fairweatherrunner

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Ealing Eagles 10K

Sometimes, even when you know you’re not on PB form, you just can’t help having a punt at it. Seeing that Xempo were offering pacers at yesterdays race I couldn’t resist having a go at keeping up with the 50 min pace makers.

And so I found myself rattling off a sub 8 min mile at the start of the race until my head caught up with me and, always the party pooper, started telling my body that it was under trained for a 10K at this pace, had just got over a cold, and this was not a bloomin’ 5K! I eased off and the 50 min pacers pulled away from me and I worried about being caught by the 55 min team. By halfway I was regretting my fast start and feeling a bit weary so was very happy to be rescued by someone who I’d chatted to before the race and joined her and another girl to keep up a decent steady pace for the next mile or so.

It’s a funny thing about runners, that you share the camaraderie of the race, chat and know that someone is contemplating a first marathon and their 10K PB but not their name. After 4 miles my head finally got with the flow, helped by thinking about Abradypus 3 hours into her 50 mile ultra. ‘A bit tired halfway round a 10K? Man up!’ I then found a good rhythm and a steady 8.30 pace and pulled away from my rescuers as we started the last lap of the park and managed a decent sprint finish to duck under the line just as the clock (gun time) clicked 53 minutes.

52.48 (garmin time). Not a PB but I was very happy to discover that it was my second fastest 10K by a whisker!

After finding and thanking my rescuer, I grabbed my bag and a drink before I made my way out of the park. Walking the last part of the course in reverse I joined with the marshalls to encourage the last runners coming through. A Marshall offering her water to one runner, others congratulating me on having already finished and the back cyclist sharing a joke with the last 3 runners summed up this race nicely for me.

Well done and thanks to Ealing Eagles for a great race. Small, well organised and marshalled race with no queues. Run on the paths and grass of the Gunnersbury parkrun course. It was friendly and supportive to all runners from the front-runners to the first time 10Kers at the back.

And you can’t beat a great bit of bling!

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Free places for first time runners at Bupa Great Run events

If you are (or know someone who is) a new runner thinking of entering your first race then this is the opportunity you may have been waiting for. Bupa, sponsors of my favourite 10K, the London 10,000m, is offering free places to new runners at their 5K Great Run events…. See their press release below or find Details here.

Thousands of first time runners are being offered free race places by Bupa as part of its quest to inspire more people in the UK to be physically active. There are 2,000 free race places being offered across the Bupa Great Run 5km events. This includes the Bupa Great Edinburgh 5km (Sunday 14th July), the Bupa Great North 5km (Saturday 14th September) and the Bupa Great South 5km (Saturday 26th October).

The race places are being targeted specifically at first time runners of all abilities who have never previously taken part in a Bupa Great Run series event, to help prompt them to get and stay active. Regular runners are also being encouraged to sign-up friends and family members who have previously spoken about their desire to start running to inspire them to get started. Healthcare company Bupa, have supported nearly 2 million runners since 1993 when their Great Run series sponsorship began.

Paula Franklin, Bupa Medical Director said: “Running can have a very positive effect on both your physical and emotional health. We really want to encourage as many people as possible to try running, as lots of people experience great joy and reward from it. A 5km event can be a great place to start and has a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. There is no pressure to run and those who prefer can walk some or the entire race. Either way we believe that taking part will give you a general feeling of wellbeing. We hope that by providing free places for first time runners we will encourage more people to be active going forwards.”

Individuals can apply for a free race place by visiting www.bupa.co.uk/myfirstrun and submitting their personal details, with 2,000 winners being selected at random by Bupa.


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Inspiration

What is it about May that dampens my mojo? Is it the long anticipated arrival of spring and summer that never happens? Or is it that I wake up and find myself almost halfway through the accelerating year with all plans and deadlines squashed up against the long summer holidays. Panic!

So here we are in May again and I’ve lost my way with my running a little and have no enthusiasm for work, blogging or domestic organisation. This year I’m also a bit of a cat on a hot tin roof with elder son home on ‘study’ leave whose idea of revision is a little short of mine. I guess he’s no different from me at that age and my source of stress is seeing him make the same mistakes as me. I just need to take a chill pill and leave him to choose his own path, it’s his life.

