Early Mornings, Coffee and Stately Homes – Here Comes The Rain Again – Soaked And Steaming

After being woken up at a little before 5am by the sound of a) my kids waking up and deciding that everyone should also get up and b) the rain hammering against the window, I had real doubts about whether cycling 6.8 miles to Hatfield House for the Willow 10k was a good idea. By 8am however, the rain had all but disappeared, the clouds dispersed and there was even some sunshine. So much so that my big dilemma was not whether I should cycle to the race but whether I should bother with long sleeves or not. Deciding that I could wear a long sleeve top under my short sleeve running shirt and take it off if the sun threatened to make it too warm, I set off on the bike. About half way there, the clouds began to gather and the wind got up meaning that by the time I arrived at Hatfield House and found somewhere to chain my bike, it had become overcast and decidedly cold. I lurked for a bit and was very soon asked by a marshall if I knew where everything was – it was like being welcomed into someone’s home ” Bag storage is over there but why don’t you grab a cup of coffee in that tent there and warm up before checking your bag in”. Any organisation that offers you tea and coffee prior to the race (and complimentary too – just a polystyrene cup at the end of the table with”donations” in biro by way of a till) gets my vote. So, black coffee drunk, bag checked in and then listen to Bob Wilson (THE Bob Wilson) thank everyone for coming, hand us over to the warmer-upper and then form an orderly queue at the start.
By this point, it was absolutely freezing, the wind had really got up and my hands and legs had a bluish tinge. Everyone hunched up and waited for the off. Once the horn sounded, we set off and the first couple of kilometres felt relatively easy, the wind to our backs and the gradient mostly slightly downhill or flat. It made for some fast starts and it was difficult not to go off to quickly and regret it later. A left at 2k and then into the woods for a couple of kilometres. It had begun to rain now, lightly, and it was actually quite welcome as the chill before the race had been replaced by the warmth from the run. At 4k, we passed the start and went right, taking us off on the second circuit, the whole course being a figure of eight. By 5k, we were back in woods and also going uphill. The rain had made the ground heavy and my calves were beginning to ache… I was beginning to regret cycling to the race. 6k passed and I got into my stride, my calves back to normal and my breathing coming easier. A special mention must be made to the 2 marshalls at 7k who were like a couple of teenage girls gripped by Beatlmania, they were literally jumping up and down and willing us all on. This seemed to lift everyones spirits as we ran past but the euphoria was to be short lived because as 8k approached the rain sheeted down at 45 degrees, we came to a clearing, were running headlong into the wind and could see torrents of rain literally coming in waves from the sky. By now, any efforts to dodge puddles and muddy patches seemed futile so it was just a case of keeping going in as straight a line as possible. I could think of nothing but running, the rain and the music in my headphones at this point. At the 9k mark, the finish is in sight but you are shepherded left, uphill and away from the finish to make up the distance. This was undoubtedly the hardest part of the race, uphill, on wet and uneven ground and being buffeted by wind and driving rain. A sharp right and the finish line is in sight although a frantic last dash is unwise as the ground is so slippery underfoot. I go as fast as I can without falling over (don’t want to eat dirt metres from the finish-line) and across the line in 55:13. I retrieve my bag and shelter in the refreshment tent where all the runners stand around, soaked and steaming.
Although it is a small event and it was the first time it was held, I really enjoyed it. Had the weather not become so hideous, I felt I could have acheived a personal best as the course is fast. The marshalls were friendly, the goodie bag full of goodies (Gatorade, Maximuscle protein drink, £5 Maximuscle voucher, Dominos Pizza Voucher and, oddly “Country Homes” and “Hertfordshire Life” magazines!! amongst other things), even the 6.8 mile cycle home wasn’t so bad really. And if they hold it again next year, I’ll run it and hope for better weather.

Although, I’m sure the weather is small potatoes compared to the carnage that will be “Grim” in 2 weeks time.

Soundtrack to this post: Can I Kick It – A Tribe Called Quest

Man And Boy – Crashes, Fallen Trees and Time Lords – Impromptu Duathlon?

Last Sunday was going to be my final run before the Willow 10k this weekend. I was going to run 10k at race pace just to again get used to a race pace over the full 10k distance. I thought it might be nice to take SonNumberOne along on his bike with me for company. I run better when I’m not concentrating on running and listening to SonNumberOne’s observations on life always manage to lift me whilst we’re out.

The roads and paths were still wet from the previous few days rain and it was about a mile and a half in that SonNumberOne found out the hard way about mountain bike tyres and wet manhole covers not making good bed fellows. After stopping to pick him up, dust him down and get him hurriedly back on the pushbike, we seemed to lose momentum and began to get distracted. Fallen trees across footpaths, stopping to watch canoeists navigating a weir and his excitement about that evenings Dr Who special all served to interrupt the run. So eventually we abandoned the idea of running and instead settled for a run / walk / chat which whilst not preparing me for my 10k, was a very enjoyable way to spend a Sunday morning.

So, feeling guilty about not running my 10k training run on Sunday, I set off after work on Wednesday evening. It was one of those cool, clear evening runs that I enjoy so much and as the Garmin had sneakily decide to lose it’s charge whilst sat in the drawer (i.e I had forgotten to charge it up), I decide to run a route that I know without timing myself. So I’ve no idea how quickly I ran but it was 7 and a half miles and felt surprisingly fluid once I settled into a rhythm.

I am very much looking forward to the race on Sunday – it is about 6 miles from my home and as SonNumberOne is currently suffering with a particularly unpleasent virus, I’ll almost certainly have to go there on my own as Mrs Eatingtrees has volunteered stay home and look after the boys. If the weather is half decent on Sunday morning, I may consider cycling to and from the race. I dare say when I wake up on Sunday morning that it will seem like a very bad idea indeed, although it may give me a glimpse of whether my half baked idea to enter a duathlon (run / mountain bike / run) early next year is wise…

Soundtrack to this post: English Summer Rain – Placebo

A week after the Auckland Marathon, is the traditional Fisher’s Ghost fun run.  The Woodstock has been actively participating as a team in this event every year.

I know this is a difficult course of hilly route, I still like it and I joined the female team.  This is not a PB course for me.

We were picked up by John at 6:30 since this 2009 the race starts at 8:30 and its a mission going to Campbelltown at the TAFE campus where the fun run is held.  We reached the venue after an hour a lot of time to get our bibs, stretch, visit the loo and warm up.

