What a day…
By Chris | Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Well what a day! Crispy cold, bright sunshine, no underwater bits and best of all, most of the mud was semi-frozen. The water and smiles at the check points were nice too. The finish looming out of the darkness was even nicer, especially as I had a well meaning mate bawling on the phone saying, ‘you’d better be running boy’, ‘where are you?’ and ‘you can get in under 12 hrs if you try’.
Well I fell into Kathy’s arms (figuratively speaking) in 11:59, just 4 minutes inside my predicted time of 12:03 and nearly 2 hrs inside my original finishing time. Woo, hoo. I ain’t no speed runner but this was a good time for me (a PB) and all achieved with a mega blister and a dopey right leg. So was this vast improvement down to my having invested some of my cash in a personal coach? I like to think it was. Certainly my endurance and pacing was much better and even though I walked some, my fitness was still much improved.
Great day all round. Got the gong and the obligatory mug. Even the T-shirt fitted. Medium Steve, not large like you tried to give me.
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The finish line - and beyond
By Patrick | Monday, February 18, 2008
It´s all over now. After months of preparations and a hard day on the Thames Path the Thames Meander is now behind me. Good, but also a bit sad.
I had a fine day overall. Freezing temperature at the start. It was a bit hard to run straight into the wind the first 10 to 15 miles. The muddy sections during the first half also took their toll. I got passed by quite a few during the first 4 to 5 hours. But later on I found my stride. I teamed up with Jan Soderqvist who is an excellent map-reader and he guided us through the tricky parts of the course.
During the late afternoon we ran along as smoothly as can be expected on an ultra. We got into some navigations problems after the last checkpoint, where the wind was absolutely freezing as well, and lost the chance of a sub 10 hour time.
The last 3-4 miles along the river were great. For the first time ever I managed to increase my speed during the last section of an ultra. I think I did the last 4 miles at about 8min45s per mile. It almost felt like flying.
My hat is off to all runners, the organizers and to all volunteers that stood outside in the cold most of the day waiting for us and passing on water and kind words.
Feeling good
By Andy | Monday, February 11, 2008
Have felt surprisingly good all week despite the 80 odd miles at the weekend. My wife normally likes to run with me on the day after a long event as she can make me suffer as she runs ahead but we went out on Monday and ran 5-6 miles over the hills locally and I felt good the whole way.
On Tuesday I started a new programme in the gym which is working more on my upper body ready for the MDS, this felt OK too. I even managed a run on the treadmill again before the circuits class on Wednesday. Obviously this training lark is starting to pay off.
However on Thursday I went for a run with Nigel and we were both not feeling particularly energetic so cut the run short, maybe I wasn’t as lively as I thought. Finished up the week with another gym session.
As I am tapering towards the Thames Meander I will have two shorter runs this weekend to ease down from last weekend and ready for next.
Getting close
By Patrick | Friday, February 8, 2008
The last week before a big race is always peculiar. You are supposed to rest and therefore you get a lot spare time and nagging urge to go out and run, which you should not do. I try to distract myself by devoting my time to choose the right clothes and extra equipment. I decided to not use a headlight. Instead I will a strong small torchlight and a good reflex vest to make sure I am visible.
I will go out for medium long run tomorrow night to test that everything works well.
Ready to taper
By Andy | Friday, February 8, 2008
Up early and caught a bus to the start in Brentford for the Town to Tring 40 mile race. I was carrying a reasonable size pack with 2 days food and clothing as I had spent the night at a friends in London.We started off early and it was cold and icy the whole way but the weather was lovely. Loads of friendly marshalls and runners all along the Grand Union Canal and despite a slow start and a mid race slowdown I managed to finish reasonably well in about 7 hours. Got back to my hotel room and found out that my friend had loaded up my pack with some bags of coins to add extra weight, I was too tired so just laughed.
