Manchester Marathon 2015

You cannot really say that you've had the perfect build up to a marathon unless you run the perfect race.   You can also not assume that you will have the perfect race even with a perfect build up.  I'm almost certain you can't run a perfect race without a decent build up but when the build up is good and the race is well executed then that's when special things happen.

Since the turn of the year I've clocked up over a 1000 miles in training for Manchester which averages close to 70 miles per week.  Ive consistently run long runs between 16 and 23 miles from November last year and these have increased in intensity in the final few weeks before the taper.  All the races I have done have gone to plan if not better and my confidence has grown week on week with the mixture of long runs, tempo runs and interval based sessions.  Most weeks look very similar in the amount of mileage, the key sessions and the long runs but there has been a progression that sometimes isn't always measurable with running faster or longer but is more subtle - its that feeling that even on a bad day I am able to do a decent focused session, the feeling that the longer the session goes on the better I feel and more importantly the target marathon pace just gets easier and easier to execute.

After a taper that was relatively straightforward I felt rested and ready to race the 26.2 miles round the Manchester suburbs.

The first few miles I deliberately held myself back and was in around 45th position at close to the 2 mile point.  There were some big groups ahead of me and I felt confident that most of these groups would one by one come back.  just stick to the plan and concentrate on my own race.  The first 10km was 37:08 and I found myself ticking off the miles feeling relaxed and confident that the race plan was being executed as I wanted it to.

I wasn't particularly aware of my split times as my Garmin didn't function particularly well in the first few miles and although this might have previously panicked me I just switched to using lap times to make sure I was on track for my target time of around 2:35.    The first indication of my actual time was at 13.1 miles when I went through in 1.17.00 exactly.   At this point I picked up a group of about 8 runners which included the leading lady and although the group was operating at a decent pace I decided to push on and try and reach the smaller group someway in front.  I found myself clear of the group within a mile or so and over the next few miles I relaxed and looked forward to the 20 mile point which would represent the "business end" of the race.  The 20 mile point seemed to take an age to get to and I passed this in 1 hour 56 minutes and 58 seconds.   67 seconds quicker than my recent 20 mile race at Locke Park.   

So it was down to the business end and it certainly helped me to find two or three runners in front who were coming back to me.  Mile 21 (5:50), 22 (5:57) and 23 (5:58) made me think that with some focused running I could get close to the club vet 40 record of 2:34.00.    To do this I would need a negative split which I kind of figured that  this was unlikely.   Final three miles of 6: 02, 6:12 and 6:17 felt significantly harder than any of the last 23 miles - gone was the relaxed face it was the race face that was needed.  

In the last three miles I did manage to pass two other runners who were clearly struggling slightly.   As I turned the corner into the stadium there was a realisation that I was ever so close to the vet 40 club record of 2:34.00 but it wasn't going to be my day so i enjoyed the run in to the finish.  I finished in 2 hours 34 minutes and 15 seconds.   A massive three and a half minute personal best and the goal of a sub 2:35 marathon achieved.  

I could be disappointed to be just 9 seconds (chip time) off a club record (held by Harry Gamble Thompson) that has stood for such a long time (since 1986) but in reality I'm just so pleased to chip away again at my marathon best knowing that with more of the same work and a good build up I can take another chunk of time off that.  

17th place overall in a new personal best of 2 hours 34 minutes 15 seconds - I like the sound of being a sub 2-35 marathon runner!     Thanks to the Asics Greater Manchester Marathon, MyProtein, Erdinger and Runners Need for all the generous support as an Asics Race Ambassador.    Its a fantastic event and one which I would recommend for those looking for a fast time or as a debut marathon.  

Results: Here

Locke Park 20

Having enjoyed a relatively easy week (if a 53 mile week can be considered easy in marathon training world) I was nervously anticipating the 20 mile Locke park race on Sunday.  For this that don't know its 20 x 1 mile laps which makes for a great carnival of running as you are passing people (or being passed by people) for the majority of the race.  You get a real sense of achievement coming through the field as for a lot of people the 20 mile race was either a build up to a marathon or a personal challenge never before attempted.

For me I had two goals that were within my control.  The first was to go under 2 hours for the first time if nothing else to have that badge of honour on my Power of 10 profile.  The second was to finish the race strongly and not feel like I was just "hanging on'.

As it was a one mile loop the split times were absolutely consistent as it was about passing the chip timing mats every mile.   My aim was to set off at six minute miling and then speed up as the race progressed.   As I've done very few 20 milers before i don't really have a pace.   I think the pace is closer to marathon pace rather than half marathon pace so my aim overall was just a few seconds per mile under marathon pace.   Six minute miling would be good....5.59 miling would be better!

The first five mile split was 29.31 (6:02, 5:49, 5:50,  5:53,  5:57).   Feeling comfortable at this stage and having run with Alyson Dixon for the first few miles it was Paul Wilson who was providing company at this point but this was short lived as I found myself on my own after about 6 miles.  Time to concentrate now on getting the miles in.  Miles 6 to 10 completed in 29.24 (5:57, 5:54, 5:53. 5:54, 5:55).

Ive been practising my long runs without gels for a while now and thought this was the ideal opportunity to test myself.  I had given one of the marshals a couple of gels to give me if I needed them (we agreed a signal!) but once I was into double figures I felt strong and decided that I would run as long as I could without taking anything.  In the next few miles I felt great, consistent pacing and  didn't feel the need for anything to help me along.  Miles 11 to 15 was covered in 29.35 but in terms of consistent splits was my best period of the race (5:54, 5:57, 5:55, 5:55 and 5:56).   The final five miles were definitely the  most satisfying of them all as I passed the second place runner (Aly Dixon) who was following  a race plan running the middle section of the race at tempo.   The last five miles was a consistent 29.33 (5:52, 5:53, 5:54, 5:56 and 5:58).    I took a couple of sips of water in this section but nothing else proving that I can run strong and within target time without any nutritional products).   There was an interesting debate on marathon talk about this and its definitely  worth a listen to.  Marathon Talk   At this stage I do intend to use gels on race day hoping that the additional boost these will provide will give me that performance edge but I don't feel that I am relying on them to get me round.  I'm trying to train my body to be fuel efficient in the race and less reliant on additional ingested energy and more able to use my body's own energy sources to get me through.   I listened to that debate and it made perfect sense to me.  The more you use these products the greater the body relies on them and the less likely that your body will efficiently utilise its plentiful fat sources.

So I finished 2nd overall in a time of 1 hour 58 minutes and 5 seconds.   That is around 2:34/2:35 pace which is a bit quicker than my target marathon pace but it has made me think that maybe just maybe I can get a bit closer to that long term target of a sub 2:34 marathon.

It was a real bonus to have Harry Gamble-Thompson watch the last few miles of the race and then present the prizes.   Harry is the Vet 40 and vet 50 club record holder for the marathon with a 2:34.00.      I told him I would do him proud this year in the marathon this year.  Its five weeks now until Manchester and the 20 was probably my last tune up race before the big day unless we manage to get a team out for the 12 stage relays.

