Which is a neat reversal of Saturday's disappointing start to the season at Lincoln, for which Sandie1961 is duly forgiven. The first little chap was trying to tell me that after spending Thursday to Sunday in the vicinity of the IP with tummy problems (if it wasn't one thing, it was the other ), today was too soon for a race-pace 14k attempt. But the first k went smoothly enough, after a return to the car having forgotten my cap, so yah boo sucks to you, G1.
G2 was the chap who was sitting on the wall when I ran into it after 11k of my first attempt at a race-pace 13k last month. He was there again today, but I hurdled the wall without breaking stride, and gave him the rigid digit in passing. To give him credit though, he then tried to persuade me the wall wasn't at 11k, but at 2k to go, but the only obstacle at that point was a horse-laid land mine , which was easily avoided.
Enough of gremlins, already. The result was 14k at an average pace of 5'45"/k, smack in the middle of my original target range and leaving tantalisingly open the possibility of a sub-90 Great South in October. First and last ks were 5'39"s, and the slowest was a 5'56" for k3. And although it didn't feel like it, 'cos it did seem to be getting harder, I didn't slow down at all over the last 5k.
The run was back on the Billy Trail on Hayling Island, one of our favourites. I'm sure the scenery was lovely, though I did manage to notice the tide was out which detracts a bit. In searching for karma, I did try gazing at the fields of uncut wheat either side of the trail at the southern end, but was spooked by visions of Theresa May racing through them pursued by a farmer who looked a lot like Boris Johnson . I did see a couple of dragonflies, but not the clouds of butterflies apparently spotted by Dexy5 , who was doing her own thing at the same time in the same place. The trail is around 4.5k one way, so in the course of my necessary back and forths I came across her 3 times, overtaking once having given her a start with my cap issue, and crossing with high fives twice later on. I see she's already posted, so won't try to analyse her performance for you ……. 'twas a good one though .
Next week should be a long and slow 20k - can't believe I'm even thinking of doing that - and I might try 14k again the week after that, to see if I can squeeze a minute off the time somewhere ……..
Onwards and upwards!!
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UpTheStanley
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Nice of you to give me a head start, but I knew I wouldn’t be in the lead for long. At least if you go that fast in the GSR you’ll be able to do your post-run exercises and still be there to cheer on us mere mortals. Well done.
In awe UTS. Unbelievable pace and laughing in the face of the gremlins of despair, the horse pats of discouragement and the spectre of cavorting politicians. Must deserve a pint 🍺 after that; have two 🍺🍺
You are on a roll. And there was I this morning, struggling with a simple interval run on the windswept Southsea seafront, not even breaking 8 minutes per kilometre when I was supposed to be going fast. I am now peering anxiously at the wind forecast for Saturday and thinking staying in to watch Bledisloe 1 (NZ v Aus rugby) might be safer than being blown to Hayling on Saturday’s parkrun.
Mr C breezed through 8k in the breeze, he’s getting closer to signing up for GSR whilst I am getting closer to thinking my various leg weaknesses will prohibit it this year despite already being signed up. Next step is to go back to the shoe shop as I suspect the shoes I bought in January are already becoming shot and that is part of my problem.
The 2 skull and crossbones head ties have been dispatched so we will look the part for Dexy5 ’s grand 50 at the end of the month.
Yes, I hope so. I trained quite well for the Vitality 10k and hoped I could just roll on from there. But on the plus side, when I look back to 2017 when I last did GSR, I had only got to 9k by the 1st week of August. So there’s hope if it cools down. I will probably trip to Alexandra Sports on Friday to get another pair of shoes. I seem to burn through them quicker than most.
I’m going to have to run (or walk) on Saturday otherwise I can’t do my 50th on the 31st. I won’t be looking at time though. Maybe if they need volunteers still I could swap my week.
I think it’s a case of accepting a fast run out and a mostly walk back (or going somewhere more sheltered).
We got late tickets for the England Wales warm up match and I was a bit disappointed when I realised it is Sunday, not Saturday. I had more or less persuaded Mr C to make a really early start, run Hanworth parkrun (a newish one, near Feltham, close to the A316), go in the local leisure centre for a swim and shower afterwards, then leave the car at Feltham station and get the train to Twickenham for the match. Then I looked at the tickets. Hanworth will have to wait until we next go to a Twickenham b
Fantastic run UpTheStanley Did Lincoln beat Accrington last week then?! 😂😂 Am in France, sitting on the terrace looking at the stars with a G&T so haven’t seen the footie!!
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), today was too soon for a race-pace 14k attempt. But the first k went smoothly enough, after a return to the car having forgotten my cap, so yah boo sucks to you, G1. 
. I did see a couple of dragonflies, but not the clouds of butterflies apparently spotted by Dexy5 , who was doing her own thing at the same time in the same place. The trail is around 4.5k one way, so in the course of my necessary back and forths I came across her 3 times, overtaking once having given her a start with my cap issue, and crossing with high fives twice later on. I see she's already posted, so won't try to analyse her performance for you ……. 'twas a good one though 
.
Progress - and those pesky Gremlins
Unwelcome Gremlins sent packing this morning, yes oh yes! 
I hate the gremlins. 
