LONDON MARATHON RUNNER MUGGED BY BIG DOG AND LEFT WITHOUT A PENNY!

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SUPER SORE QUADS!

After my epic hill run on Saturday I was in real pain when I ran with Chris and Jon through the pinewoods on Sunday, each slight downhill brought pain to my quads like someone was stabbing me with a knife. Monday I ran to college still with very sore quads, once at college I found out we were hitting the weights which included doing some one rep max tests! I found I could press the maximum weight stack on the leg press machine, some 175 kg!
Well I guess this didn't really help my recovery! Anyway even though I still had to walk down stairs side ways to avoid excruciating quad pain, I decided I'd still give the planned 5 x 1 mile efforts a go tonight,running down to the Selworthy rd hill loop my legs still felt stiff, but I hoped it would wear off as I got warmed up. Well the first one was very sluggish at 5.50, the second one a little faster at 5.42, but by the 3rd my legs were finished and 5.54 was the result!
In the past I would have carried on to the bitter end , but this time I called it quits, better to walk away and live to fight another day!

I KNOCK 10 MINS OFF MY HILLY 23 MILE TRAINING ROUTE!

MY TRIBUTE RUN TO ARTHUR LYDIARD, 23 MILES, 2,329 ft OF CLIMBING

Sat 28th
I headed for the hills, for some serious high mileage training! The nearest hilly area to me is Parbold some 14 miles away from where I live, last year I'd been doing hill runs right through until the end of last summer! This was my first Arthur Lydiard type mountain run of the year!
I traveled down on my motor scooter and by the time I'd parked up my feet and legs were numb with cold!
Setting off from PARBOLD I was straight onto the first climb, and man I was really struggling to get going ! I reached the top after over a mile and had thoughts in my head to cut the run short! Next was a long downhill before the notorious HUNTERS HILL, I still wasn't feeling warmed up even after tackling the super steep Hunters hill, maybe wearing shorts on a day when the temperature was only 45 f and the wind was hitting 20 mph was not such a good idea!
Now I was running downhill along stony lane, using Jack Nirensteins running method really let me fly down the road hitting 13.5 mph.
I was starting to feel better now, just as well because the 2 mile climb up Ashurst beacon was my next challenge, I soon got into a rhythm and before I knew it I was over the top and zooming down the over side, I now had quite a few miles of narrow country lane between me and the next target Crank hill.
I was motoring along the country roads and was soon on the tortuous Crank Hill [ almost like a mini Alps the road twists and turns through over hanging trees] trying not to over do it [after all this is a very long run] I run within my limits up the climb hoping to pick up speed on the next downhill.
I make it over the top, catch my breath and charge onwards down the next descent, my Quads are aching now, I've not done much hill work for a long time and every time I go downhill the pain gets worse!
Two more climbs to go the first one starts easy enough, you just think your at the top and you go round a corner and there it is a bloody great wall to climb, bastard! gets me every time.
The final climb is up the side of Ashurst Beacon again but from a different side, past quaint little cottages in the Forrest, at last I'm at the very top, 2 miles downhill to go, this would be very nice except sharp pains go through my Quads each step downhill, I block out the warning signals and hurtle on regardless.
I make it back to Parbold, knocking 10 mins off my best time and despite the freezing 20 mph wind!
I ran this course twice last August as training for the ANGLESEY MARATHON , the first time took me 3 hours, the second time I really tried hard, finishing a shattered wreck in 2.58, today I ran it in a controlled way in 2 hours 48 mins a ten minute improvement.
Was I wearing my SPIRA shoes you may ask! Well no I was wearing my trusty NIKE LUNAR'S.
23 MILES 2,329 FT OF CLIMBING, AV SPEED 8.2 MPH, MAX 13.5 MPH = 2.48

RUNNING FAST IN THE WIND!

