So 3 of the DAC training group (TSTS) decided to run a fast parkrun, on tarmac and good paths to get a 5km time on power of 10.  I believe Rother Valley is measured as an accurate 5km but I guess it will still go down as a parkrun.  This was the first one lap parkrun I have ever done and it was a good course, will probably have another go in the summer.

I got my 50 t-shirt this week so I had to wear that.  Good conditions on the morning, cool and dry with a slight breeze.  We all had good runs getting new parkrun PB’s with Lee going under 17 for the first time and Peter going under (well under) 18 for the first time.

My garmin estimated V02 Max score increased after this parkrun.

We all work hard in training and its great to see the group getting results.  This is my 6th PB of 2017.  My next PB attempts will be the very tough Grindleford Gallop, East Hull 20 followed by the London Marathon.  I also have the National Cross County Championships and Snake Lane 10 to come.  I am also competing in the Yorkshire Vet and Northern Masters Cross Country Championships soon.

As usual Doncaster Athletic Club athletes (about 40) ran all over at 7 different parkruns, well done all, your all amazing.

This weeks training (after Stamford 30k Sunday):

• Monday – 4 mile recovery run 8 minute miles (any faster would have been junk miles)
• Tuesday – Yasoo 800 reps – I already know what I can run London in all being well, I know my body, mind and limits.  This session was run on moderately tired legs and I ran 2:43, 2:42, 2:42, 2:40, 2:41, 2:40 (all to feel)
• Wednesday – no plan so just ran for enjoyment.  Ended up doing 12 miles at 6:58 pace.  Approx 3 miles off road.
• Thursday – easy club run 7.3 miles supporting the back of the group 7:30 pace
• Friday – rest day
• Saturday – Rother Valley parkrun PB
• Sunday – 18 miles, 3 miles easy, 12 miles not so easy and 3 miles easy – averaged 6:57 minute miles

Nice bit of Drum and Bass to run with.

Like I said on my previous blog post, I race often and I am getting the results I want.  I am currently averaging 37 miles a week, trying to do more but its a fine line between work / family / running and exhaustion.  My average over the last 12 months is 31.5 miles).

Earlier in the week I did the 3000m (1.86 miles) on the indoor running track at Sheffield (EIS).  5 days later I was hitting the streets of Stamford for the 30000m (30km / 18.6 miles).  Two totally different races and the pace was 5:21 v 6:10 minute miles).  Both tough but the 3000m was probably the toughest of the two.

My times at this race over the years (I thought I had run it 4 times but can only find 3 times) and half marathon times around the race given at the end to kind of see some coloration:

In 2000 I finished the race in 2:07:17 / 1:24:39

In 2016 I finished the race in 2:04:44 / 1:21:14

In 2017 I finished the race in 1:55:05 / 1:16:30

I ran the entire race at my around Target Marathon pace of 6:11 minute miles (I averaged 6:10 minute miles).  This is a tough hilly race, the last 5 miles are particularly tough. The last 800m were like running around Doncaster Parkrun on a muddy grass field (so good job I have had lots of practice lol).

I set off a couple of rows back and spotted Richard Hayes and Simon Newton.  I ran and chatted with Simon for a few miles and then I pulled away and ran with a chap called Marc Thorpe, we took it in turns trying to break the other and he did a very strong last 3 miles which I could not match (but he kept me going for a while near the end).  I was being chased by Simon who ran a very strong last 4 miles and he caught me with about a mile to go, we hit the grass field together and I had a bit more grip on my shoes.  Another chap, Matt Lauch started attacking hard on the field and I ended up running a sprint finish to maintain my position of 9th.

Taken as an average pace over the entire race, I run each of the 3, 10km’s in 38:20, or each of the 6, 5km’s in 19:10.

I felt quite good at the end and this gave me a lot of confidence building up to London.  I was second MV40 to finish.

My runbritain rankings continue to climb slowly, I like this system because it allows me to compare myself over time and with others.

Mile Splits etc:

I am off for a easy recovery run now, it will be slower than 8 minute miles!

