From David Yelland
22nd August 2010
Preparation for this race had been a little aimless. I had not had any long term plans to do this race, my A race for the season is the Angelsey Half Marathon in late September, and I had just returned 2 days before the race from a 4 day break away with my wife and girls. My recent running has been very good. After the disaster of the Chester Marathon I had decided I was lacking in aerobic fitness. So the last few months had seen my weekly and monthly mileages ramp up. June had 23 hrs of running and biking, July saw 30 hours of running with me setting a new monthly record of 178.59 miles. August was going well when my wife decided we needed a short break! My expectation for August is in the 165 miles region. I hope, by the middle of next year to be consistently putting out 200 miles a month.
I did the Great Orme Challenge last year but since then the race has changed. It has grown from a 5km sprint straight up to the top of the Orme, to a 15km race around the perimeter of the Orme and back!
The combination of scenery and a clear blue sky made this race pretty challenging. The course is basically a 2 mile hill followed by a .5 mile flat section and a 2 mile decent, turn around and repeat!
On the day I was running a little late, lots of domestic stuff to sort with 4 girls at home for the holidays.
In the end I made it down to the start line with 5 mins to go before the 12am race start. I immediately pinned my bib number on and started warming up. My friend Richard had already arrived and so off we went for a warming jog. My wife and youngest child had decided to support me on this race and went off to park the car. As 12 o’clock approached I checked my 2 drinks bottles, High 5 4:1 as normal, and the horn sounded. I was trying to keep the pace pretty even for the first part of the race as my heart rate would be a major factor in this race. I had worn my ICE Skins compression shorts to help keep the heat down, but with a 20C plus forecast and 20mph easterly winds this race was going to be all about pacing.
The first mile ends with a 1000m stretch up an easy hill of about 100ft. My pace was around the 8min region which was nice and easy. My target for this race had been 80mins. This would mean around a 8.30min pace average. Considering the elevation gain, just under 1000ft, this would mean a good days work.
As the race started at 12pm I fell into a nice even pace. I was running a 10 min run 1 min walk routine for this race. I sometimes reduce the walk interval at the beginning of a race but with the constant hills this course was not suited to short recoverys. Everything was going well past mile 1 and into mile 2. My average heart rate was a bit high but it fell 17 beats during the first rest interval so everything was fine. Through mile 2 my HR only dropped 11 beats which was a bad sign. As the main hill awaited my average HR was too high to keep the pace up. My pace for mile 3 was 9.33min. Far too slow. By the end of the mile I was on the flat so my HR dropped a full 19 beats during the walking minute. By the beginning of the 4th mile I was trying to keep my HR down while running the decent. Keeping my cadence around 90 had been easy in training but now it felt much harder. At this point I saw my wife and youngest child by the road side. A quick kiss and a high five later saw me push on to the drinks table at the turn around point. The turnaround was at 41mins. I had 39 mins to get home. As I started the assent I noticed that my race number had fallen off! I turned and ran back about 10 meters to pick it up off the floor. As I picked it up it became clear that the problem was that the paper had become so wet as to be useless. I tucked it into the front of my shorts and returned to the race! The return leg went really well. I spotted a few runners in the distance and went after them. As I approached them I would need to take a walk break but by the end of the race I had them in my sights. Unfortunately the final section of the race came earlier than I had expected. I felt like I had loads of energy left as I ran the final mile in 7.23! My finishing time was 1.20.13.
I had achieved one of my goals but there was still lots more to come.
My next race is the Angelsey Half Marathon in September. My PB for this is 1.50. My target is to break 1.45 – sub 8min here I come!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
MBNA Chester Marathon 2010
(From David in the UK)
For most endeavors there is a rule book. In fact there are 2 rule books. The first set of rules are to stop people cheating each other. The second set are to ensure you don’t cheat yourself out of your best performance.
After running my first marathon on May 31st 2010 I have found that this second rule book is best written after the event!
My planning for this race was pretty through. I had abstained from caffeine for 2 weeks to ensure it’s introduction into my race would be as effective as possible. I had trained for 16 weeks in rain, snow and a little bit of sunshine. I had learnt several lessons from my recent Chester Half Marathon, just 2 weeks before. I have to say, I was as ready as I could have been.
On the days leading up to the race I had rested well. My left knee had been causing problems for a few weeks, since my last 20 miler, but it appeared to be fine as I arrived at the Chester Rugby Club at 7.30am for registration. The only open question for me was which shoes to run in. All the rest of my equipment was the same as I had run in for the last 50 runs. I had taken my racing flats with me as well as my normal running shoes. I did this because in the back of my mind I had connected the pain in my left knee with the Asics Gel Cumulus shoes I had used for most of my training. At the last moment I decided to go with the Puma Cell racing flats. The have very little protection but I have never had any soreness before after using them.
