2012 In Review

Review

Around this time of year, people often look back over the previous twelve months and try to come up with some concluding remarks about how it has all gone.

This time last year I was in a very different place to what I am now, with a different job, different training...hell a different sport with which to fill up my time. It was Christmastime last year when I finally decided that I’d done enough rowing. There was nothing really new that the sport could show me and the ups-and-downs over the previous couple of years had left me drained and a bit empty. As I think I’ve already mentioned on this blog, I was getting weary of saying “oh yes I’ve done this race … times”. It was nice that people seemed to seek or respect my opinion on things, but it was time to move on.

So what has 2012 brought to the table? Here are my running highlights from 2012

January

“That” Dingle Dash – Probably the first time I’d properly be pushed out of my comfort zone on a run. It was a scary place and I didn’t like it. However, it did me the world of good #BlameDave

February

Mad Dog – Finding I was nearly 5 minutes faster over 10k and suddenly having my eyes opened up to what was possible with the right training.

March

Northern Road Relay Championships – My first experience of a ‘club’ i.e. non-funrunner event. Wow, the speed those guys were travelling only made me want to work and train harder. The cheers I got from the PLS gang as well made me feel like a ‘proper’ member of the club.

April

The start of the revolution - Getting in contact with Nick Anderson at RunningWithUs. I had no idea what I was letting myself in for, but I knew that with the right training I could really push on. It’s been hard but I’ve loved every minute of it.

May

Finally made the Bushy Parkrun pilgrimage. It may have been a 120 mile round trip, but 800+ parkrunners was a sight to behold. Great course as well. First time racing went well and I started to believe in myself.

June

Welsh Castles Relay – Another great racing experience. Didn’t have a clue how to race it but just went with it and enjoyed the flow. I pounded my chest an gripped my vest over the finish line. Not through pain or an affectation, just pure pride for my club that between us we’d made it the whole way. That was a special moment. Then I coughed my lungs up.

July

Sub-20 5K and Thunder Run – TeamPLS on tour again. Up hill and down dale, though the night and the heat of the sun. Can’t wait for TR24 2013 – These guys are going to be ANIMALS

August

It has to be THAT Saturday - the most special day of my life so far. The Olympics were brilliant from beginning to end but words still fail me when I try and describe the buzz I had in the Olympic Stadium.

September

To many things to mention this month – 10^th Place at the PARAs10 race, the wonderful training camp in Portugal or the stonking race at Bristol Half. Great month.

October

Nice month spent recovering from September, no to mention the appearance of the Lark Lane Wrong’uns

November

New 5K PB at the Lamplight and a VLM place for 2013. Also a 10K PB at Wesham and the realisation I can go sub-40 in the right race.

December

Meeting up with the GRC boys and realising that even though we don’t have a boat, we're still a crew. Christmas Day running and a chance to reflect on the year, over 1800 miles ran, 30 races/parkruns entered and a big smile on my face.

It’s true that the best bits of this year have been done with other people. One of my greatest realisations has been that I’m not making this journey alone. There is, and always have been, a group of people at my side giving support and encouragement (and the occasional butt-kick when needed).

I am very, very lucky to have met some very inspiring people on the way. This blog post would ramble even more if I listed them all but special mentions for:

PLS Squad – For kicking my butt and starting it all off

Simon Freeman – Without knowing it, helping me realise I can make a go of this.

Nick and the RWU Crew – Daily inspiration and perspiration.

And of course the most important of all

Steve – Providing wind beneath my wings and a place to land when I occasionally fall. I couldn’t do any of this without his wisdom and encouragement.

Happy New Year Folks, London’s Calling…

Race Report – Ribble Valley 10K

This race report may be a bit of a strange one. It needs a bit of a long preamble, then there’s not much to say about the race itself – we’ll give it a go anyway.

The last couple of weeks of training have been eye-opening in the sense that I realised a number of things I am getting right, and what I am getting wrong.

 

1. Nick is not a mind reader (although he may be omnipresent)

I’d casually mentioned about the Ribble 10K to Nick, who was supportive as ever, but hadn’t confirmed it. So, when the plan came through and it wasn’t there, I should have contacted him to ask for advice on alterations. Did I? NO *faceplant* “oh, he’ll be busy before Xmas” “I can work it out” For HeavensSake Hawkins, that’s what you’ve got a coach for! The importance of a two-way relationship has really hit home.

