Friday 29 February 2008

LONDON MARATHON SHOCKING NEWS !


London Marathon To Ban Bottled Water

Written by Monkey Woods
Story written: 18 February 2008

Parched? Line up!

The organisers of the London Marathon have today announced a ban on bottled water, and in the future, runners will only be able to obtain water from huge taps placed strategically along the 26-mile route.

The ban comes after environmental groups complained that producing bottled water costs billions of pounds, leaves a massive carbon footprint, and renders inhabitants of places like Fiji without drinking water and 'downright thirsty'.

Since its inception in 1981, the Marathon has provided runners in the event with a welcome supply of refreshing cold water which can be drunk, or used to cool the head, torso or bollox, if desired. It can also be thrown at rival competitors.

For this year's race, though, giant taps operated by Fijians will be the only relief from the unrelenting boredom.

Athletes have been quick to react, claiming that enormous queues at the taps will bring the race to a standstill, whilst others say that, water being freely available will result in every tramp in London turning up for a much-needed shower.

UK Environment Minister Phil Woolas, speaking on the BBC, said:

"The amount we spend on bottled water is totally unacceptable, as is the amount we spend on Warfare, MP's salaries and expenses, nationalising banks and other such wastes of taxpayers money through corruption and incompetence."

Lord Sebastian & Co, head of the British Olympic bid and a keen water drinker himself, said:

"I always drank bottled water, Steve Ovett drank from a tap, and Steve Cram, being from Up North, drank straight from the River Tyne. I don't think it makes that much difference, does it?"

The story above is a satire or parody. It is entirely fictitious.

If you fancy trying your hand at comedy spoof news writing, click here to join!

Sunday 24 February 2008

9th place in THE STANDISH HALL TRAIL RACE


PAIN AND THE GLORY ON THE STANDISH TRAIL
warmer windy weather greeted us for the start of THE STANDISH HALL TRAIL RACE, run over 2 laps with 4 climbs this race seems in my mind to be tougher and more intense than even the Parbold hill race.
On the start line was Richard Carey a regular top ten finisher in past races,richard told me he had been recovering from injury, so when he shot off at the start like a scalded cat i wondered if he was bluffing ! After 3/4 of a mile of cobbled path we reached the first hill, which reared upwards into the distance. slowly a pulled Richard back and came along side him as we reached the summit, the look of pain etched across his face told its story and Richard waved me passed. next is Brian dav
ey, back in top form and showing his fell running strength
Not far behind Tracey Peters was having the run of her life, showing the selectors that they had made the right decision in picking her to represent merseyside at the national X/C champs. Eddie was running well until he felt his calf muscle pull as he made his uphill assault, Eddie carried on for another 3 miles until the pain became to much.Margot Bowker was the next victim to pull out after her shoe cut deep into her heel reducing her to a painful limp.Liz stanfield looked strong as she led Carole James followed shortly by a very confident looking Sarah Reynolds [ sarah has been training hard on the hills of parbold under the watchful eye of club coach STORMING NORMAN and it seems to be working wonders ].
after the steep hill we plunged downwards at speed heading towards the woods,I was starting to wish i had road shoes on at this point as my old fell shoes felt
like two stiff planks strapped to my feet, each uneven surface had me swaying from side to side like a drunken sailor out at sea.
On reaching the woods we all went off course taking in a extra long loop of at least 8 tenths of a mile,it seems that some mischievous woodland creature, maybe a elf or upset fairy had moved the tape !

some how we all made it back onto the correct route to finish our first lap.
I was now in 9th place as we made our way up the 1st climb again and feeling pretty good. over the hill and then back down dale onto the woods again,this time we all went the correct shorter loop through the woods and then up a steep ascent dodging i
n and out of the trees to test the legs to the max, we then reached the hardest part of the course a uphill track over a muddy field. i lose one place here just before we turn left for the final 600 m. Rob Mcgrath shouts encouragement which gives me renewed energy, i reel in the guy in front of me and then sit on his shoulder to keep out of the wind, a sudden gust blows him sideways across the uneven surface,he stumbles and a take my chance with a rapid acceleration that takes me clean away and gives me 9th place,14 places improvement on last year and in a bigger entry of runners.i also won first v 45 proof that high mileage pays off. next in is a reborn Brian Davey finishing with a brilliant 15th place 46.48 Richard carey battled on to finish in 30th 49.23 a brave effort ! Tracey Peters did a storming performance to finish 40th 50.57 a star of the future me thinks ! my brother andy bowker was next in but does not show on the results, maybe he sprinted in too fast for the time keeper to see! liz Stanfield had a great race with 58.45 and only one week after completing the parbold race. carole james had a solid run with 1.01.27 Sarah reynolds finished with a glint in her eye and a beaming smile to finish in a very respectable 1.09.07 sheila marshal once again put in a great run to take first lady vet 60 with 1.14.19
Norman marshal was full of praise for his girls after the race even breaking out into a smile!
Paul Carrol,race organizer was more than happy with the second biggest ever turn out for the race with 188 runners finishing the extra long 6.9 mile course.
After we had a relaxing pint in the hesketh arms pub and talked of our days battles on the standish trail, a fantastic fun day out for sure !
FULL RESULTS CLICK HERE
CLICK HERE FOR, JON'S SANDHILL 6, PAULS 20 MILE ROUND SOUTHPORT TRAINING RUN AND MORE ON EVERTHING 'RUNNING'.

