Archives // 12 stage

Training – Week Beginning 6 April

Sunday 12th April 2015

The team did well at the 12 stage. I had a reasonably good leg but felt like I had too much left in the tank at the end. Felt much fresher this week. Looking forward to the next few weeks of training.

Monday: AM 14km easy / PM 10km easy (24)

Tuesday: AM 11km easy / PM Metchley session: 8 laps alternating (28)

Wednesday: 15km easy (15)

Thursday: AM 14km easy / PM 10km easy (24)

Friday: rest (0)

Saturday: AM 8km easy / PM National 12 Stage Road Relays, 29:37 on leg 3, lost 5 places (27)

Sunday: 25km easy (25)

Week total: 143km

Taken from my training log.

Training – Week Beginning 23 March

Sunday 29th March 2015

Five days off for some much needed recovery at the end of a few hard weeks of racing. I did turn up for the club at the 12 stage though. A couple of easy weeks now before I start proper training again.

Monday-Friday: rest

Saturday: AM 8km easy / PM Midlands 12 Stage, 16th on leg 1 (27)

Sunday: 21km moderate (21)

Taken from my training log.

Training – Week Beginning 31 March

Sunday 6th April 2014

Felt tired and sluggish most of the week but still managed to run faster than 3 weeks ago at the 12 stage. I must be getting fitter.

Monday: AM 8km easy / PM 15km easy (23)

Tuesday: AM 9km easy / PM Metchley session: 1×2, 2xhalf, 2×1, 2xhalf, 1×2 (26)

Wednesday: rest (0)

Thursday: AM 11km easy / PM 13km easy (24)

Friday: 10km easy (10)

Saturday: National 12 Stage, leg 11. 26:52 for 5.1 miles. Gained 3 places. (18)

Sunday: 33km easy (33)

Week total: 134km

Training – Week Beginning 10 March

Sunday 16th March 2014

Recovered well from the 20 mile race last week. Great weather for the 12 stage;  a good day out.

Monday: 16km easy (16)

Tuesday: AM 10km easy / PM 5 x 1 mile off 30s on the ring road: 5:25/18/12/08/00 (27)

Wednesday: 16km easy (16)

Thursday: AM 10km easy / PM 16km moderate with 8x60m hill sprints (26)

Friday: AM 11km easy / PM 11km easy (22)

Saturday: rest (0)

Sunday: Midlands 12 Stage leg 1, 14th in 26:55, team 14th. Easy run on the course afterwards (24)

Week total: 131km

Going to the Well

Saturday 15th March 2014

The well, as some runners call it, is the metaphorical mass of water from which your extra energy reserves are drawn during a race or session. It is completely fictitious of course, but refers to a very real phenomenon: the ability (or sometimes lack thereof) to push yourself to the limit.

I certainly pushed myself to the limit two weeks ago in trying to win a half marathon race in my home town. I just about managed it, by a whopping seven seconds, but used a huge amount of mental reserve in doing so. I went to the well, in other words. Last week, as nothing more than a fun day out, I took Mark’s place in the Ashby 20 mile road race whilst he was back home in South Africa. Shame to let the race number go to waste, after all. I had a reasonable run, ignoring the fast starters and working my way through the field from 15th after a mile to 5th after 20 in a completely solo effort. Despite being in fairly good shape I just didn’t feel like I could push myself hard during the race. The well, depleted the previous week, had not been replenished and offered me nothing when I tried to go to it in the last few miles. The incentive of a bit more prize money and of just finishing the damn thing sooner wasn’t enough to spur me on to run faster when it started to hurt. When the well is empty you accept pain rather than defy it. You let it beat you rather than beating it. You just don’t run as well.

This makes sense, though. Looking at it objectively I am glad that the human body has evolved to have such safety mechanisms. You can’t push your body to the limit every day, every session and every race. Yes, you would get very fit but you would also put yourself at risk of injury. The well is shallow for a reason. Tomorrow afternoon I am racing at the Midland 12 Stage Road Relays. I’ve been pouring water in the well all week. Hopefully I can draw some out this time.