So finally well done to Graham Hall and the Locke Park 20 team of volunteers who put on a magnificent event on Sunday.  The support was amazing throughout the event and we even had music on the lake to entertain runners fast and slow!.......meanwhile over in Spen?????   Talk about a storm in a teacup!

6 weeks and Counting

For a while now I have been trying to find the perfect training week and I think the last week probably comes close to it.

Monday - an 8 mile recovery run - no pace target but ended up feeling good so pushed a decent pace (6:45 minute miling).

Tuesday - an easy 3 mile run in the morning then a 5 mile tempo session pm.   Wanted to get under marathon pace but it was windy so settled for about 10 seconds a mile slower.

Wednesday - used my usual 800m road circuit and did a 10 x 800m session with about 90s recovery between intervals.   Started nice and steady with a 2:52 then finished with a 2:37.   Progressed nicely through the session getting quicker on each interval.

Thursday - Track session.  Used a Frank Horwill based session aiming to do 10km alternating marathon pace with 5km speed.  This would equate to 89s/80s laps.   Whilst I was a second or so slower on the 5km speed I hit the marathon pace recoveries 100%.  What was really encouraging though was the recovery I was getting from them.  A great session and in the end pushed on for 7 miles (28 laps).

Friday - a nice easy recovery run (5 miles).

Saturday - Redcar parkrun managed my first sub 17 on that course something which I have been trying to achieve for some time.  16:57 for the 5km then a 7 mile warm down at about 7 minute miling.

Sunday - 21 miles long run starting off nice and easy but finished quickly and managed a 5.59 last mile.  Total run 21.1 miles average speed 6.36 per mile.

Total Miles for the week 71 miles.

For more information about Frank Horwill here is the link.  Frank Horwill advice

This week I'm taking it a bit easier as I'm running the Locke Park 20 mile race on Sunday.  I'd like to go into the race a little fresher but I am looking to run at marathon pace as I did last year.   This year I'm hoping for a more even paced run than last year as I am in much better shape than last year.  There is a decent field so should have some company for the majority of the race.

Its six weeks until the Asics Greater Manchester Marathon and I was fortunate to receive more kit from ASICS and Runners Need to help me in my build up.   These are the latest additions...

Gel Nimbus 17

Socks

Compression Kit

7 weeks until Race Day

We are now into March and that means a bit more focus on faster marathon pace runs for me.   Its just seven weeks today until the Asics Greater Manchester Marathon takes place Enter here.   I was thrilled to be selected as an ambassador for the race and here is an update of how my training is going.  http://www.athleticsweekly.com/featured/road-asics-greater-manchester-marathon-18184/

Since my last blog I have benefited from a couple of weeks o solid and consistent training with a 65 mile week which included Snake Lane 10 organised by Pocklington Runners and a 70 mile week this week.

Snake Lane 10 was a great race for me with a 7th place finish in 55 minutes 56 seconds.   Had it not been for a strong headwind in the second half I am sure I would have ran quicker but in the end it was not so much the time but the way I ran it feeling strong all the way and working my way through the field from about 30th place in the opening few hundred metres to 7th overtaking runners all the way though the race.

In age grading terms that performance is one of my best only surpassed by last years Middlesbrough 5km so it certainly confirms I am heading in the right direction for the 26.2 miles around Greater Manchester.

The Snake Lane 10 was always planned in as a halfway point for me for the marathon training.  So this week I have deliberately increased the speed of some of my longer runs to really  tune into marathon pace.  That included a 14 mile effort at marathon pace today with the added effort required by a windy seafront.   As it was more of a crosswind I opted for multi laps of the seafront path - probably 6 laps in all so there were a few funny looks from the dog walkers who were braving the elements.   The mental toughness of multi laps does appeal to me and I will need that a plenty when i do the Locke Park 20 in two weeks (20 laps of Park - one lap short of 7 parkruns!

I'm certainly enjoying my running at the moment  but its a fine line as the intensity increases.   I was reminded of the impact of marathon training on Friday as I "enjoyed" a sports massage.   As usual it was my calf muscles that were the most painful reminding me that my foam roller is there to be used not just as a doorstop!

Manchester Marathon Build Up

After the Brass Monkey the aim was to get a decent block of training under my belt with no distractions with the aim of increasing the long runs from the bases of 16/18 miles to 21/22 miles whilst maintaining some quality.

Its been a simple formula that seems to have worked for me.   Monday - easy recovery, Tuesday tempo run up to 8 miles, Wednesday quality session based around 3 or 4 x 10 minute intervals at 10km pace, Thursday steady aerobic run, Friday recovery, Saturday medium long run (off road) then Sunday long run.   So 4 weeks at about 70 miles a week done and I'm ready to move onto the next block of training which will start to introduce some marathon pace work into the long runs.

I decided to have a run round the North Eastern 6 stage relays yesterday at Hetton.  Its been two years since I last did this event and so it represented an opportunity for me to see how much effect the marathon training has had over the shorter distances.  Yesterdays run was 21 seconds quicker than two years ago which was really pleasing considering the event came towards the end of a tough four week block of training at over 70 miles per week.

Results here relays

The long runs have felt consistently easier with a 21 mile, 18 mile, 20 mile and a 22 mile run over the four weeks.   The Myprotein recovery whey protein certainly seems to be helping promote recovery from the long runs and after an easy run on the Monday Ive felt strong enough to do a decent tempo run on the Tuesday without feeling any ill effects from the Sunday run.  

I was lucky enough to be selected as one of four Asics Greater Manchester Marathon Ambassadors and received a nice load of Asics Kit including a pair of the new Asics Gel Kayano 21's.   So far the shoes feel very responsive, provide great support in my long runs but feel light enough to use them in faster paced runs over the shorter distances.  The best thing is they feel great out of the box so haven't felt the need to break them in slowly.  I would definitely recommend this shoe for longer distances and marathon training

This week is an opportunity for a bit of a recovery week before racing over 10 miles at Snake Lane on Sunday.   Last year this was my first long run of 2015 as i was recovering from Sciatica.   This year I've had a fantastic build up so far so I have the opportunity to use this race as a mid programme test to see how my training is going and try and get a decent 10 mile race in the bag.

Its just 9 weeks to go now until the Asics Greater Manchester Marathon so still time to enter.   http://www.greatermanchestermarathon.com

For those seeking an alternative to London and a chance to hit a big pb then Manchester is a great option.  Well organised, fast and flat it is a super well organised event.

Brass Monkey's - It certainly was!

The Brass Monkey Half Marathon was the first big test of 2015.  In terms of the build -up it was either a third of the way through the build- up (if you were following an 18 week plan) or at the beginning of a 12 week plan assuming the majority of the week post race was devoted to recovery.  That is assuming of course that you conform to one of the off the shelf 12 or 18 week programmes.  

