2 Mile Run + 1 Mile Recovery = Ella Bank – Upper Dunsted Rd – Ella Bank
Date: 30th January 2007
Conditions: Cold, Dry
Notes: As with all walks of life, every high has a low, every Ying has a Yang, and every action has a reaction. On Sunday, although I had bad preparation I got my long run as near to perfect as any run to date. This simple four mile LT run I could not have got any more wrong if I had tried.
I planned to do some work on my house after the run so I decided to do a four mile run around Langley Mill. I measured the course and after warming up I set off. From the start of the run however my mind set was not on the run, but on getting back to paint. This was a fatal error as I ran the first mile far to quickly.
As I entered the second mile my mind was on getting home as quickly as possible and it was as if my body said “If your not going to give this workout your all, why should I” and then decided to pack up there and then. As I entered Upper Dunsted Road my breathing was well out and my legs felt very tired. I had ran little over a mile but already felt worse than at the end of Sundays tenth mile.
I decided to complete the second mile and then use the third mile as a recovery run. I had got this workout very, very wrong and decided to put it down to experience. I now know that if I’m going running, I’m going running. I need to block out what I’m doing before or after and make sure I get the full benefit out of every run rather than running just to get the miles in. This is what I did last night but hey, I’m still new to all this and mistakes are not mistakes, they are an answer to a question. That question is, “How do I get the most out of this run?” I now know that this is not that way!
Positive: I ran the first mile extremely quickly without trying.
Negative: My mind set was not on the run and subsequently the whole workout suffered.
Days to Edinburgh Marathon: 117
Fast Mile: 7.17
Slow Mile: 7.38
Run Time: 14.55
“To climb steep hills requires slow pace at first.”
New York City
"Running 26 miles around this place.....I can think of nothing better"
Wednesday, 31 January 2007
Monday, 29 January 2007
28th January 2007
10 Mile Run + 1 Mile RR = Home – Denby – Ripley – Codnor – Heanor
Date: 28th January 2007
Conditions: Mild, Windy
Notes: The night before a long run I normally prepare with a good ‘hi carb’ meal and an early night. This week I had had two alcoholic drinks, and a Pizza. Not my best preparation to date. I woke up very late and nearly talked myself out of the run. To back track, this is the run I had to pull out of before the Worksop Half Marathon due to injury. It was gone lunch before I had my kit on and was ready to go. Mentally I was not prepared and physically I was far from even remotely prepared.
I did my usual warm up and set out with a ‘lets see’ attitude as I was still haunted by having to pull out of my first attempt at this ten mile lap. It had also been sometime since my last long run and I had only ever run ten miles ‘plus’ once before.
The first mile was steady as it always is and as I led into the second mile I started to get a rumbling in my stomach. I climbed the hill leading over and down towards Denby Pottery and as I crossed over onto Derby Road (B6179) I felt a sharp pain in my stomach and then a sudden urge to be sick came upon me. Having coughed it out, I struggled through the next mile, telling myself that it would eventually pass. It did pass and by the time I reached Ripley and the halfway point I was feeling good and running with ease.
I picked up a drink I had stashed at the half way point many months ago, and boy was I glad it was still there. I came down through Codnor and when I hit the mile six marker I felt amazing. I was so shocked that the further into this run I got, the better I felt. I knew this could all change soon as four of the six hills on this course came in the last three and a half miles.
As I came down through Codnor and towards Loscoe I knew that if I attacked these hills correctly that I would finish this run and finish it well. I had slight stitch but used something I had learnt this past week to get me through it. If your stitch is on your right hand side then as your left foot strikes the ground you exhale as hard as possible. Within three or four repeats the stitch should have gone. The beauty is, it actually works!
The final three miles were up and down hills but throughout the final few miles I just concentrated on my breathing and the ‘Stitch Technique’ (ST) that I had learnt. The final mile and last two hills were a real challenge but in all I really enjoyed this run and know that I am now well on my way to becoming a Marathon runner.
Positive: I finished the ten miles comfortably.
Negative: I nearly had to abort the run due to poor mental and physical preparation.
Days to Edinburgh Marathon: 119
Fast Mile: 7.47
Slow Mile: 8.50
Run time: 1h22m55s
“Our patience will achieve more than our force.”
Date: 28th January 2007
Conditions: Mild, Windy
Notes: The night before a long run I normally prepare with a good ‘hi carb’ meal and an early night. This week I had had two alcoholic drinks, and a Pizza. Not my best preparation to date. I woke up very late and nearly talked myself out of the run. To back track, this is the run I had to pull out of before the Worksop Half Marathon due to injury. It was gone lunch before I had my kit on and was ready to go. Mentally I was not prepared and physically I was far from even remotely prepared.
I did my usual warm up and set out with a ‘lets see’ attitude as I was still haunted by having to pull out of my first attempt at this ten mile lap. It had also been sometime since my last long run and I had only ever run ten miles ‘plus’ once before.
The first mile was steady as it always is and as I led into the second mile I started to get a rumbling in my stomach. I climbed the hill leading over and down towards Denby Pottery and as I crossed over onto Derby Road (B6179) I felt a sharp pain in my stomach and then a sudden urge to be sick came upon me. Having coughed it out, I struggled through the next mile, telling myself that it would eventually pass. It did pass and by the time I reached Ripley and the halfway point I was feeling good and running with ease.
