Thanks partner! the benefit of training with others.

 FRIDAY TRACK SESSION
With the schools now on holiday,  fortunately,  there was no chance of not being able to slot back into routine with a track session on Friday.   No school sports taking place to prevent my (illegal) access.
Reasonable trail runs on Wednesday and Thursday indicated the old legs were recovering from the weekend's 10 miler but I wasn't really expecting the track to be set alight!  Having barely run  much below 9 mins pace all week, I thought anything under 8 minute miling would be a bonus.
 I opted then for more of a speed/endurance session of 5 x mile but  went for a fairly short recovery (for me!)
of just 2 minutes.....to offset the lack of quality pace.
 As usual  the rep. times improved as from first to last.  7.43   7.43   7.34   7.29   7.20.
 So at best it was acceptable as a half marathon session but without a race in the legs I would hope for better if I do the rep session again any time soon.
 SUNDAY LONG RUN
 For once I had an arrangement for company on the Sunday run; and as my younger partner is faster than me I played safe with just a short 4 on Saturday. Whilst being a tad apprehensive that my pace would  make the run less than worthwhile for my partner,   I  thought that Jon Willingham, an ex Valley Strider but now with Bingley, might just drag a better pace from me than when I'm running solo.
  I keep saying that  training alone all the time  is not conducive to the best racing performances but it's the choice I make by training when and where I do.
 I had told Jon the normal splits for the canal run of 10 or more and in making the arrangement he seemed quite happy.  I think it's quite important when training with others that it's clear what the plan for the run is and what the pace is likely to be.
Jon knew the first two miles would be the slowest and having dabbled with a bit football yesteday at a family social was quite happy as his legs were suffering.
 The following splits are testament to the benefit of running with a partner on occasions.
9.07   8.45  8.14   8.10   7.58   8.08   (50.25)  down to 5 Rise Locks (Bingley)
8.09   8.03  7.58   7.58   8.00   7.55    (48.08)    12 miles in 1.38.33 ;  (last 10 miles in 80.41)
 Compares very favourably with 1:45.08 for 12 miles in that 13.1 just recently.
So thanks Jon!  Hopefully we can link up for some more runs soon but I'll give his speed session on Tuesday a miss.  This 62 year will need a couple of days recovery.
 Chasing numbers? .....that 12 took me to 46 on the week, 1231 on the year.....average just over 41.  Not bad but I still suspect  the M60s beating me are doing more and I need to up my game.



 
 

ELSWICK EXPRESS...........the video

 We've been having "BIG FUN" making a 10 minute video  of    last Saturday's race.........WARNING! THE FILM BEGINS WITH NAKED SCENES WHICH WILL OFFEND THE MAJORITY. APOLOGIES!!

The weekend....... still in the legs

ULLSWATER

  After the Elswick Express 10 miler  on Saturday, Birthday girl, Pat, and I returned to the M6 and headed north to the Lake District for a couple of nights.
  Waking to the dreadful ,horrific mass killings in Norway and the death of 27 year old Amy Winehouse, we determined to lift the spirits with a short cruise on Ullswater. We would board the lake steamer from Glenridding, get off at Howtown on the other side of the lake and walk back to Glenridding via Patterdale.
A walk of 7 miles according to the guides.

 The boat gradually filled with over a hundred people and I had thought that the majority would be  going all the way up the lake to Pooley Bridge.  Not so.....

 As we moored at Howtown it seemed  more than half the passengers were getting off as well and had the same plan in mind.  So much so that  having raced on Saturday, we were racing again on Sunday! As we all headed across the jetty and made for the narrow lake side trail.

Unlike most motorists,  walkers in front seemed to sense those coming onto their rear and would pull aside.
So we made good , steady progress.
Not that speed was the main objective of course as the route offers tremendous elevated views of Ullswater from north to south.
 A very pleasant change but was it a good post race
recovery exercise. Probably not!









It's Tuesday evening now as I write this and whether it was the 10 mile race or this 7 mile trail walk, my legs feel like they taken quite a bashing! 
2 miles was more than enough on Sunday evening.   I jogged 3 miles on the grass yesterday labouring for
nearly 30 minutes.  
  Today's I went back on the road for a flat 5 and only just managed to hit target pace with 45 minutes.   2 minutes slower than race pace.       Better ....but still quite a chore!

