Training Log Archive: murraystraining

Jogging and strides.

Great Manchester Run - 10k. A notoriously fast race with a flat course and a deep field. Perfect place to smash my PB (30:57 from Glasgow last year). But how to do it? GPS on and run to the watch - set a target and go out to hit it? Or run naked, run the race and see what time you end up with?
After adopting the latter approach for the Scottish 5km champs I decided to see if it worked as well over the longer distance.
The first km was inevitably fast - the elite field had over 60 guys in it - so I pushed out for a little longer than I normally would before relaxing. At the 1km point I could just see the clock on the lead car - 2:5x. That's ok. A little fast maybe, but that was the plan - get out in under target pace to set the tone for the race. Now relax and settle in - let the others do the work for you. 2km in 5:5x - nice. On target. Now the lead car was moving out of sight so I was running blind from here on. The continuum of runners discretised into packs as we hit the dual carriageway. I found myself in the third pack, still with Crawley and around 10 others. I had to make a decision as to whether to stay in this group or try to jump the gap up to the next pack. Looking up I reasoned that the lead pack was the <29min leaders group, the second pack was the <30min leading domestic runners group and that I was in the 30-30:30 pack. Perfect, no need to push on. I'm also not feeling 100% fresh, legs are heavier than I would like so I think any thoughts of breaking 30 are unrealistic.
From 2-5km I sit at the back of this pack. There is a slight headwind so I make the most of the other runners to shelter me. You run the first half to get to the second half. I wouldn't say I was comfortable in this group but i was in no danger of getting dropped. It was difficult to hit the racing line though while running in such a large pack, so I think I added a little bit of distance in here. Apparently we ran right past Old Trafford just before 5km - I honestly didn't notice!
Half way reached! Time to push on. Consciously increase your effort. Pick goals to focus on - a runner to catch, a milestone to reach. Keep on pushing. I move to the front of the group and keep going. Are people coming with me? I can't tell. Through 6k I chance a look at my watch - 3:02 for the last k. Still good. The 7th k seems to be lasting forever though and I'm struggling to keep the pace up. It's supposed to be hard, you're supposed to want to stop - that's when you should try harder and keep going. Finally the k marker comes into view - and it's the 8k one - I must have missed the 7k. Just after 8k someones coach is at the side of the road reading out 5mile times (5miles = 8.045km). 24:14 I hear. Brilliant - even if I crash and burn now I've still destroyed my 5mile PB (24:58). But even better, I can cruise in at my current pace to a solid 30:20 or better. If I can pull out a sub 2:50 final k like in the 5km I could even give 30 minutes a scare? It's all or nothing here and I really start cranking. There are 3-4 of us from the original group left and a couple of guys coming back to us from the second group. It's a lot of surging and then tucking in, and counting down the markers. 1km to go. 800 to go. Accelerate again. 400 to go. Try and raise a sprint. 200 to go. The finish is in sight. 100. 50. See the clocks. Too many of them - which one is ours? I find it.

30:44.

Eh? That wasn't on the menu. OK, it's a PB, but it should have been way faster. The race was fast, conditions were good and I gave it my all. And there is no way I took over 6:30 for the final 2km?

While I wasn't looking at my Garmin I did have him with me recording k splits on autolap. They reveal the truth:
2:53
3:00
3:04
3:09
3:03 (15:10)
3:02
3:08
3:05 (24:25)
3:04
3:01 (30:30)
0:13 (70m of cornering and GPS variability)
So I went through 5 miles in 24:40 rather than 24:14. Apart from the fast opening 2km I ran an even pace throughout but didn't manage to pick it up much at the end. Everyone I spoke to afterwards was amazed that I'd managed to PB in "these conditions". OK, it was warm and sunny but it was low-20s at best, hardly difficult running weather.

Two days later and I'm feeling better about my run. PowerOf10 informs me that of the top 20 British guys I was the only one to break my PB so maybe it really wasn't a superfast day. Only 2 Brits broke 30 and only a couple more broke 30:30 - I was 8th or 9th Brit depending on which results list you look at. It's probably the most consistently paced 10k run I've done on the roads. Taking a critical look at my splits you might say I ran the first k too fast but (a) it was very slightly downhill and (b) if I hadn't I'd have wasted more energy chasing through people from 1-4km. And at least now it will be easier to break my PB again next time!

Split the journey home with some sprintervals around Carlisle - trying to run as hard as possible on tired sore legs. Risky, but good training.

Very gentle sprintervals in Stockport. Focusing on the process, keeping the running very relaxed.

FNHR in the Lakes (east side of Ullswater). Nice night.

WoL

Epic "long" run! Feels strange to think that I sometimes do two of these sorts of runs a day through the winter. Very interesting to visit Duddingstone House, and even found a new shortcut through the golf course - I'll be using that when I go back out to finish the rest of Duddingston.

Murrayfield.

Mincing about watching the 2-mile race - somehow worked too late to get out to the South Gyle event.

Short shuffle to Harrison Park. Murray's path very muddy.

Solo 8x1km off 200m easy jog (60-90s). Started off reading NORT sprint maps on the run on alternate reps but finished off fully focused on running. I needed to be to hold off Tessa when she jumped in for 200m segments!
2:56-3:01-2:55-2:58-2:56-2:55-2:53-2:52.
It felt pretty grim and I was beaten up afterwards but times were decent and apart from the odd 200 with T I was on my own. I think in the past I would have struggled to hit this pace myself but this year the shorter faster work with Dougie and Max in April has meant that this interval work just feels that little bit more relaxed.

Relaxed trot to the Radical Road. Initial plan was an AZ raid on Duddingston but when I was still shuffling by DVC I had a change of heart so went up the crags to enjoy the stormy views. Easy days easy!