2. Running 3 long runs, eating like a Horse and trying an intervals session is not a good idea in Race Week.

Nick had given me a pretty tasty week of training to be fair, lots of UT2/CV work with some sharpening work on Thursday. I’d been really happy with how the runs had gone (even got out on Xmas day for an hour), and had kept properly hydrated through the week. Although was feeling a bit of indigestion post-Christmas. I got to Thursday and was due to do some intervals “Great, sharpening up before Sunday” I thought. On the warmup run down to where I ha planned to do them, my chest felt really tight and it was like a ball of something was stuck in my chest. I carried on thinking it might be just wind. The first effort was 6 mins an I got round, but on the second effort I thought I was going to have a heart attack, it was a horrible feeling. I stopped and assessed how I was feeling. Not good was the answer.  After a decent rest, I started to jog the 1.5 miles back to the car. About halfway back I felt my right Achilles ping sharply. “Oh shit”. I tried a little stretching and walked for about 800m. I was nearly back at the car and gingerly tried to run on it. I could, but it was slightly sore. I put it down to overuse over the previous few days and not enough stretching.

Friday and Saturday were spent getting as much rest as possible, I could feel it going up and down stairs and also when driving. But it was slowly getting better. Saturday evening was crunch time, I had to decide whether to race or not. I decided to see how the warm up went and give it a go. I’d promised to run with Martin and didn’t want to let him down.

 

3. Weather can be a big factor of race day.

It was cold, it was wet and the wind was atrocious. Possibly good for experience racing in conditions like that but not pleasant at the time. No Steve meant I had no warm top on the start line and was shivering away in my vest – although could have been worse…

4. Pre Race Toilet Stops are of vital importance.

If you think you may need to go, join the queue anyway just in case. There ended up being a 25 min wait for the 7 toilets (No urinals) for the 1500-odd runners. This meant I didn’t have enough time for a proper warm-up bfore the race and had to de-kit and sprint to the start to avoid missing it.

5. If you do run with someone else, make sure you both know the plan and have compatible running styles.

I’d agreed to run with Martin as we were both aiming for sub-40. We found each other at the start and set off. After the first 1-2Km we were still pretty close, I’d gone just a little in front, but made sure I could still see Martin behind or to the side of me. After 3Km he went in front and stayed there, then started pulling away. We hadn’t actually discussed what would be the protocol in that situation. This wasn’t helped by being slightly weary of my Achilles – highlighting the importance f being ‘race fit’ or at least ‘fit to race’

It’s my own fault for not having that conversation. Well done to Martin though crossing the line in 39:57, a well judged race.

Looking back at the Garmin Stats, the first two miles were my slowest – I was too busy worrying about others and not concentrating on my own race. I naturally push on early on. I realise now that’s a style that works for me and I need to be using my strengths in every race.

6. You can often tell how good a race you are having by your positioning in the last 2K

Are you passing vests in the last 2K or are people coming past you? It will tell you a lot about how you’ve raced the whole race. I found my last kick for the uphill and crossed the line in 40:48.

Not a PB and certainly not sub-40, but on the whole a lot better raced than at Wesham (and only 7 secs slower in those shitty, hilly conditions).

Once London is out of the way I’m looking forward to 5K and 10K work. I used to be fearful of them, but actually I quite like the pace and the fact you are actually racing them. I love the little tussles with people on the way.

Now the focus shifts to London, via Bath and Wilmslow.

2013 could be an interesting year.

Who Am I?

Who Am I?

I’m the guy with the Plan.

I’m the guy who’s got a goal and will do anything to achieve it.

I’m the guy wiping the snow from his eyes,

I’m the guy wringing his kit out from two hours in the rain.

I’m the alarm buzzing before six and the dogs barking at night,

I’m the seconds and minutes ticking by.

Who am I?

I’m the guy just in front of you on race day.

Whilst you were sat on your ass moaning about the rain, I was pounding the pavements.

I'm the guy getting stronger with each passing mile.

Whilst you were putting off that run, I was achieving my aims.

Who am I?

I’m the best runner that I can be.

What’s your excuse?

Freedom

The temperature had gone down like a *insert crude simile here*. Ice patches were forming on the pavements and the prospect of pounding the streets for an hour was about a welcome as broken wind in a lift.

