START OF A NEW ERA!

Today was my first run following the custom designed training program from Barry Magee.
Barry asked me a lot of questions as regards my past training, health, fitness and future objectives, once he was happy that he had all the info necessary he set about writing up my training for the next couple of weeks.
Todays session was a pyramid fartleck run over mixed terrain with the reminder to "keep the fast efforts relaxed as you have a race on Wednesday".
Found the session quite easy, if I'd set the training myself I'm sure I'd have pushed much harder and run more efforts [ and paid the price on Wednesday!] as bricey said in his comment on my last post " It's often good to get an external perspective."

Route Sandhill 6
Pyramid fartlek -- 30-60 -120-180-120-60-30 - 15 secs with
recovery jogs between
Finished with some easy aerobic running to give a total of 1 hour 16 mins
Tue 9th
Nice easy aerobic run [ as instructed] with tess over the sandhills,
enjoyed the late afternoon sunshine as we meandered over the gentle dune paths, cool! = 1.04

EXCITING NEWS; I SIGN UP WITH BARRY MAGEE TO COACH ME UP TO NEXT YEARS LONDON MARATHON

After 16 years of self coaching I decided to get serious and get a really good coach, and who better than legendary runner and outstanding coach in his own right BARRY MAGEE, Barry was one of the original Arthur's boys from the 60's who went on to great success and knows more about LYDIARD'S training methods than anyone else! I'm very excited to train under him! Training starts monday!
BARRY'S TRAINING TIPS
Interview With Barry Magee
Wed 3rd
BIRKENHEAD PARK 5 MILE, 28.48, 19th place
Its been a long time since I raced here [2002], the new course is very fast, I was feeling tired after over doing my training on Monday night [ things should improve once I start to follow Barry's program, watch this space!]

The first thing I noticed was they have done a lot of work to restore the park to its former glory.

Birkenhead Park was designed by Sir Joseph Paxton. His concept was to create an idealised countryside landscape of open meadows and naturalistic woodland belts.

And it is said that Central park in New York was modeled from the Birkenhead design!

Anyway back to the racing, I travelled down with Jon, the race Didn't start on time due to cars parked on the course it was almost 8 pm by the time we got going [ start time should have been 7.45], one interesting concept is they put on races for the juniors before the main race.

Conditions were almost idea sunny and no wind but maybe a little to humid for Jon!

The race was over 3 laps of the lower park, it was really fast, just one short hill each lap, I went through one mile in 5.37 feeling ok, 3 miles 17.04, I was hoping for sub 29 mins maybe 28.30, I think I ran 28.18 some 7 years ago!

I was in a good group as we went into the final lap, I could now start to feel my energy draining away, up the hill for the last time and I started to fade, runners were starting to pass me by as I slipped back through the field helpless to do anything about it, finally I reached the last endless 200 m, It was like one of those dreams where your trying to run but feel like something is pulling you back, at last I cross the line and glance at the watch, 28.48 for 19th place! I didn't feel good!

I jog back and wait for Jon, he's having a bad time, the heat has got to him, after a long wait he comes into view, I shout "200 to go" and he puts on a sprint finishing in 43.27.

I was surprised no other SWAC member turned up, its a great course in nice surroundings.

MAD FOR IT JAPANESE MARATHON RUNNER,[Ewen's favorite!]
READ THE STORY HERE

RYAN HALL on Mental Training;
RH: I am still learning a lot about the mental side of training and racing. What I am focusing a lot of lately is just being in the moment. I, and I think all runners, have a tendency to think too much. Whether it is worrying about Heartbreak Hill, thinking about what a competitor is doing, or get flustered because the last mile split was too slow, we all have a tendency to have our mind cluttered with a lot of junk. I am learning to clean out the trash and just be where I am and poor myself into the step I am about to take. I find that I get more out of myself when my mind isn't cluttered with so much garbage.

I PASS MY LEVEL 2 FITNESS INSTRUCTORS COURSE!

