Race No. 52 - Great Run Local - Gibside

Gibside Liberty Column

The finish at Gibside.

 

 

 

The scenery at Gibside Chapel is so attractive that you can forgive the 312 feet of climbing involved in running the 5K Great Run Local which is based there.

When I first ran in this free, weekly 5K  event (there is also a 2K course) I asked a fellow runner how tough the course was, as I had experienced the Fruit Bowl Race which was also held here and knew it was tough. The reponse was that you should add at least two minutes to your normal 5K time. This may actually be understating the margin to allow, but its near enough.

Well, yesterday, for my second race of the weekend, I set out to prove, or disprove this theory.

It didn't help my pre-race preparation when I set off without my wrist band (also free) and had to retrace my steps if I was to have my efforts recorded on the timing chip it contained. Arriving with just a few minutes in hand I did I quick warm up, including my zig zag efforts - try this, it quickly raises your cardio rate. Then up to the line.

Away the field of 71 went, the fast boys quickly getting ahead of me. As they passed, I worked out that I was in sixth place. Then a young girl caught me as we started the first climb, thanking me for pulling her along - a nice touch. Another guy passed, pushing me into eigth position - have I mentioned that  was competitive?

Then we hit the main drag. First, I overtook the guy, then the young lady dropped to walking pace and I passed her with a word of encouragement. Now to keep it going all the way to the top and the  turn for home. 

From this point it is all downhill and whilst I may have lost my climbing ability, boy can I run downhill! Away I went down that hill and as I passed the building shown above it was just a case of sprinting though the line.

At the finish my time was 24.42, yes, two minutes slower than yesterday's Riverside Park Run. Theory proved!

Statistics

Finishing position 6th. 71 ran.
Time 24.42.

Race No. 51 - Riverside Park Run - 12 March 2016

Shouldn't have had that last glass of wine

Should I get my excuses in straight away? Well, why not?

Maybe an early morning race after a flight back from Tenerife the night before, was never going to be the best time to get a pb. Or was it that extra glass, or two of wine on our last night in Tenerife? Whatever the reason for my failure to record a sub 22 minute finish at the Riverside Park Run yesterday,  it wasn't lack of effort ( see image above).

Going back in time to 4th March it had looked so promising. We had arrived at our hotel in the south of Tenerife in good time for some afternoon sun. A couple of hours sunbathing was more than enough for me and it was time to put the trainers on and head out. Oh, I love running in the sun and followed the coast for over four miles. This pattern of having a late afternoon run was repeated the following day and I started to think that I could make it a daily event. On the third day my calf was sore and I declared a day off running and started massaging the calf.

Now, I am an expert on massaging sore or injured calves and realised that it was the former, ie; sore, rather than the latter; a pull, or tear. So it was that my intensive friction massage worked and I was able to get in another two runs before I got a real fright - was my b......y achilles sore? After losing two months from this challenge through an achilles injury, I was taking no chances and settled for those four sunshine runs. Goodness, I am starting to sound almost sensible about running and injury!

Come Saturday 12 March and I felt good when lining up at Chester le Street. After some congestion at the start, I started to get into pace and finished the first, of three laps, in just under seven minutes. Then I had to dig in as my pace dropped and whilst feeling comfortable I just could not get back down to seven minute pace. The second lap was 7.21, now for the final push - that's me about half a mile from the finish (above), to record 7.19.

No, sorry something wrong here, that would be 21.37. Ah, I see, those are mile times, meaning I did 21.37 for three miles, but of course this is a 5K race, actually 3.1miles at Chester le Street. That extra 0.1 mile took over one minute, hence 22.42. So no sub 22 minutes, but we have returned to spring sunshine and who knows we may be due a good summer and lots of running in the sun, lets hope so.

A Milestone Race Number 50 - Monthly Mile South Shields

Going for it at the finish.