It’s another May when my Bupa London 10,000m race pack lands on the door mat and I think ‘Oh hell, I’m sure I was going to do some focussed training and for that’. I’ve run this race since it started in 2008. The first 3 years I got progressively faster with my 10K PB in 2010. Since then it’s become a bit of a pyramid and I’m going back the other way! I really hope I don’t complete the pattern for the 6th race next week.

Fortunately I got lots of inspiration at Write This Run on Sunday. A super day with great speakers. I was inspired and moved hearing about their experiences of Ultra Running, overcoming debilitating illness to compete at triathlon and setbacks to run a marathon a week and raise awareness of mental health. I am inspired to ‘get on with it’, run further, smarter and get back to parkrun. I was inspired, informed and encouraged to write and blog more, follow my instincts and have picked up new ideas and confirmation of things I am already trying to do. We had an informative and entertaining day and then we went for a run with an Olympic marathon runner! Well done and thanks to Laura and Liz.

It’s a great morning here today, there is a beautiful blue sky and I think I’ve shaken off my cold. I even managed to drive all the way around Shepherds Bush without stopping (small pleasures from simple things) which must be a good sign! Time to dust myself down and act on my inspiration.

Thank goodness that Juneathon is around the corner.


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Salomon Sense Mantra

After a bit of a disappointing first impression, these running shoes get better and better.

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When Fitness footwear offered me a pair of Salomon running shoes to try I thought twice as I’d not found other Salomon models right for me in the past but a read of the Fitness Footwear and Salomon web sites I found that one of their newer shoes, the Sense Mantra might be right up my street and address some of the reasons why their other models weren’t for me in the past.

So I was excited and couldn’t wait to try them out as Salomon have a great reputation and many people swear by them for BMF classes. The Salomon Sense Mantra is part of their door to trail range, has a reduced heel toe drop and is described as a ‘Light weight training shoe for midfoot strikers who want natural motion, protection and neutral cushioning for high mileage training.’

They arrived, I put them straight on to potter about indoors and was a bit deflated. My first impression was that they felt very straight, stiff and inflexible and the quick pull lace system was hard to get a good heel fit so the overall impression was that I was wearing a lot of shoe. I didn’t run in them straight away and put them to one side for another day.  Meanwhile my cheeky son borrowed them over the weekend and suggested they were great for him!  When I tried them on again after this they felt much more flexible and foot hugging so I lent them to him to wear-in for me before I ran in them.

I found them more and more flexible and comfortable with wear, the 6mm drop is ideal for me and felt natural. Once worn in I also found I could get a better fit with the lacing. They are lightweight with a roomy toe box and very stable, I tested them doing single leg squats and had no ankle wobble at all! I ran on road and a bit of ‘trail’ within the park, they felt light and comfortable and had good grip on road, path and grass. I need to take them for a run somewhere a little more off-road than the park, their toe protection and stability would make them a great choice for running more challenging stony conditions.

Some running shoes feel great at the first try-on and later disappoint after weeks of running. The Sense Mantra feels better with each wear. I think by the time my son outgrows these shoes, they will be worn-in and about perfect.

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It worked

Since I wrote about hating long runs earlier this month, most of my running has been at flat-out pace or at least one that requires a lot of effort.  From running a half marathon to bashing out mile or kilometer intervals at BMF run club. I’ve also pushed myself back up to the faster group for BMF classes where they take off at a hell of a pace with my little legs screaming ‘whatever happened to the warm up?’

This Thursday, half way around my second mile repeat at run club, I turned the corner into the wind, and thought something like ”this is blooming hard work” and “wouldn’t it be nice to go for a nice easy long SLOW run on a warm evening instead!”

My calves and achillies are aching and definitely telling me to ease off all the high intensity stuff and add back a few easy paced runs.  I’ve also found myself adding songs to my iPod shuffle because I thought they’d be great to listen to out on a long run.

Looks like I have invented my cure.  Just as well because I have entered Brighton Marathon 2014.


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Running Analysis

Back in Action UK kindly offered me a complimentary Running Analysis at one of their London clinics last week. A quick read of their website beforehand and I realised that this was just what I needed after the poor start to the year that I’ve had with endless niggles.

