Midweek sessions

After the 10k on Sunday it was a quick return on Tuesday evening to the sports village track. Again a large turnout from the members and lots of confidence after a weekend of good results in various events. Today's session was to be a very quick 400m lap and a 100m jog with a short rest after every three. I tried to push myself a little more to get in as many as I could and got to 15 which I was happy with, a very tough session but hopefully we will all feel the benefit in the next few weeks.

Thursday evening as usual started from Nunthorpe sports club heading down to the grove besides Stewart park. An unusual warm up run found us all in total darkness in the short cut through to the grove. After a short run to the end of the grove to retrieve the others I did a few lengths of the grove at a strong pace. I've always liked training on the grove with the steady gradient it's a good test and always used to enjoy it as an alternative to the track when I first joined NYMAC. 

Yorkshire coast 10k

after my recent long distance runs I've pretty much decided long is best (pun intended) and I'm better at runner slower long distance events so today's Yorkshire coast 10k will probably be my last 10k road race for a while. I've not had the best of years pace wise so I have nothing to lose today and pretty much decide to "give it a go". I last did this race two years ago when I was first starting out and I'm sure it was my first race as a NYMAC runner, I was around 53 minutes that day so I'm sure I will beat that. This race has a very narrow start so getting to the front is essential and luckily today we manage that with a sneaky leg over a barrier. Plenty of NYMAC runners in the starting pen and before we know it were off and running. This route is an out and back along Scarborough sea front and is pretty flat but unfortunately today the winds are against us on the outward leg and it feels like hard work heading into the north bay. At the 5k turning point I got to see the other NYMAC runners who were all looking strong. Heading back the winds were a welcome breeze on your back and I felt very comfortable coming back through the sea front crowds. I managed to finish in under 47 minutes which was the fastest I've managed all year so I've got to be pleased with that and I feel I'm heading back towards where I was last year.

Track training

Whilst marathon training I was watching the ever growing numbers attending the clubs Tuesday track training sessions. Finally with this Sunday's 10k race in mind I thought I'd have a go and try and recover some speed that seems to have disappeared this year. As has become the norm there was a huge turnout from our members and after a short warm up jog we stepped onto the track in large numbers. Tonight's session was 800m legs at 10k pace. The faster runners of the club were planning on doing 10 legs and had planned to do the minimum 6. I quite enjoyed the session and managed to do 8 at a reasonable pace without any problems. Overall it was nice to get on the track again and I will probably attend again in the near future.

Acklam XC

taking part in the Acklam cross country a week after my first ever marathon was probably not the best idea I've ever had. Even in the short warm up we managed I could tell things were a little slow and once the whistle went it didn't get much better. Both Chris and Mark were always just ahead of me so I can only assume they were struggling as much as I was bu t at least they were ahead of me. On a positive note I did manage to get going in the final lap and felt quite towards the finish but probably expected after trying for a twenty six mile race recently. From a NYMAC point of view it was easily the best member turn out for any cross country meet I've ever attended and everyone seemed to enjoy it. Let's hope they all attend next time at Whitby.

Cross country

This weekend sees the start of the cross country season, his weeks event is at Acklam grange. I really enjoy the cross country as it's a welcome break from all the road running we do all year round. I have done fairly well in cross country events until recently, these sort of races are a good leveller. After last weeks marathon I'd be surprised if my legs lasted the whole 10k with some nice hills thrown in but it will make a good training run and also another opportunity to put on the NYMAC vest which I love doing. There are a few new members trying cross country this week so it will be good to see how much they enjoy it.

Back to the norm

The next few days after my longest ever run I felt ok, wouldn't say the same for my legs, they Knew  they had gone a long way and were not going to let me do anything for days. Keen to get moving again with the cross country season and the Yorkshire coast 10k inside the next ten days it was back to a normal NYMAC session for the first time in weeks. Paul's sessions have gone down really when since he took over and tonight there was again a large number in attendance. As we headed off on our warm up run to the cycle path my legs started to feel human again. Once at the path and few leg stretching strides later we found out the hills rep location had been claimed the session changed to one mile loops with a short rest between. I managed a full mile rep at a decent pace but the second soon had me slowing down and I used the third as a steady plod as my legs were feeling the miles from 4 days earlier. Overall an enjoyable session and it's good to catch up.

Yorkshire Marathon

After weeks of training through all types of weather it's finally arrived. Almost a year ago I remember being nervous about whether or not I could complete the Great north run, I've completed it twice now so the Marathon is the next challenge upwards.
We manage to get a seat on a mini bus arranged through friends of Chris, it's nice to not to worry about driving there and finding parking etc, I've enough to worrry about today. Were dropped off literally on the course and have to walk up to the university campus where the event is staged, what's most notable for me is how much of a uphill trek the finish line is, not what you want to see after 26 miles of  running. Once inside the campus we bump into the other club members taking part today, most are looking relaxed and ready, more than I am anyway. Simon, Mark, Catherine, Richard and Jack are here and after wishing them well it's time to head to the start.
Both Chris and I agreed a few weeks ago the best way for me to see out the distance was to try and stick to 10 min miles, that's the plan anyway. The race starts and finishes on the same road so the uphill finish I mentioned earlier is also a downhill start which doesn't help runners who are constantly reminded not to go off too quickly, we were passed by so many runners inside the first mile but we had a plan and had to stick to it. Just before reaching York Minister we reached another club member Richard Coates who was also running his first marathon. After the large crowds in the city the country lanes were a lot quieter and it was nice to get into a steady rhythm knowing it's a long way to go. Our pacing was going well and with gel and water on board we reached the first of two out and back sections, Stamford bridge. There was a huge crowd here with loud music playing and I got a little carried away by speeding up a little, after a reminder from Chris we settled back into pace and headed out again into a long drawn out uphill section which wasn't helped by the fact the sun had now appeared and the day was warming up.
Once passing the half way marker it was noticeable how many runners were now struggling and were now walking, you could certainly tell who had put in the training miles. The second out and back section was a long drawn out 3 miles starting around 17 mile marker. This seemed a good time to look out for the others passing on the other side and also helped pass some time away, we managed to spot Catherine and Mark who looked comfortable and when we were coming back up we also spotted Richard again. After the busy out and back section the course turns back towards the city from the 20 mile marker, this was now unknown territory to me as I have never ran past 20 miles before but hopefully the holding back in the early miles would help me through. A lovely quiet stretch through some small villages passed away the miles and it was now noticeable that we were passing lots of runners who were walking and hardly anybody had passed us for a long time. By this stage there were plenty of runners who were struggling and several were receiving ambulance treatment.
By 23 miles my legs were very tired but Chris was still going well and it was trying to stay with him that kept me going as we headed into town. In the distance I could see the petrol station we had passed at the start so I knew we were almost done with just the uphill section to go. I had to dig deep to get up the hill but once over the brow and passing the 26 miles it was all downhill and suddenly the  legs come back alive again for a comfortable jog over the finish. Our average pace for the whole run was 9:51 min miles which was quicker than planned and it found me out in the latter stages but we were never in trouble at any time and I'm more pleased of the fact we ran every step of the course which was our aim. Although Chris was comfortable he never left me behind which helped me keep going and it was great to finish together.
We managed to catch up with most of the others afterwards who had all done brilliantly well and were very pleased with themselves. York was a great marathon and one I will do again someday.

