January Parkruns

Lincoln 18.01.14  21.56

I had a good week of running behind me having completed 8 miles on Tuesday including club intervals and then 10 miles on Thursday - so I decided today that the 22 minute glass ceiling was going to be broken on my 21st attempt !

First lap was the usual smashfest and my first mile of 6.53 reflected that - although it felt like last week where I felt strong going into the second lap. 2nd lap only slightly slower at 6.58 but I was really blowing by the end of it, however I knew that sub 22 was on !!

Last mile in 7.07 to bring me in at 21.56, an all time 5k PB but more importantly the glass ceiling was broken !

Lincoln 04.01.14  22.19
Here we go ! The first parkrun of 2014 and a quiet one as the weather was lousy with heavy rain predicted.
For my part I wanted to try out the even pacing strategy that served me better at Peterborough last week.

How did it go ?

well, first lap flew by in 7.07 which is 14 seconds slower than I have previously run a first lap but the difference here was that I felt stronger as I entered the second lap. The rain was coming down and I could feel myself getting wetter and wetter at this point. The 2nd lap finished with 7.15 and I thought I might have blown it but again didn't feel shot like normal and ran a 7.05 (where did that come from?) third mile to finish in 22.19 (7.08 m/m pacing) for an all time PB in my first outing of the year - I'm chuffed !

Lincoln Wheelers New Years Day TT

After completing 61 events in 2013, it was time to re-set the clock and start with the first event of 2014 - the Lincoln Wheelers New Years Day TT - the 2nd event in the Winter Double where Boxing Day saw me finish 5th and post a time of 19.37 - today I planned to try and go a bit quicker.

We had a strong (southerly?) wind to start us off along with rain and I couldn't wait to get away at no.10 - I even got my legs out as I figured at 5 degrees it was tropical enough to do so !

My time eventually came and I started to hammer it down the first straight, and with a backwind, managed to keep the speed at 28mph for a speedy first section. As we turned left at Torksey junction, I caught my first minute man who is a decent rider so I knew it was going well. It was a bi-atch of a headwind at this point and I had a grimace on from start to finish. I fantasised about turning left at Newton junction into another backwind but no it was another headwind and it was raining horribly too.

I could see my two minute man up the road and this focused me to try that little bit harder - and I managed it eventually although not until nearly the finish.

18.55 then in tricky conditions and 3rd place on scratch on the day.

A much much better turn out for me and a great start to the 2014 season !

Lincoln Wheelers Boxing Day TT 7.7miles

Guess who's back !

After a 3 month time trialling hiatus following the end of the time trialling season back in September, today was the technical start of the 2014 season for me with the first part of the Lincoln Wheelers 'Winter Double' taking place.

Its a 7.7 mile course in the shape of a large triangle and last year I managed a time of 20.13. This year I hoped for 18 something but was using my new bike for the first time and getting used to a new position and with a lack of real persistent training during the Autumn months it really was pie in the sky to expect that sort of improvement !

I went off at number 3 so that I could get back to HQ early for a bit of a jog as it was a really nice morning, about 5 degrees with a westerly 8/9 mph wind. I could see the steam coming out of the nearby power station and reasoned that I could expect a good fast last 3 miles.

How did it go ?
Well, the first straight felt good and then I found that my speed wasn't as fast as I'd left it back in September !  I noticed every rise in the road which is not a good thing and battled hard to change gears and keep my legs spinning. At the point that I'd ridden 11.40 for 5 miles back in early September, I now passed the same marker in nearly 13 minutes !

Time for the last 3 miles then and that lovely back wind that I'd estimated - nope, no backwind to be felt and I struggled to pick up any more pace. I crossed the line in 19.37 - 36 secs quicker than last year but over half a minute down on where I should have been - next ride is the second part of the double on New Years Day - hopefully we will see a little improvement !

5th place on the day.

Bolsover 10k

Today was to be my last 10k of the year and a trip back to Bolsover where I last ran in 2011 bringing home a PB at that time of 54 minutes - so this was not a course that I was superstitious about.

This 10k run starts and finishes now in the grounds of Bolsover School and was said to be a flatter affair than in previous years as the Castle had been taken out of the equation. I was really looking forward to this race following my recent training runs with Lincoln & District Runners (LDR) where I have been feeling quicker week by week.

I arrived relatively early and chatted to friends from both UK Netrunner & LDR before making my way to a last minute toilet stop and lining up ready for the 10.30am start ! There was no gun or klaxon, just the field moving from a walk into a run in a quiet transition.

