Change of running plan- an old favourite

Today I had planned to run with two pals in Wrexham as part of their training for their first half marathon @ Lake Vyrnwy.
However unfortunately that was not to be , as my planned alteration in work schedule for the afternoon was misunderstood by other colleagues. So I worked in stead of ran, still i met some interesting people, i hope i helped them a little.

So home at 17:30 - maybe a run from home , for around the same distance? Yes - i went for an old favourite of mine - Mold, Gwernaffield (uphill !!) to Cadole (down and then up) to Gwernymynydd (uphill) and then back to Mold .
Below are some extracts from the Garmin - via the great runnning site www.fetcheveryone.com
You can see the uphill pace of 10min 06
and the downhill pace mile 5 of 8min43.

A little knee discomfort, at the start but that eased with warming up.

And one of the joys of running - meeting new people. I chatted with another runner as we ran downhill from Gwernymynydd, me on the way home , him on the way to a pilates session @ the coaching station. Good to meet you and thanks for the chat. Happy Surfing :-)

And todays run is dedicated to the father in law of my running buddy S. , Dad to J. Grandad to G. - - who went to sleep for the last time in the last few days . R.I.P.




Split Summary
====
1) - 1m - 9:09(9:09/m) - 158bpm avge - 177bpm max - 116cal
2) - 1m - 9:10(9:10/m) - 156bpm avge - 166bpm max - 118cal
3) - 1m - 10:06(10:06/m) - 158bpm avge - 168bpm max - 121cal
4) - 1m - 9:39(9:39/m) - 153bpm avge - 164bpm max - 119cal
5) - 1m - 8:43(8:43/m) - 142bpm avge - 154bpm max - 118cal
6) - 0.67m - 6:06(9:07/m) - 144bpm avge - 148bpm max - 80cal


Heart Rate Zone Summary
====
HR Zone: 0-123bpm (Sub 70%): 2.4%
HR Zone: 123-132bpm (71-75%): 0.4%
HR Zone: 132-141bpm (76-80%): 9.6%
HR Zone: 141-150bpm (81-85%): 27.7%
HR Zone: 150-158bpm (86-90%): 25.2%
HR Zone: 158-167bpm (91-95%): 28.8%
HR Zone: 167-176bpm (96-100%): 5.5%
HR Zone: undefined: 0.4%


Pace Zone Summary
====
Pace Zone: 7:20-7:39/mile: 1.8%
Pace Zone: 7:40-7:59/mile: 3.1%
Pace Zone: 8:00-8:19/mile: 9.2%
Pace Zone: 8:20-8:39/mile: 11.9%
Pace Zone: 8:40-8:59/mile: 11.9%
Pace Zone: 9:00-9:19/mile: 11.7%
Pace Zone: 9:20-9:39/mile: 9.8%
Pace Zone: 9:40-9:59/mile: 11.6%
Pace Zone: 10:00-10:19/mile: 6.2%
Pace Zone: 10:20-10:39/mile: 4.4%
Pace Zone: 10:40-10:59/mile: 3.5%
Pace Zone: 11:00-11:19/mile: 2.5%
Pace Zone: 11:20-11:39/mile: 1.8%
Pace Zone: 12:00-12:19/mile: 1.7%
Pace Zone: 12:20-12:39/mile: 1.1%
Pace Zone: 12:40-12:59/mile: 1.3%

9 mile evening run- variable pace

An enjoyable , flat-ish evening summer run, Mold to Pontblyddyn, left then 2nd left past the Golf Clubs and Capricorn animal rescue, left again to Llong
Left to Wrexham road back into Mold.

Hope fully the knee discomfort will hold off for some long runs for another marathon ??

Dedicated to my work pals for my early birthday pressie. :-)

Flora London Marathon 2009

I really really enjoyed this my 11th marathon. On Sunday 26th April 2009 i ran my 3rd London Marathon .
So many highs.
And a few Lows.
As a spectacle , as an event , as a running community - this is one of the best, & in London.
This time , in my 3rd time in the race , i did manage to have a quick look at Buckingham Palace as i ran by. In my 2 previous runs ( sorry Ma am ) i just didnt notice it.