It is one of the perfect running weather.  A little bit of a mist and cloudy.

We were met by Brendan, Dot, Paul, Emmanuel, Bridgette and Emma at the start.  I positioned myself at the end bit.  As I know I wouldn’t be quicker as last year because I am feeling sore and tired still from last Sunday’s race.  I knew this after a recovery run I did Thursday before Fisher’s ghostt Fun run.

So the gun was fired, It was a slow drag of walk to get past of the start line, dawdling with the walkers and joggers.  Running on the dirt on the curb, trying to overtake walkers.  I knew it was a uphill start and a course that will never get better x 2!

I was fine not until the 2nd water stop I did which agrevated a stitch in my right that it was painful it was taking over a normal breathing to painful breathing, I had to decide continue or walk.  i walked massaging the pain away and getting my breathing  to normal.  I walked twice or thrice where I am trying ot to loose sight of Terry.

1st Turn around

At the 2nd Lap, Brendan was waiting at the hill and came along with me and Terry to push me! The two guys were really nice to have waited and patiently encouraged me to run the hills.  Specially to Brendan who paced me and Terry, who was Injured and suppose to just do a 5KM ended up doing a 10KM distance anyway!  Also to Bob Fickle who picked me up in 2nd walk I did and pushed me.

Woodstock run together, Stays together. Tez, Me and Brendan

Emergency on Bike

5 meters to the finish

The stitch did not go away, my left glutes are so painful, my itbs starting to act up, my hip muscles are really tired.  it was a bad bad day of racing!  I was holding on and trying to just jog and hoping to finish the race.  Seeing the 9KM marker, I was happy.  1 more kilometer I tild myelf and it is over.  Its is beyond 50 minutes I know but I don’t care.  Everything hurts.

While I was running i was conteplating of maybe going back training in the base distance at 5KM.  Recover from my injuries and get better.  Hoping for a good start for next year.  We left after catching up with the Woodies.  It was a tiring race, a run where Fisher’s ghost did not make me run quicker.

The event is very well organized from Marshalls directing  partisipants to the new registration and start Venue, Early bird entry shirts, goodie bags, enough water stations, enough pylons and traffic free!

Event: Fisher’s Ghost Fun Run 2009
Location: TAFE, Campbeltown Campus, NSW
Distance: 10 KM
Time: 53:58

Results
Complete Results

Photos are borrowed from Campbelltown Joggers

Resultats du 5 km:

10 COLLET Nicolas SEM CSA BA 132 00:16:53

15 VAGLIO Jérôme SEM CSA BA 132 00:17:26

17 DECOUDU Marc V1M CSA BA 132 00:17:28

19 STOCKER Matthieu SEM CSA BA 132 00:17:35

32 TAUNAY Benoit SEM CSA BA 132 00:18:22

34 LACARTE Cédric SEM CSA BA 132 00:18:25

155 LAMULLE André V2M CSA BA 132 00:23:36

287 THERY Lyderic SEM CSA BA 132 00:32:07

310 PETIT Marie-charlotteSEF CSA BA 132 00:36:53

Resultats du 10 km:

36 COZZI Stephane SEM USP S/L US PULVERSHEIM ATHLETISME 00:35:10

214 VIDALOOU Philippe SEM COLMAR 00:40:23

Estão abertas as inscrições para a etapa Verão do Circuito das Estações Adidas 2009 / São Paulo.

Data: 20 de dezembro de 2009

Local: PACAEMBU

Percurso:

Horário de largada: 8h00

Kit:

Retirada do chip: 6h30 às 7h30

Outros serviços: Água, fruta e isotônico.

Inscrição:
- Individual: R$ 66,00 até dia 20/11. Após R$ 76,00.
- Membro Clube O2: R$ 56,00 até dia 20/11. Após R$ 66,00.

OBS: Não serão entregue kits na data da prova e após o evento.

God, who do I think I am?? Post about my new subscription feature (on sidebar –>) and never post again. Conceited much!?! That’s not me; my sincerest apologies. Here’s the rundown of October. 61 days down, 39 to go.

You can check out THE AWESOME-NESS OF FEAR to see what this challenge is all about.

Check out day 1 - 30 – HERE -

31. Fear of what others think: threw that care away and gave a homeless man money. Being a small town girl in the big city of New York stirred these surprising moments of adventure and self reflection that only new places can bring about.

32. Fear of the unknown aaaand spraining an ankle, and getting lost, and strangers who could attack me, etc. etc. I ran off the path in an unknown place, very far from home… literally, not metaphorically (Bronx River Parkway in New York while training for my first 10km race). My aunt will not be happy if she sees this.

33. Fear of going back on my word. I did something I said I wouldn’t. Now, this one works both ways. I’m always afraid to go back on my word, probably because I want to stick to it, but sometimes it’s okay to go back on your word. Have I lost you yet? Well, point is, I did something I said I wouldn’t… I’m probably uneasy about it because I do what I say and I say what I mean, so now where does that leave me!?!

34. I broke my own rules. I went against my own set of rules that have been very strategically set for when it comes to the opposite sex. Shall leave it at that.

35. Interview with Lit Agent… WTF?! Lord knows how this one fell in my lap, but it did and I thank my lucky stars everyday. I was petrified.

36. Afraid of rejection, but put myself out there… aaaand got rejected. Awesome.

37. Finally sat down to pull together a business plan of sorts for a program I’ve been putting together for young women. Scared to make it real; scared to follow through. Believe me, this following through business is a big one for me. It must have something to do with the fear of failure. We shall see.

38. Bought a bridal magazine. I’m not a romantic, nor have I ever imagined my wedding and I would like to say that traditional just isn’t my bag, so to pick up a bridal magazine before boarding a plane was a scary thing for me. Again, the “what will people think??” or worse, I didn’t want whoever I sat beside to think I was that lame girl who plans her wedding before there’s even an engagement ring on her finger. Then I realized, if they ask I can just let them know the truth of why I bought it, which is for my first ever wedding photography gig.

39. Scared of these Darling Home meetings (charity committee for their annual gala). Again, the not being liked, the fear they will reject another one of my ideas… God I’m sounding lame and insecure at this point.