The race was due to start at 9.30am. I had been watching the weather for the last few weeks as I am not used to running in the heat. Almost all my training happens between 5am and 7am. The temperature was projected to be around the 20C mark or 70F. There was very little wind which would mean keeping my core temperature down would be vital if I was to do my best. In order for this to happen I had decided to aim at a sub 4 hour finish. My ideal target, the one I had trained for was 3 hours 40 mins. All my training runs had indicated that I was capable of this. My last 20 miler had come in at 2 hrs 54mins, on target for a time of 3 hrs 45 mins and had been achieved at a nicely aerobic heart rate.
As 9.30am approached I had decided that I was going to keep my heart rate below 150 for the first half of the race then I would take my caffeine supplement and increase that to a 160 maximum on the return.
The race started at 9.30am.
It took a few seconds to cross the timing mat and we were off.
I tried to keep my Heart Rate down and not go off too fast, I knew I would pay for it later if I did.
Mile 1 was completed in 8 mins 20 sec. My Average HR for this mile was 138. Cadence, the number of steps I took, was good at 164 steps per minute, so I wasn’t overstriding. The course was pretty flat and with the run/walk protocol I was running, 9 min 20 sec running followed by 40 sec walking I had decided to use my mp3 player. I listened to Marathon Talk, one of my favorite podcasts. This episode was exactly 1 hr 53 mins long. If I was on target I should be at the half way point as the podcast finished. This was my plan.
Mile 2 was completed in 8.30 everything was going great. AHR was 142 and cadence was 164. I was feeling very strong. My walk breaks were having the effect I hoped for. My first walk break had dropped my HR by 14 beats from 143 to 129bpm. The second break moved my HR down from 149 to 135bpm. I had no pain and everything was looking good.
Mile 3 was completed in 8.50, a little slow but it did include a small hill. AHR was up to 147, reflecting the effort on the hill but this dropped off by 6 beats after the walk break.
Miles 4 through mile 13 were perfect. AHR was 147 and cadence was around 160. My time at the turn around was around 1 hr 55 mins.
My plan was to take my caffeine supplement at 13 miles so as to keep my energy levels high for the rest of the race. However, things didn’t go exactly to plan. I was feeling very strong but I had already used 4 out of my 6 drink bottles. The sun was also starting to tell as my AHR rose above 150. I had taken my caffeine and my mp3 player was now set to play the music I had selected for my return journey. The effect of this was to give me a boost which translated into a 8.10 mile and an average HR of 160! I remember feeling incredibly strong. Ooops, a moment of portent and an “opportunity for learning” ;)
I have always found, from previous races, that if my HR goes far above 150 it is almost impossible to bring it back down below that figure. Miles 14 to 17 saw my AHR at 154, 160, 162 and 161 respectively.
I was about to find out that you should never loose concentration in the marathon. This slip would see my plan in tatters. Miles 18, 19, 20, 21 saw my average pace drop from 8.40 min miles to 10 min miles. No amount of walking was bringing my HR down, and as soon as it dropped it rose straight back up the moment I started running. I was so disillusioned with watching my HR I decided to take my strap off!
Miles 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26 were about finishing. My average pace for these miles was around 11 min 30 sec.
I never really considered giving up but as my time goals fell away I was starting to wonder what I was doing! The encouragement of this crazy running guy was great. There were people I would target to catch up to but these didn’t seem to encourage me to run as they have in previous races. I remember looking at my right wrist were my yellow Livestrong band had reminded me of my Mum’s fight against breast cancer. Through most of the race it had encouraged me to push on. In these last miles my legs were so completely spent that standing up seemed an achievement. At no point did I stop completely.
My walk breaks were now coming every 4 to 5 mins and they were keeping my AHR, I had replaced my strap during mile 24, to below 140. By this time my muscles were so tired that I couldn’t get my HR above 150 even if I tried. Then, when I was confronted with the final hill up to the finish, and I felt all I could do was walk, I spotted my wife in the crowd by the side of the road. She was waving wildly as were my kids by her side. Somewhere, maybe the same place people find the strength to rip the door off a crashed car to rescue a loved one, somewhere I found some energy. I ran up to my wife, gave her a kiss, and ran off for the final .2 of a mile. I completed this section at 7.30pace. My wife has since suggested that she ride in a car 30 seconds ahead on me along the race coarse to pull me along on my next race!
I completed the 2010 Chester Marathon in 4 hours 14 mins and 41 seconds.
There are many lessons to learn from this race. In fact there are rules I shall write in my own personal rule book for the next time I run this, or any other race. Some of these will help me run safer and faster next time and others will help me to realize what is really important in my life.