ELSWICK EXPRESS 10 MILE ROAD RACE.....a rare category win

I suppose what makes a road race "low key" essentially is the paucity of particicpants.  I forecast about 120 for last Saturday's ELSWICK EXPRESS 10 mile race and wasn't far out as just 130 finished. Nevertheless several hundred pound will have been raised for a phoenix fund for the local Scout hut, twice the target of arsonists.
 Of course relatively few competitors has certain advantage. No parking problems, ( if you arrive early enough), no toilet queues, no queues to enter on the day and over the start line within seconds.
   In all these respects then the Fylde Coast race would fit the "low key" bill. But one big  disadvantage can be the lack of a group to run with and large gaps between runners.  
 The venue was easy to find just minutes off the M55 to Blackpool road.    The virtually flat course,  on relatively "quiet" country lanes,  was well marshalled; preventing runners cutting the corners which can course problems from cars for following runners.
 The event went much to expectation.  Another  case of catch them if I can!
  Having opted for my white mesh 2nd change strip as the morning temperature increased  I  set off aiming for splits as near to 7 minute per mile  as possible but I could feel discomfort in the right hamstring almost immediately and eased back a touch. 
  The field quickly spread and after just  2 miles  I was isolated. But I  could see 11 in front and hoped that if I could just maintain the pace,  recent races would suggest the younger, initially  faster runners  would start to wilt  in the warm conditions and come back to me one by one.  I say me but I was not alone on this  overtaking mission.
 Another mature gentleman" had exactly the same plan.  He would over take, I would overtake.   But try as I might I just couldn't get to him.    Fortunately, Cliff Utting (Red Rose) was an M55 and so I managed to work through to win the M60 category.

 I must admit to being a bit apprehensive about the 10 mile distance not having run one for several years but the mile splits prove I need not have worried.
  7.09   7.06   7.14   7.11   7.06   7.05   7.05   7.01   7.04      6.46............70.52 on the Garmin.
However,  I  was still 42 seconds from the line (!)  and so official time was down as 71.34   (52 of 130)
 Other garmin users said they were showing over 10 miles but race measurer, Brian Porter, assured us that it was "spot on".
  I hope this event continues to grow. It can certainly take up to 200. The route is not totally flat but the inclines are not really challenging. We did have to cope with a cool westerly from midway but that's too be expected on the Fylde coast.
                  See you there next year?

Nike SportWatch GPS....and a mountain of dead skin!

I was feeling fairly upbeat as I reported at the local NHS chiropody department for an appointment made 6 months ago.   I  took one of two seats outside the treatment room and with a lady occupying the other seat I thought at first I might have a 20 minute wait.
 But she immediately reassured me that I wouldn't have to wait long, she  said,
  "I'm just waiting for my mother and besides they  only treat the over 65s , don't they!"
So that was my bubble burst after a couple of more favourable comments from customers in the shop last week!   In reply I bit my tongue and said that they did treat younger people as well.
 I was there to have  the POROKEROTOTIC lesions (seed corns) scalped out: a  process I wrote about fully last year (June 26th).   The appointment was very opportune,  following the last visit in February,  as  over the last couple of weeks  I was starting to fell  discomfort in area of the metatarsal pads. It's felt more on the left foot so obviously a consequence of my gait.
 After twenty minutes of slicing away with her freshly sterilized scalpel , twenty minutes in which the affable lady chiropodist proudly tells me about her sons and their university careers,   the floor is covered with shavings and she brushes up a "mountain of dead skin".
 The feet are a bit delicate but  no real concern as yesterday and today I only had to log up 2 short easy  runs  before tomorrow's 10 miler on the Fylde coast  just to the east of Blackpool.  
 I first ran the 10 mile distance back in 1974 and had regularly run anything up to half a dozen 10s in a year to a present total of 102. But  as times  have steadily slowed ,   I think I must have been trying to avoid an abyss, namely going over the 70 minute mark.  Consequently  I've only raced 2 in the last 5 years.
  Anyway , tomorrow it's time to stop avoiding the inevitable.  If I'm to tackle a half later a few 10 milers would serve as good build up races ....even if the finishing time begins with a 7.  Needs must and all that.
  Going back to age,  one person who defintely defies the date on her birth certificate  is my dear wife Pat. It's her ** birthday tomorrow,  so perhaps to help her return to racing  ,  we've taken a NIKE SportWatch with Tom Tom GPS from COMPLETE RUNNER stock for her to play with. http://www.completerunner.co.uk/ for full spec. but meanwhile  you might like to check out some videos.

The week ...so far.

