North East Running

Back in January 2021 I posted a training plan for the year along with some target times I was hoping to hit: -  https://northeastrunning.blogspot.com/2021/01/running-training-plan-for-2021.html Reflecting back 12 months later, I think I got things just about right and will keep the same plan in place for 2022. In summary: Alternate easy run days with hard workout sessions Race or parkrun at the weekend Long run where possible at the weekend One rest day each week In terms of distance, works out roughly as 60km a week - around 3,200km per year. Ideal training week - 2 workouts, one race, one long run The good news is that this plan gave me personal bests at all of the distances I raced at: parkrun - 17:40 (Herrington)  5k - 17:40 (Sunderland) 10k - 36:26 * (Hexham) 10mi - 59:33 (Brampton) HM - 80:34 (Sunderland) * I recorded 35:44 at Town Moor for 10k, but course measured short and runbritain ruled as invalid - which was a real shame, as a sub-36 10k would have been something t...

I've been delighted to get four PBs in a month at the back end of this year. 30th October - 17:40 parkun 31st October - 36:26 10k 14th November - 35:44 10k 21st November - 59:33 10mile I've kept my training reasonably steady now for 18 months. Two hard workouts, two easy sessions, ideally a race and a long run each week. I think that two things have contributed to hitting what is the best form I've ever reached: Return of parkrun Running parkruns regularly every Saturday morning at race pace is a great way of keeping sharp and having something to target every weekend. Since the COVID restrictions were lifted at the end of July I've gone from around 18:25 pace to 17:45 pace on a flat course. Around the 18 min mark is also a time that will result in a few wins at parkruns with less than 200 runners - this buzz is always a nice incentive to give it that extra bit of effort. The marathon training in the middle of the year For around 18 months now I've done a HM long run...

 This blog post is part of a three blog series. 1 of 3 - The training plan 2 of 3 - Finishing the training plan 3 of 3 - The result My final pacing plan was as follows: The plan So the plan was to get to the 30km mark at 4:10/km pace. Then have a little bit of a cushion to ease off to 4:25/km for the final 12.5km to sneak in at the 02:59:00 mark. So.... how did it go... All went to plan until 36km, then the energy just disappeared I knew I couldn't let it slip to 4:30+ in the last section of the race - but lost all energy So, all went perfectly until 36km, then if 4:30/km was the pace I needed to keep under I then lost: 37km : -6s 38km : -19s 39km : -43s 40km : -58s 41km  -80s 42km: -107s 200m : -68s 381seconds lost - 6min21s. Resulting in a 3:05:56 instead of what could have been 2:59:35. A particular disappointment was cramping in both hamstrings on final downhill and having to stop for 30-40s to stretch them off (the crowd gave great support). After five or six hours to thi...

 Three months ago I posted my marathon training plan . Taking the distance up from 23km to 35km Having a HM race midway through Winding it down distance wise, but with two 'race pace' runs to finish it off DONE :) The runs all listed in screenshot below. Some observations below the screenshot. Three-month marathon training plan Some observations: Having a training partner also aiming for the same marathon helps (cheers Cian) To follow the above plan - you need a base fitness level of being able to do a HM as a Sunday Long Run without much trouble Taking on energy is vital mid-run - SiS GO Energy + Caffeine Gel Citrus worked really well - take one every 45 minutes One Imodium tablet before each run reduces chance of needing toilet break 30 minutes before the run I liked eating a Grenade Carb Killa chocolate bar - I couldn't find much science on the web about this (protein is a recovery thing) - but I like chocolate and I think it had a placebo effect with the sugar rush Ra...

As I've been doing a half marathon each weekend for the last year or so, I thought I should take the next step and enter a marathon. So I swapped my Yorkshire 10 mile place for a Yorkshire Marathon place. It's in 14 weeks' time. I've spent a few hours looking at training plans online. I've spoken to some good club runners to pick their brains. ...and here's my training plan below... 14 week marathon plan Key points : Overall goal - sub 3hr marathon. But if I don't get it not to beat myself up about it. Aim for the ceiling and all that. I want to keep doing other races throughout the summer - marathon doesn't top trump everything else Not to go too crazy on the pace - just build up slowly to 3hr long runs and understand what energy intake I need Get used to 'race pace' the two weekends leading up to the run (but at shorter distance) Do first two hours on the day at 4:10/km pace (would be 2hrs56) and then try hardest to continue for third hour know...

