Training : Bywell

Sunny Running by the Tyne

I've said before that running on the flat is harder than uphill and way more than downhill (my favorite) but this morning's training down by the Tyne at Bywell was glorious. The sun shining, the birds singing, dogs barking... You get the picture. When the weather is like this, cold mind you, the running seems all that easier even though the effort isn't. We were trying to get the speed up and doing 2.5 mile stretches at 10k race pace inter-spersed with steady sub 9 min miles and the odd sprint. It still seems we're catching up after the extended Christmas break. Yes I know it's nearly March already but the break, the weather and just lately the job just hasn't let me find the consistency I need.

Rain stops play

The River Tyne

River Tyne, Hexham

Trying something new, embedded video clip of the river just below the bridge at aHexham after considerable overnight rain. The power and the noise of the flow was considerable and a huge contrast with the conditions seen last week when the rowers were out on the water and the sun was shining.

The weather this weekend is mixed at best with a big anticyclone over the North Sea dumping hige amounts of water all over the north of England. Staying indoors catching up with work seems like a reasonable option.

Downtime

Getting The Sunday Papers in

Hagg Bank Bridge

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Taking a 9 mile walk just to get the papers in seems a little excessive perhaps.

There's a good description of the Hagg Bank Bridge over on Cycle-Routes.org and yes it does look like The Tyne Bridge, that's because it was the predecessor of both the Tyne Bridge and the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia.

Training : Tyne Green

Bankside along the Tyne

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Tuesday, back running out with the pack, we're short on numbers as it's still half term. Running out of Hexham, west alongside of the river Tyne is especially beautiful this time of year. Sandwiched between the river and the Golf Club the route follows the trail eventually turning left (south) and crosses the A69 before pulling up the steep and unrelenting hill towards 'Low Gate'. Why Low when it's the highestpoint for miles?

Now it's across fields now lush with grass, before the 1st cut silage due late May i.e. any time now. Through the woods than back to the road for the final down hill dash back through Hexham to the leisure centre.

7 miles, plus an extra half warm up which makes all the difference to both the performance and the sense of satisfaction at the end. 6.8mph moving average 5mph overall; not a bad evening out. This is the reverse of this route.

Running : Not Singing

Tuesday and its raining

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Tuesday evening and for the first time it's really raining, actually it's heaving it down. Funny though the pain in the legs, before they warm up and the gasping for breath is just the same as every other time, just wetter.

The run tonight took us up north of Heham to Acomb. I really am beginging to see more of this county that I have ever done in the time I've lived here. I just wish I wasn't quite so knackered so I could take it all in.

As usual the run is a mix of trail, fields and forest or woodland tracs and a long road run back into Hexham. At about 6 miles I'm still raring to go an my liking for long down hill runs pushes me out front runnin hard for the leisure centre. The steam rises from all who dare to hang about outside in the car park in the drizzle.

Postscript, Chris made it around the London Marathon, 3:50 well done!

The Analytics

Some further geeky analysis of the training run from the GPS data. It may be a little too much for some of you, especially those who practice running on the flat but to me wher the problem and achievment is the hilly bits this profile stuff is a true indicator of the level I'm at.

THe route profile using STM data from 'best source'. compare that with live data from my own GPS device.

The route profile using GPS acquired data.

The rate of climb x distance for the route

The speedacross the route

The speed x distance for the route

Hexham: Runnin around and up and down

Early evening and off road

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Another great but hard training evening out with the crowd from Hexham. It's amazing what running in a group does for motivation and determination. After such a bad couple of days over the weekend this was sooo much better.

Training : Flat Out

Along the flat

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Wracked with pain and not just in my ankle. This was supposed to be a longer distance training run in an attempt to get the stamina built up for iROC. In the end it was painful and demoralising and my bloody ankle hurts still.