 

Due to some last minute faffery, I’d done my intervals scheduled for that night the previous day. This meant I was due an ‘easy’ run with not a lot of excitement in prospect. Like most runners, I’ve got certain routes that I know are going to take me certain amounts of time. There’s the 30 min Wavertree Circular, the jaunt round Sefton Park that takes 45 mins and the LSR route than I can vary between 90 mins and 2 hours. But all of these routes seemed a dull chore last night and I was having an internal argument with myself as to whether it was even worth going out.

“This is silly” I thought to myself. Why was I limiting myself to the same pavements and paths. Sometimes you just need to go out and run, anywhere. So I putting on my most comfortable trainers (Brooks Launch RIP), warmest jacket and classic Ronhill Tracksters (I know what a vision) and headed out onto the streets.

I’d had an idea to run through town, something I never normally do. The slight feeling of elation I got by carrying on across the Tunnel Road junction, instead of my usual left turn, was strange and somewhat unexpected.  I carried on into the night, making sure I was running at a level that was enough to keep me warm, but not enough to constitute any kind of hard effort.

As I descended the hill past the University, that rush of feeling of just running washed over me. I didn’t know where I was going to end up, or how I was going to get there, but the ride was lovely. Running past the people in town, still emerging from their offices at 6.30pm, it made me thankful of the job I’ve got. I love running through the city streets and as I approached the River and the Pier Head, I decided to forge another new path and turned left and headed out towards the marina before turning to climb the hill home.

After just under an hour, I was done, but more importantly I was satisfied. It wasn’t a run to win any Gold medals. it was just a run and it was great. We get so tied up in interval sessions, tempo runs, hill work that it’s easy to forget the joy of just putting one foot in front of the other.

Idiots Guide to Bad Weather Training

MAN THE FUCK UP ITS ONLY RAIN.


That is all.

Idiots Guide to XC

Just when you thought that they couldn’t possibly be any more space left for mud to attach itself to your body, another mud pie flies at your face from the spikes of the guy you are trying to overtake...

Yes, Cross-Country (XC) season is upon us. This is my maiden season of XC and I thought I’d put together a few tips that have helped me through the quagmire (literally) over the past few weeks.

1. Yes, you need spikes

The number of times I’ve spoken with runners after races who’ve confessed to being like Bambi on ice through most of the course as they weren’t wearing spikes. A decent pair of spikes are worth their weight in gold, and are often a lot cheaper than other running shoes.  Don’t put it off, get to the shop today...and buy 15mm spikes. They look lethal but you’ll thank me for it. On a related note...

2. Look after your spikes

Yes it’s a ball-ache, but clean your spikes after a race with stiff brush and water to remove all the excess crud and then pack the insides with newspaper and leave under a radiator for a few days. You get nice clean, dry, shiny shoes for every race and they will last longer than if you throw them in a kit bag only to emerge festering a week later.

3. Every race is different

Don’t worry if you have an absolute nightmare in your first race (I did!). Every course is different and will have different changes. Some are better for flat runners, some are better for mountain goats. But over the course of a season you’re bound to find at least one you really like...and added motivation to conquer the others next year!

4. Believe in your team

We don’t often get the chance to compete in team competitions. Everyone is there to look out for each other and make sure your club gets the higher placings. If you see someone trying to be ninja and overtake a club mate, warn them. Work together on the course to push each other on as all will benefit.

5.  When the going gets tough, dig in

XC can feel very different to road racing as the ground will sap the energy from your legs. Just remember, its doing the same to everyone else. Don’t give them the advantage by letting them pull away.  Use your spikes to get on your toes and dig in, you’ll be amazed at the difference it can make. There’s always a point on the last lap where everyone things “Will this never end!” so power on through it and go for glory.

6.  Starting Position is important

If you’re looking for a final placing in the top half of the field, don’t start too far back out of politeness Get Stuck in. Those in front of you will probably be going slower and will just become more obstacles to get round, making it harder to get that all important ticket with a low number on at the finish.

7.  Enjoy it!

Yes it’s tough, but every time you race you will be making yourself an better runner, and those spring/summer goals will be that bit more achievable. Thing about how much of a strength workout you are gaining and pushing your VO2Max to new highs.

Hope this helps - good luck in your racing and remember to race strong. XC is the shining example of

#GoHardOrGoHome!