Racing and Training 2018

I did 5 very tired laps in Caerleon

After an extended rest from a hard early part of the week I did the Llanwern loop with the 8am crew. That is Martyn, me, Steve, Rachel, Kat, Louise and Vicki Biggs. Vicki was new to me and is training for the Cardiff Half Marathon. She was having issues with a muscle in her upper leg maybe the adductor. I was able to do the hills without walking ... so that is progress.

Did a pyramid session on the track. Another tough day. I was as tired as a very tired person this evening but still did a pyramid session on the track. 400m (01:57), 800m (04:04), 1600m (07:59), 800m (03:48), 400m (01:42). All with 400m jog recovery.

I did the GLCL Race 5 at Cwmbran. I started very slowly then picked up the pace. After the race my left hip felt very good. This is promising.

I did a short interval session on tired legs at Caerleon. 200, 350, 350, 200. Still very unfit. Upper body... shoulders, neck feeling stiff and sore. I will ask Daniela to work on that.

I did the Brecon 10 mile Road Race. Started slowly and built up the pace. Lack of fitness showed when I "died" at 7 miles and then struggled home.

I did 6 at 6. We did the Newport 10K course. Roni's birthday! Cake after!

we did 4 intervals on the cycle path.. This is what I said to Keith... It was an interval session this evening with lots of chums. We did 4 * approx. 0.9 miles, out & back, and out and back again along a cycle path. We had a standing recovery of somewhere between 2 and 4 minutes depending on how plagued with mosquitoes we were at the time of recovery. The farthest end of the path was more plagued than the nearer end. So my fast bits were about 7 and a half minute miling. Evidence of improvement but too late for me to put in star performances in Malaga. Still I shall endeavour to peak as best I can and then, when I return home, I will focus on training for the Newport Marathon. This Sunday I am doing the Brecon 10 mile road race where I will get the opportunity to step up my distance in the company of strangers. So my intervals were...  Splits  Time Moving Time Distance 1 10:00 08:37 0.87 2 01:08.3 00:04 0.01 ...

pm I did Mountain Road out and back from 14 Locks visitor centre. I didn't get out quite as far as the first time I did this but I came back quicker and (possibly) stronger.

pm Speed work - 1 mile warm up. 3 sets of 3 * 200. with 30 seconds recovery and 5 minutes between sets. Walk to cool down. Location: Cold Bath Road, Broadway and the footpath in between. I felt that my heart & lungs were limiting factors as was my leg strength. Core strength not great either. T'was a nice pint of Butty Bach in the Priory though. A bargain at £4.00! cough, splutter.

Wetlands Intervals with group 4B ably led by Chris Davis.

pm I did Lock Lustre... an out and back from 14 locks. down the canal.. turn towards Newport along the canal. Up towards Bettws on the canal. Turn left down Bettws Lane. Turn point at 25 minutes. Met Laura R on this run. It was a struggle for me after yesterday's intervals

pm Still in the grip of a heatwave. I did an interal session on the path in Caerleon. 10 * 200 + 1 * 400 with 1 minute recovery

am I did the Lliswerry 8am session. It was a real struggle to get going. We ran up to the Cross Hands then towards Lliswerry Pond ... we did an extra lap of that. We meandered back through Moorlands estate to finish on Traston Road and the NISV. It was a short run TBH ... just over 7K.

pm I did 6 @ 6 ... we did the Newport 10K route except that we returned via the riverfront footpath which made it a bit longer than 10K

after a rest day I did a 4K recovery run in the morning. My usual Royal Oak loop. pm I did 200, 300, 300, 200 in Caerleon. The distances on the tarmac path were slightly awry thus the split times and distances were as follows 00:44 0.19 01:16 0.32 01:19 0.31 00:42 0.19

pm I did the Lliswerry run from 14 locks. This was Old Faithful (Canal Last). We ran down to Rogerstone, past the Welfare, along the river bank, up to the canal and back to 14 locks. it was about 4.5 miles.

am I did a track session on the outdoor track at the NIAC. 3 * 3 * 200 20 minutes warm up 00:45.8, 00:31.3, 00:46.1, 00:30.5, 00:45.5, 05:00.3 00:44.4, 00:30.3, 00:47.0, 00:30.0, 00:44.5, 05:00.2 00:42.9, 00:30.7, 00:45.2, 00:30.4, 00:46.0, warm down 07:37.2

am Easy run with the 8 am Tennis Centre crew. 9.3 km approx. Lots of chums, several sheep, very warm. There were 20 of us. Can I name them all? We missed Naomi unfortunately. Me, Martyn Jones,  Stu Salvage, Steve Crowther, Neil Sidney, Mike Pobjoy, Jeremy Dickson, (7) Sian Jones,  Mel Shipton, Claire Scott, Rachel Jayne, Louise, Sarah Beach, Tania Phillips, Liz Mounfield, Maria David, Kate Parry-Jones The ones I missed... Kathryn Collins Ian McCrory John Kendall

am The hot weather continues.... I did a warm up session down to the Riverfront parkrun. I ran the parkrun at tempo pace... well as fast as I could really! I was tracking Angela Potter for most of the way but she did actually pull away at the end. I have no finishing kick at the moment. I then jog / walked home. My time of 23:48 was probabaly what could be expected at this stage of my training plan.