The month started well with a 5k PB of 17:21. This had filled me with confidence that I could have a real go at a 10k PB at a very flat Kempton Park event at the end of the month. 36:34 was the time to beat, but I'd have been happy with anything under 37:00 just to be in the right ball park. So the plan was to do the first 5k at a 3:42/km pace and then hopefully clock up negative splits to attack the PB. I trained hard through May, then gave myself 72hrs break before the run. The weather was perfect also. Kempton Park - the perfect location for a 10k? ...*however*, by km 3 and 4 of the run it became apparent that I couldn't get anywhere near that 3:42/km pace. Worse still, for the mid-part of the race I was struggling to get the pace below 3:50/km. Even the last two km which should have been the pick up to the end where nowhere near what I had been hoping for. The week before I'd done the same pace as a training race on a route with +125m elevation. The result was a disappo...

Around seven months ago I ran 5k in 17:36 (3:31/km pace) which was my personal best and set me up for a new 17:30 target. But then for the rest of the year, even though I got 3-4 sub-18 minute efforts, I never got close to the 17:30 target. Then from December with the cold weather and icy conditions coming in I seemed to lose that bit of pace and dropped away even further. This was really frustrating as I was putting the training effort in, still doing the same mileage and trying just as hard. Examples of loss of pace below. Entire set of club handicap runs not breaking below 3:38/km pace over 4k :( Saturday morning flat 5k fast effort - disappointingly dropping out to 3:55/km for 4th km Saturday morning flat 5k fast effort - disappointingly dropping out to 3:57/km for 3rd km But with good weather through March and April and a chance to train properly and even race, the form came back. Training : Coming out of lockdown and with warmer weather it meant training as a group again. Interva...

To start right on the edge of the countryside, drive out to Sacriston - suggest parking somewhere near -  DH7 6AB . If it's windy, pick clockwise or anti-clockwise to suite, the valley is sheltered but the top of the hill is very exposed. I set off early to catch the sunrise by the wind farm at the top of the ridge. Once you get to Maiden Law there is a *huge* descent down to Lanchester - then the railway path to Langley Park/Witton Gilbert. A pretty cool route.    Selected photos... Took the drone up to get a sunrise wind farm shot Lovely spring morning Mining heritage Strava Segment of note : - Howden Drop - 1.8km of downhill speedyness -117m elevation! Useful links : Durham Railyways paths -  https://www.durham.gov.uk/article/3691/Railway-paths Series : For a list of different half marathon routes around the North East of England see: - https://northeastrunning.blogspot.com/2020/07/north-east-half-marathon-running-routes.html

Right here's the training plan for 2021. Similar to what I did second half of 2020, but with slightly tougher Tuesday evenings... Based on the principles I put down in the blog post below: https://northeastrunning.blogspot.com/2020/07/how-to-run-faster.html Monday and Wednesday Not going to try and run every session at fastest speed. Monday and Wednesdays will be about getting out and stretching the legs and enjoying it at a deliberately slower pace than normal. Theory is that (a) it'll still do me good and (b) I'll recover nicely for a good workout the following day. Tuesday and Thursday Hard training sessions. Tuesday being the tougher one with a double session. Something like 12x400m or 5x1km or hill work at my fastest pace. Then following it up with a tempo 5km just to really work the legs. Thursday will be something like a progression run finishing at my fastest race pace or a threshold 5k. Friday Day off. Take it as easy as possible to let legs recover as much as poss...

Check out the route on Strava: -  https://www.strava.com/routes/2776497061663443326 A good place to park is the Hadrian Park Estate - somewhere near  NE28 9YB  - right on the edge of the Rising Sun Country Park. The route goes through the park and then west through to Killingworth. Take in the lake and then across the main road and into Gosforth Park. The Newcastle Racecourse (would make a good parkrun!) can be seen to the left, then it's possible to wind all of the way down to Jesmond Dene on nice tracks through fields and in between golf courses. Jesmond Dene is absolutely beautiful and this leads to the coast road. Then it's back through Heaton and eventually Rising Sun again. Selected photos... The entrance to Newcastle Racecourse in Gosforth Park The water was flowing through Jesmond Dene at some rate Love the area around the old mill in Jesmond Dene Strava Segment of note : - Jesmond Dene River Path - Beautiful section of Jesmond Dene Useful links : Rising Sun Coun...