London ballot

All over social media it's been non stop this week of the result of the London ballot. I did enter the ballot and like most wasn't surprised when I didn't get drawn in fact I've only spoken to one member who is actually in, well done Paul. October seems to be the time to make plans for target races and fit some nice races around them, make sense to me and at least you have a few nice races to look forward to which I think you do when your not in as many as others. I've got a few races in mind but I think I will see how Sunday goes first to decide any future plans.
There are a few others running the marathon Sunday and they have all worked hard to get to this point and I wish them all the best with what they hope to achieve, and me, I just want to cross that finish line!

Slowing it down

Tuesday evenings regular meeting place for NYMAC members has in recent weeks stated to become a little busy, regular planned sessions and a new hunger to the training is attracting large numbers to the club nights and tonight is no exception, sadly for me the club sessions are again not an option as we are still taking it easy ready for the weekend. Tonight we ended up running a reverse tees Pride 10k route and are joined by Dave and John who are relaxing after good results at the Redcar half last week. The pace seemed to be a little fast for my liking initially but it soon calmed and was pretty much perfect by the end. This run will probably be my last now before York as I need to rest these legs.

Redcar half marathon

Seems a little strange to discuss the Redcar half this morning as I didn't actually take part. After a lot of thought I decided it best that I didn't enter with the marathon a week away. The race is very popular amongst NYMAC runners and for many it's a highlight of the year. The race had already set off when I arrived so my first glimpse of NYMAC vests were when the runners returned to Redcar for the first time after the excitement of the trunk road. Looking very quick up front was James and Paul then a large group followed with Phil, Darren and Jack all going well. Many more NYMAC vests streamed through after and most had time for a wave on our unofficial NYMAC supporters corner. I moved further up the road for the final return of the runners who had all run fantastic races and it was good to be able to put a few faces to names. NYMACs James Fahey finished sixth overall and Paul and Phil not much further behind. Plenty of PBSs behind them including another club record from Laurence and another PB from Dave Robinson. From a personal point of view i actually enjoyed watching the race which I didn't think I would as I wanted to run especially as I enjoyed the race last year but I have a bigger target to aim for this week so some things have to give.

Cold mornings are back

After a few weeks away I returned to Stewart parkrun for a planned gentle jog around catching up with some familiar faces. This week I drove to the park as I wasn't planning to do many miles this week. Stepping out of the car was a little reminder that summer is over and them fresh Parkrun mornings are back, must remember my gloves next time!
Numbers seemed down this week probably due to tomorrow's Redcar half and the fact that yet another parkrun has begun in Middlesbrough. I think it's now five parkruns inside a ten mile radius, very strange. The run itself went to plan and was very enjoyable and best of all, no aches or pains to report, well no more than usual.

Nymac thursdays

 Under the new coaching plans set up by the club this weeks Thursday session was a tough hill reps session. As it's Redcar half this weekend and York next week quite a few members were taking it easy this week. I was just planning a slow 10k so made an offer of anybody wanting to do the same could join me. After arriving at the squash club it's noticeable how many more members are taking part in the sessions at the moment which is great to see. About a dozen or so chose to take the route I was doing although they all completed it quicker than me?  Suppose everyone prepares in there own way.

Last long run

after months of training we come down to the last long run of the schedule, it's two weeks until York and we're about to cover a distance I have never tried before. I chose Redcar sea front as today's location as next weekend it's the Redcar half which Chris is taking part in and secondly because it's the flattest place I could think of,no hills at last!
We set off on a misty damp morning determined to stick to the 10 minute miles plan we have decided on to get me through the distance of the marathon. After a short visit to marske and back then a boring stretch of the trunk road a quick visit to the Locke park loo was in order. With things a little more comfortable now we had along the prom for another visit to marske with things going well. Into miles 18+ we were into unknown territory for me but we have trained well recently so I had to trust my legs. Into the 20th mile I actually started to feel comfortable again, wether it was the thought of the finish I don't know but was pleased to feel as well as I did when we completed the 20 miles.
Very pleased now it's out of the way and a great confidence boost, taper time now!

Finishing touches

with the NYMAC training going from strength to strength I'm still in the final weeks of my training plan so still not able to take part. Just over two weeks to go our latest run is a ten mile run around Nunthorpe. Half way around the run we pass the faster group who are on a tempo 8 mile run in The opposite direction, looking good and committed. I struggled through this run as I'd run 8 mile two days earlier but Chris seemed comfortable. We reached the squash club after 9 miles and after a quick chat it's club members Doug and Barry we set off on a cool down run passing the 6 mile group who were all looking happy in there steady pace. Roll on Monday when I attempt my longest ever run.

Autumn long run

there have been a few changes in NYMAC personnel in the last week or so, which I think take our coaching sessions in a new direction. The first of these sessions was Tuesday. As I had only run the great north two days earlier I wasn't ready to take part in the track session laid on by Paul but I was keen to meet up with the group to show my support. There was a great turnout for he session which is a nice boost for all involved.
After saying hello to the members I headed off on a short "recovery " run which was very much needed. Two days later it was back to the next of our training runs. Chris had arranged the route which involved double backs to save on carrying drinks and gels etc. Today's aim was to slow the pace right down and see if we can improve the distance. Just ten minutes into the run we were hit by a huge unplanned rainstorm which pretty much decided we were doing this run cold and wet, great!
After I few reminders we eventually got into the slow pace planned which really helped with the stamina side. Things were going well until around 12 miles when again the heavens opened and we were soaked for a second time. This was to be the last straw, soaking wet, cold and tired legs from the weekend meant we cut short around 14 miles, slightly less than planned but I nice confidence booster with the pacing feeling a lot more comfortable. With the longest training run up next week the pacing is now crucial to lasting the distance I have never covered before.

