A new training program.

[Riazor Blue]

As from next Monday I'm in training.

The second Sunday in December is the Narón half marathon. It's also the Galician half marathon championships. I ran there last year in a time of 1hour 39.

As half of my customers will be running there I want to put in a good time this year (at the moment most of my customers are sub 3 hour marathoners).

I have drawn up a training plan for the next three months which I hope will see me finish between 1hour 20 and 1hour 25. I will post the plan in the next few days, but the first month is back to base training. The second month will be stamina work, lots of hills and stuff, then focussing on speedwork for the third month. Hopefully peaking perfectly for the half.

Between the start of this training and Nar'on there is one important race, at the end of October is the Camino de Santiago race, the biggest in Galicia with about 9000 runners. It's 12,5km.

That's the objective for this year. Next year it may be London, I've sent off the application, let's see if I have luck in the draw.

Yesterday I ran a half marathon in Ponferrada. The obervent may recall that the Toral de los Vados marathon passed through Ponferrada. The weather was awfull on the way there, we were caught in thunder storms for most of the journey, but luckily the weather held for most of the race. Actually, I didn't set out to race there, and only ever looked at the watch twice, once on each lap. The course ended up being a bit hilly (I'm sooo glad I done that training for Baiona).

In the end I finished in 1h 32' 40" in the middle of a thunder storm. Given that it was pissing down and I was freezing I didn't hang around to see where I finished (it's worrying that I'm now interested in these things). It was back to Simon's place for a shower - Simon being the Brit who I met in Toral, he ran the 10k yeaterday, which ended up being 11.2km

Next Saturday is a 10.4km race on Saturday then a 4.6km on Sunday. Both are close to La Coruña so will be opportunitis to hand out publicity.

[El Gordo]

1:32 for a half in a thunder storm is just... just terrible, RB. You've no idea how gloomy that makes me.

My advice is to do what they allegedly used to do to nobble a dog before a greyhound race - feed it a crafty steak and kidney pie. While you're lining up for your next race, wolf down half a tortilla and carry a flask of Rioja for when you feel yourself speeding up. I don't know about you, RB, but it will make the rest of us feel a lot better...

Good luck with the business. You're a fine advert for your merchandise.

[Riazor Blue]

I always thought they squeezed the greyhounds b*****ks as they put it into the starting trap. I'm always very careful that nobody tries to nobble me by this method.

I quite like the idea of a steak and kidney pie, you wouldn't realize how long it's been.

By the way, the races this weekend, which will be my last until the Camino de Santiago at the end of October.

Saturday was the 10.4km hilly affair in a place called Mugardos. I almost didn't make it to the start of this one but I was glad I did. I got lost in the village itself, when the race was actually in a little hamlet on the other side of the 'parish'. I eventually arrived at the start after a Proteccion Civil person who was marshalling the route advised me to follow the arrow on the road to find the start. So I arrived with 5 minutes to pick up the race number, changs, have a piss and warm up.

The course was up and down all the way, generally more downhill in the first half with some horribly steep bits in the second. I ended up tgoing through 5km in 18'35" - it was more downhill, and finished in a total 42'46". Which for a 10km is elusevely close to one of this Summer's targets, a 40minute 10k. I think it works out at 40'09".

Today was 4.6km, also a bit hilly, straight downhill for the first kilometer, flat for a couple of kliks which were run on dirt tracks then uphill to the finish. My plan worked well. It was to run as fast as I could as long as I could. There were only about 120 runners but with the downhill bit first it was very crowded on the narrow lanes so I couldn't belt it as I would have liked. Happily after half a kilometer I managed to speed up and started overtaking people. The guy who beat me the other week to the third place pre-vet trophy, I passed him fairly early on and was glad to see that on the following uphill he did not catch up again.

In the end I just about ran out of steam with about 150metres to go, I was passed by two guys I had overtaken before, the got surprisingly pipped in a sprint finish by a short head. 12th in age group and 30th overall. I'm very pleased with the time, which was 16'15".

That's the Summer racing finished. Now to start training for the half mara in December.....