40. New fear: high heels. Lesson learned at work from some old broad; verbatim, “Don’t wear heels or you’ll need surgery.” Oh, and, “You won’t have your youth forever.” Thank you woman for not letting me leave work feeling too good about myself. Whatever, she’s now instilled the fear of heels in me and I still wear those things!

41. Gas light came on and I played the old Kramer game – see how far you can go before your car dies. Nothing like a Sunday drive. Fear of getting stranded on the side of the road. I suppose being stranded anywhere on my own is a fear of mine. Really though, what 22 year old girl wants to be stranded anywhere all alone? It’s what horror films are made of!!

42. First ever dry family event (for everyone). It was short and sweet. I really have nothing more to say about it. Short and sweet.

43. Ate dinner at a restaurant by myself. I’ve done it before and can’t remember if it was a fear of mine or if I was even uncomfortable. Interesting thing is, before I started this challenge and was asking people for suggestions, almost everyone I asked mentioned dining alone. So I’m really not even sure if this was my own fear or others. The “fear” I suppose was heightened seeing that it was in my hometown that I haven’t lived in since I was 17 years old. Met a nice new friend and found time to finish my book – most definitely worth dining alone.

44. Confronted old hags about their hate crimes on the earth! These ladies left their car idling while they smoked their dirty cigarettes. The nerve of some people! Take that window of opportunity and say what’s on your mind.

45. Took photos for family friends and my sister’s real estate listing. Taking photos for people I know is a bit daunting. Homes are the pride and joy of most people so I wanted to make sure these photos were great and did the home justice.

46. Ran my first 10km race (in the dark and in costumes) with my friend Laine.

47. Wedding day! Not mine. Not facing that fear during my 100 day challenge! It was my first gig as a wedding photographer. I was all on my own and the memories of the day were left in my hands.

48. Sought out some zombies at Wonderland’s Halloween Haunt. Faced a pill poppin’ techno beat blastin’ laser light RAAAAAAGE! This place will change you.

49. Tried an overhand serve with my new beach volleyball team. That shit’s not like riding a bike. Doesn’t matter how many years you played rep volleyball! The serve ended badly and I got kicked off the team. DON’T DO THINGS THAT SCARE YOU – IT’LL PROBABLY END BADLY! OMG! Just kidding!!! I didn’t get kicked off the team. Instead we all just shared a laugh at how awful it was and agreed I should stick to underhand until I start lifting weights, which I refuse to do, so underhand it is!! (Weights are another fear of mine. The whole gym thing in general, really.)

50. EFFED THE DOG HARD… I don’t have a fabulous fear I faced for day fifty and how good would that have been?! “Fifty fears faced” UUUGHHHHHH! I will perform twice in one day before this thing is done. I WILL have 100 things by the end of this challenge!

51. Attended a conference for social media – new people, new surroundings, going to learn new stuff… it’s all scary. I’m out of practice when it comes to lectures. By the by, this thing was awful and they tried feeding me my free meal in a brown bag! Rude.

52. New position in hot yoga – standing on your head is no simple task and to trust yourself not to break your own neck is a frightening feat!

53. Because I am no longer a student, nor do I go out like I did while living in FUNdon, I’m now very out of shape when it comes to drinking. Mmm let me rephrase. I’m out of shape in terms of drinking liquor. Wine is another story my friends! So, at my friend’s 30th b-day party I agreed to the aqua coloured shot called Hypnotic. Never again. That shit is rancid and there’s nothing hip about it.

54. Called to book my first ever Fantasia party. Not only that, but also visited my first stag shop. My sister pulled into the parking lot and said we weren’t leaving until I went in. I learned a lot, saw too much, and realized this Fantasia party might just be hilarious. Also found out how funny porno titles can be… might just be my new favourite game!

55. Bees. They ruined my first day of grade 1 and I hold a grudge! I also know how badly my body swells up when one of those things lays into me, so I’m scared of bees, or so I thought. Turns out we should hate wasps, not bees! Eff wasps.

56. Filmed my video application for Axe Canada with Tina. Don’t like being in front of the camera because I’m an awkward mess. I’m also quite a passive person and to say I’m applying for this job means I’m all of a sudden going to have to be an aggressive individual.

57. Sent off my first ever real press release to my boss. He said he liked it. Mostly because I pimped him out hard in the press release, I’m sure of it. What can I say? He’s a talented guy! You should most definitely check Mr. David Hall out – veerrrryyy talented director and filmmaker.

58. Hot yoga by myself. Didn’t even realize this was intimidating for me until it was happening. I guess I just always seem to have someone to go with, but going on my own was an entirely new experience. It was a good one, just new and uncomfortable and a little tricky to get into.

59. Went to see Suzanne Somers give a talk at the convention center in Toronto. Yes, the mom from Step By Step. Don’t be jealous. She opened my eyes to the world of cancer and the world of mistreating your body. This also stirred the worry of being ill-informed or worse, uninformed. Somers represents alternative medicine and the medical world pretty much hates her for everything she represents, nonetheless, she brings a new perspective that I will continue to work hard to inform myself about. I’m most definitely fearful of becoming an uninformed individual.

60. Guns. I think this speaks for itself. GUNS. GUNS. GUNS. Those are some powerful beasts that should not be taken lightly. Never have I had a high quite like I had as I shot my first gun. I’d do it again in a second.

61. Scared of getting old. My girlfriend asked me last-minute if I’d like to go out in Toronto for Hallow’s eve. Of course I said yes, but like I mentioned earlier, I don’t go out much anymore… at least to clubs. So there I was. How quickly you forget the scene – eye sex all over the place, so much ass grabbing, and how simple it is for women to get a drink bought for her! None of this appeals to me. Worst part, I didn’t know any of the songs these kids were singing along to. I’m scared of getting old and falling out of the loop of life. I’ve now gained some perspective and realized “getting young” in clubs is for desperate fools and that music was the worst so why would I want to know those songs anyways?! Faced it and I’ll probably face it again, because bottom line, I love to dance!

My apologies that it took me this long to get October’s rundown out there, but there it is. 1 missed day – blast it!!!!! Promise, I’m thinking I will make up for it on day 100

So, where does all this leave me? Honestly, a bit stressed out. This is much harder than anticipated. It’s hard to find something everyday that scares you, but I’m doing my best. I do feel like I hit a bit of a low this month and ran dry for ideas for a while, but I’ve regained my excitement as we near the end.

