Tim O'Hare

I completed three runs this week, a shortish run on Tuesday in which I tried to do some hill training, the Musketeers group run on Thursday and then a great finish at the Looe 10 Miler on Sunday.

The hill run on Tuesday was an attempt to replicate the hill training run I did ages ago with the Musketeers. Basically, I found a local hill, had a short warm up run to it and then tried to run up it as fast as possible a few times with a slower return loop to the bottom in between each climb. At the outset I had planned to do six repetitions but after three I was exhausted and so I cut the hills short and just went for a more gentle flatter mile or two to recover.

The Musketeers group run was the Crownhill route, one of the more gentle (flatter) club routes, although having said that, no club run is what a normal person would describe as flat. I completed it in the 9 minute mile group and felt very comfortable.

My final run of the week was on Sunday morning – the Looe 10 Miler, delightfully subtitled ‘Hillish and Hellish’. This was my first race at this distance and although I was expecting it to be hilly I was not expecting it to be so hilly that it was virtually impossible to run at times. The route climbed out of Looe to the west (first hill) then dived down into Talland Bay before a really steep climb up a track, a flatter loop, back down to the bay, a third steep climb back to the east and then a wonderful downhill finish for 2.5 miles into Looe. I ran the first 3 miles or so, including the first climb, with a fellow Musketeer, but at that point I kicked on. The descent into Talland Bay was an incredibly fast, almost uncontrollable rush downhill which took me into contact with a few other Musketeers, and after the really steep uphill I passed them. I really enjoyed the middle section of the run and managed to keep myself together on the final climb before an absolutely joyous long descent at a really good pace to the finish. I was delighted with how I felt on the run and my time, 1 hour 33 minutes ish, easily surpassed my optimistic target of 1 hour 40 minutes. The reward for completing the race was a pasty and a nice running shirt so all-in-all it was a thoroughly good event.

This was a much better running week as I ended up running 4 times in total after a lay off of almost two weeks with a cold.

The first run was just a short ‘test’ run prior to the regular, Thursday night, Plymouth Musketeers group run ,to see whether I was sufficiently recovered from my cold. I didn’t want to find out I was not fit enough part way through a long run with a group of people. I just ran a loop down to Thorn Park and back and then a smaller loop around the estate (3 miles in total) and felt fine at the end.

My second run was the Musketeers group run, this time on the Central Park route which I did with the 10 minute/mile pace group. It seemed sensible to drop down from my usual 9s group as I continued my comeback and I think this was definitely a good decision. The run was quite a long one (6.6 miles) at just under 10 minute/mile pace.

The third run was the Plym Valley Parkrun on Saturday morning – my 15th time on this 5k route but my first since mid January. Compared to my last few runs on this route the ground was quite a bit drier although there was still plenty of mud and water to run through and the meadow parts of the circuit were decidedly sticky. I was pleased with my time (25 minutes 51 seconds) as this was quicker than my previous few attempts (better conditions) and it was good to see my performance returning towards the level I was producing at the end of last year.

Finally, on Sunday morning, I joined a group of Musketeers for a long run around Plymouth. We did a 12 mile circuit taking us from the Life Centre, down through Milehouse, Stoke Village, Devonport Park, Mount Wise, Stonehouse Creek, Devil’s Point, the Royal William Yard, Cremyll, West Hoe, the Hoe waterfront, the Barbican and Sutton Harbour and back up through Mutley and Central Park. My overall pace was 9m51s which was encouraging given that I hadn’t run this far for a while and there were a fair few hills in the route.

