Race Report - Treforest 10k

It was a hot and sunny morning and I was sat in the beer garden of a pub... squinting into the sun.

No alcoholic beverages were to be had as a) it was 9:30am and b) I was the for the Treforest 10k! The race got off after an immaculately observed minutes silence from the nearby industrial estate and it went... up. The first half of the race was a test, large hill, then largish hill etc I tried to take these on like a man and press on up them, which I achieved. 

Sadly this took half a yard of pace (what an odd phrase that is) towards the end of the race, which was very flat. I stayed solid and consistent, but lacked an edge at the end. Losing a few seconds on each mile all adds up, but this will come I'm confident.

The course was good, pretty, well marshaled, challenging but fair, I enjoyed, this is one I'll recommend happily, as long as you don't mind a hill or 3. Cheap too, but no medal or tshirt this time! However, what did I get?

Targets were:

Baseline:
51:00 (8:12 min/ml) - conditions may not be great and it's a tough course at the start. That'd be... passable

Achievable:
48:00 (7:43 min/ml) - Close to Cardiff St Davids run, think I'm capable

Would be nice, but maybe beyond me this time:
47:00 (7:34 min/ml) - New PB, always somewhere in mind

and I got:

With an official time of 46:02 in pos 62 for a 1:11 new PB!!!

Happy boy, and on a flat course I do think that can come down further! That won't happen for a little while yet though as it's a half next then a hilly full. Swansea in September-ish?

Race Day Preview - Treforest 10k

After my last outing while sporting a number was the mostly ok then suddenly train wreck of a Great Welsh Marathon, my prep for my next 26.2 miler begins with a 10k from Treforest Industrial Estate tomorrow.

It promises to be an interesting test. Starts flat, then get's a little tasty for a while before a pretty flat second 5. Special.

I honestly have 0 idea what to expect from the weather, I'm dressing for hot, even though I'm not!

Goals for the day:

Baseline:
51:00 (8:12 min/ml) - conditions may not be great and it's a tough course at the start. That'd be... passable

Achievable:
48:00 (7:43 min/ml) - Close to Cardiff St Davids run, think I'm capable

Would be nice, but maybe beyond me this time:
47:00 (7:34 min/ml) - New PB, always somewhere in mind

It's a pick up on the day kind of number deal, so no picture. I am using that bright top form last time again though, so kind of squint and picture it!

The Swansea Half Marathon follows this and then it's time for the marathon in Tenby (The Wales Marathon, can't people just call marathons after the place they're held anymore???)

Oooooooooh half way there

At the start of the year I set myself a target of 650 miles run in 2017.

Periodically (twice...) I've updated on progress, but I held of screaming about passing 300 miles, as:

1. I sucked at that race;
2. I wanted to do an awful Bon Jovi reference. 
3. It seemed like 325 (or half) was more of a milestone!

But yesterday I took a rather hot jaunt from Pontypridd up past the University of South Wales. So so hot.

Did I mention the heat?

This mediocre / ok 10k took me to a grand total of 326 miles, half way to my goal! As it's not the end of June at the moment, this mean's I'm ahead of schedule, with 2 marathons to come this year!

Next out is Saturday tail running Merthyr parkrun and Sunday in the Treforest 10k. Keep piling the miles on!! (Possible the SSAFA 5k in Cardiff Wednesday? I'll see)

Treadmill time and the case of the 2 x 5ks

Generally speaking I like to run outdoors, preferably on a path (I'm a lousy trail runner as will be noted by absence from the Royal Welsh Trail Running Festival this weekend).

I'm not the worlds biggest fan of treadmills.

However, they do have their benefits and I'm aware of this. They're good for speed work, for intervals. So with the weather less than clement and in my last stand in the gym before my place of work becomes too far away for it to be practical, I decided to see how quick I could bounce on the spot.

First attempt was to go under 21 mins for a 5k. Something I've never looked like doing in a regular run. I did the maths and worked out the pace I needed and off I went.

14.4kph... comfortable, so I bumped it up to give myself some breathing room at the end... 14.7kph, all fine. In the end I went up to 15kph for the last couple of hundred meters and finished in 20:34.Was I tired? Yes! Was I spent? No, not quite...

So this made me think... 20 minutes?? Could I. Screw it I'll have a go.

2 days later, maths done once again (do 15.1 to account for the not swift acceleration at the start...) and off I go. First 1.5 / 2k fine, but then I found myself losing concentration and form every now and again. Refocused (benefit of the treadmill right there as I didn't lose pace, where I'd have slowed on my own) and carried on.

3k... fine 4k hmmm feeling it... last 500m.. contemplating throwing up a little... but beep the machine went and...

It can be done. Well I mean obviously it can be done, but it can be done... BY ME! I know it's just a treadmill and its harder out there in the world, I'll never count anything recorded on one as a PB etc. But this is a confidence booster, a big one. Be sad to see my membership end.

I need to take this new found confidence on the road and cry to myself when I run 23:56 somewhere!