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Thursday 21 February 2008


my next race is THE STANDISH HALL
TRAIL RACE, CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS, its a good fun challenging race with steep hills,fast descents,forest trail and muddy fields, WHAT MORE COULD YOU ASK FOR !
I've been feeling a bit tired since the parbold hill race, the very cold freezing weather has not helped. my body just wants to run steady in this cold weather,i long for some nice warm sunny days to bring the legs back to life !

Mon 18th feb speed session with club =2.11
tue easy run in sandhills = 49 mins
wed steady run round parbold and harrock hill, on and off rd = 2.02
Thur Rob Mcgrath@s interval session, 5 x 1/2 mile at 5.24 - 5.30 pace The weather turned warmer and with it the sharpness in my legs returned. = 50mins
PHOTO, RICHARD CAREY IN ACTION IN LAST YEARS RACE

JILTED GENERATION

LOOKING FOR 70'S PUNK, PROG ROCK ?
CHECK OUT THIS SITEHux logoGREAT MUSIC 2 RUN 2

Sunday 17 February 2008

RESULTS PARBOLD HILL RACE


The sun shone bright on THE PARBOLD HILL RACE but after freezing temperatures the night before there was still a chill in the light S.E. wind.
Setting off in the playing fields i got hemmed in and had to wait until we got out onto the road to give it full throttle ! I made my way though a fast moving pack of runners until we turned left up the quarry climb. Am not sure if it was the 2 hours sleep after my night shift or the slight chill in the air but my legs seemed to lack a bit of sharpness, the mind was willing but the body was still half asleep.I made my way up the steep climb among a sea of bobbing runners, after about 5 mins we reached the top and got ready for the dash down through the parbold fields. This was great fun,legs flying round at maximum speed. i made up a few places in my down hill plunge, up ahead the runners were well strung out.I got back onto a group of runners inclinding first lady Katie ingram as we came off the fields and onto Lancaster road, ready for the next challenge up the famous Parbold hill. as the road steepened i started to drop back, this was not good! my legs would only go at a steady pace even though my mind screamed at them to go faster.The group just in front slowly pulled away , negative thoughts started to flood my mind,am going to get passed,i'm slowing down, Then something clicked in my mind and i started thinking positive [ come on you can do this, almost at the top now,keep driving hard, everyone is suffering }.
once over the top there is a short downhill before turning left onto a farm track and the climbing starts in earnest once again. 2 runners pace me, I hang on to the second one and he drags me along. the wind is behind us now and my legs start to warm up. I can feel am starting to run better as we climb up harrock hill, the legs are showing more willing and i climb at a faster cadence. Am closing in on the group in front again and this gives me renewed energy.
Past the old ruined wind mill and then turn right, down a dangerous narrow slippery, rocky path, great care is needing here unless you want to take a tumble, then out onto the green fields for a very fast downhill gallop, the only thing to slow you down are two fences in the way, i take the girlie approach and side fault them, if your name is Andy Hudson you most probably hurdle them straight! next we go over a wall and run through some trees, the little guy in front takes a short cut i follow only to smash my head on a low branch { they don't call me the tree hugger for nothing ! ] shaken but not stirred i get passed by Andy eccells of wigan Phoenix,i grit my teeth and hold onto him for the last mile and come in to the finish neck and neck just missing out on 36th place by a gnats whisker! I finish 4 mins faster than last year and 12 places higher but left pondering what 8 hours of sleep might have reaped
Rob Ashworth had a fantastic run with 20th place 44.06 i finished second for the club with 46.48
Ray Handley had one of his best ever runs with 48.02 49th. Brian davey 64th 49.17. mike cunningham 75th 50.11
some old faces came out of the wood work inc Garry Kenny 50.29. colin Wolfarth 57.48 and EX SWAC member Brian Gow was also seen out on the course. fast improving Brian O'Reilly had a great run with 50.55 88th .Andy bowker finished with 55.14 b johnson 283rd 1.02

Vicky Harvey was first back for our ladies with 1 hour 16 secs. C handley ran 1.02 for 282 place liz stanfield 1.04 for 305th place Carole James 311th R thomas 315th mechelle spencer after running 17 miles the day before ran 1.05 and 316th place very good training for her up coming marathon, and bev rothwell finished just ahead of margot bowker and sharon pardoe.

