Cross training - more hard work

Lot of people turned up today for the cross country training session at Marly park. I gave Anne a lift to the meeting point where we were met by José, Thierry, Jean-Marc, Miguel, Jérémie, Laurent (x2) and then at the last moment Nico. There were almost as many women as blokes today, with Mireille, Pascale, Anne, Delphine, Aude, Murielle and Catherine.

Miguel announced that we were reverting to the old, standard cross-country training sessions. No more of the 3 ' intervals but back to the old course, pushing it hard up the 2 hills and then the acceleration down the path and around the lake to finish the lap. 3 laps were programmed.

We set off easily on the warm-up and had a banter as to how Thierry was feeling after Thursday's session and whether he would be able to keep up with me snapping at his heels. I was feeling lousy and the front of my thighs were still sore from the intervals 2 days earlier. I've definitely been feeling the increase in the intensity of the training. I'm just hoping that it's going to pay off sometime.

Anyway, it was too late to think about anything now. I dropped my jacket in the car and started the session with the others. I attacked the first hill forcefully, but not too fast. Thierry was just alongside and Nico wasted all his energy providing running commentary. "Be careful James, Thierry is 20cm behind you and moving fast" etc, etc, ad nauseum. I felt easy for at least 200m up the hill and then the thighs began to tighten. What had previosuly felt easy became a slog, legs were hard to lift, and feet dragged. Nico, Thierry, Jérémie and Jean-Marc left me here and I struggled to the top of the hill as the wind started blowing directly into my face. A huge relief to get to the top and to press the lap button - 2:02.

Recovery down the hill before attacking the next hill: a short sprint to the top of this one before coming back down again. José comes past me here and this is the last that we see of him as he reduces his recoveries and pushes on. Thierry, Jean-Marc, Jérémie and Nico are just in front and Mireille is just behind me and it stays like this for the rest of the session. It's only on the downhill section and then the flat around the lake that Mireille pushes me, threatening to overtake. I manage to hold her off, especially on the far side of the lake where the grass is longer and wetter and the going tougher.

We do 3 loops and my leg muscles ache, my stomach muscles are tightening and I'm tired. We all feel the same and nobody has eased off. We warm-down chatting to Mireille and telling her how easy it must be for her: 30kg of weight less to carry around and a cross country race that is half as far in perspective. Piece of cake ...

15.5 km all up in 1:26. Tough going. Should be easier tomorrow, but I'll run over to the club to keep the distance up.

3 x 1500m + 1 x 600m

I managed to make it to the club session last night for the second time this week. It was a close run thing though - the motorway out of Paris was completely jammed so I had to carry on and use the alternative route, praying that no speed cameras were in my way. I rushed into the clubhouse when I arrived, only stopping to say hello to Gérald and a general hello in direction of the girls waiting by the radiator. I get changed and wait in the hall to listen to the instructions by coach Miguel and see Nico who I'd actually confused with the girls when I'd entered. Apparently, he's vexed by my accidental slight and announces that the fact that I've made it twice in the same week to a club session obviously indicates that I've been sacked!

A very good turnout for the evening with Nico, Gérald, Thierry, Mohammed, Jean-Marc, Bruno and all the women, including Laurence, Mireille, Pascales, Anne, Delphine, Christelle. We are given the plan for the evening: 3 x 1500m at 10km race speed and then 600m to finish at VO max all off 300m recovery.

We quickly run our warm-up as the rain is falling steadily now and the wind is most unpleasant and then head back to the track to begin the session. Thierry asks me if I'm feeling alright and if I'm ready to beat the chrono tonight. He knows that I've targeted him as the man to beat for the cross-country and this has boosted him to show that he's not ready to lie down just yet! I'm uncertain of how the intervals are going to go and who I'll try and stay with to run them regularly. I tell Nico that I'm aiming for 3:40 pace which equates to 5:30 per 1500m. He's aiming for 5:15 pace so I'm unlikely to be able to stay with him for long on each one. Momo is in a league of his own at around 3:10 pace and Jean-Marc and Gérald will be close to Nico. That leaves Thierry, Mireille and a new guy, Robin to place.