With the rain lashing down outside, this morning's Quote Of The Day from R.W. was very appropriate for once.  A quote , from triple Olympian New Zealander, PETER SNELL,  which echoed something I've often said to aspiring athletes....
  "When it's pouring down rain and you're bowling through the wet,  there's satisfaction in knowing you're out there and the others aren't"
   Snell didn't win 2 800 metre golds and  a 1500 gold by missing sessions because it was too hot, too cold or raining.

  Thinking about racing 1500 metres,   I'm sure most coaches stress consistency of effort as a major factor in preparing to be in peak condition to perform as well as possible in championships  whatever the level.  
  So I found it puzzling  and frustrating as a viewer  of last weekend's European championships to see athletes who have trained  for  months to race 1500 metres,  including one GB athlete  who lined  up as favourite, only to jog around for 2 laps and then be outsprinted , well beaten by the 800 metre champion, recording a time  a fuill 17 seconds slower than her season's best and finishing 7th.    Surely best to come back from a championship with a PB whatever your position. But,hey, what do I know.
  I  do  know that Sunday's 13.1 effort was  certainly felt on Monday's 4 and Tuesday's 8.  Tired, indeed.  Testing the resolve.
   The weather lately has certainly been testing for us all  as we've said but fortunately this morning friend Sally M. and I enjoyed a dry run around the reservoirs.  Thanks Sally. Good to have some company for a change; at a pace which was certainly better than the last 2 days.  So much so that   I think I'll be OK for a race on Saturday.
  With  a desire to race a half in the next few months I think at least one 10 miler would be a good step up from  my frequent 10ks; so all being well I'll do the Elswick Express 10 on the Fylde.
  I say all being well because you never know what can happen when out training.   For example,
I spoke this morning to a very experienced runner who had fallen when training and had had to have shoulder surgery.
 Of course,   the task of the self coached is to construct  a week of running which bears in mind the days of the week prior and the weekend and week to come.   Get the organization wrong, for example,  too hard a sesion after a race or a hard long run  and injury can occur.  The self coached has only himself to blame.

 But  for me if  a coached athlete  sticks religiously to sessions given  by their coach   and gets injured then   perhaps they should question  the planning.      Certainly  I've always stressed to runners I've advised  the necessity to keep running, avoiding injury , maintaining  consistency and  invariably improvement  comes.  
  Avoiding set backs through injury at all costs.


 I was surprised then to read a comment by one GB international, frequently out of action,  who stated that   her coach was "excellent at keeping athletes fit when injured" (!)   Surely if he was an excellent coach then she wouldn't keep getting injured in the first place.   Or  perhaps she was just accident prone.
   Then again, perhaps I've become too cautious,   perhaps I now spread my hard efforts out too thinly, perhaps I've cut down mileage, speed sessions and number of runs per week too much .   Maybe,  but it's 6 months since I've been forced to miss a day so hopefully that will count for something on Saturday in the first 10 miler for three years  but  inevitably it'll  be the slowest.
But not because  I've jogged along "tactically" for 7 miles then changed gear for the last 3 miles ...............like a 1500 metre runner!  
                             MIND YOU IF IT RAINS...................I MIGHT NOT BOTHER !
 

 

Solo half marathon

  I decided to run a half marathon today, Sunday.   Note run......... not race.  There was only me involved.
It was a late decision; made after 5 miles into a run of indeterminate length.  You know , one of those days when you decide to "just see how it's going". 
 One of those days when it's not going great so perhaps paradoxically you go for quantity rather than quality!
Running out and back on the canal with wind and rain breaking through the tree lined towpath to my right it was tempting to turn back after 4, but I plodded on to 5 .......poor miles of 9.32  9.28 8.49 8.48 and 8.48....but then I thought, " no today I need to notch up the long run!"   so decided to carry on to 5 Rise Locks which would give me 12 then add 1.1 to give me the half marathon distance.
  Having committed to a target the pace actually picked up quite  respectably.  Racing at approx.  7/mile pace I would regard 8.30/ mile on a run like this as Ok and managed to return an average of 8.28 for the last 8. Satisfactory.   But the sluggish  first  5 meant that a total return of 1: 54 for the half distance.
         A mere 46 minutes slower than P.B.  But that was a long time ago.....and racing is racing!