For me the Brass Monkey represented a point in time, a test to see where I am and how the training is going.   Right up until race morning I was unsure how to run the race.  The problem with winter races like this is you really are at the mercy of the weather.    In the past fortnight I’ve run in some freezing cold weather, snow, sleet, high winds and in some cases opted for a treadmill session  rather than risk a twisted ankle on the icy pavements.

So the Brass Monkey race plan was only going to be about the weather.  I decided that if the weather was a wintry shocker I would run the race as a true marathon pace effort tagging a few miles on either side.   On the day the weather was almost perfect with a ground frost, temperature around -1/-2 and no wind.  I say almost perfect as we stepped out onto the finish area I envisaged carnage in the home straight given that you could barely walk the course never mind run at speed.   We were also informed that there were patches of black ice on the course between about 5 and 7 miles which may need us to be cautious.   The rest of the course was bathing in tropical sunshine!

As the race started I felt really comfortable – the target pace of around 5.40 seemed effortless and the first few miles ticked along with splits of 5.31, 5.33 and 5.33.  The black ice started to appear on the course and this slowed the next few miles to 5.42, 5.43 and what would turn out to be the slowest mile of the day with a 5.48 mile at Mile 7.  Once we were past this point it seemed the whole field speeded up as a result of being held back for the last few miles.  My focus was now on the two Vet 40’s immediately in front – Alisdair Tatham of NYMAC and Andy Grant of Harrogate.  Both excellent runners over a wide range of distances.   I caught Andy at something like the 9 mile point after two consecutive 5.35 miles and set about trying to reel Alisdair in.  I reached the 10 mile point in 56.18 and Andy must have rallied as he also went past me again and set about trying to get to Alisdair.   Mile 11 – 5.39, Mile 12 – 5.38 were comfortably hard leaving me with a mile to catch the two in front.  I probably sub consciously thought at that point that I was settling for the position I was in and barring a disaster would be comfortably under the 75 minute barrier that I had set myself.   I closed with a 5.46 mile which left me the final 200m or so to negotiate – thankfully the organisers had gritted this section so I left my ice skating finish for another day.  14^th overall. 4^th Vet 40 in 74 minutes 18 seconds.

I’m really pleased with the time because it shows that in terms of fitness levels I am in decent shape.  The way I ran the race was a lot stronger overall and more in control of my pace at the end – no hanging on for the last few miles which was always a feature of my early half marathons.   

The half marathon as an event is not one that I feel I have been able to crack in the past.  My overall pb is 72.22 set at Wilmslow Half in around 1995.   That’s about 5.30 per mile so given my run on Sunday I think may be one that I look at for a slight revision.   Of all my non marathon pb’s this is the one that I think is in my reach.   

Well done to the race organisers on Sunday for putting on a great event.  I haven’t raced the Brass Monkey for a long time and it really was a great event, well organised and well marshalled.  Should they have allowed the event to go ahead given the conditions?  On reflection it was probably a brave decision as the middle section was a bit touch and go.  I was made aware that a similar size race over at Helsby in Cheshire was cancelled on the morning of the event due to ice on the course.   It’s a fine line as an organiser and I suspect both races got it right on the day.  

So in terms of the build up to the ASICS Greater Manchester Marathon things are going well.   Last week was a solid 60 miles (including the Brass Monkey) and now it’s time to focus on making the long runs slightly longer and with a greater focus on the marathon pace finishes.    My next race is the Snake Lane 10 on the 22^nd February.  Last year this was a bit of a make or break day as it was my first long run of the build-up as a result of a badly timed bout of sciatica.  This year I’m hoping to afford myself the luxury of a few easier days in the build-up and an all-out race effort over 10 miles.  The next four weekends will be an important phase in the marathon build up where I aim to push the long runs up to 22/23 miles while maintaining the quality in the programme.

Manchester Marathon Ambassador

Got the news this week that I have been selected as an ambassador for the ASICS Greater Manchester Marathon.  Entries are still open and its a fantastic well organised marathon.  http://www.greatermanchestermarathon.com   I will be putting plenty of work into both my marathon training and my blog as I progress towards a personal best over 26.2 miles.

Here is the link to the Athletics Weekly site where you can read my brief biography and meet the other three ambassadors for the  The Asics Greater Manchester Marathon Ambassadors 

Tomorrow its the Brass Monkey Half and looking at the weather forecast the race will certainly live up to its name!

Manchester Marathon Build up

My Manchester Marathon build up is pretty much in full swing now.   I've completed 7 long runs in the period between Chester Marathon (after a bit of downtime) and have a decent base level of fitness that's ready to spring into the main build up period of February and March where I will do a few tune up races over 10 miles at Pocklington and a 20 mile race at Redcar.

Its always useful to look back and compare this time last year and whilst I may have put some quality long runs in during late December and early January this was all cancelled out by a few weeks struggling with sciatica.

Compare my session last night on the treadmill last year (it was a bit icy to run outside although I was prepared to  brave the cold the pavements were just too icy to do any quality!).

Last year - barely managed 3 miles on the treadmill before the sciatic nerve seized up and forced me to return to the mobility work.

Last night - 4 x 10 minutes effort starting at marathon pace then increasing to a nippy 10km pace.  felt in control and finished the last rep covering 2.9km in the 10 minutes.

This weekend I'm hoping to run the Brass Monkey Half Marathon but I'm hedging my bets about how to run it.    It will all be dependent on the weather as to how the race will be so I've decided to train as normal this week but just ease off towards the end of the week.   Its never been a real target race but more of a test to see where I am.   The weather is a bit unpredictable at the moment so there is always a risk that the race may not even go ahead.

I've bought myself a pair of fell shoes in the january sales and set myself a goal of at least 15% of my overall mileage off road.  Two runs so far in them on the hills and I have to say its a nice break from the road miles.    The main benefit and one of the reasons I have done this is the grumbles from my achilles I have been experiencing intermittently over the last six months.  I'm managing to run fine and have been doing some preventative exercises but its not something you can ignore.   I've noticed after the off road runs less impact and stiffness in the achilles so will persevere with this.  I may even enter the odd fell race for a bit of fun

Just heard on BBC breakfast that 20 minutes of brisk walking a day can make you live longer...   Its not exactly rocket science is it!

The Harry Gamble-Thompson Marathon Award

Well 2014 is drawing to a close and as far a running goes I'm putting in some decent miles as a bit of a pre-marathon training block.  No races in December for me as I wanted to get a few base weeks in, do a  few medium long runs and just prepare for the 2015 season where I will tackle three marathons in a year for the first time.   I've managed over 3000 training miles this year which I'm delighted with as it means a level of consistency for me and no major interruptions with injuries.

I was delighted to receive the Harry Gamble-Thompson Marathon Award at our club presentation in December.  Harry G-T is a legend of local running and was a fine marathon runner as well as being a great training partner, club man and general all round nice guy.   He is still involved in New Marske Harriers as the club President and is still at the church hall twice a week welcoming and chatting to runners.  Sadly he no longer runs but I can tell by the glint in his eye that given half a chance he would put his trainers on and do a  few miles.

For those that may not know Harry's pedigree here are the club records he still holds.....

