Racing and Training 2019

I did six at six the original route. There were 12 of us. (Roni & Carl were in Berlin). Matthew Potter, Me, Mandy Sharp (new to six at six), Justine Blaber ... I spoke to her for the first time. Sammy Jo-Jo (I am now her Facebook Freind). Plus some regulars, Sam Skelton, Chris Stevens, Colette Crew, Gary Brewster, Dan James Hen , Nicola Rose and Colin Tebby.

This was the day of the BMAF 10000 metres in Jarrow. Unusually for pre-big race night I had slept very well at the Old Rectory B&B close to Jarrow Metro station. Last night I had a meal, a mixed grill, at the Ben Lomond pub and I drank Diet Coke. I had a low carb B&B breakfast of Natural yoghurt with a few berries, then, egg, bacon, sausage, mushrooms, and half a tomato. Carb wise, I had some brown toast and butter (one and a half slices). It was quite a warm and sunny day though not as warm as Venice! There was a slight breeze at times and later on in the afternoon it was chilly in the shade. I walked to the track, that was just over a mile away. Our race was delayed for nearly an hour. There were so many entries for the M65+ and for the women that what was timetabled as one race was split into two. This actually gave me plenty of time to warm up. So it was a good thing. In the race itself I needed to beat David Jones of Stratford to collect Silver. He went off fair...

I did a speedwork session on the Riverfront path after Pilates. I did two sets of 2 * 160 + 2 * 80. The first set was relaxed the second set was fast relaxed. I have a race on Saturday so did not want to induce fatigue.

Saturday September 07 In the morning I took a stroll along the beach side walkway. I went south west-ish (?) for about 1400 metres. On the way back I saw Steven & Wendy Doxey beside the pool of their hotel. It looks like Steven has superglued his tooth back in. I stopped at a beachside café and ordered a Caffe Correcto, oops! I meant Caffe Cortado, I discovered that Caffe Correcto comes with a shot of Grappa within! I asked at hotel reception about taxis from Eraclea. The guy reckoned it might cost about €30 so that’s a bit prohibitive. I noted that there are umbrellas in the hotel doorway. That might be useful for tomorrow. I strolled up to the bus station and found out that I could buy a €3.50 return ticket to Eraclea Stadium and use it on the EMACS buses. I’ve had sleepless nights fretting about the buses. I didn’t want to pay €24 for a weekly bus pass. The event organisers kept it quiet that you could use the buses and just buy a single or return ticket. So, I got the bus...

Monday September 16 I had my usual breakfast. I spent some time at the pool. For the first time I had food at lunchtime. A meat and cheese panino and some fries with two bottles of Birra Moretti. I had a snooze then finished off back at the pool where I bumped into Louise Jeffries and her husband who were also taking their last opportunity to visit the pool. I went to the Royal Oak for steak with potatoes and a mixed salad with a Guinness for a change. I had a two-flavour ice cream at the shop next door (vanilla and Crema con una volta). I headed back to the hotel to do some packing before bedtime.

Here are two reports. The first is a reflection, the second was written shortly after the event. Sunday 15 September 2019 This was the day of the Half Marathon. Generally, I don’t sleep too well before a big race. I went to bed very early last night and so, even though I was up early, I felt well rested. I was in the hotel foyer just before 07:30. Breakfast did not start until 08:00 but the hotel proprietor offered me a coffee so I had a small jug of black Americano. I then had about 2000 metres to walk alongside the beach to the location of the race start/finish. I had a slight bad tummy which developed further as I walked alongside the beach. I managed to find a free beachside loo and used it. However, it was later on in the “race village” that the coffee worked its trick and I had an explosive dump in one of the portaloos. This was great since it fixed my dodgy tummy. So that was last night’s meal of Irish beef steak, potatoes and mixed salad (and ice cream?) dispensed with...

Saturday 14 September 2019 I ran up to the stadium for a maintenance massage which was given to me by Carmel from Tipperary. Saturday September 14 This was a recovery and massage day. Post 5000 metres and pre-half marathon. I headed to the stadium more or less as soon as I could to get to the British Masters Medical Services team before they got too busy. I was seen to by a young lady from Tipperary who treated me with expertise. I spent the afternoon at the pool and trying to relax. The rehearsals for tomorrow’s Jesolo air show were taking place so it was quite noisy at times. I had my usual meal at my usual establishment (The Royal Oak). I retired quite early.

