Stamfordham 10 K Race no. 76

Back into the race routine

Summer Evening in Northumberland

Stamfordham Jail with Race Headquarters in the background

 

 I love running on summer evenings and when there is an opportunity to race 10K, only seven miles from your front door, you just do it.

So it was that I and running pal, Brian Stonehouse, turned up at Stamfordham on Wednesday night for Run Britain's Stamfordham 10K.

It was actually a few weeks since I had last raced in anger having overdone it in the Wiggle Hell of Hexham, cycle Sportive, at the end of July. Whilst I had put some miles into training, increasing my average distance towards the upcoming Great North Run, I needed to see if I still had the competitive edge.

Brian and I are pretty well matched in finishing times over a 10K  ( also 10 miles, half marathon and marathon distances), but go about a race in different ways. He is sensible, setting off at a reasonable pace and looking for a negative split. I, on the otherhand, set off fast and hope to keep it going through the race. This is what I have done for nearly thirty years, but I may, just may, try to run an even pace in my next race, then I will find out what is best for me.

I know, I should have learned many years ago that a fast start is not putting time in the bank, it actually tires you. Still, on Wednesday away I went towards the front of the field . A glance at the watch gave me a 6.30 / 6.45 pace as the field settled into pace and the really fast boys and girls started to move away from me. 6.55 for the first mile and I felt fresh. 7.19 for mile 2 and 7.28 for the third mile meant that the 5K point was reached in just over 22 minutes. Considering that this was an undulating course I was fairly happy with the half way result.

The course had taken us onto quiet country roads through Dalton and past Dissington Hall, before turning onto an even quiter road for the return to Stamfordham. At this point I had counted only four runners who had passed me after that first mile. That was good enough for me and I was happy that I was keeping the pace below 8 minute miling even on the ascents. A final left turn , the fourth since the start on this circular course, took us onto the Belsay/ Stamfordham Road and the final mile. I knew that the finish was downhill, but looking ahead we were still going up hill. A glance at the watch told me that I had ran 5.80 miles and with a runner breathing down my neck it was suddenly the downhill section to the finish.

Have I mentioned that I am competitive? Having being caught by another runner was more than enough incentive for a sprint finish and so it was that I turned the mile 6 pace of 7.53, the slowest of my race , into a 6.01 sprint for the line. Did he catch me, what do you think?

Finishing in an ok 46.28 I turned to see another runner, Noel Urwin, finishing just five seconds behind.I have got to know Noel through these Run Northumberland events and we chatted about Strava and the performance statistics which you can analyse by downloading your watch onto the internet. Having done just that I note that Noel ran an even paced race, starting at the same pace in which he finished. The obvious conclusion for me is that if, if only, I could start at a slower pace, could I achieve a decent negative split in races;ie. do the second half of the race quicker than the first? Remind me to try it in my next race.

I finished in 35th position and 1st V65, Brian didn't have a good one on a warm night, finishing in 50.05 for 57th place. 139 ran.

Now to get through the 10 mile barrier in my half marathon training.

Wiggle Hell of Hexham

A Journey Too Far, Too High and Too Soon

Chris at the top of a long ascent

18 Miles in and enjoying it

Allenheads Feed Station

It all looked so good at Allenheads (above), 23 miles in to the 52 mile, 4,600 feet ascent of the Wiggle Hell of Hexham. Despite having to cycle into a strong headwind for the first 18 miles I was feeling up for it as Chris and I took on lots of  fluid and carbs at the first Feed Station.

The landscape of  Allendale, Nine Banks and the fast downhill to Allenheads was so familiar to me from several C2C cycle rides and also the Allendale Challenge, a really challenging marathon fell race. In the latter I had cramped up badly after Allenheads and knew that I had to be well hydrated to get round this course. So lots of isotonic drink was taken on board, as well as power gels and jelly babies. I felt fine and thought that I had actually held back on the climbs up to this point.

It is a very tough climb out of Allenheads, as the guy by the roadside had found in the first few hundred yards. Little did I know, as I passed, was that within just a few miles I would be in a worse state than him, much worse.