I think every one came away having enjoyed the challenge and the beautiful parbold countryside.

LOOKING FOR PHOTO'S OF THIS RACE PLUS ASHURST BEACON THEN CLICK ON THIS LINK






Friday 15 February 2008

PARBOLD HILL RACE 15TH FEB 2008

Tomorrow i am racing in the Parbold hill race, my best result was 29th in 2004, last year i was 49th. It will be interesting to see how i run this time off my Arthur Lydiard training.I am hoping for a good run maybe with a finish in the 30's. The weather man has predicted cold sunny weather with a south east wind,I think it would be a good idea to wear a base ball hat to keep the low sun out of your eyes. the sun can be very dazzling especially when running down hill through the trees.I once remember running into a tree when being blinded by the sun, OOH ! painful { they don't call me
"THE TREE HUGGER" for nothing !]. It's not rained much in the last two weeks but i reckon it will still be Muddy
.

Anyway have a good one if your racing,
THE LIZARD

PARBOLD HILL RACE 2008

RUNNING TO THE TOP !

Tomorrow is the Parbold Hill Race, the following should help you when racing or training up hills
as you start the hill shorten your stride and keep your legs turning over fast.
the steeper the hill gets then the shorter your stride must be,but keep the same fast leg speed going,this is far more efficient than trying to maintain a longer stride.
think of yourself like a car changing gear to keep at the most efficient revs .
run tall keep your spine pulled upwards.
don't lean forward from the waist [ this will cause back pain ] but lean your whole body forward into the hill keeping your center of gravity over the ball of your landing foot.
raise your knee a bit higher to counter the raising gradient.
when reaching the top start to push hard over the crest of the hill and pick your speed up again.,most runners start to relax near the top and you can gain precious time on them.
keep a positive frame of mind think of the hill as a challenge and not something to dread !

i have to travel 14 miles to reach the first big hills,but i think it is worth it.hills are great in the winter for improving your power and strength and long climbs are fantastic for training at your anaerobic threshold.
The 38th Parbold Hill Race will be held on Saturday 16th February 2008 at 2:00pm.

The Start/Finish is at Bispham Durning’s Endowed School playing field, Chorley Road, Hilldale, Near Parbold. Map

Parking at Hilldale Village Hall, the Church car park opposite and the Farmer’s Arms.

!!!NO ROAD PARKING AT ALL!!!

Limited changing facilities at Durning’s School.

The course is 6.75 miles over tracks, roads and farmer’s fields. Expect mud, and a large amount of climbing. See the course in pictures.

Entry Form

Thursday 14 February 2008

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41591000/jpg/_41591752_celebs_getty300.jpgFamous people who have run a marathon






Pheidippides : A Greek messenger who started the fad when he ran to the Spartans to seek their help defend Greece against the Persians, encamped out on a plain called Marathon. After delivering the message, legend says he dropped dead.

Will Ferrell : Completed at the Boston Marathon in 4:02. Also did the New York marathon with his wife, taking an hour extra.

Sir Jimmy Savile : Britain's first DJ, who has also been a book reviewer, motorcycle racer and wrestler. Claims to have run 102 marathons.

Jorg Haider: The polished far right politician and Nazi apologist from Austria sees himself in the mold somebody patriotic yet progressive. Still he needed a phalanx of bodyguards when he ran the New York Marathon, under threats from Brooklyn's Jewish community.

Sean Coombs aka Puff Daddy : Puffed his way over the finish line of the New York Marathon at 11,359th place, with a 4:15 time.

Nick Leeson : Against medical advice, and despite bleeding profusely while he trained, the former Barings Bank rogue trader who caused the greatest financial bankrupcy in history succeeded in completing the London Marathon while in remission from bowel cancer. As if breaking one record wasn't enough for Nick.

Alistair Campbell : Tony Blair's chief communications strategist and spin doctor (until the David Kelly affair) ran the London Marathon in 3:53 to raise money for leukaemia research.

Phil Selway : The Radiohead drummer completed the London Marathon in about four an a half hours, raising twenty thousand pounds for the Samaritans. Perhaps he was being chased by Thom Yorke in a red Cadillac.

Oprah Whitney : Did the Marine Corps Marathon in 1994 in 4:29. When she started training she weighed 222 pounds.

