a terrible muscular pain during mile two.
Fast Mile: 8.01
Slow Mile: 8.42
Run time: 0h41m14s
“When you discover your mission, you will feel its demand. It will fill you with enthusiasm and a burning desire to get to work on it.”
Allenton 10k 2006
Merrill & Shelton Striders 10k
8th October 2006
Race #1 - Report
This was my first ever race. I had no idea what to expect. I had been in training for little over two months and had spent the past week fully loading on carbs’ and getting all the rest I could so I would be in the best shape possible to reach my goal on race day. That goal was a sub fifty minute run. My training times had been an average of around fifty two minutes.
I awoke Sunday morning at 6.30 and went for a very gentle jog around the block. On my return I ate a light breakfast and checked my kit. I left for the race with plenty of time so I could get a feel of the atmosphere and calm any nerves I might have. On arrival I saw many runners warming up and getting ready for the race. I got my first ‘buzz’ when I got out of the car and realized that this was it….My first race!!
During my arrival time of 9.15 and the start of the race at 9.45 I think I went to the toilet three times. Now I never really felt any pre race nerves but I believe that my constant toilet visits were my substitute.
I did my warm up and then around 9.40 the race marshals closed the road off so we could all line up ready for the start. At this point I was completely surrounded by runners and I positioned myself right in the middle, about a third of the way back. The gun went and we were off. I could just hear the clapping and cheering from the crowd over my music as we set off. Not knowing the course I could not time each mile as in my training but as warned, I really took it steady for the seven to eight minutes. The feeling I got at the first turn was immense. The police had stopped the traffic as we ran over a usually busy crossroads. People were looking on in their cars and it felt good.
As the race proceeded down a long industrial lane the group started to spread out a little, and pace groups were being formed. I did not care about this and just kept my pace at what felt good for me. I passed a few marshals as the route went down a country path and was greeted by a “Drinks ahead” sign. This was fairly early in the race I thought, but being my first race and my first water stop I felt obliged to take the water. Though most of it ended up down me than in me!
The country path we were on seemed long but as we passed the five kilometer marker I looked at my watch and was amazed that I had run it in under twenty four minutes. I knew if I could keep this pace I would reach my goal of a sub fifty run. For the first time in the race I found someone who was going at my pace so I kept the same distance behind her. This soon became the hardest point of my race as I the pain I have mentioned so many times in my training log came back to haunt me. It’s the pain you get just below your diaphragm and it is not stitch. I believe it may be related to me being a smoker until six months ago. As in training I pushed through it and soon enough it was gone.
As we passed the seven kilometer marker the lady I was pacing started to slow so I passed by her and decided to up my pace. I was feeling good and I wanted that sub fifty finish. The seven and eight kilometer markers came and went and when I hit the nine I felt a little fatigue kicking in but by now there were people every few hundred yards cheering us on.
As I came to the final bend before entering the college grounds and getting my first glimpse of the finish line there must have been thirty people screaming “go on” and “last push”. Now I knew I had an advantage over many runners in the fact that I have a really fast sprint finish. So with this I proceeded to make a fatal error. I came into the grounds like a sprinter and passed at least seven runners. As I passed the final one I realized that there was another four hundred meter track to run and I had just used my sprint finish too early. I slowed to my slowest pace of the day and half way round the final track my legs felt like jelly. I reached the final bend and thought “this is it now, go for it”. I ‘kicked’ it as they say and ran faster than I knew possible at that point in a run, and passed another two runners. I crossed the finish line to hundreds of cheers and claps. Now not all of these were for me but as you cross that finish line it feels like they are!! I finished the race 168th out of 358 finishers. Oh and my time……forty seven minutes and thirty eight seconds…..I had smashed my target time but I now have a new goal. Sub forty five minutes!!
In closing I never knew that you could get so much enjoyment and satisfaction from running. I used to see running as a way of keeping fit or warming up before Football training. It is now becoming a hobby, a way of life. I have taken the first of many steps towards my end goal. New York 2007, here I come!!
Conditions: Cool, Dry
Time: 47.38 (PB)
“It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end.”
8th October 2006
Race #1 - Report
This was my first ever race. I had no idea what to expect. I had been in training for little over two months and had spent the past week fully loading on carbs’ and getting all the rest I could so I would be in the best shape possible to reach my goal on race day. That goal was a sub fifty minute run. My training times had been an average of around fifty two minutes.
I awoke Sunday morning at 6.30 and went for a very gentle jog around the block. On my return I ate a light breakfast and checked my kit. I left for the race with plenty of time so I could get a feel of the atmosphere and calm any nerves I might have. On arrival I saw many runners warming up and getting ready for the race. I got my first ‘buzz’ when I got out of the car and realized that this was it….My first race!!
During my arrival time of 9.15 and the start of the race at 9.45 I think I went to the toilet three times. Now I never really felt any pre race nerves but I believe that my constant toilet visits were my substitute.
I did my warm up and then around 9.40 the race marshals closed the road off so we could all line up ready for the start. At this point I was completely surrounded by runners and I positioned myself right in the middle, about a third of the way back. The gun went and we were off. I could just hear the clapping and cheering from the crowd over my music as we set off. Not knowing the course I could not time each mile as in my training but as warned, I really took it steady for the seven to eight minutes. The feeling I got at the first turn was immense. The police had stopped the traffic as we ran over a usually busy crossroads. People were looking on in their cars and it felt good.