I picked up a drink I had stashed at the half way point many months ago, and boy was I glad it was still there. I came down through Codnor and when I hit the mile six marker I felt amazing. I was so shocked that the further into this run I got, the better I felt. I knew this could all change soon as four of the six hills on this course came in the last three and a half miles.
As I came down through Codnor and towards Loscoe I knew that if I attacked these hills correctly that I would finish this run and finish it well. I had slight stitch but used something I had learnt this past week to get me through it. If your stitch is on your right hand side then as your left foot strikes the ground you exhale as hard as possible. Within three or four repeats the stitch should have gone. The beauty is, it actually works!
The final three miles were up and down hills but throughout the final few miles I just concentrated on my breathing and the ‘Stitch Technique’ (ST) that I had learnt. The final mile and last two hills were a real challenge but in all I really enjoyed this run and know that I am now well on my way to becoming a Marathon runner.
Positive: I finished the ten miles comfortably.
Negative: I nearly had to abort the run due to poor mental and physical preparation.
Days to Edinburgh Marathon: 119
Fast Mile: 7.47
Slow Mile: 8.50
Run time: 1h22m55s
“Our patience will achieve more than our force.”
25th January 2007
Heanor Running Club
Speed Work – ‘Hills’
10x160m + 10x160m RR
Date: 25th January 2007
Conditions: Cold, Icy
Having met at the usual time the team set out towards the American Adventure to do some hill running. When you are in a race and you reach the top of a hill the natural thing to do is slow right down as you have used so much energy during the climb. If you can avoid this in a race you can save valuable seconds as well as gaining valuable places through passing the many runners that are not trained to deal with these situations. The training we did was running around 100m up a hill at a steady to quick pace, however once at the top of the hill we then kicked it up a gear to get over the hill without slowing. This type of training on a regular basis conditions your body to naturally speed up, once at the summit of a hill.
We did 10 of these hill repeats which were around 160m in total with the same again for the recovery run. After around five of these repeats I really started to struggle as the recovery run was not long enough before you were back doing the repeats again. I slowed right off to save myself of the final two legs and by the time I had done I regretted this as I had more to give. We concluded with the one and a half mile warm down back to the leisure centre which I spent the whole time getting to know ?????, who is one of the female runners of the club who is running the London Marathon.
I have now tasted this style of intense training and so I can push myself that bit harder next time as I know what to expect.
Positive: I felt good at the end which means I had more to give.
Negative: I could have pushed myself harder.
Days to Edinburgh Marathon: 122
“Footprints on the sands of time are not made by sitting down.”
Speed Work – ‘Hills’
10x160m + 10x160m RR
Date: 25th January 2007
Conditions: Cold, Icy
Having met at the usual time the team set out towards the American Adventure to do some hill running. When you are in a race and you reach the top of a hill the natural thing to do is slow right down as you have used so much energy during the climb. If you can avoid this in a race you can save valuable seconds as well as gaining valuable places through passing the many runners that are not trained to deal with these situations. The training we did was running around 100m up a hill at a steady to quick pace, however once at the top of the hill we then kicked it up a gear to get over the hill without slowing. This type of training on a regular basis conditions your body to naturally speed up, once at the summit of a hill.
We did 10 of these hill repeats which were around 160m in total with the same again for the recovery run. After around five of these repeats I really started to struggle as the recovery run was not long enough before you were back doing the repeats again. I slowed right off to save myself of the final two legs and by the time I had done I regretted this as I had more to give. We concluded with the one and a half mile warm down back to the leisure centre which I spent the whole time getting to know ?????, who is one of the female runners of the club who is running the London Marathon.
I have now tasted this style of intense training and so I can push myself that bit harder next time as I know what to expect.
Positive: I felt good at the end which means I had more to give.
Negative: I could have pushed myself harder.
Days to Edinburgh Marathon: 122
“Footprints on the sands of time are not made by sitting down.”
Wednesday, 24 January 2007
23rd January 2007
4 Mile Run = Home – Smalley Cross – Wood Lane – Home
Date:
Conditions: Cold, Dry
Notes: Having failed miserably in my first attempt at a LT workout I made a second attempt and have to say that I believe that I improved by a thousand percent. After a long warm up due to the freezing temperatures I set out at a really steady pace and tried to remember and duplicate my pace from the Worksop Half Marathon.
As I reached the one mile marker I saw that I was around thirty seconds faster than my half marathon pace. This was nearly a minute improvement on my first attempt a week ago. If you take off my improvement I believe I got this almost spot on. I was running with ease and my breathing was easy.
The second mile was relatively down hill so again I took my time so not to get excited and burn out before the one mile hill up Wood lane. I crossed the mile two marker seven seconds faster than mile one so with the decline of mile two I again I believe I got it spot on. I was feeling amazing but that could all change with the grueling hill that was soon upon me.
