Whilst the front pages of the worldwide media have been obsessing over a certain tennis player, all I can think is I hope he didn't turn up so early to do the local Melbourne parkrun. I bet it's a long time since he saw the inside of a budget hotel. Now he knows how the rest of us feel. I hope all you Brass Monkey runners manage OK with your race accreditation this coming weekend. Good luck with the run as well.
Meanwhile, back in the real world we had three runners who had no problems getting into West Yorkshire to take part in the Temple Newsam 10. It's miles not K's and I'm guessing it ain't flat either so well done to Danny Clayton 1:22:10, Jamie Butler 1:25:34 and Amanda Clark 1:33:15.
I think that was it on the race front so my usual apologies if I've missed anyone. For anyone who has the misfortune to have a brain wired like mine (Jo & Dee I'm thinking of you two here!) then you may have been busy dot watching for the last day or so. That time of year when the Montane Spine Race gets my brain thinking could I, should I, would I? 268 miles along the full length of the Pennine Way, albeit shortened by not many miles this year due to the recent storms in Scotland. 7 days to get from A to B in January! I've got so much admiration for the people who take part and Lucy knows I'd love to have a go. I just need Inov-8 or someone similar to sponsor me so I can get beyond the entry fee and kit cost...
The shorter Spine Challenger has just been won by one of our fellow Hardmoors runners. She finished 5 minutes in front of me at the HM30 last week and is now the first lady home in the 108 mile challenger race from Edale to Hawes. A tad over 46 hours to complete the course is amazing and massive well done to Kendra from Brid Runners. When I went to bed last night she was just going up and over Pen-y-Ghent. In the dark.
Makes a parkrun look like a run in a park but 5K at full effort is plenty hard enough in itself so well done to everyone taking part this weekend, especially if you had the biblical weather we had at Fountains Abbey.
Heslington - Dom Carter 18.55 (4th), Alex Davis 19.41 (10th), Jim Carter 20.07 (11th), Andy Heather 21.05 (21st), Jon Davies 21.59 (28th), Jamie Butler 22.06 (30th), Kev Armstrong 24.25 (63rd), Hannah Smithson 26.41 (94th).
Fountains Abbey - Simon Middleton 28.26 (147th), Lucy Turner 31.21 (207th).
Millfield - Ben Briffaud 21.37 (5th).
Oriam (Edinburgh) - Danny Clayton 23.03 (39th), Amanda Clark 28.05 (112th).
Selby - Phil Raddall 28.51 (53rd)
York - Jordan Howe 15.55 (1st), Andrew Halcro-Johnston 23.38 (101st), Jason Platten 23.56 (107th), Sophie Johnson 24.17 (121st), Karen Travis 32.03 (336th).
I'm going to leave you this week with a little challenge, if you choose to accept it. I've just started week 8 of a 16 week training programme ahead of Cyprus Marathon on 13th March. Flights are booked, accommodation is booked so fingers, toes and everything else crossed.
Today's session was 2x(6x400m). So a steady warm up for 10mins and then into the 1st set of 6x400 with 90 seconds rest between each interval. 2 1/2 rest after the first set of 6 and then into the second set of 6x400 followed by a 10min steady jog to cool down. Your 400 pace/time is set based on your target marathon time. In my case I'm aiming for a sub 3:25 marathon so my 400 target time was 1:32 (3:50 per K pace).
For you really quick folk out there aiming for a 3:05 marathon then your 400m target time is 1:22. If you're aiming for a 3:30 marathon then your target time is 1:34 per 400m. Sub 4hr marathon is 1:49.
The good thing is it doesn't take long to complete the session and by the time each 400m segment starts hurting you are at least half way through it. Have a go and let me know how you get on.