PUT OUT TO GRASS

 There is a school of thought which would propose that all speed work is run on grass surfaces.  When I was a teenager and had no access to a track in North Manchester I would use a superbly manicured piece of grass in Heaton Park, very often barefoot.  I used to put park benches into position to act as steeplechase barriers.  
  The surface down at the local school playing fields pales in comparison with the park surface and although the track marked out for the summer term would be appear to be a tad over 400 metres but it does save a journey to Lancashire and is useful to have available.
  I was down there on both Saturday and Sunday this weekend.  Saturday,  it was my penultimate speed session before the Great Manchester Run next Sunday.  With that 5K last Sunday,  followed by 6 x 800 on Wednesday I decided 3 x mile would be sufficient.   And so it proved with 3 efforts which could best be described as "unspectacular".  7.37  7.30  7.13
.....averaging 7.26.....46+ 10k pace.  Going to need to see a faster pace than that next week.

  Today,  Sunday,  a rare easy day for me.  I was able to enjoy a much more leisurely visit to the grass track.  Just a warm up and cool down with 15 year old GEORGIA MALIR, daughter of my good friend Sally.  Georgia has already represented West Yorkshire Schools on the country (see picture) but is attempting  to run for the county on the track over 3,000 meters. So today she ran a solo 3K as a rehearsal  for the first stage, the Leeds City trials. I only had to shout out the lap times.   It would have been good  for us to have been able to have given  her more  help; but mum had just run a leg of the Calderdale  Relay and I'm just too slow now!
 Having run an impressive 5K debut of 19.13 on the road last Wednesday,  she ran very much to prediction  despite lacking opposition in windy conditions,  recording 11.12. 
   This young lady has inherited her mother's positive characteristics.    A love of running, a determination to improve and succeed, a willingness to learn and the knowledge that  ultimate success in the sport does not  come without effort and application.  
    I look forward to much success from her in all branches of the sport . On the track, on the country, on the road and on the fells.  A true allrounder in the making.