As the race proceeded down a long industrial lane the group started to spread out a little, and pace groups were being formed. I did not care about this and just kept my pace at what felt good for me. I passed a few marshals as the route went down a country path and was greeted by a “Drinks ahead” sign. This was fairly early in the race I thought, but being my first race and my first water stop I felt obliged to take the water. Though most of it ended up down me than in me!
The country path we were on seemed long but as we passed the five kilometer marker I looked at my watch and was amazed that I had run it in under twenty four minutes. I knew if I could keep this pace I would reach my goal of a sub fifty run. For the first time in the race I found someone who was going at my pace so I kept the same distance behind her. This soon became the hardest point of my race as I the pain I have mentioned so many times in my training log came back to haunt me. It’s the pain you get just below your diaphragm and it is not stitch. I believe it may be related to me being a smoker until six months ago. As in training I pushed through it and soon enough it was gone.
As we passed the seven kilometer marker the lady I was pacing started to slow so I passed by her and decided to up my pace. I was feeling good and I wanted that sub fifty finish. The seven and eight kilometer markers came and went and when I hit the nine I felt a little fatigue kicking in but by now there were people every few hundred yards cheering us on.
As I came to the final bend before entering the college grounds and getting my first glimpse of the finish line there must have been thirty people screaming “go on” and “last push”. Now I knew I had an advantage over many runners in the fact that I have a really fast sprint finish. So with this I proceeded to make a fatal error. I came into the grounds like a sprinter and passed at least seven runners. As I passed the final one I realized that there was another four hundred meter track to run and I had just used my sprint finish too early. I slowed to my slowest pace of the day and half way round the final track my legs felt like jelly. I reached the final bend and thought “this is it now, go for it”. I ‘kicked’ it as they say and ran faster than I knew possible at that point in a run, and passed another two runners. I crossed the finish line to hundreds of cheers and claps. Now not all of these were for me but as you cross that finish line it feels like they are!! I finished the race 168th out of 358 finishers. Oh and my time……forty seven minutes and thirty eight seconds…..I had smashed my target time but I now have a new goal. Sub forty five minutes!!
In closing I never knew that you could get so much enjoyment and satisfaction from running. I used to see running as a way of keeping fit or warming up before Football training. It is now becoming a hobby, a way of life. I have taken the first of many steps towards my end goal. New York 2007, here I come!!
Conditions: Cool, Dry
Time: 47.38 (PB)
“It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end.”
3rd october 2006
2 Mile Run = Home – Dobholes Lane – Home
Date: 3rd October 2006
Conditions: Cool, Dry
Notes: This was my first early morning run. It was very cold at first as we are fast approaching winter. As I started running however I soon forgot all about the temperature. I took the first mile at a very conservative pace so to avoid the risk of injury.
As I turned back on myself at the mile marker I decided to really go for it and try and break my personal record for the mile. As I picked up the pace I became very aware that my chest started to tighten up due to the cold I have. I did not let this stop me however, in my pursuit for my record. I crossed the line and shaved two seconds off my time. It was painful to get it but it was all worth it now I have it.
Positive: I ran my fastest mile to date.
Negative: My chest was hurting due to my cold / flu.
Fast Mile: 7.15 (PB)
Slow Mile: 7.56
Run time: 0h15m11s
“It's better to have rum and lost than to never have rum at all.”
Date: 3rd October 2006
Conditions: Cool, Dry
Notes: This was my first early morning run. It was very cold at first as we are fast approaching winter. As I started running however I soon forgot all about the temperature. I took the first mile at a very conservative pace so to avoid the risk of injury.
As I turned back on myself at the mile marker I decided to really go for it and try and break my personal record for the mile. As I picked up the pace I became very aware that my chest started to tighten up due to the cold I have. I did not let this stop me however, in my pursuit for my record. I crossed the line and shaved two seconds off my time. It was painful to get it but it was all worth it now I have it.
Positive: I ran my fastest mile to date.
Negative: My chest was hurting due to my cold / flu.
Fast Mile: 7.15 (PB)
Slow Mile: 7.56
Run time: 0h15m11s
“It's better to have rum and lost than to never have rum at all.”
1st October 2006
6 Mile Run = Gym – Little Eaton – Kilburn – Horsley – Quarry Road
Date: 1st October 2006
Conditions: Mild, Raining
Notes: This was my final long run before my first race next Sunday. I decided to do a 10k run to see how my time will compare to Sunday. I chose a really flat and easy course with a mammoth hill at the end. I left Breadsall Priory and was immediately treated to a climb up Quarry Road. Shortly after the brow of the hill I turned left onto Morley lane and began a straight flat run for around one and a half miles. I really took my time with this first part of the run as I knew that I would need all the energy I had to get up Cloves Hill at the end of the run. The rain was beating down hard but I felt good and once I had warmed up the rain was a god send.
I reached the mile marker in an average time but I set out to run this route in a pace that was good for me, not for the clock. The course took a slight decline towards the end of mile two as I came down into Little Eaton. I had only seen this area once before, and that was the night before when I measured the route in the dark, so I really enjoyed the new scenery.
As I turned onto the B6179 I had a slight cramp in my right foot but I did not panic and focused on maintaining form and a steady pace. The rain was slowing as I reached mile three and turned onto Smalley Mill road. My time for the three miles was over two minutes slower than my other training runs but I felt better than I ever did when I was only running three miles. The mile four marker came quick and this is shown as it was my fastest mile of the day.