Vet 60 5km - 18.41 set in 1995.
Vet 60 10km - 36.52 set in 1992.
Vet 70 10km - 42.58 set in 2002.
Vet 50  10m - 55.52 set in 1986
Vet 60 10m - 59.51 set in 1993
Vet 70 10m - 71.27 set in 2002.
Vet 50 Half Marathon - 74.23 set in 1986.
Vet 60 Half Marathon - 78.31 set in 1991.
Vet 70 Half Marathon - 1 hr 34.14 set in 2002.
Vet 50 20 mile - 2 hours 3.20 set in 1998.
Vet 60 20 mile - 2 hours 10.15 set in 1993.
Vet 40 and Vet 50 Marathon - 2 hours 34.00 set at Selby in 1986
Vet 60 Marathon - 2 hours 52.54 set in New York in 1991.
Vet 70 Marathon - 3 hours 31.10 set in Honolulu in 2001.

Not many people will know that Harry ran a 2.32.10 marathon as a 50 year old which ranks him currently 8th on the all time list.

I enjoy having the odd chat with Harry and he is quick to offer advice to all runners from novices to the most experienced.   Sometimes the word "legend" is too quickly thrown around but to me Harry G-T is most definitely in that category.

Both Harry and wife Yvonne were recognised at the club awards for the long service given to the club.  Yvonne is always ready to meet runners coming back in on club nights with a cuppa and a biscuit and like Harry is a club legend!

Winter Sessions

So the marathon season is coming to an end.  My two marathons this year seem a distant memory and the Dash is done.  What now?   

I suppose a reflection on the last few races is a good place to start this blog.   In the build up to Chester whilst my focus was on the long runs needed to complete the marathon I also had an eye on the Abbey Dash as an end of season blast to keep the speed in the legs.     So much of the “speed work” I was doing in the build up to the Dash had a 10km focus.  Typically sessions like 3 x 10 minutes at 10km speed or 800 repeats at 10km speed with minimal recovery were a regular feature.   It’s good to see progress being made and most sessions there was a glimmer of progress but while the marathon was looming my focus was always on the long runs so the speed sessions were a means to an end.  Once the recovery from Chester was done the focus turned more to the 10km sessions and there was a good few weeks of repeating key sessions, tweaking recoveries and increasing time at 10km pace to get me to the Dash in the best possible shape for an attempt at Sub 34.   

I had a decent (solid) if unspectacular race at the Maltby 7 mile race.  It was my fourth Maltby in five years and my 2014 time of 39.50 was my fastest since 2011 (39.49) and 18 seconds quicker than my last run in 2012 where I clocked 40.08 and went onto run 33.56 at the Dash.     Maltby is one of those races that I like with a tough first half with a few climbs then a fast winding route to finish.   

A rare racing smile!

In the weeks leading up to the Abbey Dash I saw some measurable improvements in sessions and felt like I was coming into form at the right time.   In the end a 34.01 10km to end the season shouldn’t be a disappointment but In all honesty I was gutted not to break 34 minutes.  I could spend time looking back at sessions,  looking back at the race and over analysing but to be honest I don’t think it was anything to with my training leading up to it.  I think the difference is simply how much I wanted to do well in that race.  I have never had a problem in the past with getting myself up for the big races but the more I concentrate on the marathon the less I feel “up” for other races.  It’s like there is something in my head that is telling me that this is just a means to an end and not as important to me as a marathon.   It could also be a result of increased mileage and less focus on speed.   I’ve also developed this “cautious” first mile approach which is most suitable for a marathon but possibly leaves me with a lot to do over the shorter distances.  There were a lot of bodies to get past at Leeds!  Partly the reason for the cautious start these days is the old body needs a bit of getting going so its not all about choosing to start easy!

So I am unlikely to race much for the remainder of 2014 (except possibly the North East Cross Country Champs for a bit of fun!) and concentrate on building a good base for the 2015 season. 

I’ve entered the Brass Monkey Half to give me a bit of focus over the winter and so speed sessions are focusing on 10km work and half marathon pace tempos.   I’ve got the long runs back on track with a decent 16 mile effort at the weekend and a base mileage of around 65 miles per week settling in as “the norm”.  I’m using a schedule for the half that is focussing on the 10km speed work over the long runs as the relationship between the half marathon and the 10km is closer than the relationship between the marathon and the half marathon.  If nothing else that makes sense given the closeness of the distances (11km difference vs 21km difference).  One of the key sessions is the planned half marathon pace runs which so far are around the 4 and 5 mile mark but build up to the 9/10 mile region by the end of the programme.

For me its about what fits in to the week and what works.  That means back to back sessions on Wednesday (10km based session) and the half marathon paced tempo (Thursday).  That does make the Thursday session a bit tougher but so far i’m hitting targets and am on track.  It does mean the Friday is a very very easy recovery run to put the body back together after two hard sessions.  

Marathon wise I’ve entered Manchester Marathon in April and following this up with the Potteries Marathon in July.  That gives me the option of a third marathon in October and I would look no further than Chester for another outing along the Cheshire/North Wales border.   

Other races in 2015 will be the Locke Park 20 in March and a few 5km and 10kms mixed into the year.   It’s going to be a real focussed year for me in 2015 as I attempt to lower my marathon time further.   The extra marathon in July will be something new and it may not suit me but sometimes it’s good to experiment.   

Where has all the speed gone....

So its four weeks since Chester and I'm making good progress again on the training front.  I ran just 31 miles in the week following Chester but since then picked up the mileage again with a 60, 55 and a 65 mile week.  Today was the first long run with a 16 mile steady run with an enforced "easy" start due to the wind but picked up the pace in the second half to finish the run closer to 6:30 miling than I expected when I set off.

As I did Chester last year its easy to make comparisons with how I felt then and how I feel now but to be honest I feel different mentally this year.  Last year I came straight out of marathon training determined to bag a decent 10km at the Abbey Dash (finished in 33.58) but this year my focus has been more of a longer term plan with the aim over the winter to simply "Winter well".  What does that mean?

For me it means putting myself in the best possible position to build a solid base of miles to start marathon training on.   Last year I ignored the long runs until December but did manage to get three decent long runs in before being dealt a massive blow withe the onset of an unexpected bout of sciatica which meant January was a write off.  Although on paper the Manchester Marathon build up went ok and the race went very well (a four minute pb) I did feel that the build up became rushed and ended up with long runs being crammed in last minute and tune up races being used as long runs instead of sharpeners.

So the plan for the winter will be to do the odd race here and there starting with the Maltby 7 next week and then the Abbey Dash the following week but other than those two it will be a case of getting some base miles in over December and January before the more specific marathon training in February and March.  As Manchester is slightly later this year I am going to have a serious attempt at lowering my 20 mile pb as I feel that this is a race distance that suits me.

