Category Archives: David

David 2011 Running Summary – David

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I normally post my annual summary at the beginning of January but completely forgot about it!  So this time it’ll be short and sweet…

In 2011 I ran my most ever mileage (only by about 20 miles more than in 2007, but it’s still more) with 1,346 miles (this isn’t 100 percent accurate as I didn’t log every run but it’s close enough).  This averages out to around 25 miles per week.  Not a great deal but with all the other training I’d been doing then it’s not too bad.

After the cancellation of the Luton Marathon in December 2010 focus was quickly shifted to the Brighton Marathon in April.  I wanted to run under three hours and 10 minutes to get a ‘Good For Age’ time for the London Marathon.  Unfortunately I was ill a couple of weeks beforehand and although I felt good on the day it didn’t last long and I missed out big time on getting a sub 3:10 race.

A few weeks later I ran (for the eighth year in a row) the Bognor Regis 10k which I love.  38:03 and a new personal time over the distance.  All good stuff.  Apart from parkrun events I ran a few smaller races, a 7k, a 10 miler, a hilly race called the Three Molehills (it was tough… real tough) and then the Bedford Half Marathon in December (after cycling 55 miles to the start!).

Triathlon wise things were pretty quiet.  The only races I did were Thames Turbo Triathlon Club events – I raced their annual aquathlon (run and swim) and two of their sprint triathlons.  I got my best time ever in the August race which I was really pleased with.  I had entered a couple of half ironman distance events but for one reason or another I didn’t make the start line of either.  So.. my triathlon racing was a couple of sprint events with the last one in August.  Probably not the greatest preparation for the Ironman distance event that I’d entered in January 2012.

Finally here’s the (usual) graph showing my running distances over the past few years…

David Ranelagh Harriers Clutton Cup Race 2012

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During the winter months I managed to avoid all cross country running races for my running club, Ranelagh Harriers.  There were a few reasons behind this…

  • I didn’t want to injure myself as cross country courses are far from the smooth roads of, er…. roads.
  • Saturday afternoon racing (which is when all these races are held) didn’t seem to fit well into my diary.
  • Because of the fear of injury and a big race planned (an Ironman race I did in January in New Zealand) I didn’t want to take any more risks here.

So, with the Ironman race behind me and a 17 mile run scheduled as part of my London Marathon training…. and an experiment that the running club were doing by putting the race on a Sunday morning, and the familiar (and just a little bumpy terrain of Richmond Park) I really had no excuses but to take part.  As the race is just under 10 miles long I just had to squeeze in a few miles beforehand to make the total up to 17 miles.  The plan was for about 14 of these miles to be close to marathon pace (around 7:12 minute miling pace).

I put in about 6.75 miles warm-up before the race and then got into position.  As it’s a handicap race everyone sets of at different times (determined by a secret calculation by the club ‘handicapper’) and I felt I had a pretty favourable start time.  With about 15 seconds to go Andy B., said to me something like “You’re going to win this if you put in a good run. My money’s on you!”

I set off far too fast (closer to 10k pace rather than 10 mile pace – and I don’t normally do a 6.75 mile hilly warm-up before a 10k) but kept on pushing.  Before long I caught up with a couple of runners ahead of me and I was feeling alright.  My plan was to push fairly hard and see if anyone overtakes me, and if they do I’d then take stock of the situation and decide what to do next.

Well, about three quarters of the way round the first of two laps I was overtaken by Andy himself.  He said he wasn’t expecting to see me so soon (I felt the same) and he was absolutely flying.  I didn’t have a hope in hell of keeping up with him.

I completed the first lap (about 4.95 miles) in 33.20 which is around 6:44 miling pace.  Hmn, just a touch faster than 7:12 miling (especially on a hilly course).  I knew for sure that setting off so fast was going to make thing tough on the second lap and I wasn’t wrong there.

I really had to push harder to maintain any kind of similar pace (which I understandably couldn’t manage after setting off too fast) and my second lap was one minute 50 seconds slower (34:50) with a pace of around 7:02 miling.  To be honest I thought I was much slower than that during the second lap so I’m quite positive about the second lap time.  Had it been a more important race to me I would have controlled my pacing much better.

With the final results in I finished in 68 minutes 10 seconds and was seventh overall and sixth fastest.  I clearly managed to run 14 miles at marathon pace (actually much faster than I should have) which I’m not too worried about.

My next long run is a 21 miler at the weekend where I’ll be pacing this one exactly as planned…

David Not The London Marathon 2012 (David)

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In 2009 it was suggested that a social run around the Bushy parkrun 5k course a few weeks out from the London Marathon would be a great little motivator for those long runs and also to get to share a long run with people who are running different distances – so not just for the 20+ miler club!  Not The London Marathon was born!  You can read about 2009, 2010 and the 2011 events elsewhere on this blog.

