Does the perfect race exist? - Brighton Marathon 2013

I hated science at school, mainly because of the teachers and partly because I felt too dumb. So when people get a bit ‘sciency’ about running, it kind of goes over my head (feel free to add your own pun here if you wish).... 

I can just about deal with tempo runs, interval sessions (as long as Mike or Glads are instructing) and steady runs but I wouldn't know a lactate threshold, VO2 max or optimum heart rate if it smacked me in the face. 

But I have decided that maybe there is a formula (could be maths, I suppose) to get your ideal marathon time. Possibly: 

Training + health + race conditions + luck – injury x mental attitude = perfect marathon? 

Training: my training had gone really well until first week of March, slightly smugly I had ticked off all the sessions on my training plan, even in the never-ending snow and ice…until my IT band started complaining. 

Health: No coughs/colds or other ailments since before Christmas and even my son had the decency to be sick over a bank holiday so no runs missed then. 

Race conditions: the Saturday I arrived in Brighton to pouring rain and almost gale force 
winds but they had calmed to a cool, damp morning with a breeze but nowhere near as windy on race day, and the sun made an appearance later as well. 

Luck: hmmm, the choice of toilet queue wasn't my best decision, meaning I started behind the 4:15 pacer, despite wanting or hoping rather optimistically for 3:30 

Mental attitude: patchy! Until my first 20 mile run was feeling confident that I could and would be able to break 3:30 this year. Having a slight injury (or is niggle the correct Strider terminology?) gave me the usual uncertainty and doubts. 

A few days before my mother-in-law said, ‘I don’t think you’ll make it, not with how your legs been, no you won’t get all the way round.’ Now I am allowed to think this but having someone else vocalise it gave me the motivation that I WILL FINISH! 

The race: told myself I would not do the same as last year and start late because of an ill-judged toilet queue but in the words of Britney Spears, ‘Oops I did it again!’(men: you don’t know how lucky you are!!). Maybe I would make up the time? Well I did a little but after 10 miles I knew a PB wasn't going to happen. 

But I wasn't too disappointed. I stopped checking my Garmin, I missed some of the mile markers, I gave my sis a hug when I saw her, I gave lots of small children a high 5 and it was really liberating to enjoy the atmosphere without being bothered by time. 

My hip started to hurt but not unbearably so, at mile 17 .Without the pressure of a PB I didn't mind having to slow down. I passed a man I knew at mile 20 and that spurred me on as I wanted to stay ahead. By mile 22 the pain was worse but I knew it would be more painful to walk so kept running, slowly. (The walk uphill back to Brighton station was almost as bad as the marathon!)  

smiling into the finish

The last 3 miles were full of crowds, cheering, music and general partying which helped and I knew a super-speedy friend was looking out for me. I checked off the beach huts, the West pier, the Grand Hotel, the Palace pier, the big wheel, and finally the finish. I was so chuffed. I remembered to smile as I crossed the line with a miserable looking superman. And it wasn’t even a personal worst!

Conclusion: Before, I said I wasn’t interested in running it if I didn’t think I could get a PB. Now I have changed my mind. Despite the pain, it was a brilliant race. No water bottle, no i-pod, minimal chatting and minimal Garmin checking and it was still just as exciting….but I still haven’t let go of my sub 3:30 dream…maybe I should invest in a she-wee for next year?...Maybe the perfect race doesn’t exist? 

Helen Cartlidge

Jack’s marathons - December 2012 – March 2013

Broadmeadow Christmas Marathon: Stratford on Avon: 8 December 2012: After a fortnight of heavy rain and a week of freezing cold weather the temperature rose slightly for this route description trail marathon, which comprises 3 different loops around the Warwickshire countryside. I was somewhat wary about this marathon as I’d been suffering with a hip injury, but I reasoned that I could drop out at the end of the first loop if I found running too painful. As it was miraculously I didn’t experience any pain right from the start. Even so I ran fairly cautiously, taking my time to enjoy the scenery and being particularly careful around slippery areas. Even though we had glimpses of sun much of the canal was frozen over and I never got that warm. However, it was great to be running pain-free for the first time in 3 weeks. My finish time was 5:13:47. 