After you pass the mile two marker at the bottom of Wood Lane there are no street lights and for around two hundred meters you are running in pure darkness so there is no choice but to slow down and of course I lost a lot of time but this run was not all about completing the course in record time. As I got back into the light the course took a huge incline but I just kept the pace I was going and I never really tired or slowed down due to fatigue. ‘Eye of the Tiger’ came on my I Pod so I had even more determination and fuel to get me to the top. At the top of the hill there is a short decline before another grueling climb to the top of Wood Lane. As I made the final approach I did feel an ever so slight stitch come on but I pushed through it and made it to the top without slowing and was then on course for the final mile of this four mile circuit.
The final mile was a steady run along Dobholes Lane and after regaining my lost form due to the hill I was off again but although I was far from tired I stuck at the same pace as I had throughout the run. I reached the end of the run feeling good. As I warmed down the only pain I had was a sore nose from breathing in freezing cold air for thirty minutes.
In closing this was probably the best I have ever felt at the beginning, middle and at the completion of the run. I have knocked nearly two minutes off my PB for this course and I wasn’t even trying to. I felt amazing throughout and my only quarrel with the run was that I had to constantly keep pushing my ear phones back in, which proves how much I enjoyed the run.
Positive: I knocked nearly two minutes of my PB for this course.
Negative: I had to keep pushing my ear phones back in.
Days to Edinburgh Marathon: 124
Fast Mile: 7.47
Slow Mile: 9.27
Run Time time: 31.48
“A man can often do today what he could not do yesterday.”
Date:
Conditions: Cold, Dry
Notes: Having failed miserably in my first attempt at a LT workout I made a second attempt and have to say that I believe that I improved by a thousand percent. After a long warm up due to the freezing temperatures I set out at a really steady pace and tried to remember and duplicate my pace from the Worksop Half Marathon.
As I reached the one mile marker I saw that I was around thirty seconds faster than my half marathon pace. This was nearly a minute improvement on my first attempt a week ago. If you take off my improvement I believe I got this almost spot on. I was running with ease and my breathing was easy.
The second mile was relatively down hill so again I took my time so not to get excited and burn out before the one mile hill up Wood lane. I crossed the mile two marker seven seconds faster than mile one so with the decline of mile two I again I believe I got it spot on. I was feeling amazing but that could all change with the grueling hill that was soon upon me.
After you pass the mile two marker at the bottom of Wood Lane there are no street lights and for around two hundred meters you are running in pure darkness so there is no choice but to slow down and of course I lost a lot of time but this run was not all about completing the course in record time. As I got back into the light the course took a huge incline but I just kept the pace I was going and I never really tired or slowed down due to fatigue. ‘Eye of the Tiger’ came on my I Pod so I had even more determination and fuel to get me to the top. At the top of the hill there is a short decline before another grueling climb to the top of Wood Lane. As I made the final approach I did feel an ever so slight stitch come on but I pushed through it and made it to the top without slowing and was then on course for the final mile of this four mile circuit.
The final mile was a steady run along Dobholes Lane and after regaining my lost form due to the hill I was off again but although I was far from tired I stuck at the same pace as I had throughout the run. I reached the end of the run feeling good. As I warmed down the only pain I had was a sore nose from breathing in freezing cold air for thirty minutes.
In closing this was probably the best I have ever felt at the beginning, middle and at the completion of the run. I have knocked nearly two minutes off my PB for this course and I wasn’t even trying to. I felt amazing throughout and my only quarrel with the run was that I had to constantly keep pushing my ear phones back in, which proves how much I enjoyed the run.
Positive: I knocked nearly two minutes of my PB for this course.
Negative: I had to keep pushing my ear phones back in.
Days to Edinburgh Marathon: 124
Fast Mile: 7.47
Slow Mile: 9.27
Run Time time: 31.48
“A man can often do today what he could not do yesterday.”
Thursday, 18 January 2007
16th January 2007
2 Mile Run + 1 Mile Recovery = Home – Wood Lane – Home
Date: 16th January 2007
Conditions: Windy, Wet
Notes: Having done much research and read many articles and books on road running I now have a clear plan of what I want to achieve from my running and how I will achieve it. My weekly mileage will continue to rise but as with my work it is time to train smarter rather than harder. Within my week I will be doing one Lactate Threshold (LT) workout, one VO2Max workout, at least one cross training workout and a long run or race on a Sunday. In between will be recovery or tempo runs depending on my condition and how I am feeling.
I am new to the LT and VO2Max workouts so I was never expecting to get it right first time. Your LT pace should be around your half marathon pace which based on my one half to date would be around eight and a half minutes per mile. Now of course since then I have improved dramatically so as a guesstimate I should be running around eight minute miles for my LT workout. I got this horribly wrong as I ended up running two of the fastest miles I have ran to date in a training session.
After the first mile which was only two seconds off my PB I did an un-timed recovery run (RR) of one mile. I then did another LT mile but again I ran it far too quick.
I was impressed with my time and obvious improvement but that was not the aim of this run. I am now trying to make contact with the University of Derby to get LT and VO2Max tests done so I can establish the pace I should be running at.
Positive: I am running very close the sub seven minute miles
Negative: I ran to fast as this was supposed to be a LT workout.
Days to Edinburgh Marathon: 131
Fast Mile: 7.08
Slow Mile: 7.12
Run Time time: 14.20
“The surest way not to fail is to determine to succeed.”