Great north run

The Great north run is not everyone's cup of tea as a race, the numbers are high, the entry fee is the highest of the year and with the start and finish 13 miles apart logistically a pain. Last year was my first year of entering and was my first ever half marathon, it was a little bit of a shock the whole day but this year I feel a lot more prepared.
Sensibly we park at South Shields and take a packed out metro to Newcastle giving us plenty of time to queue for toilets and baggage buses, once organised, a nice stroll down to the start line to relax and spot a few minor celebrities who have somehow managed to blag a nice front block start!
A big positive from last year is that you only have to be in your starting area ten minutes before the start, this means less standing around in a cramped area, not good before your about to run for nearly two hours!
Seven minutes after the official start we manage to actually cross the start line and it's soon nice to be  out in the open roads until the crowding of the Tyne bridge. As usual the crowds are huge through Gateshead and it's a nice boost early on when your just finding your pace. Obviously I have trained and prepared for this years run than last but was still finding i kept holding back to make sure I lasted the distance. I felt comfortable most of the way round even the long uphill section through South Shields where most runners get found out. I crossed the line in 1hr 48 which was around 30 seconds slower than last year but I had plenty left in me and probably could have ran some more which is more pleasing than the time. Chris, who I have been training with got a huge PB which was pleasing after running the training miles with him.

Midweek long one

Normally doing a long run four days before the great north run would be out of the question for me but as we are now inside the last month before York there's a lot more miles needed to cover. A very carefully thought out ten mile route is planned which includes minimal hill running and a nice downhill section in Ormesby. A late start meant our last few miles were in the evening darkness, the first time for a while, we have become so used to long runs in the warm sunshine that it takes a while to adapt again to night time running. Time to dig out the bright tops and head torches.

Tees Pride

Tees Pride is one of my favourite races of the year, nice and local with a great crowd both participating and spectating. I only decided to enter at the last minute this year as it's very close to next weeks Great north run but I couldn't miss it. As per most years there's a huge entry from NYMAC with over 50 members taking part. The race itself didn't quite go to plan, I felt quite tired and was struggling from the water station just past half way. I backed off a bit for the end of the race and jogged up the longer than you think home straight past the finish line. I was quite frustrated with myself and looking back didn't enjoy the race as much as I normally do. I was only 40 seconds or so behind the recent Darlington 10k time but I was really disappointed with my effort because I know I could do better. Looking back, yesterday's Parkrun probably didn't help and I won't make that mistake again.

Tees Pride eve parkrun

With it being Tees pride tomorrow normally I wouldn't have ran today but as I have missed a week I decided I was going to do some slow pacing. I requested 28 mins so it would be nice and steady for me to get going again. Most of the run went to plan until I forgot the course seems to be measuring short nowadays so I had to slow down towards the end, my official time was 27:50 so job done. I was thanked by two runners after the event for helping them towards a time they were after so I suppose it was worth while.

Tom Wall relays

It was our clubs second relay event of the summer this evening and again extremely popular with the event sold out. Our main organiser Eddie again asked me to video the start of the event for some publicity. I decided I was going to video as much of the event as possible and create a short highlights video, it's not something I've done before but overall I think it worked well. Back to the event the evening all went as planned with some great running performances including a few new course records, running on Teesside seems to be as competitive as ever. Post run there was another great performance from Mark and Paul to get the results out quickly and accurately. Well done NYMAC

Post festival run

After a weeks "rest" at my third festival of the summer I was keen to make up for lost time, tonight's planned run was already a day later than I'd hoped but nevermind. The plan was to run around 13 miles but I knew once I got running that was always going to be tough. After only 5k I felt so tired and sluggish that it was a battle to keep moving. A slight detour finding a nice downhill section got me moving again and I started to win the battle. I managed to get in 10 miles which I'm pleased with in the circumstances. Onwards and upwards.

Parkrun Saturday

After a tough long run during the week I gave my legs a couple of days extra rest and made my next run An extended Parkrun. I like to have a nice warm up before parkrun I normally run to Stewart park or like on this occasion do a preview lap. It was a fairly mild morning but a strong headwind was going to make it a tough run for most. Quite a few NYMAC members around this morning and I decided to start the run at the back of the group with Mark Edwards. The first thirty seconds was almost impossible getting totally blocked I found myself walking, once out and frustration kicking in I found myself trying to make up time weaving through the field until I felt comfortable again. After the first lap I felt it was going well and pushed on. After passing the ponds into the trees I started to feel the long run in my legs from only four days ago but I don't feel it slowed me down too much even finding a little extra on the home straight. A later found out again I had recorded my fastest Parkrun of the year so far which is what I am hoping for each time. Three weeks till great north so the Parkrun will be on hold for a while now.

Long and steady

With just a full days rest after the weekends 10k race it was back to the long distance training with Chris. With both of us going away next week we were keen to get a long run in the bank so as it was Chris's route choice this week he decided on three laps of a 5 mile loop he runs from his house. I have done these loops before but only ever managed two in one go so the third was always going to push my limits. The first two laps were completed pretty well although quicker than we had planned, after a quick drink we headed out into the third. The third lap was inevitably slower and hard work, the scenery of Middlesbrough wasn't the best and I found this a tough mental test to get through. I found the last mile a tough one but managed to get through it. Didn't feel to great for a few hours after this run but I learnt a few things which is the point of training, right?

