Sky_Blue_Daz
Well-Known Member
did 5 miles this morning I was like a drowned Rat,
Running (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Macca
- Start date
I raced a downhill fell race on new year's eve.
2.2 miles from the summit of Moel Famau in north-East Wales, down to a pub in a village at the bottom.
Weather was shocking on the summit as we waited to start. At the start it was the usual chaos with everyone charging for a good position on the rocky path. I estimated my position to be about 10th-12th.... it was hard to tell for definite as we were moving so quickly, and the wind and rain were so strong it was hard to see properly.
Apart from one guy falling in front, and taking over another guy who fell off the pace, i pretty much stayed where i was for the first 9-10mins until we hit the road section.... there i was able to pass another couple and gain a vital lead over them as we hit a series of fields and stiles back to the finish.
Did lose one of the places again over the final couple of fields, but came home 8th in 13:15
This was 7 seconds slower than last year, however it was probably a better performance due to the conditions and especially the state of the fields in the last half mile... last year it was like running across a bowling green, this year it was like crossing a swamp.
A stronger field than last year.... i was 5th last year despite the similar finishing time.... back to cross country now for the next couple of months.... next outing on the fells will be mid-April and the GB/Euro uphill trial at Keswick.
2.2 miles from the summit of Moel Famau in north-East Wales, down to a pub in a village at the bottom.
Weather was shocking on the summit as we waited to start. At the start it was the usual chaos with everyone charging for a good position on the rocky path. I estimated my position to be about 10th-12th.... it was hard to tell for definite as we were moving so quickly, and the wind and rain were so strong it was hard to see properly.
Apart from one guy falling in front, and taking over another guy who fell off the pace, i pretty much stayed where i was for the first 9-10mins until we hit the road section.... there i was able to pass another couple and gain a vital lead over them as we hit a series of fields and stiles back to the finish.
Did lose one of the places again over the final couple of fields, but came home 8th in 13:15
This was 7 seconds slower than last year, however it was probably a better performance due to the conditions and especially the state of the fields in the last half mile... last year it was like running across a bowling green, this year it was like crossing a swamp.
A stronger field than last year.... i was 5th last year despite the similar finishing time.... back to cross country now for the next couple of months.... next outing on the fells will be mid-April and the GB/Euro uphill trial at Keswick.
We'll_live_and_die
Super Moderator
I went out for a run yesterday having not done so at all in 23. Bloody hard work, did about 1k with 3 walking breaks.
I'm really starting at the bottom again it feels.
I'm really starting at the bottom again it feels.
Sky_Blue_Daz
Well-Known Member
Can recommend the couch to 5k app. i used it after a couple of breaks in running it was a great help
We'll_live_and_die
Super Moderator
Thanks, I reckon I'm just gonna do a bit though. I'm good at pushing myself and increasing the fitness when other people struggle. It's all in the mind
Sky_Blue_Daz
Well-Known Member
Second time round after I had my foot operated on I only did up to three weeks it was more to get my confidence back
Sky_Blue_Daz
Well-Known Member
I went for a run today tripped up on a kerb landed on the ground, can’t take a deep breath in so damaged ribs . One good thing is my ankle and foot were fine
DawlishSkyBlue
Well-Known Member
Did the First Chance 10K in Exeter on Sunday, my first race since London Marathon last April. Finished 83rd in 39.49
We'll_live_and_die
Super Moderator
How are you recovering Daz?
Sky_Blue_Daz
Well-Known Member
I’m ok mate thanks for asking was just a bit uncomfortable, it eased off today so I did just over 4.5miles not bad considering I’ve been on the lash most of the weekend and yesterday
not much you can do with ribs can only assume they been bruised rather than anything else
Great_Expectations
Well-Known Member
Tempted to sign up to the Leicestershire Half on Feb 25th.
Ideally I’d like another organised race before them, preferably a half but also open to 10k. I’ve checked FindaRace and can’t see much, anyone got any recommendations for races or other sites to check?
Ideally I’d like another organised race before them, preferably a half but also open to 10k. I’ve checked FindaRace and can’t see much, anyone got any recommendations for races or other sites to check?
DawlishSkyBlue
Well-Known Member
Maybe look on the website of some local running clubs. Most of them will have a race diary listing lots of local runs that you won't always find on sites like FindaRace.
It depends how far you want to travel.
I use sientries.co.uk although it is more biased towards fell/trial/orienteering. However you can filter it to road races and geographical area.
I'd just throw a few google searches in there as well, "half marathon UK February" and so forth, you're sure to find something.
5 x 1km in the Warwick Uni campus on a bitterly cold night.
My heart rate was low driving over, and i felt great whilst doing the warmup drills, which all point towards a decent performance.... however i've been struggling with a minor hamstring issue since racing on New Year's Eve.... would it be up to the test of such a fast-paced session?
3:24
3:20
3:20
3:16
3:16
Very pleased with that.... would have taken those times even if 100% confident in my legs.
11 miles for the session including warm up/down.
Easy running now until saturday and the next cross-country league fixture in Smethwick.
