January

As January was setting the foundations for the coming year  trying not to get to hung up on my race times was all ways going a challenge for me as that little voice in my head saying you can go faster than that so i had to keep telling myself every thing is going to plan and trust the plan.
The one race that going for a time is well out the window is Box Hill Knacker Cracker 10k+
5 times you have to take on the hill and been on new years day its  a good way shift the hangover !
for this year are team theme was red arrows  we all stayed as a group and stopped at  every drink stop for water and food. we won the team prize for the 3 yrs in a row the prize was 2.2 kg of cheese that we gave to Dave as his birthday that was on the Sunday  i think he still having cheese sandwiches for lunch now. planning for next years theme is well under way can we make 4 in a row ?
For the rest of January it seemed that i was racing every weekend in the Thames valley cross country league and southern cross country championship.The Thames valley league  courses are about 9/10km but the southern cross was a killer 15 km thank god the southern cross is only a one off race.
my best race result had to be at Tadley when i was 147 out 370 so there is signs that my training is going in the right direction.
On the nutrition side  having all most had to give up milk so no more sugary cereals  but on the plus side this had got me to think more about my morning breakfast and now make my own peanut butter and soda bread  and cut down to one sugar in my tea and not two so by making small steps each month they will just become the norm  that's the plan anyway.
For February i will be upping the miles on my long slow steady runs getting up to about 16 miles and trying up the distance on my tempo runs only have one race booked in for Feb and that's the National cross country championships at parliament hill

TRUST IN THE PLAN 

it's a new year and new goals

So its a new year and many people make new year resolutions

for me its a time to look at my goals for the coming year from having a very up and down year last year with time on the injury bench and ongoing tummy problems that are now getting better slowly.

So the goals for the year are going to be very simple no complex training plans no trying to find the new magic go fast running kit or nutrition wonder food its just going to be good old hard work and sensible eating plan not dieting.

On the racing side of things i have been planing out my racing calender and there is no marathons or trying to run a  ultra ! its going to be a building year cross country races then on to 10 km one or two 10 miles and a 1/2 marathons or two but most importantly lots and lots of  parkruns not only can they be really good on training side of things like going out to set a fast time or just to run with friends and then refuel with a mug of tea or coffee and maybe a slice of cake !
So my race/parkrun (timed runs ) for January is looking a bit like this
1st Jan Box Hill Knacker Cracker 10k and a bit
3rd Jan parkrun
10th Jan parkrun
11th Jan Thames valley cross country
17th Jan parkrun
18th Jan Thames valley cross country
24th Jan south of England x-country championship

will keep you all posted on how i get on at the end of January

New years day on box hill 

Withering Heights

Well since my last post training has been going well on a upward curve  and getting it to a training grove

 have been slowly upping the miles on my long runs  not running to a set pace just more about time on feet and most of the time off road over the next couple of weeks is when i will start to get more pace orientated  

with more time been on the roads but with some off road running.
My favourite race of the year has to be the Grizzly and was lucky to get place in this years ballot  the  running gods must have taken petty as we had sunny day unlike last years when i had the start of hypothermia from the cold and rain the wind and not forgetting snow.
knowing that i was not really fit  to race if you can race the Grizzly my plan was to have some fun and to see how i got on with some gels. The gels i used where the high 5 summer fruits and the plan was to take the first one at 6 miles 10 miles 14 miles this seamed to work well and felt strong at the end. I the evening i court  up with some some of the outer Sandhurst joggers to refuel on some beer and a curry and hearing tales from the race. I have to say a big thank you to all the marshals and the Sandhurst support team for keeping shouting   keep going and to Sam McCready for jogging in with one are runners keeping that was having a hard time near the end you are a credit to your mum and dad.
The next stage of the marathon plan is to keep slowly upping the miles and start to get some faster tempo runs logged as i  have to half marathons booked in now
well that's about it for now till the next time keep on running

A new year and new challenge

Well we are now in to February and with a good block of training in January that has been missing 

for all most all of last year with illness and so on i decided not to Wright a blog about been ill etc.

As i am shore most of my friends like me sick to death about me going on and on about it !

the good news is a it looks like i am on the road back to full fitness and have set myself some big goals 

for this year. 

