A GAME OF TWO HALVES

Having completed a fairly tough track session yesterday at just under 7 mins. pace and with a race looming on Sunday,  today's run would have to be "easy".  I define "easy" as race pace plus 2 so the target for this 8 mile run would be  72 minutes.  Setting off up the canal from 5 Rise Locks the legs did not feel great and the strong wind wasn't helping.  The outward part of this out and back run didn't go to plan.

9.28        9.18        9.31      9.17   (37.35)   With the wind behind I was able to pick  up the pace  and things thankfully started to flow with only a tad more effort.   8.43       8.32       8.33     8.34 (34.23) The legs started to feel better as the miles passed. Hit the 8 mile finish in 71.58........2 secs inside target!

Before the run I'd had a visit from one of the country's top M45s, John Convery of Bingley Harriers.  John ran 54.39 for 10 miles last Sunday; placing him 7th on the UK rankings.  His approach to his running is very much "race as you train".   His work and involvement with the running of his very gifted son Sam means that he isn't a high mileage, run every day athlete.  Consequently he tends to concentrate on 5ks, 10ks, cross country and road relays, adding just one ten miler and 1 15 mile race to make up over 30 races in 2009.   The photo shows him (centre)(Ist) with myself (3rd) and Nigel Monaghan (then Leeds City)(2nd)  after the Kirkstall 10K in 1986.  John ran 32.30.   His devotion to his speed sessions, twice a week on the track at present, has seen him run 33.03. in 2009 ...23 years later!  He has  runs a few marathons but seems to have learnt the distances where he performs best and has clearly focussed well.    Food for thought.  Limit the long runs and run faster 5Ks and 10ks or maintain the long runs and add a few half marathons to the list next year?    My time behind John was 33.04 in 1986 . I'm 9 minutes slower now in 2009. Perhaps if I'd hadn't run all those marathons.........

And finally............I saw the suicidal runner from the track yesterday on the canal ....how's that for a coincidence.  He greeted me really enthusiastically and was clearly tons better............not at all like someone ready to end it all.  

   " Well, you're clearly better!,  I said, "I thought you wre going to end it all"

   " Yeah, I was,  I managed to get all the Neurofen lined up ready to go. A few hundred of them"

   " So what happened?,  I said.

   " After the first two..........I felt a lot better! "

   I ran on slightly bewildered.....runners, eh!