A varied week this week with not so much running (just can’t fit it in; one long one to come next weekend, honest!) and a bit of officiating and supporting.
Monday – Karen from running club is a big Strava art fan and to celebrate our London marathon folk and wish them on their way, she devised an Easter Bunny route for people to do. As most of the people were a bit speedier than me, I arranged to meet three friends a bit early, and we popped round the route starting 15 minutes before the others. They never did catch us (waiting for each other to regroup and taking photos) so we were able to photograph them and cheer them coming up the final hill. I was a clever bunny (haha) and asked Trudie to take a pic of me powering up the hill; as I didn’t know when she was taking it, I had to run the whole way!
You will remember Claire, who I’ve done a lot of long runs and recovery runs with this year – she was there and here she is, followed by Karen and Anna, powering up the hill!
And we did it, even without Karen to guide us, and even managed something of an eye, which was quite tricky!
0.6 miles, 11:12 mins per mile / 5.1 miles, 13:50 mins per mile / 0.6 miles 11:25 mins per mile
Wednesday – Went for an early run with Jenny. I called this varied efforts, as I attempted to run with interval sprints up to meet her, some of it up a hill, which was quite sapping, then we had a lovely run/walk round for a couple of miles and then I ran home, trying to maintain a higher speed and cadence for a sort of tempo session. I enjoyed the bit in the middle best!
I was pleased to get my cadence up over 170 (I know the ideal is over 180, I just don’t think my legs go that fast) and it did feel good to push myself a bit.
and I was chuffed with my first mile (11:09, downhill on average) and last mile (11:19, uphill on average) and last 0.3 (10:34 average pace).
Jenny and I then reconvened at Easy Dave yoga – I was really struggling and nearly gave up, then at the end, Jenny said she had really stiff legs, too, so it was the running, not entirely me. Phew!
5.3 miles, 12:30 mins per mile
Thursday – I was a bit anxious about my first outdoor track and field event of the season – it was the first Midlands Veterans’ League (South division) match of the season and, as I did for the final last year, I was subbing in as Sparkhill Harriers’ contributed official, freeing up one of their athletes to compete and getting me experience and practice. Would I have forgotten all I learned last year? We were running the high jump, so had two sessions with two competitions in each: women’s 35 and 50 and men’s 40 and 50. You can go down an age group but not up, so we had over 40s competing in the 35s etc but it all shook itself out in the end. I do like doing high jump and with only three of us, I got to do calling up, marking the score sheet and (under supervision) working out who’d won (this can get complicated in high jump!). Good fun and very good-humoured and matey. I even got a cuppa and a biscuit in our break!
The rain pretty well held off and I’ve never been to Stourport-on-Severn before: a really nice facility there. Well done to Sparkhill and also my friend Chris from club who was competing for Midlands Masters (made up of folk like us who belong to a first club that doesn’t do track and field) in the triple jump etc (rather him than me!).
Friday – One of our ladies was feeling a bit low about her (lack of) running and asked if anyone could accompany her to see if she could do 5k continuously. And she did! Hooray! With running up to the park and back again I was pleased to get to 5.1 miles and I bust a gut to race to get the 5 done in 60 mins, which I did. Pleased to be up to 16.7 for the week so far with parkrun to go.
5.1 miles, 12 mins per mile
Saturday – On Friday I set off down to my best friend, Emma’s, house to spend some time with her and also support friends at the London Marathon (more clubmates than I realised were doing it, plus folk from other clubs). Emma runs for her fitness but had never run with other people, but I persuaded her to give parkrun a try. We visited Ally Pally (Alexandra Palace in North London) and had a very enjoyable time – a warm welcome from the run director and volunteers. As predicted, Em saw someone she recognised, I ran into someone from club (hello, Andy!) and I met someone who knows my friend Dave Johnson (everyone knows Dave, especially if there’s a Yorkshire connection). Emma didn’t not enjoy it, which was great – she zoomed off ahead and did really well, especially as there were varied surfaces to run on (good practice for me!).
I was of course interested in the arrangements: they’d turned their old tabards into bunting for the funnel (see background above), had little yellow flags to act as pointers, and asked runners to sort their barcodes into a box!
It was a challenging course and I was pleased that I walked up and down the hard hills less on the second lap, and got a sprint in at the end (Andy came round to run me in, which was lovely!):
3.1 miles, 12:14 mins per mile
Sunday – Time to support the London Marathon. We got down to Westferry by 10 and got in position at Mile 14.5. After seeing some of the wheelchairs, the para athletes and the elite women, the helicopters circled again, the official vehicles sped by (I got a glimpse of Graham, who trained me in Endurance and who I was working with on Thursday) and there were the elite men including Mo Farah (so I cried). I managed to spot my friend Shaun doing his second marathon in a few weeks (getting a 2:50 after his 2:43 in Paris!) and a few of our lads, plus Bournville folk, lots of other Midlands club runners, the only Swifts runner in official kit in the race, Ceri who is an ex-Kings Heathen now running in Norwich, Sarah who I did the 18 miler with and then Claire (who you will remember from other pics in here and above) and her sister Rachel:
Claire refuelled from the bag she’d given me in the week in Birmingham, we had some pics, then off they went …
Emma and I nipped down to Canary Wharf to use the loos and then I came back and waited at Mile 20.5 – I saw Sarah again and then Claire and Rachel, still going strong, more refuelling and off they went again. I waited a while, shouting everyone’s name I could see and wishing them well – though I missed a clubmate pacing the 6 hour time.
