Never one to miss a good massage, I booked up legendary Andy Cook for an hour long session this morning. Great stuff, the legs feel like they've just run many miles and he found every tight knot he could. Hopefully it will feel even better in a couple of days
More.....Sunday, July 20, 2008
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Last big session before Slovenia
After my 3 mile academy run I set off for Swindon for the last real training session before heading off to the European championships. I must admit to feeling pretty lousy before leaving so took another garlic juice to ward off any vampires.
Anyway - great session.
2x 5 hurdles followed by a 300m flat run
The hurdles went very well with a tail wind. Managed 17s to 3, then 16s to 5 fairly comfortably, infect I nearly overran the 5th. First run in 25.7 (quicker that I have run in all my races for the last couple of years). Second run I eased up between 2 and 3 (on the advice of my coach) to save energy and the run left a lot easier, but bizarrely came in quicker at 25.4
Also tried using block and with help from Dave Moles and Howard found a comfortable setting that seems to improve my start
Had a good 15 minute rest then went for the 300m flat run. I ran behind Howard in lane 3 He went off very quickly, nearly 10m ahead at the 100m mark, then i pulled back on the straight. I couldn't get passed on the bend, but we both clocked almost the same time 37.5 - which I think is the quickest I've done in a long time.
On Tuesday on grass my best was 42 seconds, so considerably better on a decent track with Howard as competition.
All in all very pleased with how the session went. Good starting, good hurdling and good flat speed.
This week is basically ticking over before next weekend.
Bring it on!
Academy rise again
Like the proverbial phoenix, the Harriers academy rose from the ashes, bigger and stronger than ever. I'd promised to pop out at 7.30am and say hello, but the crowd was so big I decided to join them for a sociable 3 miles. Well done to Pete, Pete and Mark for firing it up again. well done to the rest of you for getting out.
Poor turn out from the Celts - some excuse about celebrating a win over Southampton. This could be a very long season if every victory at clubs like Saints is celebrated this hard...
Friday, July 18, 2008
Light Thursday session
Decide Thursday would be easy. 150, 120, 100 at 85-90%.
Felt OK but not sparkling.
Plan to take Friday off and do some more hurdling in Swindon on Saturday morning. Then next week do some starts out of blocks and off to Slovenia on Thursday.
Southampton open meeting
Team Southampton put on an open 400m hurdles on Wednesday. These are pretty rare so I thought I'd take the opportunity of a low key run. With 7 hurdlers turning up they ran the U17s, senior women and senior mens all together. It feels a lot better having a full track in the hurdles, much more like a real race. With a 6.45 start it was already starting to cool down and the wind had picked up. After a slow start I ran well to the 6th, including a decent right leg lead over the 4th.
Then at 8 I slowed up as I hit the wind and finished with a poor last 100.Results.
Jess came down and ran in the U11 600m and came second. She ran very well, tucking in at the right time, then passing when she needed to. Excellent style overall.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Book reviews
Picked up a couple of books from the Oxfam bookshop.
The inner game of tennis - W.Timothy Gallwey
The complete book of running - James F Fixx
The first is one of the definitive sports psychology books that I've been wanting to read for a while. I read his book on golf that was good, but this one came first and as he is a tennis player its a bit closer to home for him. The basic premise is that we all know how to do everything (run, jump, serve etc) but we have a part of our mind that stops us doing the right thing. The trick is to control that blocker.
Don't know much about the second book other than that it was written in the 70s. Now training techniques have changed a lot since then - but have we got any faster? Looking at the state of UK distance running I'd say no, so maybe there's some good stuff in there.
Will try to read them in Slovenia and report back.
Tuesday 300s - Wednesday race
Did 3x300m flat out last night on the grass Mountbatten track. 15 mins recovery (so well rested after each run) 43/42/43. Which is what I wanted. (I think that equates to sub 40 on a proper track.)
Legs are a bit tight this morning, so did some yoga to loosen up.
Also woke up with cramp in my calf and top of the hamstring. Nothing to worry out, but will do some stretching at lunch to test it out.
Planning to run a 400m hurdles race tonight in Southampton. I want to work on my stride pattern and experiment with a right leg lead on the 9th. This should help make the last 100 flow a bit. Its a low key open meet o worth trying something new.
More hurdling
Swindon again for the last big hurdling session before Slovenia (I''l do a light one next weekend)
Three runs with long recovery. first over 7, second over 6 last over 3. Tried to work on the right leg lead at hurdle 4, then the change down between 5 and 6.
Didn't go to badly, although as I got progressively more tired the stride pattern went to pot. I found I was really stretching to get to 5 in 16 on the second run
Very tired on Monday and felt something coming on so dosed up with the magic potion. Apples, oranges, peach, ginger and 5 garlic cloves! Followed a few hours later by half a tin of tomatoes, 3 garlic cloves and some lime.