I’m still doing this blindly but consider it a success that I’m still moving forward. I mean, it’s gotta count for something, right?!. The best part of this challenge has been the simple task of taking action. This whole thing has made me an active person in the sense that I’m engaged with the world in a way I’ve never been before. Talking gets tiresome and I was ready to take action and search out experiences that test you, that make you uncomfortable, and that show you something new.

You’ll never learn a thing about yourself always playing it safe!

xo mkr

Nur eben kurz zwischendurch, Trainingsthema “Fahrtspiel(e)” = spielerische Tempovarianz bei Trainingsläufen. Aus Zeitgründen muss erstmal der Link auf den Wikipedia-Eintrag zum Thema reichen. Am Wochenende ausprobiert – aber irgendwie war der Wurm drin. Weniger der Puls ist das Problem als die kalte Luft, die die Bronchien reizt. Mehr als ein paar Kilometer Laufen waren damit nicht drin – morgen stehen wieder 10 Kilometer auf dem Programm.

Aquí les dejo algunas fotos que tomé de la carrera de Nike “The Human Race” de 10 kilómetros, que se llevó a cabo el 24 de octubre en la Ciudad de México (Reforma y Chapultepec, para ser más exactos).

Tengo más, así que luego las subo aquí, pero pueden irlas viendo en el álbum que cree en mi Flickr.

Saludos!

http://www.marathonbrabant.nl/

- Posted using MobyPicture.com

10km of bloody limbs strewn all over a ghost trail is most definitely my idea of an awesome race! 17 severed heads on course to be exact and 9 haunters to kick up your adrenaline in the last kilometre. The Saucony Trek or Treat  race is Canada’s first ever night trail run in Oakville’s 16 mile creek.

Pumpkins marked each kilometre and 379 reflective course markers were used to lead the way so head lamps were a necessity as you creep through Lion’s Valley. As history goes, Lion’s Valley was once a thriving village but all that remains are three cemeteries perched high above the valley. Ghost sightings are common and with the erosion of the river, claims have been made that empty caskets have been washed up during thunderous storms.[1] This marks the perfect spot for Canada’s first ever night trail.

It’s been decided at this point that I’m afraid of the dark[2] so to run my first ever 10km race in Lion’s Valley seemed suitable for my challenge of doing stuff that scares me. I walked into the St. Volodymyr Cultural Centre to see ghouls everywhere; literally though, people wore costumes for this race. To say this race was awesome would be a vast understatement. People got really into it, everyone was there for a good time, and it was super relaxed. Really is the perfect first timer’s race![3]

The route was fair (although it’d be nice to actually go back during the day to see what the hell I ran) but there were a few hills that I wished a ghoul would just jump out and kill me. Although I knew I was in the middle of some valley in Oakville these hills were straight from San Francisco. Believe me when I say I didn’t train for these hills with an incline of about 90 degrees!! Even the fun bloody limbs that were left throughout the trail didn’t help the pain that overcame your body on these hills. Thankfully there were only two of them.

First 10km race can be checked off the list of fears and I’m very excited for more races. Not sure how I’m feeling about Canada’s winter races. We really are crazy! Happy Running and Happy Halloween!!

Now go face a fear; do something that scares you! 

[2] Lame.

[3] No problem to beat your time on your second race as running in the dark in the freezing cold doesn’t make for the best/easiest running conditions.

OK, so I said I don’t seem to get blood blisters anymore, but obviously there’s a small margin of error in that statement!

My friend Mark took me for a run round his 10km route—from Westmere, down through Herne Bay and St Marys Bay, up through Jervois Road and back to Westmere—on Saturday.

What you need to know is, Mark is a much faster runner than I am, so even when he slows down to allow for my pace, he’s still making me run faster than I would by myself! So, starting faster than I normally would, I got pretty tight calves by about half-way, which (I’m pretty sure) caused a numb patch on my left foot a bit further on. For a while I couldn’t feel what was happening, and consequently got a blood blister, which—not so coincidently—was on a hot-spot from the week before where I’d nearly got one.

I can say, though, it’s only a small blister, and a surface one at that. No real discomfort, and it’ll be fine to run on in a day or two. My calves are still quite sore, though, a couple of days later!

There were a number of hills around the route (most of them not too bad), including two sets of stairs, one of which was the famed Jacob’s Ladder in St Marys Bay. It’s only about 46 steps (I’m told), but it’s so steep it almost looks like a ladder when you’re looking up it from the bottom! The worst thing about it is that the steps are really shallow, so I didn’t feel like I could plant my feet properly while I was going up. I’ll admit I stopped for a breather at the top!

Anyway, it was mostly an enjoyable run, except for the tight calves and the numbness in my foot; but hey, I should have expected a bit of a challenge from Mark—he doesn’t let me off easy!

The time was 1:08:39. Very slow for Mark, but not too bad for me!

18 October 2009
Overcast, around 12°C

It’s hard to believe that this is only the second running of the Frieth Hilly 10k. The publicity in the build-up to the race has been excellent (there are few races I’ve run in the last few months where I’ve not received a flyer for the run), the organisation was good (well sign-posted and with supportive marshalling) and the atmosphere was second to none.

The race started with a good-humoured blessing from the local vicar, which set the tone for the event – a strong community spirit and a sense of fun. The comment about the shadow of the valley of death lying between kilometers 4 and 5 was a particular highlight – and, it transpired, not a million miles from the truth.

The course itself earns the race’s name. Course profiles were posted around the school (which benefits from proceeds of the race and acts as race HQ), and showed several kilometers of downhill followed by a steep ascent split into two steps between kilometers 5 and 6. Once this was over, the course looked as it if flattened with a comparatively small climb to the finish. I’d received some insider information from Steve Taylor, the race co-organiser though:

If you would like a tip for the race – leave a bit in the tank for the final 400m – it is an uphill stretch back into the village and can be painful for those not expecting it! Many places are won and lost on that hill.

 

The challenging hill at the end of the race – with a fantastically supportive crowd.

Knowing the course was going to be tough, I tried to avoid my usual mistake of belting out the first few kilometers and struggling through the last 20 per cent of the distance. With about half the course being off-road (a combination of paths, grass, etc.) trying to run conservatively was the order of the day. At the same time, trying to use gravity to best effect without literally throwing myself down some of the steeper ascents became part of my race strategy – at times feeling less like running and more like controlled(ish) falling.