Date: 16th January 2007
Conditions: Windy, Wet
Notes: Having done much research and read many articles and books on road running I now have a clear plan of what I want to achieve from my running and how I will achieve it. My weekly mileage will continue to rise but as with my work it is time to train smarter rather than harder. Within my week I will be doing one Lactate Threshold (LT) workout, one VO2Max workout, at least one cross training workout and a long run or race on a Sunday. In between will be recovery or tempo runs depending on my condition and how I am feeling.
I am new to the LT and VO2Max workouts so I was never expecting to get it right first time. Your LT pace should be around your half marathon pace which based on my one half to date would be around eight and a half minutes per mile. Now of course since then I have improved dramatically so as a guesstimate I should be running around eight minute miles for my LT workout. I got this horribly wrong as I ended up running two of the fastest miles I have ran to date in a training session.
After the first mile which was only two seconds off my PB I did an un-timed recovery run (RR) of one mile. I then did another LT mile but again I ran it far too quick.
I was impressed with my time and obvious improvement but that was not the aim of this run. I am now trying to make contact with the University of Derby to get LT and VO2Max tests done so I can establish the pace I should be running at.
Positive: I am running very close the sub seven minute miles
Negative: I ran to fast as this was supposed to be a LT workout.
Days to Edinburgh Marathon: 131
Fast Mile: 7.08
Slow Mile: 7.12
Run Time time: 14.20
“The surest way not to fail is to determine to succeed.”
Tuesday, 16 January 2007
15th January 2007
2 Mile Run + 3 Mile Recovery = Home – Heanor – Home
Date: 15th January 2007
Conditions: Windy, Dry
Notes: Today id the fifteenth of January and that means one thing. It is eighteen weeks until the Edinburgh Marathon. That also means the serious training starts here. I had a good base building eighteen weeks and entered three 10k races and one Half Marathon. I know what race day feels like and I have trained in all conditions except snow. I have suffered with injury through not warming up and I have tasted the pain of speed training. Now it really begins. I am training for two full Marathons and one half, providing I get into the Great North Run. I am reading all the books I can find and am continually learning new training and race tactics. So here it is, the beginning of a huge year.
For my first session I wanted a light run to ease myself back into training as I had a week off to renovate my house. After a solid warm up I set off from my parent’s house towards Heanor. As I approached the mile marker I looked at my watch and saw that I was well under eight minutes. Now as stated in many runs before set out at a comfortable pace but found that when I looked at my time that it was better than my race pace. This tells me one thing, my race pace must be higher than I thought. Had I not contracted stitch in my last race I strongly believe that I could have run a sub forty five 10k.
I kept my pace steady through the second mile and I felt amazing as I ran down HGIE. At the bottom of the estate I came upon the hill at Thorpes road. As I approached the hill I told myself “Come on keep this pace, you can do it”. Low and behold I breezed the hill and still felt good at the top. As I approached the mile two marker I looked at my watch I saw that I had ran the mile in seven minutes and eleven seconds. Just six seconds off my PB, and this mile included a hill. The mile I set the PB on was relatively flat.
After the second mile I had to run to my house on Ella Bank Road and drop off a key for my mate to come and fit some lights, so I decided that I would not time the run anymore as it would incur a stop. I reached my house and after dropping off the key and doing a few light stretches I was off again. I continued down Ella Bank and then turned up Hands road to the grueling hills up to Heanor Town centre. As I reached Heanor I still felt good, yet a little fatigued. One of my friends lives in Heanor town centre so I popped in there to say hello.
A quick hello turned into two hours and by the time I was ready to leave again I could already feel my legs starting to tighten up. I stretched again and was off. The two mile journey home was tough. Running twice in one day is not advisable but I made it home without stopping. Once home I stretched out as my legs felt so weak. I will not fall into the trap of running once I have ran and stopped.
In closing I have taken that first step towards Edinburgh. Only one hundred and thirty two days, and roughly seventy five training sessions to go.
Positive: I ran my first sub fifteen minutes for two miles in a training run.
Negative: Running home after stopping for two hours made the return really hard.
Days to Edinburgh Marathon: 132
Fast Mile: 7.11
Slow Mile: 7.47
Run Time: 14.58
“Obstacles are things that a person sees when he takes his eyes off his goal.”
Date: 15th January 2007
Conditions: Windy, Dry
Notes: Today id the fifteenth of January and that means one thing. It is eighteen weeks until the Edinburgh Marathon. That also means the serious training starts here. I had a good base building eighteen weeks and entered three 10k races and one Half Marathon. I know what race day feels like and I have trained in all conditions except snow. I have suffered with injury through not warming up and I have tasted the pain of speed training. Now it really begins. I am training for two full Marathons and one half, providing I get into the Great North Run. I am reading all the books I can find and am continually learning new training and race tactics. So here it is, the beginning of a huge year.
For my first session I wanted a light run to ease myself back into training as I had a week off to renovate my house. After a solid warm up I set off from my parent’s house towards Heanor. As I approached the mile marker I looked at my watch and saw that I was well under eight minutes. Now as stated in many runs before set out at a comfortable pace but found that when I looked at my time that it was better than my race pace. This tells me one thing, my race pace must be higher than I thought. Had I not contracted stitch in my last race I strongly believe that I could have run a sub forty five 10k.