Having reached the summit it was downhill, fast downhill,  all the way to Rookhope and away I went, crouching over the handlebars and streamlining my body as I passed Chris and other riders without needing to turn the pedals. I was told afterwards that this was part of the problem, for, I should have kept my muscles moving. I only know that I thought I was having a rest as my speed got up to 40mph on this 4 mile descent.

Just before Rookhope the route turned onto Hunstantworth Moor, heading towards Blanchland. Within 200 hundred yards of the long steep ascent I was in trouble as my right quads cramped. As the muscle went into spasm I tumbled from the bike onto the road in agony. Is there any pain like muscle cramp? Maybe I am soft , actually I think that I am quite tough, but muscle spasm reduces me to a quivering wreck.

With 25 miles to go the question I faced was not could I finish, but could I get up and what next? Having established that the next feed station, at Blanchland, was 7 miles away I sent Chris on his way, saying I would get there. After pummelling the muscle to relieve the spasm I got to my feet and started limping up that never ending climb. Within a few hundred yards the left quads also went into spasm and I was down again. A support vehicle gave me more water and my my climb continued, on foot.

At the top of the climb I was able to get ack onto the bike and found that as long as the road was level, or downhill I could manage. What I could not do, was pedal up the slightest incline without cramping up again.

So it was that I made Blanchland to be met by Chris and fellow Tynedale Harrier, Steph Scott, who was manning the feed station. My thanks are due to Steph for her encouragement, and lots of energy gels. After sending Chris on his way, I was ready to try and finish the ride, starting with the climb out of Blanchland.

Unfortunately, my legs had well and truly gone, so it was another push up that hill and this was the pattern for the next few miles, on the bike for the flats and downhills, off for the slightest climb.

Into Slaley and with only seven miles to go I was finished. This was to be a first ever for me, I was giving up and asking for rescue. Dial Chris on my mobile, ring, ring, ring - leave a message, please. Knickers, I will walk.

Walk, pedal, walk,. Finally the long push up from the Dipton Mill pub. Onto the Racecourse Road and finally a flat, straight stretch which got me through the line. Amazingly, I felt fine when I got off that b. bike!

Any lessions to be learned from this painful experience? Yes, do proper training before taking on a new challenge. As to the cramps which I experience during a long period of exercise? Not sure, I used to think that it was simply dehydration, but I was hydrated. Is it lack of salt, or other minerals? I do not know, any suggestions?

6 K Run at the 5K Gibside Great Run Local

Race No. 75 Sunday 24 July 2016.

Gibside

Yes, somehow I managed to run a 6K race at the 5K Great Run Local Gibside for Race no. 75 in my Century of Races Challenge.

I could say that there was something spooky about the whole event that day.

Example 1, for the last couple of weeks I have tried to get the results, but each time I checked them it showed only a handful of runners, none of which were me.
Example 2, having ran my 6K rather than the usual 5K, I received a text saying that I had finished in 23.57, my watch said it was nearer 30 minutes.
Example 3, there were photographers present that day taking the usual batch of photographs, for Facebook, etc. Try to find one, for 24 July,  I cannot.

The reality was that I set off too quickly, as usual, running alongside young runners thirty to forty years younger than me. After perhaps 2K I had been dropped and came to a marshalled T Junction, " which way?" I asked. "Left here and follow the path", he replied.

Well, I followed that path all the way down to the River Derwent. Now, I have done both the Saturday Park Run, as well as a number of the Sunday GRL's here, but I have never been down at river level before. I knew then that I was in trouble and as I climbed away from that river I lost a little of my usual competitive edge.

Eventually, I looped back on to the course having spotted the tail end of the race.  I would love to say that I ran through the field to claim my usual position ( in the first 10), but cannot. Instead, I did manage to pass some twenty two runners and finished twenty first of forty three in 30.27. I have given some thought as to whether to record this as one of my scheduled races, in the light of what was to happen to me the following Sunday, in the Wiggle Hell of Hexham ( a cycling sportiff), I decided why not, any pride in my sporting ability has suddenly taken a tumble. Humble pie I can swallow.

Wallington 10K On A Very Warm Night

Race no. 74

Last year's prize

The Finish

 Isn't British weather always a talking point? We complain of a lack of summer, then late in July we are hit by the hottest day of the year and we all complain of the heat!

