Southern Women's League Walton

These league matches can be a long day, but I decided to catch the coach up to Walton with the team, rather than driving up on my own as I did last time. It was a fun day out in some gorgeous weather.

My job was to run the 3000m as the B-string runner, duly completing it in 11:55.9 and getting a 2nd place and some useful points for our 2nd place match result. It turned into a bit of a time trial, as the lead pack of A-runners disappeared into the distance (well, 100m in the distance anyway), leaving me on my own for most of the 7.5 laps with no one to pace off. It was a bit windy down the home straight, adding to my pacing problems. I started on PB pace but lost it after 3 laps before recovering my pace on the last lap. I was 13 secs off PB, but I was left feeling that a track PB of some sort is still possible this season given the right race.

Our A-string runner Bev was then called up to do the 1500m a short while later, an honour I had 2 seasons ago, which I'm not keen on repeating!

She looked strong but it was quite an effort. Well done Bev.

Unusually there was also a men's match on at the same time. It didn't feature our men, but I did spot some familiar faces from my online contacts.

 
We never run steeplechase, but the men got the chance to cool off in the hot conditions. It looked fun!

Welcome to the asylum: The Midsummer Dream 2008

It seemed anything like a midsummer's day as we assembled outside the Hook and Parrot on Seaton seafront. Even the assembled superheroes were covering up before the start.

We had the race briefing from Dave Dungbeetle, before the wackiest start ever, as the clockwise runners faced the anti-clockwise runners (or clock-unwise in the language of the Axe Valley Running Asylum) and a scrum ensued as we tried to run through the other group of runners.

Off I set in a clock-unwise direction towards the first stop at the Harbour Inn Axmouth, to be greeted by the aforementioned Dave Dungbeetle.

and I was privileged to wear the famous hat.

We now were able to view some of the fancy dress on offer, such as Pompey's Tyrolean twins

and assorted flappers, cowboys and indians.

Our team had a hula flavour, desperately trying to make the most of the awful weather (although it had now stopped raining!)

On to Colyton and the next drink.

Now whatever you think is going on in this photo, I can assure you it isn't. It's just your average river crossing.

The very misty humid conditions gave a jungle flavour to some of the wooded parts.

On to Southleigh and the cream tea served up by the dough maidens.

It went down well!

A quick pose and on up a killer of a hill.

By now we were meeting the clockwise runners. A pack of dogs passed us as we pounded on up the hill.

Fortunately there was a reward at the top with a barrel of beer tucked away in a farm yard.

Eventually we arrived at the Fountainhead in Street, just outside Branscombe. More beer! (I had my first taste of perry - very nice)

The climb out of Street:

And on down to the seafront and a view of what we had coming up:

I was disappointed to find that the MV Napoli had been pretty much dismantled by now.

At least another killer climb gave a lovely view back to Branscombe beach.

Penultimate pub, but oh the irony: In Beer I had orange juice!

18 miles of running and back at Seaton and a seaside reward!

A fantastic run - huge fun, but it can take its toll on the legs in more ways than one. My shins are to be featured in a remake of the exorcist!

Tactical: SCVAC 1500m Portsmouth

I went into this race wanting a PB, but you can't always have things your way and run every race like a time trial. These are races and the most important thing is to race those around you and score points for the team.

Who to race though? As ever, team mate Bev went galloping off chasing the Winchester A and B runners, Karen and Michaela - no hope of me keeping up with that little battle. That left me once more in the middle chasing Liz from Portsmouth and Audra from Winchester. Trouble was, neither Liz or Audra were in my points race, Audra being a guest runner and Liz over-50.

The first lap saw us spot on PB pace, for me at any rate. The second and third laps saw me hovering on Liz's shoulder: it was only afterwards that I realised we had slowed down a few seconds - I'm not good at taking on board the times relayed to us by the timekeeper. Despite the slowing it wasn't easy to get past Liz - I suspect her race craft was such that she was surging every time I tried to pass. The result was that I wasn't able to get past until we were taking the bell for the last lap.

Now in the clear I was able to pick up the pace and try to catch Audra. It was too late though and by the line she was still a second ahead and me 5 seconds off my PB.

My immediate reaction on crossing the line was that I hadn't run particularly hard, having had a fairly gentle 2nd and 3rd laps. I should be pleased with a 5:31.7 and its 79% age grading, but I felt that I should have had the confidence to push past Liz earlier. Not too bad though.