The first mile takes you through the suburbs of Bolsover and seemed to be a little downhill if anything with the only climb being jumping over sleeping policemen on the roads of the estates. I ran at a good pace and once I had settled down into a groove and got round anyone holding me up I found a 7.17 time for the first mile.

Mile 2 was mostly downhill and with a wind at our backs it was no surprise that it was the quickest of the day as I posted 7.07 for it !  Then the rises and falls started and mile 3 was slower - was it the terrain or had I started to blow up ? (in any case, I slowed to 7.32) but did pass the 5k marker in 22.18 which if accurate would mean a 5k PB for me !!!

We were now in full rolling territory and into a headwind coming back. It was hard work with the wind and the ups and downs and I coped by latching onto other runners and using them for sensible pacing. 7.36 for the 4th mile then, but during the latter stages of the fifth mile I started to feel groin pain which was uncomfortable. I dropped off my pace and I was aware that I shortened my stride to compensate for the injury. 7.48 for the 5th mile and a relieved Mr.Newham passed the Bolsover sign signalling our return during the last mile.

We were back in the Estate with the sleeping policemen and yes I was right it was downhill in that first mile ! I did keep up the same pace of 7.48 for that last mile, and picked things up a little for the finish which registered as a first sub 47 minute run for nearly 18 months. Happy bunny I am !!!!

Mile splits :
7.17
7.08
7.32
7.36
7.48
7.48
7.32 average 46.53  282nd /813 finishers

282/813

December Parkruns

Peterborough Parkrun 28.12.13 22.33

Heidi and I decided to mix a shopping trip to Peterborough in with being Parkrun tourists and headed to the park which is just off the A1 for our first visit. It takes about an hour to get there from Lincoln and is a gem of a run !

It is a two and a bit lap affair around the scenic Ferry Meadows Country Park and today saw a bit of sunshine too ! I decided to try and run 3 evenly paced laps and made my best effort of the year so far : 6.58, 7.07 & 7.22 to leave an average pace of 7.15m/m and a year PB of 22.33 - roll on 2014.

Lincoln Parkrun 21.12.13  22.42

A new Parkrun best time for 2013 and also my fastest outing in just over a year - proof that I'm getting to where I want to be ready for the 2014 season.

Before I had even started, I had a plan to get a good time - I had worked out that I needed to hold 3 steady laps at the same pace of c.7m15s per mile - simple enough plan then !

In reality, I did what I always do - I went off far too fast and was running at something ridiculous like 6.40 when I hit the witham turn for the first time. Clearly I couldn't keep that up and I soon started to slow and struggle. The first mile clocked 6.53 which was a first mile best as far as I can remember - but it was far too fast which meant that I was again hanging out of my backside for the second lap which registered 7.17.

I can't say for sure what the third lap looked like but I wouldn't be sprised if it was as slow as 7.40, as my average dropped to 7.16m/m but a great time of 22.42 at the end of it.

Next years target set at running 21 minute 10k's.

Lincoln Parkrun  14.12.13 26.24

OK, so I'd been out last night on a Works do/ Wheelers pub crawl double header and although I managed to restrict myself to just a few halves I was mindful that I also had the Bolsover race tomorrow so treated the event as a relaxed club run.

I managed mile times of 8.30, 8.27 & 8.30 to come in at 26.24 with no stiffness felt afterwards - so you could say job done !

This also meant that I completed the Lucozade 'Chase The Place' challenge to try to win a place in the London Marathon next year.

Lincoln Parkrun 7.12.13  23.16

So, I was sat at home this morning getting ready for Parkrun , when Heidi shouts up to me to say we are cutting it fine - I look at my watch and its 8.52 - plenty of time, then it clicks - Parkrun starts at 9 - shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit !!!!!!

After a mad dash, we get to the Park at 9.02, I manage to run to the start and nearly get there before I hear the klaxon going off and the start is under way. Nothing for it, I start a sprint and as I pass the start line a marshall helpfully tells me there's already 40 seconds on the clock. By the 2nd bench though I've already caught the back of the field and start to thread my way through what would eventually be 111 people !

Got down to the Witham turn and the pace said 6.56, got to the end of the first lap and that read 7.10. I had expended far too much energy on that first lap zigging and a zagging, so tried to settle the pace down for the second lap. Couldn't tell you how fast I ran that particular lap nor indeed the last lap - all I know is that I made it up to 45th position on the day and that my Garmin said 22.38 in the end - albeit my official time from the gun was a still respectable 23.16 !