Some Highs
-the cameraderie of the running community, the virtual community , on Runners World and Fetcheveryone- and meeting W. a Clwydian runner who spotted me out training .
-the event, following my training, which i felt went well, the race itself seemed to fly by in an instant, looking back, even looking back from a few minutes at the end.
-running cammeraderie- Barry & Nicola who i had never met before but we shared many miles of fellowship, until Nic slowed, sorry we left you. The heat was intensive .
-finishing anoher marathon
-the glass of Guiness my brother in law bought and chilled for me for later around 7pm i think.
-that as my Garmin measured 26.7miles - maybe i should deduct 0.5mile from my time.
-official time 4hrs 29minutes, my fastest of three London Marathons.
-the crowd support, 'come on Rob'
-my daughter surprising me - by geting to 24 miles to wave a daffodil at me.
Proud Dad. Proud daughter ?

Some lows
-missing a pb by 9minutes, maybe another time another place ? different weather.
-my finisher bag not having a finisher shirt in it. Ok i have seen many complaints that theyare all XL, but it would have been nice not to have the hassle of having to contact FLM.
-a little too hot, and not quite guaging water intake, maybe a little too little early on.

But overall London marathon is a great event to be enjoyed , maybe not the best for a pb.
Overall most of my plans were ok, at the start early, bananas as pre race fuel, gels in a bumbag, and picked up more at Runners World support point (thanks guys), appropriate use of the facilities before the start (and thus no need during the race), meeting Fetch running pals at the start, and fortuitously meeting equal paced runners during the race- having 'aiming for 4:hr 20' on my back may have helped.

Dedicated to my friends who run, and those who cannot .

Running in Rome

This is part of the route of my slow plof last Sunday morning from our Hotel into the park & back. My first visit to Rome. I am very impressed by its beaty and surprises churches and ancient treasures at many turns ; with the centre within walking distance from our Hotel off the Piazza Berbarini.

My visit to the Trevi Fountain dedicated to Dawn.

Dublin Photos 2008

Dublin 2008 with some dedications and time goals written on my arms !

Nightingale House Hospice Fundraising & Injury

Two themes at the moment.

Following my birthday party and my 10th marathon our fundraising for Nightingale House Hospice In Wrexham has reached £1,300. see here

Thank you everyone. And of course the fundraising and My 10th Marathon run are dedicated to the staff of the Hospice.


Part 2
I gained no injuries at the marathon.
But...
the first few runs afterwards, owwww
Tendonitis on the top of the left foot.
I started seeing the physio .

But then worse.
back ache changed into
a leg nerve pain , not sciatica -iam am told- as its down the front of my right thigh. I chose to visit an osteopath , considering i felt it was back originated.
so 9 days after the riginal 'injury' it is still only slowly resolving .One rather awkward run of 5k :-(

Dublin Marathon minus 3 days & a bit

Thursday before a Monday marathon. An in the running fraternity its tapering madness . You go for a run and want run fast and or long. But keep telling yourself that short and slow is the thing to do in the week before the race.

So this week i have run Tuesday 5miles, Thursday 4 miles - maybe a little tomorrow Friday.

Now is the time for the mental focus and dedicating the race.
Mental focus
I can and i will finish.
I am running for a personal best. keep running I am strong. Believe believe.

Dedications
of my marathon runs
To a wonderful wife & daughters, sister & brother in law. Cousins.Auntys Uncles.
ANd for friends and colleagues - a few with their crosses to bare.
And for Nightigale House Hospice in Wrexham.
This is for you.
www.justgiving.com/robrunsdublin08

Freckleton 1/2 marathon -running is fun

This afternoon on what can only be describes as a windy day i completed my best 1/2 marathon in over a year. Around 1hr 57. The BBC weather website predicted 32mph wind, the tent erected for registration & selling drinks nearly blew down and was dismantled. But the race went ahead - big big thanks to the good folk of Frecklton for the support, for the organisers and marshals.