As I welcomed the other runners in, along came Ceal who promptly burst into tears, such was her relief to have finished the race in a good time and in one piece, having been worrying beforehand about the state of her hamstrings ahead of the vet championships. It's a high emotion sport this running lark!

Ambitions: The Hayling Billy 5

I was confident going into this. My legs felt pretty good after the Winchester 10k and I was looking forward to doing my local race for the first time in 5 years, having been responsible for the results service in the last 4 races.

I'd seen the pre-entries and thought I stood a chance of placing quite high. I was definitely up for this one.

It was fun helping with the kids races beforehand. I'd not seen the kids races before as I'd always been stuck in the tent with the computer. I hope we continue to grow this aspect of the race - it looked a lot of fun.

Soon though it was time to focus on my own race. First up, as part of the warm up, was a jog home to go to the loo. It's nice having a race this local!

A quick jog back, a few drills and strides and we were lined up ready to go. My team mate Gina was next to me and on the other side of the track were my other rivals Angela and Paula from Denmead.

The Hayling Billy 5 is named after the defunct Hayling Billy railway line which now forms a footpath up the western coast of Hayling Island. The race is a simple out and back route with a tight turn around a pole at 2.5 miles. It's straight and absolutely pancake flat and with quite a reasonable trail surface it is potentially a very quick course despite the lack of tarmac. The narrowness of the path could cause problems, particularly at the start, but it seems to work quite well, even with 300 runners. Mind you, I wasn't starting at the back!

The gun went and we were straight into our running with a tight bunch of 5 women tucked in behind the leaders. We were heading off at way too high a pace, certainly for me at any rate. I suspected the pace was a tad high for the others too as I've raced them all before and we should have been fairly well matched. I resolved to sit back a bit and conserve my energy as Gina roared off into the distance leaving the red vests of Paula and Angela and the blue vest of a Pompey Jogger just ahead of me. At the end of the first mile I was in 5th as I tried to stay in touch without overstretching myself.

Soon I'd got past the Pompey girl who as suspected had gone off too fast and was having to slow down. I was just behind the Denmead girls and relieved that Gina in first place was not getting too much further ahead - she clearly had had to slow down a touch too. So it remained for the next mile before Angela and I closed on Paula and overtook her. I then eased past Angela to set me up nicely for the turnaround.

You'd be forgiven for thinking this was a women's race but there were men in the race too! It's great to be able to watch the lead runners come whistling past down the other side of the trail as you near the half way mark. I remember seeing James the leader and my team mates Steve and Richard, but that was about it - my focus was totally on my own race and the fact that Gina was still 100m ahead of me.

As I dashed round the pole I don't think I was aware of where Angela and Paula were, although they must have been right on my shoulder - my attention was fully ahead. As I headed back down the trail I was getting shouts of encouragement from my other team mates as I passed them. I should have acknowledged them but I was really taking this seriously!

I was now in a group a 3 men slowly but certainly closing on Gina. I guess they may have had the thought that they couldn't let themselves be beaten by a girl, but this worked for me as I could let them pace me across the gap. At each landmark I'd count my paces to measure the gap: with 1.5 miles to go, 30 paces, a mile to go, 20 paces. I can do this!

By 800m I was on Gina's shoulder and wondering if I should wait and give it all in a final sprint. She made up my mind for me though as she seemed to falter slightly. I gritted my teeth against the pain and went for it. Gina didn't seem able to follow me, but I wasn't going to look back to find out. I could now see the finish line coming up and tried to squeeze out a little more effort.

In a chance conversation I'd had last week, we'd been talking about running ambitions. I'd talked about targets such as the 3:15 marathon and a sub-20 5k, but I remember saying that the one thing I'd really like to do just once in my life was to win a race outright - not 1st in age group, I'd already done that, but the first woman across the line. I'd thought about the possibility of doing it tonight but hadn't dared hope for too much, not knowing what shape I was in after the weekend.

But now, there was the finish line and my dream just 100m ahead of me. I pushed and pushed for all I was worth, threw my arms in the air and crossed the white line, ambition fulfilled. I don't know whether I was aware that there were cameras from the local paper there, but I hope they got a good shot of me - I'll find out on Friday when the report is published. I suspect I'll be down at the newspaper offices to order a copy of the photo!

I was shattered at the end. That was a job well done. 33:40 is a PB by 30s, but the time isn't important. I went off a little quick and suffered slightly, but it was all about balancing the need to pace well with the need to stay in touch with the lead. My tactics were just right and I'm really pleased with that.