I continued along Smalley Mill Road past Horsley Lodge Golf Course and came to the mile five marker knowing that my true test of the day was soon upon me. I made it up roughly two thirds Cloves Hill. Now this is no ordinary hill. The gradient is untrue and puts test to any car engine let alone a mere mortal on foot. As the hill got steeper I felt my legs going and had to stop for around 5 seconds before continuing on to the top and the final leg of my run.
As I turned back onto Quarry Road I imagined I was running the 10k on Sunday and there was a crowd cheering me on. I gave it my all and finished in a respectable time. What I really took from this run and what I know will be an advantage on race days is that my sprint finish is very respectable. I come from a sprint background and I believe that on race days that any runners near me will not be able to compete with my speed over those final few hundred yards. Only time will tell!!
Positive: I was pleased with the speed of my sprint finish.
Negative: I had to stop up Morley Hill.
Distance left in current Running Shoes: 456 Miles
Fast Mile: 7.50
Slow Mile: 9.27
Run time: 0h52m48s
“You're not obligated to win. You're obligated to keep trying to do the best you can every day.”
Date: 1st October 2006
Conditions: Mild, Raining
Notes: This was my final long run before my first race next Sunday. I decided to do a 10k run to see how my time will compare to Sunday. I chose a really flat and easy course with a mammoth hill at the end. I left Breadsall Priory and was immediately treated to a climb up Quarry Road. Shortly after the brow of the hill I turned left onto Morley lane and began a straight flat run for around one and a half miles. I really took my time with this first part of the run as I knew that I would need all the energy I had to get up Cloves Hill at the end of the run. The rain was beating down hard but I felt good and once I had warmed up the rain was a god send.
I reached the mile marker in an average time but I set out to run this route in a pace that was good for me, not for the clock. The course took a slight decline towards the end of mile two as I came down into Little Eaton. I had only seen this area once before, and that was the night before when I measured the route in the dark, so I really enjoyed the new scenery.
As I turned onto the B6179 I had a slight cramp in my right foot but I did not panic and focused on maintaining form and a steady pace. The rain was slowing as I reached mile three and turned onto Smalley Mill road. My time for the three miles was over two minutes slower than my other training runs but I felt better than I ever did when I was only running three miles. The mile four marker came quick and this is shown as it was my fastest mile of the day.
I continued along Smalley Mill Road past Horsley Lodge Golf Course and came to the mile five marker knowing that my true test of the day was soon upon me. I made it up roughly two thirds Cloves Hill. Now this is no ordinary hill. The gradient is untrue and puts test to any car engine let alone a mere mortal on foot. As the hill got steeper I felt my legs going and had to stop for around 5 seconds before continuing on to the top and the final leg of my run.
As I turned back onto Quarry Road I imagined I was running the 10k on Sunday and there was a crowd cheering me on. I gave it my all and finished in a respectable time. What I really took from this run and what I know will be an advantage on race days is that my sprint finish is very respectable. I come from a sprint background and I believe that on race days that any runners near me will not be able to compete with my speed over those final few hundred yards. Only time will tell!!
Positive: I was pleased with the speed of my sprint finish.
Negative: I had to stop up Morley Hill.
Distance left in current Running Shoes: 456 Miles
Fast Mile: 7.50
Slow Mile: 9.27
Run time: 0h52m48s
“You're not obligated to win. You're obligated to keep trying to do the best you can every day.”
27th September 2006
4 Mile Run = Home - Woodhouse - Smalley Cross - Home
Date: 27th September 2006
Conditions: Mild, Dry
Notes: This was an absolute disaster of a run. For two days prior to the run I have been on a ‘Green’s only’ liquid diet. This was a huge mistake whilst I am in serious training. Mile one went fine and I felt fine, as did mile two. This was my third outing on this route so I knew that at the mile three marker things start to get harder as the majority of the second half of the run is up hill.
By the third mile marker I was starting to feel really tired and my stomach started rumbling and it felt like my stomach was going to explode. By the fourth mile marker and the hill up towards Smalley Village my energy levels were at zero and I had a chronic case of stitch. For the first time since starting my official training I had to stop for a few seconds half way up the hill. I had to stop once more before the end of the run and felt like death warmed up as I crossed the finish line. I still finished nearly two minutes faster than my first ever run on this route but I have learnt one very valuable lesson. Do not try and detox or cleanse whilst in serious training!!
Positive: I had to stop for the first time in weeks.
Negative: I learnt a very valuable nutrition lesson.
Fast Mile: 7.47
Slow Mile: 10.10
Run time: 0h34m54s
“The world makes way for the man who knows where he is going.”
Date: 27th September 2006
Conditions: Mild, Dry
Notes: This was an absolute disaster of a run. For two days prior to the run I have been on a ‘Green’s only’ liquid diet. This was a huge mistake whilst I am in serious training. Mile one went fine and I felt fine, as did mile two. This was my third outing on this route so I knew that at the mile three marker things start to get harder as the majority of the second half of the run is up hill.
By the third mile marker I was starting to feel really tired and my stomach started rumbling and it felt like my stomach was going to explode. By the fourth mile marker and the hill up towards Smalley Village my energy levels were at zero and I had a chronic case of stitch. For the first time since starting my official training I had to stop for a few seconds half way up the hill. I had to stop once more before the end of the run and felt like death warmed up as I crossed the finish line. I still finished nearly two minutes faster than my first ever run on this route but I have learnt one very valuable lesson. Do not try and detox or cleanse whilst in serious training!!