Portsmouth Coastal Waterside Trail Marathon: 23 December 2012: This marathon promised water and there was certainly no shortage of that. 894 runners braved flood warnings to run this flat, out and back marathon. The sea was on our right going out and on our left coming back, but the main water problem was that many of the footpaths were waterlogged, muddy and very slippery and I saw numerous spectacular falls as the less wary lost their footing. The beach section of the race was partially shingle and partially a quagmire and it was a tough call to say which provided the easier running surface. In good conditions this would be a very fast course as it is flat and the whole route is well marked and marshaled. Unusually for a trail marathon they also put out mile markers and there is chip timing. I was pleased with my finish time of 4:09:55 and happy that I’d opted to run in trail shoes rather than ordinary trainers. Kathryn Hall also ran and crossed the line in 4:36:42. 

Naples Marathon, Italy: 27 January 2013: Given that most of the first 6 miles of this marathon were along cobbled streets I finally understood why the marathon organisers required so many written indemnities and doctors’ certificates prior to the race start. Those of us who managed to make it past 13k without a broken ankle were able to enjoy an undulating course with some great views of the bay of Naples until we reached about 37k. From then on we had to battle our way through myriad cyclists, dog walkers and family groups along the sea front. Nobody seemed to look where they were going and the race directors made no attempt to cordon off an area for the runners. During that last 5k at least 2 bikes crossed straight in front of me without looking and a woman walked her dog straight in front of me so that I had to stop and then manoeuvre my way past it. Like everyone else who was still running at that stage I spent my time weaving left or right to avoid collisions and hoping that nothing was going to hit me from behind. I can definitely confirm that Neopolitans walk and cycle just as they drive. On the plus side my finish time was 3:53:43 and it was good to escape the snow for a few days. 

Watford Half Marathon: 3 February 2013: Phew! My time of 1:47:04 was faster than for the last 3 times I’ve run this race. 

Genk Marathon, Belgium: 10 February 2013: This is one of my favourite European Marathons and I have now run it 5 times. There is always a large contingent of UK runners there and because most of us are veterans the race director, Micha, refers to us as Dad’s Army. We usually travel to Genk by Eurostar and local train and stay in a hostel right next to the race start. The race comprises 7 x 6k laps. There is one fairly steep hill and a more gradual climb on each lap as well as a long downhill stretch. However, because the route is through very pretty countryside I never find it boring. This year the temperature at the start was around minus seven and for the first 3 laps there were some very slippery areas where the ice had not melted. Given the conditions I was more than happy with my time of 3:52:58. 

Pitsford Water Trail Marathon: 3 March 2013: This is a new 4 lap undulating trail marathon held within the picturesque grounds of Brixworth Country Park, near Northampton. The route around Pitsford Water was well marked and there were ample drink stops. It was very cold for the first and last laps, but we enjoyed some sunshine during the middle 2 laps. Kathryn Hall was the only other Strider there. I finished in 4:12:10 and her time was 4:42:02. 

Milton Keynes Half Marathon: 10 March 2013: It was snowing at the race start and I never really got warm. I had a reasonable run finishing in 1:47:33. It was good to see one of our former Striders Chairmen (Andrew Wasdell) amongst the supporters on the way round. 

Great Barrow Spring Challenge Trail Marathon, Suffolk: 17 March 2013: Heavy rain on the Friday and Saturday had turned much of the course into a quagmire and it took great concentration to avoid taking a tumble. The sections through Ickworth Park and Nowton Park were pretty and snowdrops were everywhere. I ran round with a friend and finished in 5:28:33. 

