Racing and Training 2019

Sport Massage with Josie. Also... my Nike Vaporfly 4% have arrived

I was lead for group 4. Interval training on the riverfront 2 bridges circuit. 4 reps. I ran reasonably well

10 mile LSR with Dave Prowse. The Lliswerry 8 plus the road loop start and finish. Dave finished strongly.

We did the Newport 10K Route for Six @ Six. A nice steady pace too. There were 10 of us. Me, Steve Crowther & Roni. Julie Davies, Julie Bates, Collette Crewe, Andrew Thomas, Paul Price, Sam Skelton & Dave Prowse.

It was a mile rep tracks session. I did the warm up then pulled out on the first mile after 1 lap due to a pain in my left ankle.

pm I did the Greyhound Run with group 5. There were 15 of us. This is my report.. A sizeable group 5 on the Greyhound run tonight ran impressively well. One faction broke away from the main pack. They were clearly targeting promotion to group 4. A big thank you to Teej for tail running and to Julie Davies, Sue Urbano, Liz Kenward, Liz Crook, Alison Carter, Julia Groombridge, Chris Lacey, Charlie Thomas, Maria English, Diane Potter, Rachel Elizabeth, Leanne Westacott and Mike Bonnet for your good company.

I did the Bramley 20. I stayed at the New Inn Heckfield. I watched Newport County v Man City in the Four Horseshoes at Sherfield on Lodden. I started Sunday morning with a full English Breakfast. I drove toward Bramley via Sherfield on Lodden and was directed to an alternative car park on a small business estate. It was about a mile to the race HQ. I had decided to run "to feel" rather than any set pace. The first mile was easy but probably a bit quick at 8:00. I could see Steve Goodwin ahead of me for most of the first lap. He gained on me during the second lap. I slowed due to fatigue over the last four miles (which are predominantly uphill). It was at this point that the leading over 65 (Gerry Smith)  passed me. He is a seasoned marathon runner. As is Steve Goodwin.

Six at Six. We did the Newport 10K course . This was an excellent session taken by Steve Crowther and myself. Sian Nicholls posted thus: Great run tonight with the 6@6 crew, thank you  Steve Crowther  and  Dave Proffitt  for looking after us all  — with  Anna Champs ,  Richard Talbot ,  Dave Proffitt ,  Charlie Thomas ,  Susan Urbano ,  Andy Barry   and  Bethan Coles .

Lunchtime: I had a massage with Josie The track session tonight was Yasso 800s So 10 * 800 with equal time recoveries to predict marathon time. I just did two reps at an easy pace (8 minute miling). I realized that, due to the massage earlier, I was not in condition to do the full set so I stopped.

Did a track session with NEWT. 3 * 2000 each block was at 12:30 I was running the reps in about 11:42 last one was quicker.

am I did an LSr with the 10 minutes per mile crew. We did an out and back from the NISV up the 14 locks arm of the canal to Risca. We turned at 9 miles. I posted this on Facebook... Ran today's LSR on tired legs after yesterday's X-C. Tough run this morning, mostly on the canal out to Risca and back. Turned at 9 miles. At the end, took the shortest route back from the SDR /Corpa Road Junction to end up with 17¾ miles. Hot footed it to Rodney Parade ... all tickets gone!  🙁  My revised plan for next Saturday (Bramley 20 weekend) is to watch the game on the telly at the New Inn, Heckfield.

I did the Gwent League fixture at Pontypool Park. As I am 65 I can run in the senior women's race. That is much better! It was a fairly tough course. The documentation said 6.4 km it may have been short but with the tight twists and turns it depends how it was measured. I loved it. It may have done my ankle some good to run on that mixed terrain. We shall see how it goes tomorrow!

Did a hill rep session on Beechwood Road ... leading Group 4. The group comprised (from memory since I did not do a head count). Me, Sam Skelton, Steve Crowther, Mike Titley, Emily Chinn, Kristian Sinclair, Nicola Sinclair, Sarah Francis, Georgie Tidswell, Tall Lawrence, Diane Potter, John Edwards, Paul Dursley. We did 3 sets of three reps with two minutes recovery. One rep was from the main gate opposite Beechfield Avenue to the top with a jog back down, turn and go again. I accidentally paused my Garmin rather than press the lap button at the start of one of the reps.

am Did an 18 mile LSR at 10 minute mile pace. It was pretty good too. Very cold at the start with compacted snow and ice on some parts of the route. I don't feel particularly strong on the hills but apart from that it went well. Tired a bit towards the end. Left ankle a bit sore. I met Michelle Church on this run. She is a friend of Sarah Francis. She did Newport last year in GFA and is running London this year.

we did 6 * 800 metre reps on the SDR bridge. That is from round the back of the Blaina Wharf to where the slip road near Morrison's straightens out.

pm First session back after illness... Sore throat & head cold As it was a very cold night we changed the scheduled hill session to an interval session at the river front. I tail ran with group 6. Which most mostly Maria Atkin. Julia Groombridge was there for a while. Laura Richards, Steve Crowther, Julie Bates, Richard Talbot, Alison Carter, Liz Crook, Liz Kenward, plus the guy with Cerebral Palsy (Craig?).  

pm I did an interval session with Group 5. Reps from close to the Newport Clock to close to the Llanwern Bull. 6 reps... each rep was approximately 400 metres and was taking about 2 minute with 2 minutes recovery. New people tonight included ... Tall Paul (Russell) , small Theresa, Rachel and Eve. Morgana Daniel was there too (I last saw her 8 days previously on the Greyhound Run). Others were... Kate Parry-Jones, Rachel Avon, Gaynor Lugg, Shappers, Julia Davies, Gareth Yeomans, Colin Tebby etc...

pm On a cold night I did the High Cross Horror as tail runner for group 6. After a number of consecutive days of running it was good to be able to use this as a recovery run.

pm I did the NEWT track session. 3 * 1200 off 12:30 i.e. each rep / recovery lasts 12:30 i total. S & C exercises and warm up with Paul before the main session was good

I did the Braunton 10 mile road race. I didn't specifically warm up. So my first mile or so was my warm up. My early miles were close to 8 minute miling. The first big hill is a tough climb - it starts at about 3 miles into the race and is a  90 metres ascent over three quarters of a mile. There is some downhill (obviously) and the next big climb starts at about 5.5 miles and lasts for just over half a mile.The last 4 miles are down hill even though it seems that there is some uphill included. My time was faster than my 2008 time!. I lost about 3.5 minutes on the first hill and a couple of minutes on the second hill. So I reckon this equates to maybe a 78 minutes to 80 minutes 10 miles on easier terrain. My note to Keith... Yes, it was good to get some racing experience. I didn’t warm up for the race so the first couple of miles was my warm up. It is a road race with two big hills twixt the undulations. The first big hill is a tough climb - it starts at about 3 miles into ...