Last night I took my final practical exam, I had to design a training program inc MOBILITY, PRE STRETCH, WARM UP, CV WORKOUT, FREE AND FIXED WEIGHTS, WARM DOWN and PROGRESSION and MAINTENANCE STRETCHES!
I then had to take a client through the whole routine while giving correct demonstrations and teaching points! MAN, THIS WAS NERVE RACKING IN THE EXTREME!!!
Well I somehow made it through and got a pass, [ Thanks to Rob for standing in as my client].
Next I want to move on and take the level 3 personal trainer qualification!

If you thought you should run your hill repeats so hard your lungs almost burst, then think again and check out this video

Peter Magill - Event Training: 5K (Road)

Quick Facts:

Peter Magill
Age 47
South Pasadena, CA
Fluffy Bunny Track Club (Coach, Athlete)
Event Tips: 5K (Road)
Masters PR: 14:47 (age 42)
Masters Achievements at 5K (Road): Single Age American Records for 5K (Road) - Age 43-14:52, Age 46-14:50, Age 47-14:49 ... 2004 Carlsbad 5000 Masters Champion (14:51) ... at least a dozen sub-15 performances since turning 40 (and a 14:34.27 on the track at age 46)
(Photo by Victor Sailer) MORE

17.74 miles and 5 climbs

It was a very warm sunny day as I set out on another Arthur Lydiard type long hill run, luckily there was a breeze to help cool me down, even so I still got some what dehydrated, over 2 hours running without water meant my weight had dropped down to 10 stone 12 lb by the end of the run!
Once again I ran over 5 big climbs, inc Stoney Lane, Hunters Hill, I then followed the Harrock Hill Race route [ Brian Grice informs me that I have run 27 Harrock Hill races since its inception in 2000, the most by any Southport Waterloo runner!] down through the fields then up Parbold hill over the fields, then on to Harrock Hill and back to Hunters which I climbed again, I then followed a 7 mile roller coaster road loop round to Harrock hill which I climbed on the road, the last few miles I could start to feel my energy draining away but my legs still felt better than Mondays long run!
On 2 of the climbs I did Arthur Lydiards springing exercise, I'm convinced this will help me run faster in my up coming hill races.
I WANT TO START FINISHING IN THE TOP TEN, SOON!
RUNS, WALKS ROUND PARBOLD COUNTRYSIDE
Shoes NIKE LUNAR, weight 10st 12 lb
1840 ft of climbing, 17.74 miles = 2.17

TRAINING FOR THE WEEK
Sun 31st
Easy run with Jon in the pinewoods = 1.17.30
Sat 30th
Parbold hill run, 1840 ft climbing = 2.17
Fri 29th
Steady aerobic run with some 10 sec sprints = 24 mins
Thur 28th
10 x short hill sprints, av speed 12 mph, then 4 x 400 at 5.11 - 5.20 pace
= 45 mins
Wed 27th
Afternoon, easy run with Niz = 25 mins
Evening, Harrock Hill Race, 11th place = 36.48
Tue 26th
Easy run with Jon = 45 mins
Mon 25th
Arthur Lydiard long hill run = 2.15

Harrock Hill Race Results, Indivdual and team win!

WE BLAST THE REST!!!
Richard Shearer wins for Southport Waterloo.
RACE REPORT
RESULTS
photo taken at Parbold race in Feb

11 th place at harrock hill

I had one of my most enjoyable gutsy races of the year! THIS IS WHAT ITS ABOUT, full on eye ball to eye ball racing!!! YEAH I 'LOVE IT' !!!
Update to follow!
And a big Hi to the marshal that recognized me on the race route through my blog! ' THANKS FOR DOING A GREAT JOB'!

ARTHUR LYDIARD LONG HILL RUN, 1840 ft of climbing!

AWESOME NEWS
I'm getting back into the Arthur Lydiard training in a big way and that includes getting a very famous runner associated with Mr Lydiard to coach me!!!

