Back On Track The weather is changing, its cooling down and my plan is now in place for 60 odd days of fun! Newark Half Marathon – 12th August JF10 – 02nd September Equinox24 – 22/23 September Nottingham Half Marathon – 29th September Birmingham Half Marathon – 14th October 5 events in just over 60days. One being a 24- hour team relay with some people I have met through Instagram! I can’t wait!! Check out @thisdadcanrun - @run_with_matt - @le8_runner ! Its going to be great fun! One runner on the course at a time, run a 10km loop and then the next guy goes! This week, I was back on track. A solid 21.1miles done. Two 5 mile runs and a very social Parkrun with Jim (@Le8_runner)! The week started warm as ever and as per usual I started far to quick, tapped out at 4miles. Tuesdays session was 750, 740, 730 x2. Pretty much nailed it minus the last 0.4 as hunger took over! The road to Newark is well under way and if we have some good running conditions, it maybe a good opportunity to run a PB but I am trying not to put any pressure on myself! Sunday was wet. Very wet. 5miles of been soaked in my non waterproof jacket! Lesson learnt. Averaged 721 per mile though, so edging in the right direction!
I cant wait for Newark or the JF10 but I CAN NOT WAIT for the Equinox. Its amazing to think 4 strangers will be teaming up and running for 24 hours as part of a team! If your at any of the events above, let me know! Have a great week. Simon!
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The week the streak ended I wanted 20 days of running consecutively but after 16 days the legs and mind were feeling tired! I tried but I must be sensible as I can’t risk any silly injuries at this time of the year! I still managed 4 runs this week. No records were broken but it was fun all the same. The highlight of the week was running the Market Harborough Parkrun on the Saturday. A very tricky course with lots of tight corners and narrow paths AND three laps! Was hot but a pretty solid run and back in the sub 20 club. Was great to See Nick from the Naseby Run way back in February! Desperately planning the next few months of events but its so difficult with so many to choose from!
Onwards and upwards! Simon What Dreams Are Made Of Another incredible week. The run streak continues. 14 days of back to back running. Its been tough and the legs are beginning to feel tired. I will continue to push on but the moment I feel a slight niggle or issue, that’s it game over. I would love to get to 20 days but its going to be tough! I am beginning to formulate a plan for the remaining half of the year. Looking at Newark, Nottingham and maybe Birmingham/ Leicester. Currently in discussions with Austin (@This_dad_can_run) about getting a team together to compete in the Equinox24. We hopefully will be entering as a team of 4/5 for the 24 hour relay race. Its pretty simple, starts at midday, one runner per team running at any point and it’s a 10km loop. Pretty excited if we can pull this one off! So, week 28 and my highest ever mileage in a single week! The week involved, hill sprints, Parkrun and a long run. I would class it as a success. My main downfall again though is my diet. My lack of water intake and my shitty food choices. I must remember what I put in my body is fuel for my running. McDonalds, a pizza plus beers is not that of someone trying to run! Must try harder. The legs were beginning to feel the pain of running everyday, but I was determined to push on and try and get to 20days. Parkrun was a huge surprise, when I woke up, the legs were fried but I still did the usually run to the Park. I started steady with 7:05 and the legs began to loosen up so I decided to push on with a second mile of 6:54 and then gave everything I had left. Smashing mile 3 with a 6:36. I finished in 21:14 and I was over the moon! It’s been warm again all week. I am hoping training in this warm weather will be a big benefit once the autumn/ winter months get here. Monday was great 10km at 7:37 a mile pace. Tuesday a quick 3miles and Wednesday a one mile flat out sprint at 6min for the mile. The two tough sessions were Thursday and Friday. It involved hill sprints and it was obviously still warm so was a real test of mental toughness and my legs! I got it done and I was bollocksed. Long run Sunday! 10miles in the heat and the sunshine. I aimed for 8:00 per mile and finished at 08:03. Its amazing how far I have come! So much more to achieve!
Time to think more about fuelling my body correctly. Focus. Focus. Focus. Run Safe. Simon #Teamjuly100 What a fun week. Unbelievable in fact. After deciding to join some fellow InstaRunners on the #teamjuly100 challenge, its simple, run 100 miles in July. Monday, I managed a double run day. A tactical decision due to the heat we are experiencing. Two short runs and I covered 7.7miles. IT was great to get out at just after 0530 on the Monday, the sun was already strong, but the breeze was lovely! Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I ran 3 miles each day. All of them before work except the Thursday! It was so much easier running in the early morning, my Thursday night run was not bad as there was plenty of cloud, but the humidity was awful. Sweating absolute buckets all week! The great thing was by the end of Friday, I had already covered 19.7miles out of my 21-mile target and ran every day! Just the weekend to conquer…. PARKRUN! Off out the door and ran down to Parkrun, it’s always the highlight of the week, catching up with fellow runners. I wasn’t entirely sure how I would run due to been off for a week and running every day. Mile 1 was great, felt strong and was a solid start. 6:07. It’s quiet a downhill start so I knew I was going to have dig deep to keep pace. I couldn’t. Mile 2, 6:30. Dug deep but the heat was winning and mile 3 was 6:36. Crossing the line in 19:59. To run sub 20 in those conditions was a real bonus. I am hoping long term the heat will help in the colder times of the year!