The race was remarkably spread out once I reached the 7km marker; I could see the runner in front of me taking corners about 100m away and occasionally caught the cheers at a distance as the marshals provided their ever-supportive and much-needed cheers for runners behind me. From looking at the early results as the marshals compiled them, the winner was something like 1:30 in front of the nearest competitor. Perhaps it’s no so surprising because challenging courses often emphasise the difference between experience and inexperience.

At the end of the race, runners were welcomed by a packed goodie bag and a selection of refreshments (the proceeds of which all went to the school). I now think that a good cup of tea and hefty wedge of chocolate cake is far better for recovering from a race than any energy drink!

Tips for running the Frieth Hilly 10k

1. Run conservatively and try to use the down-hill sections to recharge in preparation for the next climb. This isn’t the race to go belting out, and you might do better by employing a vulture running technique – sticking with runners until they start to tire on the hills, then overtaking.
2. Watch your footing. There are quite a few uneven paths, tree roots and different surfaces to contend with. If it had been raining in the previous days, it might have been necessary to wear trail shoes rather than road running shoes.
3. Make the most of the down-hill sections – they’re mostly early in the race, not necessarily on even ground, and sometimes brutally steep. A shuffling technique seemed to work best for me.
4. Learn to drink water while running… I managed fine with the first water station, but at the second station I wound up breathing water rather than drinking it (and pouring it on my knees, randomly). Add that to the long list of things to improve.
5. Keep something back for the end. As I ran up the final hill, I noticed a group of cyclists get off their bikes to go up the hill – that says something about the kind of hill it is. It isn’t long (the long hills are around the half-way point), but elements of it are very steep. Fortunately, I think I did okay on the hill, and managed to maintain some speed by using my arms and digging a bit deeper. I’m sure I was helped by the level of support provided by the onlookers and marshals at this point – with one shouting encouragement to runners with a loud hailer.

Details

Finish time: 42:19 (42:12 stopwatch)
Position: 24 out of 390 (tbc)

1km: 4:05
2km: 3:53
3km: 3:46
4km: 4:24
5km: 4:52
6km: 4:54
7km: 4:03
8km: 3:47
9km: 4:16
10km: 4:07

This is the first post in a series of a few, looking at what training techniques and theory I’ve found to be useful for my running. There is often next to nothing to back this information up and I’m not a sports scientist – or even a scientist – so don’t assume I know what I’m talking about.

Runners often identify watershed times for distances – for 10km it’s 40 minutes, for the half marathon it’s 90 minutes and for the marathon it’s 3 hours. These are aspirational speeds – the hinterland between the average runners that make up most of the race crowd and the elite athletes at the front of the field. This post looks at ways of breaking through these barriers.

Distance

Ask a runner how much they train and they’ll give you a weekly or monthly distance. For example, at the moment I’m running between 40 and 50km a week (about 46 this week, in case you wanted to know). Haruki Murakami, in his book What I Talk About When I Talk About Running specifically measures his training in terms of distance.

There’s even a machismo about the distance you train. Runners compare each other based on the benchmark of the distance they run each week. Runners often refer to needing to run 50 miles a week to get an easy sub-3 hour marathon, for example.

Distance in a training plan carries specific benefits:

1. Long runs improve your body’s ability to manage long-distance races. The perceived wisdom that you shouldn’t run a marathon in training in order to train for a marathon is, ultimately, nonsense. Sure, it’s possible to run a marathon without having done a 26.2 mile training run, but there isn’t a cut-off point for the principles of over-training. Your race performance will benefit from training beyond the distance of the race – both because your body can genuinely manage the distance, and because of the psychological advantage of having mastered the distance before.
2. Long runs allow you to focus on technique for longer periods. Over a longer period of effort, your body and mind become tired, and so your form starts to suffer. Getting used to running longer distances allows you to extend your focus and maintain a better technique over a longer period.

But does distance on its own really improve your performance? The simple answer is no. Look at it this way, if you were to sprint 50 miles a week in 100 meter reps, would you be able to run a sub-3 hour marathon? Similarly, if you walked 50 miles a week, would you be able to break through that threshold time? Maybe, but probably not. Distance isn’t the only factor at work here.

Speed

Most training schedules include speedwork. This is probably the most difficult thing to keep on top of if you’re training on your own – it’s hard to measure short distances meaningfully, and the variation of pacing and inevitable physical agony towards the end is more or less inexplicable to non-runners. Still, speedwork adds a few things to your training schedule:

1. Increased lactate threshold. As you run faster than your race pace, lactic acid builds in your muscles. Recovery periods help train your body to remove waste products quicker.
2. Increased capacity for speed. It sounds obvious, but running fast improves your ability to run fast… Speed stretches out your legs and allows you to focus more on technique.
3. Improved recovery. Repetitions with short intervals between bouts of effort (eventually) shorten the amount of time you need before you can run again. This won’t necessarily be used in a race, but it can help you improve your stamina for distance if you modulate your pace.

Even so, distance and speed are not all that govern improvement. Many runners – particularly those with gym membership, but you might want to draw your own conclusions from that – use weights and strength training (after all, hill training isn’t long or fast). Surely this isn’t training junk?

Effort

Hills, weights and resistance training all require concentrated effort beyond the peak level of effort required for a given race. This is important because:

1. Strength builds speed. Bulky muscle supports anaerobic exercise (think John Regis), but there are elements of distance races that are anaerobic. For example, the last 500 metres of any race of 10km or longer are likely to include an element of sprinting.
2. Effort needs to be sustained. If you think about a 10km race, it might not be the longest distance you can mange (e.g. my longest weekly training run is currently 20.5km) and your average pace will not be your top speed. Getting your body used to peaks in effort will, over time, raise your capacity for effort over a longer period.
3. Improved ability to manage anaerobic elements of races. Courses with hilly profiles require a mix of endurance and anaerobic strength – with hill climbs building lactic acid in your muscles, and flat or descending periods being used as recovery.

Translation into training

A matrix for identifying your training profile.

Ultimately, what this means for runners looking to improve their performance is that they need to achieve a balanced training portfolio. In thinking about my training recently, I’ve been considering the a model for improvement.

