Things 29th January 2012

Hey, not checked in for a while. Training has been going extremely well since the morpeth 11k on new year's day. I have been hitting 50+ miles per week incorporating the usual two rep/interval sessions at the club as well as a tempo run on my own and the long Sunday tradition.

I had a great run today approx 15.7miles from home to guidepost through Longhirst, pegswood and fulbeck. Weather was cold but no wind and was dry until around 14 miles. Felt great and could've ploughed on but I set a target and stuck with it.

I've been very pleased with the club sessions over the last few weeks and even had some great feedback to motivate me. Probably in the best shape since I was a youth!! The speed is there and I've been advised to stick to shortish races in the mean time and maybe dabble in the long stuff in the next few years. I think I did the Kielder marathon and Edinburgh way too soon. I put the work in training wise but it had an adverse effect on my speed. The advice is right but I love fell races too. How is this going to affect them???

Anyway, easing off this week to around 40 then pick up again next week. Toying with the idea of doing a park run this weekend to set a benchmark! Let's see how it goes!
Bye for now.

Morpeth 11k, 1st January 2012

Morpeth Harriers New Year's day 11k road race was held today. Weather was good. Sunny with no wind and surprisingly mile for this time of year. This race is free to Harriers members and I put my name down around 2 months ago knowing I would have to take it easy on New Year's eve! We were asked if we could provide some food for after the race to raise some money for the club and a duly whipped up my homemade flapjacks to help out. They're good, courtesy of a recipe from River Cottage! Thanks Hugh!

I have had a lingering cold for 2 weeks now and it was at the stage where everything that came out of the nose was green and phlegmy. Otherwise I felt ok if not a little tired from the festive indulgences.

The race started with a quick tempo as usual and I tried to hold myself back. First mile was 5:30 which I feared may catch up on me later! Nevertheless I was positioned around the top 15 and the field was becoming widely spread out. Mile 2 was slightly slower but was aware that mile 3 was going to be tough heading up Mitford steads. I've had many sessions up the steads with the training group but not in a race. By the time I reached the top I was beginning to flag.

Turning the corner at the top I was grateful for the encouragement from the home spectators. From that point on it was flat/downhill for the last 3 or so miles. I began to get into a rhythm again and speeded up, one spectator informing me that I was 13th with quite a gap behind me. This eased the pressure and enjoyed the run back into Morpeth.

I reached the finish, calves quite tight by this point, but maintained my position and very happy with 39:45 - checking the GPS I reached 10k in just under 37:00 - I ran faster at the Derwentwater 10 miles! The nose was cleared temporarily.

Aims for this year - PB for 5k, 10k, 10m & half marathon - with plenty of fell races thrown in!

Happy New Year!!