Positive: I had to stop for the first time in weeks.
Negative: I learnt a very valuable nutrition lesson.
Fast Mile: 7.47
Slow Mile: 10.10
Run time: 0h34m54s
“The world makes way for the man who knows where he is going.”
20th September 2006
3 Mile Run = Home – Doctors - Home
Date: 20th September 2006
Conditions: Mild, Sunny
Notes: For my Wednesday three mile run I tried something I hear about on the running forum I am a member of (Running Times Magazine.com). What you basically do is, if you are running three miles like I did then you run one and a half miles one way and then turn around and come back the same route. If the return leg is significantly slower than the first leg then it means you went out too fast and need to go at a more conservative pace on the out leg.
I set out at a really slow pace so not to risk injury or end up running the return leg much slower. I reached the one and a half mile point in 12.03 and the finished in 24.12 which gives a split time of only nine seconds. So what I know now is I am running at the correct pace at the start of my runs. I finished the three miles slower than any other but I did set out knowing I was running slower than I normally do.
Positive: The difference in the two legs was only nine seconds.
Negative: This was my slowest three miles.
Fast Mile: 7.45
Slow Mile: 8.19
Run time: 0h24m14s
“There are clubs you can't belong to, neighborhoods you can't live in, schools you can't get into, but the roads are always open.”
Date: 20th September 2006
Conditions: Mild, Sunny
Notes: For my Wednesday three mile run I tried something I hear about on the running forum I am a member of (Running Times Magazine.com). What you basically do is, if you are running three miles like I did then you run one and a half miles one way and then turn around and come back the same route. If the return leg is significantly slower than the first leg then it means you went out too fast and need to go at a more conservative pace on the out leg.
I set out at a really slow pace so not to risk injury or end up running the return leg much slower. I reached the one and a half mile point in 12.03 and the finished in 24.12 which gives a split time of only nine seconds. So what I know now is I am running at the correct pace at the start of my runs. I finished the three miles slower than any other but I did set out knowing I was running slower than I normally do.
Positive: The difference in the two legs was only nine seconds.
Negative: This was my slowest three miles.
Fast Mile: 7.45
Slow Mile: 8.19
Run time: 0h24m14s
“There are clubs you can't belong to, neighborhoods you can't live in, schools you can't get into, but the roads are always open.”
17th September 2006
6 Mile Run = Home – Bell Lane – Ozbourne’s – Colliers - Home
Date: 17th September 2006
Conditions: Warm, Sunny
Notes: My first long run since starting my training and it was a good one. I was a little sore from a hard week and especially the circuit training on Thursday. Due to this I decided to really take my time for the first two miles. As I turned onto Bell lane I felt good so I kept at the pace I was going. With Smalley being on a hill it seems no matter where you go for your run, that you will hit at least one incline and one decline. For this run the decline came first. I decided to keep at a very steady pace as the surface was loose gravel and cracked road at best. I did not want to risk injury or burn out as the sun was out in full force.
As I reached mile three at Ozbourne’s pond my legs did feel a little tired but I still felt good. My first incline hill came at the halfway point of mile three and it was a long steady climb up towards Lockton Avenue playing fields. This was the hardest part of my run. The heat was the biggest challenge at this point, but I made it up the hill and once at the top concentrated on form and forgot all about my mile split time.
Once I reached the mile four marker I also began my penultimate hill climb, however this was a short climb up towards the Colliers. The heat again played a big factor but I reached the top in good spirit. The descent down towards Heanor Gate School was the high point of my run. I felt amazing and knew that I was closing in on the final mile. The sun was out, I had plenty of energy left and I had not suffered once with that chronic pain just below my diaphragm that had nearly caused me to stop on my last few runs. I was not going to risk my energy levels at this point so I again took it really steady up Derby Road hill and once I reached the top I felt fantastic.
At the mile five marker I knew that I was not going to have that awful and painful finish and I was actually enjoying the final mile. As I came to the last corner on Heanor road I completed the run with my fastest finish. It was almost a sprint and I crossed the line thinking “I could do that again”. Of course I did not; I simply walked home and did a rigorous warm down.
Positive: I had more to give and never suffered with the pain below my diaphragm.
Negative: I got my first taste of running in the heat.
Fast Mile: 7.43
Slow Mile: 9.46
Run time: 0h51m38s
"Success is never final, failure never fatal. It's courage that counts."
Date: 17th September 2006
Conditions: Warm, Sunny
Notes: My first long run since starting my training and it was a good one. I was a little sore from a hard week and especially the circuit training on Thursday. Due to this I decided to really take my time for the first two miles. As I turned onto Bell lane I felt good so I kept at the pace I was going. With Smalley being on a hill it seems no matter where you go for your run, that you will hit at least one incline and one decline. For this run the decline came first. I decided to keep at a very steady pace as the surface was loose gravel and cracked road at best. I did not want to risk injury or burn out as the sun was out in full force.
As I reached mile three at Ozbourne’s pond my legs did feel a little tired but I still felt good. My first incline hill came at the halfway point of mile three and it was a long steady climb up towards Lockton Avenue playing fields. This was the hardest part of my run. The heat was the biggest challenge at this point, but I made it up the hill and once at the top concentrated on form and forgot all about my mile split time.
