Parkrun 5k 21/11/09
Managed to scrape another pb together – a whole 10 seconds. Rather than describe the race again which was pretty much the same as the previous attempts I'll outline the three areas that I feel make a difference in achieving a personal best. In order of importance from least to most...
1/ KIT. Lucky shorts, fastest shoes, whatever, but bear in mind although you will be feeling cold at this time of the year before the start, from halfway through you're going to be in danger of overheating so unless its getting towards below zero then shorts and a vest are probably right. (I like gloves as well as I get cold hands.) Do some strides to warm up before stripping off if it is killing you. Also work out how much food you can eat beforehand. I can't do anything more than a slice of toast and honey 90~120mins before I run that hard without it troubling me. Some go without breakfast till they get home. On Saturday I wore Kanadia shoes – not my fast trainers or my marathon shoes. The Adidas shoes are light and yet have a grippy sole which might help when the esplanade is wet and with wet leaves. Also I just like them because they feel low to the ground and light and fast. But do they make a difference? Don't know. Both times I have Parkrun in them I got pbs.
A few new faces.
Brian Cruickshank (Fife) chats to John myRace after hitting his sub17 goal.2/ TRAINING. Last Wednesday Willie J led a tough half mile / one mile (x3) training session. I pushed the pace initially knowing we had 90s recovery between laps – a luxury you won't get in a 5k. A 5k may start like a sprint but its going to be 20 minutes or so continuous effort. Pacing and going at a pace just this side of “crash and burn”, is something to be aware of. I think a hard session just days before the 5k of a similar taxing nature prepares you for the pain. And readies the muscle groups.
Bert tells it how it was, beside Claire G (1st lady)
More boggies in trademark brown.
Mary celebrates another Parkrun pb.3/ WEATHER. Totally out with your control. If its pouring with the wind blowing in my face I'm not going to pb. 2 weeks ago there was a bit of wind and although I put in a huge effort I was 18 seconds slower than this week when the weather was about as good as its going to get in November. The wind was slightly in our faces on the way out so that when we turned the wind seemed to disappear, though it would have been helping slightly. However it wasn't dry underfoot so there is still room for improvement.
Great to see Kerry back racing.
A great race / personal time trial and a great start to the weekend. Slightly addictive as the pain washes away and leaves you with a runners high from such exertion.
Report pb
Results here
Photos Peter, Mary and Andrew Jeske.
The following photos are from Andrew's excellent weekly coverage. See the full set here.
Eyeballs oot!
Shery overtakes Mary just at the finish.
M and P celebrate new Parkrun pbs.
East District Cross Country 2nd Meet: Dunfermline 22/11/09
The Ladies Team
Obviously the first meet at Stirling (attended by loads of championship-point Porties) was so popular that everyone raced back to Dunfermline. Let's see, there was myself and Mary and... well, no, that was it. One male (no team) and one female (no team). Superb.
Dunfermline is a tremendous challenge and if you can be bothered turning up, it will put you through the mill. This time the weather wasn't as dreadful as last, nor the ploughed fields quite as bad as they were in January. However there had been a lot of rain and no-one went home with clean dry shoes. Some were daft enough to wear their normal shoes to the start line before changing into their wellies or spikes. This resulted in 2 pairs of filthy shoes to throw in the bin later rather than just one. I (being smart as anything) changed into my Mudclaws in the car park but also (being stupid as anything) left my trousers and loafers in the car. More about that later.
Mary set off with the womens race first while I ran from area to area taking photos and shouting on all the Porty. And all the friends from other less distinguished clubs. Mary started at a leisurely pace fresh from the success of her pb at the Parkrun the day before. So today she took it easy to start with, then worked her way up through the field. She seemed steady although she later said when I shouted “embrace the mud” she had a vision of falling spreadeagled face-down into the mire. Of which there was no shortage. I think they have a mudlake somewhere and deliver it in mudwagons and cement mixers until the place is swimming in it. There is something liberating about not trying to gingerly skirt round the puddles but just charging through it.
I took too many photos and cheered lots while warming up and doing some strides. Mary knew I expected her to stick around taking photos and cheering on the Porty, so had brought powerstretch tights to sacrifice – pulling them on over her filthy legs then getting back into her filthy shoes. A couple of tops and she was just about warm enough to follow the men's race though after 35 minutes she was pretty cold. How the marshals and organisers kept warm I've no idea.
A herd of Carnegies.
The Men's Team
Meanwhile we were herded to the start and after the dude with the red blazer and starting gun (and dirty trouser cuffs and shoes!) set us off we thrashed down the incline and round to the right. The guys all around were kicking up so much loose earth it was ricocheting off my shoulders and head. I got a good start – a little too good – and found myself out my league amongst runners who would all finish well ahead of me. Tommy Lawrence drew alongside and said how he liked my film I had just posted on Facebook. Tommy pulled ahead as I dropped through the ranks. One short lap then 2 long.
Mary took this photo and lovely as it is there are no runners in it. Perhaps we could call it absent friends?
Last time I had struggled and by the end of the second lap dropped too many late stage places. This time I kept it going a bit better mainly thanks to the kind farmer who had not ploughed right to edges of his waterlogged field. Last time the cloying mud stuck to shoes turning them into platform boots; this time the 2 giant fields at the bottom of the course were just a bit wet with shoe deep mud which was easy enough to cross without taking it with you. Into the second lap and at some point I saw Bruce Smith (Carnethy) up ahead and getting closer. I don't get the opportunity to overtake him in hill races so enjoyed going past on this mainly flat course.
Never mind the runners look at that sky.
Towards the end Des Crowe came past and although I tried to stay with him he was away ahead to the line. Tom Scott did this last year (and Ian Goode, PRC) but this time I was able to stay ahead of Tom and fellow Fifer Martin Laing who was full of good cheer as ever. In fact its almost impossible to put yourself through that kind of full on experience and not feel buoyed up afterwards. Hey there were even hot hot showers and a bustling canteen full of runners and hot lentil soup. Does it get any better?
Taking the Strain. Murray was ahead by miles. (23secs)
My sympathies go out to the janitors and cleaners – although we all took our shoes off before going into the school for showers our feet were still really dirty and we took so much mud into the building it looked like it might be easier to just knock it down and re-build.
Ivor playing to the gallery.It was only once I had my shoes off and was stripping for a shower I remembered that my trousers and clean shoes were left in the car. Now why did I do that? The good news was I had the key, the bad news was I had to run past the full length windows of the canteen full of runners in my bare feet and boxers to get to the car. I bottled it – putting on my mud-shorts apres shower to do the barefoot 200 yards to the car. Other highlight of the day was Louise P. rescuing a little rodent (mouse or vole) who had wandered onto the course. It would seem even mice were showing up the absent PRC teams.
The weather deteriorated on the drive home.Report pb
Photos Peter and Mary
Results here
Roadrunpics photos here
Mary's BLOG
Mary and I had managed to have the Monday off also. The weather was considerably improved from the weekend so after having friends round for coffee set off a little late for a 3hr recovery run over the Pentlands, from Flotterstone over the high tops to S. Black Hill and the Kips; down the drove road to Balerno, along the path to Black Hill then round the back, over the reservoir and up a new path Mary had come across; over to the path that climbs up to the coll between Harbour and Bells Hill. Down to the tarmac (by now it was 4.30 and dark) then along the road to the car park. Over 3hrs and 13 miles, and it gives you a BIG appetite.
The moon over Black Hill
The street lights in the distance.