Next race is a few months off, time for some biking.
For most endeavors there is a rule book. In fact there are 2 rule books. The first set of rules are to stop people cheating each other. The second set are to ensure you don’t cheat yourself out of your best performance.
After running my first marathon on May 31st 2010 I have found that this second rule book is best written after the event!
My planning for this race was pretty through. I had abstained from caffeine for 2 weeks to ensure it’s introduction into my race would be as effective as possible. I had trained for 16 weeks in rain, snow and a little bit of sunshine. I had learnt several lessons from my recent Chester Half Marathon, just 2 weeks before. I have to say, I was as ready as I could have been.
On the days leading up to the race I had rested well. My left knee had been causing problems for a few weeks, since my last 20 miler, but it appeared to be fine as I arrived at the Chester Rugby Club at 7.30am for registration. The only open question for me was which shoes to run in. All the rest of my equipment was the same as I had run in for the last 50 runs. I had taken my racing flats with me as well as my normal running shoes. I did this because in the back of my mind I had connected the pain in my left knee with the Asics Gel Cumulus shoes I had used for most of my training. At the last moment I decided to go with the Puma Cell racing flats. The have very little protection but I have never had any soreness before after using them.
The race was due to start at 9.30am. I had been watching the weather for the last few weeks as I am not used to running in the heat. Almost all my training happens between 5am and 7am. The temperature was projected to be around the 20C mark or 70F. There was very little wind which would mean keeping my core temperature down would be vital if I was to do my best. In order for this to happen I had decided to aim at a sub 4 hour finish. My ideal target, the one I had trained for was 3 hours 40 mins. All my training runs had indicated that I was capable of this. My last 20 miler had come in at 2 hrs 54mins, on target for a time of 3 hrs 45 mins and had been achieved at a nicely aerobic heart rate.
As 9.30am approached I had decided that I was going to keep my heart rate below 150 for the first half of the race then I would take my caffeine supplement and increase that to a 160 maximum on the return.
The race started at 9.30am.
It took a few seconds to cross the timing mat and we were off.
I tried to keep my Heart Rate down and not go off too fast, I knew I would pay for it later if I did.
Mile 1 was completed in 8 mins 20 sec. My Average HR for this mile was 138. Cadence, the number of steps I took, was good at 164 steps per minute, so I wasn’t overstriding. The course was pretty flat and with the run/walk protocol I was running, 9 min 20 sec running followed by 40 sec walking I had decided to use my mp3 player. I listened to Marathon Talk, one of my favorite podcasts. This episode was exactly 1 hr 53 mins long. If I was on target I should be at the half way point as the podcast finished. This was my plan.
Mile 2 was completed in 8.30 everything was going great. AHR was 142 and cadence was 164. I was feeling very strong. My walk breaks were having the effect I hoped for. My first walk break had dropped my HR by 14 beats from 143 to 129bpm. The second break moved my HR down from 149 to 135bpm. I had no pain and everything was looking good.
Mile 3 was completed in 8.50, a little slow but it did include a small hill. AHR was up to 147, reflecting the effort on the hill but this dropped off by 6 beats after the walk break.
Miles 4 through mile 13 were perfect. AHR was 147 and cadence was around 160. My time at the turn around was around 1 hr 55 mins.
My plan was to take my caffeine supplement at 13 miles so as to keep my energy levels high for the rest of the race. However, things didn’t go exactly to plan. I was feeling very strong but I had already used 4 out of my 6 drink bottles. The sun was also starting to tell as my AHR rose above 150. I had taken my caffeine and my mp3 player was now set to play the music I had selected for my return journey. The effect of this was to give me a boost which translated into a 8.10 mile and an average HR of 160! I remember feeling incredibly strong. Ooops, a moment of portent and an “opportunity for learning” ;)
I have always found, from previous races, that if my HR goes far above 150 it is almost impossible to bring it back down below that figure. Miles 14 to 17 saw my AHR at 154, 160, 162 and 161 respectively.
I was about to find out that you should never loose concentration in the marathon. This slip would see my plan in tatters. Miles 18, 19, 20, 21 saw my average pace drop from 8.40 min miles to 10 min miles. No amount of walking was bringing my HR down, and as soon as it dropped it rose straight back up the moment I started running. I was so disillusioned with watching my HR I decided to take my strap off!
Miles 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26 were about finishing. My average pace for these miles was around 11 min 30 sec.
I never really considered giving up but as my time goals fell away I was starting to wonder what I was doing! The encouragement of this crazy running guy was great. There were people I would target to catch up to but these didn’t seem to encourage me to run as they have in previous races. I remember looking at my right wrist were my yellow Livestrong band had reminded me of my Mum’s fight against breast cancer. Through most of the race it had encouraged me to push on. In these last miles my legs were so completely spent that standing up seemed an achievement. At no point did I stop completely.