Once I reached the mile four marker I also began my penultimate hill climb, however this was a short climb up towards the Colliers. The heat again played a big factor but I reached the top in good spirit. The descent down towards Heanor Gate School was the high point of my run. I felt amazing and knew that I was closing in on the final mile. The sun was out, I had plenty of energy left and I had not suffered once with that chronic pain just below my diaphragm that had nearly caused me to stop on my last few runs. I was not going to risk my energy levels at this point so I again took it really steady up Derby Road hill and once I reached the top I felt fantastic.
At the mile five marker I knew that I was not going to have that awful and painful finish and I was actually enjoying the final mile. As I came to the last corner on Heanor road I completed the run with my fastest finish. It was almost a sprint and I crossed the line thinking “I could do that again”. Of course I did not; I simply walked home and did a rigorous warm down.
Positive: I had more to give and never suffered with the pain below my diaphragm.
Negative: I got my first taste of running in the heat.
Fast Mile: 7.43
Slow Mile: 9.46
Run time: 0h51m38s
"Success is never final, failure never fatal. It's courage that counts."
13th September 2006
3 Mile Run = Home – Smalley Block – Fairfield Road – Dobholes Lane
Date: 13th September 2006
Conditions: Mild, Dry
Notes: Today was my second run since starting my official training schedule. My aim is to be ready for a marathon in January so I can then taper off ready for my holiday in March. Once returning from my holiday I will then begin serious training, so I do not just finish the marathon but I finish well.
As for today it was a steady run. I am now finding my beginner pace and am averaging seven to eight minute miles. I ran a different route to Monday and found the first two miles to be ok. During the second mile at Fairfield Road I found my pace and form to be excellent and I believe some of this was due to imagining that I was in that marathon with people cheering.
I did struggle during the last mile and the sharp pain just below my diaphragm slowed me down yet again. I finished the route twenty three seconds slower than Monday so I now have a base and a steady three mile time to improve upon.
Positive: I picked up my form and pace up during mile two.
Negative: I am still getting the sharp pain just below my diaphragm.
Fast Mile: 7.50
Slow Mile: 8.11
Marathon time: 0h23m56s
“Top results are reached only through pain. But eventually you like this pain.”
Date: 13th September 2006
Conditions: Mild, Dry
Notes: Today was my second run since starting my official training schedule. My aim is to be ready for a marathon in January so I can then taper off ready for my holiday in March. Once returning from my holiday I will then begin serious training, so I do not just finish the marathon but I finish well.
As for today it was a steady run. I am now finding my beginner pace and am averaging seven to eight minute miles. I ran a different route to Monday and found the first two miles to be ok. During the second mile at Fairfield Road I found my pace and form to be excellent and I believe some of this was due to imagining that I was in that marathon with people cheering.
I did struggle during the last mile and the sharp pain just below my diaphragm slowed me down yet again. I finished the route twenty three seconds slower than Monday so I now have a base and a steady three mile time to improve upon.
Positive: I picked up my form and pace up during mile two.
Negative: I am still getting the sharp pain just below my diaphragm.
Fast Mile: 7.50
Slow Mile: 8.11
Marathon time: 0h23m56s
“Top results are reached only through pain. But eventually you like this pain.”
11th September 2006
3 Mile Run = Home – Smalley Block (x4) – Stuart’s House
Date: 11th September 2006
Conditions: Humid, Dry
Notes: I have now set myself an official training schedule for the next eighteen weeks. This is the time it takes to train for a marathon. I am doing this now as I have quit the football team so I can prepare for the marathon and put my all my energy and focus into it.
Today is the fifth anniversary of that awful day in New York on September 11th 2001. My run today will be three miles. This run will be dedicated to the 2700 plus people that sadly lost their lives on that horrific day. I started the run with high hopes of setting my mile PB and I achieved this goal on my first mile. I did however start to suffer with my breath at mile two. I found this run harder than my last two but I believe that this was somewhat due to the course being repeated round Smalley block which I found very boring.
The next time I do a 3 miler I will be sure to run a route that never repeats itself. I did however run my second best predicted marathon time but this was only for three miles. The measure will be against next Monday’s three miler.
Positive: I set a new mile PB.
Negative: I found this run harder than my last two.
Fast Mile: 7.17 (PB)
Slow Mile: 8.11
Run time: 0h23m33s
"The pain doesn't last forever, but the memories will".
Date: 11th September 2006
Conditions: Humid, Dry
Notes: I have now set myself an official training schedule for the next eighteen weeks. This is the time it takes to train for a marathon. I am doing this now as I have quit the football team so I can prepare for the marathon and put my all my energy and focus into it.
Today is the fifth anniversary of that awful day in New York on September 11th 2001. My run today will be three miles. This run will be dedicated to the 2700 plus people that sadly lost their lives on that horrific day. I started the run with high hopes of setting my mile PB and I achieved this goal on my first mile. I did however start to suffer with my breath at mile two. I found this run harder than my last two but I believe that this was somewhat due to the course being repeated round Smalley block which I found very boring.
The next time I do a 3 miler I will be sure to run a route that never repeats itself. I did however run my second best predicted marathon time but this was only for three miles. The measure will be against next Monday’s three miler.
Positive: I set a new mile PB.
Negative: I found this run harder than my last two.
Fast Mile: 7.17 (PB)
Slow Mile: 8.11
Run time: 0h23m33s
"The pain doesn't last forever, but the memories will".