Wow! Where next?

Heat tempered: Winchester AAIR 10k

As I stood under the tree with a refreshing breeze gently chilling me I thought that just maybe this race might be fairly comfortable.

Wrong!

For the 2nd road race league event in a row this was a scorcher!

I really like running in the heat: gentle runs under clear blue skies, interval sessions where you sweat with the satisfaction of a job well done, your muscles warm and loose and ready for the effort. Racing is another matter entirely. I seem to hit my maximum in terms of heat dissipation way before I hit my racing maximum. Unless I take it reasonably easy there will come a point where my head starts throbbing and my skin tingles, leaving me no choice but to slow down. My tolerance of the heat seems low.

Today was just such a day. Coming at the end of a hard week of training featuring several double training days and being just 3 days before the Hayling Billy 5, my motivation for pushing myself to my thermal limit was not great.

The course description on the Runners World website was rather curious: "Flat/hilly". I guess there was a flattish mile after half way, but with most of the first half being steadily uphill and the second half still somehow managing to have its share of uphill sections I wouldn't really want to use the term 'flat' anywhere in the description. Let's just say it's not a PB course!

I finished just under 46 minutes - not a particularly sparkling performance. My average heart rate was below what I'd run a marathon at and my pace was pretty much marathon pace, but given the heat and hills maybe I should feel encouraged by the good pace at that HR as I haven't felt at my best since London. It felt quite a hard effort - as I've mentioned I'm not a fan of heat. However, I seem to have recovered well from it so maybe my body has dealt with it as just a 6 mile marathon pace run, despite how it felt on the day.

I did my bit for the team though, leading us in to an excellent 2nd place on the day (well done girls!) and securing our position of 4th in the league - our best place ever as far as I'm aware. I really think we punch well above our weight considering the size of the club. A big well done to the ladies of Victory AC.

Our men had a solid finish to ensure they remained a place above relegation in the final league results. While not such dizzy heights as the ladies, it's still a very good performance remaining in the top of 3 divisions.


Tonight is the Hayling Billy 5 where I'm hoping for a PB. Let's find out just how well I have recovered.

Human interaction

I was coaching tonight at the local country park. We've had clashes with fishermen in the past (yob fishermen from the local estate who think a fishing permit gives them exclusive use of the park) and my runners were looking nervously at a group of 'yoofs' sitting next to the lake blocking the path. I set the session off in the opposite direction and went over to have a friendly word with the teens:

"Excuse me folks, but we have a group of runners coming past in a bit. There's no need to move, but if you could clear your bikes off the path that would be appreciated"

A few questions were then asked about what we were doing and how many of us there were and I jogged off to join the session.

"Thanks for letting us know" said one of them as I departed.

Treat them with respect, you get respect!

I think I learnt a life lesson tonight.

Southern Women's League Division1 Reading 3000m

A late report from last Saturday, but I've just got the result so I thought I'd better blog it for completeness.

I finished 2nd A-string runner in 11:59.8, so heading in the right direction. I finished 2nd behind online pal RachE who was a minute ahead of me despite waving to her other half in the stands on each lap. I got a better age grading score though, according to the Fetcheveryone site so I shouldn't be too hard on myself. I helped the team to 2nd place, putting us 4th in the league.

It was an odd sort of race as we also had the Premier Division match running at the same time, so there were some Reading AC and Newquay & Par runners ahead. It gave me some targets though, particularly when I started to lap people at the end. I lapped my team-mate just as I was closing on someone from the other match - it amused me to have her shout "Go get her" as I passed. Shame it didn't make any difference points-wise!

I felt pretty good and paced it quite well, so another plus point over the vets match from 2 weeks ago. Here are the stats which I presume I must have got from some magic remote collection system, because of course HRMs are illegal in races of 10000m and shorter!
93s 138bpm
96s 154bpm
98s 156bpm
96s 159bpm
96s 160bpm
98s 161bpm
96s 162bpm
47s 163bpm
result: 11:59.8

Footnote:
Here's the rule we race under:

RULE 21 ASSISTANCE
(1) The following shall be interpreted as assistance
(a) Pacing by persons not participating in a race, unless assisting a blind or partially sighted runner.
(b) Receiving advice or similar assistance during an event from an individual located within the competition area.
(c) The use of any technical device.
Athletes receiving assistance as defined above are liable to be disqualified.
(2) The following shall not be interpreted as assistance:
(a) Communication during an event between athletes, and other
persons not within the competition area.
(b) A medical examination during the progress of an event by medical personnel solely to determine whether an athlete is fit enough to continue in the competition.
(c) The use of heart monitors in races in excess of 10000m.