Darlo 10k

One of my favourite races of the year is the Darlington 10k, not only because it's where I come from but it's a great atmosphere on the whole route from start to finish. This is only my second 10k race of the summer so just hoping to improve on the first at Gateshead last month. Plenty of NYMAC runners spotted whilst having a warm up jog away from the crowds so expecting a big club turnout. On the start line with Chris we were joined by Mark Behrens who seemed to have similar hopes as Chris so it was no surprise to see them stay close together during the race. Things went well for me during the race with only a slight drop in my pace on the second lap uphill section. On the final long road back towards the town I could still see Chris and Mark in the distance so I knew I was doing ok. I finished really well into the town and was pleased to meet up with a group of club members. Most were very pleased with their times and plenty of PB's. It was good to see the newer members of NYMAC realising how much being with the club improves your times. My time was a minute quicker than Gateshead so heading forwards again now, back to longer distances as only four weeks to the great north run.

stewart parkrun volunteer

With it being Darlington 10k tomorrow I decided to volunteer at parkrun this week and got in early enough to bag my favourite role of timekeeper. The joys of being timekeeper means you can relax at the start line and have a chat with fellow club members. Because of tomorrow's race there were plenty of volunteers this week as many were saving there legs. My fellow timekeeper Nymacs Mark Edwards was saving himself for tomorrow's Hardmoors run, tough races them hardmoors and it's just as tough to actually enter them nowadays. We managed to pull off the timekeeping without any problems which cannot be said about the token scanners but we can only do our bit! NYMAC runners did well again at Stewart with Harry, Phil and Jack being 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Plenty of other good times from other members meant and enjoyable morning.

Darlo half marathon unofficial

Another Tuesday means two things, long run day and rain, seems to have rained on most of our long runs so far and today's weather doesn't let us down, absolutely chucked it down! Getting these two hour running slots are as hard as the actual run so rain or no rain it's off we go.
The first half of he run was a one lap run around the Darlington 10k course which is coming up at the weekend and then a long run through old parts of the town finishing with a few laps of the south parkrun. As well as miles in the legs these long runs are good learning sessions, today I learnt joggers nipple hurts! Carb gels don't always agree with you and Chris's over washed kit foams up in the pouring rain!
Despite running at a steady talking pace we manage the full half distance in under two hours which was very pleasing with the great north run less than five weeks away.

5th August - parkrun morning

A lovely warm morning helped me decide I was going to jog down to Stewart parkrun this week, it's a nice warm up run as it's mainly all downhill. Said hello to a few NYMAC members then found myself a nice spot in the rear of the start. Stewart parkrun is becoming very popular and the start is a tough first minute of a race where you can very easily get blocked which is exactly what happened to me on this occasion. Once out of the pack I settled well and felt pretty strong in the finish without pushing too hard. Afterwards I ran back with club mate Paul Bainbridge who had decided to run back the tough premier road route which is almost all uphill. A tough run back but was pleased when I reached the top and the miles were in the bag! When my Parkrun email came through it came with the good news that I had recorded my quickest time so far this year, nowhere near my fastest times but it's a good step forward at last.

3rd August - NYMAC training

It's not often I would run two days running but having missed out on the long run earlier in the week I was keen to get out again. Running up through Nunthorpe I realised that it was meeting time for NYMAC at the squash club so I went to say a few hello's and jog down with the group for company. Got chatting with Jim Robson who is a nice friendly chap and one of our few husband/wife couples in the club. Once arrived at the cycle path it turned out to be 1.4 mile loops they were doing which suited me that evening. Lots of new faces at NYMAC training in recent weeks which is good to see, unfortunately they all seem to be fitter than me at the moment, hopefully I can put that right in the next few months?

2nd August - tees pride loop

After leaving Butlins and dropping the family off  I headed off to another music festival for the weekend, my second of the summer so far! those that know me know how much I love music events. This festival is on the edge of the Lake District so it came as no surprise that the ground was very wet. The day I returned home was meant to be a long run day but tired legs from three days in wellies soon put paid to that. A couple of days later I was keen to run again so arranged a jog around the tees pride route to get the legs moving again. I felt ok and completed the 10k comfortably.

25th July - early morning run

school holidays have arrived which can only mean one thing, we're away from home again, this time Butlins near Skegness. Butlins is quite a scheduled holiday resort meaning trying to fit a long run in isn't easy. I decide early morning before breakfast fits in, probably my earliest and first run before I've eaten something. I left the apartment around 7am, pretty early for me but I found it very quiet and peaceful heading off towards Skegness town. It was around 3-4 miles to Skegness on a fairly straight road turning the run into an out n back. I felt surprisingly good considering I hadn't eaten. The last couple of miles were around the Butlins site, through a fun fair then amongst holidaymakers heading off to breakfast, i will see them there very soon!

Great north 10k

it was good to finally put on my NYMAC vest again as it's been a while since I had been in a race. I Had entered the great north 10k last year when I had ticked all the boxes when entering the great north run, whilst it's probably a race I wouldn't of entered it turned out to be a good tough race. Again this year I ticked the box to enter and then completely forgot I had until the last minute of entries, the downside of this I was given a green number which saw me placed in the third wave of starters. The positive side of being in the third wave was when crossing the start line there was a totally clear road ahead for the first 2k. The downside was catching up with the tailenders from the earlier waves and spending the last 3k having to weave in and out. The uphill finish they call "the slog on the Tyne" was a tough as I remember last year but this years warmer conditions found out a lot of runners, pleased to say I made it up all the way without stopping which I was pleased with. Overall I was happy with my run and it was good step forward to try and get back to where I was last summer.
What race is next?

Eston hills

for this weeks long run we had planned to get away from the usual rush hour traffic noise and head up  into the Eston hills. Heavy rain all afternoon meant an extra push was needed just to get out of the front door. Running from Nunthorpe up to eston nab meant nearly all of the first 6k was uphill, a nice reward at the top with a great view out to the sea at Redcar. The good thing about running so far uphill was a nice 5 mile run back all downhill. The longer distance runs seem to be going well so far.

Cleveland way relay

one of the best days on the running calendar is the Cleveland way relay event. Starting over in Filey at a crazy 5am the race follows the Cleveland way, all 110 miles of it to an evening finish in Helmsley. A team event where the distance is split into stages and a different member of the club takes a stage each. I was lucky enough to be able to run the final stage last year which turned out to be the wettest stage of the day, again this year I'm repeating the stage in much warmer conditions. My leg begins at the old Hambleton inn where I take over from Brian who like last year runs a fast leg before me. I have one of the easier legs of the whole route which means I can enjoy the fantastic scenery I get to run amongst. When entering Helmsley there's a good crowd waiting at the finish, which rather than the usual finish line is a small monument that you have to touch. Great effort by all over the day.
NYMAC had a second team in the event this year, a team of five who were training  for next months thunder run event which involves multiple legs over 24 hours. Hats off to Mark, Paul, Jon, Rich and Lucy as they looked very tired when I saw them.
Overall a great event which more members should have a go in, hopefully next year we can extend to another team?

