Getting Back To My Best

Mon 9th May, 6.5 mls easy in 55'57 (8'37). Saw Regents Park on bbc news after work and fancied a run there. Headed down (past work) and did a lap of the grass on the outside. Legs felt a little heavy but nowhere near as tired as they should have been. I think i shut off the second half yesterday when i knew the game was up. Lots of stretching and rolling with "the stick" after.

Onwards and upwards from here.

Weds 11th May, Club session tonight on Hampstead Heath extension. 1.8 mls w/u at 9'30 ish. Then 3 x 1 min with 30 secs rest, then 60 secs before 3 x 3 mins, then 60 secs before 3 x 1mins, then 90 secs before 4 x 30 secs. Quite a tough session but i was running well and finished each rep alongside 2 sub 84 min half marathoners. It was all on grass and uneven terrain in parts. 2 mls w/d then at 9'40 pace.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/85030128

On the warm down, about 200m in, the right achilles decides to cramp up, nothing like Barca but i had to stop and stretch it out nonetheless. If i'm cramping after 5k of a speed session then Berlin could be a Blitzkrieg of cramping. Im gonna have to look into these salt tablets and practice using them. Session was probably done a day or 2 too soon after Leeds and i'll be feeling it tomorrow i'll bet but glad i did it. 7 mls total.

Sat 14th May, Headed over to the first Parkrun 5k in Hampstead Heath. Good crowd around (60-70). Took it fairly handy the whole way and finished in 17th in 22'40 (7'40). Scenic route but quite hilly and not one for pb's but enjoyable nonetheless. The free water and rocky road after was a nice touch

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/85457963

It still baffles me why Ireland doesn't have one of these, they're now spreading across the world and rightly so. Dave Bedford (London marathon race director and former 10k world record holder) oversaw the start and made a speech afterwards. I should have asked him if he could get me into London next year If the mark stays at 3'10 for uk residents i'm a shoe in anyway. That Barca cramp cost me in hindsight. 1 ml w/u and w/d for 5 mls total.

04072511 wrote: »

Did you ever find out if London has a track setup along the same lines we have down here in Melbourne?

Reading through this log here. I wouldn't be too hard on yourself about 1:34 for the Half. According to McMillan that equates to 3:18 for the marathon, which until recently was faster than you had ever run a marathon, so its not so bad, especially considering it wasn't a goal race. The fact that you got reasonably tanked on Oul Arthur's Finest (or whatever the Leeds equivalent is) the day before, actually makes the time not as bad as you think. I'd wonder the wisdom of guzzling pints the day before a race mind you. Two days before... well thats a different story

I'm being asked by the club to run track for them. An odd race or 2 would be ok. We nearly always finish our speed sessions with a fast 200/400 and i go flat out and my speed does not go unnoticed. I've kept my track history a secret cause i didnt want to be roped into it. I've had 10 years of it though and i'm happy to keep plodding along in road races for the minute, even if its clear as day that i'm better at the shorter stuff.

Thanks for trying but 1'34 is awful for me, an all time low. The pints didnt help (i don't drink the black stuff over here, doesn't travel well), i won't be doing that before target races though.

menoscemo wrote: »

Just spotted this:
http://www.midlandshalfmarathon.com/

RacoonQueen wrote: »

I was going to suggest that one but thought he was looking for one a little closer to London. :pac: Perfect timing for all the Berlin heads but the same day as the Dun Laoghaire 10k which is the perfect location for post race beers. :pac:

Yeah unfortunately i'm working that day I could book the day off but even then i would have to fly back after which is sh*te enough. The sh*t hits the fan race is looking like that one in Nottinghamshire on Aug 14th, i've heard good things about it from the clubmates. The beers can wait till after the 5 mile and the Frank Duffy.

Funny (ish) story I was asked did i want to go to the Ireland rugby game (vs England i think) the same day as the frank duffy in the aviva and i said no i'll be in Ryans all day