I always say that I enjoy running in the sunshine and when abroad, on holiday, I run most days. But and it is a big but, running on holiday is a pleasure, running a race in high temperatures is anything but pleasure. So it was that my preparation for the Wallington 10K was not the best. Firstly,I had just come back from a waist bursting cruise, looked at the diary and realised that I was facing the Wiggle Hell of Hexham Cycle ride in less than two weeks. Secondly, I had done damn all training. Thirdly it was the hottest day of the year - Tuesday 19 July 2016. My answer, a marathon on the bike. Not only that, but I decided that my cycling would be more efficient if I raised the seat and then to compound it all, I dug out some toe clips and added them to my pedals.

Returning from my cycle tour of Northumberland I felt ok, took on board lots of water and thought nothing of it. A good night's sleep would be enough for the next day's 10K. Sleep? It was impossible in the heat. Then Maisie, my elderly basset hound, panted all night, really suffering.

The next morning feeling hungover, I wondered what the pain in my ankles was and in this fragile state relaxed through the day before heading north to Wallington and the race.

Now, last year I had set off at a stupid pace in the downhill dash from the start, recording a stupid 4.20 / 4.30 mile pace in the first half mile. This cost me 10 weeks out with an achilles injury and I resolved to be more sensible this year.

So it was that I set off at a good pace and held back through that steep descent, taking 6.57 for mile one. Mile two continues downhill and I settled in at 7.18 pace. At this point in the race you have descended approx. 350 feet, The next four miles are undulating, but all 350 feet has to be ascended as the last mile takes you back to the start.  In last year's race after the fast start and subsequent achilles pain, I felt as if half the field had passed me before the finish. Looking at the results,I see that it was actually in the order of forty runners. This year with that steadier start, only four runners overtook me and so it was that I finished in 48.36 for 34th place. Now the interesting bit, this was actually nearly three minutes slower than last year's time of 45.57 and can only mean that everyone was affected by the very warm night. Infact, as I drove away from the event there were many runners still finishing.

As 1st V65 and 2nd V60 finisher I hope that I will receive some reward from my efforts, but am not holding my breath. In recent races I have generally been either first, or second in category (3rd in the Newburn Riverside). Second V60 in a large field at the Sunderland 10K brought nothing, 2nd in a 5,000 field in the Blaydon Race (68 in category) produced the same nil result. I actually won the category in the Great North 10K , but ran under a young runner's number, so no complaints. Am I complaining? Well, maybe a little.

My painful ankles? Yes, it was obviously those toe clips on the bike and maybe also, the seat height. Within an hour of finishing the race I was hobbling, however over the next couple of days the pain receded and I am up for race no. 75, probably a Parkrun as  should take it easy, shouldn't I?

Maisie

Tynedale 10K 2016 - My Home Race

Race no. 73
https://youtu.be/6oWwpF-SDeg

Though Wylam

My club race, through my home village and running with my son, Chris, what more could a guy want from a race?

This race, number 73 in my current challenge, actually took place on 6 July, but a nice holiday intervened a couple of days later and with number 74, Wallington 10K coming up tomorrow , 20 July, I thought that I better get this blog out.

I actually wanted to wait for some photos of this race to appear, but haven't found any, so last years showing me going through Wylam will have to do. Also, I actually did the same time as 2015 to the second, so that will do for me.

There was some doubt as to whether I should be running this race, for, I had given my hamstring a good old tweak the previous weekend in the Great North 10K. A visit to my chiropractor confirmed that there was no damage and with the advice to take it easy I was up for it.

I assured Chris that I wouldn't blast off down that steep hill from the start in Ovington and that was my intent. Well, I was actually holding back, but still the pace for that first mile was 6.25. As Chris passed me in mile 2, I had to admit that the hamstring was a bit sore at the bottom of the hill, but no pain and all that. The second mile was 7.16 pace, before averaging 7.30 through 3, 4 and 5. A push in the last mile and a bit took me through the line in 45.15 which is Ok.