I set off on the first interval just behind a trailer, Laurent, and since no-one else looks eager to go to the front I push the pace a little and take the lead. This doesn't last more than 400m as Momo comes flying past and then Nico, Gérald, Jean-Marc and Thierry follow. I maintain a constant pace, not trying to follow them and explode and finish this first interval in 5:13. That was tough already, now we have to go again after 2:45 of rest. The second interval is a lot harder and I count down the distance left to be run. After the first 300 metres, I'm already aching and a lap later I feel like dropping out. The last lap is a killer with the lactic acid rising through my legs, tying up my thighs and making me feel as though I'm running in a swimming pool. Nico, Gérald and Thierry have been ahead from the start and Momo starts later so that he can chase us down. My only consolation is that Jean-Marc is closer on this interval and must be tiring slightly. I finish in 5:19. I'm shattered now and wonder how I'm going to manage another. Even the thought that it's the last 1500 is no consolation.

It takes 3 minutes to run 300m for the recovery now and we start again. The others leave me immediately and I try to find a rhythm that will let me get to the end of the distance without collapsing. Mireille and Miguel go past me after 200m and I try and hold on to them. They stay just ahead and we continue to run like this until 1000m when Miguel drops out leaving me with Mireille. Try as I can, I just can't stay with her and a small gap appears. I think about giving up and dropping out as my legs are numb. 400 metres to go and I'm just trying to contain the pain and coasting, incapable of increasing my effort. Hit the final straight at last and finish in 5:25. Thank god for that.

Everyone is tired now and there's still the 600m to be run at full pelt, VO max speed. Sod that I tell myself, I'm just trying to survive. We start and my male pride kicks in and I refuse to let Mireille get past me this time. Momo and Gérald have gone off like bullets and I can see them streaking away from me. Tough, and I hit 200m and tell myself that there's only a lap to do. All thoughts about a full blown sprint to the end remain just that : thoughts. My legs are shot, not so much with the lactic on this interval but the after-effects of the previous 3 intervals. Mireille is still on my shoulder and as I enter the last 200m, I up the ante and push the pace just to discourage her from coming past. This works and I can't hear her behind me any more. 100m to go and it's the sprint, suing my arms to power me down the home straight. Miguel encourages me on, from the sidelines and I finish in 2:00 dead.

A warm down and the session is over. 12.5k in 1:07. A very hard session, on top of the tough session on Tuesday. Legs are aching like hell today. Cross-country training tomorrow should be fun! Thierry finished ahead of me yesterday and was running well. I have improved tremendously since last year and am looking forwards to these next races where I think that I have a good chance in the mud against him.

24 x 200m intervals

Made it to the club session and there was a good turnout : Nico, Gérald, Bruno, Jean-Marc, Romain, José and the surprise return of Régis (Crossman!). Laurence was well acompanied with the women too: Pascales (E and A), Anne, Delphine, Christelle, Aude amongst others.

The programme for the evening, announced by Miguel, was 3 blocks of 8 x 200m off 100m recovery and 300m between blocks. We ran our warm-up around St Germain, chatting with Régis, who has only just come back from a back injury to be able to run again after 6 months, and so won't be running races for a little while yet. On arrival back at the track, we ran a few straight lines before getting down to business. I knew I wasn't capable of leading and I tucked in behind Jean-Marc, Nico and Romain on the first series, before Jean-Marc dropped behind me on the second series (returning from injury too) and finishing in the same configuration at the end.

The splits were as follows:

36, 38, 38, 38, 38, 38, 37, 37
37, 37, 37, 37, 38, 38, 38, 38
38, 37, 38, 38, 38, 38, 38, 37

So I was very constant and my recovery times were constant too at around 40 seconds from the beginning to the end.

Really pleased with the session as it shows my shape as being pretty good when I compare these times to where I should be in terms of VO max performance.

Laurence ran with Pascale around the track and she looked good too, churning out 2 blocks of 8 x 200m intervals at around 43 -44 second pace. A little more race practise and she'll soon be flying.

15km all up in 1:20.