My walk breaks were now coming every 4 to 5 mins and they were keeping my AHR, I had replaced my strap during mile 24, to below 140. By this time my muscles were so tired that I couldn’t get my HR above 150 even if I tried. Then, when I was confronted with the final hill up to the finish, and I felt all I could do was walk, I spotted my wife in the crowd by the side of the road. She was waving wildly as were my kids by her side. Somewhere, maybe the same place people find the strength to rip the door off a crashed car to rescue a loved one, somewhere I found some energy. I ran up to my wife, gave her a kiss, and ran off for the final .2 of a mile. I completed this section at 7.30pace. My wife has since suggested that she ride in a car 30 seconds ahead on me along the race coarse to pull me along on my next race!
I completed the 2010 Chester Marathon in 4 hours 14 mins and 41 seconds.
There are many lessons to learn from this race. In fact there are rules I shall write in my own personal rule book for the next time I run this, or any other race. Some of these will help me run safer and faster next time and others will help me to realize what is really important in my life.
Next race is a few months off, time for some biking.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Shell Chester Half Marathon 2010 - May 16, 2010
(From David in the UK)
Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it. (George Santayana)
The weather forecast for Sunday May 16th was for temps around 13C and cloud cover, with the likelihood of rain showers. It was for this reason that I felt confident heat/wind would not be an issue.
On the other hand my sleep had not been great in the days leading up to this race and I had decided to enjoy my favorite meal of vegetable tikka masala on the evening before. In addition I had not fasted from caffeine as I had done last year. Looking back now this tells me something about how I was thinking. The FIRST training plan I have been following had a 13 mile run at marathon pace, 8.23 for me, in the plan. So it was a happy coincidence that this race fit in perfectly.
I had prepared my drinks before I left the house with 6 scoops of powder across the 4 8oz bottles. 2 of the bottles had 4 caffeine tablets in them. I took 4 Sportslegs 1 hour before the start, as I have done before all of my races, be they bike or running. I was wearing my original Asics Cumulus 6 shoes, my knee length compression socks, my Skins shorts and a racing singlet.
We started at 9.30 exactly. I had decided not to wear my mp3 player, a decision which I regretted later. I had also decided not to wear my white cap, which, in the end, was another error.
The first time I had run this race I had chatted to 2 people on the road which both served to keep my HR down and ease the pain. This time I was doing a 9.30-30 run walk. The race was a much more solitary experience because of it. I believe that I can run faster with the run walk but I’m not sure it was worth it.
My plan for the race was to try to keep to a 8 min pace for as long as possible. My hope was that I could bring it home in 1 hr 45 mins. This would mean 8 min pace from start to finish.
As the race started everything was going to plan.
1st mile in 7.50 AHR was a bit high at 153 but I had my walk break to come.
2nd mile in 7.51 AHR was also high at 158 but my concentration was on the pace and not my HR. Another mistake – I will not do this for the marathon!
Miles 3 through 10 were perfectly on pace. The first 10 miles were completed in exactly 80 mins, a new record for me for this distance! My HR had breached the 160 level after just 5 miles though. Looking back now to last year’s race, I had completed the same 10 miles in a time of 1 hr 29 mins and 54 sec, so a PB for the race was definitely on the cards.
After having a problem, at the start of mile 11, with my watch I combined the resetting of it with a walk break. This one lasted just under a minute, longer than required but needed as I was feeling pretty tired. Mile 11 was completed in 9.12 including the walk-break. Mile 12 was completed in 8.45 including a 40 sec walk break. As I approached the hill during mile 13, I was finding it pretty hard to keep everything together. I started my favorite phase of the race – the rabbit chase! Looking up I saw the least fit / most tired looking runner in front of me and tried to push to catch them. Normally I feel like I am pressing the “NITRO” button which helps me find the last dregs of energy in my legs. This time there was nothing there. I tried again still nothing there. Now I was running down the other side of the hill. Still there was nothing, I was hanging on for dear life! As I cruised to the line I was passed by a runner who had been behind me for 5 miles. I had failed. That’s how it felt and that’s how it still feels.
Not a very positive run for me, lots of lessons to learn. Everything from needing to reduce the risk of suffering with the heat to considering some entertainment on the route.
On reflection I ran a PB for the distance of 1 hr 47 min and 48 sec. I broke my PB for the race by 8 mins and 30 sec. I easily ran the 8 min 23 sec pace that my marathon training plan asked for but I set a target and I failed to achieve it. Next time will be different…………………………..to be continued ;)
The Chester Marathon takes place on Monday 31st May 2010 in Chester, UK. Please pray for me on that day if you can as I will be running it for my Mum who died of Breast Cancer 8 years ago.
Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it. (George Santayana)
The weather forecast for Sunday May 16th was for temps around 13C and cloud cover, with the likelihood of rain showers. It was for this reason that I felt confident heat/wind would not be an issue.
On the other hand my sleep had not been great in the days leading up to this race and I had decided to enjoy my favorite meal of vegetable tikka masala on the evening before. In addition I had not fasted from caffeine as I had done last year. Looking back now this tells me something about how I was thinking. The FIRST training plan I have been following had a 13 mile run at marathon pace, 8.23 for me, in the plan. So it was a happy coincidence that this race fit in perfectly.
I had prepared my drinks before I left the house with 6 scoops of powder across the 4 8oz bottles. 2 of the bottles had 4 caffeine tablets in them. I took 4 Sportslegs 1 hour before the start, as I have done before all of my races, be they bike or running. I was wearing my original Asics Cumulus 6 shoes, my knee length compression socks, my Skins shorts and a racing singlet.
We started at 9.30 exactly. I had decided not to wear my mp3 player, a decision which I regretted later. I had also decided not to wear my white cap, which, in the end, was another error.
The first time I had run this race I had chatted to 2 people on the road which both served to keep my HR down and ease the pain. This time I was doing a 9.30-30 run walk. The race was a much more solitary experience because of it. I believe that I can run faster with the run walk but I’m not sure it was worth it.
My plan for the race was to try to keep to a 8 min pace for as long as possible. My hope was that I could bring it home in 1 hr 45 mins. This would mean 8 min pace from start to finish.
As the race started everything was going to plan.
1st mile in 7.50 AHR was a bit high at 153 but I had my walk break to come.
2nd mile in 7.51 AHR was also high at 158 but my concentration was on the pace and not my HR. Another mistake – I will not do this for the marathon!
Miles 3 through 10 were perfectly on pace. The first 10 miles were completed in exactly 80 mins, a new record for me for this distance! My HR had breached the 160 level after just 5 miles though. Looking back now to last year’s race, I had completed the same 10 miles in a time of 1 hr 29 mins and 54 sec, so a PB for the race was definitely on the cards.
After having a problem, at the start of mile 11, with my watch I combined the resetting of it with a walk break. This one lasted just under a minute, longer than required but needed as I was feeling pretty tired. Mile 11 was completed in 9.12 including the walk-break. Mile 12 was completed in 8.45 including a 40 sec walk break. As I approached the hill during mile 13, I was finding it pretty hard to keep everything together. I started my favorite phase of the race – the rabbit chase! Looking up I saw the least fit / most tired looking runner in front of me and tried to push to catch them. Normally I feel like I am pressing the “NITRO” button which helps me find the last dregs of energy in my legs. This time there was nothing there. I tried again still nothing there. Now I was running down the other side of the hill. Still there was nothing, I was hanging on for dear life! As I cruised to the line I was passed by a runner who had been behind me for 5 miles. I had failed. That’s how it felt and that’s how it still feels.
Not a very positive run for me, lots of lessons to learn. Everything from needing to reduce the risk of suffering with the heat to considering some entertainment on the route.
On reflection I ran a PB for the distance of 1 hr 47 min and 48 sec. I broke my PB for the race by 8 mins and 30 sec. I easily ran the 8 min 23 sec pace that my marathon training plan asked for but I set a target and I failed to achieve it. Next time will be different…………………………..to be continued ;)
The Chester Marathon takes place on Monday 31st May 2010 in Chester, UK. Please pray for me on that day if you can as I will be running it for my Mum who died of Breast Cancer 8 years ago.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Country Music Half Marathon in Nashville - April 24, 2010
(Connie, "OH Cowgirl")
The drive to Nashville started about 8am on Friday. Except for the rain, the trip down was uneventful. Luckily hubby is very organized and we were able to make the packet pickup at the Nashville Convention Center by about 4pm.
I was dreading that but it was so organized that it took us less than 10 minutes. What was great was the group of high school girls cheering for the runners who were making their way to the packet pick up points.
The T-shirt is nice. I saw a lot of people already wearing theirs so I already knew what they looked like before we got to that table. Again, everything was so organized it took no time at all to pick up the T’s and the goodie bag.
We headed into the Expo, buying another T-shirt and a magnet from the Brooks section. I think the thing that amazed me the most was the amounts of money changing hands everywhere we went.
We left the Brooks section and attempted to walk around the Expo but being exhausted from the drive we only lasted about an hour before heading for our hotel.
I had a couple pieces of cheese pizza for dinner, hydrated well and was in bed by 10. Sadly, sleep was elusive but I knew it would be. I was really nervous. I get lost so easily and I’m really not good in crowds…but I wanted to run this race.