Friday 13 September 2018 This was the day of the 5000 metres at Eraclea. I used public transport system for transport. I was using the iPhone smartapp to buy e-tickets. At the 5000 metres the caterers were packing up just as I was arriving so water shortages could have been imminent. However, Wendy Doxey gave me a bottle and I also took one from the official’s supply after the race. The M60 and M65 races had been combined as, due to bad weather, the timetable had slipped. This meant that I would definitely not be last. In this race I was running “to feel”. Bo Larsson slipped in behind me but I dropped him after maybe half of the race. I felt much better in this race than I had in the 10000 metres. Friday September 13 I had a lazy morning with a couple of hours at the pool. I was preparing for the 5000 metres so I needed to be relaxed. I headed for the bus station mid-afternoon. I caught the 19a to Eraclea. It was a very warm afternoon and there was very little water to be had....

Wednesday 11 September 2019 I did a training session in the afternoon. I ran out along the beachside path. I cut inland to the road and headed back. Running along the “main” road was not great so I devised a series of intervals where I ran the beach access roads and recovered from the effort between each beach access road. Afterwards I went to the stadium. Wednesday September 11 This was a recovery day with some swimming and some light training. I was at the pool fairly early in the morning (09:45). I watched a German couple arrive in the pool area which was empty apart from me. In one corner they meticulously laid out all their gear on four sun beds and then disappeared for an hour and a half. There was a passage from “This is going to hurt” by Adam Kay which particularly caught my attention this morning… It was Feb 29 th 2008 and a young female decided to take the leap year option to propose to her boyfriend. She bought a ring and a Kinder Surprise Egg put the ring in the...

I forgot to mention my massage on Friday 06/09/10 ... thus The weather was very bad. It was thunder and lightning and a torrential downpour. I sheltered from the worst of the weather in Bar all’Angolo where I had a Caffé Americano. I eventually got to the British Masters Medical Team and had a working on by Claudio (from London) also gave me the contact details for a really good Chiropractor in Cardiff. I watched some of the 100 metre finals and then headed back towards the Royal Oak where I had my usual steak and potatoes. Prior to the meal in the oak I went into the Gelateria across the road and had a beer and a glass of red wine. After all that I had another early night. So, on to Monday, the day of my second massage session with Claudio Monday 09 September 2019 Recovery and massage day. I had a lazy morning. I got to the pool early midday (if that is an actual time). I had a short swim to ease the stiffness in my legs and lay down for a while reading my book. I am readi...

This was the day of EMACS 2019 10000 metres at Eraclea. I was awake at 6am and did some chores then had another lie down. I drifted off and woke up again at 09:24. Breakfast is buffet-style. I no longer have any interest in the cereals or fruit. I just line the plate with thin slices of cheese and mortadella and have bacon and eggs on top. I only had one helping today. I am still having a couple of bread rolls and butter. The bread is probably not as harmful as UK supermarket bread but I would still like to cut it out. Buttery bacon rolls are rather nice though. The waitress, as soon as she spotted me, smiled and said “American coffee?”. I noticed that Athletics Weekly was Tweeting about the cross country which was taking place in the storms which have already hit Caorle. I checked the start list for the M65 Cross Country. Elio Lepore is not on it. I tried hard yesterday to get him to check at the confirmation desk but he wouldn’t have it. I notice that he did not run. I should hav...

This was the day of the first race, the 1500 metres. My race was at 15:00 so I was able to have a reasonably relaxed preparation. My goals for this race, as I posted on Facebook, were… (1) Get a season's best. (2) Don't get lapped (3) Don't come last (4) Don't be sh*t. I noted that Joe Gough from Ireland, the current world champion, was in my heat and that I've never been lapped in a 1500 metres race. I spoke to Joe before the race, he asked me how many qualify from each heat.   I explained that it was the first three from each heat then the 10 fastest losers. I succeeded in achieving each of my four goals. As it happens, Bo Larsson, a familiar adversary from Sweden, was in my heat. His season’s best time was 6:00.0 so I figured that he would be a good target. I tracked him and outsprinted him in the final few metres. We finished in times of 6:12.73 and 6:13,36 respectively. By making him my target I achieved a seasons’ best by 10 seconds. I would not have caught ...

Sunday morning at 08:00 I did an 11 mile LSR running at a very slow pace with Bethan. We went aoutbound via The Queens Way and back via Bishton, Llanwern and the SDR. Bethan did an extra mile by herself for her first 12 miles run.

Six at Six

Speedwork on the Caerleon cycle path 150 * 2 + 75 * 2 + 50 * 2

Lliswerry Track Session 12 * 400 + 1 * 200

From 14 Locks... The Old Faithful run (Canal last). We went via the new Jubilee park estate.

Pyramid session on the Caerleon cycle path 150, 250, 350, 350, 250, 150