Run Round the Reservoir Trail Marathons, Northampton: 30 and 31 March 2013: I seem to have a mental block when it comes to back to back marathons and often find that I’ve agreed to run them before my brain kicks into gear. At least there was no serious travel involved between the races, which were both staged on the same course around Brackmills Reservoir in Northampton. The 6 lap route is relatively flat and each lap comprises a mixture of tarmac path and grassy footpaths. Unfortunately there was one stretch of about three quarters of a mile, which was fairly sticky at the beginning of Day 1 and which got progressively muddier and more clammy on the second day. Because the whole route is fairly exposed the strong wind and occasional snow flurries made for cold conditions, but I was quite pleased to finish the first race in 4:10:50 and the second one in 4:34:55. 

Jack Brooks

Training blog - strains & pains, Feb to Mar 2013

“Listen up, kids. I've got something important to tell you..... The training plan and I haven't been getting on too well lately. .....

"I'll admit that a lot of the fault lies with me.... It hasn't been easy.... In the early days, I was definitely much more attentive. Lately, I've missed the odd date. There have been times I've wanted to take things a bit more slowly..... And there's been a real (calf) strain in our relationship. 

“But I'm still learning:

• On long runs, the pain seems to move - it usually starts with a numb left ankle, sometimes a mild stitch a few miles later, and sometimes a dull ache between the shoulder blades after an hour. But never at the same time! Why is that?
• People aren't that interested - I've noticed eyes glazing over even before I've even uttered the words, "would you like to see my training spreadsheet?".....
• If you're worried that you're returning from injury too soon, you probably are - I've had a tight right calf lately, and while I've been straining at the leash to get back to it, more experienced heads than mine have been counselling patience. And quite right too.
• Deep tissue massage is worth every penny - although it doesn't half hurt!

“Training is a constant balancing act between obsession and denial - I've noticed that some other runners are really hard on themselves and are continually pushing themselves to the limits. Is that obsession or overdoing it? At the other end of the scale, it's tempting to convince yourself that you're doing OK when you're actually going through the motions. And then you won't improve much. I find I'm constantly trying to find myself on this obsession–denial spectrum. 

“But most of all, kids, I've learned that this relationship with my training plan is worth the effort, even when the honeymoon is over. Although it's been frosty in the last few days, things are definitely beginning to thaw. And running the Reading Half Marathon last month showed me that we can definitely last the distance.

“It's two months until the Edinburgh Half. I know now that I can do what the training plan tells me until then. Together we are stronger.”

Richard Sved

Striders' cross country season: muddy good fun!

As the cross country season draws to a close, we thought it would be a good time to reflect on what has been a successful and fun six months. From the first to the last race, members have taken part with great determination and team spirit regardless of their speed - proving that cross country really is for everyone. 

Striders ladies at Southerns, Feb 2013

It’s been wonderful to see so many people giving this often over-looked branch of running a go, from our speediest members to some of our Get Started graduates including Caroline Skyrme, Catherine Turney, Jean Webb and Lucy Martin. We’re sure the strength and stamina you’ve all have gained from the muddy courses will lead to many PBs on the roads and track this summer. 

The club’s trophy cabinet is also now bulging as we won Division Two of the Chiltern League, came a close second in the Sunday League and the men’s and women’s teams took gold and bronze respectively at the Herts County Champs – not to mention all the individual prizes won in the leagues. Here’s a quick recap of how it all unfolded… 

OCTOBER

The first fixture of the Chiltern League with St Albans AC teaming up with the Striders for the first time took place in Oxford. Thanks to Linda Powell organising the ‘fun bus’ to take the team to the venue, we had an excellent turnout to face a challenging course. With a metre wide flooded ditch to negotiate, a 1000m long steep hill to ascend and descend and a mile-long stretch of thick, sticky mud to run through, this really was a baptism of fire for our cross country virgins! When Alex McSloy commented after racing that she’d found it ‘harder than the Ironman’ we were worried some may have been put off cross country for good! 