My Best View - At The Start With Louise Griffin

I had hoped to make Race no. 50 a milestone  race in my challenge, something long, maybe a 10 miler, or perhaps a tough Fell Race, but in the event I simply needed to get another race done and so it was a return to South Shields for the March Monthly Mile.

It was yet another cold and windy night on the coast as we assembled at the start. I was still struggling for pace and form after injury, but hoping to at least get under the seven minute barrier which i had hit in the last two outings. It seems strange to say, but I am hoping that by the time I get to my sixty sixth birthday ( coming soon), that I will be improving on my times. Yes, I am ever the optimist - watch this space!

In the event, it was hard work to get into a decent pace and I really had work at the end to finish in a reasonable time. Yet, looking at my Garmin Express record of the run maybe, just maybe I set off too quickly ( the low background rumble you can hear is the laughter of my pals who know that this is how I have ran for the last thirty years!). Yes, I set off at 4.37 pace, increasing to 4.28 , that is minutes per mile. Unsurprisingly I also recorded 7.30 pace as I struggled, before getting back under 6 minute pace by the end.  My average pace was actually 6.42 as I finished in seventh place for 6 minutes 45 seconds.

Fellow Tynedale Harrier and Marathon Runner, Louise Griffin was just behind in 7.22 for 14th position from a field of 46.

Now for something longer for race no. 51.

Race No. 49 That's What Friends Are For

Newcastle Park Run 20 February 2016

Hat and jacket on at the end I can enjoy watching others running.

'That's what friends are for' -  to get you round when you are struggling for pace and form.

 

I don't think that sheltering  behind them from an awful headwind in a 5K Park Run is what Ross, Joey, Rachel etc. had in mind in 'Friends' but that is what I did in yesterday's Newcastle Park Run, sheltering behind my running partner of over 20 years Brian Stonehouse.

I am struggling for pace and form in my return from the latest injury and was really suffering on Newcastle's Town Moor as Brian and I set off towards the front of the field of 490 runners. Running together we were averaging just over seven minute mile pace for the first mile, slipping to seven thirty pace as the race went on. I was really suffering as we turned, yet again, into a headwind. Easing off, I let Brian pass me, meaning to take advantage of his slipstream. As I did so, I caught his heel, causing him to stumble.

"Sorry, Brian", I said as he recovered, "You will murder me on the next bit"

That is just what he did opening a gap as we headed for the 5K marker. "Oh, this awful" I thought as I had to dig deep to keep in touch with him. Then a couple of runners caught me and I was able to hang on to them and shelter, again, from the wind. With this help I was able to close the gap on Brian and as we approached the final turn to the line, pass him ( see second image above).

At the line I finished in 23.25 for 115th place, Brian 117th in 23.29. I know it was awful to pass Brian as he had pulled me through the race, but 'That's what friends are for'

Race No. 48 - Park Run Finsbury Park

Rob Lynch is allowed to photobomb me - we have just seen Sunderland beat Man Utd!!

A visit to see Sophie Graham in London, a nice Italian meal, with wine, followed by a trip to the theatre to see 'SUNNY AFTERNOON' , none of these were enough to stop me recording another race (no. 48) in my 65forizzi Challenge.

Yes, on Saturday it was just so easy to do another Park run as Finsbury Park was only three minutes away from Sophie and Rob's flat. Afterwards a late breakfast was followed by a walk to a pub in Stoke Newington to watch SUNDERLAND BEAT MANCHESTER UNITED. Repeat Sunderland beat Manchester United.

As we passed the park entrance on the way to the station for the journey north, I asked for a photo for this blog and look at the image! After THAT result, nothing could interfere with my good mood, not even the prankster behind.

As for the race itself, it was cold , lots of the nice  people whom you will always meet at a Park Run and an average post injury run for me. 

Looking at the Finsbury Park records for runners my age, whose did I see but my pal, Howard Gold of Heaton Harriers, at number 2 in the standings - I was number 12! Howard and I go back nearly thirty years in our running careers and we have both recorded 21 minute runs in the V65 category, mine last April as the second race in this challenge. Today, it was 24.27 but I am hopefully starting to get back to some sort of form.