  Talking of P.Bs, somewhat "tongue in cheek"  I wrote last week that Pat and I had recorded PBs for 7K last week ; basically because we had never run 7K before!  But, not unexpectedly,  blog reader Malcolm W. correctly pointed out that I would have gone through 7K faster than last week's race time of 30.32 in many of my marathons. He's right of course, at best about 24 minutes  which would have been good enough for top 3 at Debdale with 35k to go.  
    Those were the days; true PBs very much a thing of the past.
  The knowledge that improvement in race times is a thing of the past is something that many runners just can't get their heads around and  see an end to their racing; which is a  shame.  It seems as well that the higher the athlete goes so the harder it is to keep racing.   I  was never more than county standard at best, never regarded myself as having anything of a big reputation to live up to so no big deal.
  It seems to be harder for the ladies.  Several local heroes  in this area who  can't face a return to racing in case the wins don't come again.   It's easier to leave a reputation intact.  But I think  when you've not raced for a while you just have put yourself on the line and see how fit or unfit you are.   Braver runners do just that of course and commit to racing their back to the top.  Suffering and accepting places down the field on the way.

   So, going back, that 13.1 gave me 53 for the week. The extra mile giving me my biggest mileage week of the year. But after Sunday's race it's been hard work and not quite to plan.
  I arrived at the track on Friday to find that several hundred primary age children had beaten me to it...again!!
Firmly ensconced trackside with their lunch boxes on their laps, ready to watch or participate in an afternoon of fun and games.  How could they!

   So it was  tempo run time on the canal instead.  
3 mile warm up ..... 3 miles just above race pace..with 2 to close.  The last one for which I switched to try another  new shoe....more later.
Hard work then in the Friday's noon day sunshine. So hot that for the first time since who knows when that I actually trained in a vest./singlet!
 Could it last for the weekend...no chance.


 Yesterday and today   the weather flipped.  It as back to rainwear but at least we weren't trying to play links golf or climb a col on a bike in the Pyrenees.  
  Saturday's 7 mile trail run on the Strid  was a slog in heavy rain throughout .  No doubt taking the edge off today's pace.   A miserable morning. Tired from Friday's tempo run,  the conditions made the run a real chore.
I  ended it feeling wet and weary and cursing the weather.  Feeling really sorry for myself.

  But as  I had finished  my efforts paled somewhat as
I talked to teenagers who had trudged  the whole morning in  the torrid conditions  with huge heavy backpacks on.   Duke Of Edinburgh Award and all that! 
  They too must have been cursing the English weather with it's severe contrasts.....let's see what this week brings.
   Hopefully better, ......but don't hold your breath.
 
 
 

 Probably the majority of club runners who competed in Sunday's race have already put  themselves through a speed session at race pace.  Many no doubt  giving themselves only one day recovery  before "locking horns " down their club on Tuesday night.  Problem being that at the club are many who haven't raced the previous Sunday and  it's hard to just do your own thing.
 No temptation of me, Billy No Mates, as I decide when to force it and when not to.  Perhaps I'm too complacent!  But over the years I've been forced by slower recovery rate  to postpone the speed session and this week  the track session will be tomorrow, Friday.
 Not that I've been totally idle since Sunday's race.   A flat 5 on Monday,  followed by a 7 running into the Nelson shop via the canal.

 I always have company on the first stretch of the Leeds Liverpool canal from Salterforth to Foulridge ......in the shape of a heron! When it  spots  me coming, it prepares for take off then flies in front.....lands....waits for me to catch up...then repeats the game several times before giving up and flying off!
 Sunday's race was the 4th of 5 in the Manchester parks series.  The last at Boggart Hole Clough is
very hilly and mindful of that and generally concerned to  stay in touch with hill work, yesterday I revisited the Ilkley trail race route.   A race which unfortunately clashed this year with our Sale 5.

A great course with great views back over Ilkley and up to the Cow and Calf and Ilkley moor generally.   Not the most testing of climbs in the valley but quite enough for hamstrings still fragile from Sunday.
 So much so that I made today's run as flat as possible.  A 6 miler on the road out and back from the Ilkley shop.  A  first run in the new LUNARGLIDE 3 which i featured on the blog last week.  Today I was aiming for a "steady" average pace which for me would be 8.30..51 in total.
 The shoe didn't let me down.   51.03.   An extremely comfortable  upper,  well cushioned without being too forgiving  and the supportive benefit of the dynamic  system  was very apparent.   Certainly a winner for the long runs if I can get used to having a black shoe on my feet for running.