After yesterdays glucose depleting 20 miles run in the wind and rain I was not really looking forward to the 4 mile tempo run recommended on the Runners World program.
The sun was out but the wind was still gusting strongly, it was going to be another tough one.
R.W. recommended 6.13 pace, I decided to break the session down into 3 miles and one mile.
Despite the wind I felt quite strong and finished the 3.1 mile loop with an average 5.57 pace, a couple of mins easy and straight into the 1 mile, running round a half mile block meant some sharp cornering was in order, [ the Garmin graph shows wild fluctuations in speed as I have to decelerate and accelerate out of the corners] but I felt strong again and finish with 5.46.
Back in 2003 I had my best year with p.b.s of 2.48 marathon, 21.31 4 miles and 27.11 5 miles.
I always use to train hard Tuesday, Wednesday, with easy runs up to the weekend, I've started doing this again over the last couple of weeks and it seems to work, don't know why but I just feel a whole lot more aggressive on the Wednesday, if I leave my second hard run until Thursday I always seem to feel flat!
Shoes SPIRA.
3.1 MILES, 5.57 PACE, Av 10.1 MPH, MAX 12.6 MPH = 18.29
plus 1 MILE, Av 10.4 MPH, MAX 11.6 MPH, = 5.46
Thur 26th
Easy run over the big sandhills with Tess, tired today after my 2 hard days.
= 1.24
Fri 27th
Easy run with 6 x 20 sec leg speed session, downhill on grass.
= 46 mins

20 MILES, THE TOUGHEST RUN!

ILLUSIONS IN THE RAIN!
The weather deteriorated throughout the day, by the time I got out the wind had picked up to a cruel gusting frenzy, and the rain was being driven horizontal, Oh what joy! The plan was for a 20 miler inc the club fartleck session! After one hour of steady running [ 7.08 pace] I met up with the club, the wind and rain had already taken it toll upon me , I was feeling dizzy with dropping blood sugar levels and my exposed legs were feeling the cold! A couple of jelly babies crammed down my throat and we were away! We had a good group considering the dreadful weather, once again Rob was going strong and it took all my efforts to hold him! The final effort was up shore rd, up the hill and back to the village, by now my eyes were irritated by the cold gusting wind and my contact lens was blurring up, that along with the street lights reflecting up off the rain sodden roads, giving me limited vision, there was only one option but to follow the white line at the edge of the road, WE let the slower runners get a lead then Rob and me charged off! I gave it everything, sprinting off then trying to hold pace over the hill, I quick glance at the garmin and I was doing almost 12 mph uphill, as I reached the top I could sense Robs shadow pulling along side as we crested the hill, one final downhill effort and we finish exhausted, side by side! 13.2 miles completed just 7 to go! By now my cycle thermal jacket was weighing heavy on my shoulders as it absorbed every last drop of rain, I ran back with Rob then headed off again in search of the final miles, running up Trafalgar rd hill my energy sapped away, feeling dizzy and light headed!
I felt dazed and confused by the reflecting light off the wet roads, I was feeling bad, really bad now! More jelly babies and within a mile I was slowly coming around and my speed and strength picked up again, 1 mile to go and the road seemed to be going uphill into the heavens, yet I knew this road was flat, it was just an illusion of my glucose starved mind! On to a final half mile loop, I was running through a dark tunnel, my eyes just focused on the distant light at the end of the road, a final all out effort, up to 10 mph and holding, now the final straight, foot on the gas peddle and I accelerate to 11 mph, finishing a spent, dizzy force! This had been one dam tough night at the office!!! 20.05 miles, max speed 13.1 mph, 7.30 pace, = 2 hours 31 mins

SPIRA BANNED AT BOSTON!

Thomas left me this comment; Thomas said..".An interesting piece of news I came across yesterday; the spira shoes are specifically mentioned in the Boston marathon race rules. Anyone running in them, will be disqualified". I checked it out and it seems SPIRA shoes were first banned at Boston in 2006, the designer of the Spira shoe said the following; Dan Norton, Spira's VP of footwear development. Norton was formerly the head of the advanced concepts department at Adidas, and made custom shoes for 45 Olympic and world champions including Sebastian Coe and Carl Lewis when he worked at Nike. "I have worked in the footwear industry for over 30 years and Spira's WaveSpring technology is the first true innovation that I have seen since basically the Nike air," Norton said. "The WaveSpring patent is the reason why I proactively joined the company." Since debuting on the market four years ago, Spira Footwear has been providing runners with comfort and protection from injury. Spira shoes have a patented spring technology that reduces the impact on a runner's feet, which leads to easier recovery and less overall exertion. Spira's patented WaveSpring technology may be the most significant advancement ever achieved in the footwear industry. "If we apply the same logic that underlines this rule, all track events should be run as they were in the movie 'Chariots of Fire.'" Races should be held on cinder as opposed to tartan tracks and racing shoes should be comprised on leather straps with heavy spikes embedded therein. Pole vaulters should be using bamboo, not high tech carbon fiber poles," Krafsur said. "When you think about it, the ban of the WaveSpring technology by the USATF is consistent with history. The metal composite ski in 1952, the oversized metal tennis racquet in 1976, and the oversized metal driver in 1979 were all banned when they were first introduced."
RICK says; I think it is a backward step for the sport to ban SPIRA, the shoes allow more people to enjoy the sport of running and its health benefits while reducing the risk of injury!