I kept my pace steady through the second mile and I felt amazing as I ran down HGIE. At the bottom of the estate I came upon the hill at Thorpes road. As I approached the hill I told myself “Come on keep this pace, you can do it”. Low and behold I breezed the hill and still felt good at the top. As I approached the mile two marker I looked at my watch I saw that I had ran the mile in seven minutes and eleven seconds. Just six seconds off my PB, and this mile included a hill. The mile I set the PB on was relatively flat.
After the second mile I had to run to my house on Ella Bank Road and drop off a key for my mate to come and fit some lights, so I decided that I would not time the run anymore as it would incur a stop. I reached my house and after dropping off the key and doing a few light stretches I was off again. I continued down Ella Bank and then turned up Hands road to the grueling hills up to Heanor Town centre. As I reached Heanor I still felt good, yet a little fatigued. One of my friends lives in Heanor town centre so I popped in there to say hello.
A quick hello turned into two hours and by the time I was ready to leave again I could already feel my legs starting to tighten up. I stretched again and was off. The two mile journey home was tough. Running twice in one day is not advisable but I made it home without stopping. Once home I stretched out as my legs felt so weak. I will not fall into the trap of running once I have ran and stopped.
In closing I have taken that first step towards Edinburgh. Only one hundred and thirty two days, and roughly seventy five training sessions to go.
Positive: I ran my first sub fifteen minutes for two miles in a training run.
Negative: Running home after stopping for two hours made the return really hard.
Days to Edinburgh Marathon: 132
Fast Mile: 7.11
Slow Mile: 7.47
Run Time: 14.58
“Obstacles are things that a person sees when he takes his eyes off his goal.”
Monday, 8 January 2007
5th January 2007
Fartlek Training
5th January 2007
Having done research into Fartlek Training I decided to give it a go. I am in my penultimate week of my eighteen week base building period so the time for guess work is now rather than once my Edinburgh Marathon training starts. Fartlek training is basically random running consisting of sprints, strides and recovery runs, up hills, down hills and flat straights. It works like this; you run along at a pace that feels comfortable and then pick a marker and sprint to it. Once at the marker you then continue running really slowly which is your ‘recovery run’. After you have recovered you may pick another marker and then stride to it and again continue with a recovery run once at your chosen marker. The work out can be as easy or as hard as you choose. That’s the beauty of Fartlek training.
Having had a tough week with the Pyramid speed session and the 10k I did two nights ago I decided not to set a distance for my run or commit to doing ten one hundred meter sprint repeats. I did a steady one mile warm up which led down towards Smalley cross. When I reached the mile marker s stopped to stretch and then looked back up the hill I had just ran down and saw a decorated tree on a front lawn that I set for my first marker. I opened into a stride and when I passed the first lamp post I sprinted until I reached the tree. Once I did I slowed into a recovery run, and boy did I need it. Sprinting up a hill is much harder than running ten miles at a steady pace.
Once over the brow of the brow of the hill and recovered I saw a car which I sprinted to and again once there I slowed to an almost walk to recover, though never stopping completely. I did this the whole mile back and decided that for my first session that two miles would be enough. I could tell after just two miles that I had worked hard. I enjoyed the session, short may it have been but I know that plenty of these style sessions will vastly improve my race day speed and overall performance.
Conditions: Cold, Wet
Time: N/A
“Ideas are funny things. They don’t work unless you do.”
5th January 2007
Having done research into Fartlek Training I decided to give it a go. I am in my penultimate week of my eighteen week base building period so the time for guess work is now rather than once my Edinburgh Marathon training starts. Fartlek training is basically random running consisting of sprints, strides and recovery runs, up hills, down hills and flat straights. It works like this; you run along at a pace that feels comfortable and then pick a marker and sprint to it. Once at the marker you then continue running really slowly which is your ‘recovery run’. After you have recovered you may pick another marker and then stride to it and again continue with a recovery run once at your chosen marker. The work out can be as easy or as hard as you choose. That’s the beauty of Fartlek training.
Having had a tough week with the Pyramid speed session and the 10k I did two nights ago I decided not to set a distance for my run or commit to doing ten one hundred meter sprint repeats. I did a steady one mile warm up which led down towards Smalley cross. When I reached the mile marker s stopped to stretch and then looked back up the hill I had just ran down and saw a decorated tree on a front lawn that I set for my first marker. I opened into a stride and when I passed the first lamp post I sprinted until I reached the tree. Once I did I slowed into a recovery run, and boy did I need it. Sprinting up a hill is much harder than running ten miles at a steady pace.
Once over the brow of the brow of the hill and recovered I saw a car which I sprinted to and again once there I slowed to an almost walk to recover, though never stopping completely. I did this the whole mile back and decided that for my first session that two miles would be enough. I could tell after just two miles that I had worked hard. I enjoyed the session, short may it have been but I know that plenty of these style sessions will vastly improve my race day speed and overall performance.
Conditions: Cold, Wet
Time: N/A
“Ideas are funny things. They don’t work unless you do.”