Brenda Blethyn : British Shakespearean actress did the London Marathon in her mid fifties.

Mikulas Dzurinda : The Prime Minister of Slovenia ran marathons in New York (3:42) and London (3:36), but in 1986 he achieved a personal best of 2:55.

Sir Ranulph Fiennes : Britain's last explorer, who did the world's first polar circumnavigation, discovered the lost city of Ubar in Oman in 1992], and has made several journies to all parts of the globe. In 2003, five months after receiving a heart attack and battling jet lag, 59 year old Sir Randulph succeeding in running seven marathons in seven days on seven continents (if you count the Falkland Islands as part of Antarctica).

Kim Hyun Hee : Each day during her training to become a North Korean spy, Kim was required to run the equivalent of a marathon in a mountain range.

George W. Bush : Peeved that his father failed to remain president, George took to training for a marathon to work out his frustrations. He tried too hard too quickly and got sick as a result, but after easing back he eventually managed to run a full marathon in 3:44.

Al Gore : Got a time less than Dubya's and was quite eager to explain why this was so:

I did a 4:58 marathon in 1997. Technically Bush has done 3:44, but that was a PR for him in '93, and he keeps getting older. So I think we're pretty evenly matched at this point. To be honest, I could have finished faster, but I got a little confused at the twenty mile mark. I paused for water and to have a short nap and when I came to there were secret service agents and paramedics on me. I had to knock them out of the way to finish the race ahead of my daughters. I'm not going to let that happen to me again. The future will be better tomorrow, rather than in the past.

times rounded to the nearest minute


printable ve

Wednesday 13 February 2008

amazing true story !

Stormin' Norman runs the length of Britain – on two false hips

Reproduced from Issue 127 of Arthritis Today

Norman Lane raised more than £10,000 for arc by running from Land's End to John O' Groats, despite having two artificial hips. His wife Ali, who accompanied Norm on his incredible journey, tells his story.


Storming Norman
prepares for the run
of his life

In 2003 Norm and I were enjoying a run across the fields – his favourite pastime and one which six years ago seemed impossible as he was due to have a double hip replacement. He turned to me and said: “I'm going to run from John O' Groats to Land's End to put something back for all the happiness my surgeon and his team have given me in being able to continue with my love of sport”.

In 2004 the dream became reality and after months of punishing training at all hours of the day Norm set off from John O' Groats for the 1,004 mile run to Land's End. All sorts of emotions filled our heads, especially after the arduous drive to the top of Scotland. Norm: “Whatever did I say I'd do this for?” Me: “I think I'm going to have a nervous breakdown!” and our two girls, Steph and Natalie: “How are we going to stand four weeks of our summer holiday in this motor home?”

The start was not good. We were strongly advised to take an alternative to our planned route, as it would be too dangerous with traffic, which meant an extra 20 miles. It was a hard decision, but I'm sure the right one, to follow advice and head along the top of Scotland before following the minor road to Helmsdale. This incorporated a 1,600 ft climb and very undulating terrain, but the views were stunning from the motor home! Norm ended the second day almost making up the extra mileage and far exceeding his 33 miles a day target.

We then headed on down along the coast towards Inverness. The traffic was horrendous. It was like running along a motorway with lorries and cars coming at us from all directions. The strain and worry of being hit by a vehicle was horrendous. Then, at the end of the fourth day, having run 148 miles and with only one mile to go, Norm stopped to take a call, got a bit chilled and tore something in his knee when he tried to set off again. The pain was excruciating and stopped him for the day.

The next day brought gloom and doom as Norm could only manage a short distance because of the pain in his knee. We hit an all-time low, as the thought of returning home after only four days became a strong possibility. With so many hopes pinned on him, how could he give up? So, after dosing up with anti-inflammatories, painkillers, ice, massage and sprays, Norm managed to continue.

We headed on towards Perth where we were met by some good friends of ours, the Pearces from Glasgow. Our first friends in the wilderness! They had driven over to support Norm and took turns running with him all day. It was great to have them with us and it spurred us all on.

Running over the Forth Bridge was one of Norm's ambitions and this was made even more special by the company of Alistair Campbell, who was a Scottish Commonwealth sub-four-minute mile man. The highs soon turned to lows again when I lost him in the edge of Edinburgh – very frightening as he doesn't know my mobile number and he could have been anywhere! We vowed then not to separate again. This led to another high in the same day when, unable to get to Princes Street (another ambition – to run along Princes Street) on the one way system we asked for police help and were amazingly given a police escort all the way down the street, stopping traffic with sirens blaring. Norm felt like he was leading the London Marathon!