Within this matrix, 1 represents 100% relative to the target distance. Therefore, 2 in the matrix represents twice the distance/speed/effort of the target race.

Through this matrix, you can begin to map your training runs. This is useful because it starts to build a profile of your weekly activity. For example, a week’s worth of training might look like this:

Training profile for a long-distance training run.

Training profile for speedwork.

Training profile for a strength session.

Taken on their own, each type of training presents a very one-sided benefit. Taken together, though, they represent a balanced training programme, with both distance, speed and effort being tested above 100% of race speed each time.

Overall training profile.

This shows a relatively balanced training profile, with all aspects being stretched beyond 100% of the race. This should, in theory, build to an improvement in the race. Assuming this training profile looks like yours, you might want to consider adding a tempo run, which would help take the curve out of the Distance and Speed link.

Yes,  I’ve dusted off the keyboard and got myself into blogging gear again. What a week. This was EBM week, the brand meeting for ASICS in Europe and while it’s lots of fun it’s also lots of work. We presented alots of great new product for next autumn, EBM always makes me want to time travel right through to the year ahead because all the shoes and new clothes look so nice, new and fresh. But before this busy week even started we had done yet another long run. That turned out to be an adventure in itself.

We were visiting the The Man’s parents in the eastern part of the country, near Arnhem. This is the countryside of Holland, even though it’s not really like country side in Ireland. It is a much more interesting and scenic place to run so we were really planning a good run here. However, the weather turned pretty nasty and having already put on all our clothes and gear on Saturday afternoon the skies promptly opened and thunder rattled overhead.  It’s quite annoying to have to undress from a run you haven’t done. We decided to skip Saturday since and try instead to run Sunday morning.

We had picked out a bicycle route (Montferland route) and had a map to guide us through the 30 odd kilometers we’d follow through the villages and by-roads. For the first half hour we were on track we had been soaked in one brief downpour but the cold breeze soon dried us off. We then got thoroughly lost.We did a long, varied run, coming across all kinds of surface, weather and people. It went something like this

Ran up gradual hill with cars passing all the time – good for NYCM!; Ran every kind of surface soft ground, sandy road, mud, leaves, grass; Ran up and down roads we had already done – must count as a type of mental stamina training; Ran in wet, cold, slippery mud in a dripping forest; Ran past cosy warm looking people on horses- almost asked for a ride; Ran up really steep hill with tree roots and slippery leaves everywhere; Ran downhill, Ran past a stone windmill, over roads, through villages and alongside football pitches. It seemed like we had run through all of Holland!

So as you can see , it wasn’t boring and I managed to spill my gel all over my hands while eating it to just make sure my mind had enough things to busy itself with.  This all sounds like a nice adventure, but the problem was that we had no idea where we were most of the time and when we (he) did figure it out, it turned out we were much further from home than we should have been.

I was pretty tired and cold, and when we had done  30km I wanted to be home.We ran an extra 2km and then started to walk. It was alot less painful to run than to walk at this stage but I knew if I kept running the training was going to us more harm than good. There was a cold wind blowing and we walked quietly back in the direction for home. Being honest, in this kind of state I’m not the nicest person in the world. I don’t do well when hungry, cold tired and lost. You can imagine my relief when (with another 5km to go) The Man’s parents came along in their car and picked us up. It was embarrassing but actually it was really really kind and I was really really grateful.They were worried since we should have been back over an hour and half ago and went out looking for us. ( I guess kids are always kids.)

Then we died and went to runner’s heaven;  after we had kicked off our muddy trainers we discovered the table was laid with freshly baked croissants and pancakes and the bath was already being filled with warm water. This was the best post-run treatment ever!

We had run for about 03:20 mins and covered around 32km.  Overall I had felt tired and this was a tough long run for me, the kilometers are just adding up. I was surprised though that I recovered so well on the Monday and Tuesday. No pains no major problems.The area was a beautiful one to run in and I’m even thinking about the Montferland Run on December 6th to be the first run after New York.  It’s in the same area and in December that area should look fantastic, but I it may already be fully booked, only 3,500 places.

On Wednesday, in order to blow out some EBM sitting-all-day cobwebs we did a brisk 10km around Sloterplas.  While I could feel the 30km tiredness still in there, I could also find that there was some petrol left in tank and we turned out a 10km in 52mins, which is new PB for that distance. I don’t know if it’s wise to be running that quickly now but you know what? I don’t care. I really don’t – running a bit quicker than usual gives you such a good mental boost such a feeling of well-being and strength that it was worth it. I needed a PB.

It’s really coming close to New York now- I’ve got so many things to be excited about these days, a marathon,Christmas, home and to top it all off getting married. It feels like this whole year has been building to these last two months.

I’m going to enjoy them.

Stats to follow later. I’ve left my watch off today.

Back when I started training in February, I had set my sights on completing the Oxford Town & Gown 10km race in 45 minutes. As luck would turn out, my official race time was 44:59, but my chip time was over a minute faster. Now, with several races under my belt and a more coordinated training programme, I’m close to breaking through the 40-minute threshold.

It’s time to see if I can break through the barrier before the end of the year.

Talk to club runners and there’s something about doing a 40 minute 10km. Sure, there will always be the elite pack of runners who knock out the distance in close to 30 minutes, but the majority of the good runners will hold 40 minutes as a difficult-but-rewarding goal.

Running a 10km in exactly 40 minutes means that you need to run 10 consecutive kilometers in 4 minutes each at most. Simple? Of course, it’s more complex than that. I recently made a slightly facetious comment to a colleague that I’d picked a one-dimensional sport. This isn’t the case, but it’s easy to diagnose it as being so from the outside – after all, you’re just running as fast as you can for as long as you can, right?

Pacing

I can’t claim to be any kind of authority on race pacing. After all, I’ve made my fair share of mistakes – even if they ultimately resulted in PBs. However, there are some key things you need to think about in a race:

1. The first kilometer is where you set the tone of your race. Start slowly (not necessarily a bad tactic if you’re aiming to build speed over consecutive kilometers) and you spend more time in the crush of the pack – this means you spend more time and energy darting between runners. Start too quickly and you risk being pulled along at an unsustainable pace.
2. The 60–80% kilometers (where you are between 60 and  80% of the way through the race) are the most mentally grueling. If you have started fast, it’s probably around this time that you stop overtaking other runners or may even be overtaken yourself. If you set off slow, you may well still be overtaking other runners as you build speed, but you will now be operating at very close to your top speed for the distance. At this stage, you need to keep up the pace, and it’s traditionally at this stage that my split times start to flag.
3. The end zone – or the last kilometer – is where you need to pick up your game, no matter how tired you’re feeling. However, you can’t expect to sprint 1000 meters and you often see people misjudging their finishing pace and slowing before the line as their muscles fill with lactic acid. You need to build your pace, stretch out your strides, use your arms a bit more and pick your moment to go hell for leather. It’s all about knowing your limits.

