Sorry I've been away for so long. Even my log book has got a month behind with one thing and another. No excuses.
Finished my level 3 coaching log book, just need to have the practical assessment now.
I've done a few miles (Clarendon half the most notable), slowly and painfully, played a bit of rugby and done a lot of stretching to try to sort my back out.
Been working on core strength, flexibility and endurance, but probably too much for a light weight sprinter. Had about 3 weeks under the weather but now I'm back and ready to go.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Back to it!
Monday, August 25, 2008
Transition and start of general preparation
Another good week of endurance work. A couple of Ray's circuits on Monday and Wednesday. Down to the Southampton sports center on Thursday where we did a one mile cross country course 4 times with 1 minute recovery. times ranged from 6.20 to 6.50, so I won't count them as intervals as I couldn't maintain a constant pace. Still a good workout.
Hills on Friday - Camp - 1, Rich - 2 (71/70). Durb - 2 (22/22), Bot - 1 slow
Plus cycled to work
Saturday a light recovery run - 4 1/2 miles over Baddesley common
Sunday - Squab wood, 8 1/2 miles in 77 mins
Transition phase
Everyone needs a break after a big event, so I've had (am having) mine now. Active recovery they call it in the books. Beer, food and rest and some much less intensive training.
After less than a week I started my low key aerobic traing. Rebuilding my endurance base. In three days I did 19 miles, Friday hills, Saturday Squab wood (8), Sunday 7 miles to Braishfield and back across country.. Very hard work for me since I'd been doing very intensive sprint work for so long. My legs were in a real state.
The next week I cycled to work Monday and Tuesday and did a speed endurance session at Mountbatten on tuesday evening (15x100m) 15 second recovery, each run in about 18 secs.
Wednesday I did Ray's circuit for the first time (despite recommending it to everyone else!), tough work, so I did it again on Thursday and tweaked my back on the pull downs (the don't have a pull up bar at work).
Hills on Friday again (3x Campion, 2x Richmon (75/73), 2x durban(20/20), 1x Botley (36) which is pretty good.
Rest Saturday, then a Slackstead run of 8 1/2 miles on Sunday. Aerobic endurance is coming.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
European masters - Reflections
Just some thoughts on what went well over the year and what I'd change.
I think the biggest difference this year was staying fit and healthy since Christmas. Last cold I had was New year, and my legs stayed healthy all the way through. I'd say my training wasn't as intense as usual, but because I didn't push it too hard it meant that I didn't lose any time to recovery.
I also rested well throughout the year. If I ever felt I was over training I took a day or two off and made sure I was fully recovered before starting again.
I can also recommend my 'super drink' - carrot juice, 3-5 cloves of garlic and some ginger. It won't make you any friends, but it may just ward off that cold or flu.
During the championships I had 4 sessions with the chiros who say my hips and core stability need working on. The work they did probably bought me a second in each race, so I won't argue with them
So next year I will up my core stability work. More weights, squats etc, more yoga and regular check ups with a sports chiro.
There's still more work I can do on my hurdling. I'm currently running a 6.8 second differential between my flat and hurdle times. This is novice level. so I'll spend the winter working on my right leg lead. I think the current world record of 55.18 is achievable with a lot of hard work.
European masters - 4x400m relay
Our rule of thumb is that we select the relay team from the highest finishers in the individual 400. Unfortunately, although we had 4 Brits in the final Rob Grew had gone home early. So we had three certains (me, Tony Noel and Kermitt) and a couple of possibles. Luckily we found Welsh 800m runner, Sean Price at the last minute. He is capable of 53 so was a strong addition to the the squad.
The French, Italians, Germans and Russians were our big competition, but we went in as favourites.
Tony ran the first leg in lane 6 and came home in the lead handing over to Sean. At this point the French messed up their change and it cost them several seconds. Sean increased the lead and handed to Kermitt who went off like a train. I got the baton 30 metres ahead and went off hard. With the noise of the crowd I couldn't hear a thing and it was difficult to work out where the others were. I never look back so the best strategy was to just keep pushing. We finished in 3.30.4 - a new championship record by 3 seconds.
A great way to finsih the championships
European masters - 400m M45
Had a beer after the hurdles which wasn't a wise idea (fun, just not wise) as I had to be up at 6am to race at 10am in the 400 heats. Fortunately I had a relatively easy heat and came in first in about 53/54. Nothing sparkling, but enough to get through to the semis. I went home for sleep and some energy food and drinks (a banana and a danish pastry if I remember rightly). Returned to the stadium to race former international Kermit Bentham in the semis. It was clear Kermit was putting down a marker, he ran 52 in the heats, then 51.9 in the semis. I finished second in 52.22 which I was pleased with and felt I had something left. Stefan Malewski, the German World indoor champion was breezing through without showing his hand (although he hadn't fooled me - I knew he could do 51.0 whenever he wanted!)
With a much needed rest day on Tuesday,(I'd had 4 races in 3 days) we went into the final on Wednesday with Kermit in pole position (lane 4) me in 5 and Stefan in 6. I kept to my race plan, hard first 100, flow on the second, crank it up on the final bend. We came of the bend with Stefan and Kermit level and me a couple of metres behind. I'd got there in 37.5 seconds, now the last 100.
Kermit started to fade at 320 as Stefan surged ahead and I moved into second. It stayed like this to the end. Stefan recording a championship best of 50.3, me just behind with a lifetime best of 51.02 - a second quicker than I did in the worlds.
Absolutely delighted! All the winter strength work has paid off.
European masters - 400m Hurdles M45 Final
The big one. Neil in 4, me in 5. Which is to his advantage.
Everyone is pumped up on the indoor warm up track. Not a lot of talking, plenty of glances at how people are warming up, but nothing given away. 25 mins before the race we are taken into the call room. a tent at the end of the track that is backing hot. (its in the 30s outside).
I went off hard, 17s to 3, 16s to 5 and although Neil caught up by 4, we were still level at 6.
I knew at this point that if I could stay level with Neil I could take him in the last 40m so adopted a conservative pattern for the last 4 hurdles. This did mean 10 was dreadful, but then it was for both of us. Neil touched down slightly ahead, but I was able to sprint past in the run in.
Gold in 57.84, my best for 2 years (and equaling my PB from pre-masters days)
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