7th September 2006
7 Mile Run = Home – Morley Hayes - Doctors - Home
Date: 7th September 2006
Conditions: Mild, Sunny
Notes: This was my first long run since starting my training. I began the first mile in high spirits as I had mentally prepared myself for the challenge ahead. I imagined I was actually preparing for the New York marathon. Halfway up the hill during mile two I began to get a really sharp pain just below my diaphragm and I nearly quit. I thought that I had set my goal too high and soon realized that this run was not about timing each mile or the speed of the run. It was about finishing the run. I pushed through the pain and made it to the second mile marker in sub nine minutes. If I can keep my slow miles sub nine minutes I will run a sub four hour marathon.
I really took my time during mile three so to not burn out and be stuck over three miles from home. At the three mile marker I began to regain my breath and I found my form again. The turning point of the run was just after the mile four marker. After two miles of flat road the course descends for about a half mile down Sandy Lane. This was time for me to save energy but more importantly the view was amazing. To my right I could see for about a mile. The sun was beaming down on the hills and I suddenly realized that I was enjoying this run. It was the best I had felt for such a long time and if I can get these feelings from the view of hills in my home country, then think what I will get from hundreds of thousands of screaming Americans in my favorite city in the world.
At the bottom of Sandy Lane I realized that I was soon coming upon the final hill of this course. I really took my time (hence the ten minute mile) as I knew that I only had little over two miles left once at the top of this hill and I now knew that if I got my tactics right that I would finish this run without having to stop. I did get it right and at the top of the hill I knew that I would finish this run and finish it with ease. I was physically tired but having felt like I had run a marathon at that point I imagined that I was running those final two miles in the New York Marathon.
I ran a 10k (six miles) in a respectable fifty four minutes and really pushed for the final mile. I did this on pure determination and was only twelve seconds off my PB. I will now take a few days off to recover from my first long run. My knees are sore now and I do not want to risk injury.
Positive: I ran nearly a third of a marathon.
Negative: I nearly quit at the second mile hill.
Fast Mile: 7.34
Slow Mile: 10.06
Run time: 1h01m40s
“Difficulties increase the closer we get to the goal”.
Date: 7th September 2006
Conditions: Mild, Sunny
Notes: This was my first long run since starting my training. I began the first mile in high spirits as I had mentally prepared myself for the challenge ahead. I imagined I was actually preparing for the New York marathon. Halfway up the hill during mile two I began to get a really sharp pain just below my diaphragm and I nearly quit. I thought that I had set my goal too high and soon realized that this run was not about timing each mile or the speed of the run. It was about finishing the run. I pushed through the pain and made it to the second mile marker in sub nine minutes. If I can keep my slow miles sub nine minutes I will run a sub four hour marathon.
I really took my time during mile three so to not burn out and be stuck over three miles from home. At the three mile marker I began to regain my breath and I found my form again. The turning point of the run was just after the mile four marker. After two miles of flat road the course descends for about a half mile down Sandy Lane. This was time for me to save energy but more importantly the view was amazing. To my right I could see for about a mile. The sun was beaming down on the hills and I suddenly realized that I was enjoying this run. It was the best I had felt for such a long time and if I can get these feelings from the view of hills in my home country, then think what I will get from hundreds of thousands of screaming Americans in my favorite city in the world.
At the bottom of Sandy Lane I realized that I was soon coming upon the final hill of this course. I really took my time (hence the ten minute mile) as I knew that I only had little over two miles left once at the top of this hill and I now knew that if I got my tactics right that I would finish this run without having to stop. I did get it right and at the top of the hill I knew that I would finish this run and finish it with ease. I was physically tired but having felt like I had run a marathon at that point I imagined that I was running those final two miles in the New York Marathon.
I ran a 10k (six miles) in a respectable fifty four minutes and really pushed for the final mile. I did this on pure determination and was only twelve seconds off my PB. I will now take a few days off to recover from my first long run. My knees are sore now and I do not want to risk injury.
Positive: I ran nearly a third of a marathon.
Negative: I nearly quit at the second mile hill.
Fast Mile: 7.34
Slow Mile: 10.06
Run time: 1h01m40s
“Difficulties increase the closer we get to the goal”.
4th September 2006
4 Mile Run = Home - Woodhouse - Smalley Cross - Home
Date: 4th September 2006
Conditions: Mild, Dry
Notes: This was my second run on this route and in little over a week I was amazed at the difference. I ran the first mile four seconds faster and set a PB for one mile. Now this time will eventually be shattered, but at present time I am running at a conservative pace to get my fitness levels up.
During the second mile (where I began getting the pains in my ankles on the first run) I was running with ease. I made it up the first hill and ran the second mile 35 seconds faster than my first attempt.
During the third mile (at the second hill where I stopped on my first run) I got bad cramps just below my rib cages. I was however determined not to stop and push through it. I did this, and as in my first run I yet again ran mile three in exactly the same time as mile two.
The real challenge was still to come. Smalley hill was upon me but again I ran the hill without stopping; however I did feel fatigued once I reached the top. I used what I had been taught and concentrated on form at this point. I forgot all about speed and just became very aware of my legs and tried not to let my form drop. I crossed the finish line over three minutes faster than my first run and more importantly I ran the whole four miles without stopping.
Positive: I completed the run without stopping.
Negative: I got bad cramps during the third mile.
Fast Mile: 7.22 (PB)
Slow Mile: 8.35
Run Time: 0h33m00s
“Yesterday I dared to struggle. Today I dare to win”.