But thankfully the next fixture – the Sunday League at Cheshunt – was a drier affair with the ground much firmer under foot. As a club champs race, points were up for grabs to decide who would walk away with the runner-up spots as Colin Braybrook and Deirdre Heydecker already had the titles in the bag.

NOVEMBER

At the start of the month, Deborah Steer, Gill Jubb, Lucy Waterlow and Linda Powell travelled to the Midlands to fly the flag for St Albans in the National Cross Country Relay and were rewarded with some delicious cupcakes for post-race recovery! The second Chiltern race took place in Shuttleworth where it took Gill Jubb several attempts to explain the not-that-complicated figure of eight course to Lucy Waterlow and Wendy Webster! Twenty-nine men from the club and 16 women took part with everyone battling to the line to make each place count thanks to the downhill into the finishing funnel. 

Later the same day, everyone scrubbed up well, swapping their trainers for dancing shoes to attend the annual dinner and awards - where Doug Bates won the prize for drinking the most shots and DJ Hallam got everyone on the dance floor. The next Sunday League at Grovelands saw Tom Crouch take an easy victory not long after welcoming daughter Kirsten into the world while Pablo Plaza Lastras ran well while sporting an impressive moustache grown for ‘Movember’. 

DECEMBER

The third Chiltern League took place in the shadow of Windsor Castle but one male Strider, (who shall remain nameless!), was a bit too keen for this one, arriving at 10am when his race didn’t start until 2pm. The following week a number of vets took part in the Southern Masters Champs at Claybury where the course had to be altered to avoid a steep hill that was deemed too dangerous to run down thanks to the muddy conditions. Gill Jubb and Wendy Webster also earned their first vests running for Hertfordshire competing in the Southern Inter-counties at the same venue. 

The Sunday League this month was on home turf and a successful event was staged at Verulamium Park thanks to the organisation of Colin Braybrook and Pete Blackaller and the many members who volunteered to marshal. This was the only race in the league Tom Crouch didn’t win this season – but we still had a Strider victor thanks to teen talent James McMurray, coached by Deborah Steer. Striders and AC are agreed that one of the many advantages of our recent link up is that young athletes like James now have a clear path to tread from junior to senior level, while still running for their home city. 

JANUARY

The mince pies and alcohol consumed over Christmas and New Year were burnt off for those taking on the Herts County XC at the start of the month at Haileybury College (or Halle Berry College as some of us came to call it!). It was another difficult and muddy course with steep down and uphill sections but the teams fared well with the men winning gold county medals and the women bronze. 

At the Chiltern League the following week thermal vests were needed (perhaps kitman Gladstone can arrange for us to get some in Strider colours?!) with low temperatures and a strong, cold wind facing the runners in Luton. But the winter weather didn’t deter members and once again we had a strong team performance consolidating the club’s position at the top of division two. The following day, the Sunday League took place over an undulating course in Royston where Tom Crouch achieved another victory and Colin Braybrook put in a heroic effort finishing despite getting a large stone impaled in his shoe! ‘I could feel it digging into my heel in the last mile or so of the race but decided to keep going!’ he said afterwards. 

FEBRUARY 

The last Chiltern League took place on the toughest course yet around extremely muddy farmer’s fields in Wing. Thick, boggy patches throughout sucked many people’s shoes off while some runners got stuck in the mud themselves! Super trooper Andy Maher still managed a smile and a wave every time he passed Strider supporters despite the shin deep mud and catering chief Tina Tremaine went beyond the call of duty to attend, even though she wasn’t racing, to give the finishers some delicious cake. An excellent team performance meant we sealed our place at the top of division two earning promotion to division one next year (where the challenge will be to top the table again against tougher opposition!). 

