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!