I've never been 63 before so I'm only gradually working out what amount and quality of training I can cope with, how much time I need to recover from hard sessions and generally cope with day to day running.
Now I can immediately hear half of you muttering to yourselves...."silly old beggar, the first thing he should do is STOP running every day!". But hey I have to have something to get me away from this computer screen.
I'm supposed to be semi-retired but the enquiries are coming in thick and fast for Fastrax vests at the moment; there are always some "quotes" to do.
With regard to recovery, I shunned a track session today and elected for a steady 5.5 on the canal. Reason being that I have been fairly washed out all week since the run with Sally on Sunday. When I look again at the splits I can see why. I concluded the 14 miler with 4 miles at not much above 5K pace.
As said on Monday in review, encouraging and enjoyable but left me a tad drained for the rest of this week.
I SHALL have a very easy day tomorrow before bouncing back on Sunday all being well.
Sally is down for a 5 x mile rep session so I will probably go up and give her some support for that one.
WHAT YOUR FASTEST MILE?
The mile was an event I ran more in local school competition meetings as for club events I had started to specialise in the steeplechase. I did run 4.26 in barefeet on a grass track and did go through the first mile of a 2 mile race in 4.30. but it was some seconds behind my Sale teammates. Then again I was better at getting my leg over (barriers!) than they were.
However we did combine well in breaking the UK record for 4 x 1 mile (under 17) on August 3 1965. We recorded 18:28.8 which I believe still stands. Probably because today's youngsters run mainly 1500 metes. Having said that 18:28 averages out at about 4.17 for 1500 metres so would take a good club squad to do it.
A more amazing feat however was achieved by Sale Harriers on October 7th 1973. 100 members turned out to run 100 x 1 mile relay on cinders at the home Crosford Bridge Sale track. Our total time was
8 hours 15minutes 20 seconds. That averages out to 4:57 per mile! My contribution was 4:40.6.
It was a new British record. I don't think many clubs nowadays could beat that time. Who knows perhaps it still stands; which means I've a (bit) part in 2 UK mile records!
I'll be happy if I get under 7 minutes for a mile again nowadays. But as I said in opening I've never been 63 before I might just surprise myself and find 63 is the new 62!
HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND. IF YOU ARE RACING, HAVE A GOOD ONE!
Sale certainly improved on their 1973 time on 29 June 1975, setting what was then a "world record" in a multi-venue event organised by Blackheath. I recall it because I took Stretford past Sale on leg 2 (with 4:33) only for Sale to regain the lead on the next leg for the rest of the race. That was the only time I led a world record race!
ReplyDeleteI also got my only Olympic qualifying time in a 5k at Altrincham - pity it was a paarlauf! (2-man relay).
Incidentally in 1977 Blackheath organised a 25 x 1 mile to mark the Queen's Silver Jubilee. Stretford won a rosebowl for the first team all born in the monarch's reign. Difficult to believe that those lads aged 13 to 24 are now 48 to 59.
Malcolm W
Good to hear from you Malcolm. The result I have for 1975 is for a Sale attempt on APRIL 20TH. Total time being 8:19.34 (averaging 4.59.74) Fastest Tony Settle 4.12. I may have missed that June attempt. Perhaps you have a copy of the results?
ReplyDeletePaarlaufs were good hard fun weren't they?! Ran a 10 miler with Mike Delaney in 1968 in 44.20 on the cinders at Crossford Bridge!
8:05:24.8. See AWs 5/7/75, p3 and 9/8/75 p22. Sale's fastest was Laurie Reilly 4:08, then John Davies 4:14.
ReplyDeleteMalcolm W