23.5 miles, THE GANG OF FOUR and THE HAMSTERS!

I organized a group long run with friends Tracey, Paul and Steady Eddie! Their all aiming at 3.15-3.30 at London, so as the pace would be a little slower than my normal long run I put in an extra hard run in the night before.
Fri 20th
Progression run 2 x 3.3 mile loop, gradual increase in pace throughout the run, setting off at 7.20 pace I was down to 5.20-5.30 pace at the end with a long wind up sprint to 12 mph!
Sat 21st
GANG OF FOUR
First day of spring and the weather turned cold again with sea mist and strong cool winds! We set off from Birkdale village on roads for the first mile before hitting the sandhills, then on to woodvalle, Ainsdale, Kew, High Park, Churchtown and Crossens, Tracey decided she needed to powder her nose! at the PLOUGH public house, we resisted the temptation of refueling with a pint or two and were soon on our sober but merry way! The final steatch was along the sea wall and straight into a nasty headwind! We picked the pace up over the last 5 miles, Tracey who missed quite a few weeks training with a now sorted back injury was running really well, she was aiming for 18 miles so turned off early [ she infact finished with 19.6 miles] Paul was finding it hard now, but Eddie after a half marathon p.b. by two minutes last weekend was looking really strong, we turned onto the old coast road for a breather from the energy sapping wind, finishing together back at the village, I said my good byes and headed off again for a final 3 miles, despite the steady pace, my legs were hurting now and I was glad to make it home! Wearing my Nike explosions really bought home to me how much better the SPIRA shoes are! I'm really glad I will have the SPIRA advantage at LONDON!
23.5 MILES = 3 HOURS 11 MINS.
We spent the evening at the Arts Centre watching The Hamsters! A group that alternate between Jimmy Hendrix and ZZ Top throughout their set, strange mix, after a half time trip to the bar the band seemed to get better and better! A good time was had by all and the Hamsters left us wanting more!!!
Sun 2nd
THE NEW GANG OF FOUR RUN THROUGH DEATH VALLEY!
Eddie, Chris, Jon and myself had a enjoyable run through the pinewoods , on our return journey we went through 'Death Valley' and survived to tell the tale! = 1.03

MAGIC RECOVERY, 11 MILES AT 6.19 PACE

It was a beautiful spring afternoon, so after a couple of hours sleep after my night shift I got up ready for a long tempo run, Runners World recommended 12 miles at marathon pace but as I'd raced 20 miles on Sunday I thought 10 might be more than enough.
I'm now thinking that I might be capable of 6.27 pace at London.

As it will be 10 years in April since I first ran a marathon [ LONDON 99] when I ran 2.49 I'm sort of thinking of trying to equal that time, it would be a good accomplishment, 10 years older and all!
Anyway back to my tempo run, after a quick warm up I started the Garmin and accelerated up to a good cruising speed, I was looking for around 9.3 mph, but after a couple of miles it was up to 9.5 mph and there it stayed for much of the run! Surprisingly the legs were feeling pretty dam good!
Into my second lap and the average dropped down to 9.4 mph as I went over the Trafalgar rd hill for the second time, once over the Hillside bridge my pace quickened again and the last couple of miles turned into a nice progression run, finishing with a half mile wind up sprint !
Once again I was wearing my magic SPIRA shoes.
CONCLUSIONS, VERY QUICK RECOVERY, bloody amazing!
11.01 MILES, 9.5 MPH av, 6.19 pace, max 11.7 mph = 1 hour 9 mins 42 sec
Tue 17th
Steady run down to club fartleck session, legs abit stiff and heavy, held back on the session, legs better by end! = 1.35
TRIMPELL 20 RACE PHOTOS

Thur 19th
Truly awe inspiring weather, wall to wall sunshine and just a gentle wind!
love it !!! felt great, nice easy run with Tess the dog over the sand dunes.
= 1.25

TRIMPELL 20, AMAZING RESULT!