Monday night fell club

For me, one of the main reasons for choosing NYMAC was to take advantage of running over the North York Moors that I'm so lucky to live beside.  NYMAC offer steady fell runs on a Monday evening aimed at all levels, there are regular stops to allow slower runners to catch up, these runs are on most of the year and are great fun in the darker nights when the headtorches appear. Although some of the uphill parts are hard work the views at the top are worth the effort alone.
As part of my return to some sort of fitness I joined in this weeks run which started from Bank foot which also happens to be the start of a NYMAC race later in the year called the uphill mile. On this occasion we didn't follow the uphill route as direct as we do on race day instead choosing a steady climb. Before we had even reached the top of our first climb we had already caught glimpse of one of the many deer we tend to see on these hills.
There were only the six of us out on this weeks run, many probably put off by the warm temperatures which did slow us down later in the run. Mark Brown had arranged the location this week, as he does most weeks, but it was Bryan Saysell and his friend and rival Clem who soon took over the "discussions" of where we were heading so we had a good tour of the moor before heading down the "uphill mile"
Monday night fell runs are a great start to the week and I highly recommend all members to attend a few over the summer months before trying out a head torch run.

Tees barrage parkrun

Saturday mornings are most weeks all about Parkruns, my last attempt at a parkrun before my festival  trip resulted in arriving late at Fountains abbey and been refused entry into the grounds!
This week with a weather forecast of rather warm temperatures I decided to attend Tees barrage Parkrun with Chris hoping there may be a slight cooler air coming off the river? How wrong we were! When your sweating during the warm up you know it's going to be a warm one and that's how it ended up. Tees barrage for those that haven't took part yet includes three bridges to cross which also includes stairways and ramps, just leading up to the third of the bridges I managed to almost fall when my ankle gave way on the pathway, luckily I stayed upright but it slowed me down for the rest of the run. With the heat rising by the minute it was a relief to see the finish line and I was very jealous of the black Labrador in front of me which jumped straight into the river for a cool down swim!

Thursday back to NYMAC

With my annual road trip to the Isle of Wight festival coming up I decided it would be a good time to have 10 days rest from running which my legs were in need of. As any of you know that's been to any festival, you spend a lot of time on your feet and a lot of walking around is needed so it wasn't a full rest period but my I did feel rested on my return. 

Thursday nights at NYMAC are always my favourite so it was nice to restart back there, this weeks session was again to be held at Flatts lane so after a steady uphill warm up run to the meeting point it was good to be running again. The session was two laps of the large outer loop including a tough hill which although good hill training is pretty brutal. On the first lap I managed to run most of the way up until the legs decided against it. On the second lap with tiredness kicking in I struggled to run up it and had to walk up most of it, although I don't mind walking at times when needed, I intend to run up this hill in the near future when a lot fitter.

Flatts lane is a nice session to do and is a nice change of scenery from the cycle path we generally have to use in the winter.

One thing I did notice at the session was the number of new faces, good to see.

NYMAC relays

It's not very often that I'm pleased to be not running but this evenings NYMAC relays was held on a very warm evening. The relays is a very popular event nowadays with all places sold inside 45 minutes a few weeks ago. Teams of four running a leg each of a mile lap of Stewart park. I ran in the event last year and although a mile doesn't sound too difficult throw in the fact your trying to run your lap as fast as you have ever done, there are many spectators watching and of course the difficult uphill finish, you can see why the event is as popular as it is.
NYMAC were represented by 8 teams this year including 2 ladies teams which is great to see and when one of the men's teams is announced third place overall it's a very popular result with the spectators.

Sewerby Hall

Tuesday evening was Chris's last long run before his Taper week leading up to Liverpool marathon next weekend. As I seemed to have done plenty of his long runs with him I headed out on the last one. Chris had worked out a 5 mile loop which ended near his house, the plan was to do 3 laps. On a warm evening the first lap Went with no problems. On the second loop we passed most of our fellow NYMAC runners outside Stewart park. The third and final lap was tough and I struggled to complete the third lap, though I was overall pleased to get close to 14 miles.
After a few extra days rest after the long run I found myself heading to Sewerby hall Parkrun as we were staying in a local holiday park for a couple of nights. Set in the grounds of the hall  this parkrun was a mixture of everything. The start line is exactly outside the front door of the hall and the first 3km heads out of the grounds towards the cliff edge above the beach and back again, on a warm morning the breeze was most welcome at this point although I can't imagine its very nice in the winter! After a run around the local cricket pitch we headed back into the grounds through the courtyards where it suddenly became a trail run through woodlands, down and up steps into narrow paths before heading back to the hall for the finish. Highly recommend this parkrun if your ever staying locally especially on a good weather day.

Locke parkrun

After a long week the chosen parkrun of the weekend was Locke park, redcar. It's been a few months since I was last here and it's also the home of my all time parkrun PB. The organisers have very kindly changed the entire route since that day so it's basically a whole new parkrun, so much that the route is now the opposite way around. The plan is to take it steady and get used to the new course which is pretty much is what happened. Unfortunately the new course misses out all the little bridges above the lake which is a shame as I felt it added to the character of the course but the new course is probably faster so expect some good times there in the near future.
After last weeks  pressure of making sure the online NYMAC relay sales went ahead with no problems I'm now looking forward to the event next week as it's becoming an extremely popular event.

Hardwick park

A quiet return to Parkrun this week as a last minute decision meant I was the only member to run the Sedgefield parkrun at the lovely Hardwick park. I have ran here on two other occasions, the Serpentine trail race and last years Neptune relay event, but I've never joined in the parkrun.

After a short delay at the start due to parking issues with the latecomers we were sent on our way round the small ponds heading towards the large lake, i felt quite comfortable early on but soon as we hit the open paths a cold headwind soon hit and I soon slowed down. After a nice winding route amongst the waterways in the park a short uphill path appeared ahead which took me by surprise as I hadn't read the course description. Overall a nice two lap 5k and one I will do many times again, hopefully next time on a warmer morning!