This evening despite some stretching, i am aching , but pleased. My pals SB , G, & DW all ran well and had good times. A special mention to the crowd of runners from Huddersfield in their town footbal shirts- and their good humoured supporters.

To the folks of Freckleton who when i waved - they cheered - you know that gives all us runners a lift thankyou.

Thanks
and dedications to
The Freckklton support, and organisers
and running pals SB, G & DW.

Great North Run, friends, emotion & traffic

Today i completed the Great North Run in 1hr 58. Not very good, experienced runners may say but.....
It was mission accomplished.
A SMART objective.
Specific Measurable Acheivable Realistic & Targetted ( should challenging / stretching come in there somewhere?)
The objective?
To pace my pal Johnny U to under2 hours. Objective acheived
Veranne JU & I finished together around 1minute 10seconds under the 2 hours.
Thanks for a great day out Guys, & to JU for persuading me to visit the Newcastle for my second time.
Running with friends in a big race - yes thats the stuff.

The emotion
-the nervousness of the timing to get to the start, getting parked , getting the Metro into town, getting to the start
- then the mix up with meeting up.
-we went all that way and may not meet up with JU !
-we climbed over barriers to the other side of the road
-the race started (about 1/4 miles ahead) and people started moving past
-then Cheryl pases saying Ju is further back

Relief -he arrives - we have a purpose for the visit -as well as running the GNR!

Why did i run 13 miles with a blow up daffodil? - why not, its a bit of fun. It was my fastest and longest race carrying a daffodil.

THANKS
-to the GNR team wonderful race
-to the good folks of the North East for support encouragement & the many shouts of 'come on Rob' - it does help having my name on my chest
-to those folks offering beer just outside South Sheilds - 'isotonic beer ' i thought i hear some one shout, even thou i didnt indulge, twas a nice thought.
- to the many other runners - hey, what a community, wonderful.

Traffic
-advice, if you do the GNR - do NOT try to drive to the North West or Wales afterwards
- as expected traffic was heavy, static etc from South Shields to the motorway
- but then the A1 (M) was stop start for many miles and it took ages to get to Wetheby or Leeds !

Advice the GNR is not a race for a fast time (- unless you are elite) because it is so busy.
But if its attmosphere you want this does rival London with the bands en route and the slick organisation - though London has lots more tube stations near the finish!.

Dedicated to John Hughes, Johnny U, Veranne , and the good folks of the North East

Running with education ?

Tonight i ran a 12 mile training run .

12.5 miles , 2hrs 1min , 1500kcal
average pace 9min 44 per mile .

Yes - i can now run the Great North Run. This was my longest run since the Blackpool marathon in June this year. On my ipod i was listening to NHS colleagues on a podcast of evidence based medicine from the National Prescribing Centre . When these podcats are fully functioning i would certainly recommend these to health professionals interested in evidence based medicine- and learn it on the move - from one of the most respected of NHS UK the National Prescribing Centre.
this post is dedicated to Neal Jonathan Andy - thanks .

RIP Doug Morris

Doug Morris - Club President of Oswestry Olympians has sadly moved on to the great running club in the sky. See the message on the Oswestry Olympians website .

The Border Counties Advertiser has a tribute to Doug here and describes the Lake Vyrnwy 1/2 marathon as 'Doug's event going on to become one of the top half marathons in the UK, attracting hundreds of entries from Britain and overseas.'

There are tributes on the BBC Shropshire website here , and another on the website of Bro Dysynni A. C . here

In 2004 I ran the last lake Vyrnwy Marathon - I am a marathon runner because of people like Doug Morris.


This post is dedicated to the life and memory of
Doug Morris
Oswestry Olympian
Runner