2 week summary - 11 weeks to go

I've missed a week of summarising so here're the previous 2 weeks:

	a.m.		p.m.
	Miles	Notes	Miles	Notes
Mon 02 Jul	Rest
Tue	0		4.1	easy recovery 08:54/mile 114bpm.
Wed	0		5.6	Promenade 5k. 4th place, losing a finishing straight sprint. very windy!Splits/ave HRs: 3:59 141bpm 4:05 153bpm 4:11 156bpm 4:12 156bpm 4:00 158bpm 20:30 153bpm 06:36/mile 153bpm.
Thu	2	Gym sesh	6.1	jogged club sesh at Staunton park 09:27 /mile 102bpm.
Fri	0		13.6	long run. Bit tired towards end. Blustery wind 08:22/mile 122bpm.
Sat	Rest
Sun	5.9	easy run round Stansted 10:42/mile 106bpm.	0
Total	37.3

	a.m.		p.m.
	Miles	Notes	Miles	Notes
Mon 09 Jul	0		6.1	SCVAC Hants & Surrey 5000m. 2nd A-string, 4th on track. 20:05.4 Splits: 93s 130bpm 99s 148bpm 98s 151bpm 96s 153bpm 97s 155bpm 97s 157bpm 97s 158bpm 96s 158bpm 96s 158bpm 97s 158bpm 97s 156bpm 141s 156bpm =94s/lap (head down so missed the split) 20:05.4 153bpm ave 78.2% age grading. 06:28/mile 153bpm.
Tue	0		2	easy jog at the track after pole vault session, plus some drills 08:45/mile 119bpm.
Wed	0		11	First time I've done a midweek 11-miler in under 90mins! Warm! 08:10/mile 125bpm.
Thu	2	Gym sesh	8.9	long handicap, run at mara pace. Paces between gates: 7:40 119bpm 7:28 131 7:35 136 6:56 142 6:48 141 7:10 142 7:32 141 7:39 141 7:28 140 7:20 143 7:41 139 7:26 142 7:39 141 7:05 143 07:34/mile 136bpm. 57:21 - PB!
Fri	4.5	easy run along seafront 09:20/mile 106bpm.	4.9	Beaulieu social run 09:36/mile .
Sat	7.1	Lactate test session - bit disappointed as there were some dodgy readings: 1:49/lap 7:18/mile 140bpm 4.4mml/l? 1:44/lap 6:58/mile 147bpm 3.7mml/l 1:40/lap 6:42/mile 152bpm 3.7mml/l 3 min recoveries 20mins gentle jogging then flat out 400m in 80s 13.7mml/l .	0
Sun	20.1	Easy paced run up to Rowlands castle, with a loop through Chalton and a lovely forest loop to finish. 09:10/mile 116bpm.	0
Total	66.6

Pole vault!

I discovered yesterday evening I can pole vault!

After a few drills, I sailed over the opening height first time, with coach Lynne commenting that that was all I had to do to score points. She then started talking about the height I needed to do at the southern finals and had me thinking "ooh, that sounds a bit tougher - maybe I won't be scoring after all". It then turned out she was talking about the height I needed to win it! I sailed over the bar within 20cm of that height, and definitely feel I could challenge that with another session.

I only had a couple of failures as Lynne put the bar up, and again, and again...
I feel I could have gone the extra 20cm as I didn't have any failures on the final height, but I was getting a bit tired by then. Waaaheeey!

It was such a buzz - I've not had that adrenaline tingle since my wave-sailing days - that bar is not dissimilar in feeling to approaching an 8ft wave at speed - total commitment required.

I've a few sore bits today - left lateral deltoid, right brachialis - but nothing I can't work on in the gym.

Wow!

You'll note I haven't quoted any heights - I'm being coy for now - Isinbayeva has her spies out and I don't want to give anything away before Beijing.

SCVAC League Hants & Surrey Division Portsmouth 5000m

First the headline: We beat Winchester and have made the southern vet finals in Ashford. Hooray for Havant!

I found myself running as A string runner tonight, with Gina, whom I've never beaten, as B string. I started confidently, perhaps too confidently, leading Lucy Elliott, British international, round the first bend - out the corner of my eye I thought she was Jan, also from Winchester, with whom I've had some good tussles. I was sensible enough to let Lucy run off into the distance as I established my own pace. This left me leading the remainder of the pack round the track for the next 7 or 8 laps. It was quite tough into the wind down the back straight - a good effort needed in the F3-4. Everyone was careful to shelter behind me - the other Winchester runner Sue thanked me for that afterwards - cheers! ;-)

I realised I was outside 20 minute pace at this point. In a really nice gesture, Gina then took on the pace setting, deliberately to try to get me under 20. Gina led for a few laps but then the other 2 Winchester women started to pull away from us and with 600m to go I started to wind it up and pulled away from Gina.

