2012; the year that was...

Stats for the year:

Total miles: 1347.9
Total no. of runs: 174
Average distance: 7.75
Average weekly distance: 25.9
No. of races (including xc and parkrun): 23

So then, the last run of the year is over and the stats are in.  Compared to last year I've done slightly less miles over slightly more runs bringing my average distance down from 8.3 to 7.75- but training wise its really been quite a similar year.  I think the non-racing highlight was over the summer where I took advantage of the light evenings and ran a lot of trail miles after work.

Race wise, there are a few highlights that particularly standout.  The National Cross Country Championships at Parliament Hill has to be the most unique start to a race I have taken part in- as over 1500 runners surged up Parliament Hill.  As much as I love the longer stuff cross country does have a special place in my running heart and you don't get a better xc race than the nationals.   The Olmpicnic ultramarathon was definitely my best race of the year both in terms of enjoying the race its self and my performance- it was one of those days where you can feel the training paying off as I started another steep ascent of Box Hill. 

Looking ahead to 2013 the year starts with cross country matches in January and February (including the nationals up in Sunderland), amongst this I need to start ratcheting up the miles ahead of some solid training in late Feb/early March and the South Downs Way 50 in April.  After this I have no particular plans; depending on how I feel after SDW50 I think I'll either have a crack at some more ultras or maybe for a change concentrate on running something shorter as fast as I can.

Happy New Year.

"Winning"

This December I've been making a vested effort to haul myself out of bed on a Saturday morning to make it down to a parkrun; and despite the inclement weather I've parkrun'd 3 weeks in a row (Roundshaw, Nonsuch, Roundshaw).  I realise this is what some people do every week of the year, but for me this is somewhat of a record.

Roundshaw Downs is probably my favourite parkrun in the area I've done.  It's got a great atmosphere, a hill and a tendency to be muddy.  I think that's what your after on a Saturday morning.  What is also interesting is that Roundshaw tends to not extract the fastest runners- possible because its far from a PB course.  This means that for runner like me, who like a good muddy hill, it means that finishing in the top 5 is a regular occurance.  First place, however, until recently has always alluded me.

This most recent Saturdays was what you might call a 'perfect storm' for a potential win at Roundshaw.  It was pissing it down and blowing a gale- the perfect weather to keep those lily livered fast runners at home! 

There were only 40 or so at the start and a small group of 5 or so set off from the front.  About half way round the first lap I was in third and as we approached the start of the second lap the guy who was winning pulled out (stomach issues) and I passed the guy in second.  I was now in first place- which came with it a feeling of elation (Yeah! I'm first) and fear (the metaphorical hear to the other runners hounds).  I dug in, ran through the middle of every puddle to keep some kind of racing line, and somehow managed to hold on to this position to win my first ever parkrun.

Now I know that every race has to be taken in context, and winning a parkrun on a wet morning the Saturday before Christmas is very much a context that needs to be taken into account-  but it sod it, it was great!

But do not fear, there's little likelihood of me getting too big for my boots, cross country season starts back up in January where it is always a battle to keep up with the middle of the pack let alone the front! 

Pirie 10

The Pirie 10 is a two lap cross country race in Farthing Downs near Coulsdon.  Farthing Downs is where I head out for many of my long runs and is a stunning piece of undulating downland that I've always thought would be a good place to have a race.  As it happens the South London Harriers, based in Coulsdon think so as well and have been running a number of races on the downs for a long time.

Race day prep didn't exactly go to plan.  A late bus meant that I missed a connection and arrived just after 10 giving me 20 minutes to register, get changed, pin my number to my shirt and complete the 5 minute up hill jog to the start line.  I made it there just as they announced the 5 minute warning.  In some ways this was a blessing as it was not a day to be hanging around in the cold.

The course basically goes gradually up for the first mile or so, followed by a descent, a mile or so on the flat.  After this you climb out of the valley and then it undulates, but manly downhill back to the start for lap 2.  It's mainly footpaths with one pretty muddy section through a field.  There was a heavy frost so in the shade there was a nice glint to the ground in the winter sun.

Due to the cold, the ground was frozen solid which made for fast conditions compared to the mudfest of recent running.  I was felling pretty good and after the initial miles settled into a good pace with a few runners around me.  I competed lap 1 in about 33:30 which was faster than I imagined and started to worry it would all go wrong on lap 2.  Luckily however there was a Collingwood runner who was hanging on the whole way round lap 2- and with inter-club rivalry in mind I couldn't let him pass me!  Somehow I managed to finish in 1:07:03- getting my self 26th place and a new PB for the distance.

The Pirie is a really good, grass routes, club organised race.  No bells or whistles just honest hard running on great trails with tea and cake afterwards.  I am definitely going to try and enter some of their other races on the downs, which include a midweek 10k series over the summer and a 5 miler in October.

In other news I have a target race for 2013; the Centurion South Downs Way 50.  From now till Christmas I'm just going to enjoy running the odd park run and whatever training I feel like.  In the new year the training proper starts...