1986. A look back at this week 25 years ago.

 Reviewing the list of races run in 1986 it would appear that I decided to have on "last hurrah" at this time of year then take a break.  14 races, including 2 marathons and 3 half marathons, had obviously taken a toll and it was time to consolidate.
 The last race before the break was the KIRK DEIGHTON 10 MILE ROAD RACE.  To be frank the event is memorable for not being memorable!  I have even had to look up where Kirk Deighton is and it still dosn't ring a bell!
 However, results show it was another show of strength and depth by Leeds based club, Valley Striders with 5 of us in the first 13.  The race was won by S. Sutcliffe of Gateshead in 50.46, Brian Eden  was our first home in second place in 51.12 with Sheffield's Carl Nightingale 3rd in 51.20.
Harrogate's Ben Grant,  who is still running extremely well in his '60s,  was 5th in 51.46.
 The other Valley Striders up front were Hilary Mc Ewan (7th in 52.07)  Jeff Coulson (52.42)
myself (11th in 53.20)  and Terry Bean (13th. in 53.26) .  Blog reader Martin Lister was 26th in 56.26. 
 I only have the first sheet of the results. It shows that Paul Stockburn of Harrogate ran 57.26 for 40th position.   A time which would have been good enough for 5th place in last weekend's Eccup 10 mile and 2nd in the recent Otley 10 miler.  Answers on a postcard.....!?
 So  it was time for a break from racing.  Next race  another 10 miler at Burnsall on August 23rd.

DEBDALE PARK 7K ROAD/TRAIL RACE 2011

I guess race day routine for most of us is breakfast......travel.....register...warm up ....race.   Very rare is it possible to run from home to a race.  Today was an exception.  "Home" being my wife Pat's mother's home in Reddish, Stockport; 1.5 miles from the race venue for the DEBDALE PARK 7K road/trail race.   The 4th of 5 in the Manchester Parks Race Series 2011.
  It was quite good to know that the warm up would be
guanranteed  without interruption but of course the time normally spent travelling to the race  was  spent mooching about the house after breakfast, nervously waiting to set off on the warm up run.
 Pat was making one of her rare race outings today and to be honest after a very indifferent track sesion on Wednesday a thought to run around with her instead of racing 100% crossed my mind for an instant but was quickly dismissed as "wimping out "  from the proper task in hand.
 Yesterday's pollen heavy jog around the fields did nothing to boost the enthusiasm; breathing very laboured and eyes watering even  with the shades on. Not good.
So much so that I even  considered refraining from having any alcohol last night in the Italian restaurant.  But when we sat down I looked over towards the drinks chiller and the bottles of Moretti Italian lager were calling out, "Drink me, drink me! 
  How could I refuse.......a couple of glasses of Frascati went down quite well also.  
 So the race itself.   Well, this Manchester park series race was like a Parkrun "with attitude" in that it was 7K
(actually 7.2K)   rather than 5K  and involved 50% of  trail with inclines,  not really hills.   Given the terrain I predicted a time around the 30 minute mark would be a fair return.
 Usual scenario.......let them go and pull  back as many as possible ....just like the Platt Fields 10K a fortnight ago.   Miles splits being  6.52    6.56   6.56   6.41  with 3.03 for the remaining 0.45.
As many as possible but not,  as I forecast,  Emma Jones of Belle Vue who I caught just before the
finish in the 10K.   I couldn't catch her today...but she was in sight.   36th (30:08 to my 30:32)
 In the category FRANK DAY of East Cheshire "stuffed me" again and another non- Grand Prix runner  also pushed me back to 3rd.  (of 3!)
 But the run back "home" could not be started until we had waited to see how PAT had gone on in her return to racing.  Needless to say, she was first of the 3 F60 runners; prompting discussion of course about her future training and racing.  89th of 112 in 40:41. 
 Given the narrowness of the paths, the gates etc.it's as well the number of participants  is  comparatively low
112 runners today.   Plenty of marshalls to ensure the course was adhered to but many competitors said afterwards they would have appreciated some K markers on this unfamiliar distance.
         But  given that unfamilair distance it meant a PB in our 60s for Pat and myself and probably for many others.

Another Lakes weekend.

 I often think that all over the world there are people in offices thinking how can they can  justify  their  existence and salary by mending something that's not really "broken" and so cause problems for the end user.  Certainly the case with regard to running shoe design and  reacting to certain fads....however minimal!
 Blogger staff seem guilty also in this respect. You go away for a nice break in the Lake District only to return and have to relearn the dashboard.   Nuisance!   Wouldn't be so bad if you could talk to the blogger team but it seems they make the changes and just let us play around until we figure out what changes they have made.  I say changes rather than improvements but we have to believe that changes have been made to improve matters rather than change for changes sake.