In order to run a sub-40 10km, I need to improve my consistency – for example, at Blenheim my splits varied from 4:47 to 3:21. Running this distance, you are operating more or less at your aerobic threshold – your pace is a delicate balance between running fast and preventing your body from building up waste products that will give you cramp. Realistically, to give myself some leeway, I’m going to need to target 3:50 splits.

Course profile

Know your enemy – although you shouldn’t rule out running fast times on challenging courses, a few hills, sections off road and uneven surfaces all make a PB less likely. So, if  you are aiming for a PB, you need to pick your course to give you the best chance of success.

Although I’m not ruling out adding a couple of extra races to my schedule, my forthcoming races are as follows:

Frieth Hilly 10k – a challenging course with sections off road and steep hills, knocking 35 seconds off my current PB at this race is highly unlikely.

Eynsham 10k – fast and flat, run entirely on tarmac and advertised as having PB potential, it has chip timing too (in case I need to cite a chip time rather than a race time).

Andy Reading Bicester 10k – another fast and flat urban race, it’s in early December, so the weather may affect performance if it is particularly inclement or cold.

Poole Round the Lakes 10k – a Boxing Day race on flat tarmac, although potential may be limited by the weather and any lingering indigestion from the previous day’s festivities!

Training

As one final caveat to achieving this goal, I need to get the right mix of training. In my gradual taper for the Paris Marathon (although it’s filling up fast, so I need to get my entry in), I’ve added a 20.5km (12.5 mile) run on Sundays, which I’ve been completing in around 90 minutes. This helps me in the difficult 60–80% zone by building my stamina – and giving me the mental advantage of knowing that I’ve run double the distance before.

I need to do some speed work, though, as I’m aware that my stride should be longer and that I’m not using the best form at times. I could also benefit from increasing my lactate threshold.

So, work to do, but the goal is within sight – and, more importantly, achievable before the turn of the year.

Estabeleci, conforme já mencionei aqui, como metas para minhas primeiras corridas a Shalom (06/12) e de Natal (19/12), ambas da Corpore.

Certamente não terei maiores objetivos que não seja completar a prova sem quebrar. Terminarei a planilha do Cool Running (do zero aos primeiros 5 km) uma semana antes da primeira prova. Pretendo, após a primeira planilha, iniciar um novo treinamento, dessa vez pelo SmartCoach da RunnersWorld, cujo treinamento de dezesseis semanas acabará em meados de maio.

Assim, como vi que as inscrições para a Maratona de São Paulo já estão abertas, com opçoes para 10 e 25 Km, pretendo fazer minha primeira prova de 10km em 02 de maio (considerando que pela planilha do SmartCoach estarei fazendo alguns longões com distância um pouco maior do que esta).

Sei que alguns estão achando que estou me preciptando, mas sei que se eu treinar corretamente, é perfeitamente possível chegar lá, assim como alguns outros colegas, nos seus relatos, fizeram. É válido dizer ainda que estou com meus exames em dia, inclusive ergoespirométrico, os quais pretendo renovar a cada 6 meses, principalmente nestes primeiros dois anos, por conta das profundas alterações no organismo pela prática regular de exercícios.

Amanhã farei o terceiro treino da segunda semana. Está fácil manter a disciplina quanto a estes treinos. O difícil está em manter a disciplina para ir à academia. Após o feriado voltarei a pegar firme com relação a estas sessões.

Bom dia pessoal,

Ontem foi um noite espetacular para mim, participei da Corrida Noturna da Caixa, minha primeira prova a noite. Meu objetivo era melhorar meu tempo em 12km, em março fiz a prova da Batavo em 1h08min, desta vez queria fazer abaixo de uma hora. A largada da prova foi antecipada, seria às 20h e mudou para às 18h45, cheguei na USP por volta das 17h15, o tempo estava nublado com uma garoa fina, 19 graus!

Fui para a prova sem saber realmente como me sairia, pois não fazia uma corrida com 12km desde março, nesses casos é bem difícil você saber dosar o ritmo, não dá pra forçar muito como se fosse uma prova de 10km mas também não dá pra fazer em ritmo de Meia Maratona, para isso, meu Garmin foi um excelente companheiro, nele eu poderia acompanhar em tempo real como estava o meu ritmo, assim poderia diminuir ou apertar o ritmo conforme o desenrolar da prova e do meu estado físico.

Dessa vez seriam três voltas no mesmo percurso, muito legal para saber se eu conseguiria manter o ritmo durante toda a corrida, por isso marquei meu tempo em cada volta que eu fechei. Fiquei impressionado com meu tempo final e principalmente com os tempos das voltas, vejam só, finalizei os 12km em 59min06s, os tempos das voltas foram 19min36s (3.99km), 19min44s (3.99km) e 19min45s (4.07km). Reparem que a distância da última volta era um pouquinho maior porque a chegada ficava um pouco mais a frente da largada. O melhor de tudo é que meu ritmo médio melhorou na última volta, 1ª – 04:55min/km, 2ª – 04:56min/km e 3ª – 04:51min/km, com média total de 04:54min/km. Preciso dizer o quanto fiquei feliz com meu ritmo e tempo? Isso significa que estou bem treinado e que conheço muito bem meu ritmo e limites, perfeito! =D

Ainda não decidi qual será a próxima corrida, se eu não for viajar no feriado talvez faça a Corrida da Paz WTC com 8km, só para não ficar parado. Se não fizer essa a próxima prova será depois das férias, dia 8 de novembro em Interlagos, a Ayrton Senna Racing Day, prova de revezamento que vou correr em duas equipes, no total farei 15km lá.