So the Abbey Dash will be a case of pushing as hard as I can and getting as close to the sub 34 goal again.  I've enjoyed a few decent 10k specific workouts in the last few weeks including 3 x 10 minutes @ 10km pace and earlier this week a session that was a 2 mile effort @ 10km pace followed by 4 x 1 mile.  Recovery was a very slow jog of the track.  Although I was probably a second a lap off the kind of 10km pace needed for a Sub 34 it was enough to convince me that the Dash would be worth a crack at.  I had done a session of 800s the night before so doing a back to back session was never going to be easy.  

Saturday I had the latest attempt at the elusive Sub 17 Locke Park run.  My 17.16 effort on my own making my way past the ghosts, ghouls and witches of the Halloween run was a valiant effort but it wasn't to be.  Then again it probably reflects where I am at the moment.  Plenty of strength just lacking the speed.

Running scared!

Last week was the inaugural Locke Park 10 mile race.  It's always nice to support a new race on your doorstep so I decided to give it a go.   I felt good before hand but on a windy day it was never going to be a race that would be my fastest of the year and I finished 5th overall in 58.36. The  Locke Park 10 was a multi lap race so there were plenty of opportunities to see people.  My attention soon turned from being competitive at the front end to "best make sure I keep running hard so I don't get lapped!".  In the end my fifth place was enough to get me promoted to 4th place on the age graded prizes so came away with a decent voucher to get some solid mileage shoes for the winter miles.  Well done to Graham Hall and New Marske Harriers for yet another superbly organised event.

On the world marathon front it was inspiring today to watch the New York Marathon on TV and despite the wind affecting times the quality of Wilson Kipsang (2.10.59) and Mary Keitani (2.25.07) shone through at the finish as they timed their finishes to perfection to take home the prizes.   Whilst Kipsang's time may be slower than the usual finish time in a marathon major it still represents 5 minute miling which in the windy conditions that the race was run in was a phenomenal effort.   I think the marathon record will once again be lowered next year if he regains the form that brought him the world record at Berlin last year.  I think the mouth watering contest between Kipsang and Dennis Kimetto should be very interesting to say the least!   There is an interview with Kipsang on the IAAF website which makes for some interesting reading.   In particular the fact that he loves the long easy runs and hates speed work!  That is something we both have in common!

Don't write off Bekele

Flicking through this weeks Athletics Weekly and I came to a statement that made me think a lot!  It was the Chicago Marathon report which described the way that Eliud Kipchoge kept Kenenisa Bekele at bay.  The fact that Kipchoge put in a 4.33 mile at mile 25 and the split between 35 and 40 was a winning 14.31 clearly showed that this was a race that he wanted to win.  Bekele finished in 4th in a time of 2:05.51.

The article goes onto describe his disappointment at the result but something that the great man said in his interview really resonated with me.

"there is something with training method.  The body has to change completely from short distance to marathon.  Maybe it needs time and experience also".   So two marathons under his belt both at 2:05 which happens to be better on paper than two ex world marathon record holders "debuts" - Tergat and Gebreselassie - most definitely means that to write him off at your peril.  My bet is that there is more to come from that man!

My own recovery from Chester two weeks ago has gone well.  A few days off, some easy runs, a massage and a decent few runs this week stepping up in intensity has meant now I feel fully recovered.  I'm going to do a few low key cross country races and enjoy a good winter before starting out on another 18 week build up to Manchester next year.

Like Bekele I have definitely learned a lot about the marathon since this race!

Chester Marathon

Well the dust has settled on another marathon journey.  I finished the Chester Marathon in 13th place in a new personal best of 2 hours 37 minutes and 38 seconds.    The build up to Chester was a planned 18 week build up starting on the 2nd June and finishing with a two week taper leading up to race day on Sunday.   Briefly my training has involved 14 "long runs" mostly over 20 miles each focusing on a decent pace but not flat out.  One or two of those long runs finished at marathon pace.  A fair few runs at a marathon pace (mainly between 9 and 12 miles at marathon pace - around 6 minute miling) and these I felt were the most beneficial to me.  I set out at the start of the 18 weeks with a clear goal.  A 26.2 mile race at 6 minute miling ending with a 2.37 marathon.   At no point did I deviate from this or think I cant do it or maybe I could go faster.  This meant a clarity over all my training as I set that goal early and stuck to it.  There were times when i set off on a 10 - 12 mile marathon pace effort and felt that 6 minute miling was just slightly out of reach but I was confident that come race day it would click!

I've never been a high mileage runner and usually 50 to 60 miles has been my average weekly mileage.  In this build up over the 16 training weeks excluding the taper I've averaged about 70 miles per week peaking at 90 miles with four weeks to go until race day.    I've maintained a weekly speed session mainly focusing on 10km speed intervals with the odd 5km based session thrown in. 

For the taper I reduced from the 90 mile week down to 60 miles then 50 miles.  For my last week I kept things similar to my last two marathon's and this involved:

Saturday - 13 mile steady run averaging 6.08 miles per minute
Sunday - Race Director duties most of day for Redcar Half then an easy 4 mile recovery run.
Monday - Steady 4 miles averaging 6.28 per mile followed by a massage.
Tuesday - a 4.5 mile steady run in 6.18 minutes per mile followed later in the day with a one mile easy jog then 4 x 400m efforts @ 5km pace.
Wednesday - 5 x 800m efforts at a nice and relaxed pace (close to half marathon pace).
Thursday - A three mile marathon pace effort on the track where I averaged 5.58 minutes per mile.
Friday - No Running
Saturday - a two mile easy jog to loosen up the legs after travelling.

This was the easiest taper I've done and unlike other marathons I have done I wasn't climbing the walls with the reduced mileage.  There were plenty of taper niggles but In was confident that they were just the body getting ready for the main event!

So race day arrived and after a gentle warm up and hanging around time in the elite tent at Chester it was time for the start.  I felt confident but knew the first few miles were important to find my feet, get my head straight and establish a steady rhythm for the race. 

The first 10km was completed in 37.10 almost bang on target despite the few climbs and descents around the town centre so it was a case of putting in the miles now until the real test starts post 20 miles.   I was fortunate to get into a great group of three runners.  Nick Sparkes of Sheffield Tri Club and a runner from Exeter Simon Longthorpe who both went onto finish in the Top 10 and under 2.36.  Between us we pushed on until almost the 30km point before I was dropped from the group but not before we had picked off a fair few runners on our way who were suffering from a faster early pace.   The group effort was relaxing.  There was very little communication between us but total concentration and effort and a sense that we were working off each other rather than competing against each other.   Frustratingly being dropped from that group was not because of the effort needed to maintain that pace but the onset of some tightness in the hamstrings which continued to the finish.  It also co-incided with a slight hill and a drinks station whcih broke up our steady rhythm.

I passed 20km in 1.14.13 (37.03 10km) and 30km in 1.15.13 (37.00 10km) so far so good.  between 30km and 40km I struggled slightly with the hamstrings but still managed to maintain a decent pace (37.51 10km pace) going through 20 miles in 1.59.12 which would be a 20 mile pb.    Inevitably the last two km was a struggle especially after the Sandy Lane hill (Chester's equivalent of the Heartbreak hill!) and the final two miles were covered in 6.18 and 6.23 respectively.  

