Prudhoe Miners 10K

Race no. 26 and I got round

Eight weeks into an achilles injury and it was time to see if I could get get round a 10K race.

Maybe it would have been better to look for a flatter race, but I had pre entered my local Prudhoe Miners' 10K and it was time to give it a go.

It was uphill from the start, but as I had got around a flat 5K Park Run the previous weekend without too much pain, I thought that I would raise my pace, a little. A mile, or so into the race it was time to face the steep, steep climb through Bewick Grange. Oh, it was tough , but at least I ran the hill. Then, finally I could put the pedal down and raise the pace to the heady heights of 7 minute miling - was it only a couple of months ago when this was my average pace?

Back through Prudhoe Town centre, past Waterworld and a pleasant "no thank you " to the offer of water at the water station, ( "I  am a racing machine, not a jogger" , I tried to kid myself.). Down to the Countryside Park and could I lift the pace? Yes, but not by much. At the 8K mark a pain in my right ankle/ achilles started to over shadow the pain from my recovering left achilles - it never rains, but it pours! Through the line in 49.06, a new Personal Worst for a 10K to match last week's PW for a 5K. Never mind, I got round and hopefully, after icing both ankles I will be able to continue the Challenge - only another 39 races in the next six months!

Statistics
Finished in 49.06 for 66th position out of 140 finishers.
1st V65.

Add caption

I was happier last time out on this course -Tynedale 10K July 2015

The Challenge Continues - Hopefully

Newcastle Park Run 19 Sept. 2015

Neil Cassidy at the World Masters, North Wales

St Mawes, Cornwall

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, I am running again, or at least trying to get back into running and my 65 race challenge.

Two weeks ago I took time out from the long, long journey to a holiday in Cornwall to run in the Gloucester Park Run. That was probably a mistake, or maybe I was just trying to run too fast (?) too soon. Today I was determined not to make the same mistake and started the Town Moor race well down the field and at a slower pace. Did the strategy work? I hope so, at least I am not limping as I was at Gloucester.

What was very apparent, was that I am not as fit as I was before this achilles injury. Yes, I was trying to keep the pace down, but as my confidence in my recovery increased and I picked up the pace late in the run, I was having to work.

If and it is a big if, I am recovering from this achilles tendon strain, then I really should have done some exercise during the seven week recovery process. Instead, I ate and drank the same amount and would describe myself today as cuddly.

Getting back to the run, I finished in 218th place from a field of 540 in a new PW ( Personal Worst) of 25.07. Infact I was so far down the field that I didn't even see fellow Tynedale Harriers:
Martin Bluck  35th in 19.29
Gary Fenwick 64th in 21.03
Kim Bluck 140th in 23.00
Elena Bluck 177th in 24.08
Bryn Mordey 198th in 24.37.
Well done to them all particularly the Bluck family for showing what all families should do early on a Saturday morning, yes, RUN!

For me its lots, lots more Eccentric Heel Drops, 2 x 15 straight leg,  2x 15 bent leg, three times a day and with a modicum of luck I will be lining up at Prudhoe next Sunday for Race no. 26, The Prudhoe Miners' Run.

Another Comeback Attempt 5 September 2015

Gloucester Park Run

Helford Passage, Cornwall

Morgan Donelly at the start

...and winning

St Mawes, Cornwall

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After five weeks of treatment on my injured achilles it was time to try it out again, this time enroute to a holiday in Cornwall.

The Gloucester Park Run seemed like a convenient location on the long journey to Cornwall as we were booked into the Holiday Inn Express, Gloucester. In the event the venue was two minutes away from the hotel, ideal!

A warm up revealed no problem with the achilles, so I lined up about a third of the way down the field of approx 200 runners and off we went.

Damn, as soon as I put the slightest pressure on the injury it hurt! A glance at the watch showed a 7 minute pace, ease up. 7.30 , then 8 minute pace and just a nagging pain. two miles down and another silver fox caught me up.

" What age group?" said I.
" I am 59" He replied.
" I'll jog round with you" said I.
I chatted to him as we jogged along.
" You're not even panting" He reproached me.
What could I say without causing offence, as I was just jogging?
" Well," I replied " I will not be sprinting to the line"

We crossed the line in 23.50 and I limped away from the finish to enjoy a second breakfast at the hotel - don't tell anyone.

A lovely week in the sunshine at St Mawes was thoroughly enjoyable, but I had to accept that my chance of running the World Masters Mountain Running Championships at Betws y Coed had gone.

As we were booked into accomodation in Betws y Coed and were due to meet up there with my nephew Adrian Leonard, Gail his wife and their family, at least we could still enjoy the visit. In fact it was a smashing day, watching former Tynedale Harrier, Morgan Donelly, win his race, followed by a good performance from a large group of current Tynedale Harriers, both lads and ladies. Best of all was seeing my grand nephews, Ewan and Harrison and lovely little Evie. These three were bundles of energy, Ewan at six is already training as a triathlete, yes, really. Watch out for these names in the future.

For me it's back to the drawing board  ( or the physio's couch), watch this space.

Three Welsh athletes of the future

The Long, Long Road Back From An Achilles Injury.

A Third Attempt At A Comeback

My Last (hopefully not my final) Race

Chris about to start the Tynedale 10 Mile on Sunday

Tadele Muklugeta, Elswick, starts the Tynedale as he finished it, at the front.

So here I am five weeks after my last race and still having problems with my achilles.
On Sunday I should have ran in my Club's Tynedale 10 Mile, but after two abortive attempts to come back to running I had to accept that it was still too early in the recovery.
Later today I am going to try a jog and am hopeful following some intensive self treatment using 'Eccentric Heel Drops' as well as hot and cold packs on the injury.
If I can just run without pain today, I may, just may, be able to run in the World Masters Mountain Championships a week Saturday.
Here's hoping.