This was my first road race of the year, I'd spent since December working on improving my running efficiency using Jack Nirensteins Gravity Running, I'd seen dramatic improvements in my training, [ just look at my training logs!] but would it work in a Race! I was also using the new Spira running shoe, which I was hoping would help with my long term sciatic problems,. THE TRIMPELL 20 is run along the cycle paths of the picturesque Lune valley, which follow the river, its an idea pre-London warm up, we got a lift down with Paul Cain who had hoped to run but was struck down with breathing problems after a chest muscle injury, so on the start line with me was fellow SWAC runners Rob Mcgrath and Simon Tobin , Simon like me was using the race as a build up to London! Originally there was meant to be a large turn out of SWAC members, but whether it was through illness, injury or they just cried off I'm not sure, but one thing I am sure of is they missed a cracking race, well organized, loads of marshals , eight drinks stations and a beautifully scenic traffic free route, along with idea running conditions, sunshine,only light winds 10-11 mph .
THE START
Setting off Rob and myself held back as everyone charged off, surely there couldn't be so many runners capable of sub 6 min pace, we watched as they hurtled off knowing we would see many of them again later on, even holding back I was rolling along at just over 6 min mile pace. 3 miles went by in 18.40, I was feeling good, but would it last, now we moved off the cycle track and over a bridge spanning the wide river, then off on a loop along quite country roads, there was Rob, I guy from the lake district and myself sharing the pace, looking at the Garmin it kept showing upwards of 10 mph on the slight downhill sections, it all seemed so easy! could it, would it last! I'd trained hard through the winter and never backed off for the X/C races, my results off road had been poor and I'm sure many people thought I was finished! but I knew my training was going well and I had just one objective in mind THE LONDON MARATHON! Back onto the scenic cycle tracks alongside the river the miles ticked by surprisingly quickly, the Spira shoes felt amazingly comfortable, absorbing the shock and letting me run almost effortlessly along. At 8 miles we started up a gradual climb, Rob dropped back as me and my new found friend from the Lakes pushed on, 10 miles went by in 1.01, at 12 miles we reached the turn around point, It was now into a headwind back, would I crack or would I hold it together. Working hard together with the guy from the Lakes we took turns at the front breaking the wind, then pulling over and getting shelter for a bit, like a break away group in the Tour De France, 13 miles 1.21, still strong still pushing onwards, just after 16 miles Rob came back , sitting on until 17 miles to get his breath back! 17 miles and Rob goes to the front, the speed shoots up to 10 mph! I hang in, recover then work with Rob for a bit, 18 miles and I'm feeling the lactate build up, I share the last of my jelly babies with Rob [ good old school energy, recommended by Doctor Who]. Robs pace starts to get to me, I yo,yo off the back, recover, pull back onto his shoulder again! After the 5th time the string breaks and slowly but surely he pulls away, all this time runners have been coming back to us, some look in bad shape! paying the price for a fast start, in the last half mile I pass 4, as my speed increases out to 10 mph again, Rob moving even faster, cutting down his prey one after another, this man is ruthless in his quest for the line. Round a corner and all of a sudden the finish is right in front of me! 2 hours 5 mins 37 sec, just 10 seconds off my p.b. of 5 years ago, that year I set p.b.s of 78 mins over the half and 16.48 for the 5 k, things are looking good! The biggest complement I got was from a guy I passed at 19 miles, he told me when I saw him at the finish, " You've got a great running style, very rhythmical, fluid and smooth"!
Rob had a excellent run to finish 19th 2.05.27 and Simon Tobin was very happy with 2.28.42, looking relaxed and fresh at the end he is now well on target for a sub 3.30 London! My thanks go out to Jack Nirenstein who showed me a better way to run! To Spira for making the best running shoe ever and Runners World for there Marathon training programme! I'M BACK!!!
20 miles in 2.5.37,inc 833 ft of climbing .
RESULTS
THE DAY AFTER!
Beautiful sunny day, running in short and vest! Felt great apart from slightly tight calf muscles! sandhill run = 40 mins

MY FASTEST 20 MILE RACE IN 5 YEARS, 2.05.37, 6.17 PACE!

REPORT TO FOLLOW, AT 48 I TURN BACK THE AGEING PROCESS AND RUN TO WITHIN 10 SECS OF MY 5 YEAR OLD P.B. HOW DID I DO IT! FIND OUT IN MY REPORT SOON RESULTS TRIMPELL 20 MILE RACE