Date: 4th September 2006
Conditions: Mild, Dry
Notes: This was my second run on this route and in little over a week I was amazed at the difference. I ran the first mile four seconds faster and set a PB for one mile. Now this time will eventually be shattered, but at present time I am running at a conservative pace to get my fitness levels up.
During the second mile (where I began getting the pains in my ankles on the first run) I was running with ease. I made it up the first hill and ran the second mile 35 seconds faster than my first attempt.
During the third mile (at the second hill where I stopped on my first run) I got bad cramps just below my rib cages. I was however determined not to stop and push through it. I did this, and as in my first run I yet again ran mile three in exactly the same time as mile two.
The real challenge was still to come. Smalley hill was upon me but again I ran the hill without stopping; however I did feel fatigued once I reached the top. I used what I had been taught and concentrated on form at this point. I forgot all about speed and just became very aware of my legs and tried not to let my form drop. I crossed the finish line over three minutes faster than my first run and more importantly I ran the whole four miles without stopping.
Positive: I completed the run without stopping.
Negative: I got bad cramps during the third mile.
Fast Mile: 7.22 (PB)
Slow Mile: 8.35
Run Time: 0h33m00s
“Yesterday I dared to struggle. Today I dare to win”.
1st September 2006
2 Mile Run = Home – Smalley Cross – Stanley Common
Date: 1st September 2006
Conditions: Mild, Dry
Notes: This was a similar run to the run back from the Colliers on Wednesday night. I had a nice hill to tackle and did it again without stopping. What I now tell myself is once I reach the top it will get so much easier. That burning in your legs soon goes away and you feel yourself gradually regaining the form you lost on the incline.
What I did find with this run however, was that by the end of the second mile I had a slight stitch. What this has taught me is that even when I feel I am running with ease that I need to concentrate hard on my breathing to stop this happening again.
Positive: I have shaved over thirty minutes off my marathon time.
Negative: At the end of the second mile I had a slight stitch.
Fast Mile: 7.34
Slow Mile: 7.59
Run time: 0h15m33s
“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful”.
Date: 1st September 2006
Conditions: Mild, Dry
Notes: This was a similar run to the run back from the Colliers on Wednesday night. I had a nice hill to tackle and did it again without stopping. What I now tell myself is once I reach the top it will get so much easier. That burning in your legs soon goes away and you feel yourself gradually regaining the form you lost on the incline.
What I did find with this run however, was that by the end of the second mile I had a slight stitch. What this has taught me is that even when I feel I am running with ease that I need to concentrate hard on my breathing to stop this happening again.
Positive: I have shaved over thirty minutes off my marathon time.
Negative: At the end of the second mile I had a slight stitch.
Fast Mile: 7.34
Slow Mile: 7.59
Run time: 0h15m33s
“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful”.
30th August 2006
1.5 Mile Run (x2) = Home – Colliers / Colliers – Home
Date: 30th August 2006
Conditions: Mild, Raining
Notes: On Wednesday evening we had a Football meeting in preparation for our opening game of the season on Thursday night. I decided to run to the meeting. The run there was fine. I completed the 1.5 miles in around 12 minutes but was not officially timing it. The first mile was a breeze and the second too, as the last half mile was down hill.
I was worried however that the return leg may be a different story as I had Derby Road hill to tackle. I did however make it up the hill without stopping and more importantly made it all the way home without stopping.
My time was a little slower but this is hardly surprising since the return leg had a huge hill. I will be doing my next timed run to my mate’s sister’s house on Friday. I will be interested to see if I have progressed since my last timed run.
Positive: I made the return leg without stopping.
Negative: Again, wished I had timed it.
Fast Mile: N/A
Slow Mile: N/A
Run time: N/A
“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing”.
Date: 30th August 2006
Conditions: Mild, Raining
Notes: On Wednesday evening we had a Football meeting in preparation for our opening game of the season on Thursday night. I decided to run to the meeting. The run there was fine. I completed the 1.5 miles in around 12 minutes but was not officially timing it. The first mile was a breeze and the second too, as the last half mile was down hill.
I was worried however that the return leg may be a different story as I had Derby Road hill to tackle. I did however make it up the hill without stopping and more importantly made it all the way home without stopping.
My time was a little slower but this is hardly surprising since the return leg had a huge hill. I will be doing my next timed run to my mate’s sister’s house on Friday. I will be interested to see if I have progressed since my last timed run.
Positive: I made the return leg without stopping.
Negative: Again, wished I had timed it.
Fast Mile: N/A
Slow Mile: N/A
Run time: N/A
“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing”.
29th August 2006
2.5 Mile Run = Home – Smalley Block (x2) – Home
Date: 29th August 2006
Conditions: Mild, Dry
Notes: As stated in my last training log I needed to invest in some appropriate running shoes. I did this at the weekend and last night I went out for my first run to start with the bedding in process. I had a heavy weekend due to it being a bank holiday so I decided against timing the run. Instead I opted for purely seeing the difference my new shoes made. The difference was immense. I still got a slight pain in my ankles but nothing compared to my last run. The good thing about this run was I took my time and was determined not to stop.
Towards the end it started to hurt, but I know this was down to the level of alcohol in my body. What I did at that point was focus deeply on the thought that I was in the New York Marathon on that last stretch and I had the crowd cheering me. I even got tingles down my back when I imagined crossing the finish line and looking back to see the crowd cheering.
As I walked back to my house in my warm down phase I was truly stunned to see how quick I regained my breath. Already my fitness level is going through the roof and my recovery time is being driven down at an alarming rate.