We were up at 3:30 and on our way by 5. We were only 8 minutes away from the parking so figured we’d get there in time. Traffic was horrendous- dumping us near the parking at the Tennessee Titan Stadium just before the race was to start. I still had to catch a shuttle to get to the starting line. By the time we got there all the corrals had started and I was at the rear even behind the walkers.
(OK…I have 2 gripes I’ll insert here. 1. Porta-potties – OMG…I KNOW runners aren’t pigs but you wouldn’t know that from the bathrooms. They were disgusting. I have never seen anything so disgusting in my life. 2. Walkers- Please, please, please move to the sides…right or left or both is fine…just allow the runners to get through. (This is not to the ones in the rear…but the ones further up in the race…and the Galloway walkers. Don’t just stop and start walking with no warning when there are runners all around.)
Hubby said I was very last to start but that I was near the middle within the first couple miles.
The music was good and loud but couldn’t drown out the cheering of the spectators along the route.
Even though my times don’t show it, I felt strong, even on the hills until about Mile 8. I decided to test another Porta-pottie and it took almost 10 minutes to get back on the road. I again had to fight my way through the walkers.
My end time was 2:45 and some change which was terrible as far as I was concerned but I think I know where part of the problem was (I mean besides hills and walkers). My Nike Plus is off. It read 16+ miles at the end of the race. (So my next purchase (or gift request) will be a much more accurate device like a Garmin.)
I also need to mention the weather. It was hot and humid. We had been watching the weather report and the Nashville Race site for 2 days…expecting the Race Directors to cancel the race. What they did was divert the Marathoners with times over 4 hours to finish on the half course. I know they were disappointed but it was the right thing to do as the storm hit within moments of me finishing the race and picking up my medal. It became a terrible storm within minutes.
So, though my time was much slower than I was expecting, I learned a lot. I’m sure it would have been better if I’d had someone physically running at my side and I did have a personal podcast from a dear friend, AirForce Ted from You Don’t Have To Run Alone (and his beautiful daughters) playing in my ear almost the entire way. It helped so much.
My thanks go to Matt (The CrazyRunner) for the opportunity to run this race, to Ted (You Don’t Have To Run Alone) for running in my ear most of the way, to my hubby who was amazing through the whole experience and has told me several times just how proud of me he is…as well to my friends and family and my runner friends on Twitter who sent me good wishes, followed me online during the race and sent me positive comments afterwards. Y’all are just awesome.
Well…that was my first road race and thanks for sharing it with me.
Connie (OHCowgirl)
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Twin Piers 10k – Saturday 23rd January 2010 1pm
(From David in the UK)
“It’s a beautiful day, don’t let it get away……..” U2
Saturday 23rd January contained more joy for me than I have felt in quite a while. Don’t get me wrong I feel the luckiest man in the world to have a wonderful wife and 5 fantastic kids. I have a great life which brings me great joy, but once in a while joy can surprise you.
I am a person who, when confronted by a busy day, turns to lists in order to ensure things get done. The list for Saturday 23rd included registering for my youngest child’s race, running the race, transporting some of the other kids into town, getting to my race, running the race and getting back home in time to make lunch for everyone. The afternoon was pretty quite.
The first race of the day was my youngest daughter’s. After some messing about we got to the registration area with 5 mins to spare. She was very excited. As we approached the start area, of the 3k race, I had a minor feeling of concern. My daughter likes pink. Anything pink. So, not surprisingly she dressed, as she does normally from head to toe in pink! At one point she had intended to wear a pink wig she has for dressing up but eventually she decided to leave it off as it “might make me sweat too much!”
Her liking for pink would not normally have been an issue but as we looked around the start area for the race all the other kids were dressed in “proper” running gear. The only non-black non-lycra item I could see was an orange strap being worn by one of the smallest kids. She could have felt intimidated, and in a way I’m sure she felt a little uncomfortable as she lined up but she really did me proud. As the race started most of the kids went off like crazy. My daughter, not hard to spot in the group tried valiantly to keep up. After 500 metres it was clear she was lagging a little behind as she disappeared off into the distance. In the following 15 mins everyone completed the course except for my daughter. Looking up the course I could see a small pink dot. As I walked towards the dot, it was clear that my daughter was on her way back. The nearer I got to her it was clear she was still running. She crossed the line in 23.01 mins knocking 10 mins off her PB for the distance. I was without doubt the proudest parent on the line. It was only when we returned to the house that I discovered the age limit on the race was 11-16. She weighs in at 9 years and 3 months. After the race she couldn’t stop talking about it. She can’t wait for the next race.. I think the bug has bitten her
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My race started with a 5 min warm-up as I looked for my friends. I had been training pretty hard for the previous 8 weeks so my expectations were high. The weather was perfect, almost no wind and 5C. The course follows the coastal road from Llandudno Pier to Colwyn Bay Pier. The first 2k run is flat, followed by a 1k assent up 300ft, then a sharp decent followed by a slow drop down to below sea level! A level section is followed by a small rise and finally a 4km slight decent to the finish.