Not unhappy with my mileage this week, given that I had to fit it in during the week. One more long one this coming weekend before prepping for the marathon, I think …
Miles this week: 19.8 Miles this year: 378.2.
The Weekly Run Down is run by two wonderful running women and joined by lots of other inspirational women. Kim’s weekly wrap is here and Deborah’s is here.
Kimberly Hatting
Apr 28, 2019 @ 23:00:46
Great week of training for you! All the London Marathon excitement must have been awesome…and Mo was there! I love your story of the pic on the hill and how you had to just keep running the entire hill 😉 Thanks, as always, for linking with us 😉
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Liz Dexter
Apr 30, 2019 @ 06:39:56
Yes, it was very exciting to see Mo and a tear came into my eye (that happened quite a lot). It was a great day.
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kookyrunner
Apr 28, 2019 @ 23:20:05
Hahaha I love that bunny Strava art. I have a strava account but I don’t use it often, but I always love when people get super creative to map out the routes to make cool shapes.
Love that you were cheering on the London runners today! I would love to run that marathon one day – I’m going to keep entering the lottery until they take me, lol.
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Liz Dexter
Apr 30, 2019 @ 06:42:18
I like seeing everyone’s runs and keeping track of my runs and shoe wear so Strava’s the one for me. Loved the bunny route though it took a lot of concentration! I just entered the London lottery … again. We’ll see. Club has changed the rules so you have to have entered the official one and have a fail letter to enter the ballot for the club places, which I think is fair.
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Coco
Apr 28, 2019 @ 23:36:43
Fun running route! I don’t have the patience to figure those out, but they are fun. How cool to cheer on the London Marathon. I always enjoy supporting MCM.
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Liz Dexter
Apr 30, 2019 @ 06:43:08
I haven’t planned one of my own out yet although they are so fun to do. And yes, a tiring day but a great one and the runners we had in the race from club and beyond have shared their appreciation of those of us around the course.
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Wendy
Apr 29, 2019 @ 00:28:01
I’m always so impressed with people who do those picture-type running routes. I’m not that clever! Nice week for you.
I would have loved to spectate London! You know Marcia got her 6 stars today, didn’t you?
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Liz Dexter
Apr 30, 2019 @ 06:43:57
Yes, I saw a few people with all the majors written on their tshirts and one Japanese guy with his Tokyo shirt on and a Japanese flag who surely must have been doing that. I can’t wait to see her medals on her blog and hear how she did!
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Deborah Brooks
Apr 29, 2019 @ 00:42:25
Those strava art runs are so impressive and fun! I know my runs post to strava but I don’t go on it too much. Always fun to spectate at big races! Nice week of running for you thanks for linking up as always we enjoy having you!
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Liz Dexter
Apr 30, 2019 @ 06:44:48
I like being able to see other people’s runs and give them kudos and also to get good stats on what I’m doing to check I’m not over- or under-doing it. I loved spectating at London, such an atmosphere.
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Shathiso @thegaboronerunner.com
Apr 29, 2019 @ 19:44:25
How wonderful it must have been to spectate the London Marathon. The atmosphere even from our television screens was just awesome! I’m still so amazed that Mo Farah went from being a short-distance runner to doing so well in Marathons! Truly an elite champion.
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Liz Dexter
Apr 30, 2019 @ 06:45:37
It was amazing, as always, I love it. Everyone cheering together, tears when a runner sees their people and darts over, seeing people you know well and others who are a surprise, it’s just great. And crying when you see Mo has to be done, too. He’s just superb.
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Lisa @ TechChick Adventures
Apr 30, 2019 @ 00:27:23
The high jump is for people in their 30’s, 40’s, 50’s? I feel like that would lead to a lot of hurt backs for the 50 year olds. LOL (or for me a hurt hamstring!) My son’s track meet got canceled due to rain today. I’m not sad at all because I feel standing around with my tired post-marathon legs would not have been fun!
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Liz Dexter
Apr 30, 2019 @ 06:46:27
Worse: vets league is for anyone who wants to take part, there were definitely over 60s in the high jump. The long jump is the one that amazes me: I’ve officiated at competitions with 70 and 75 age groups
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Renée
May 02, 2019 @ 09:54:45
I love the bunny route 🙂 I’m not so clever with that stuff though occasionally I get something that looks rude hahahaha! I did a half marathon once in Cologne, that route was really really rude hahaha!
loving seeing you and the ladies get up the hill. and very sweet of you to support your friend who was feeling down. So did you do park run then in London? That’s kind of what I understand from what you wrote.
So nice to support on the London course as well. Must have been electric!! I love supporting, especially in the big races!
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Liz Dexter
May 02, 2019 @ 13:32:59
Yes, my only strava art was an accidental rude one! I didn’t know Cologne half drew a rude picture, how funny!
And yes, I was at a London parkrun: Alexandra Palace, on the Saturday. Lots of people there who were down for the marathon.
I did enjoy supporting London although it was hard work. And it made me itch to be running mine!
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Marcia
May 03, 2019 @ 13:55:13
The Easter Bunny is so cute! So creative! Thanks for being there cheering all day. The entire weekend was so amazing. I’d only worn the bib WMM gave those of us running toward the 6th star on my back so fellow runners cheered me on like crazy but spectators had no idea. Haha! It was still one of the best experiences of my life.
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Liz Dexter
May 04, 2019 @ 15:43:32
You see, I think I saw a few of those. Anyway, I was there and you did it and it’s amazing!
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