February Parkruns

08.02.14 Lincoln 21.42 PB !

I had some beer last night, not a lot, but at a pint and a half of lager, and that was enough for me to write off todays Parkrun as a turn up and jog effort.

By the time I'd gotten to the start line though, I think I'd decided to see how the first lap went and start from there.

I lined up not on the concrete, but stealthily on the grass believing that I would get a faster start, however it was soon apparent that there was just the same traffic on the grass with some barging going on and of course people dodging !

First lap then, felt OK, hard but not fast, however 6.58 showing on the Garmin for the first mile. 2nd lap, clung on to the back of two runners and was blowing a bit for a 6.50 second mile. Third lap, got detached from said two runners, but found a spurt around the finishing 'rectangle' to round off the 7.00 third mile for a 21.42 PB !

Surprised to get a new PB ;-)

The Rauceby Ripper 2014

Back for more !

That was the idea when I rocked up at yesterdays 2014 version of the Rauceby Ripper - a popular early season XC run put on by the Sleaford Town Runners. It would be the second year in a row that I would run this event and this year took note of last years conditions and decided to get hold of a pair of trail shoes !

the other special element to the day was that my first claim running club was officially switched to Lincoln & District Runners and I was able to wear the clubs green vest for the first time. ( I retain second claim membership to UK Netrunner of course ! ) This years course was the shorter 7.88m course used in 2011 & 2012 not last years much longer version.

Having trained so well this week and with a target in mind, I felt raring to go when we were set on our way at 10.30.   The first mile was slightly uphill and on Estate roads and the trail shoes felt hard going on such a flat surface. Once we had negotiated this though and had turned right onto our first farm track, the decision to wear trail shoes started to pay dividends as I had confidence to put my feet down as I jumped up and down the bank, ran on boggy ground and dodged puddles. I was pushing the pace and overtook my target runner for the day and stealthily pulled my hat down so that I didn't get recognised to spark a chase ! ( I'm a crafty bugger, me )!!!!

The first couple of miles showed something like 7.36 & 7.37 so I was steadily knocking off some good mileing - aware that I might be being chased down which kept me on it and unable to slack off ! Indeed, I worked very hard in the middle sections of the race into bad headwinds on on the muddy edges of fields. the slowest split would have been something like mile 4 at 8.09 minutes.  There were a couple of feed stations on the way and I chose to have a drink at the second one of these, which I managed to spill when I lost my footing looking over my shoulder !

There was the boggy wood at mile 6 which was even worse than last year, but the trail shoes ate it up and before I knew it I was out onto the road again chasing down what was the last mile. Down a farm lane and over a stile , one last look behind confirmed that I was home and clear from my target runner, and it was a case of running hard over a boggy field to finish what I think was 42nd place overall and a time of 1.01.25 for a good days running.

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 !