Seems to have done the trick - but no one will come within 20 metres :(
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Burst tyres, monsoon and hills
Cycled to work Wednesday, Thursday and Friday while my puncture was being sorted.
Wednesday did a bit of the indoor circuit with the Mountbatten early morning team. Thursday did a light session at the track. a few 100m sprints and hopped over some low hurdles. Feeling sluggish after the weekend and the weather isn't inspiring.
Lots of work Friday though...
Got back from work, then ran 2 miles to pick up the scooter. Just missed the rain. Then out for hills at 6.30.
Campion slowly, Richmond flat out in 65 (raced a bike up the last 100!), Durban 2x 20 seconds, then once up Botley in 33. Good session and the legs held up.
Very tired by the end of it.
Decided to skip the Saturday morning session so I am fresh for Sunday's hurdle session in Swindon.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Rain, rain, rain and rain
Tuesday track session started with me getting there late because of a scooter puncture. Then the rain came on half way through the session drenching everyone to the skin. First time I've ended it early for fear of drowning...
My session followed at 7pm and for an hour and a half the rain stopped.
3x(2x200)2', 12'. So 3 pairs of 200, with 2 mins between the pair and 12 mins between the sets
29/30, 29/30, 30/28 which wasn't too bad considering the conditions. The grass was pretty slippery.
Feeling in good shape, managed to up it on the last run when Rich found something left in the tank (possibly because he walked on the 5th run, but I couldn't possibly comment).
Wednesday morning I joined the Mountbatten 7.30am club in the sports hall for a 30 min circuit. Then cycled to work in the pouring rain - horrible. Fortunately my kit was still wet in the evening (it was still raining anyway.)
Character building I'm sure
Monday, July 7, 2008
British Master's videos
Here' a video of Saturday's race so you can share in the fun. It was filmed by my coach's son and it's Poppy and Jess you can hear in the background.
Points to look out for:
1. The right leg lead over hurdle 4 and the subsequent stumble (cost 0.3 seconds)
2. Going to tight on hurdle 8 (cost 0.2 seconds)
3. Not going to 18 strides on hurdle 9 (cost 0.5 seconds)
So I think there's another second in there
and by way of comparison, here's my coach breaking the World record for the M50 400m hurdles moments before my race.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
British Master 2008 - Birmingham
Traveled to Birmingham for the British championships, hoping for a good trace in the hurdles and then seeing what I had left for 2 400 races. The hurdles went very well despite a very strong wind that hit me at 300m.
My coach Howard smashed the M50 WR in the race before me and came straight over to advise on what my stride pattern should be (never mind that he'd just knocked a second of the record!
Anyway 17s to 3, 16s to 5 was the plan meaning just one left leg lead on the 4th hurdles.
Unfortunately the World champion, Neil Tunstall had to drop out through illness, but they had put the M35s in my race so had some competition.
Ran well to 4, landed clumsily after a left leg lead so more to work on. 5-8 went well then chopped back a bit over 9 and 10. Went to 19 strides when I should have put in a left leg lead at 9 which would have helped me finish faster. anyway, sprinted off the last hurdle to take gold in 58.68. Very pleased in the conditions.
Luckily they decided not to hold heats for the 400 flat and held A and B finals with the medals decided on times. I was in the A final with Kermit Bentham and Tony Noel. The B final was won in 54 so we knew what the target was.
I had a slow first 100 then picke d up in the second and 3rd. Came of the bend in 3rd and moved into 2nd feeling strong. Kermit however was on fire and I couldn't catch him He won in 52.3 I finished in 53.09 (Best for the season so far). Considering the conditions we will both go a lot quicker in Slovenia. But we will need to with the top German looking like a sub 51 runner.
Three weeks to go and lots of work to do!
Busy week
Interesting week. Started off with the intent of fine tuning for the British master, but ended up doing some really good hard graft. Cycled to work and did some yoga on Monday. Hit the Mountbatten track on Tuesday. Kicked off with a bleep test of 13.2 (my best for a few years). could have possibly done a couple extra but slipped at 13.2 and fell flat on my behind. Got beaten by Bob who did a monster 13.7.
Had a few minutes rest then did a 300/200/300 session. Goal to run each leg at the same speed with 10 mins recovery.
Did the first in 43, then 27 for the 200 and finally 45 for the 3. Pretty pleased with that.
Wednesday was a run run event at Hursley to celebrate 50 years of IBM.
I had entered the 100, 400, 800 and bleep test but thought I might just do a couple depending on how I felt. Sadly I was lured in by the 100. Ran a sensible heat, slow start with a rapid pickup from 50m. Then in the final 10 mins later took on the young pups :)
Got out very quickly (some might say it was a false start, others that old age and experience pays!) and held on to the line - very satisfying.
The 400 and 800 were jog as most people had pulled out. Then finished with a 12.3 bleep test.
A good nights work.
Thursay was just a few strides down at the track to shake the legs out.
friday - a day of rest - and a quick swim in the sea at Wittering.
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