Summer Madness

I’ve done you a disservice, dear Reader.  Whilst we can all rush to the blogosphere to detail various calamities and failures, the successes are not shouted about nearly as much. In my own case, it’s felt like if I talk about them too much they might vanish! But no, that’s silly. I’ve had two PBs in the last few weeks; indeed they were within 3 days of each other. Late Summer Madness one might say.

Many thnaks to Martin for the great race shot

I love summer training, this time last year I wrote about how the training I’d been doing  had given me an engine. Well, this summer the engine has been well and truly stoked. Both in training and racing, the ability to push myself that little bit more has reaped many benefits and made it a very pleasant few weeks that I’ll try and summarise. 

Core Work – Do it. Don’t make excuses, it will help. You’ll feel so much better in races and won’t believe. Good posture and form makes running so much more enjoyable. You can even mimic the “RunningWithUs” style, yes, I think there is one – look at the photos, hehe. It may seem silly, but next time you are on a run, think about a faster runner you really respect and how they run and emulate their form. Chances are it’s better than yours and might help make a few neural connections.

Group Training – I’ve been very fortunate in the last few weeks to have had company at various points of my runs, each person bringing their own experience and skill to a particular session. Special shout-outs to Cristina’s metronomic 8mm pacing on Sunday runs and Neil Kelly for the weekend of awesome culminating in a run the length of Queens Drive, something I’ve always wanted to do. Wonderful sessions in the sun, of efforts and progressions. I’ve been a very lucky man. My last post spoke of a training group, well unofficially it’s kind of happened lately and it’s worked.

PBs – Very proud of my PBs this summer, 40:17 for 10K – was a ‘valiant’ attempt at a sub-40, and I know what I need to do now. Even pacing and non-hilly courses are the way forward! A sneaky attempt will be due at Abbey Dash in November. However, the main celebration has been the sub-19 (18:57) at Capenhurst 5K. Even typing it gives me goosebumps. When I first came back to running, I wrote down on a piece of paper a time for 5K that I’d be very happy with, and I’m about 10 seconds away from that now. The race was brilliant, I felt strong for most of it, and best of all, fellow Striders who normally shoot off into the distance at races, were still within sight at 3K.

It finally feels like I’ve announced something with my training. To whom I’m announcing this I’m not quite sure, possibly myself - a reassurance that it is all worth it, and I’m on the right path. I’ve found the non-squad training hard this summer, due in part to that fact I was having a pretty shitty time earlier on in the summer. When you’re feeling down, the company of others can be invaluable.

Less than two years ago I was running 21:33 for 5K. Runners who I respect in massive amounts were saying “Wow, I’d love to go under 19”. But before my head inflates too much, I know it is only 1 second (I made it 3, but I’ll not go there)  but it’s a win in my book and the way that I’m learning to ‘race’ within the race is really exciting.  Running against other Striders no longer phases me and the skills of holding back, surging, staying on a shoulder, taking a chance and pushing on and seeing who comes with you - It’s all new to me, and it’s great :D

This summer I’ve learnt that it is not just hard training that is important, it is consistent training that works. Success doesn’t happen overnight, but eventually you will get to where you want to be. That having a bad race isn’t the end of the world, we ALL have them. It often gives you the necessary zing to do well next time. On the flip side, good races can provide a shot of confidence that is priceless.

Frankfurt isn’t far away now, things are getting spicy.

...even Spicer with the Yellow Calf Guards. They can't go unmentioned. I LOVE them.