The Club Report

The 90 minute drive down to Stamford was cold and wet with the occasional flurry of snow.  We collected our race t-shirts which were given out before the race and almost drove home.  Then we remembered we had our Doncaster Athletic Club vests on and got on with a bit of a warm up and a fantastic race.

Martin James ran a 9:48 PB on the tough course, using the race to try out running at Target Marathon Pace.  Last year Martin finished in 43rd place and this year 9th place.  Darren Wood has been coming back from injury and off very little training he was delighted to complete this race, Darren is training for the Edinburgh Marathon and this will give a good boost to his confidence.  Rose James ran a PB of 7:43, she set a target of 2:35 so paced it to perfection building up to Edinburgh Marathon.  Janet Kerry had a great race, working with Rose to about 15 miles, in 2016 Janet did not finish so we are delighted to see her running so well and things
are looking good for London.  Michelle Ward has really picked up her training over the last few months targeting Dusseldorf Marathon and we all know she will smash it.  Sharon Maughan was guided by Marie-Louise Taylor, Sharon recently broke her toe but does not let things like that slow her down, great teamwork followed by a great meal after the race.

POS		NAME			CAT		CLUB	CHIP TIME	FINISH TIME	↓ SHARE!
FINISHED (589 IN TOTAL)
9		Martin JAMES	M	9	V40	2	Doncaster AC	01:55:05	01:55:08		–
85		DARREN WOOD	M	73	V45	10	Doncaster AC	02:11:11	02:11:20		+00:16:12
264		Rose JAMES	F	60	V35	11	Doncaster AC	02:34:57	02:35:06		+00:39:58
298		Janet KERRY	F	72	V40	12	Doncaster AC	02:38:47	02:38:57		+00:43:49
349		Michelle WARD	F	97	V35	18	Doncaster AC	02:43:39	02:44:26		+00:49:18
412		Sharon MAUGHAN and Marie-Louise Taylor	F	136	V45	26	Doncaster AC	02:52:48	02:53:37		+00:58:29

For athletes at my level (typical club runners), I am a strong believer in to get race fit, you need to race often and this was my 5th race in 5 weeks.  You need to recover well so do your recovery runs 90 seconds to 2 minutes slower than your race pace (and no longer than 6 miles).  Do two hard training sessions a week, one of intervals and one of a tempo run.  That’s how we structure our club runs at Doncaster AC.  Eat well and drink wine.

On 7 February I decided to compete at the English Institute of Sport (EIS), Sheffield.  I have never run on an indoor track before, they are 200m long and have banked curves and short straights.  This was a full track and field meeting so lots going on.  The 3000m was scheduled to start at 19:15, unfortunately it was delayed until 20:15.

I travelled with Chris Moran (who was kind enough to drive) and we met up with Richard Hayes (Penistone Footpath Runners & AC) who told us about the venue and race, we warmed up together and the 3 of us were expecting to run similar times in the race.

I have had a few niggles this year which Eddie Fletcher has been helping me with.  I had a sore right hamstring in the days building up to this race, but this race seems to have sorted it out.

We had no idea how many people were doing the 3000m until we lined up, about 13 men were at the start and they all looked quick.

Because we were running indoors garmins would be useless so I just used a stop watch, I wanted 10 minutes which is 15, 40 second laps.  I went through lap 1 in 37 seconds and that was only time I looked at my watch.  The race was relentless, I had never run so fast for so long, after 2 minutes it was a case of hanging on and trying to maintain the pace, the track is “enjoyable” to run on but the air conditioning makes the air very dry and this causes the mouth and throat to feel dry.

I ran a PB for 1500m twice and a PB for the mile.  I also ran a 30 second PB for 3000m finishing with a time of 9:59! I could not keep up with Chris or Richard who finished 5 or 6 seconds faster than me.  I got lapped on about 7 and a half laps and I finished in 10th place.  The winning time was 8:51.  My pace for the 3000m averaged out at 5:21 minute miles.

So that’s 6 PB’s in sequential races, Barnsley 10k, Edwinstow 10k (off road, second running on this course), Yorkshire Cross Country Championships (done the same course 4 times), Brass Monkey Half Marathon, Ferriby 10 Mile and 3000m on the track.  I am delighted with the way my racing is going and hope to carry it through to the London Marathon.