Uncategorized – The Vintage Runner

April 15, 2024April 15, 2024

Park Run Pacemaking

This was my first attempt at pacemaking, it seemed like a good idea at the time and so it proved to be.

I like doing Park Runs, Kathryn has taken up running of a longer distance variety so I can keep her company and also I treat it as endurance training for the track, rather than train for Park run or anything longer.

I’ve recently swapped from Strava app on Apple watch to the Apple workout app. I find the watch interface much better – still love Strava site generally though. I would really have little idea of how to control my pace without this.

It was definitely a bit hard to hold my pace back to the target 5:35 / km to match my 28 minute bib. But I managed to get into the rhythm pretty quickly with the watch nagging away at me. I also made an effort to even my pace out a bit more than usual – I’m typically sluggish up the hills but can fly downhill with no effort. It’s quite hilly at Gadebridge Park and I suddenly found myself falling behind on the steep uphill around the 4th kilometre. But with the trusty tech I was able to pick it up for the last km and was very happy to cross the line in 27:57 on the watch – not bad for a first time 🙂 Though I was soon put in my place by two club mates Katy who finished in 25:58 (26 min bib) and Matt who finished in 24.0 (you guessed it 24 min bib).

Kathryn also had her first go at and finished in a good time of 39:35 (40 min bib).

Will happily do that again.

August 4, 2023August 4, 2023

Week Notes – 4th August

Well, here we go. I know I’ve been rubbish at keeping this site up to date. So I want to try and instill the discipline of a weekly review. What have I done? Why? etc. in the hope it might help you. Try to post by Friday, so starting with the previous Saturday. I’m also unprepared with photos, so uploaded a random, recent shot.

Saturday

Time for a Parkrun. This is my endurance part of the week. Kathryn is working on the distance side of her running so this is at the shorter end for her whereas it’s at the maximum for me. I haven’t delved into the detailed science, I’m sure a 5k run each week will help me on the home straight of a 400 (with or without barriers), but it’s becoming a healthy ritual for us, kicking off the weekend in a good way.

We had planned to try Rickmansworth (the first time for Kathryn, I haven’t been there for ages). But life defeated us and we ended up at Gadebridge which is closer.

PB for Kathryn (whey hey!) and a second fastest time for me, so a reasonable outing. It was a reasonably warm and dry day, I just struggled for pace all the way, so actually, I can correct my previous answer, it was a surprisingly decent result. I just ducked under 25 minutes, Gadebridge is quite hilly.

Sunday

It’s hurdle time. I haven’t done this for ages, pre-Covid basically. I think I wrote about this near the time, although my Covid symptoms were mild it really hit my endurance and I struggled so much with a flat 400 I haven’t even tried a hurdles race since.

Next year I turn 60 which means I’ll be running 300m and the hurdles go a notch down. I think that might be a good thing.

Since there was a league match for our younger athletes, I had a very small group to coach, so I took my opportunity and ran my hurdle drills between their runs.

Then I just ran 2x200m over 4 hurdles to finish. Didn’t feel too bad, think I’ll press on with the plan to come back next year, maybe do some 400h prior if it feels good.

Monday

It’s time for the gym. I’ve been slack on this front recently, need to make this a good week. Luckily the sessions are quite light. Credits to coach Molly at the Den who looks after my S&C (https://thedengym.co.uk/home)

Heel-toe rocks
Hip 90/90
Side to Curtsey Lunge
Tall kneeling slam
Box jump
Front squat
Rack leaning calf raise
Eccentric chin-up (nothing makes me feel my age more than the fact I can no longer do true chin-ups – for now at least!!)

Tuesday

Back to the track – then I remember that our head coach Deb Keenleyside is away tonight so I’d better skip the running. I usually help look after the 400 runners and run with them. So tonight I just coach, then get home and do an interval session on the elliptical. Lovely scenery near Aspen, I don’t really follow the routine as it was a bit distance, so I do up and down the pace more, it was suitably sweaty and hard.

Wednesday

It’s gym time – basically repeat the session above, I’m guilty of falling behind on where I should be, so it’s possible I should be doing something slightly different. But go with it, and it feels good.

Thursday

Kick off the day with a bit of stretching, hamstring focussed. Then, in the evening it’s track time – no excuses today. On paper the session looks okay, in the back of my mind I know there should be no such thing as an easy session – and thus it proves…..

warm-up followed by wicket drills
160, 140, 120, 100, 80, 60 – 5, 5, 4, 4, 3 recovery

Boy does this one hurt. My speed was feeling pretty good, not great but pretty good. I think I had to crawl off the track at the very end.

Friday

A bit of stretching focussed on the hamstrings – a lot of work to do there. Then a rest day.

Summary

Overall this felt like a good week. Nothing skipped (okay I didn’t run on Tuesday but the elliptical sessions feel like they’re helping).

Oh yes, I forgot – shouldn’t really add this in the summary but hey!! I’ve been using my Merrell Vapour Glove 3s for my warm-ups. I’m really enjoying this. I need to build up my foot strength, a bit of a collapsing arch problem. Second shout-out to Helen van Kempen who’s given me exercises to help with this. https://www.movementpphysio.com

July 15, 2023July 15, 2023

Getting a 400m under the belt

After a patchy start to 2023, having a hamstring problem 50m into my first race of the year. Training and S&C seem to be coming along, so I thought an outing to Lee Valley and trying a 400m race might be the thing to do.

It was rather chilly with a strong headwind on the back straight, the flags were flapping all over the place during warm-up which never helps me get into a positive mindset. Try to keep thoughts away from how painful the home straight will be.

Funnily enough, it wasn’t so much the expected wind on the back straight, but when I still felt it on the second bend, I definitely swore at the wind at that point!!

The first 280m went fully to plan then I hit the wall. I was happy that I managed to wade through treacle for 120m and still post 62.44. It feels like the season is back on track.

For those who want the fun of watching my pain it’s all on video https://youtu.be/46t_G__MRwY

February 2, 2023February 2, 2023

Injured Again!!

A very frustrating start to the week. Looking back over time when I first returned to athletics in my 50s I had several early injuries. It soon emerged that I had many imbalances and weaknesses. I managed to address these largely with the help of the internet.

Then following Covid infection I seemed to have another string of injuries. I started using the services of a Strength and Conditioning coach and a Sports Therapist. I can’t recommend this route highly enough for anyone who wants to train and compete seriously at any age, but doubly for the Master athlete. I should probably return and go over my experiences in more detail later.

I feel stronger than ever, more balanced than ever and have better balance than ever (I did read somewhere that your balance is hit the worst as you get older, more so than strength, speed or endurance for example).

So last season was largely written off with Covid at the start of the year and several injuries. I think it was a foot and an achilles injury. Funny, I now struggle to remember. I had a hamstring strain / niggle at the very beginning of the year. It just came on half way through my first 60m competition of the year, no previous sign. It didn’t appear major and recovery was quick. My S & C became a bit more focused on this area and I eased back into running.

After a couple of weeks there wasn’t the slightest sign of anything wrong, then one evening (actually many degrees warmer than preceding ones) I’d had a good warm up looking at split 450s. I set off at a good pace but 50m in I could feel the hamstring again. For a couple of seconds you wonder if it’s a twinge that will go away. It wasn’t so I eased off and left the track.

A couple of days hence I can just feel it physically but feeling it hard mentally. What have I done, what haven’t I done, what does this mean for the season?

So far, no answers