Heanor 10k (Matthew Walker Xmas Pudding Run)

Left Lincoln at 8.00am this morning ready for a 10.00am start and yes you've guessed it - arrived far too early yet again. Well, at least it gave us ample time to walk from the car park and get some race numbers plus have a look at the cheapies on offer at the running stall.

The race was also delayed by ten minutes (something about a large queue, probably at said running stall!) and we were not set on our way 'til about 10 past the hour.

Having taken part in yesterdays Parkrun I wondered how I would hold up in the first few miles and honestly for most of the first mile I was cursing my two race weekend ! The first mile is a lap of a trading estate, and it felt very hard and not very fast ! I didn't even glance at my watch on this first lap and it failed to vibrate at the mile split ! The second mile leaves the estate and heads out of Heanor - uphill !!!

The three years since I last did this race must have seen my memory wiped because miles 2 & 3 are predominantly uphill with some flat sections to suck you into a false sense of security - there is reported to be 58m of climbing on the course but I reckon you must do that in mile 2 alone. My watch did tease me with a vibrate at 2 miles and showed a second mile at a slow 8.02. Mile 3 was kinder in terms of the flat sections and I think I managed a 7.19 or something akin to that. At mile 3 something wonderful happens and there is a good mile or so of downhill and I made up some more time here ! In fact, it was great to continue to see my race average fall by a couple of seconds every time I looked at my watch, and mile five was soon completed with an average of 7.30 in tact.

The last mile is not so kind with two climbs contained therein and I was spent as I crawled up the second of these to cross the line with a better than expected 47.53 which was good enough on the day to finish 230/881.

November 2013 Parkruns

Clumber Parkrun 30/11/2013

After two weeks of Lincoln it was time for a change this morning and we headed out to Clumber Park to try another Parkrun that we hadn't gone to before.

It was St. Andrews day and the organisers had gone to the trouble to dress up and find some Scottish bunting for the finish area. It was a really pleasant atmosphere and I was really looking forward to the start of the two lap race at 9am.  I had googled the course and saw that it had 42m if climb, so I had presumed that it was going to be a slow course, however, as we were gathering I chatted to a chap who described it as fast with just one bump !

At 9am I found out exactly what the course was like - it was fast ! In fact the first mile flashed by in just 6.56 which was my fastest first mile all year. This first mile felt pretty much all downhill and was mostly run on forest trail - I felt on my limit but had moved into what I had worked out to be 5th place so I knew that I was running a good race. I tried to keep tight lines on the course too so that I could maximise my efforts.

At the end of the first lap there was the first short sharp climb and I managed to get up and over this without too much fuss and started my second lap in good shape. My second mile flashed up 7.27 but this included the climb from the previous lap so I was happy although blowing by now. I was still holding 5th place on the day but not for long, cos that last mile felt like a killer and I soon started to slip back places as the latter stages wore on.

The last climb up that hill really stung and my legs lost forward motion at the top of it. I eventually finished in 14th place of 65 on the day and a seasons best of 22.53 !

Lincoln - 23/11/13 24.50

With a trip to Heanor tomorrow for a 10k looming, todays outing at Lincoln was just about completing and not knackering out any part of my body.

I ran at what I guessed was a normal Tuesday night club run place and I think I achieved that with lap times of 8.08, 7.53 and a finishing average of 7.55 !

Happy with todays run and I don't feel too stiff for tomorrows Xmad Pudding race !

Lincoln - 16/11/13  22.58

Lincolns inaugural Parkrun took place this morning in Boultham Park after a few years of the organisers grappling with the local council. Finally, I have a Parkrun which is about a mile from my house and in a park that I know from my childhood - and best of all its flat !

There were nearly 300 people in the Park this morning ready to race, and I met up with lots of people from my various clubs before the race. My brother Dave also rocked up for a go, and Heidi did her 6th event - so it was also a family affair.

The pace was hot from the start and with the even gradient of the course I was able so knock out a 7.02 first lap. I felt the second lap was a lot slower, but the clock still showed 7.07 to maintain an average of 7.05 at that point. The third lap slowed a lot and I had some issue with my ankle again, but in all a finish of 22.58 was not to be sniffed at!


Rushcliffe - 9/11/13  25.44

With the Grafham Water Duathlon scheduled for the following morning, and with it being my 41st Birthday weekend, I thought I'd treat Heidi to a nice flattish fast parkrun.

So the plan was just to trot round and not push things too hard, but I found the more I relaxed the faster I went and was suprised to run an 8.18mm average to sneak in with a fresh finished 25.44.