Thursday, 4 January 2007
3rd January 2007
Adam’s 10k
3rd January 2007
Training Run
This was initially a recovery run from my grueling speed workout yesterday. I decided to go for a 10k run but at a very steady pace. The route I chose was from my parent’s house in Smalley to my new house in Heanor and then back, but I made sure it was a one loop course.
The weather was awful with heavy rain and strong winds but the New York Marathon will not stop for bad weather, so my training won’t either.
I set out along Smalley straight and with my music in my ears I soon forgot about the weather. As I have been told, and soon learnt, on a bad day the hardest part of a run is getting out the front door. I was out the door and on my way, I remember passing the one mile marker in just over eight minutes.
The second mile proceeded down Derby road past Heanor Gate School which was the first hill in the Heanor 10k. Going down it was far easier and I entered HGIS feeling fantastic and proceeded along the long straight towards the final hill in the Heanor 10k (the Heanor 10k goes the opposite way towards my parents in Smalley so the hills are around 8k apart). The climb up Thorpes Road was much easier than at the Heanor 10k, and I reached the top in good spirit but I was out of breath slightly. Just after the brow of the hill came the second mile marker and I passed it in just under sixteen minutes. I was running at almost 10k race pace without trying to and I was there that I decided that I was really enjoying this run and will make it a regular route. The course has many twists and turns through both town and country with four challenging hills, so it will be a good training 10k in preparation for future races.
After the mile two marker the course takes a steady climb up Lockton Avenue towards Ilkeston road and although a little tired I felt good and I arrived on Ella Bank Road (my street) feeling good although a slight stitch had arrived on my right side but I concentrated on my form and breathing and used the descent down Ella Bank to recover ready for the long climb up Hands Road towards the mile three marker. As I approached the hill I felt the stitch get worse, so I really took it steady on the climb and by the time I passed the mile three marker I felt good again, and after the short straight past HLC I was treated to the penultimate hill. The hill was painful as it went on past Hands Road up into Heanor town centre.
As I ran through town I felt my breath come back and my form returned and the next mile was a steady pace as I regained the momentum lost on the two hills. As I passed the mile four marker and ran back down Thorpes road I looked at my watch and saw thirty two minutes something, and I knew I would not be far off my PB for 10k, however I was not going to push it as this was still only a recovery run.
The run back up HGIS seemed longer than before but I was ion high spirits, and as I approached the final hill I told myself “one last push”. I really slowed going up the final hill and I knew it cost me time but this was not about a time. I passed the mile five marker in just over forty minutes. I knew with a push that I could almost equal my PB for 10k. I was however very tired as the four hills (combined with the Christmas festivities) had really taken it out of me, so the final one and a bit miles were really slow. I also felt my right hamstring tighten up so I eased off and did not opt for any heroics.
I crossed the finish line in fifty minutes and thirty eight seconds. Little over three minutes off my race personal best (and this was a recovery run with four challenging hills). More importantly I had knocked nearly three minutes off my best training time.
In closing I really enjoyed this run and know it will be a regular route and training 10k in build up to future races.
Conditions: Cold, Raining
Time: 50.38
“You can never plan the future by the past.”
3rd January 2007
Training Run
This was initially a recovery run from my grueling speed workout yesterday. I decided to go for a 10k run but at a very steady pace. The route I chose was from my parent’s house in Smalley to my new house in Heanor and then back, but I made sure it was a one loop course.
The weather was awful with heavy rain and strong winds but the New York Marathon will not stop for bad weather, so my training won’t either.
I set out along Smalley straight and with my music in my ears I soon forgot about the weather. As I have been told, and soon learnt, on a bad day the hardest part of a run is getting out the front door. I was out the door and on my way, I remember passing the one mile marker in just over eight minutes.
The second mile proceeded down Derby road past Heanor Gate School which was the first hill in the Heanor 10k. Going down it was far easier and I entered HGIS feeling fantastic and proceeded along the long straight towards the final hill in the Heanor 10k (the Heanor 10k goes the opposite way towards my parents in Smalley so the hills are around 8k apart). The climb up Thorpes Road was much easier than at the Heanor 10k, and I reached the top in good spirit but I was out of breath slightly. Just after the brow of the hill came the second mile marker and I passed it in just under sixteen minutes. I was running at almost 10k race pace without trying to and I was there that I decided that I was really enjoying this run and will make it a regular route. The course has many twists and turns through both town and country with four challenging hills, so it will be a good training 10k in preparation for future races.
After the mile two marker the course takes a steady climb up Lockton Avenue towards Ilkeston road and although a little tired I felt good and I arrived on Ella Bank Road (my street) feeling good although a slight stitch had arrived on my right side but I concentrated on my form and breathing and used the descent down Ella Bank to recover ready for the long climb up Hands Road towards the mile three marker. As I approached the hill I felt the stitch get worse, so I really took it steady on the climb and by the time I passed the mile three marker I felt good again, and after the short straight past HLC I was treated to the penultimate hill. The hill was painful as it went on past Hands Road up into Heanor town centre.