Early start

Another year, another early start. But I'm starting the year as I intend to continue, and building up the weekly mileage is essential. I managed 77km last week which is probably just above my average weekly mileage, but a target of around 90km per week would be ideal.

It was just below freezing when I set out and there was a good layer of frost covering the ground. Still as black as night at this time in the morning but no wind and the weekend revellers had all left town.

I ran my standard route down by the river and towards Maisons Laffitte. As I passed in front of the castle and then some small blocks of flats towards the racecourse, I heard a cock crowing coming from the flats. This isn't the first time that this has happened but it made me wonder what sort of person keeps a cockerel. Despite the fact that this bird is the national emblem of France, why on earth do people keep this fowl ? As a pet, or rather to cook the thing should the occasion arise ? What on earth do the neighbours feel about a cock crowing every morning at 6:10 am outside their windows ? Do you need a permit from the townhall for the noise ?

Wondering about all of this took my mind off the running and the slow pace that I was able to manage this morning. The legs were heavy, I was tired and running was hard work after feeling great this weekend. It was only after 8 or 9km that I began to feel slightly better and warmed-up. This used to occur after 5k so I hope that this isn't a sign of things to come.

10.3km in 48:26 or 4:42 per km. It's Monday morning so things can only go better from here on.

Looking back at 2010

It's that time of the year when everybody looks back at the year past and reflects on what could have been, what worked and what to improve on in the future. Who am I to argue with the majority and if you can't beat them, join them and so here's my summary of the year.

Best race:

No doubt about it - Toulouse marathon was my best performance of the year. A day when everything went right and I felt good from beginning to end. If every race could be like this, I'd be the happiest runner in the world.

Worst race:

Low point of the year was pulling out of Fontenay 10km race in May when I was overtaken by Nico. First and last time that I've pulled out of a race and I'm not proud.

Achievements :

I've managed to achieve 2 of my objectives that I set at the beginning of 2010: marathon objective of under 2:55 and half-marathon of under 1:22:30 which I managed in Rambouillet. I also managed to set some new PBs for 15km, half-marathon and marathon. I could also include the 18:19 time I managed in Malakoff for a 5km race but I'm not sufficiently proud of this result to include it in my achievements when I set myself the unannounced objective of beating 18 minutes. I achieved two podiums with a victory in my age category for the 6,4km road race at Achères in June and a third place for my 5 km race in Kansas in the Summer.

Races :

20 races in all in 2010 : 2 x 5km, 1 x 6,4km, 3 x 10km, 3 x 15km, 1 half-marathon, 2 marathons, 3 cross-countries, 3 trails and 2 ekidens. A special mention for the ekidens which I really enjoyed. Running is mostly a solo occupation, between you and the watch but every now and then you have the opportunity to form a team and it changes the game completely. Will try and do more of these in 2011.

Hottest race - A divine run, Kansas in July. 29°C and humidity over 80% for a race that started at 7:30 am! Had grand ideas about beating 18 minutes for the 5km before I ran in these conditions.

Coldest race - Foulées de Malakoff in February. -2°C and a wind harsh enough to freeze your eyeballs in 2 minutes. Did not want to take my jacket off before starting this race. Didn't hang around at the end either!

Objectives for 2011 :

I'm going to maintain my 2010 objectives for 10km (36:30), 15km (57:00) and 20km (1:17) and add an objective for 5km of 17:45. My half-marathon objective is to beat 1:21 and marathon 2:50. These last 2 are looking tough as according to McMillan they're both better achievements than running a 36:30 10km.

Challenge :

Well the gauntlet has been thrown down for Nico and I'm waiting now for validation of our races for this year. The idea is to cover a broad a band of races as possible from 5km to the marathon. The points scoring is still being debated as counting victories is not enough but the quality of each race has to be considered. Any ideas are welcome and will be debated ...

So that's a summary for the year past and a quick look forward to this coming year. I'm excited already and I'm convinced that I'll be better this year than last. Should be good.

Sunday club session

In order to boost my mileage, I ran over to the Sunday club session today from Le Mesnil. I didn't have much time as I was not too eager to get out of bed this morning, and by the time I left the house it was 8:35 and I only had 25 minutes to run the 5km through the forest before the session started.