First thing Sunday was mentally hard, stiff legs and general fatigue meant the last thing I wanted to do was put on my smelly running gear and run back with a pack. I lost the extra ballast and started having met Pat on the start line. The weather was a bit warmer but there was a headwind nearly the whole way. The first 10 miles I took steady and was actually feeling not too bad, the next 10 were harder and I was starting to flag. The last 20 were done with my head and not my legs but managed to carry on at a reasonable pace. I also ran the last 25 totally alone apart from passing the odd person and the checkpoints which was mentally hard but should prepare me better for those hours in the desert. I finished in just under 7 and a half hours so was reasonably pleased. I did feel that I could have gone for longer as my legs had just settled into a steady pace but the only injury I picked up was a blister on my small toe.
Now for a well earned taper before the Thames Meander.
Long weekend at an Algarve training camp
By Chris | Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Just got back from a long weekend training camp in the Algarve. Nice weather (with a dash of rain thrown in on the last day), nice people and good quality training. Okay, perhaps this training mainly focused on those who were there to boost their marathon training but I found it useful and informative never the less, especially so as far as pacing is concerned. Pacing, as in pacing my self over 54, probably wet miles, is vital if I am to give myself a chance to improve my finishing times. That’s if I finish at all! 2 years ago (2006), my Thames Meander finishing time was 13:42. Last year I ran the Thames Path 50 mile Ultra in 11:12:40. That finishing time extrapolated to 54 miles indicated that I would have reduced my Thames Meander time to around 12hrs and all because I did not linger at the CP’s nor did I get caught up in a group as the day/miles went by. So ‘all’ I have to do to improve this year then, is to do the same as last year plus make sure that my pace remains more constant. Hmm, we’ll see.
Note: The training camp was organised and run by Full Potential.
Two weeks to go…
By Andy | Tuesday, February 5, 2008
I managed a couple of short runs and a couple of gym sessions this week. Was a bit disrupted by my daughters parents evening and the need to travel up to London ready for the Tring to Town run on Saturday. One of runs I had to do early morning and one late at night to fit it all in but was able to maintain some level of training without stretching myself too much and trying to stay reasonably relaxed for the weekend.I have set my pack up for two nights and days away including food and spare clothing which means that it is starting to get a bit weighty now with drinks as well but all good practice for the MDS and Thames Meander – only 8 and 2 weeks respectively now!
Time to taper
By Patrick | Monday, February 4, 2008
I did my last long hard run yesterday. 20 miles on a snowy and muddy forest trail. It was not a nice experience, but a necessary physical and mental test. I did not run fast, but steady. And that is my only goal on Feb 16. To able to plod along the whole day and reach the finish not to long after sunset.
I will bring more extra clothing along. After 3 hours running I was competely soaked. I think it is good idea being able to change into nice dry clothing half-way.
No I start my tapering. Just some nice relaxed runs from now on until Feb 16.
Training in Barbados
By Jim | Friday, February 1, 2008
Well, long time no news so I hope you are all fit and well and enjoying the long cold miles on the long dark nights.
Unfortunately this will be my last mailing before the Meander as I have to go away for work.
Yes, a 2 week netball and cricket tour to Barbados with the school team beckons and somebody has to draw the short straw.
I will call it warm weather training with a couple of hours on the beach each morning I may also get the chance to try out MDS kit in the sand.
Looking forward to the big day and Sahara School. I have some reasonable miles in the legs and some borrowed pieces of kit but very little Sahara knowledge at all.
Look forward to seeing you all on the start line.
Good company
By Andy | Friday, February 1, 2008
Still keeping it light this weekend as I am planning to run in the Tring to Town 40 next weekend. On Saturday I put my pack weight to about 5kg + drinks and had a run for an hour or so to get used to the weight.
On Sunday it was good to see Pat back from his holiday in Canada and we went out for 2-3 hours around the forest paths and muddy tracks locally. He didn’t seem as bothered as I was by the frost and cold as it had been -27° where he had been. We did however enjoy a good run together and due to his company when my legs started to feel tired after 10 miles the discomfort was minimised. Finished tired but pleased and should be more rested for next weekend.
Only 3 weeks to the Thames Meander, looking forward to it more now, hopefully the water levels in the Thames Valley will have gone down a few feet, it does seem to have been less rainy this week.
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