The ‘rules’ are as follows…

  • Start around 9am
  • Start at the Bushy parkrun current finish line.
  • Run the Bushy parkrun course as many times as you like, looping round the start line and finishing line trees.
  • Anyone can join in and run any number of laps at any time at any speed, either alone or in groups.
  • No official timing, time yourself if you’d like.
  • Friends and supporters congregate at the parkrun finish line to give encouragement and support, or maybe just enjoy an alfresco picnic/refreshments and a social.
  • People can run as many laps as they like.
  • It’s Not the London Marathon, cos it’s not a race, it’s not a marathon distance for everyone, and anyone can join in anytime.

The date was set for Sunday 11 March and a large number of us (around 45) found ourselves on the ‘old startline’ for the Bushy Park Time Trial parkrun.  After a quick photograph we all set off to run anything from 3 miles up to 18 or more back and forth on the Bushy parkrun route.

I’m currently in training for the London Marathon so had plans for a long run. Today I wanted (well, a book I found on the shelf at home that has some schedules in it) to do around 17 miles, but at a slower pace to my normal long runs.  If I can follow this schedule then my long runs will be slower than normal, my faster runs faster than normal and then my marathon will be spot on perfect.  That’s the plan anyway!

The start of Not The London Marathon 2012 - Photo by Suzan Baker

I set off with fellow parkrunners Hayden and Andy and the three of us had a good chat for about 12 or 13 miles.  At this point Andy and Hayden headed for the ice cream van (they’re not marathon training) and I headed for a final two ‘laps’ of the parkrun route.  I pushed a little harder this time and closer to my target marathon pace and had a lovely run.  Just shy of 19 miles ticked off.  OK, so its more than the ‘scheduled’ 17 but that’ll do.

Part way through the run it was lovely to see Roger and Gill Wilson out in the park.  Roger originally came up with the idea of ‘Not The London Marathon’ so I’m sure he was out in the park just to check up on us all and make sure that we weren’t cutting any corners!

It was a beautiful day in the park, lots of us out running and we were all giving each other plenty of support as we crossed each other multiple times during this long run.  After finishing a group of us had a good chat, some coffee, some cake and a little bit of stretching which enjoying the Sunday morning (now lunchtime) sunshine in the park.

David Saucony 10k – 4 March 2012 (David)

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A few miles away from where we live is an annual triathlon exhibition/show.  I’ve never been there before (well, I’ve got a bike and a wetsuit so what else do I need?) but this year I thought I might like to pop along.  Rather than pay just to go to the Triathlon Show for £9 (that’s the advance ticket price) you could pay £15 and get to run a 10k race around Sandown Park race course (where the show is held), get a free technical running t-shirt and also entry to the show.  For an extra six quid that sounded like a bargain to me.  So I entered the 10k.  And entered Sharon into the race as well :)

Race day arrived and Sharon and I arrived super early (as we pretty much always do at these races).  We went for a good warm up jog where we checked out most of the two lap course.  You run past the stables at the race course and then around the ‘parade ring.’  It was really quite an interesting course although there were plenty of 180 degree (or more) turns and lots of little steep climbs to really take you off of any sort of steady pace.  Oh, and the general course was pretty hilly too.  Clearly not a super fast 10k.

Highlights of the course courtesy of my GPS watch!

I went into the race having no idea of what I was capable of.  I’d not intended to race hard as this wasn’t a key race but naturally as the gun went all those plans flew out of the window.  In the back of my mind I would be perfectly happy with a sub 40 minute run but I should be capable of much better (well, on a flatter course that is).

After a quick race briefing I got myself close to the start line although kept clear of the fast boys at the front (including Bushy parkrun regulars Richard Stannard and Mike Trees).

The start immediately headed downhill and it was pretty fast and furious.  There were twists, turns, people everywhere and some big puddles in the road/path.  Oh, and it was windy and raining too!  Looking at your GPS early on to get an idea of pace was pointless because of the initial steep downhill section.  In fact I don’t think I checked my GPS at all during the run other than at the halfway point to see how I was doing.

Reaching halfway my watch said 18:43 which equates to a 37:26 overall time.  On a hilly windy course and with my 10k personal best being 38:02 this was going to get interesting!

I found myself with a couple of other runners and we all pushed hard and kept each other really close by (close enough that I felt my feet get ‘clipped’ by one of the others on at least one occasion)!

The second lap was tough and I was really digging in to keep up with the other runners around me.  Heading up towards the finish the two runners closeby made a slight gap on me and sprinted to the finish line.  I was perfectly happy not to attempt a three way sprint and left them to it!