My heart rate was low driving over, and i felt great whilst doing the warmup drills, which all point towards a decent performance.... however i've been struggling with a minor hamstring issue since racing on New Year's Eve.... would it be up to the test of such a fast-paced session?
3:24
3:20
3:20
3:16
3:16
Very pleased with that.... would have taken those times even if 100% confident in my legs.
11 miles for the session including warm up/down.
Easy running now until saturday and the next cross-country league fixture in Smethwick.
Great_Expectations
Well-Known Member
See I wouldn’t call myself a trail or fell runner by any stretch, however the majority of my longer routes will be cross country/bridal paths etc so all sorts of terrain. I prefer it to so running around streets.
Worth giving one a go?
You'll also get road races on that site..... i was just pointing out that the majority of races on there will be trail/fell, along with a lot of cycling as well.
Trail races/events are decent, and worth a go. Fell is a different kettle of fish altogether and comes with additional considerations (having to carry "emergency kit", potential of needing to navigate on longer races, not to mention the specific strains of climbing and descending).
I'll with-hold my detailed personal thoughts on trail races, as i'm probably in the minority with my views.
Last edited:
Sky_Blue_Daz
Well-Known Member
got a steady 5 miles done this morning, gonna start increasing the distance next week
Great_Expectations
Well-Known Member
This would have been ideal, but typically I’m away that weekend!
Cheers - I saw those too. I was just after a view of whether it’s worth giving a trail race a go / what are they like? No worries if you don’t want to share though obviously.
Trail races are fine, they are generally not too technically difficult, but obviously moreso than running on the road, which to a lot of people makes it more interesting.
You probably need to run with a shorter stride due to the ground being a little trickier, you can't always necessarily stride out like you can on the road.
And they'll have more climb than an average road race, which makes them a little more arduous.
My feelings towards trail races are nothing to do with what they are like to compete in..... more a point of view from someone running at perhaps the competitive end of the scale.... if i'm running for a quick time at a specific distance then i'll obviously do it on the road or track.... and then if i'm running on the fells, that is what i love and the reason i do the National Championships etc..... trail just falls into a middle ground for me where it doesn't serve a purpose.....
However as i say that is strictly my personal view and certainly doesn't mean they aren't worthwhile.
Ccfcisparks
Well-Known Member
Just ran my quickest ever 5k.
just over 23 minutes down from about 28 in the summer.
always felt I had quite weak lungs, but last few weeks cut out dairy as I suspected my body didn’t like it and felt like I’ve got a serious second wind when running now.
just over 23 minutes down from about 28 in the summer.
always felt I had quite weak lungs, but last few weeks cut out dairy as I suspected my body didn’t like it and felt like I’ve got a serious second wind when running now.
Sky_Blue_Daz
Well-Known Member
Got a nice 6 miles in on Wednesday I’m on a long day today and late shifts all weekend so might try another tomorrow
Ccfcisparks
Well-Known Member
managed to fit a quick 3km in last night. 13m 40s along the canals in Birmingham which are quite flat
actually moving out of the city in a few weeks so going to be strange having a new running route that’s more hilly.
actually moving out of the city in a few weeks so going to be strange having a new running route that’s more hilly.
Midlands Cross Country Champs today at Newbold Comyn, Leamington Spa.
Toughest course of the season so far, with plenty of thick mud, a decent tough hill, and lots of rough stuff, also 12km rather than the usual 10km in the league. In fact today was the first race where my pace has slipped above 4:00/km (4:07/km today).
I came 116th which was a huge improvement on last year's 179th. Was 5th counter for Godiva in a somewhat depleted team... i shouldn't really be making the scoring 6.
1st BRAT (Birmingham)
2nd Bristol & West
3rd Notts AC
8th Cov Godiva
11th Leamington
14th Kenilworth
19th Northbrook
Nuneaton and Sphinx with incomplete teams, and Masseys i don't think even fielded a single runner.
In the ladies our star Julie Emmerson, recovering from both injury and illness, claimed a brilliant bronze medal.
1st Charnwood AC
2nd Bristol & West
3rd Birchfield Harriers
Godiva ladies were 4th
9th Kenilworth
17th Northbrook
22nd Sphinx
Nuneaton, Leamington with incomplete teams, and again Masseys were no-shows.
Toughest course of the season so far, with plenty of thick mud, a decent tough hill, and lots of rough stuff, also 12km rather than the usual 10km in the league. In fact today was the first race where my pace has slipped above 4:00/km (4:07/km today).
I came 116th which was a huge improvement on last year's 179th. Was 5th counter for Godiva in a somewhat depleted team... i shouldn't really be making the scoring 6.
1st BRAT (Birmingham)
2nd Bristol & West
3rd Notts AC
8th Cov Godiva
11th Leamington
14th Kenilworth
19th Northbrook
Nuneaton and Sphinx with incomplete teams, and Masseys i don't think even fielded a single runner.
In the ladies our star Julie Emmerson, recovering from both injury and illness, claimed a brilliant bronze medal.