The conditions were great, the scenery was beautiful and my training had been good. My target was sub-48 mins. The year before I had done this race as my first race after just 22 days of training during which I had done a mere 44 miles of running! Now, 1 year later I had 1348 miles under my feet and real hopes of knocking 7 mins off my 10k PB. It was time to see how well the Runners World training plan I had used would serve me.
1pm Llandudno Pier
We were OFF – 1st mile in 7.25 just trying to get into a rhythm. One of the training tools I’d used was the Dean Karnazez running tempo workout I’d bought from Carmichael Training Systems website. I’d used this once a week for the last 6 weeks and it helped me achieve a good early running stride. Trying to keep my HR down as the climb up the Little Orme was looming in front of us.
Mile 2 started on the flat but the climb was right there in front. Heart rate started to creep towards 160. I have a heart condition which means my heart is not as efficient as it might be which means my heart reacts more slowly than most. This means I need to keep an eye on my HR as it can be hard to pull it down when I get into the anaerobic zone. I was running past quite a few people as I went up the hill so I decided to take a walk break for 45 sec to control my heart rate and avoid running the steepest section. Got to the top in good shape with AHR of 161. 2nd mile completed in 15.45min.
Mile 3 sees the sharp decent off the Little Orme and into the long run down to Rhos on Sea. I was feeling pretty strong and, having practiced high cadence downhill running for the last 6 months I increased my cadence from 84 up to over 90 steps per minute. I got a great boost from seeing my wife and youngest child waiting by the side of the road. Their support really helped to keep my concentrating on the task. My pace for this mile also reflected the downhill bonus – 7.10 for the mile. 3rd mile completed in 22.55min
The course now follows the shore line down into Rhos on Sea. I was finding it hard keeping my heart rate down. My hydration was good but I was starting to feel a bit weak. I tried to target my cadence, trying to keep it over 85 steps per min. I achieved an average of 84 for the 4th mile with a AHR of 165 and a pace of 7.56min. Total time after 4 miles was 30.51.
It was at this time that I stopped taking much notice of my watch. I know what an 8 min mile pace feels like so I tried to keep to that. It was a this time that the words of Dean Karnazez came back to me. “It’s at times like this in a race when you known you’ve paid your dues, if you have – you know!” I had definitely paid my dues and I was confident I could push through and achieve my goal. Pace for mile 5 was 7.59min. Total time at end of mile 5 was 38.50min.
The final full mile of the race starts with a slight decent from Rhos to the Colwyn Bay Pier. I was feeling pretty tired by now and I didn’t expect and major accelerations to be on the cards for the rest of the race. My average cadence had dropped to 83 and I was really topping out with a AHR of 167. I tried to motivate myself to run faster by spotting people up front and trying to catch them. This did seem to give me a boost as I finished mile 6 in 46.20, with a 6th mile pace of 7.30min.
The final .2 of a mile was just a crazy race for the tape. I didn’t know what my time was but I was going to give it everything I had left. My HR maxed at 174, 2 beats over my previous maximum and I crossed the line in 47.23min. This made my final .2m pace 5.25! So there were some fireworks after all
As I sucked hard for my breath it started to dawn on me that I had done it! All those crazy training runs at 6am had paid off. I had paid my dues and achieved the results I deserved. Next race in 2 weeks – The Nick Beer 10k 2010.
“It’s a beautiful day, don’t let it get away……..” U2
Saturday 23rd January contained more joy for me than I have felt in quite a while. Don’t get me wrong I feel the luckiest man in the world to have a wonderful wife and 5 fantastic kids. I have a great life which brings me great joy, but once in a while joy can surprise you.
I am a person who, when confronted by a busy day, turns to lists in order to ensure things get done. The list for Saturday 23rd included registering for my youngest child’s race, running the race, transporting some of the other kids into town, getting to my race, running the race and getting back home in time to make lunch for everyone. The afternoon was pretty quite.
The first race of the day was my youngest daughter’s. After some messing about we got to the registration area with 5 mins to spare. She was very excited. As we approached the start area, of the 3k race, I had a minor feeling of concern. My daughter likes pink. Anything pink. So, not surprisingly she dressed, as she does normally from head to toe in pink! At one point she had intended to wear a pink wig she has for dressing up but eventually she decided to leave it off as it “might make me sweat too much!”
