RHM 2019 and Royal Berks 10km 2019

1:59:36 at the RHM 2019 so not too shabby and in 2 weeks another go at this one.

Royal Berkshire 10km

I do love this picture - Its a great event and all the pacers are pictured in time order (and for what it's worth I came in at 59:47). And in further news I am now an official tester for Brooks and Megmeister gear for running magazines...

Reading Half Marathon 2017 - 1:59:45

Well, I even impressed myself today.

My tenth RHM and my 5th time as a pacer.

A little bit under done on the training this year partly due to a raking cold/cough in January that I couldn't shake off - and I had eaten a bit too much the evening before so set off dressed by Mizuno, not as confident as normal. I met lots of people on the start line who wanted to run with me (2:00:00 pacer) and told them all I would finish in 1:59:45 so we started with quite a large group.

Set off in very windy conditions and the flag at some points acted like a sail and at other points acted like a huge brake and it made the hills a bit more of a challenge.

When I crossed the line and was interviewed in the stadium right by the line by the PA guy asking me how we pace, what the strategy was etc..and looking at my watch thought I had run 1:59:42 but..

my official chip time was 1:59:45 - now even I am impressed I did it to the second!

Lots of lovely comments on Facebook thanking me for getting runners PB'S and sub 2's - quite emotional reading the comments TBH,

Not sure if I will pace next year as there may be a new team - but if I don't, then what a way to finish.
 

Reading Half marathon 1:59:54

Nearly undercooked it as I was 1 minute ahead of time but slowed just outside the stadium to get people to run past me and crack 2 hours so I had to do a bit of a dash for the line to come in at 1:59:54 which was about 9 seconds more than I had hoped.

9 seconds over a half marathon is not a lot but I know I can do this now practically to within 3-5 seconds of my target time of 1:59:45 so next year will come into the stadium so I can see the finish line with say 1:30 to go then it will be a stress free finish.

Next pace job the Reading Royal 10 km - so looking forward to my first 10 km as a pacer.

  

The pacing season has started

And so for the first time this year the half marathon human metronomes were out at Fleet Half marathon. I ran the 2:00:00 pace slot and came in at 1:59:11 officially, which if I am being critical, was about 30 seconds too quick, Having not run the course before I guess that's acceptable. Now on the Reading half next week,   

NEWS - Reading Half Marathon 2:00:00 pacer ......

So my 9th Reading Half marathon in total and third as pacer this weekend.

Paced the 2:00:00 group and told everyone I would finish in 1:59:45. My official time was 1:59:46 so let them down by a second.....if anyone missed their PB blame me ;).

Simply could not get any closer than that and hope I dragged as many people as possible to PB's . Some lovely comments on FB and Twitter make it all worthwhile  

I just love this event - one of the best weekends of the year.

London Marathon 2014

Right. That's another marathon ticked off and after 16 weeks of great training I went into the race with a IT band problem and both knees being held together by velcro. Having nearly pulled out of the race on the Friday before I was delighted to finish and raise over £1,200 for the Brain Tumour Charity. Stats as follows:

• Finish time: 4:20:51
• 5km: 28:08
• 10km: 56:33
• 15km: 1:24:35
• 20km: 1:52:35
• Half: 1:58:39
• 25km: 2:22:11
• 30km: 2:55:06
• 35km: 3:39:26
• 40km: 4:05:38

Place: 16,696
AC: 1,116

In summary first half fine, second half just pleased to have kept going. But no excuses as I had trained really well right up until the Saturday the week before and was looking at a 3:55 time or thereabouts had I not had the problem.

Looking now at my knee I am a bit surprised I finished at all. The IT band velcro thingy stopped the IT problem but caused the knee cap to malfunction and so I am now looking at 3-6 weeks of rest before I do anything else. Still I would not have missed it for the world.

Once I am back in training Ride London and Windsor tri to look forward to.

London Marathon 2014 charity

The last long run is this weekend and I am now running for the Brain Tumour Charity. It was an easy decision and anyone who knows me well will understand why. The target is £520 or £20 per mile which fingers crossed I can raise via Just Giving.

The training for a marathon has been tough no two ways about it. In fact it is easier mentaly to train for a triathlon and I need to get back on my bike asap after London and prepare for the Windsor tri in June and Ride London Classic 100 in August.

I also need to get back in the pool but all that can wait until after April 13.    

Week 5

A week into the January Dryathon and going well and 5 weeks into Hal Higdon Intermediate 2 training plan for VLM and 23km just done. So far so good but not wanting to tempt fate...

Running the 2:00:00 pace team at Reading - confirmed this week. Should be a nice warm up for London.