 Descending out of the City!

Overall I'm pleased with the run but know where the improvements can be made.  I know I can cope with a higher mileage overall and what works for me.    I felt relatively fresh at the finish so know that in terms of nutrition, pacing and judgement I got things right.   The weakness in my armour is once again the hamstrings and although it wasn't a show stopper it was certainly the things that was holding me back and i was definitely conscious of this in the last mile which involves a rather nasty descent onto the river side.

Chester Marathon is up there in my all time favourite races.  It's a fantastically organised event that really looks after you in terms of the course.  They have the drinks stations spot on in terms of nutrition options (gels, isotonic and water at plenty of opportunities around the course) and the pre and post race organisation was impeccable.    Also the elite set up with the pre and post race refreshments was a great help to make the day go smoothly.  You can't beat a decent cuppa and a few cakes after a 26.2 mile effort!



So its all about recovery now.  I've no real desire to run today and will wait until the body feels ready to go.  It might be tomorrow or Thursday or even the weekend.   After my previous few marathons I've been dying to get out and put a few miles in post marathon.  This time the feeling is different like my body is telling me to recover. 

What next?  

Marathon wise I've entered Manchester Marathon again in April.  My long term plan was to do marathons in a two year cycle to learn from the experience in Year one and then feel the benefit in Year two.  This has worked for me at Chester with a a 6 minute improvement from the 2013 race.  That would mean missing Chester in 2015 and opting for a new marathon but I was so impressed with Chester and the way it looks after you that I may be tempted to go back in 2015 and see if I can knock another chunk off that pb!   The target for 2015 will be a 2.35 marathon edging ever closer to my former mentor and club stalwart Harry Gamble-Thompson's club record for the Vet 40 (and Vet 50!) 2.34.00  set at Selby in 1986 as a 50 year old. 

For the statto's here's a link to my Strava run.  

Chester Marathon Andy Pearson

It's an interesting journey this marathon training! 

A challenging August

Marathon training in August can I guess be a bit hit and miss with holidays and hot weather.  MY August has brought a few such challenges and a few niggles thrown in for good measure.  In terms of the marathon the month of August has felt like a mid race bad patch that challenges you physically and mentally.  Thankfully I seem to have come through it and am now running well again and firing on all cylinders with the start line just four weeks away tomorrow. 

The total mileage of 290 miles in August included three runs over twenty miles (20.7, 21.7 and a 23.4).   Whilst the intention was to include some specific marathon pace running within that I only managed that once when I threw in 7 miles at marathon pace on my 21.7 mile run.   I did these at random sections of the run and in bursts of three, two and 2 x 1 miles just to mix things up a bit.    A week on a Greek Island which was ridiculously hot meant runs were limited to no more than 3 or 4 dusty miles or along a beach to take advantage of the sea breeze.   This meant the latter part of August was a case of jumping straight back onto mileage work before easing up a few days before Wetherby 10km which was always in my plan as a "tune up race".

So perhaps the day after coming back from holiday doing a 10 mile tempo at quicker than marathon pace (10 miles @ 5-56 pace) followed the next morning with a 16 miler at a steady 6.25 pace may have taken a bit more out of the legs than  had appreciated.     A tight adductor decided to make a gentle appearance on the later stage of my easy recovery jog on the Friday and then completely burst onto the scene 24 hours later as I pulled up in the middle of a steady parkrun effort. 

After a bit of easy jogging and plenty of stretching I decided to set off for Wetherby regardless and see how it went.  In the end it went ok after a cautious start I finished 9th in 35.23.  I cant complain at that and although I would have loved to go faster my mind wasn't focused so much on this being a race but more of a test to see if I could get round in one piece. 

A massage on Monday and a few steady runs has meant no lasting damage to the adductor and this week has seen me come through the bad patch and put some decent sessions in the bag.

Wednesday - a solid run at the Coast Road 5km finishing 6th in 17.07.  This is the same race that last year I ran 16.36 but then spent the next two weeks with hamstring issues - not the ideal preparation in the later stages of a marathon. 

Thursday - A track session.   25 laps alternating marathon pace (90 seconds) with 5km pace (80 seconds) was the intended session.  It almost worked out that way but I did struggle to hit the 5km pace and settled for the majority of the "fast laps" being more like 10km pace (83/84 seconds).  What I felt was the most important was hitting the recoveries at marathon pace and maintaining that difference between the fast laps and the slower recovery laps.  Its one of those sessions that seems easy to begin with then the toughness creeps up on you and hits you in the latter stages.  Sounds familiar? 

After an easy Friday todays run was a 12 mile effort at my intended marathon pace (5.59/6.00) per mile.  With this comfortably in the bag I can almost certainly say I've come through the bad patch.   It will be another 20 miler tomorrow then I'll settle down in front of the telly and see if Mo can go one place better in the GNR.   Happy Days!

July Stats

July for an Autumn marathon is the February for  a spring marathon without the dark nights, cold winds and occasional "I know the weather is terrible but I've got a 20 miler to do!" sort of dilemma.  Instead it's been hot and dry most of the time so running has been mostly a pleasure.   My February for the Manchester Marathon was a case of building up some mileage after a disastrous January where I suffered most of the month with sciatica.   241 miles in cold and miserable February compared to 302 miles in July.   I've also managed to hit three runs of over 20 miles and raced just twice.    All in all a very positive month as I progress towards Chester. 

The races were a mixed bag if you look at them in pure racing terms and times.  Sunderland 5km has become a regular for me over the past few years and it would be easy for me to be disappointed with
my slowest race there and not quite breaking 17 minutes.  I felt a bit flat and not quite able to produce any real speed but looking back on this it was probably a result of some big mile weeks (75 and 80) and coming just three days after a 20 mile effort.  The next race after Sunderland and the opportunity to "put things right" came just four days later at our own Victorian 10km.  I've tried to really focus on the marathon and made a late decision that a long run would be more beneficial to me than a 10km so decided to run a long warm up (13 miles) then change into race gear and hit the 10km.   The aim 6 minute miling (2:37 pace) to replicate the latter stages of the marathon with tired legs.  It was a bit surreal and took some discipline to do this but the splits tell the story...5:58, 5:56, 5:52, 5:51, 5:53 followed by a 5:41 to finish 10th in 36:20.  A two mile warm down completed a very satisfying 22 miles. 

One of the challenges of the Autumn marathon is the family holiday.   A week in the West Country with the family meant a change of running scenery and an opportunity to ease off a bit.  I ran each morning once I found a decent circular route (without getting lost!).   The 5.8 mile run was a pleasure with lots of country lanes, a few hills and lots of breathtaking scenery.     A feature of the run was the opportunity to see buzzards flying above.  A couple of days into the run one made an appearance down a lane just a few feet from my head.    A quick search on the internet back at the cottage revealed a dark side to this experience.  It seems that the buzzard may not have been simply checking me out but more likely warning me off.  The internet was full of stories of runners being attacked by these birds to the point that it was recommended that hats be worn! Thankfully that was my only close encounter but it certainly opened my eyes and made me run a bit quicker down those lanes!



