Winter Series #1, 50th Parkrun, and a very wet 51st parkrun

Three weeks worth of catch up's coming up.

First was the start of this year's Winter Series races at the end of October.  I'm not sure a 3 hour flight followed by a 4 hour drive to arrive home at 0500 after no sleep the day before is good preparation for a 10k so I definitely appreciated the relative late start of 1030. 

Despite a little hill (156m of climb in the first two miles) or two (another 30m at mile 6) this series of races becomes more popular each year.  The Stratford Big 10k only has 33m of ascent over the whole course.  

The race itself is around 10k though it's not a PB course with that little hill in it which most people end up walking at least part way.  It doesn't help once you get to the top as it's as steep downhill which hammers the legs as you're braking all the time.

The quirky bit of the race is that you don't get medals or t-shirts at the end but a packet of sausages (veggie ones are available too, as well as chocolate this year).

As the race is so popular parking is a bit of a struggle so I got dropped off and ran back afterwards - back up that hill I'd just run down - another 136m in the first two miles.  Only now I've got a packet of sausages to carry as well - not the easiest item when you're running.

The following week was my 50th Parkrun (actually my 51st as I forgot my barcode one week and didn't get a time - I'm not making that mistake again and now have a barcode in the car).

Obligatory 50th Parkrun photo

It had rained a lot the previous week and there was standing water on the course so it wasn't going to be a PB day.  It actually rained on the morning right up until the start of the run when it suddenly stopped for about 40 minutes before starting again as I was heading back to the car.

I wasn't so lucky on this week's Parkrun.  It was blue skies at 0615 and heavy rain at 0900 along with strong, gusty winds.  It's got to be the wettest Parkrun I've done, full waterproof jacket wet - I almost went for the waterproof trousers too though decided I'd just be too warm and stuck with just shorts.  Usually there's around 200 runners and walkers but this week there were just 65.  The small matter of a rugby world cup final involving England at the same time might not have helped.  The small field meant I got my best ever overall finish position at 16 this week.  

I've also now run at Parkrun at least twice in every month of the year and achieved a bronze level obsessive for 2019 (unfortunately I'll be one run short of the silver level even if I make it to every remaining run unless I can find a Christmas Day run nearby as well).  If I hadn't forgotten my barcode that week I'd have made it.

Total miles for the year so far: 865

John O'Groats

Reached John O'Groats in my virtual run and now heading back south.  The weather is typically bleak for the location, very windy, raining and cold.  Remnants of hurricane Lorenzo

Elevation gained: 10765 metres

New target is 1000 miles by 31 Dec.

Mud Run and Wildlife Parkrun

I've taken Scouts to the mud run a few times but I don't usually get to participate - usually too busy watching them.  This time there were enough leaders & helpers to be able to bring up the rear and have a go - got to make sure we don't leave them to drown in the muddy puddles.  As it had been quite a wet week and it was raining at the time there were plenty of muddy puddles and quite a few small muddy lakes too.  

The first tunnel wasn't too difficult, apart from the stench of decaying vegetation but any idea that you might not get muddy beyond the ankles was gone in the first second.  The trenches were great fun, muddy water that reached beyond the comfort zone and the pond reached right to the shoulders. Odd that the water and mud felt comfortably warm despite the rain and the evening chill.

This is after a swim in the pond!

Saturday was a wildlife themed parkrun and all runners were encouraged to wear a suitable fancy dress.  I'd seen some easy home made spider costumes so I thought why not.  A black t-shirt (worn inside out so the logos didn't show), black running tights, black running socks stuffed with bubble wrap, and a black hat with eight eyes sewn on and voila! one running spider.  Running in the costume was a little warm so I kept the pace nice and easy (though each lap was still 10 seconds faster than the previous one so good marathon pacing practice - only 23 miles to go) finishing 3 minutes outside my PB but who cares.  

As I drove out the site after the post run tea and chat two women who I'd been chatting to waved furiously and yelled at me to stop.  It seems I'd won first prize for the best costume!  Needless to say I had to put my costume back on and pose for a photo.

Running spider

And with that I've reached Wick and 800 miles running for the year.  Only 16 miles to John O'Groats then heading back south again.

Catch up

Just realised it's over a month since I wrote an update.  The highlight of this catch up has to be my PB at the Stratford 10k.  In 2016 I ran 51:34 which was a PB and I was pretty chuffed at the time.  The last two years I'd been handing out water at this event so I was determined to run it this year.  Based on my Stratford Parkrun time I was predicted to run 51:24, so just a couple of seconds faster.  

What actually happened was I smashed my target time and finished in 49:04.  I knew I was in with a chance of getting around 50 minutes at the 8k mark but I was shocked that I got so far under that.  Shocked and also worried that I was about to be spectacularly sick in front of all the spectators at the finish - I don't understand how you can feel fine while running but the moment you slow down you want to throw up!  