Mudando um pouco de assunto, na Formula 1 o GP do Japão foi muito rápido, apesar de a prova não ter sido muito boa para o Rubinho, preciso destacar que foi muito legal comentar a prova pelo Twitter, junto com @nandaleone, @rafaelaborgess e @palomalvarez. Obrigado pela companhia, meninas!

Por hoje chega, nos vemos em breve!

Beijos e abraços,
Bumão

Bestzeit!!!!!

Frühzeitig war klar, es gibt eine neue Bestzeit über die 10km. Nur die „RICHTIGE“ Platzierung stand erst gut 2 Stunden nach dem Rennen fest.

Aber eins nach dem anderen…
Nachdem ich meine Jungs und Mädels über die 5km Strecke des 7. Radio-MK Laufes zu neuen Bestzeiten getrieben habe (Glückwunsch an Tobi, Daniel, Florian, Natalie, meiner Mum und allen anderen), ging es zum Start der 10km um 11:15 Uhr.

Vom Start weg setzte sich der spätere Sieger Robert Schulte (34:43 min.) direkt ab, und absolvierte vorne an der Spitze ein einsames Rennen. Dahinter formierte sich eine Verfolgergruppe aus sechs Athleten.

Von Anfang an war das Tempo sehr hoch und ich musste kämpfen um an der Gruppe dran zu bleiben. Anfang der 3. (von 4 Runden) Runde zog Max Meier (35:28 min.) an und setzte sich von der Gruppe ab. Im ersten Moment habe ich noch versucht ihm zu folgen, musste den Versuch aber dann abbrechen. Bei den Bemühungen ihm zu folgen konnte ich mich aber andererseits von meinen anderen Kontrahenten absetzen und lag so auf dem 3. Platz (dachte ich zumindest). In der letzten Runde musste ich dann wirklich alle Reserven mobilisieren, um nicht noch einzubrechen. Am Ende konnte ich einer neuen Persönlichen Bestzeit von 35:54 min. ins Ziel laufen.

Nach kurzer Zeit musste ich aber feststellen dass kurz vor mir ein anderer Läufer schon die Ziellinie überquert hatte. Somit wäre ich auf dem undankbaren 4. Platz gelandet. Mir selber, aber auch Freunden und Bekannten kam dies sehr komisch vor, da dieser Läufer weder hinter Robert Schulte lief, noch in unserer Verfolgergruppe war. Leider stellte sich erst nach der Siegerehrung (natürlich ohne mich) heraus, dass dieser Läufer nur 3 Runden gelaufen war. Nachträglich wurde ich dann für den 3. Gesamtplatz geehrt.

Ich muss sagen dass mich dieses Verhalten des Sportlers schon sehr verärgert (es ko** mich an), da man nicht oft so eine Veranstaltung bei sich in der Heimatstadt hat und gleichzeitig auf dem Podest stehen darf. Das wurde mir diesmal leider verwehrt aber immerhin hat es der Veranstalter am Ende bemerkt. Eine gewisse Schuld trifft meiner Meinung nach auch ihnr, da man keine Siegerehrung durchführen sollte bevor man nicht die Zeiten kontrolliert hat (es gab nämlich Zwischenzeitpunkte an denen man es hätte sehen können).

Naja abhacken, die Leistung zählt und die war sehr Ordentlich!!!

Ich möchte mich heute besonders bei allen Zuschauern bedanken. Ihr könnt euch gar nicht vorstellen, wie es hilft, an jeder Ecke seinen Namen zu hören. Das pusht ungemein und hält die Moral hoch! Deshalb spricht man auch von „Heimvorteil“

Bilder sind online!!

Ergebnisse

I ran my first barefoot 10km race last weekend (27/9/09). It was a distance offered as part of the Onehunga Half Marathon event, and my first chance to ‘go public’ with my barefoot running.

Overall, I really enjoyed it.

It’s a pretty much a flat course, part of which runs along the Onehunga coastal walkway. The morning was cool, and it threatened to rain, but didn’t.

For the first half of the run, my calves were a bit tight, so I took it easy. Once they loosened up, I relaxed and started enjoying things more.

There was quite a lot of fragmented glass on the pavement near the Onehunga wharf, but I managed to navigate my way through that without mishap.

The hardest (most uncomfortable) part was Orpheus Drive, which is probably one or two hundred metres of very stoney asphalt that runs beside the motorway. I had to focus on picking my feet up and keeping my contact with the ground very light. I got through it, though, and once I crossed the overbridge, I was on the home stretch.

I picked up my pace considerably and felt great running on the asphalt road towards the finish line. I finished in 1:03:54, which I was really pleased with, as I’d probably been closer to 1:15 in my training runs.

Among the entertaining comments I got along the way, the best was probably, ‘Are you doing that for a dare, for torture, or by personal choice?’.

I should mention that my friend Mark was there to run the 10km with me, and ended up running the half Marathon distance by accident (probably caused by a combination of tiredness and unhelpful marshals)–and in 1:33:28, would you believe!

Dann will ich mich auch mal wieder melden. Natürlich lebe ich noch

Die Zwischenprüfung liegt hinter mir, sodass ich wieder etwas mehr Zeit habe, hier zu schreiben. Natürlich pünktlich zum nächsten und vorletzten Wettkampf in diesem Jahr. In zwei Tagen laufe ich beim Radio-MK Lauf im heimischen Werdohl. Diese Laufveranstaltung findet Jahr für Jahr in unterschiedlichen Städten des Märkischen Kreis statt. Dieses Jahr macht sie also halt in meiner Heimatstadt.

Ich starte über die 10km auf einem flachen Innenstadtkurs. Es handelt sich dabei leider nicht um eine vermessene Strecke, sodass man mit der genauen Streckenlänge vorsichtig sein muss. Mein Ziel ist es, eine neue persönliche Bestzeit über die 10km zu erreichen oder zumindest unter 37 Minuten zu laufen (angenommen die 10km passen ungefähr).

Es sind viele starke Läufer am Start, weshalb ich erst gar nicht über eine mögliche Platzierung sprechen möchte. Es kommen halt auch viele Laufspezialisten, die einem Triathleten noch einiges voraus haben.

Ich freue mich natürlich über jegliche Unterstützung an der Strecke. Also wer am Samstag morgen noch nichts vor hat, kommt einfach nach Werdohl. 10 Uhr starten die 5km und um 11:15 Uhr beginnen die 10km.

Streckenplan

Ich berichte natürlich…