I headed to Parbold for a long hill run on road and over dirt paths, I set off easy but soon found I was going quite well so pushed the pace a bit over the 4 main climbs. This was my longest run since the marathon. Starting to feel a bit stronger again! 17.3 miles , 1,840 ft of climbing = 2.15

Hutton roof fell race

Today I ran the Hutton Roof fell race, Its always a great day out, the weather was kind to us again but there was quite a bit of mud around to make conditions slippy in places!
There was a bigger turnout of fast runners this year as it was a inter county championship race.
As I still don't feel fully recovered from my Marathon I decided to enjoy the race and run within myself, having said that I'm not sure I could have run much faster anyway!
The race starts in a field and it was a bit hectic as we swung round and headed through a narrow gap in a stone wall! Quickly we made our way up a very steep climb over rocks and boulders, once at the top I tried to get my breath back as we ran over the tops, I managed to pass quite a few runners over the easier sections without going into my red zone!
Next was a very fast downhill, stepping on one of the many jagged rocks or loose stones was the big hazard, a lot of concentration was required to keep upright!
The biggest challenge soon came into sight as we turned a corner and headed up the mountain, zig zagging at first then straight up the scree
this was tough, crawling on my hands and knees at a painfully slow pace, we were all lined out following one another, breathless and with quads full of lactic. I finally make it over the steepest section, I try to start running again but my legs feel like a drunken sailors!
Downhill through craggy outbreaks of rocks, I start to recover, I overtake a couple of runners, next a jump down a rock ledge before a steady downhill to the road, across the road and the start of the final section, a steady climb through trees eventfully coming out on the top of a hill, some technical downhill then very fast down a grassy bank, following a tall lad and a girl we take a sharp corner onto a single track, the girl infront gets a stitch, I shout encouragement " not far to go," a tall Scottish girl comes flying past, back through the narrow hole in the wall, a slight rise then the final 200m on tarmac, I sprint on the inside taking it out, pulling away from the group I've been running with!
Not my fastest ever time but I really enjoyed the race and scenery!
We spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing and gouging on home made cakes and watching the race presentation !
= 1.02.22
Sun 24th
Run with Jon, sandhill 6, plus run down and back inc 8 short sprints = 1.30

WALTON PARK 5 MILE

TUE 19th
I had not run here since 2003 when I ran 27.39, today I was hoping for sub 29 at least!
From the start I quickly got into a good group, we were moving along pretty fast but by the end of the first lap I got blown out the back as my legs gave way, 2 miles in 11 mins.
Now I was on my own and having to face the uphill section into the wind all on my own, up ahead I saw Dave Edwards of Liverpool Running club drifting off the back of the group I'd been in. This gave me something to concentrate on and I worked hard to catch him!
I got renewed confidence as I passed him , another Runner got blown out the back of the group and I now had a new challenge of catching him too, I pulled up to him and hoped he could work with me but I soon found myself moving away. 3 miles 17.03, I was feeling ok at this point and a sub 29 looked well on the cards as I started my final lap, but once I hit the headwind and uphill my wheels came off! Glancing at the Garmin showed I was crawling at 9 mph! After what seemed like a life time I reached the highest point on the course and now had a welcomed downhill towards the finish. I tried to sprint the final 100m but my post marathon legs were well shot!
29.07 DAM! I WAS NOT HAPPY!
I've got another 5 miler in a couple of weeks,
lets hope I can run closer to 28.30 !
RESULTS

Wed 20th
1 mile warm up at m.p. pace 6.18, 1 mile hard 5.32, 4 x 1/4 mile 76, 76, 76, 75 = 42 mins
Thur 21
Big sandhills with Tess, enjoyed the run, easy aerobic pace = 1.38
HOT RUNNING TIPS

Healthy Intelligent Training By Keith Livingston

Here is a really interesting book I came across,
READ IT HERE