Two days later, having covered another 70 odd miles, we couldn't believe it when the policeman above drove all the way on his day off to give us a video of Norm running in Edinburgh. What a special man.

Because of the traffic situation, we moved onto smaller parallel roads and Norm could actually enjoy the scenery without fear of becoming a ‘road kill'. The knee pain was still troubling but more painkillers kept it bearable.

After ten days we passed into England – a major milestone. The days passed more quickly the closer Norm came to achieving his goal and once we were within travelling distance of home many friends drove out to accompany him on some, or all, of his daily mileage.

As Norm reached the sign ‘Welcome to Gloucestershire,' BBC Radio Gloucester played ‘Welcome Home' for him. What an emotional moment that was. The ‘highs' reached higher and higher as we got closer to our home village of Bourton-on-the-Water with an ever increasing number of runners flanking him, including many of the children he regularly trains, and a huge welcoming crowd, waving flags and cheering, worthy of an Olympic winner. It was fantastic and set him up for his last leg to Cornwall.

The weather which we feared would be too hot down south was in fact far worse than Scotland and every day brought thunder, lightning and heavy rain which led to raw rubbed feet. But hey, nothing could stop him now!

And nothing did. Norm ran up to 40 miles a day as if they were nothing, as the end approached. Friends and supporters joined him most days to run with him and urge him on. One friend even flew over from Greece to put some miles in with him.

As he ran up to the finishing line at Land's End on August 22, the day was an echo of 28 days previously when we set off from John O'Groats, in that it was raining, windy and cold. However this time, there were a group of about 150 people cheering him in and a warmth that no inclement weather could penetrate. He'd made it. After months of hard work, it had all paid off and the job was done – an amazing experience, never to be repeated, but also never to be forgotten by an awful lot of people.

Tuesday 12 February 2008

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LONDON MARATHON NEWS

London Marathon - important changes

28 January 2008
Major changes are set to be made to the Flora 'public ballot' entry procedure.
For places in the 2009 London Marathon, all interested runners will be required to apply online, www.london-marathon.co.uk/site/
From noon on 13 April 2008 (London Marathon day) would-be entrants will need to be poised at their computer, eager to register interest and complete the application.
This new online ballot procedure will remain open until a maximum of 120,000 applications have been received - experience tells the Association this could mean the 'window of opportunity' is likely to be small (possibly hours or days).
Please note 'online' will be the only method of entry for the public ballot.
As we only have a few charity Golden Bond places available for allocation, we rely heavily on those runners who have gone through the 'public ballot' system and have been successful.
In 2007 the MND Association had 55 'own place' runners raising a total of £50,000 for the Association.

Contact:

Fundraising 01604 611860
fundraising@mndassociation.org


Monday 11 February 2008

17 mile speed session !


I've got the Parbold Hill race on saturday, so i decided to get a long run in when i could.I set off early for Brian Davies club session and clocked up 7 miles before i met up with every one.my legs still felt sore after my epic hill run, so was not expecting to be able to run fast. Brian announced that we would be doing 12 x 400, once we got going i felt ok and even found an extra gear. after the session i ran back with tracey who's been really clocking up the miles for her 1st ever marathon attempt at London, i dropped tracey off at her house and then ran a extra loop to give me a total of 17 miles. now the only problem was staying awake at work.
TUE 12th Feb
easy run over the velvet trail, warm and sunny, glorious day ! = 45 mins
WED 13th Feb
easy -steady run with brian, over the sandhills and into the pinewoods.
another beautiful sunny day, fabulous !!! = 2.07
Thur 14th feb
Robs interval session, 1/2m 1m 1/2 1mile = 51 mins

Sunday 10 February 2008

Flora London Marathon Announce Women's Elite Field Including Paula Radcliffe

Radcliffe returns to chase fourth London title

World marathon record holder Paula Radcliffe will bid to win her fourth Flora London Marathon title on 13th April when she faces a rematch against her arch rival Gete Wami, the Ethiopian she beat in a dramatic finish to take the New York marathon last November.

Radcliffe, who won the London race in 2002, 2003 and 2005, aims to become only the second woman to claim four victories – a feat achieved by her mentor Ingrid Kristiansen, the great Norwegian who won the London Marathon four times between 1984 and 1988.

“It’s great to be running the Flora London Marathon again,” said the 34-year-old Briton, who made a triumphant return to marathon running in New York after more than a year and a half out of competition. “I love running in front of my home crowd and I know that winning a fourth time will give me just the boost I need before the Olympic Games in August. The London field is always competitive but that’s what I need to be at my best in Beijing.”