Midweek update

Finally got running again this week after a long weekend off. Tuesday evening brought another long run with Chris. I joined Chris in the middle of his 18 mile run and almost immediately found ourselves running up Gypsy lane, not a great way to start but good practice for the fell races as most of them start with an early climb! I managed over 11 miles which had a tough uphill slog back to home for most of the last mile. Whilst out on the run we passed club member Jim Robson who was going well the opposite way.
Today I've been finalising the entry system for the clubs relay race which opens for entries at the weekend.the relay is a popular event with all running clubs and tends to fill really quick. I won't be running this time as a fast mile is not my strong point so will put my services to better use on the night.

Some rest

Decided to have a few days rest from running meaning no Parkrun this week, kids had other ideas and i found myself in Jump 360 spending an hour on trampolines, needless to say legs feel a little stiff this morning!
Good luck all runners doing the May Day 10k down Tees Barrage.

Back to training

One of the running highlights of the week is Thursday training with NYMAC. Not only is it a good workout but also a chance to catch up with club colleagues who can't always get to training each week.
This weeks session, began as it does most Thursdays, from the Nunthorpe squash club down to Stainton way which is a nice steady paced 2.5km. Normally Peter is waiting here but this week no sign of him. Peters instructions were a 800m run then walk back 200m and run 600 back to start with a grateful 75 seconds rest. I got off to a great start on the first leg and run up the tough hill quite strongly before the walk back. Second set began well again and felt comfortable amongst the other runners, coming back after the walk I started to feel a little tired. On my third and final set I was much slower and could feel my legs tiring. Looking around me my club mates were putting some good effort into the session and overall it was a nice hour of running. Busy weekend ahead and a rest for my legs.

Bring back Spring

The weather seems to have gone back a few weeks today, a bitterly cold wind made life difficult on a steady run around the reverse Tees pride route. No NYMAC training tonight as I was still feeling the tough fell run on Sunday so I decided to give Chris some company half way through his 17 mile training run. Pace was slow as he had already covered 10 miles so it became a nice recovery run whilst battling the cold wind. Looking ahead for races I'm starting to prefer longer distances and if I want to run 5k I can enter a parkrun for free anyway instead of lining the pockets of Somebody, least I will know it's definitely 5k.

Marathon

Sunday evening was spent checking all club members finished the marathon safely, pleased to say that all completed and are in one piece and everyone did fantastically well. The Monday fallout after a televised marathon or Great north run is that everyone seems to think that they can run a marathon. Watching a race for a few hours is mainly all they see, what they don't see is those hours and hours of distance runs, mostly alone in crappy weather weeks and weeks ahead of the race. Long distance training can be very time consuming and fitting it around family and work time is probably as tough as running the race itself. Congratulations again to all that completed and even more for them weeks of training, you deserve a day or twos rest this week!

Gisborough woods

A perfect April Sunday morning and I find myself at Guisborough rugby club preparing for one of the toughest fell races on the calendar. Keen to make up lost time I've decided to take on the Gisborough moor anniversary race, a race that is over 12 miles in total and has a total climb of over 2000 feet!

After registering for my race number I notice several NYMAC fell race regulars, Brian Saysell is a machine on these hills, Mark Edwards is, like I've said before the man to follow as he always knows the way and of course Eddie is here to gain his points towards an inevitable club fell title. Before I head to the start I bump into Paul McGough who is always Eddies main title contender and a few other NYMAC members. 

Plenty of advice for the next two hours seems to be take it easy and save your legs! Advice taken on board as we set off into an immediate ascend high into Highgate woods, an area I don't know well. Before long were out into the open Moors were I actually get to do some running which set me at ease until randomly we come across club coach Peter with his ever growing collection of dogs. 

Once heading in the direction of captain cooks monument I started to recognise the area from a Monday night fell run I did over the winter, although that was in the dark and it was the wrong way!
The weather had brought out plenty of tourists and it was a bit of a battle to get down the stone path from the monument to Gribdale. A nice cool cup of water was a nice boost before climbing once again up to Newton moor and the highlight of the run, Roseberry topping. A brisk walk up the steps to Roseberry and I found myself amongst crowds of tourists taking selfies, finally spotting the checkpoint i was back running downhill, certainly my shortest visit to Roseberry. Little Roseberry certainly didn't live up to its name as found it a tougher climb due to the lack of stone footing.
The long exposed climb towards Highcliff was easily the warmest part of the day and a tempting offer of a beer from a family group almost halted my race there and then! Highcliff was not a place I had visited before but the stunning views demanded a small rest and look around to take it in.
All downhill from here through the woods only a slight slip on the muddy ground of any concern before back onto the road we started and a welcome finish line. Fell runners are a very friendly group with no mention of times or positions, everyone just seems to have enjoyed a run out in the amazing area we live. I'm very much looking forward to future Fell runs.

Marathon weekend ahead

Upon arriving at the club after my short jog up I was greeted by a large group of nymac runners, probably the most I've seen this year so far, nothing to do with the warmer weather I'm sure? This week we headed back to flatts lane country park which means a tough uphill two mile warm up run, it was nice to catch up with a few friends who I hadn't seen for a while before arriving at the meet up point. The session was pretty straight forward 800m reps on a gentle uphill section. I managed to do four before heading back the long way to the club. A pretty relaxed session after a tiring day. 

Quite a few of our members have headed off to London today, i wish them all the best as I've been watching closely how they have trained for future reference. They have worked hard and now is the time to enjoy the whole weekend and reap the rewards.

How many is too many?

just a quick look at the north east races website will show just how many races there are available to enter nowadays, on most Sundays there are several options at various distances and with running at an all time high popularity level there are now certain companies putting on races or series of races to simply make money. Don't get me wrong I like to enter a race as much as anybody but I like to pick and choose which events I enter so I can enjoy the build up, the race and most of all, the reward of finishing. We all want to do well when we run but I would take crossing the line having enjoyed my race than worrying about my time and more importantly my team mates times. I always want my club mates to do well, I spend my time doing my best in races, not looking to see which club mate I can finish ahead of next and anyone who wants to do this I have no time for.
When I ran in the Snake lane 10 back in February I was clearly going through a bad time carrying an injury, I finished the race in a quicker time than I should have under the circumstances as I felt I had to, I crossed the line with relief and not long after finishing I couldn't even stand, the first few members I saw asked how I was. Great feeling until the next one along asked "what was your time"
Anyone wants to know my times, follow me on strava!

