Somehow I think the rest of the running year will fit into one thread.
OK, expectations are low, now maybe I can surprise myself.
My runners gathered dust for a full month after London; the fixture congestion of a thousand deferred errands coming home to roost like Post-It origami chickens.*
A month off wasn't a bad thing. I managed a couple of lovely late evening plods along the cliff roads of Cala Galdana, breaking me gently back in towards my goal of two solid runs a week, one long and one short.
Last night the notional long run was 7 miles, and for the first time I took advantage of the light to head out of town along some farm tracks. Delightful all round, and the spring in my step during the last couple of miles told me it's time to get back to double figures next week. But attempting such an extra-urban cycle further away from the summer solstice will require a head torch -- something I've not tried before. If I can get familar with these routes in the fine weather, I can quite see myself plodding them in a howling gale next December.
A handful of local races loom: Thame 10K, Wooburn Green 10K, Burnham Beeches half, Windsor half, sundry 10Ks I've never heard of before. No cash has changed hands yet, but I'll try and bag two or three of these over the summer. Before I know it, it'll be time to start thinking about a spring marathon...
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*(WHAT? Sorry, that mixed metaphor started and I just had to roll with it.)[/SIZE]
Today saw a quick jaunt up the M40 to see if I could put a dent in my 10K PB. But a number of factors conspired against me.
By the 9.30 start, the sun was high in the cloudless sky. By 10.00 I reckon it would have been in the high 20s. PB chances already slipping. Then there was the lack of training: 2 months since the marathon, a 5 training runs completed, a total of 25 miles. Not looking good. And the quality of training over the past 6 months: Id trained for a marathon, not a 10K. These are different animals and need different types of fitness and muscle strength. Still, I gamely hoped that my marathon fitness would put me in with a chance of a PB, and optimistically lined up wearing a 45 min pace band.
I was surprised to find that I completed the first K 20 sec ahead of schedule, but that was the last time I was ahead of the game. By halfway I was a couple of minutes behind schedule, and unlikely to make it up. Around 7K I had to really slow down, the heat was just too much and the lungs couldnt keep up. I pushed on a little at 9K, and was surprised to find quite a lot in the tank for the final 100m sprint. I guess I had recovered a little over the previous couple of K and had a bit of breath to spare. I got a great shout from the family support team, and crossed the line in a rather disappointing chip time of 48:47.
So, not a great result, and frankly not that enjoyable, as I was flogging my guts out for as much of the race as possible. But I guess an uncomfortable race is inevitable if you set your sights too high.
Lessons learned
1. Forget a PB on a hot day. Maybe theres little point trying to race in June / July / August. I did the Wycombe half last July, and had a similarly unpleasant day.
2. Fitness does drop off pretty quickly. And quite possibly it drops off the top end first.
3. If you want to be a good 10K runner, you need to do 10K training.
All pretty obvious, but I tend to learn things the hard way.
Overall though, a good day out a well-organised race for a thousand or so runners, a mostly picturesque and generally flat course, and another notch on the spreadsheet. If only I could guarantee cool weather, Id be back for sure next year. But by then, Luke will be old enough for the fun run, so I might come to support him, and use that as an excuse to jog round
Never forget that the difference between a balls-out, breathless lung-busting bile-stirring 5k and a 10k race is ...
... 5 kilometres. I say good on yer for lining up in spite of knowing the likely outcome. Those last 3 photos offer all the reason you need to look disappointment in the eye, laugh heartily & spin on your heel with a cheery farewell.
10ks are foul, wholly unpleasant affairs.
I'd rather run a half any day.
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
Crikey, that top photo -- looks like an amazingly close finish. I wouldn't fancy being a judge there today, trying to separate that lot.
I like 10Ks. They don't last as long as half marathons.
But I like half marathons too. The distance that really annoys me is 10 miles. Neither fish nor fowl.
But well done Dan. You may have lapsed a bit too, but you've evidently kept your head further out of the water than me. I don't think I'll be doing too much running through the summer, but I do need to prepare for the autumn, so I'll be back in the gym before long to dump some weight. Good on you for taking the more manly option.
El Gordo
Great things are done when men and mountains meet.
Sweder Wrote:10ks are foul, wholly unpleasant affairs.
I'd rather run a half any day.
I'm beginning to see your point of view. I really enjoyed becoming a marathon runner again, particularly when I discovered that it can be done with only a moderate level of obsession. A marathon runner isn't a 10K runner, and I don't have time to be both. And is it worth travelling to and paying for a 10K, just to treat it as a training run? Probably not.
I can also see your point of view on 5K. It's a real thrash, short enough to put up with almost any sort of discomfort. I imagine that I could have enjoyed the race if it had been 5K. Maybe I should try one someday.
El Gordo Wrote:Crikey, that top photo -- looks like an amazingly close finish. I wouldn't fancy being a judge there today, trying to separate that lot.
Actually I must ask Mrs MD if she actually stepped out onto the course to take that one. And if so, how much zoom she was using.
Must report a conversation just overheard between Naomi and her mum:
N: I'm 3, then I'll be 4, then I'll be 5, then I'll be 6, then I'll be 7, then I can do the fun run! [Referring to recent Thame 10K] How old do you have to be for a marathon?
Banked 7.5 suburban miles last night, in the dark and rain. Great to see some real running weather at last - my runners haven't seen a puddle for six months.
Unsurprisingly, plans for a slew of summer races fell by the wayside, and I've mainly only scraped together a single outing per week. But with the kids back to school, the familiar routines are back in place and it's time to get back to some more regular running. I have an eye on the Marlow half at the start of November, but that may not fit in with other commitments. But it would be great to hit Brighton Marathon training already several weeks into a Hal-type schedule.
Last night was very a pleasing plod; helped by the cooler conditions no doubt. I may have failed to achieve the planned mileage over the summer, but I seem to have retained the subconcious attitude that 5 miles is a short run, which provides a good mental springboard for upping the distance once a week.
Soundtrack last night couldn't have been more eclectic - a compilation I made for a friend's 40th earlier in the year, every No 1 on his birthday since 1969. From Peter Sarstedt to Flo Rida, there was some rubbish in there and some classics, but they all have the certain star quality required to entice hundreds of thousands of people to shell out for them.
I somehow managed to miss the message re: Brighton - good on you Dan
Sadly I'll miss it all as I'll be in Connemara, having waved goodbye to a princely entry fee late last night.
I'm pretty sure that with your ever-expanding MD Empire you'll struggle to make it but you would be most welcome at one of our Sunday morning cliff top sessions. If nothing else it'd help you acclimatise in the rarified Sussex air ... 9 am, every Sunday, at the top of the stairs above the ASDA car park.
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph
(16-09-2009, 10:20 PM)El Gordo Wrote: Good for you Dan, but you have a long way to go, so don't peak too soon!
Wise words, but frankly unlikely! I'll probably stick to two runs a week for a couple of months.
Good luck with your return to regular running. You know from experience that, once you overcome the initial pain, the miles will come. I guess that's one advantage of the boom / bust style of training favoured by some around here - you repeatedly experience the magic of returning to form, an ongoing lesson in the benefits of patience and dedication. How boring to stay fit all year round, and never experience that dramatic rise in conditioning! Well, that's my excuse...
I count myself as a peaker and trougher too - see attached graph for the year so far (September is looking positive, only halfway through). I've concluded that it's one thing to be a serious runner for 4-6 months of the year (marathon training), it's altogether a different proposition to keep it up full time.
Post-London: the rest of 2009
9 am, every Sunday, at the top of the stairs above the ASDA car park.