Crossing the line my time was 37 minutes 56 seconds – which means that yes, I slowed down in the second half but did mean that I got myself a new personal best over the 10k distance.  Seven seconds… I’ll take that for now.

As for the race – I really enjoyed it.  The course was tough, lots of turns and exposed to the elements in places.  Well organised and an absolute bargain.  I’d certainly do this race again in the future.

My next 10k race will be in May where hopefully I’ll have another bash at getting another personal best.  In between then I have the small matter of the London Marathon to deal with…

David Sharon Sydney (St. Peters) parkrun – 11 February 2012

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G’Day! This week Sharon and I found ourselves far far away on the other side of the world for the 8am Saturday morning start of the St. Peters parkrun held in Sydney Park, in a lovely city called Sydney, in Australia!

The sun rises over St. Peters park

As we approached the end of an amazing long holiday we found ourselves at the start courtesy of our friend with a car, fellow triathlete, occasional parkrunner and now Sydney local Grant.

It was an early start for us after a great dinner/beer/wine combo the night before but parkrun is a priority, right? For us it must be as we had to change our flight back to London a few months ago so that we could take part in the Sydney event. This weeks training has been non existent with my last run being a week ago as part of the Christchurch Saturday Runners group in New Zealand.

Runners gather near the start shortly before 8am

Sharon and I (and Grant) rolled up to the starting area armed with our parkrun barcodes and proudly wearing our 100 Club t-shirts. This was the fourth running of the Sydney event so the idea of a 100 club probably meant nothing to probably 99% of the runners there.

I introduced myself to Paul, the run director and he commented our on tops. Nice. At about 7:55 we all moved to the start area and he described the route and what to do at the finish. He pointed out the first place runner from the previous runs and suggested that we just follow him!

Run briefing

I didn’t bother with my GPS watch this morning instead just running to feel (that is, feeling unfit) and with a close eye on what was happening around me.

Right on time the run started courtesy of a loud shout of GO from a child who’d been drafted in for this very important volunteering role!

We all headed off (just over 100 of us) into the park, we then turned a sharp right and then had time to settle into things. Gentle undulations were the order of the day. Next thing were were on the pavement (or is it sidewalk in Australia?) and running around the outskirts of the park. I had a few runners close by to me and was in 4th position. No idea of times/pace.

After running around most of the park you head back in to be presented with “Heartbreak Hill” – shortish but tough with a lovely little downhill on the other side. It was here I heard someone come up close behind me. You then run around a cricket pitch oval and during this part I dropped back to 5th position. Course marking was normally through big chalk arrows drawn on the tarmac paths (which were great) or a marshall.

The weather was mostly cloudy but very warm but the main difficulty for me was the humidity. It was incredibly muggy out there and really hard work. Then again hard work is the underlying theme of 5k running so you just have to get on with it knowing that it’s not too far to the finish.  Looking at a weather observations website at 8am it was 20.1 degrees with 86 percent humidity.

I managed to hang on to 5th place (fairly comfortably) but certainly without really pushing myself. Within seconds of crossing the finishing line I was offered a glass of water from another young girl which was bliss. Thank you.

If you have run a parkrun before then every event I’ve done feels like your home run. We were given finishing tokens which were the same as back ‘home’ and the timer/scanner equipment was the same. An efficient queue for barcode scanning and happy marshals made for the trademark parkrun experience.

Sharon crossing the finishing line

I then chatted to some of the volunteers and then watched Grant and then Sharon come into finish. After a chat we headed off to the cafe which is really close to the start/finish area and sat down with a drink and reflected on the pain that was Sydney parkrun. On the way to the cafe (kiosk) Sharon and I posed for a photo with our lovely black 100 club tops.

Sydney Park is beautiful and a fantastic place to run. The course is by no means easy and the Australian summer weather does little to help that! The event seems to be growing rapidly right now after some great publicity during the week. The only thing I do worry about is that the park was super busy with dog walkers this morning. I didn’t hear any complaints but if runner numbers continue to grow it won’t be long before some conflict appears. I’m sure both the runners and dog walkers can use the park at 8am on a Saturday morning together, but there may be a few bumps on the way.

The second discipline of parkrun - post run coffee and conversation

With the success of Sydney parkrun as we saw it today I can see the need for another parkrun in one of the other city districts coming real soon.

It was a great morning and everyone seemed really friendly. As I sit here writing this post somewhere over the Pacific Ocean en-route from Sydney to London (via Auckland and Los Angeles) it was so worth changing our flights around and paying a little extra to have the chance to experience a truly international parkrun.