A week of NYMAC

It's been a busy week which started with my first committee meeting on Monday. Unfortunately due to double booked rooms the meeting was a little louder than expected so a little frustrating but we managed to sort out a few issues. As part of my role I wanted to promote our public profile online using our public facebook page, after a few posts we attracted a new runner to the club so the page is already starting to work, more to come I hope?
Thursday came around again and I jogged up to meet up with club  members, this weeks session found us all heading out of Nunthorpe down to the large houses of  the grove. As ever we were greeted by Peter who eventually sent us off on a full outer Stewart park lap which is approximately 3k (I prefer km as it sounds more!). The faster runners did two laps but one was enough for me at a decent pace. I'm not normally one who goes looking for segments but strava mentioned I got a couple of PR on my lap so I seem to be moving in the right direction again.
Had a week away from Parkrun this week with the kids being off school but I did notice another record breaking week at Darlington with over 425 attending and that NYMAC runner Paul Darroch crossed the line first at Redcar.
NYMAC were out in force at the Mermaid 10k also, a big well done to all.

Quiet run through the parks

After last weeks rush hour run, this weeks long run was chosen to keep off the main roads as much as possible. After meeting up with Chris we headed to first stop Albert park, A great park on a parkrun morning with plenty of runners around, a little different on a midweek evening with large groups congregating in several areas. The plan was to do a couple of laps before moving on but this was cut short after one lap. Onwards through the delights of Middlesbrough before heading towards the start of tees pride and up through to the cycle track near to the Bluebell where the club hold several training sessions a year. Finally we arrived into Stewart park, in contrast to Albert there was not a soul to be seen which made it a lovely relaxing end to the run, with the sun starting to set it was time to head back. I had a much more comfortable end to this weeks run than last week and felt ok after running around ten miles. Chris did well also after running the Vale of York just two days earlier. A nice run but I think the countryside is a little easier on the eye for future runs than the delights of 'the boro!

Stewart park

A great NYMAC turn out for this weekends Stewart parkrun. I must of been keen to make up for lost time as I found myself in the car park at 8-15am, a little early. As I had time on my side I had a jog up to the volunteer area to say hello then headed off to do a warm up lap of the park. The weather was perfect, the overnight frost was melting fast and the sun was shining, even the ever friendly poultry at the large pond didn't bother chasing me this morning.
On the line at nine I spoke to several members, Paul Bainbridge who is finishing off his marathon training in time for his London visit in a couple of weeks, Paul's training has gone really well and I hope it goes great for him. Club secretary Catherine was also beside me at the start line, Catherine went on to be First Lady across the finish line in what was apparently her first Stewart Parkrun? NYMAC members fished first and second with Paul Lowe finishing ahead over the consistent Phil Jarvis. My run went ok, as usual at Stewart I went off too quickly and suffered in the uphill areas, I finished in 23:30 which I will take as an improvement from last week as Stewart is a tougher parkrun than Darlington. I noticed the total runners were only 2 off the record again this week, with several races happening over the weekend that's a great turnout.

Return to Nymac

decided today would be a good time to try and get back into the swing of  the NYMAC sessions which are offered to club members. These are mainly held Tuesdays and Thursdays. Not only are these a great help for races it's also a good chance to catch up with fellow club members.
The advantage of the Thursday session is it's not far from my house so I generally run up to the meeting point, this sounds straight forward but for some reason I managed to trip over for the first time on pathways, my pride hurt more than anything else so it was onwards to the club.
Several members were already at the club and a cheeky comment from Mark Brown made it soon feel like I'd never been away!
For today's session we were heading over to Flatts Lane country park which is a long uphill warm up run to get there avoiding the piles of horse crap and flying downhill cyclists. Upon arrival at the meeting point it was good to see club coach Peter hasn't lost any of his dry humour and we were soon on our way again. We were given a 3k lap to do which incorporated a tough hill, I'd already decided I was only doing one lap and at a steady pace. Overall it was a nice run through the park with plenty of hills involved which are always good for the legs. I'm sure we will be back again to the park in the near future.

Rush hour run

Finally I seem to be getting back to running regularly again and after Saturday their seems to be no problems. Tuesday tends to be my easy run day but as I find it easier to run with company, the offer of a run with NYMAC member Chris Ward is too tempting to turn down. Chris is marathon training for Liverpool in May so it was never going to be a short run. The plan was to take it steady and stop when tired legs take over, somewhere around 10k I expected. The early part of the run coincided with rush hour traffic, way too noisy for a relaxing run and crossing the roads were a task in themselves. The traffic only reminded me how much I'm looking forward to getting back on the moors soon. 

The light nights have certainly brought out the runners again and we passed several groups out training. The steady run turned into long run, as expected, with my tired legs giving up around 12 miles in I left Chris to finish off the last mile or so. It was nice to get some distance in again and hopefully I can now start to make plans for some more summer races.

Record breaking run

After last weeks return to Parkrun and a tiring midweek run in the sun I somehow ended up back at Darlington parkrun for a second successive Saturday morning. A lovely mild spring morning seems to have brought out all the regulars and more this morning, many are using parkrun as a distraction in the middle of their final long runs before London which is now only a few weeks away. My aim this morning is simply to get round and hopefully beat last weeks time. As the runners prepare at the start line it's very apparent that it's busier than normal. Not wanting to risk any trips I decided to move back in the group a decision justified as I saw one or two trips and near misses. Last week I took it easy on the first lap so I decided to give a little extra this time which went well. The second lap found the large field well spread out which gave the run a more relaxed feel, as per my last couple of runs I faded inside the last km but my first start had helped me to a time of 23:14 over 30 seconds quicker than last weekend! More importantly I felt no pain which gave me a big boost for the rest of the day.
My results email brought the news I expected, it was a record turnout at South Park of over 400 runners, parkrun continues to grow by the week.

Back to Parkrun

6th September 2014 was the day I ran my first Parkrun in Darlington, my time was 28:08 although at the time I was just relieved to complete it! 159 people ran that day. Fast forward to today and I'm back in South Park and pleased to say this time the running shoes are back on. After a plod on my treadmill a few days earlier I felt comfortable enough to have a run. Today there are 387 other runners taking part, the love of parkrun just continues to grow, I took it easy round the first lap then try a little harder for the second, three weeks without running takes its toll in the last lap and I fade getting passed by three finishers in the finish straight. Overall I was pleased with my 23:46 and it was great to be back amongst parkrunners again! Now let's see how the legs recover.