Radcliffe, who set both the women-only and mixed race world records on the London course, will face stiff competition from Wami, the World Marathon Majors champion and an athlete likely to be one of Radcliffe’s closest challengers for Olympic gold. Wami’s second place in New York came just a month after winning the Berlin Marathon, two performances which clinched the first ever World Marathon Majors title for the 32-year-old plus $500,000 in prize money. Wami finished second in her London Marathon debut last year when she clocked 2:21:45 behind China’s Zhou Chunxiu.

“We are delighted to have Paula back in London and pleased that she has decided to race here again against such a strong field,” said Flora London Marathon Race Director David Bedford. “No doubt all eyes will be on Paula as she goes for her fourth victory, but the women’s race will be as tough as ever and Gete will have something to prove after losing to Paula in New York.”

Wami’s compatriot Berhane Adere, the Ethiopian record holder, is the second quickest in the field. Adere was tipped to perform well last year but finished a disappointing 10th. The big two will also be challenged by Romania’s Constantina Tomescu-Dita, who was second to Radcliffe in 2005 and third last year; Svetlana Zakharova of Russia, a former Chicago Marathon champion; Australia’s Benita Johnson, the Oceania record holder; Kenya’s Salina Kosgei, who was fourth last year; and Germany’s Irina Mikitenko, who finished second to Wami in Berlin.

As well as chasing London Marathon prize money totalling more than $250,000, the leading runners will also be battling to secure points towards the 2007/08 World Marathon Majors series currently headed by Wami. A prize purse of $1million awaits the men’s and women’s winners of the second WMM series which concludes with the ING New York City Marathon in November.

Elite Women’s Field Fastest Times

Paula Radcliffe (GBR) 2:15:25

Berhane Adere (ETH) 2:20:42

Constantina Tomescu-Dita (ROM) 2:21:30

Gete Wami (ETH) 2:21:34

Svetlana Zakharova (RUS) 2:21:31

Benita Johnson (AUS) 2:22:36

Salina Kosgei (KEN) 2:23:22

Irina Mikitenko (GER) 2:24:51

THE CROW, BURN, AWESOME BROODING DARKNESS !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aeFkJvgnbk
video

Saturday 9 February 2008

my ARTHUR LYDIARD long hill run 2,500 ft of climbing

ummary Data
Total Time (h:m:s)2:04:117:15 pace
Moving Time (h:m:s)2:04:117:15 pace
Distance (mi )17.11
Moving Speed (mph)8.3 avg.13.3 max.
Elevation Gain (ft)+1,965 / -1,967

Temperature (°F)53.2°F avg.53.6°F high
Wind Speed ( mph)SSE 10.9 avg.SSE 12.6 max.

GPS Signal QualityExcellentMB Gravity Web Service
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I made the most of the very early spring sunshine and put in a very good long run round the parbold and ashurst beacon countryside, i felt quite good today and kept a good strong steady pace going. with almost 2000 ft of climbing and 4 main climbs this was more climbing than even Arthur Lydiards boys use to run on there infamous 22 mile loop in New Zealand.
Shortly after my run i took Niz out for a 3 mile run, along the leeds liverpool canal and then up the awesome climb along the old quarry path to the top of parbold hill. this gave me a total of 2,500 ft of climbing and 20 miles of running


SUN 10th
recovery run = 1.10

Thursday 7 February 2008

speed work

.
With a career in fitness instructing Rob knows his stuff and the sessions are not only professionally run but also great fun !
ROBS SESSIONS WILL BE HELD EACH THURSDAY NIGHT AT 6.30 PM
meeting outside the physiotherapists shop in birkdale village.
tonight we ran 12x 400m on a well thought out loop, using some quite well lite streets and caters for runners of all abilities.having taken part in tonights session i can highly recommend that every one tries to make it down next week .
Also, Brian Davey's monday speed sessions are now getting very popular with up to 20 runners turning up, starting from the spar next to ainsdale station every monday 6.30pm.
Brian and rob will be working in conjunction with each other to alternate long and short intervals,
I felt quite strong tonigh and recovered well between each 400m effort, i've not felt this good for years so all the Arthur Lydiard base training seems to have worked a treat.
12x 400m max speed 13.9
= 53 mins