I finished 4th on the track behind the 3 Winchester women, but was only 10s behind 2nd place Jan so I'm quite pleased with that. I was 2nd A-string, finishing ahead of Gina (for the first time!) who was 2nd B-string.

Poor Ceal was running as A-string for Portsmouth - there wasn't a W60 race, but due to absences she wasn't even W50! She got a 93.5% age grading for her performance though, which after an earlier 200m is pretty good going - no doubt a UK leading performance!

A mention too for Marilyn who scored well in the W50 class behind Jan and Jane. She had just done the 800m but even so managed to top 80% age grading. We vets like to keep tabs on our age gradings - it's something to hang on to as we get slower. Here's a link to an age grading calculator.


For my part I guess I can tell everyone I finished 2nd to Lucy Elliott after leading her in the first part of the race?

There's a tinge of disappointment failing to get under 20 minutes, finishing in 20:05.4, but the wind was a factor, as presumably were the 2 races the previous week. It was still a big PB though, so I need to learn to be satisfied with my performances!

Splits:
93s 130bpm
99s 148bpm
98s 151bpm
96s 153bpm
97s 155bpm
97s 157bpm
97s 158bpm
96s 158bpm
96s 158bpm
97s 158bpm
97s 156bpm
141s 156bpm =94s/lap (focussed, so missed the final 200m split)

20:05.4 153bpm ave 78.2% age grading.

Interesting how once again my HR dropped at the end despite an increase in pace. I felt absolutely wrecked on crossing the line - major effort.

Portsmouth Promenade 5k

A few days late with my race report, but I've been waiting to see the results for confirmation of my series position.

It was yet another windy promenade race, this time F5-6. It was mostly a problem coming back in along the prom, but with the prom snaking round there were times going out too when we were into the wind. After a gale force Victory 5 last December, a near gale first 5k in May and a fresh breeze for the D-day 10k, wind appears to be the main spoiler of what could be a very fast flat course.

The hope before the race had been to dip under 20 minutes for the first time, but I soon realised that the wind was going to make this a problem. I started promisingly though with a 4 minute first kilometre but from then on I tried to just tuck in behind the other runners and save what energy I could.

For the next couple of kms I was tucked behind first a City of Portsmouth woman, and then ran a threesome on the return down the prom with women from Stubbington and Winchester. I always feel I have a disadvantage into the wind, being quite tall. I was trying to shelter behind other runners, but with hindsight I should have had the confidence to push on past these runners.

At 4km I felt strong and was able to push past the other 2 quite easily. My target was then an Aldershot Farnham and District woman 100m ahead. I was able to slowly reel her in over the last kilometre until by the time we entered the park for the finish I was just behind her.

It was here I made a tactical error!

I was aware that I wasn't far outside my PB and didn't want to waste any time sitting behind the AFD woman. With only 150m to go just how much time did I think I was going to lose? I ran past her immediately on catching her and pushed on for the line. On seeing me, she kicked hard for the line and I didn't have a reply. I finished just behind her.

What I didn't realise was that sprint was for 3rd place! I should have held back and kicked hard close to the line to take her by surprise. Club mate Kevin was spectating and immediately afterwards commented on my tactical blunder - it was quite obvious!

The significance of losing 3rd place didn't fully come to light until I saw the results yesterday. I'm now 2 points behind 3rd place in the series. In the next race I have to finish 2 places ahead of my nearest rival. If I'd won that sprint I would have just had to beat her to get 3rd place in the series. Now I can't race her, but have to push on ahead and try to put some distance between us.

I'm not entirely sure how the prizes are allocated for the series, but I'm 2nd W45 with no chance of catching Jane, leader of the W45s and 2nd in the series. There are only prizes for the first runner in each category. I hope I don't get the situation of a prize going to a younger slower runner!

It's going to be a very competitive next race. Should be good!

Splits/ave HRs:
3:59 141bpm
4:05 153bpm
4:11 156bpm
4:12 156bpm
4:00 158bpm
20:30 153bpm ave
4th woman, 2nd W45

Weekly summary - 13 weeks to go

A bit late getting this summary together - this is for a week ago.
The weeks to go count has skipped a couple of weeks because this is now the count down to the Toronto Waterfront Marathon on September 30th. I've not booked yet, but I am fairly certain this is the one I am now doing.