The legs were tired after yesterday's effort and although I was telling myself to take it easy, I was running even slower than I thought: 5:15, 5:10 and then 4:58 through the forest before I began to warm up. Having got to the club, I was pleased to see a really good turnout with Nico, Gérald, Thierry, José, Laurent, Bruno, Philippe and numerous women: Christelle, Pascale E, Pascale A, Murielle, etc. We even had a surprise guest when Jennifer Tave, over from California for the holidays turned up to participate. She took part in Houilles last weekend to finish 6th woman in 35:26, so a very capable runner.

The plan was to run towards Maisons Laffitte and the bumps before starting a series of 30/30 intervals for the keen runners, while tose recovering from an excess of alcohol on Friday night were given an easy recovery run instead. We started theseries of 12 intervals at the top of the bumps and I was neck and neck with Nico on the first 2 intervals before losing a little ground. José ran with Nico from this point on and I stayed with Thierry, determined not to let him gain a mental advantage before the first cross-country race in a couple of weeks time. We were running the intervals around 19km/h and although the first seemed easy by the time we hit double figures, I could feel the lactic rising in my legs. Gérald had decided to be chivalrous and was running with Jennifer just behind on this series, rather than assuming his usual position at the front of the pack.

We ran back to the clubhouse and I asked Jennifer about her usual training schedule: 120km per week on average, with some serious interval sessions, recovery runs and a long run on Sunday after the races on Saturday. A fairly gruelling schedule, but there's no secret: if you want to be good, you need to train hard and put in the distance. This is what this year's has in store for me as I try and improve my training quality and quantity. She also told me that following her excellent run in Houilles, the organisers had the cheek to call her up the next day and to ask her if she was sure she'd run 3 laps instead of 2!! They also asked her if she'd lent her chip to a male runner. All of this because she managed to beat a good number of female runners who'd been paid to attend by the organisers.

I ran back from the clubhouse to home with Nico. We celebrated our fine shape at the moment by taking it easy running the last 5 k with the following splits: 4:59, 4:24, 3:58, 4:23, 4:02 ! So much for an easy jog back home.

26.4km all up in 2:12 or an average of 5:02 per km. Good run and great to get the distance in. I'm feeling very good at the moment with plenty of energy and the desire to push it during the sessions. Long may this last.

New Year's Day

Laurence and I got up relatively early (9:00am) despite having made it to bed at 3:00am after a good evening out to welcome in the New Year. Le Mesnil le Roi made it into the national news too when 3000 ravers descended on the town for a New Year's party in the maze of underground passages dug out by the Germans in the second World War under the town. They were stopped by the firemen since the generators they were using were creating high levels of carbon monoxide in the tunnels. almost had a disaster on our hands. As we drove back from our evening out, we came through town and have never seen so many people before. The police had already arrived by then and there were a few arrests for drunk and disorderly acts.

So, we set off early-ish the next morning and passed the remnants of the disbanded rave party as they began to head home. We picked up Brigitte and I ran the first 4 kilometres with Brigitte and Laurence at an easy pace towards Cora. I left them after this start with the intention of running around Cora, while they were to cut back up to Pavillon de la Muette, thereby cutting out 2km of the course, and I would catch them after this.

I set off at a nice trot, mainly to impress the girls, and covered the next few kilometres at marathon pace: 4:18, 4:11, 4:09, 4:06. I then ran into (literally) Sylvie, one of the best V2 (50-60 category) runners in the area, who ran the next 2.5km with me as I tried to catch up with Laurence and Brigitte. We ran these in 4:12, 4:15 and 4:10 which was quite impressive since this includes the long uphill section to Pavillon de la Muette. I often see Sylvie training early in the morning in Maisons Laffitte so it was nice to catch up with her and to have a chat together. I finally caught Laurence and Brigitte just after this section and we ran the last 5.5km home together.

Nice day. Not too cold but still larges patches of snow left in the forest which was surprising since all the snow around the roads has long since disappeared.

16.6km all up in 1:23 or an average of 5:03 per km.