The Southern Cross Country, rescheduled from January when it was cancelled due to snow, was then held at Parliament Hill with more mud, glorious mud to contend with. Deirdre Heydecker, Gill Jubb, Wendy Webster, Wendy Walsh, Katie Chilton, Amy Tanner, Christine Pout and Liz Walls made up the female team while Gary Warren, Colin Braybrook, Steve Smith, Peter McDermott, Richard Derrick, Kevin Brookman and John Warren completed the 15k long men’s course – a stray dog also joined in for one lap! 

Steve Smith at the National XC 2013

It was then the last Sunday League of the season at Watford where a valiant effort was made to win the team prize – just two points separated us from Trent Park at the top of the table. Cathal Gallagher even took a break from a stag do to take part; Pablo Plaza Lastras towed the start line after only having four hours sleep following a night out in London; while some who had done the Southern XC the day before pulled on their spikes again. Tom Crouch took another victory while Penny Habbick, who has only recently taken up running, continued her excellent Sunday League form as the first female Strider to finish. Unfortunately the last charge wasn’t enough to win the title overall but that didn’t dampen the spirits at the end of season social at the pub that evening. Then at the end of the month, Steve Smith was the club’s lone representative at the National Cross Country tackling a snow-turned-to-mud course in Sunderland. 

So that’s nearly all folks except for the vets Herts Champs on 17 March. From your cross country captains Lucy Waterlow and Ed Blake and club chairman Sheryl Norman, thanks to everyone who has taken part for the club this year whether you were the first or last to finish. Now you can hang up your spikes until the new season begins in October – roll on the track season and Midweek League! 

Lucy Waterlow

PS - If you want to see how the elite fare, the World Cross Country Champs will be on BBC TV on Sunday 24 March. 

Training plan – the early weeks: resolutions and lessons learned

I am booked in to run the Edinburgh Half Marathon in May. There, I said it. As I started training properly, this was 3.1 miles further than I’d ever run before. 

I’m armed with a training plan. It’s a spreadsheet chock-full of detail, impending pain, and a few shivers. Can I really run a half marathon in under 100 minutes? I know I can run a 10k at about that speed, but this is more than twice as far. It’s quite daunting, but targets help, right? 

I suppose I better stick to the plan. First on the list, is a regular yoga session. This is to lengthen my stride as I tend to trot like a pony. I’ve never done yoga before, and it turns out I’m spectacularly rubbish at it. How come everyone else is so bendy? Did the bendy people notice me falling over at the back? Still, it’s the first form of exercise I’ve ever done where I’ve almost immediately felt the benefits. 

For your edification, here are some of the things I’ve learned or noticed so far: 

• Variety is the spice of training. I’m doing longer slow runs, shorter quick ones, hill reps, track sessions, and normal evening runs and track sessions with the Striders, in order to build up speed, strength, stamina and probably other things beginning with ‘S’. It’s been tough but never dull so far. 
• If you have a heavy cold or cough, it’s best not to run too much. It turns out breathing is actually quite important, and coughing while running wasn’t particularly good for my back, said my friendly local osteopath.
• It’s really difficult to swallow smooth peanut butter if you’ve been running for 90 minutes. 
• It’s hard to start running again when you’ve stopped for any reason. 
• I speed up when I spot a runner coming towards me. I need to stop doing that, as it’s knackering me out, and I’m not impressing anybody. 
• If you’re running loads, you can eat whatever you like. This is probably not true but I’m certainly eating shed loads. 
• If you say 'I can run faster than this speed, but I’m doing 4 miles straight afterwards' to people you’re running with at parkrun, they don’t tend to like it.
• If you head out before dawn on Christmas Day to go for a run, your in-laws may well think you’re nuts. They may be right. 

I’m only in my early weeks. I’ve already had two falls, but so far no submissions. I’ve had several occasions when I’ve thought I’ve broken my body, but many more runner’s highs to compensate. And my first rest week coincided with the snow and ice, which was a bonus. 

Plenty of training time to go. Bring it on! 

Richard Sved