GARY MOLLER,

Gary MollerCHECK OUT GARY MOLLER'S WEB SITE, lots of useful information on HEALTH, FITNESS AND SPORTS INJURIES ETC. CLICK HERE

great trail race, recommended by the LIZARD

WIGAN PHOENIX
presents
THE STANDISH HALL TRAIL RACE
(UNDER UKA RULES. PERMIT No. 1971)
‘It’s a belter’
SATURDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2008 AT 2.30PM
DISTANCE – VERY APPROX 10K
Course records:
Paul Cadwallader, Liverpool Pembroke, 34.35
Claire Entwhistle, Wigan Phoenix, 38.31
REGISTRATION: HESKETH ARMS, SHEVINGTON MOOR WN6 0SE (NEAR M6 J27)
Bar and free results on the day. Limited changing/shower facilities.
The course is completely off road on bridle paths and woodland trails
****PRIZES (Kindly sponsored by SWEATSHOP) ****
1st 5 MEN, 1st 3 WOMEN plus JUNIOR, VET, TEAM (4M/ 3W),
SPOT PRIZES/UNATTACHED TEAM PRIZE
PRE-ENTRIES (INC A5 SAE FOR MAP/NUMBER) BY 18.02.08 TO
PAUL CARROLL, 21 PILGRIMS WAY, STANDISH, WIGAN, WN6 0AJ
ENTRY FEES (PAYABLE TO WIGAN PHOENIX):
PRE-ENTRY £4 (£6 UNATTACHED) or
ENTRIES ON THE DAY WELCOME - £5 (£7 UNATTACHED)
(Min age 16)
Email enquiries to paul.carroll@wiganphoenix.org.uk or phone
01257 426166 – weekday evenings and weekends only please.
Standish Hall Trail Race 23 Feb 2008:
Name____________________________Club___________________
DOB_________ Vet category_____ M/ F ___NoEAA No___________
Address________________________________________________
Postcode____________Signed___________________Date_____________
I am an amateur as defined by UKA laws and rules. I agree to participate
entirely at my own risk. I declare that I am medically fit to run & agree
to be bound by UKA rules.
From ukresults.net

ITS A BEAUTIFUL DAY

WED 7th

I was singing this song by U2 in my head as i set off with Tess the dog to meet up with brian for a run over the sand dunes.
It sure was like the first day of spring, with blue skies and a warming sun. this is what its all about to me, fresh air sun and feeling alive, FANTASTIC. we are so lucky to be involved in a outdoor sport where we see the changing seasons and experience all that nature has to offer.
winter seems to drain me, no matter what training i do my body lacks energy, the returning sun seems to charge my energy cells and am full of life again !
Tess set the pace and route and she took us up the biggest and highest of the sandhills. the lower paths are still flooded so the high paths were the place to be. this was great training for the up coming PARBOLD HILL RACE .
Brian has improved greatly over the winter and coped very well with terrain. this had been a very enjoyable run. I returned home with a smile on my face full of the joys of an early spring !
= 1.36

Tuesday 5 February 2008

THINGS TO MAKE A RUNNERS BLOOD BOIL OVER !


1, Fat spotty faced boy racers in little BOOM! BOOM! cars shouting obscenity's at me through there open car window as i'm running along . AAAHHH!!!

2, OWNERS OF BIG DOGS WHO SHOUT " DON'T WORRY HE WON'T BITE YOU" ! just as the big ugly brute comes tearing at me with all teeth bearing. AAAHHH!!!

3, owners of cars who pull out of there drive ways without looking and almost send me crashing over the bonnet. AAAHHH!!!

easy run 35 mins

Monday 4 February 2008

16.05 miles pain of the long distance runner



monday night is brian davies club interval session, i ran down early to get some extra mileage in.

on saturday my shoes started making strange slapping noises , on examination i found that the soles were coming adrift from the uppers, so on my return from my run i binned them.
tonight i was trying out my new shoes which turned out not to be the brightest of ideas, because after 3 miles i could feel a burning sensation in my right heel, by 7 miles the blister felt quite painful, by 10 miles it hurt like hell but i kept on going.
after the club session i decided to run home and not get a lift back, i sort of ran through the pain and out the other side. i ended up with 16 miles, i felt good apart from the nasty blister.
i was pleased with my self, i didn't quit even through the pain was hard to handle
blisters can hurt but not as much as saddle sores like i use to get when i was cycle racing, man talk about
blazing saddles ow eeh !!!

Saturday 2 February 2008

on the roof top of the sandhills

After 3 days and nights of 70 mph + winds, hell stones and sleet showers things finally cheered up when the sun came out and the wind dropped.
I Set out on a long one, over the biggest sandhills southport has to offer, heading for the ainsdale pinewoods and beyond. After 40 mins the legs started to feel like jelly ! this was not looking good, but once past pontins i reached firmer sand,

as I approached the pinewoods a group of very old looking ramblers looking rather lost asked me the way to freshfield station, i pointed the way out to them but they decided to head straight into the woods ! oops ! I hope there rather disheveled bodies are not found in the woods in a couple of weeks time, lets hope they made it home.
On through the pinewoods Tess and me ran, heading home, over the BIG DIPPER the legs started to seize up, passed The Royal Birkdale Golf Club , then back over the coast road and along the dunes . the last half mile on the road i picked the pace up reaching 10 mph on very tired legs.= 2.35