 Anyway, catching up then.........what have I learnt in the last week?
SUNDAY.   Running free....unscheduled tempo.

Whilst it's good to have a plan sometimes it's good to push on from what we have intended.  Provided we don't have a race within the next couple of days, of course!
  A  planned  steady  8 up and back down the picturesque  KENTMERE VALLEY  turned into what I would call a "natural" (i.e. unscheduled) tempo run.   The run up the valley went as might have I might have expected.  Laboured!
4 miles in 37.28.   But  (perhaps because I hadn't done a midweek track session )  or simply the thought that  I was simply "on the way back"   the pace improved and improved so much so that the negative split amounted 5.41.   The first mile, albeit uphill,  I had been thinking,  "this is hard work!" ;  the last mile   I was running at 2 minutes per mile faster and thinking,  "boy, it feels good to be running fast and free!"   31.37 for the return journey.   Very satisfying; and great to feel the sun on the forehead.
   A  tempo run but not planned;  as they say,  "if  it feels good do it!" 

MONDAY.  We were blessed with a fine, warm sunny day again and so decided to take the ferry across Lake Windermere from Bowness and run out and back on the lake side.  As we left the ferry a young  man,  wearing baggies, a sleeveless tee and Nike Shox,  left the ferry at the same time and as I waited "locating satellites" on the Garmin he said,
"You look like you are about to go for run"
"Yes," I replied," going to run along the side of the lake on the trail, out and back".
"How far is that," he asked.
"About 7," I said.  
"I've  never run further than 7  but   should be Ok" he said and so off we went.  
36 year old   Heath,  as he was called,  had come up from Warrington  enjoying the fabulous weather and the scenery  on his day off.   He  semed to have  no problems coping with the pace despite carrying a backpack which he said contained his "water", phone etc.
  The miles passed happily as we chatted about running, work etc whilst admring the magnificent scenery that is Lake Windermere . Heath didn't query the distance at all as he jogged along pretty easily  at 9 minute mileing on the lakeside trail .  We reached a gate and this made for a suitable turning point. 
 I said ,  "let's turn here, that will give us 7 MILES   back to where we started"
 "7 MILES?!...he said...."I thought you meant kilometres. I 've never run more than 7 kilometres!"
So he was in unknown territory both geographically and distance wise!   Then to make matters even more difficult it turned out that his "water" was in fact a nearly full 2 litre bottle which had been bouncing up and down on his back for over half an hour.
  But all in all despite his lack of experience over 3 or 4 miles he coped well with the extra miles and so we were able to share the occasion well together.  Hopefully he will be inspired to tackle some races.  Plenty to choose from in his  part of the world. 
  So good company,  good weather...... for a change........a good break.

ICE IS NICE......

 ICE MASSAGER
 I am truly amazed the extent to which my left thigh has recovered this week.  As I wrote  previously on Tuesday I drew the line after 2 miles on the grass  on the basis that any further would be detrimental.   I mentioned that what seemed to work best was the polystyrene cup ICE MASSAGER.  A couple of people this week said that they had not thought of this method as a way of relief.  so to clarify here's a picture.
It works for me......! Obviously it will melt as you use it, so you have to keep cutting the cup down and, of course, don't forget to lay a towel down under your leg so your carpet doesn't get soaked!

  I'll certainly be resting the legs this afternoon as the ENGLISH SCHOOLS TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS are on SKY from 2 to 6.   It's been a very busy  few weeks for the team at Fastrax  sorting out kit for the counties to wear up in Gateshead.  It's very satisfying to then see the kit being worn and of course as the event it is the TV it's a welcome bonus.
  In a perfect world all today's winners would go on to represent
Great Britain as senior athletes but for some winning today will be as good as it gets.  Many defeated finalists go instead to be the champions of tomorrow.

It's  that time of the year again when all the running company reps drop in to show me their exciting new shoes and apparel ( as they all call it ) for next spring/ summer.  Yesterday it was Kurt from Nike who drew my attention to a new video for the LUNARGLIDE 3 which is "launching now". 
The video is the best I've seen which illustrates NIKE's DYNAMIC SUPPORT system.   Take a peek.....

No speedwork or race for me in my "easy" week  which meant for once doing the 2 res run today i was actually a tad fresher for it. Cosequently instead if ambling around in 62 to 63 minutes as normal after a long run or  a speed session I ended up racing the time to try to dip under 60 minutes
eventually hitting the button bang on in 60.00 !
                              If  you are racing this weekend, have a good one....!!