As I ran through town I felt my breath come back and my form returned and the next mile was a steady pace as I regained the momentum lost on the two hills. As I passed the mile four marker and ran back down Thorpes road I looked at my watch and saw thirty two minutes something, and I knew I would not be far off my PB for 10k, however I was not going to push it as this was still only a recovery run.
The run back up HGIS seemed longer than before but I was ion high spirits, and as I approached the final hill I told myself “one last push”. I really slowed going up the final hill and I knew it cost me time but this was not about a time. I passed the mile five marker in just over forty minutes. I knew with a push that I could almost equal my PB for 10k. I was however very tired as the four hills (combined with the Christmas festivities) had really taken it out of me, so the final one and a bit miles were really slow. I also felt my right hamstring tighten up so I eased off and did not opt for any heroics.
I crossed the finish line in fifty minutes and thirty eight seconds. Little over three minutes off my race personal best (and this was a recovery run with four challenging hills). More importantly I had knocked nearly three minutes off my best training time.
In closing I really enjoyed this run and know it will be a regular route and training 10k in build up to future races.
Conditions: Cold, Raining
Time: 50.38
“You can never plan the future by the past.”
Wednesday, 3 January 2007
2nd January 2007
Heanor Running Club
Speed Work – ‘Pyramids’
4x300m + 2x600m + 1x1200m + 2x600m + 4x300m
Date: 2nd January 2007
Conditions: Cold, Wet
With Christmas and 2006 well out the way it was back into full training in preparation for the Edinburgh and New York Marathons. The last seventeen weeks were base building and now I know I can run a fair distance it is time to get serious, and faster.
We met at Heanor Leisure Centre (HLC) at the usual time and I was surprised at how many turned up. There was nearly twenty of us and from talking to Rob it was the biggest turnout in a while. Me thinks this was down to everyone feeling guilty after a heavy xmas (I know I did far less training than I should have done).
We set out for the one mile warm up to Heanor Gate Industrial Estate (HGIE) and on the way down Rob informed us that we would be doing a ‘Pyramid’ session. Now read the title and just below it is the sets that we did. This was without a doubt the hardest running I have ever done.
We started with 4x300m sets with 1x100m recovery jogs in between. I found these relatively easy but after the final leg we had a 200m jog to the start of the second set. This was 2x600m with a sixty second recovery after each one. After the first one I was absolutely shattered. Like in every other speed workout with the club I told myself there was no way I was going to finish the course, however I pushed through it with the help of the team.
After the second 600m we had a well deserved (and welcomed) ninety second break before starting the 1200 meter lap. After this and another sixty second break we began the trip back down the pyramid and this is where it got really hard. After the second set of 600m I had chronic stitch. We had a short recovery walk back to the start line ready for the final 4x300m.
The final four laps were far easier as the distance seemed far shorter than the middle sets so although I had chronic stitch throughout I felt good and my form and pace were steady throughout.
After the run we had a steady warm down mile back to HLC which gave me a good chance to talk to some of the runners I have not yet met.
In closing this was a really grueling session but no session this hard can be completed without reaping the rewards in future races. I will now begin timing my ‘speed work’ training sessions to measure my improvement.
Positive: Nothing this painful can come without huge benefits.
Negative: This was the hardest running I have ever done.
“It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do a little.”
Speed Work – ‘Pyramids’
4x300m + 2x600m + 1x1200m + 2x600m + 4x300m
Date: 2nd January 2007
Conditions: Cold, Wet
With Christmas and 2006 well out the way it was back into full training in preparation for the Edinburgh and New York Marathons. The last seventeen weeks were base building and now I know I can run a fair distance it is time to get serious, and faster.
We met at Heanor Leisure Centre (HLC) at the usual time and I was surprised at how many turned up. There was nearly twenty of us and from talking to Rob it was the biggest turnout in a while. Me thinks this was down to everyone feeling guilty after a heavy xmas (I know I did far less training than I should have done).
We set out for the one mile warm up to Heanor Gate Industrial Estate (HGIE) and on the way down Rob informed us that we would be doing a ‘Pyramid’ session. Now read the title and just below it is the sets that we did. This was without a doubt the hardest running I have ever done.
We started with 4x300m sets with 1x100m recovery jogs in between. I found these relatively easy but after the final leg we had a 200m jog to the start of the second set. This was 2x600m with a sixty second recovery after each one. After the first one I was absolutely shattered. Like in every other speed workout with the club I told myself there was no way I was going to finish the course, however I pushed through it with the help of the team.
After the second 600m we had a well deserved (and welcomed) ninety second break before starting the 1200 meter lap. After this and another sixty second break we began the trip back down the pyramid and this is where it got really hard. After the second set of 600m I had chronic stitch. We had a short recovery walk back to the start line ready for the final 4x300m.
The final four laps were far easier as the distance seemed far shorter than the middle sets so although I had chronic stitch throughout I felt good and my form and pace were steady throughout.
After the run we had a steady warm down mile back to HLC which gave me a good chance to talk to some of the runners I have not yet met.
In closing this was a really grueling session but no session this hard can be completed without reaping the rewards in future races. I will now begin timing my ‘speed work’ training sessions to measure my improvement.
Positive: Nothing this painful can come without huge benefits.
Negative: This was the hardest running I have ever done.