SUN 3rd
Easy run =44 mins

SOUTHPORT WATERLOO 4 MILE RACES 21ST MARCH

GREAT RACES FOR ALL THE FAMILY
A GREAT FAMILY DAY OUT IN SOUTHPORT


Southport Waterloo AC
Good Friday Races March 21st 2008
Under UK Athletics Rules – Permit 2044
Victoria Park, Southport
3k Fun Run Start 10am
Ladies 4 Mile Race 10.30am
Men’s 4 Mile Race 11.15am
Age Limits: 4-mile 15 years & over. Fun Run min age 8 years - registration from 9.00am.
Mementoes to all Finishers - 4-mile Prizes 1st 6 Men 1st 6 Ladies
Vets: 1st Male O/40 O/45 O/50 O/55 O/60 O/65 O/70 1st Lady O/35 O/40 O/45 O/50 O/55 O/60 O/65 1st Junior Male & Female
Entry Fees: 4-mile £5.00 Unattached £7.00 Fun Run £3.00 Late Entries on the day £1.00 extra
Entries to: Race sec. 53 Oak Street. Southport, Merseyside PR8 6AL Cheques Payable to: Southport
Waterloo Ac.
Race sec. norm53@blueyonder.co.uk. Tel: Norman. 01704545809 club website – http://www.sw-ac.co.uk
No changing but there is a large toilet block. Car parking options - Westbourne Road and surrounding
area. Rotten Row Parking is 1 hr in 2 - Parking attendants will be around, parking at the Park and
Ride, but there will be a charge. Esplanade £3. Free Computerized results on the day.
__________________________________________________________________________________
ENTRY FORM 4 Mile Ladies …….. 4 Mile Men……… Fun Run………………
Forename……………………………Surname……………………………….M/F………………........
Address………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………...………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Post code.……………Vet, Cat.…………….Age on Race Day………… Tel………………………………….
Club/Unattached……………………………………… British Athletics Reg. No. …………………………..
I am an amateur as defined by UK Athletics Rules. I am medically fit to take part. I agree that the organizers and/or sponsors shall
not be responsible for any loss, accident or injury (or loss/damage to property) arising from my participation on this event.
Signed……………………………………………………… Date……………………………….
(Must be signer by a parent or guardian if competitor aged under 18 years)
Please send SAE for number and info. No SAE, number to be collected on the day. Last mail out 17th March.
For any entries received after that date, collect numbers on the day.
THE LIZARD RECOMMENDS THESE RACES

Friday 1 February 2008

interval training


This week i started my anaerobic conditioning,once you move into anaerobic conditioning then you need to start doing interval training.
Arthur Lydiard recommends a total of 5K of effort, so you could chose 3 x 1 mile, 6 x 1/2 mile or 12 x 1/4 or even 24 x 200 m.
i always find it better to do this fast training with other people, training on my own i never seem to be able to run as fast, it seems to be much harder mentally, using up mental energy i think is better saved for race day and i think you learn more running in a fast pack of runners, learning to hang on to the pace of someone who is making you suffer, leading the pack or winding the pace up at the end of an effort, but most of all its just so much more FUN running with your team mates and thats what its all about! SO IF YOUR CLUB DOES NOT HOLD SPEED SESSIONS WHY NOT THINK ABOUT ORGANIZING SOME !

ARTHUR LYDIARD ON ANAEROBIC CONDITIONING;

"When developing the capacity to exercise anaerobically, it is important to realize what you are trying to do and what physiological development you are trying to achieve It is possible to develop an ability to incur about 15-liter oxygen debt and this is done by exercising anaerobically. Developing big oxygen debts in training stimulates the body's metabolism to create buffers against fatigue. If this is understood, it will be realized that it does not really matter what form of running it takes, as long as you are making yourself tired with the volume of anaerobic exercise: and finish the training session knowing that you could not do much more nor any better. Therefore, it doesn't matter whether you use repetitions or interval training, over different distances with different intervals, you don't even need to time them: as long as you come off the track or from your training quite fatigued. However, as a practical guide, it is advisable to get fast running into a total of about 3 miles, or 5000 meters, or thereabouts; i.e. 12 X 400 meters, 6 X 600 meters, 5 X 1000 meters or 3 X 1 mile, etc.: with a recovery jog of a equal distance in between. If one athlete takes longer intervals or more volume of fast repetitions than another to gain the same reaction physiologically, then he will just need to train for a longer time.

So in many ways, it is important to evaluate your training every day, so as to understand the effects of each day's training; and not to follow some or any schedule blindly".