Two weeks on and now I'm worried that I'm never going to get anywhere near that time again.  Everything just came right on the day.  I'd done lots of interval work including working my way through McMillans World's Best 5k workout plan followed by the 10k workout plan (which I didn't quite manage to complete).  The weather was perfect too.  12C and no wind whatsoever.  Plus three days in a tent followed by hand digging 90 ft rows of potatoes is obviously the perfect way to spend a taper week.

Since then training has been a bit hit-and-miss.  I did start out with a plan to do some longer interval sessions in preparation for the Stroud Half but the reality is work and life have been too busy to make consistent progress with these.  Add in an enforced two week break in the middle of it and it's not really working.  I still might run the event but the chances of me being able to get under the 1hr 50 predicted by my 10k time seem slim.  

On a positive note I'm now only 25 miles from John O'Groats in my virtual LeJog.

Another PB

My local parkrun has been cancelled two weeks running, first because of high winds (they don't want anyone squashed by falling branches in the woods) and this week because of another event being held at the site.  Both times I'd headed off to Stratford which is a) three times as far to drive and b) flat as a pancake and mostly on tarmac paths.  The course also comes up about 200m shorter on my Garmin than my home event but it's still over the 5k.

The first time I ran at Stratford I took the first lap pretty easy as I'd no idea what the ground would be like.  I then sped up for laps two and three which resulted in me equalling my 5k PB.  This week it was less windy which also helped - no battling into a gale (though no wind assistance on the other side of the course either).  I tried to get a good start and while I was nearer the front I still got a bit boxed in.  Not that it mattered as I cleared the first mile in 8.00 mins exactly.  The next mile was even faster and mile three just a couple of seconds slower resulting in a time of 24:45 - I was so excited to get under the 25 mins that I forgot to stop my watch and had to wait for my official time! 😆

I've also had to re-calculate all my training paces again - that's another 5 secs a mile off each pace.

A few weeks ago I was thrilled that I'd got an age grade over 70% for the first time ever, now it's over 74% - next target 75%?  That will be tough on my regular course with the uneven ground, changes of surfaces and tight twists.  Might just be easier to wait for a birthday and keep running at the same pace

Total miles for the week: 25.93
Elevation gained: 369m
Le-jog: 706.28 (between Kessoch Bridge and Cromarty Bridge)

Messy Week

Some weeks just feel like they mess up your training with lots of bitty things to do.  This was one of them.  Out four nights in a row.  Monday and Tuesday were early evening starts so no running then.  Which meant five consecutive days running starting Wednesday which isn't good and the quality of the sessions suffered - especially Thursday's intervals which was only half as long as it should have been.  On the plus side the new interval paces are achievable without too much pain.

Friday was a run in torrential rain on flooded roads.  So wet that I'd worn my heavier waterproof jacket.  After the run I dropped it in the back of the car to drive home.  20 mins later a big puddle had collected where it had drained.

My usual parkrun was cancelled this week for a cycling event so I had planned to go to Stratford which is my next NENDY* run.  Only I overslept - doh!  So just a gentle three miles later in the day.

Sunday was an easy 10 miles to finish the week.

Stats for the week:

Miles: 22.72
Elevation gained: 331 m
LeJog: 641 miles (just over 1000km and halfway between Dalchalloch and Inverness)



*Nearest event not done yet

Parkrun PB and a holiday

Not content with two first finishers in my age category this week I smashed my Parkrun PB by 49 seconds setting not just a course PB but an all time PB (7 seconds faster than my previous fastest parkrun on a different course).  It's also the first time I've ever got an age grade of over 70%.  So the interval running is finally paying off.  My first two miles were within a second or so of each other, with the third being around 10 seconds slower.  So all I need to do is to run the third mile at the same pace as the first two and that's another 10 seconds off - something to aim at.

As a result of the new PB I've re-calculated all my training paces.  It's interesting to compare my current paces with those from January when I was just coming back from a very low mileage year as a result of injury.  My easy pace has gone from 10:05 - 10:59 to 9:11 - 10:10, with my interval pace going from 8:48 - 9:13 to 8:07 - 8:25.  So what was my tempo pace in January is now more or less my easy pace.

Not a particularly high mileage week as Scouts Expedition Challenge took most of the weekend.  Combined with holiday packing it meant no long run on Sunday.

Most of last week was spent on holiday in Cornwall, so some new running territory.  Some nice easy paced runs on the coast path and local footpaths.  Finished the week back home with an easy paced 9.5 miles on Sunday.

Totals:

Week 1:
Distance: 10.51 miles
Elevation: 68 metres
LeJog: 592 miles

Week 2:
Distance:26.26 miles
Elevation gained:  428 metres

Le-Jog: 618 miles 75% of the way to John O'Groats