‘Frustrated by that nagging injury that’s stopping you exercising? Well, it could all be down to your running style, the way your feet hit the ground, or as simple as a tight hip flexor.’

We started by talking about my running, previous injuries, current niggles and discussed hip flexors,  glutes and ITBs, stretching and foam rolling.  Julia observed me standing and doing single leg calf raises and squats checking my balance and hip stability. I generally have tight calves and achilles, because I midfoot strike, and we discussed the need to strengthen my calves and achilles by doing these exercises regularly.  She examined my legs, particularly the side of my left calf and knee which I had pain and cramp in on my recent race and answered my questions about the proper use of heat or ice in recovery.  Julia advised me to engage my leg and glute muscles before exercise by doing squats, lunges or a bridge with good posture.  This will fire the right muscles for running and promote good form when running.

I was then observed running on the treadmill.  Some of the feedback for improving my form is,

  • Work on a ‘parallel foot strike’ (as if running on tram lines) as I tend to run as if on a tightrope and this movement of my legs across my body can put strain on the ITB.
  • Slightly increase my stride length so my foot hits the ground at a good angle.
  • Keep my shoulders down and arm movements back and forwards and not across the body twisting my torso.
  • Be more aware of my left side as my right leg leads. When I concentrated on my left leg my running did become smoother and more efficient.
  • Making sure I ’kick up’ my legs a bit more behind me to gain momentum for the forward stride so I don’t rely on my hip flexors to propel my legs forward.

I’ve also come away with a mental list of  key exercises and stretches to support my running, some like squats, lunges, calf raises that I know I should to be doing.  In addition the bridge for glutes and hip flexors, with a ball between my knees to keep hips knees and feet in line and to roll down from the bridge vertebrae by vertebrae to release tension in my back.

A very useful, informative, fact packed session from a friendly, professional physio practice with lots of running and sports expertise.  Some new information gained as well as useful reinforcement and reminders of things I should do for strong injury free running.

Hopefully I won’t be in need of physiotherapy for running injuries too soon but if I do I know who to call.

backinaction


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East London Half Marathon

A race in two halves. A race I didn’t enjoy.

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The first half (and lap one of the two lap course).

I started a little fast but then, although slowing with the increasing heat, was working well to maintain an overall average pace below 8.50. I found the course convoluted and a little dull. Much of it was on a cycle track the Greenway. This was the part I liked least. It wasn’t very green, all I remember is concrete and discarded water bottles. We started in the middle and did an ‘out and back’ in each direction with runners going both ways next to each other on the narrow course. At one end there was an extra out and back on a bit of dual carriageway (right next to a queue of buses and cars) and under a flyover.

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Back to West Ham Park and on to the second lap.

Can’t I just take the 10K finish funnel and call it a day? I can’t face running that over again. My mind is weakening and I’m sure I’m not feeling at all great. Is there anyone else running this race feeling the same? Fancy a trip to the pub instead?

But I had got up at 6am and travelled across London. I had to finish what I’d started and get the damn medal. If I left it as unfinished business I’d have to come back and do it again. That would be far worse than a second lap! I forced myself on but once the mind has lost its determination, holding pace is impossible and all the niggles surface. I stopped looking at my watch, it was hot and I was thirsty but drinking water made my stomach ache and my left calf and knee were cramping badly. I dragged myself to the end and for the first time ever didn’t raise a little sprint to the finish.

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The race, organised by the Tessa Sanderson foundation had some organisational issues. Most were due to the increased scale of the new Half Marathon this year. We queued for 30 mins to put our bags into the baggage drop and then more than 30 mins to retrieve them. The Marshalls were friendly and willing but it was obvious that those manning some of the water stations had no experience of what works and what doesn’t. A little briefing could have made a big difference.

On balance I had a bad day which I contributed to myself. I was probably too optimistic in my starting pace for the warmest day in over 6 months and for my recent training. In hindsight I wore the wrong shoes which had made the outside of my knee and calf a little tight when I wore them over Easter so it’s not surprising I suffered over 13 miles. I also got my hydration and fuelling wrong for the hot day.

On the day there just wasn’t the atmosphere or environment to help me push through regardless. I won’t be back for another run of this race, mainly because I didn’t enjoy the course, but I suppose I’m glad I tried it once.

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