So the holiday week was a 45 mile "tick over week" but the rest must have done me good as I knocked out a Redcar parkrun pb of 17:01 on Saturday.   With another long run (20.7 miles) in the bag its still all on track for Chester.  9 weeks today until race day so still plenty of time to hit some more long runs.  From here on the longs runs will start to get a bit more specific with a few marathon miles thrown in. 

At least they warned you about the hills!



certainly built up a thirst on them lanes!



The locals thought I was crazy!  But then I am marathon training !

Chester Marathon Training weeks 4 to 6. 12 weeks to lift off.

Ok I'm not jealous but there has been a lot of "race talk" today with the Great North 10km, Eccup 10, Kilburn 7 and the odd track race here and there dominating the local dispatches!

216 miles in three weeks has been the order of the day for me with a 60 mile "recovery week", a solid 75 mile week and this week an 80 mile week.

With 12 weeks to go I know I have time on my hands and am feeling pretty relaxed about the build up.

Week 4 recovery saw me just easing off the tempo a little on the intervals (8 x 800m @ half marathon pace) put a solid 16:45 in at the Coast Road 5km, a marathon pace tempo (4 miles) and finished the week with a long run of 18.5 miles at 6-55 minutes per mile.

Week 5 was "back to business" with an intended 80 mile week but I lost a couple of runs more due to other commitments rather than tiredness.  I decided this week to put some long tempos in having just felt the hamstring was a bit tight after last weeks 5km.  So a decent 75 mile week was ended with the obligatory long run covering just short of 21 miles with an average pace of 6-22 minutes per mile for the last 18 miles.  Probably the best long run of the build up so far feeling really strong for the second half but just shy of marathon pace (although I admit that I wasn't intending to do any marathon pace).

http://www.strava.com/activities/162283393

So this week I was pretty determined to get a quality week under my belt and hit the 80 miles that has become the aim for my marathon weeks this build up.

Key sessions this week have been a solid 10 x 800m session on Tuesday averaging around 2-48 per 800m which is slightly slower than 10km pace but slightly quicker than half marathon pace.  I was quite happy with the session given the short recovery (90s).  Thursday's track session was a shorter 12 x 400m session where I averaged around 78 seconds per lap (5km pace).  After 12 reps with 90s recovery I finished the session with a warm down at my intended marathon pace (6 min miling) and it felt reassuringly easy!

On Saturday I decided to have a run round the local Redcar parkrun.  I've been after the sub 17 on that course for a while and decided to give it a go.  I had company for the first lap of three but then found myself on my own and finished in 17:04 which is equal to my course pb and the fastest Redcar parkrun since 2012.

So the end of the week just needed a shade of over 20 miles today to hit the 80.  I was a bit tired at the start of the run having done a few miles before meeting up with my long run partner of late Steve Hepples covering the last sixteen miles of the 20 at a pace averaging 6-33 per mile.  There were certainly a few miles today towards the end of the run that I could have eased off and drifted back but having a bit of company was one of those days where it made a difference.  

http://www.strava.com/activities/165234772

So thats six long runs in six weeks and I feel like its given me a great base to launch me into the last 12 weeks.  Quality on the last two long runs has been good with strong finishes on both.

This week I'll be easing off the mileage pedal and racing at Sunderland 5km and then hopefully the New Marske 10km on Sunday.  I've tried to put distractions aside and concentrate on the long runs which so far is working well.  I know there is still a bit to do and plenty of long runs to do but its a great feeling knowing that there are six long runs already under my belt.

The tightrope seems to be in my favour at the moment!

Marathon Build Up Weeks 1 to 3

215 miles in three weeks.  Not quite up there with the 100 plus mile weeks enjoyed by some marathoners but a nice block of training as the build up to Chester starts in earnest.  As I write this its 15 weeks to go and quite honestly I feel like things are moving well and truly in the right direction.

A 75 mile week after the Middlesbrough 5km which ended in an 18 mile run averaging 6:47 was the week that kick started the build up.   It took a difficult track session and a few "conversations" to prompt the marathon build up switch despite being tempted to stick to some faster stuff and see what I could push in terms of 5km/10km performances.

Week 2 was a slightly lower week with 70 miles but with two quality interval sessions mixed in.  An 8 x 800m session @ half marathon pace  on the road  was followed up the following day with a 4 x 1 mile session with the miles at 10km pace and the recovery being a 400m float.  There was no real science behind the back to back sessions more convenience as I felt that the Tuesday was better spent recovering from the long run on the Sunday.   I do like back to back sessions sometimes though and feel it can build up leg strength particularly in the marathon build up.   I also feel that my recovery from sessions is pretty good and usually my long runs don't leave me feeling too tired.   Week two long run was a hilly 19.5 miles with Steve Hepples for company.  I know that putting a few hilly long runs into the mix will be a good idea seeing as Chester is not exactly a flat marathon (describing it as hilly would be a bit much though!).

This week Ive enjoyed another two interval based sessions with a slightly quicker 8 x 800m session this time at about 5km pace on Tuesday followed by a 3 x 10 minute 10km pace effort with a four minute rest recovery.  Looking at the distance covered we would be slightly under 34 minute 10km pace for the duration which I was really pleased with given the miles in the legs.  I had a blast round Locke parkrun yesterday (17:15) and ended the week with a 20 miler at an average pace of 6:50.

Today's run was all the more satisfying as it was on my own, ran without any gels or even water (until over 2 hours into the run) and my pace gradually increased from 7 minute plus miles to 6:40's and 6:30's in the second half.   It was also a run on my own and one that from around 6 miles I felt would be a long old slog as I just didn't seem to be "feeling it".   It was a case of concentrating on efficiency of running, switching off the negative thoughts and just ticking off the miles.  It worked and once I was in the "long run region" I knew that the hard miles were behind me and the last few would be ones to enjoy.   I almost felt a sense of "come on bring me some pain I'm supposed to be toughening myself up for 26 miles!

So a 71 mile week and now time for a bit of recovery as I look to the Coast Road 5km on Wednesday.  Last year in the same race and a week earlier in the marathon build up I clocked 16.36.   I hope to get close to that again this year but it will all depend on the recovery from today's long run.  20 minutes of aqua jogging tonight seems to have hit the right spot (as well as homemade curry, rice and Slimming World Onion Bhajis! which are apparently almost free food so I can eat as many as I like!  Not like I need an excuse to fill my face especially in marathon training!). 

I was feeling good about my three week block of mileage then I read Steve Way's highly entertaining blog. http://www.steveway.co.uk/ which made me feel a bit inadequate in terms of mileage!   I do think though there is a bit of room for me to up the mileage a little from previous marathons but its a fine line.  Ive coped so far with 70 mile weeks so lets see what 80 miles a week feels like after a bit of a recovery week.  

Marathon Time

Well thats it.  Decision made.  Im now officially in marathon training.   Week 1 of the 18 week plan is underway.

