A SOLID 10 MILER......A GOLD MEDAL MARATHON

  I had several scenarios in mind for this weekend's runs; mindful particularly that the last easy day I've allowed myself was a week last Friday.  One, jog on the grass today and run the Sale 10 relaxed?  No, too early; 9.00 a.m. start.  Two,  a medium length run today,   see the finish of the Sale 10 then rush down the road to run the Alexandra Park  5K then back for our race banners? No, all a bit too frantic!  Third option,  run a good solid 10 miler today and enjoy an easy day at the Sale 10 jogging with Pat and taking some shots of the race.   I settled for option 3.  It would bring the mileage for the last 7 days to 51 but should be OK as long the 10 is kept flat and not too taxing.
  Drove down to the Ilkley Lido, our local outdoor pool,  and ran a new out and back circuit aiming for good consistency of pace throughout.  Usual lethargic first mile followed by 5 good miles at or around target pace (8.30) the last 4 miles showing welcome, reassuring acceleration.

        8.59    8.38    8.30    8.28    8.32    8.29    8.15    8.19    8.16    8.11....................84.41

  Pleasingly the last 7 miles were 1 and half minutes faster than the  7 miler on Tuesday. So better pace for 3  miles more. Looking forward to an easy day tomorrow!

 


Watched the  womens EUROPEAN MARATHON later.   2 x 1K laps then 4 x10K laps on the streets of Barcelona.  Streets I covered in the 2000 Barcelona half, but more recently  streets I ran supporting Sally Malir when she ran a courageous 3:11.09 in hot and humid conditions in March 2006 for 9th place. (She still hasn't received her prize as I never received mine from 2000.)
  Conditions no less arduous today; with 26C and 61% humidity as the marathoners set off.  

 But the winner ZIVILE BALCIUNAITE loves her running hot. Likes to feel the warming rays of the sun on her back but not on her head as she donned a white cap with Lithuania on it and was one of only a few wearing protective eyewear!  She made her break at 29K.....her coach was on the roadside and said it was time.   She "felt so strong" having been running 200K (125 miles) per week with twice daily sessions.
  On Eurosport TV, Tim Hutchings said today was her 5th marathon in the last 12 months which he considered "staggering".   I was interested to see what her times were compared to my 5 run in 1984 but her record only shows Berlin 2:31:06 (Aug 2009) and Rome 2:35:31 (March 2010).
  All 6 of the Britsh girls performed very creditably in the conditions;
     14. Michelle Ross-Cope    2: 38 :45           16   Susan Partidge    2:39:07
      20  Holly Rush                  2:42:44             21   Helen Decker     2:43:00
      24  Rebecca Robinson      2:44:06             25   Jo Wilkinson       2:44:11
times which several local runners may well be encouraged by as they look to the future.

 
  Going back to ZIVILE BALCIUNAITE. Almost as soon as she had crossed the line, before running over to hug her coach ( lucky man!),
 she put  a hand around her throat.  Apparently to check her pulse.  Something I've never seen before.   This is a shot of her doing similarly after another race.
  I thought it was amazing that the elation of having just run away from the field to win the European gold medal would have removed this procedure from her mind.  But obviously not; and what is she learning from it anyway?
 She'd won easily without collapsing. Enough evaluation for me!!

P.S.   Jessica Ennis.............respect!    Mo Farah..........espect
                                                  1500 metre runners look and learn!!!