A Wet Wallington 10K

Another Win But At What Cost

Dad, it's raining.

Rain, what rain?

Another prize.

Race no. 23 on what turned out to be a very wet night at Wallington Hall.

My day did not start well when I woke up with a sore achilles from nowhere. Treatment during the day involving ice and heat packs seemed to get rid of the problem, so Chris and I travelled to Wallington Hall in Northumberland for the 10K.

The start was roughly one mile up a hill from the hall. A downhill start thought I, " lets get to the front"

"GO" , said the starter and away I went. A glance at the Forerunner - 4.30 pace, yes that's just over four minute miling! 4.22, wow!. I was in a ridiculous fifth position! 5.34 - that's more like it. 5.45, ok, 5.09 - 6.10, obviously hit the bottom of the hill. 5.46, 5.22, dropping again.

With the left turn in sight I thought, " Ow, my achilles is hurting, should I stop?" With a possible pb on  and a first mile in 6.13,  no way.

Along a straight for another mile at 6.53 pace it was looking good, if painful. On sixteen minutes the course started climbing and continued do so so for another 24 minutes. Climbing into Scots Gap Chris finallly caught me, " push on", I said you are on for a PB.  I meanwhile was suffering a very painful achilles. The only thing keeping me going was the thought of going under 45 mins. for a challenge PB. Up and up climbed the road and more sensible runners who had kept to a reasonable pace were passing me.

Top of the climb in sight. Sharp left turn to the start and a mile to go. Could I get down to my starting pace? I hammered down that hill, but could I recapture that early pace? No. It was difficult to get it down to even 7.30, but I kept pushing as the pace got down to 7.07 for the 5 mile to 6 mile mark. Sharp left and into the Hall grounds and line for a finishing time of 45.59. We will have to look for a pb some other time.

The rain which had mostly held off during the race now became a deluge, driving most of the runners off to the cars and an early bath. Chris, I and Ivan Newton ( Tynedale Harriers), waited for the results and waited. Finally, Ivan gave up and went home. The presentation then started before a crowd of ten! Ivan was 1st V45 in 41.42 (16th place), Chris was 30th in 43.42, and I was 1st V65 in 45.59.

Today my achilles is bad and I am out of action, watch this space for my return.

Race No. 22 Newcastle Park Run

Abersoch

Caernarvon looking towards Snowdon

Back From Holiday

After a week of rest and recovery in North Wales it was back to racing and number 22 in the challenge, another Park Run on Newcastle own Moor.

Having completed a third of the challenge, I am pretty well on schedule despite a couple of rest periods, firstly for a cold, then for a calf injury. Last week's holiday in Abersoch, North Wales didn't  give me an opportunity to race, but I did enjoy a couple of runs along the coast. The second run was on the North Wales Coastal Path heading west on the Lleyn Peninsular from Abersoch. I ran just over three miles out before retracing my steps to record, roughly 10k distance and 925 feet of ascent and descent. It felt good and was a start in my preparation for the World Masters Mountain Championship this September in Betws Y Coed, just a little to the east of Lleyn.

Today, I turned out in Newcastle to get another race in, but also to see how my legs would perform. The answer was not so well, both hamstring and calf giving me some discomfort. Add in a headwind at the start and I knew my Personal Best for 2015 of 21.44 was never going to be under pressure.

At the finish I recorded 22.41, a reasonable result for 101st position ( out of a field of 459), 1st V65 and third finisher for Tynedale Harriers, Jaycee Shotton was 14th in 18.58 and Ivan Newton, 32nd in 19.58.

I am hoping to do the Wallington 10K during the week as I enter the second third of the 65forizzi challenge. With luck and a bit of common sense on my part I hope to get back into some sort of form over the next couple of months, then the target will be a sub 22 minute 5k, sub 45 minute 10K and who knows a 75 minute 10 miler?

Kirkley 10K 15th July 2015

Race No. 21

Ogle Village

Richard Hunter warming up the crowd before the presentation.

After a week's rest for my calf injury I didn't have to travel far for Race No. 21,the Kirkley 10K. It was the first time that I have done this race, but I was on familiar ground at Kirkley Hall, for some years ago I uprooted my family, a then pregnant Muriel, plus toddler,  Christopher, to live out a dream of building my own property in the countryside (actually I paid a local builder to do the work).

During construction in the village of Ogle, we lived in a farm cottage at Kirkley Home Farm, literally 100 yards from last night's start, moving into the new house just before Sophie was born.

Yes, we found it is very nice living a truly rural life style, but it's a bit quiet for a very young family and we moved on to Wylam. Almost thirty years later the Ogle area has changed not one bit.

Anyway, enough of my usual boring digressions, with a suspect calf I started quite far down the field and eased my way into the race, holding back until the half way point and the turn for home through, yes, Ogle.

Picking up my pace and a bit of pain from the calf, I was able to finish in a fairly decent time of 45.59, my watch, or 46.00 according to results, or a net chip time of 45.50 - thats technology for you.

At the presentation it was almost a Tynedale Harriers clean sweep amongst us oldies. Peter Hearn took the V50 prize in 39.12, Hugh Welch, V55 in 42.43 and I was 1st V65 in one of the times above. My new pal ( we have raced a few times now), Richard Sill, Morpeth Harriers was 1st V60 in 43.30.

At the finish a masseur (masseuse?), Anna Stokoe, was offering treatment to those in need, I was certainly one of those. As she laid her hands on the offending calf she offered the opinion that I desperately needed lots of massage on it. It was a lot better after her work, but I have booked further treatment tomorrow.

Hopefully I will be ready for my next race, soon.