	a.m.	0	p.m.	0
	Miles	Notes	Miles	Notes
Mon 25 Jun	2	Gym sesh - now up to 61kg deadlift!	6.2	Easy run. Felt pretty tired at first, but warmed up and finished well. 08:38/mile 112bpm.
Tue	4.5	easy run along seafront past ferry 09:22/mile .	7.3	12x400m off 45s, 2min rest after first 6 reps. Alternate reps into wind - tough to maintain pace. 92s 135bpm max 94s 145bpm max into wind 91s 143bpm 92s 148bpm 91s 145bpm 93s 152bpm 2min recover 93s 141bpm 97s 147bpm 92s 144bpm 96s 148bpm 94s 144bpm 96s 148bpm
Wed	0		11.	Steady run in the rain. Got some proper soakings from passing cars! 08:14/mile 118bpm.
Thu	0		4.1	Club short handicap, jogged. Felt awful! Probably hadn't eaten enough after previous night's 11- miler 08:50/mile .
Fri	Rest
Sat	Rest
Sun	6.6	Pubrook Ladies 5mile 7th place. Splits: 6:18 146bpm 6:41 154bpm 6:48 153bpm 7:30 153bpm 6:50 151bpm 34:10 06:50/mile 152bpm	3	easy run - stitch! 08:59/mile 116bpm.
Total	44.7

So close: The Purbrook Ladies 5

I was so proud of the team today!

I love this race. It's a tough one, hilly, but it's such a great atmosphere. It's nice to do a road race where you can start on the actual start line. Once the gun goes, you know exactly who you are racing and where you are in the race and it makes for some really good racing. That's my perception from the sharp end, but I guess from my past experiences it's nice to do a friendly race where you are not self conscious and don't have to worry about all the sweaty men rushing past you.

Have you ever seen such a relaxed start as this? Proper racing!:


Before the start, I'd had a good look at the start list and realised we had a strong team with Chris and Gina. I was eagerly telling Chris that we had a chance to win the team prize. This was till I spotted Shona at the start. With Kath that makes 2 Winchester elite ladies. Guess I spoke a little too soon. Oops!

Not surprisingly Kath and Shona left the rest of us standing at the start. That's 6mins/mile worth of standing - they can certainly shift, those two. I slotted in behind team-mate Gina and Jane from Havant. I would dearly have loved to have tried to keep pace with them, but I was aware of the need to tread carefully in the first mile: with a steady uphill opening half mile, followed by a steep downhill, it's very easy to overdo it before the mile's out. I kept in touch with the two of them though but realised that perhaps I wasn't going to catch them.

I had a bit of a tussle with a Norwich woman at the first mile mark, running shoulder to shoulder, but she had the measure of me and pulled away as the road once more turned uphill.

The course is a tricky one. It never really levels out. It seems to be always either uphill or downhill, with some tricky little steeper bits, and a strength sapping long uphill in the 4th mile. Not a course for PBs then, except if, like me, it's the only 5-mile you've been doing in the last 3 years!

We were so lucky with the weather. It remained dry for the entire race. We even had some sun for a mile or so.

Hills are not exactly a speciality of mine, being tall and relatively heavy, but I wasn't doing too badly. I kept Gina in my sight all the way, and watched as the Norwich runner caught her. Someone shouted that I was well ahead in 6th place with just over a mile to go. I wasn't going to glance back, but I could judge from the marshals' applause that there was someone behind me and it sounded like she was getting closer. I should be able to hold her off for the remaining mile though.

Well no actually.

As we crested the last hill before the final down-up into the finish, Chris, my team mate, came past me. That girl loves those hills! I made an effort to stay with her but it wasn't to be. It was bitter-sweet, as I would have loved to beat her, but what a finish we had in prospect with Gina, Chris and myself in close order, finishing 5th, 6th and 7th. Victory power!

At the finish Chris revealed just how much effort she'd put into getting past me. Well done Chris! My turn next time ;-)

The excitement grew though as word went round that we'd beaten Winchester! Surely not! Victory AC isn't the sort of team that beats Winchester. With Kath 1st and Shona 2nd, it all came down to where the 3rd place Winchester runner finished.

Shona 2nd, and Kath 1st:


Alas, it seems Victory AC isn't the sort of team that beats Winchester. Their 3rd runner Hannah finished 14th, meaning they beat us by just 1 point! Next time maybe?

We did really well though with Gina picking up a prize for 5th, Chris getting 1st W35 prize, I got 1st W45, Marilyn 1st W55, and we got bottles of wine for 2nd team.

Special mention for Emma, whom I waited for at the end. I ran with her down the last slope before ordering her to give it all on the final uphill 200m, telling her to catch the woman in front. She did! She caught up a big gap and finished a place or 2 higher. Well done Emma. Well paced!

The prizes. No, I'm not wearing anything underneath:


Marilyn W55:


2nd team prize:


The squad, most of us anyway:


Finally, this is my favourite photo, despite it being another team (the host club in fact). A gaggle of dead Pompey Joggers:


Thanks to Pauline, the race director, for the photos.


Finally a report from me wouldn't be complete without splits and HR data. Here they are. There might be a little fatigue evident in the low HR figures, but it's always difficult to maintain a high HR on a hilly course. I think I generally paced well, but maybe I did slow a little in the last mile - Chris will probably claim I did anyway.

Splits and ave HRs:
6:18 146bpm
6:41 154bpm
6:48 153bpm
7:30 153bpm
6:50 151bpm

34:09 (unofficial) 152bpm ave
A PB of course!