Get there ahead of schedule! Nothing worse than on your first half marathon panicking about where you need to go to drop your bag and find the toilet! Get there early. Enjoy the atmosphere. Most half marathons are started in waves, be honest to yourself about your ability and it will be a lot more enjoyable.
Don’t get sucked in. The start can be a little daunting but once you cross the start line, you will need to settle in to YOUR pace. Avoid getting sucked into other people’s race pace as this could and probably will back fire in the closing stages. Its always great to save some for the last few miles and everyone loves a sprint finish! Don’t change anything. What I mean is, don’t try anything new. New shoes, new running belt, no gels etc. You don’t want to have to stop if your trainers begin rubbing, the gels have given you a stomach ache etc. You can try these things out during your training runs. Imagine you’re a racing car. Take the racing line where possible, all courses are measured along the shortest route. If your half marathon for example, (like MK Half did) has plenty of roundabouts, try and run on the inside of the roundabout and not on the outside! Same with corners. Will save you time and energy! Obviously don’t move left and right aggressively to avoid annoying other runners. Ditch the headphones. I always use to run with headphones but this year I made the decision to ditch them. A lot events now ban headphones anyway and you may not get an official time. Also, you can communicate with your fellow runners which maybe much needed! Hitting the wall. There will become a time when you suddenly think you cant do this but you can. Its mind over matter. If you have trained well, you will know you can do it. Study the route. Almost all events will have the route profile online. Its nice to be prepared about what can be expected. If its your first, it can help with making sure it’s the right half for you! Remember, flat doesn’t always mean easy! I find completely flat runs a little tedious and means there are no breaks in the pace. A hill can be your friend! Be weather ready. The UK weather (current conditions excluded) can be very unpredictable. I normally take an old jumper or even a bin bag with me to the start if its cold. That way I can leave it at the start line when the gun goes. Body Glide is your friend. Body glide can save you from some unfortunate chaffing. I have seen runners with large red rings around their nipples as they cross the line. It’s a god send! Enjoy it. Remember why you decided to do this. It will be tough. It will take its toll on your body but just remember that feeling you have when you cross the line. You have your medal and you see your friends and family afterwards. Feel free to add any in the comments below! Simon Time to go again. I ran once this week and I couldn’t be happy. A strict regime of stretching and rolling and the ankle felt good all week. No pain with walking from Wednesday onwards so I decided to give the Parkrun ago. I would normally run there and back but with the issues I have had, I decided to drive down. All I wanted to do was complete the 5km and enjoy it, no time pressure. I meant a fellow Instagram runner at Parkrun, Luke (@lukey007uk), was great to finally catch up after communicating via Instagram about running for a while! The run started as a surprise, no big countdown we were just underway and took me by surprise. I started steady and tried to avoid looking at my watch. Mile 1 went without issue and I was pleasantly surprised to see 7:36 flash up! The ankle and more importantly my whole body were feeling good. I pushed on and mile 2 was done in 7:09! I hadn’t made a conscious decision to push on, but it was just happening. Mile 3 was different, I pushed, I probably shouldn’t have but I never learn! 6:49 to finish up! 22:19 for my first 5km. Pretty chuffed with that! I’m looking forward to building on the first 6 months of this year and trying to challenge for that sub 90 half marathon.
Next week, I will be building slowly back to the usual 21 mile a week target, but I am glad to be back. Looks another warm week but prefer this to rain! My diet has been dreadful since I had a break from running, eaten to much shit and drank far to many beers. Time to focus! Have a wonderful week! Simon Rest and Recovery
Short and sweet again. Two runs this week and one injured ankle. Not planning on running till the following weekend depending on how it recoveries. Struggling to put weight through it, lots of stretching and rolling for me! 8.3 miles on Wednesday and 3.4 miles on Thursday and that was it! Lesson learnt. You do not have to push all the time, listen to your body. From now on, if I feel a niggle, acknowledge it and listen to what my body is trying to tell me. Hopefully normal service will resume in due course! Run Safe Simon Note To Self: Be More Organised What a week! Monday and Tuesday were a write off due to potential sun stoke from running at the weekend. Managed to drag myself out on Wednesday for a steady 4.3 miles. Its been so muggy lately and it was the most enjoyable run, but it was miles in the bank.