Her liking for pink would not normally have been an issue but as we looked around the start area for the race all the other kids were dressed in “proper” running gear. The only non-black non-lycra item I could see was an orange strap being worn by one of the smallest kids. She could have felt intimidated, and in a way I’m sure she felt a little uncomfortable as she lined up but she really did me proud. As the race started most of the kids went off like crazy. My daughter, not hard to spot in the group tried valiantly to keep up. After 500 metres it was clear she was lagging a little behind as she disappeared off into the distance. In the following 15 mins everyone completed the course except for my daughter. Looking up the course I could see a small pink dot. As I walked towards the dot, it was clear that my daughter was on her way back. The nearer I got to her it was clear she was still running. She crossed the line in 23.01 mins knocking 10 mins off her PB for the distance. I was without doubt the proudest parent on the line. It was only when we returned to the house that I discovered the age limit on the race was 11-16. She weighs in at 9 years and 3 months. After the race she couldn’t stop talking about it. She can’t wait for the next race.. I think the bug has bitten her
--------------------------------------------------------------------
My race started with a 5 min warm-up as I looked for my friends. I had been training pretty hard for the previous 8 weeks so my expectations were high. The weather was perfect, almost no wind and 5C. The course follows the coastal road from Llandudno Pier to Colwyn Bay Pier. The first 2k run is flat, followed by a 1k assent up 300ft, then a sharp decent followed by a slow drop down to below sea level! A level section is followed by a small rise and finally a 4km slight decent to the finish.
The conditions were great, the scenery was beautiful and my training had been good. My target was sub-48 mins. The year before I had done this race as my first race after just 22 days of training during which I had done a mere 44 miles of running! Now, 1 year later I had 1348 miles under my feet and real hopes of knocking 7 mins off my 10k PB. It was time to see how well the Runners World training plan I had used would serve me.
1pm Llandudno Pier
We were OFF – 1st mile in 7.25 just trying to get into a rhythm. One of the training tools I’d used was the Dean Karnazez running tempo workout I’d bought from Carmichael Training Systems website. I’d used this once a week for the last 6 weeks and it helped me achieve a good early running stride. Trying to keep my HR down as the climb up the Little Orme was looming in front of us.
Mile 2 started on the flat but the climb was right there in front. Heart rate started to creep towards 160. I have a heart condition which means my heart is not as efficient as it might be which means my heart reacts more slowly than most. This means I need to keep an eye on my HR as it can be hard to pull it down when I get into the anaerobic zone. I was running past quite a few people as I went up the hill so I decided to take a walk break for 45 sec to control my heart rate and avoid running the steepest section. Got to the top in good shape with AHR of 161. 2nd mile completed in 15.45min.
Mile 3 sees the sharp decent off the Little Orme and into the long run down to Rhos on Sea. I was feeling pretty strong and, having practiced high cadence downhill running for the last 6 months I increased my cadence from 84 up to over 90 steps per minute. I got a great boost from seeing my wife and youngest child waiting by the side of the road. Their support really helped to keep my concentrating on the task. My pace for this mile also reflected the downhill bonus – 7.10 for the mile. 3rd mile completed in 22.55min
The course now follows the shore line down into Rhos on Sea. I was finding it hard keeping my heart rate down. My hydration was good but I was starting to feel a bit weak. I tried to target my cadence, trying to keep it over 85 steps per min. I achieved an average of 84 for the 4th mile with a AHR of 165 and a pace of 7.56min. Total time after 4 miles was 30.51.
It was at this time that I stopped taking much notice of my watch. I know what an 8 min mile pace feels like so I tried to keep to that. It was a this time that the words of Dean Karnazez came back to me. “It’s at times like this in a race when you known you’ve paid your dues, if you have – you know!” I had definitely paid my dues and I was confident I could push through and achieve my goal. Pace for mile 5 was 7.59min. Total time at end of mile 5 was 38.50min.
The final full mile of the race starts with a slight decent from Rhos to the Colwyn Bay Pier. I was feeling pretty tired by now and I didn’t expect and major accelerations to be on the cards for the rest of the race. My average cadence had dropped to 83 and I was really topping out with a AHR of 167. I tried to motivate myself to run faster by spotting people up front and trying to catch them. This did seem to give me a boost as I finished mile 6 in 46.20, with a 6th mile pace of 7.30min.
The final .2 of a mile was just a crazy race for the tape. I didn’t know what my time was but I was going to give it everything I had left. My HR maxed at 174, 2 beats over my previous maximum and I crossed the line in 47.23min. This made my final .2m pace 5.25! So there were some fireworks after all
As I sucked hard for my breath it started to dawn on me that I had done it! All those crazy training runs at 6am had paid off. I had paid my dues and achieved the results I deserved. Next race in 2 weeks – The Nick Beer 10k 2010.
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