I'm also booking races in prep for Tenby. I'm in the Swansea Half and I'm booking Treforest tomorrow. Feeling confident!! Ish

On the Marathon trail again

"Once more unto the course, dear friends, once more; 
Or close the start pens up with our Marathon dead."

OK, badly modified over the top Shakespeare quotes aren't why you come to this blog, so I'll get onto the point...

Originally this year I thought there was a marathon in me, the Snowdon marathon in October. But me being me, I signed for for Llanelli and well, that's a story for another page. However, that wasn't the absolute catastrophe I deserved, which has made me think, ride my semi-decent level of fitness and do the extra bit of training I needed last time, I could get this down towards 4 hours.

Then someone mentioned the Tenby marathon and I though, oooh there's a event with just enough gap for me to work hard in...

Well one thing led to another and...

Yeah, I could remember.

No way of looking at it differently, Llanelli was a failure, mainly caused by my own body saying 'nope!'. I have the chance here to redeem myself in my own eyes. I can do this!

The route looks nice, no soul destroying laps this time around, I'm confident. Over confident maybe, bus better than that than be a nervous wreck.

My target time will be 4 hours, I will do the long runs I need, I will eat enough before the race. It'll be good! It's also a harder course, I have this in mind as well.

Race report - Great Welsh Marathon

Now I've taken a couple of days to mull this one over...

Did I enjoy this? Yes and no, things went against me on course, diabetic hypo, which lead to a few stomach cramps and an emergency... comfort break at mile 16/17ish which left me somewhat drained. After that I couldn't get going again and my resultant poor running form ended up giving me some quite bad hip pain.

Up until then I'd been solid, slightly (3/4 mins) to fast over the first lap (we'll come to that) but regulated my pace onto the second to just about 9 a mile, even while quaffing jelly babies to keep my sugars up.

The first half marathon was solid in around 1:50, at which point I felt fresh as a daisy, but then, well check my splits!

The course was scenic enough (except for an industrial estate, but you always get something like that) but 2 laps. Now I didn't think that laps would bother me. I thought wrong. As soon as I got onto the second lap I suffered mentally, shortly after the shakes started, I'm confident they're not connected but the timing... As a half marathon this would be outstanding but the retread of the same area twice means I don't think I could recommend the full race.

Also running with the half runners the first lap was odd, as obviously very different pacing going on, and it also made the 2nd lap feel, empty, at the time where most runners need that extra energy around!

So how did I do? Targets were:

Baseline:
Not bother the nice St Johns people too much... (finish)



Achievable:
4:20:00 (9:55 min/ml)



Would be nice, but maybe beyond me this time:
4:05:00 (9:21 min/ml)


and I did:



My actual time was 4:15, due to the aforementioned reasons... watch stops when I do!

The rewards were a very nice medal and possibly the nicest running shirt I now own. Thing is beautiful and deserves to be on a better runner than me!

Overall, I didn't deserve better for the prep I'd done. But on course I felt I could have done if all was well. Mixed feelings bordering on disappointment and keen to do another, looking at Tenby in a couple of months... work hard and I'll get better results.

Be the Treforest 10k next out though end of the month.

Edit!

A note to the marshal I rushed past when he was trying to give me a gel. Toilet was calling. Leaving the gel and water outside the loo  for me when I come out was a genuine nice act. You deserve my medal more than me! 

Race Day Preview - Great Welsh Marathon

Marathon #1 of 2017, #2 ever is here... joy...

I jest, I am looking forward to it, it'll be a good test. However, my prep has been inadequate to say the least and this isn't going to be a PB or anything. I've accepted this fact.

Goals for the day:

Baseline:
Not bother the nice St Johns people too much... (finish)

Achievable:
4:20:00 (9:55 min/ml)

Would be nice, but maybe beyond me this time:
4:05:00 (9:21 min/ml)

Last one would be a PB...  which contradicts what I said... I'm going to bed...

I ran 4:09 in Manchester last year, I'm fitter/stronger now I think, but equally I'd done the prep for that one. Who knows hey!

No number shot as I get that tomorrow. Try instagram at about 8:05.

April Monthly Summary!

Month 4 of 12 of the year of 2017 is done and for me and well... it's not all Happy and Shiny...

So, everyone around, distance, distance, I didn't do enough.. (you can kind of fit that to the tune).

My continuing mission towards an annual total of 650 miles has continued on target. To hit this I need to be averaging 54 miles a month or roughly 14 miles a week.

In April I covered a mere 45.3 miles, for easily my lowest total of the year. But as a way of demonstrating I'm still testing myself, this low total gave me my highest elevation gain of the year. Makes sense.

This total included 1 race (6m, 13%).

Not a good month, although my parkrun volunteer stats have gone through the roof!

So far...

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	Total
78.5	71.4	77.4	45.3	272.6
12%	11%	12%	7%	42%

I did say I was anticipating a poor month and I delivered. Still ahead of teh target curve and I can pretty much guarantee getting 26.2 miles in May... and possibly another 6 in Treforest...

Anyone in Llanelli or Tref say hi! I'll be the one crying in anticipation of an awful race. and a PW (or DNF)