As this journey continues to develop, every week I see such inspiring things in the real world and on Instagram. Its great to see people smashing PBs, recovering from injuries and running in their first events. Do you have any superstitions, lucky charms or strange rituals that you need to do before running? Sunday, Father’s Day, BBQ day and RUN DAY! I had 7.1 miles to squeeze in before a hectic afternoon of food, beer and football. It was quiet an enjoyable run, the first few miles flew by, the usual middle slump and a pretty good finish. I had made it to 21. It’s not the way to do it by cramming the miles in over the week when I have plenty of time to spread them out a big! I am hoping to change that next week; watch this space! Its All Down Hill From Here A couple of years ago, I would not even of entertained the idea of running 1000miles in one year. I was too busy, to tired and it was to difficult. On Sunday of this week, I crossed the half way point. How? I made time for running, I made it fit into my schedule. I haven’t really missed out on anything and yet on the 10th June, I made it to 503 miles. Just have to get your priorities in order. Its through reading everyone’s inspiring stories that keeps me motivated when I am struggling so a big shout to everyone who ran this weekend. Whether it be a mile, 5km, Half Marathon, Marathon or an ultra; or any distance in between. It was a warm one. Tough conditions but each of you got out there and did it! Well done!
The Mrs returned and couple of hours later, the trainers were on. It was BAKING. 5.4 miles done, sweating like a trooper BUT I clocked over the 500-mile mark for the year. It wasn’t pretty and it wasn’t pleasant but I had to prove to myself once again, I can do this and I did. Thanks for all the donations this week. Humbled as always. I still haven’t got a race booked yet, so for the time being it will be plodding along, ticking each mile off as it comes.
Have a great week of running and what ever else you get up to! Simon The Delightful Derby Half What a run it was. I learnt so much about myself on Sunday. It all started so well. Upon arriving I meant Dan (Insta @ Dan_99799) and we had a wonder around the start/finish area, taking in the atmosphere. It was early but was already a little on the warm side. Dumped my stuff in the baggage area and meant up with another Instarunner, Ben (Insta @ Pavements4pizza) and Nathan (Insta @ Nathangascoigne). As it got closer to the start line I realised it was going to be a warm one, no breeze and humid! In the starting pen, Dan and I agreed to start at around the 7:15 mile pace and see how we felt after three miles. Wishing everyone a good run, we were underway. After mile 1, me and Dan commented that the 1.35 pacer had gone out quick and decided not to get sucked into it a quick pace. Miles 1-4, were great for me and I was feeling pretty good. I was already a sweaty mess. We ran pretty conservative 7:16, 7:15, 7:11 and 7:19. All was on track for a good run. Dan said to push on as he was struggling. After another few minutes I decided to try and push on. Miles 5 to 8 were amazing. I was cooking on gas. I was loving life, I was kicking ass and taking names. (This thought would soon leave me!) It was so far a great route, flat and the occasionally shady patch. The marshals were on fine form! Lots of motivational cheering and plenty of water been dished out! At each water station I was grabbing two, one was part going over my head, some in my hat and the rest down the back of my t-shirt! 7:16, 7:18, 7:17 and 7:21. Mile 9 was going to be the last enjoyable mile. I went through in 7:22 and I remember looking at my watch and thinking “I can probably squeeze in just under 1.35!”. At mile 10, I hit the infamous wall. I hit it hard. Mile 10, from what I can remember had some stony track way to run along, I ran through in 7:31 and its at this point I knew it was going to be a struggle to keep this pace up. I made a huge mistake by trying to run through it. I tried with all my might but each step the legs kept getting heavier. 11 miles in and it took me 7:39 to complete the 11th, each mile was taking longer and was hurting more. It was worse than Milton Keynes. The huge increase in running this year plus the weather had hit home. I was starting to feel like I may not actually finish. Part way through mile 12, I decided to walk, about 20 seconds of walking and then tried to go again. Nothing, the tank was empty. I remember a guy who over took me, he could tell I was struggling and he said “Come on, your almost home!”. My response was short and sweet. “The tank is empty”. It was well and truly empty. I stopped again. I wasn’t proud of this moment but I stopped and had a wee in the bush. Took 10 seconds to get my breath and said to myself it was time to suck it up and go. Mile 12 was done. 8:17. I had for the first time, walked and stopped during a half marathon through my own choice. (MK and the man in a bush incident) The last mile is normally my favourite as I like to finish with a good final mile. Today was not that day. I could see the 400m to go sign, every step was more painful than the last. The legs were heavy. 200m to go appeared. Normally, I would stick the afterburners on and sprint finish. Today was just about crossing the line. I finished with the 13th mile in 9:25 but it was done. It was tough out there. I wobbled over the line and was offered medical assistance, I declined and composed myself. Grabbed three bottles of water and lay down on the floor in the shade. I meant up with Dan, Ben and Nathan and it was time for food. It was time to go home. It was done. We exchange similar agonies. Its amazing how the running community is, everyone is generally interesting in how you did, what else you have planned and future goals. Thanks to Dan, Ben and Nathan for making the almost unbearable, bearable. Nice medal and a good lunch out with the family. Another few miles ticked off the 1000mile target. For the first time this year, I have nothing booked in now. Time to regroup, refocus and go again. We shall see when that is but the Derby Half took a lot out of me. |