And might get a place at IM Switzerland.

Now, must get into the pool this week and kick start swim training.

What to look forward to in 2014?

My 2014 schedule is now pretty much set. Assuming no niggles or injuries here is the plan:

• February - Wokingham Half Marathon
• March - Reading Half Marathon
• April - London Marathon
• May - Free!
• June - Windsor Triathlon
• July - Free!
• August  - Maybe Ride London if I get in the ballot
• September - Free!
• October - Oxford Half Marathon
• November - Free!
• December - Free!

So only leaves me to find something to do in May really that should ideally be bike or swim focussed ready for Windsor.  

Oxford Half Marathon pacing team - and thanks to Garmin

Paced the 2:00:00 group at Oxford this weekend. Massive thanks to Garmin for the Garmin 610 watch which I can say is awesome. I took it out of the box on Friday, and it was so intuitive I was pacing the team on Sunday and relied upon it 100%.

Came in at 1:59:42 with a bang on 5:40km split as average pace for the race. Lots of nice comments on FB and Twitter. What the people running with you don't realise is that when you pace a group not only are you motivating them but they are acting as an inspiration for you. Seeing them at the end having achieved PB's makes it all worth it.

Well done eveyone who I dragged around in the pouring rain. See you next year. 

 

Facebook link  to Intelligent Running OHM pace team.

Sydney Harbour 10km

Just happened to be on a business trip to Sydney and on Sunday 14th July the day before I returned, the annual Sydney Harbour 10km started right out side my hotel. So it would have been rude not to have run it as I had planned a run that day anyway. So joined about 3,000 other runners at 07.00 in the morning and with no/little training bashed out a 51:12 race. Nice little training run taking in Sydney Opera House, Darling Harbour and Sydney Bridge.

 

My new toy

Windsor Triathlon

No excuses and was quite pleased when I crossed the line but overall feel that if I actually had done some serious training I could have gone sub 2:45. Here are the splits:

• Swim   33:36 -  a sort of swim/walk
• T1   3:44 - rubbish time! What was I doing?
• Cycle   1:17:12 - windy course but should have done this sub 1:15. Average speed 32.64km/h
• T2   2:51 - again - too much time
• Run 53:35 - about as good as I can up and down that hill 3 times is knackering

Total time 2:50:58

Position: Age group 69 out of 125 and total 898 out of 1441

Goal next year to go under 2:45 and inside the top 50 age grouper...... and having got over the open water swim demons anything is possible.

Only question now do I enter the Reading tri in Sept......I have got the taste for this distance now and want to really crack 2:45 
 

June Update

So, I have the Windsor triathlon this coming Sunday which I am both excited and nervous about. Hope I can kill my swim doubts and kick arse as I know I can.

Virgin London Marathon 2014 already booked in so looking forward to that as well as the Wokingham half and the Reading Half in 2014.  And the small matter of the Oxford Half in October 2013 to pace hopefully.

And then, if Sunday goes well will book up for the Reading Triathlon in September where I am told it all began in the UK.

Getting sick of eating salads to make sure I can fit ito the wetsuit on Sunday. This winter has been rubbish for training.  

And finally waiting for the new bike to arrive......will it make me faster? Nope, but it will make me feel great and at 50 that's very important!!! 

And finally I have an IM urge again for 2014.  It depends on work but am so tempted it is wierd.  

Probably the best pacers in the world.....

The 1:55:00 pacers at Reading Half marathon came in at 1:54:54.

Not bad eh? 

Reading Half Marathon pace group

Pleased to be offered (and accepted) the 1:55 pace group at Reading Half in  2013. Really enjoyed the Oxford experience and looking forward to crossing the line at the Mad Stad in 1:54:55.

London Mara training underway and .....well, we shall see!

One very proud Dad

It's not often I induge myself here but every once in a while one of my wonderful daughters does something to inspire me and make me very proud. 

2013 - Busy year ahead.....

Here we go, as much as a reminder to me as anyone else:

• February - Wokingham Half marathon
• March - Reading Half marathon
• April - London Marathon
• May -  Eaton OW 1500m swim
• June - Windsor Triathlon
• September - Henley Middle Distance tri
• October - Oxford Half Marathon

Still got gaps in July and August (apart from Reading Festival which while one could argue is a test of endurance is really not part of the real planning)........ 

That was fun!

Picture to follow, but the 1:55 pacer at the Oxford Half marathon came in 40 secs early in  1:54:19. I did tell the runners around me that I would go over the line in 1:54:30 to give everyone a chance to beat 1:55 so at least I did that.

It was great fun and a few runners were with me the whole way and achieved PB's.

A good event and I will plan to do it next year.