With the Grizzly in march and then some half marathons leading up to my marathon that will be 

Richmond park marathon that will be leading up to my biggest running challenge  the endure 24 hr  

as a solo runner yes i did say solo 

My goal for the endure is 100 km with in the 24 hrs may be more !

to give you a insight into the endure 24 have a look at  the web site 

www.endure24.co.uk

Although i am running it solo i will have a support team of good friends to keep me motivated but till then its just down to hard work in the hope of winning my race

i think this youtube post say's it all enjoy 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuPLxQD4akQ

post grizzly

This been a no marathon year a very easy  recovery week form the Grizzly
the plan was just to have 3 to 4 very easy run's no more than 5km just to tick over
no speed or hill workouts this was not only for my body to recover but all so for
the mind to. Some time forget that are head needs a rest to ?
My 1st run was with small run group at work that i set up last yr we go out for about 30 mins
around Farnham park and it good to see them get so much out of it and have take on a race for life or a park run but from time to time i get email for when they can not make with this !!

My 2nd run had to be at lunch time on the Friday as i had a runners ball in the eve a big date in the club's year a black tie event.The club hands out the awards from the year from the club championship most improved run etc. The night was good fun but i was going to pay for it the next day
Saturday is park run day the weather was not looking good rain with a side order of rain
with the head from hell i made it there the game plan was just to get around and not fall over in the mud getting ever closer to my 50 t-shirt just 14 more to go.
Sunday was fleet half marathon as this year i was not running i went over to give my support
from the side lines fulled up at starbucks and unbrella in hand yes it was raining i cheering on the runners some from club that where running and some runners from frimley lodge park run
was getting a bit of stick for not running so the next time i am not running may be next year.


James

Grime And Punishment

its been a long time since my last blog and having just finshing this yrs grizzly
 it best to get back to it.
so hear we go
The Grizzly a tough twenty mile multi-terrain race and it is tough trust me. There is the cub run to
distance can be from 8 to 10 mils  but that is just as tough If you think its a soft think again.
Sat morning car all packed 80's cd's at the ready me Lisa H and Jane B set off to sunny Seaton
with are pit stops at little chef at popham then river cottage Canteen in Axminster
make it to the b&b we then head off to meet up with some of the club for a meal in the eve.
Sunday morning time to take on the Grizzly the weather was not as nice as it has been in the past
so the kit for the job had to be the Helly Hanson and club vest, buff , gloves, shorts and
trusted Adidas Kanadia.
At the start line i am with a other sandhurst joggers the gun go's and we are off just a small bit of rd to start with then on to the beach for about a km this has to be one of the toughest starts to any race that i have done then its back onto the rd for about 2 miles as we head in to beer and the 1st grizzly hill starts and my run walk plan starts at the top of the hill i am back running and starting to move up the Field the cub split of at this point and we head off to Branscombe beach as we near the beach we meet up with the cub runners and we all have to run thro the water this is where i all most fall in god it cold.
The cub splits hear and heads back but we have to go on off in to the hills and the bog of doom to take on.The fields are the muddy's i have every know in the 5 yrs of taking on the race
 its starts snowing then rain time to zip up the man suit and get on with it.
i get to the bog of doom hoping that i do not get stuck in it  then up a very muddy hill hoping that i do not slide back in to the bog !
Made it back to branscombe and the real test a km of beach then the stairway to heaven this is just over 400 ft to make are way up at the top i can see the seaton and know the finish line is near i cross the line cold wet but very happy in a time of 4hrs 28

one very happy runner

Marchvellous

Well march  has been more like summer than autumn are we going to get snow for London
My training has been going well  march is all about the long runs  i have had to cut back on the number of runs for the week down to 5 so my body will recover and try not to fall ill or get  injured
i had 2 races planed in for march the grizzly and fleet 1/2
the grizzly is a 20mil off rd run and is one of the 1st races i have in my diary
the run went well and got a lot out of the event and with 2793 ft of elevation there was lots of hill training
and  the bog of doom this did make a good reading on my garmin a 20 min mile
with some post race mangers with team sandhurst helped easy the doms
the next race i had booked in was Fleet 1/2 and i needed to do well in this race as i had to put to bed last yrs race and with a dnf at wokingham 1/2 in Feb i had put some pressure on my self to get this right as this was my last race till London
so the plan was to run steady for 10mils then try and up the pace till the end
well Mr sun did come out to play so i had to go to plan B this was going to be a steady run and see how we go all was going well till around 10mils where my tummy played up and had to easy back
 looking on the more positive side of the run there was so much good come out of the day
i was only 50sec of my pb for 10mils i was not ill like i have been in the past so i can see all the training is working all i need now keep working to my plan and see how it go's on the day

keep on running

James C