Tonights track session was the clincher.  The 400m intervals @ 3km pace with 200m recovery at marathon pace was just not happening tonight.   I didn't feel good, missed my splits and just felt flat.  Ive also looked at my build up to my last two marathons and the long build up has certainly helped especially given that the 18 weeks have been eaten into by the odd niggle and holidays.

So my first four weeks are planned out and I'm looking how best to accommodate some build up races into the plan without compromising the need for consistent long runs.

My target at Chester will be around 2-37 which will mean 6 minute miling for the 26.2 miles.  Thats going to be a big ask so the longer build up will certainly help.   My aim on each run is to make marathon pace seem easy, to be efficient at running at marathon pace and to effectively recover from key sessions.

For my last two marathons i've planned out the full build up only to find Ive needed to tweak it to take account of enforced change.  This year i've planned out a broad plan, looked at build up races and identified key weeks where I will do some big mileage.

Time is on my side and the first few long runs will just be about time on my feet.  The path is clear and its now down to me to make it happen!

The dilemma - which way now!

After the decent run at Melmerby last week I knew that all things being equal I could expect a decent run at the Middlesbrough 5km.  The niggling doubt in my mind was the lack of specific 5km training I've been doing.    Most of my "sessions" have not quite hit 5km speed.  My sets of road based 800s have mainly been at 10km pace and my track work has just not quite hit full speed.

The lack of "speed" in my legs was underlined by the recent mile relay where I posted a relatively lacklustre 5-18 for the all out mile and although I tried to convince myself that the course wasn't that quick you just cant help looking at other results and thinking "Where's the speed gone!".

Thanks to Erin Corbyn for the ation shot!

The field at Middlesbrough was fully loaded with local star Matty Hynes expected to dominate the field but facing some stiff competition from last years winner Dominic Shaw and paralympian star Wondiye Fikre Indelbu with Veteran Ian Hudspith always likely to feature.   Results

My own race went well.  A seemingly "steady" start was actually surprisingly quick for me with a 5-06 but still quite a way down the field.  The next mile was a case of picking off the odd fast starter here and there and working my way through the field.  Another 5-06 and a few more people picked off it was down to the business end of the race with just a few people possibly "catchable" in my signts and a few people behind me who I was determined to hold off.  The third mile was a real tough one particularly given the twisting nature of the course at the finish but a 5-23 mile meant that the "chariots of fire" run in would be a case of job done in terms of the sub 16-30 but I was also determined that unlike last year I wasn't going to be "taken down" in the Riverside in a sprint finish.  Given that there was a bit of daylight it was a great feeling to run round the hallowed turf of the Riverside enjoying the atmosphere secure in the knowledge that nobody was going past me!

Stopped the watch at 16-20 and I was over the moon!  Its another 85% Age grader and beats the Melmerby performance to my number 1 race on age grading of all time. 

I can honestly say I don't know where that came from but it does present a bit of a dilemma in that the "script" was to do Middlesbrough 5km as a sort of end of the mini speed block that I planned "between marathons" and as a starting point for the next marathon campaign about 18 weeks away.

The question now is...Do I shorten the marathon build up and try and sharpen the speed up a bit more and target a few more 5kms/10kms or do i plough on with the marathon build up secure in the knowledge that I'm in great shape to cope with the miles ahead.

That's something I'm going to ponder this week and see how I feel.  There are a few race options I'm considering and its tempting to keep this momentum going but at the same time the thought of a long build up to Chester to really get things right in the marathon is tempting. 

On the age grading front an 85% is in the 2:34 region which to be honest is dreamland for me!  Can I find 5 minutes over the next 4 months?   Well its starting to feel believable!

There were some pretty spectacular performances on Sunday but three in particular stuck out for me. 

A massive pb for Steve Munro (newly joined New Marske Harrier) with a storming 15:47 for 11th place...watch this space this guy has massive potential!

A first time under 17 minutes for V45 Clive Thornton of New Marske Harriers showing that hard work and commitment equals results.

A massive pb for Michael Joyeux hitting the big time with a 16-06.  His blog is a great read.

Running is a good place at the moment!

Melmerby 10km - one of those days!

A quick bank holiday blog.

I decided a few weeks ago to slot Melmerby 10km into the race diary.  For no other reason that is filled a weekend in my pre marathon training "mini speed block".  It was a new race for me as I've not done this one before but an undulating course, country lanes and tea and cakes in the village hall was just too tempting.  But it was a B race......not one that I specifically targeted and therefore off the back of a fairly normal week.   Tuesday a decent 10 x 800m session, Wednesday a steady 8 miler and Thursday a run out at the North York Moors AC 4 x  mile relay at Stewarts Park ( a very well organised and enjoyable event next planned for 28th August - www.nym.ac) meant just an easy Friday and Saturday "ease down".

The race started at a very leisurely pace with team mates Shaun O'Grady, Tristan Learoyd, Paul Dalton and Paul Cook from Darlington and a few Harrogate/Ripon vests in a pretty large group all running together for the first km or so.  At the front of the pack it seemed there was a huge number running together and made for quite a surreal experience as we approached the first "undulation" when eventual winner Shaun O'Grady attacked and at that point effectively won the race.

After the first mile (5:19) I found myself in about 6th place and working my way comfortably through the field in the next mile (another 5:19) settled into third place with Shaun about 30 seconds or so in front and eventual runner up Andrew Grant from Harrogate about 10 seconds in front of me.  Looking back occasionally it seemed the gap behind was never going to be pulled back so it was a clear 1-2-3.   I tried to pull 2nd place back but he was just too strong and ended up clear.  Mile 3 (5:27), Mile 4 (5:30) and Mile 5 (5:29) meant a 27:12 clocking at the 5 mile split.   Still feeling strong I had a final attempt at pulling back 2nd place but it was clear the gap was widening and at that point thought I would enjoy the run back into Melmerby secure in the knowledge it had been a decent race and my time would be a seasons best on a fairly challenging course. 

I think because I hadn't set a specific time target I wasn't really focused on my time and the first few miles felt like a "proper race".     So to stop my watch at 34:11 was a nice pleasant surprise and much quicker than I had hoped or expected. 

Based on my last blog this then becomes the best road race I have ever done (based on the WAVA Rankings).  It clocked an 85.01% age grade which exceeds any of my previous performances including all those from 1994/95 when I set most of my all time pbs. 

Using this age predictor it predicts a marathon time of 2:34.20!   I've been in the game for too long to think that sort of time will be easy and there is a huge amount of work to be done but maybe just maybe that could be done!   

Whatever the predictions say I know that sometimes things just go well and a "stellar" performance can just creep up on you without you noticing.  Sometimes just being relaxed, enjoying your running and letting things just flow can work wonders!  Sometimes you can just work too hard and that's a lesson Ive learned only too well in the past!

Next week its the Middlesbrough 5km.  Its a super loaded field and there are loads of people throwing out predictions some wild and some achievable.  Me... I'm staying quiet about mine....I'll let the running do the talking next week.   Another 85% er would be nice though!