Planning races

Their seems to be more races than ever nowadays and it's too easy (and costly) to enter so many. Most of the bigger races seem to be full so far in advance that you have plan your whole year around them, not to mention the stress of online queues to get booked in them!
Like all members of NYMAC it's great to run in a race and represent our club in our club colours so I've been taking a look at future races. My long term plan is to one day run a full marathon, that was the plan for 2017 until this injury knocked me back, but until then I'm sticking to half marathon distance. I've been lucky enough to get a place in this years Great north run after running it for the first time last September, And also the 10k race that comes with it that finishes in the Gateshead stadium. I also enjoy the fell race season so will be looking to enter a few over the summer. I'm already entered in Darlington 10k, although not the best race out there it was nice to run around the streets I grew up in and the race headquarters, the Dolphin centre is where I worked for six years.

Weight watching

I don't know how many of my fellow club mates check the scales as often as myself but I'm a little obsessed with weight watching. In 2014 I reached a peak of 20 stone, this I'm not proud of but I managed to lose over 7 stone inside a year. It's hard at first to lose weight but once it became normal it became a lot easier. Having not being able to run for the last three weeks I've been walking a lot more to lose a few pounds that I had gained over the winter. This seems to be working well with the (almost) healthy diet I have. 

After another volunteer role at Stewart parkrun last weekend I'm hoping to take part this week, it will be nice to get moving again and hopefully start to look ahead.

Non runner

As I write this I'm about to start week 3 of  no running. Most of you will have had an injury in the past but for me in my short running life this is a first. Hopefully the resting alongside the excercise plan from my physio will help me get the running shoes back on asap.
Most frustrating thing about not running is watching my club mates running in the races I'd targeted months ago, yes when you're running them they feel like bloody hard work but I'd rather be running than watching!
Good luck to all at Thirsk and all at Locke park.

The finish line

saturday morn and again I'm on timekeeping duties at Stewart park. A little milder than previous weeks meant an enjoyable hour watching all types of runners take on their own personal challenges. At the front NYMAC's youngest member Harry Potter took first place in just under eighteen and half minutes, great stuff. Plenty of other NYMAC runners amongst the field including Phil Jarvis who managed to lose a pushchair amongst his run to finish 8th closely followed by Rob Moore. Eddie again finishing in under twenty three minutes.
Out of the 343 runners what I noticed was that over half the field finished after twenty eight minutes, most of these had taken on there own PB and the rest were just pleased to complete the course. What was clear to see though, there were a lot more smiles in the second half of the field.

Itchy feet

It's been a week since my last run,  a failed attempt around Stewart park. 7 resting days later I'm very tempted to run again but with a physio session coming up next week I have to resist!
To help conquer temptation I'm again volunteering at Stewart parkrun this weekend, doing my new favourite role of timekeeping. Its a great role for enjoying the event as you see the fast runners trying to beat each other, the middle of the field who are all PB hunting and then of course the runners who just want to complete! Everyone are winners as they all beat the ones still in bed!

Sunday bloody Sunday

It’s good sometimes to take a step back (not through choice) and get some perspective. Last week I had the snake lane 10 miler and I didn't run as well as I could, thursday brought the reality check that a rest was long overdue.

I’ve only been running for just shy of three years but it’s amazing how that’s now become standard. Not that long ago I would have been dead chuffed to finish a 5km run, let alone a 10km or more. Now I think 10 miles isn’t much for a Sunday.

Given I’ve also had a niggle (it’s not an injury unless it stops you running. The fact that it hurts when you are running is totally fine, yes?) it's time to rest and recover.

whilst not able to to run it's quite frustrating to look at strava but seeing my club mates having a great turn out at today's fell run is good to see. Fell runs are great fun and I'm looking forward to a summer of events. 

it's Thursday!

For me Thursday seems to come around quickly each week, Thursday is NYMAC day, unfortunately for me recent thursdays have meant a slow and steady run instead. Again this was the case although I made it to the squash club And jogged down with my club mates to the grove which as pre-planned was to be the scene of tonight's session, I knew the writing was on the wall when most of them pulled  out of sight within the first minute of setting off. Steadily plodding along past Stewart park as was joined by Mark Edwards who has had a few injury problems of his own recently but thankfully seems to be over them. Always pleased to see Mark, especially up on the hills where he seems to know his way blindfolded, if your ever lost in a fell race, follow Mark!

Spring forward

The first day of  March! dare I say it? But I think we have survived another running winter. Just three more weeks and the evening runs will suddenly have a whole lot more appeal. For me I can't wait to join in Marks MNFC runs enjoying the most amazing scenery we are lucky enough to have on our doorstep. The North York moors are ours to run amongst and how many other running clubs can say that?

Pocklington

My first ever visit to the small market town of Pocklington today, a quick glance at Wikipedia shows that it's the birthplace of Adrian Edmonson of The Young Ones fame but today I'm here for Pocklingtons other claim to fame as the home of the Snake Lane 10m race. The race itself turns out to be a little windy when out in the open countryside especially in the area where the race gets its name, a snake lane of runners until the brow of the hill. The race is a very popular one which sells out in a few hours every year and you can see why, great local support and well marshalled although the cars get a little close in the final mile or two into the town centre.
Plenty of NYMAC runners on show in Pocklington, all putting in fantastic performances and all finishing ahead of me! Hopefully il be able to catch them all up when I get fit again soon! As for the snake lane 10? See you again next year, if I can get in that is!

Just another Parkrun?

The combination of resting a seemingly constant aching thigh and resting before tomorrow's Snake lane 10 led me to a volunteer role at today's Stewart parkrun. Due to the previously mentioned leg problem this is already the third time I've volunteered this year but only the fourth time in two years? I know we all get the weekly facebook/email message "there wouldn't be a parkrun without volunteers" but this is certainly true from what I've seen. We all take for granted turning up, running a quick 5k and jog off home but have we thought of how them red cones appeared and disappeared around the course? The never ending white tape at the finishing funnel? Even the results we enjoy reading? Doing a few stints in recent weeks has certainly made me feel a little guilty that I haven't volunteered I few more than I have, after all if nobody offered it would be just another run in the park.

NYMAC life blog

I created this page for a little glimpse into life around NYMAC. I'll update this regularly with a few of my views and opinions Of races and events over the year.