In that last quarter mile my pal and Tynedale Chairman,  Ian Brown , was pacing me from the side lines. He then revealed that he had been forced to drop out with a calf problem. Ian, what a sensible chap you are.

Any hopes  I had that I might have taken my age category were dashed as I crossed Ovingham Bridge, for there was Mark McNally, a proper runner and a fellow V65. Mark had finished in 41.22. So it was that he was first and I was second V65. He finished in 88th position., I was 160th. Chris was 112th in 43.29. 379 ran which looks well down on previous years when this race was generally fully subscribed. Come on you runners next year, it is excellent and there is a pie and pea supper.

Now for tomorrow's Wallington and a reminder not to dash away down that particular hill at the start. Last year I damaged my achilles with my 4.30 (!!) starting pace. Ouch, it is painful even thinking about it and the 11 week injury absence. Will I learn to be sensible?

Great North 10K 2016

Race no. 72     ....and the winner was, unofficially....Me!

Away they go, with me on their heels.

Sprint finish with a Gurka chasing me!

On the way back

 Sorry about the blurred photos, it's what happens when you don't pay for a £19.99 download.


My lad, Chris, had asked if I would like him to get me a race number, from a pal who couldn't do the Great North 10K. "Yes", I replied, " I love the atmosphere of these big events".

So it was that we used the Metro to travel from his Gosforth home, down to Gateshead International Stadium, for the start. £2.80 for a Day Saver ticket, that's value.

My race number was actually for the second wave runners,  8 minutes after the 10am start. Not for me, thought I, to make it the third minor misdemeanor of the day - no passing on of numbers, no starting in the wrong wave, no unpaid downloads. Hiding my 'wrong' number under a tee shirt I joined the first wave runners on my own, having lost Chris in the crowd. As I got into race mode I realised that I was actually with the so called 'elite'  runners, rather than Chris's Orange wave. No problem, have you seen me start a race?

Away we went at a comfortably fast pace. A slight downhill was followed by an uphill stretch, before plunging down to the quayside. Sudden pain in my upper leg told me that something had pulled, but, after  twenty years of hamstring problems, I made the quick decision that I could run it off.

The first mile passed in 6.40, then it was an average of 7.00/7.30 pace before the climb back up from the riverside to the Stadium. For the first time I was over 8 minute miling, 8.06 actually, on a very steep hill. Then we turned onto the track and headed for the line as I summoned up something like a finishing sprint.

46.55 said my watch as I took on board a sports drink. Ow! That is painful, as I tried to walk away from the finish.  Oh dear, I am in trouble. After six months of freedom from injury, I may be in trouble and with my favourite race, the Tynedale 10K , coming up on Wednesday.

Looking at the results, I see that I was 514th out of 5,000 runners. Chris was 308th in 44.32. I also notice that I was actually 1st V65 - the official winner was Sid Astbury, South Shields Harriers, who finished in 47.40. No point in looking to see if there was a prize, never mind, a moral victory, but at what cost?

It is ice, rest, massage and hopefully, recovery for me.

Gibside Parkrun Race No. 71

The Graham boys are in green

Dad holds back at the start (green Macmillan Nurse vest)

Having just ran a tough fell race at Haydon Bridge a couple of days before, I was not really keen to join Chris at Gibside early on Saturday morning - "if I wake early, I will see you there" , was my immediate response.

Of course, I was up early, but not so bright the next morning to join Chris for his first visit to Gibside. At the start I told him just to go, as I intended to jog around. I even let the guy with the toddler in a buggy) pictured above) start ahead of me.

What felt like an easy pace for the first mile was actually 7.09, but I eased off for the climb up through the woods to record 9.21 for mile 2. As the climb became less steep, I started to edge the pace up, before turning for home and a fast downhill finish.

When I first came to Gibside, a year or two ago, for the Great Run Local, a weekly Sunday 5K , I was told that you can add two minutes to your usual Parkrun time at Gibside to take account of the 300+ feet climb. Well, this was confirmed again, last Saturday, as I finished in 24.20 for 19th position. Chris finished in 15th for 23.31.

A comfortable run in lovely surroundings on a Saturday morning (or Sunday for the Great Run Local) these are free runs, check them out online. What better way to start the weekend?