Statistics

Finished in 24.27 for 96th position
261 runners.


PS
 'Sunny Afternoon' is of course a celebration of 'The Kinks'.  The story was oh, so familiar as I was there in the sixties as a keen fan. I knew all the words of the songs as sang them, with gusto!

Race no. 47 "When The Going Gets Rough"

A Muddy Night At Lambton Castle

"The Tough Get Going"

For my third race this week I thought that I would get off the tarmac and into the mud, and just to make it even more interesting, do it in the dark!

Yes, last night instead of my usual Saturday night smoked salmon, rib eye steak and some nice rioja, I put my trail shoes and a head torch on and headed to Lambton Castle Woods for a muddy five mile thriller - The No Ego Challenge ( a bit of a misnomer in my case)

I was already in a good mood when I learned on my journey that Sunderland had come back from two nil down at Liverpool to snatch a 2-2 draw. Things got even better at race registration when as the oldest competitor I was given a free tee shirt. Then, as the field lined up at the start the starter introduced the youngest runner, a 16 year old. He then asked if I minded my age being broadcast.
"Go ahead", I said, " they have to catch me". Yes, I was up for it!

We had been warned that the first few hundred metres were the worst part of the course for potholes, mud and obstacles and so it turned out.  But, aren't today's runners a soft lot.  Without wanting to be at the front, there I was with the leaders as we entered the dark woods. A young guy in front of me started picking his way around the potholes, " Coming through" I barked as I passed him, put my foot in the very next hole and fell flat on my face ( see my muddy knees on image above).

And yet, I was still there, with the leaders, as we left the wood and hit a nice, dry level track. Of course, that was when the younger, fitter leaders got away from me and I was on my own, dropped by the leaders but clear of the field. Not a new feeling, for this is how I always ran my fell races in my younger fitter, and faster, fifties.

Now when you are on your own, in the dark and having to look out for the markers you make sure that you do just that. At each junction of paths I made sure that I spotted the next marker before joining a new path. Piece of cake. Then, finally, a few faster runners caught me. Running along with them I started to relax for they could do the navigating, I thought. Mistake, as we ended up at a  closed gate with no markers. Turning back the way we had come , we soon rejoined the race, only further down the field. If this was not frustrating enough, after another mile, the same thing happened and I ended up even further down the field.

At this point I accepted that my possible moment of glory had gone and that I should be happy just get around in one piece. So it was that I finished in 45.56 for 44th position. Looking at the results later, I was first V60 by a margin of over 5 minutes to the second placed V60 runner and ten minutes over the third placed. That's victory in any language, and another bonus, my calf had held up, Hurrah!!!

Race no. 46 Monthly Mile South Shields

....And, Don't Sprint!

I am not sprinting!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know, I should not be running short races and yet here I was back in South Shields for the Monthly Mile.

It is sprinting that has cost me four months out from my 12 months racing challenge through injury. Yes, maybe my pace judgement was a little ambitious at the start of the Wallington 10K back in July. Having recorded a 4.30 minute pace ( admittedly downhill), to increase it to 4.22 was a bit over the top and my achilles tendon suffered for it. In a similar vein, why did I think that I had to win this race in December 2015? Yes, my sprinting days are over.

So, here I was a little older and hopefully wiser on Tuesday night as we lined up to face a full head on gale on South Shields beach front. Moving behind anyone who looked lean and fit, I set off down the field and stayed there for the first half of the race. Ok, I did pass a couple of people whilst keeping my pace down. I even ignored my usual competitive instincts to let a couple of runners pass me. Then and only then, with a hundred metres to finish did I let my pace increase.

At the line it was a 7.02 for the mile, that's ok, as I must forget finishing times and SPRINTING until fully recovered.

Statistics

Time 7.02
13th position
47 ran.