I didn’t manage any runs this week due to having a horrible cold – the worst cold I have had for several years – which laid me low and kept me off work and off the streets. This was quite a worry as I look ahead to various longish races I have booked into for March and April. It was not pleasant looking forward to a ‘hillish and hellish’ 10 mile run (Looe 10), an 8.5 mile off-road run on Bodmin Moor (5 Tors) and my first ever half-marathon (Plymouth) and knowing that my fitness levels were dropping fast…

Just one run this week, the regular Thursday-night group run with the Plymouth Musketeers. This week’s route was the Saltash route which I completed in the 9 minute/mile pace group. This is quite a level route, out across the Tamar Bridge then a steady climb up Fore Street, Saltash, before turning back towards Plymouth. There is a sting in the route though, because just before crossing back over the river, there is a wickedly step climb that is probably the wickedest, steepest climb in all the club routes. I was pleased to complete the run smoothly and made a better attempt at the climb than my previous attempt a few months ago.

Unfortunately, my hopes of running at the weekend were halted by a horrible cold which saw fit to lay me low and rule out any thoughts of getting outside to pound the streets.

Just two runs again this week.

Run 1 was the regular Thursday-night group run with the Plymouth Musketeers. This week’s route was the Ernesettle route which I completed in the 9 minute/mile pace group. This is a route that I don’t like – it’s quite steeply downhill for the first mile or so, but then there is a long steep haul back up from Ernesettle along Biggin Hill. I started the run expecting to find it a bit of a struggle, so I was pleasantly surprised to find I felt quite strong all the way round.

Run 2 was a Sunday run from home, completing two big loops out and around Central Park, about 6.75 miles in total. It’s a good training route because there are some decent hills interspersed with more level and downhill sections.

Once again, the combination of busy-ness, poor weather and limited daylight hours meant that I only managed two runs this week.

Run 1 was the regular Thursday-night group run with the Plymouth Musketeers on Thursday evening. This week’s route was the Barne Barton route which I completed in the 9 minute/mile pace group. This is a pretty tough route which starts off fairly level but then descends quite steeply down to Saltash Passage on the Plymouth side of the Tamar Bridge before winding east, then back west towards the coast, the east again before commencing on the big climb up Bridwell Road. The route has two major climbs but Bridwell Road is the real killer, going on and on in one apparently un-ceasing section; and even when that climb is done there is still the regular climb back up to Kings Tamerton Social Club to finish off. Anyway, the run went well enough. I wouldn’t say I felt especially strong but I remained pretty comfortable all the way through and made it all the way up the Bridwell climb without slowing to a complete stop.

For Run 2, on Sunday morning, I took advantage of a rare window of relatively fine weather and ran long and slow all the way up and back the Plym Valley Trail from Coypool. I deliberately set off at quite a slow pace (10 minute/mile) and maintained this all the way up to the very end of the track (just about 6 miles). After turning round I allowed myself to run more quickly, but still focusing on comfort not on speed such that by the end of the run I had covered 12 miles, my longest distance yet, at an average pace of 9 minutes 36 seconds per mile with the last six miles all being under 9 minute 29 second pace and the final mile being at 8m39s pace. I was really pleased that I had managed to push my total distance up another notch and now feel totally confident about running half marathon distance (on a sensible course). It was particularly pleasing that I didn’t experience any real discomfort around my knees. What was quite amusing was that when I got home I just wanted to eat and eat and eat (and doze).

Just two runs this week which is a little disappointing but not altogether surprising given the wet weather.

Run 1 was a negative split run with the Plymouth Musketeers on Thursday evening – this is a run where you run out from the start for a set amount of time (25 minutes in this case) at a comfortable pace and then turn straight around and run back the same route, and so the same distance, but in less time. I did the return leg in about 21.5 minutes, so the run was roughly 9 minute/mile pace on the outward leg and 8 minute/mile for the return. It was a great run, only the second time I have done the negative split run but it is certainly one of my favourite club runs.

Run 2 was just a quick run in between rain showers on Sunday. Because I knew I wasn’t going to be out long I decided to run some hills some I ran down to the Peverell Park roads and the zig-zagged up and down some of them, pushing myself as hard as possible on the ups and relaxing/recovering on the downs. I have to say that it wasn’t the most fun I have had running; I think I went a little hard up the first few hills and then paid for it on the later ones. But it was still good to get out and do some useful work.