So, three months of hard training, did it work? 1hr 35mins 38 seconds says yes - an improvement of 7 minutes since last year. I'm very pleased.
I was, to be honest, nervous on the start line because of the task ahead - to run non-stop for 13.1 miles at a fast pace, a pace I know I am capable of but one that really hurts. Then, as I crossed the line, I knew I was in for a good race.
Apart from one loo stop and a stop to get rid of a stone from my left shoe (praise be to elastic laces!), I coped very well with the pace and, dare I say it, I could have pushed it a little harder in the second half. I reckon I could have saved 30 seconds by upping the pace slightly. But that is experience talking!
I stuck to my plan of a negative split and increasingly faster times in the last three. Splits were as follows:
7:16 - fast start
7:28 - composed myself
7:13 - found my pace
7:53 - loo stop! (GEL)
7:09 - Lucozade
7:22
7:18
7:10 - GEL
7:40 - stopped to get stone out of shoe
7:16 - Lucozade
7:19
6:51
6:46 - UPHILL FINISH!
Average pace: 7m 18secs
Average Heart Rate: 178
Heart Rate Max: 195
New shoes performed well, felt the benefits of a lighter model from 6 miles onward. The two gels did their job and the on course Lucozade provided the fluids needed to maintain the fast pace.
A great day all round really, Bath Half is a great race in a lovely city. Friends of mine also did well, including Terry who knocked a good 10 minutes off of his PB to come in at 1:55:55.
The endurance training has been spot on, with hill work a definite bonus. Swimming and cycling (done at a hard pace) has been very beneficial. It will be interesting to see how things go from here, but I'm taking a week off running!
Monday, 26 March 2007
Tuesday, 20 March 2007
Race week!
Apologies for a complete lack of updates over the past couple of weeks, I've been too busy!
So this is the week where we find out if the harder training has paid off. Yikes, it's been a while hasn't it?
Training has been going well, bar a sore lower back which hopefully is sorted now. I've been focusing on the running for the past two weeks with some swimming and cycling for cross training. Thanks to Kate for repairing me over the past couple of weeks!
Running sessions have been pure speed work. My base fitness is as good as it is going to get for the time being, so work concentrated on race pace and improving lactic acid threshold. This meant doing reps at half-marathon race pace and 10km pace. An ideal session for this was a 10Km route from where I work. I did this four times in two weeks, each time breaking my 10km personal best. Hard work, but hopefully they have paid off.
I also did a 10 miler in preperation two weeks a go. I would have liked to have done one more but time was an issue. First four miles were awful but picked it up in the last six. Came home in 1hr 20, average of just over 8min miles which is positive for a mainly aerobic training run.
Picked up some racing shoes at the weekend, Saucony Fastwitch Endurance, and tried them out on a five miler this evening. They felt great, very light and fast, if a little hard. There isn't as much cushion in these as my Hurricanes, but that won't matter on Sunday! I'm turning into something of a running ponce (as well as a cycling ponce)!
So, predicted times and race strategy? Steady out of the blocks (I will have warmed up) and pick it up to 7.5 minute mile pace within a couple of miles. Once I'm comfortable (half way I reckon) I'l ramp it up to 7 minute miles with a couple of 6.5 minute miles to finish. Time - hopefull sub 1hr 40, 1hr 35 would be superb, 1hr 30 a dream race! Fingers crossed! Oh, and I'm looking forward to a great weekend in Bath!
Break from running starts next Monday and focus will turn to swimming and cycling. News on that next week!
Last week I did two gigs in a row - LCD Soundsystem and Arcade Fire (pics below). Both were out of this world. Got !!! on Thursday.
So this is the week where we find out if the harder training has paid off. Yikes, it's been a while hasn't it?
Training has been going well, bar a sore lower back which hopefully is sorted now. I've been focusing on the running for the past two weeks with some swimming and cycling for cross training. Thanks to Kate for repairing me over the past couple of weeks!
Running sessions have been pure speed work. My base fitness is as good as it is going to get for the time being, so work concentrated on race pace and improving lactic acid threshold. This meant doing reps at half-marathon race pace and 10km pace. An ideal session for this was a 10Km route from where I work. I did this four times in two weeks, each time breaking my 10km personal best. Hard work, but hopefully they have paid off.
I also did a 10 miler in preperation two weeks a go. I would have liked to have done one more but time was an issue. First four miles were awful but picked it up in the last six. Came home in 1hr 20, average of just over 8min miles which is positive for a mainly aerobic training run.
Picked up some racing shoes at the weekend, Saucony Fastwitch Endurance, and tried them out on a five miler this evening. They felt great, very light and fast, if a little hard. There isn't as much cushion in these as my Hurricanes, but that won't matter on Sunday! I'm turning into something of a running ponce (as well as a cycling ponce)!
So, predicted times and race strategy? Steady out of the blocks (I will have warmed up) and pick it up to 7.5 minute mile pace within a couple of miles. Once I'm comfortable (half way I reckon) I'l ramp it up to 7 minute miles with a couple of 6.5 minute miles to finish. Time - hopefull sub 1hr 40, 1hr 35 would be superb, 1hr 30 a dream race! Fingers crossed! Oh, and I'm looking forward to a great weekend in Bath!
Break from running starts next Monday and focus will turn to swimming and cycling. News on that next week!
Last week I did two gigs in a row - LCD Soundsystem and Arcade Fire (pics below). Both were out of this world. Got !!! on Thursday.
Tuesday, 6 March 2007
Update
Thursday 1 March - Running - Hill session (1 hour)
Sunday 4 March - Swim (drill session, 1 hour)
Today: Double session!
Did a 6 mile run at lunchtime and didn't feel very sharp. My back is still playing up, but is improving. Legs felt heavy towards the end, but it was quite warm and I could have been slightly dehydrated (I didn't take any water with me).
In the evening I went to club for a hard, hard swimming session (2,400m). It looked something like this:
200m
6 x 100m (every other 25m - drill)
5x100m x 3 (various intensities, including hard)
100m swim down
First time I have doubled up training on a day, I think this will become the norm for a Tuesday from now on.
Sunday 4 March - Swim (drill session, 1 hour)
Today: Double session!
Did a 6 mile run at lunchtime and didn't feel very sharp. My back is still playing up, but is improving. Legs felt heavy towards the end, but it was quite warm and I could have been slightly dehydrated (I didn't take any water with me).
In the evening I went to club for a hard, hard swimming session (2,400m). It looked something like this:
200m
6 x 100m (every other 25m - drill)
5x100m x 3 (various intensities, including hard)
100m swim down
First time I have doubled up training on a day, I think this will become the norm for a Tuesday from now on.
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