Positive: I never stopped.
Negative: I wised I had timed it.
Fast Mile: N/A
Slow Mile: N/A
Run time: N/A
“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.”
Date: 29th August 2006
Conditions: Mild, Dry
Notes: As stated in my last training log I needed to invest in some appropriate running shoes. I did this at the weekend and last night I went out for my first run to start with the bedding in process. I had a heavy weekend due to it being a bank holiday so I decided against timing the run. Instead I opted for purely seeing the difference my new shoes made. The difference was immense. I still got a slight pain in my ankles but nothing compared to my last run. The good thing about this run was I took my time and was determined not to stop.
Towards the end it started to hurt, but I know this was down to the level of alcohol in my body. What I did at that point was focus deeply on the thought that I was in the New York Marathon on that last stretch and I had the crowd cheering me. I even got tingles down my back when I imagined crossing the finish line and looking back to see the crowd cheering.
As I walked back to my house in my warm down phase I was truly stunned to see how quick I regained my breath. Already my fitness level is going through the roof and my recovery time is being driven down at an alarming rate.
Positive: I never stopped.
Negative: I wised I had timed it.
Fast Mile: N/A
Slow Mile: N/A
Run time: N/A
“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.”
23rd August 2006
4 Mile Run = Home - Woodhouse - Smalley Cross - Home
Date: 23rd August 2006
Conditions: Mild, Raining
Notes: This was my first timed run. I ran the first mile easily at a good pace. This was however, a fatal rookie error. As I began my second mile, which was a decent down wood lane, I began to feel a burning in between my calf muscle and my ankle. I have a feeling this may be down to my running shoes. This is something I need to look into soon if I am to shift this problem.
By the time I came to the hill halfway through the second mile I could feel my calf’s burning. As I started to ascend up the hill the pain was unbearable so I had to stop and walk to the top. I still managed to reach the two mile checkpoint in sub ten minutes.
The same happened with mile three. I had to stop to walk up a hill and amazingly ran the mile in exactly the same split as mile two.
The final mile was really hard. The huge hill leading up to Smalley Village was a killer and again I had to walk a majority of it. I completed the mile in just over ten minutes and as the pain got more intense towards the end I simply imagined I was running that final mile at the end of the Marathon with the crowd cheering. In all I think a respectable time.
I have fifteen months of training so I am not worried that I had to walk some of this first run. If I run the marathon at this pace I will be looking at a sub four hour time.
Positive: I finished the run.
Negative: I had to stop three times.
Fast Mile: 7.26 (PB)
Slow Mile: 10.17
Run time: 0h36m04s
“The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become.”
Date: 23rd August 2006
Conditions: Mild, Raining
Notes: This was my first timed run. I ran the first mile easily at a good pace. This was however, a fatal rookie error. As I began my second mile, which was a decent down wood lane, I began to feel a burning in between my calf muscle and my ankle. I have a feeling this may be down to my running shoes. This is something I need to look into soon if I am to shift this problem.
By the time I came to the hill halfway through the second mile I could feel my calf’s burning. As I started to ascend up the hill the pain was unbearable so I had to stop and walk to the top. I still managed to reach the two mile checkpoint in sub ten minutes.
The same happened with mile three. I had to stop to walk up a hill and amazingly ran the mile in exactly the same split as mile two.
The final mile was really hard. The huge hill leading up to Smalley Village was a killer and again I had to walk a majority of it. I completed the mile in just over ten minutes and as the pain got more intense towards the end I simply imagined I was running that final mile at the end of the Marathon with the crowd cheering. In all I think a respectable time.
I have fifteen months of training so I am not worried that I had to walk some of this first run. If I run the marathon at this pace I will be looking at a sub four hour time.
Positive: I finished the run.
Negative: I had to stop three times.
Fast Mile: 7.26 (PB)
Slow Mile: 10.17
Run time: 0h36m04s
“The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become.”
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The Five Boroughs
"There's more to this place than Manhattan"
Staten Island
"Only the first half mile is spent on Staten Island as you immediately leave across the Varrazano-Narrows bridge into Brooklyn"
Brooklyn
"Almost half the race is spent in Brooklyn, where many different neighbourhoods and cultural changes are passed through"
Queens
"The race enters Queens at exactly the half way point by crossing the Pulalski Bridge, over Newton creek, where you get your first amazing view of the City. The next 3 miles are spent here until crossing the challenging Queensboro Bridge over the East river."
Manhattan
"The first of two visits into Manhattan comes at mile 16 as you leave the Queensboro Bridge. Greeted by thousands of screaming spectators makes this one of the most memorable moments of the race, before the 4 mile stretch up First Avenue towards the Bronx"
Bronx
"At mile 20 you cross the Willis Avenue Bridge into the Bronx where little over a mile is run before returning to Manhattan across the Madison Avenue Bridge, where you see the Yankee Stadium, which has to be the highlight of the short trip across the Harlem river"
Manhattan 2
"As you arrive back in Manhattan the course proceeds down Fifth Avenue for 3 miles before entering Central Park for the final push and that moment that will last forever."
Varrazano-Narrows (Staten Island-Brooklyn)
Pulalski Bridge (Brooklyn-Queens)
Queensboro Bridge (Queens-Manhattan)
Willis Avenue Bridge (Manhattan-Bronx)
Madison Avenue Bridge (Bronx-Manhattan)
