Archives // 12 stage

Better Safe than Sorry – Week Beginning 09 April

Sunday 15th April 2018

I love the National 12 Stage. In fact, I would go as far as to say that it is one of my favourite events of the running year. I enjoy the drama of the race and the story lines that evolve over the course of four hours of racing. I enjoy taking over from a team mate and charging down the incline from the start line that takes runners to the start of the famed Sutton Park hill. I enjoy trying desperately to hang on to anyone who passes me and I love the feeling of chasing other athletes down and passing them. In a strange way, I enjoy the agony of turning the corner before the finish and sprinting uphill past the crowds of spectators, trying to get every last second out of my race-worn legs.

I had been looking forward to this year’s edition for weeks. It took place this weekend on a sun-drenched day in Sutton Park and was every bit as exciting as it has been in previous years. But I wasn’t taking part.

Unfortunately I started feeling tightness in my left calf on Wednesday morning after a heavy track session the night before. It was no better on Thursday when I tried to run a couple of fast miles in Cannon Hill Park; I couldn’t get the full range of motion out of it and it felt like it was going to get damaged if I ran any faster. Just like it did before I tore it in October. At the National Road Relays.

After spending several hours wrestling with the part of my brain that was telling me it was just ghost pain that would disappear with a good old fashioned bit of hard road running, I decided to call Dave, my coach and team manager, to tell him I wouldn’t be able to run. Better safe than sorry.

With an unexpected Saturday afternoon ahead of me and ’12 Stage’ now removed from my calendar, what was I going to do with this free time? Put a camera in my bag and go and watch, of course…

My Week

Monday: 14km easy (14)

Tuesday: AM 10km easy / PM hurdle drills, track session 1000,10*200,1000 off 200 jog – 2:52,31,31,30,30,30,30,31,30,30,30,2:53 (25)

Wednesday: AM 9km easy / PM 11km easy (20)

Thursday: 10km with 2 miles tempo (10)

Friday: rest (0)

Saturday: rest (0)

Sunday: AM 8km easy / PM 8km easy (16)

16 Seconds – Week Beginning 12 March

Sunday 18th March 2018

I took over in the lead, a 59 second cushion separating me from the chasers. No one in sight in front or behind. I ran a controlled effort up the first hill, not wanting to put myself in the red so early in a leg that would last nearly half an hour. The only indication I had that I was actually in a race were the shouts from the odd spectator I knew. It was bitterly cold, by far the coldest I have ever been in a race. Had the snow started falling any earlier I am certain this year’s Midland 12 Stage Road Relay would have been called off.

By the time I reached the flat section after the first hill the snow was coming down heavily; by the time I reached the out and back section I was in the midst of a full blizzard. The motorbike that normally leads the men’s race was nowhere to be seen; this was a surreal experience. This is a desperately quiet part of the course. Being the furthest section from the finish, it is rarely visited by spectators. I started passing runners from the women’s race. The presence of other humans awoke me from the lull of concentration I had found myself lapsing into. I pushed on, struggling to gauge my effort in the presence of athletes running much more slowly. Shortly after the turn I saw one of my competitors for the first time in the race. And another. And another. It occured to me at this point that it was impossible to end the day with a positive number next to my name. There was no one to pass but plenty of people trying to pass me. The gap to second had shrunk significantly and I made it my goal not to relinquish the lead that my team mate had worked so hard to set me up with. I listened for shouts of encouragement behind me that might indicate that I was about to get caught. By the time I started hearing them I was in the last mile. Having raced on it for years I know the Sutton Park course like the back of my hand and knew that if I could get up the short hill before the finish with a few seconds in hand I could probably hang on. Lungs and calves burning, I gave one last big effort over the hill and launched my finishing kick as I rounded the last corner. The gap was not getting any smaller by this point and cheered on by my teammates, I hung on. By two seconds.

This was only part of the day’s excitement though. Behind us, Bristol were slowly making their way through the field and setting up one the best races I have seen in Sutton Park. They took the lead on leg 7 and extended their lead to around a minute. We had three strong runners on the last three legs though, and started clawing back at the deficit. At the start of leg 12, they were half a minute ahead. By this point, I was out on the course, running between different points to offer my support. 20 seconds by the top of the hill. The gap was closing. Sadly, however, it didn’t close enough and we ended the day with silver medals for our efforts. After over four hours of racing, the first two teams were separated by a mere 16 seconds. One hundred metres after 47 miles of running.

I was cold, tired, hungry and was losing feeling in my fingers, but I was happy.

My Week

Monday: AM 10km easy / PM 13km easy (23)

Tuesday: AM 10km easy / PM road session 10*500 off 90s, did not complete session (22)

Wednesday: 12km easy (12)

Thursday: 8km easy (8)

Friday: rest (0)

Saturday: Midland 12 Stage, Leg 2 – 28:10, team were 2nd (18)

Sunday: AM 17km easy / PM 8km easy (25)

Training – Week Beginning 3 April

Sunday 9th April 2017

I didn’t run as fast as I’d hoped at the 12 stage but managed to move us up a position. It took a long time to recover from last Sunday’s long run.

​Monday: 10km easy (10)

Tuesday: AM 8km easy / PM 12km easy, strides on grass (20)

Wednesday: 16km easy (16)

Thursday: AM 10km easy / PM 10km easy (20)

Friday: rest (0)

Saturday: AM 8km easy / PM Nations 12 stage, 28:42 on leg 7 (25)

Sunday: 21km easy (21)

Taken from my training log.

Training – Week Beginning 11 April

Sunday 17th April 2016

A light week apart from the 12 stage.

Monday: 15km easy (15)

Tuesday: AM 11km easy / PM 12km easy (23)

Wednesday: rest (0)

Thursday: 10km easy (10)

Friday: 8km easy (8)

Saturday: National 12 Stage, 33rd on leg 1 (17)

Sunday: AM 8km easy / PM 11km easy (19)

Week total: 92km

Taken from my training log.

Training – Week Beginning 28 March

Sunday 3rd April 2016

I had a decent run at the 12 stage. My fitness is coming back.

Monday: 8km easy (8)

Tuesday: AM 30 min fartlek: 15x(60/60), 20 min warm up, cool down / PM 13km moderate (29)

Wednesday: rest (0)

Thursday: AM 10km easy / PM 10km easy (20)

Friday: 9km easy (9)

Saturday: Midland 12 Stage, 8th on leg 1 (16)

Sunday: 31km easy (31)

Week total: 113km

Taken from my training log.