“It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do a little.”
Tuesday, 2 January 2007
25th December 2006
2 Mile Run = Home – Dobholes Lane – Home
Date: 25th December 2006
Conditions: Cool, Dry
Notes: When I started my training many months ago I said to myself “I’m going to go running on Christmas Day”. I awoke Christmas morning feeling fantastic (probably due to the two mile run home Christmas Eve, having been unable to secure a taxi).
Feeling fantastic I decided to go for a short two mile run. I did plenty of stretching and warming up before setting out. I got lots of funny looks form people but I didn’t care as training does not stop for runners (well it slows down anyway).
I reached the mile marker and stopped to stretch a little more before returning home to complete my two mile run. I felt good throughout to say I had drank a lot the night before. I opted not to time this run but the main thing is I did what I said I would. Call me crazy but I Christmas Day 2006, I went running.
Positive: I went for a run on Christmas day.
Negative: I must be crazy running on Christmas day.
Fast Mile: N/A
Slow Mile: N/A
Run time: N/A
“Some miss many pleasures through caring too much for comfort.”
Date: 25th December 2006
Conditions: Cool, Dry
Notes: When I started my training many months ago I said to myself “I’m going to go running on Christmas Day”. I awoke Christmas morning feeling fantastic (probably due to the two mile run home Christmas Eve, having been unable to secure a taxi).
Feeling fantastic I decided to go for a short two mile run. I did plenty of stretching and warming up before setting out. I got lots of funny looks form people but I didn’t care as training does not stop for runners (well it slows down anyway).
I reached the mile marker and stopped to stretch a little more before returning home to complete my two mile run. I felt good throughout to say I had drank a lot the night before. I opted not to time this run but the main thing is I did what I said I would. Call me crazy but I Christmas Day 2006, I went running.
Positive: I went for a run on Christmas day.
Negative: I must be crazy running on Christmas day.
Fast Mile: N/A
Slow Mile: N/A
Run time: N/A
“Some miss many pleasures through caring too much for comfort.”
18th December 2006
3 Mile Run = Ella Bank – American Adventure – Ella Bank
Date: 18th December 2006
Conditions: Cold, Dry
Notes: I will be moving into my house in Heanor in the New Year so I decided to leave my car at my house ready to do some decorating after and go running somewhere new. I decided to do three miles and the route I chose was towards Ilkeston along the route I did with the running club just before the Heanor 10k. I had struggled with this run before but I decided not to let this effect me mentally whilst warming up for this run. I set out at a steady pace a felt good for the first mile.
The second mile led in the American Adventure car park and looped around it before proceeding back along the way I came. As I entered the car park I felt good but it was very dark so I had to slow my pace a little, so to avoid the risk of tripping up and subsequent injury. Regardless of my slowing down I still ran a sub eight minute mile which was fast for training pace. I passed the mile two marker well within my 10k race pace so I decided that I would continue and push for my fastest three mile training run to date.
I was running well and the hill that took it out of me on my last run with the running club came and went a lot easier than before and once at the top I really pushed it to try and beat my best time so far. It turns out the hill took a little too much out of me and I marginally missed out on my best time but I was not at all concerned. This was a training run that I thought I was taking steady. My pace is improving and with only a few sessions left in 2006 I am relishing the next step in my quest. With 2007 just around the corner that also means serious training is just as close. I am going to enjoy Christmas with a well deserved break before the January detox begins.
Positive: I ran three consecutive sub eight minute miles.
Negative: I had a slight stitch but nothing like the Bolsover 10k.
Fast Mile: 7.52
Slow Mile: 7.58
Run time: 0h23m46s
"Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small steps."
Date: 18th December 2006
Conditions: Cold, Dry
Notes: I will be moving into my house in Heanor in the New Year so I decided to leave my car at my house ready to do some decorating after and go running somewhere new. I decided to do three miles and the route I chose was towards Ilkeston along the route I did with the running club just before the Heanor 10k. I had struggled with this run before but I decided not to let this effect me mentally whilst warming up for this run. I set out at a steady pace a felt good for the first mile.
The second mile led in the American Adventure car park and looped around it before proceeding back along the way I came. As I entered the car park I felt good but it was very dark so I had to slow my pace a little, so to avoid the risk of tripping up and subsequent injury. Regardless of my slowing down I still ran a sub eight minute mile which was fast for training pace. I passed the mile two marker well within my 10k race pace so I decided that I would continue and push for my fastest three mile training run to date.
I was running well and the hill that took it out of me on my last run with the running club came and went a lot easier than before and once at the top I really pushed it to try and beat my best time so far. It turns out the hill took a little too much out of me and I marginally missed out on my best time but I was not at all concerned. This was a training run that I thought I was taking steady. My pace is improving and with only a few sessions left in 2006 I am relishing the next step in my quest. With 2007 just around the corner that also means serious training is just as close. I am going to enjoy Christmas with a well deserved break before the January detox begins.
Positive: I ran three consecutive sub eight minute miles.
Negative: I had a slight stitch but nothing like the Bolsover 10k.
Fast Mile: 7.52
Slow Mile: 7.58
Run time: 0h23m46s
"Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small steps."
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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)