1st Charnwood AC
2nd Bristol & West
3rd Birchfield Harriers
Godiva ladies were 4th
9th Kenilworth
17th Northbrook
22nd Sphinx
Nuneaton, Leamington with incomplete teams, and again Masseys were no-shows.
Sky_Blue_Daz
Well-Known Member
Haven’t been able to run for the last 2 weeks due to a cold/chest infection
Back at it tomorrow
Back at it tomorrow
Sky_Blue_Daz
Well-Known Member
Well done mate
DawlishSkyBlue
Well-Known Member
Had my usual slow start to the year but got out with some pals and did 13 in the lanes this morning. Signed up for a marathon in May after vowing not to do anymore last year 
I've struggled this week due to straining a ligament in my foot at the XC last weekend.
Did the club session last tuesday (3 x 2km reps) but since then i've been unable to run. Resumed easy running this morning with 9.5 miles.
Hoping to be back in shape for the final XC League fixture next saturday, then a fortnight later the National XC Champs.
Did the club session last tuesday (3 x 2km reps) but since then i've been unable to run. Resumed easy running this morning with 9.5 miles.
Hoping to be back in shape for the final XC League fixture next saturday, then a fortnight later the National XC Champs.
Yesterday was the final League Cross Country fixture of the season. We were at Abington Park in Northampton. THere were dire warnings that the course was flooded and would be shortened, but thankfully the rain had ceased overnight and the full course went ahead.
I was more pre-occupied with my foot/ankle tendonitis issue, and after an emergency conference with my coach, decided to race, but run the first 2.5 laps steady, and if i felt ok to push on the final 1.5 laps and see if i could finish in a reasonable position.
As it was i felt alright after 2.5 laps (about 6-7km) and then put in a massive effort up the hill to get back to a couple of team-mates. Unfortunately this did it for me, and i hobbled around the final lap, losing a minute on that lap alone.
Still, finished 11th counter for Godiva so scored in our "B" team, and also scored in the Masters team. (both of these teams finishing 6th for the season)
Godiva finished 10th in the league.... firmly mid-table... after an opening day scare (with only 4 fixtures in the league season, if you have a bad day then its hard to recover, particularly given the level of the clubs in the top Division). Birmingham University won the league, with a number of national level runners in their squad. Locally we were upstaged by Leamington AC who finished 8th.
At the bottom end of the table, Rugby & Northampton pulled off a CCFC style "great escape" to avoid relegation on the final day, condemning Div1 regulars Wolverhampton & Bilston to the drop, along with a couple of clubs who came up last year.
In Div2, Nuneaton Harriers finished mid-table. Sphinx were sadly relegated... a real shame as with the talent they've got in the club, if they got a strong team out every week they could probably have got promoted. Kenilworth also went down which is a real mystery, they seem to have fell apart, and were in Div1 a couple of seasons ago.
In Div3, Masseys and Northbrook were mid-table, which is probably about their par position.
National Champs in a fortnight in Staffordshire.
I was more pre-occupied with my foot/ankle tendonitis issue, and after an emergency conference with my coach, decided to race, but run the first 2.5 laps steady, and if i felt ok to push on the final 1.5 laps and see if i could finish in a reasonable position.
As it was i felt alright after 2.5 laps (about 6-7km) and then put in a massive effort up the hill to get back to a couple of team-mates. Unfortunately this did it for me, and i hobbled around the final lap, losing a minute on that lap alone.
Still, finished 11th counter for Godiva so scored in our "B" team, and also scored in the Masters team. (both of these teams finishing 6th for the season)
Godiva finished 10th in the league.... firmly mid-table... after an opening day scare (with only 4 fixtures in the league season, if you have a bad day then its hard to recover, particularly given the level of the clubs in the top Division). Birmingham University won the league, with a number of national level runners in their squad. Locally we were upstaged by Leamington AC who finished 8th.
At the bottom end of the table, Rugby & Northampton pulled off a CCFC style "great escape" to avoid relegation on the final day, condemning Div1 regulars Wolverhampton & Bilston to the drop, along with a couple of clubs who came up last year.
In Div2, Nuneaton Harriers finished mid-table. Sphinx were sadly relegated... a real shame as with the talent they've got in the club, if they got a strong team out every week they could probably have got promoted. Kenilworth also went down which is a real mystery, they seem to have fell apart, and were in Div1 a couple of seasons ago.
In Div3, Masseys and Northbrook were mid-table, which is probably about their par position.
National Champs in a fortnight in Staffordshire.
Sky_Blue_Daz
Well-Known Member
First one in 2 weeks due to being I’ll only managed 3.5 miles will try to do 5 on Wednesday
SkyBlueSoul
Well-Known Member
First run since August on Sunday. Gentle 2.5k and my Achilles is still in tact, will try another one tomorrow.
Sky_Blue_Daz
Well-Known Member
Finding it hard to get the motivation to increase the distances I do, I flit between 3,4,and 5 miles but want to go further as the weather improves { although I know its peeing down today so will go tomorrow and saturday morning }