My interpretation of the above is that even wearing a watch is illegal, however Kelly Holmes crossed the line for Olympic Gold wearing the same Polar HRM I wear.

I assume she wasn't wearing the chest strap though. Clearly she wasn't taking splits as I assume she didn't have time to start it, however she would have had the advantage of the stadium clock anyway. I don't look at my watch anyway as I can usually judge the laps from the timekeeper calling the times from the track side. The data is useful for post-race analysis though. I've never been challenged, but I wonder if some over-zealous official might one day want to flex his muscles?

The marathon that never was: Edinburgh 2008

I've waited 8 days before blogging my Edinburgh Marathon experience - more a matter of internet availability than hesitation over what to write.

This was the first race I've ever failed to finish. At 10 miles, having just passed the finish at Musselbrough Race Course, with a 16 mile loop still to run, having battled 30mph headwinds for 5 miles and another 8 miles of headwind to go, being unable to sustain the pace required form sub-3:15, I bailed. I was very happy. Normally I'd feel a terrible sense of having not given my best - "Pain is temporary, quitting lasts forever" said Lance Armstrong. In this particular case though, it was the right decision.

They say that to run a marathon you have to have forgotten your previous marathon. The memories of London 2008 were still very much to the fore! I left a bit of my soul (and sole!) on the streets of London. "I can't imagine putting in that much effort ever again" I said to someone after slumping to the kerb in the baggage retrieval area on The Mall. That was a touch of the Steve Redgraves, but it was largely true. I think to ever put that level of effort into another race I will have to have got the desire back: I will need to have forgotten just how much that hurt!

In the weeks following London I felt ill. For 17 days (I counted) I felt exhausted; I felt like I had the flu (I'm fairly sure I didn't though). My legs recovered but I still lacked energy. My dreadful experience of the Alton 10 after 4 weeks, I put down to the fierce heat, but with hindsight I was still suffering from London. This was a very different experience from my Boston recovery: my quads were trashed after the marathon but I soon got my energy back and positively bounded around Alton, albeit in much cooler conditions. The following week I felt great for the Isle of Wight marathon, only 5 weeks after London, picking up a Hampshire gold medal in the process.

A possible difference between the 2 scenarios was the different nature of the Boston and London courses: Boston is hilly and London is pretty flat. Though the hills in Boston can punish the unwary, and certainly got me, I think they at least give your legs a bit of a change of scenery. In London, you are using the same muscle group for a full 26.2 miles, and that will wear you down.

I entered Edinburgh as a safety net. If the weather in London had been hot again and I'd fallen short of my target, at least I'd be able to try again 6 weeks later. This happened to a friend last year: she ran 3:28 in the heat of London, but 3:13 in the rain of Edinburgh. This year though the adverse conditions were reversed: near perfect conditions in London, and a strong headwind in Edinburgh which was destined to add at least 5 minutes to runners times.

So at 10 miles into Edinburgh, realising that I wasn't going to make my target, and not wanting to subject myself to another month in a dark pit of fatigue, and realising for every extra step I took I was going to have to walk an extra step back to the warmth of my rucksack on the baggage lorry, I baled.

Suddenly the world seemed a nicer place: I was going to be able to devote energy to the dear friends I was staying with, whom I hadn't seen for a few years. I was going to be able to do races in the coming weeks that I wouldn't have been able to do. I was going to be able to get back to proper training and simply run! - I love the simple act of running, and to be able to run 10 miles to Roslin Chapel (of Da Vinci code fame) 2 days later, in the cold and wet, was a joy in itself - impossible if I'd just raced 26.2 miles.

As luck would have it I met my friend's son on the way back to the finish at the race course. We were able to sit in the relative warmth of the grandstand (it was still a cold day despite the sunshine) and cheer his mum home to a victory in the W50 category (an astonishing achievement, after so many injury problems, that had me in tears).

We had a great time at the finish soaking up the atmosphere. It's a great location for the finish of what potentially is a very fast marathon. Vicarious marathon running is great fun, if a little emotional!

The application letter for a championship place in the Flora London Marathon 2009 has now been sent, based on my 3:15:18. I couldn't help mentioning the time I spent waiting to get past the Maasai warriors in the opening mile.

It's only 18 seconds.

Pretty please?