Tom Roper's Running Training

In the footsteps of Haile Gebrselaisse

I ran nineteen miles today, and it was hard work
But more interesting things happened in the marathoning word today: Haile Gebrselaisse broke the world record in Berlin; not only that but running chums Claire Brooks and Lou Lawrence recorded times of 4:18:09 and 4:28:09 respectively.
For myself, I ran out to Alfriston, down to the Cuckmere, where I found one side underwater. It was one of the highest tides of the year, 7.1 ft. Out to Exceat and up to the first Sister, from the top of which I saw that it would be impossible to cross at the mouth of the Cuckmere, so went back inland and up Seaford Head by the path the Seaford half-marathon takes, being passed by Sussex Language Institute colleague James (he in a car) and back along the front.
I saw signs for the Seaford marathon. I wonder how it went?

Time: 3:34:09
Distance: 19.29
Pace:  11.06 (best 08.06)
Total ascent: 2161 ft

Total mileage this week: 37.61
Four weeks till the Beachy Head Marathon

Three runs, one post

On Wednesday, Thursday and today I ran each lunchtime. I have good Forerunner data for today, pretty good data for yesterday and none for Wednesday. The routes were, on Wednesday, the Stanmer woods route, on Thursday a slightly truncated cow run and today a reverse cow run.
The woods are still very green, perhaps because of the wet summer.
Wednesday:
Distance: 4.2
Thursday
Time: 38:35
Distance: 3.62
Pace: 10.40 (best 7.55)
Friday
Time: 40:19
Distance: 3.85
Pace: 10.29 (best 7.13)

Early morning speed session

Down to Seaford front, in high winds for three 1.5 miles fast runs, with 400m recoveries, with a mile warm up, but I had to curtail the cool down. I was not particularly fast, I'm afraid.
Time: 1:12:26
Distance: 6.65
Pace: 10.54 (best 5.41)
First 1.5 miles: 15.36/10.24
Second 1.5 miles: 15.43/10.29
Third 1.5 miles: 16.34/11.00

Another week's running

There are some runs I haven't recorded, on Wednesday a Garmin-less cow-run and on Friday a run round Stanmer Park, both with Claire before she leaves for Germany for the Berlin marathon.
I don't have precise data for either of these, but Wednesday must have been around five miles and Friday three.
Today I ran nineteen miles, up to High and Over, down into the Cuckmere valley, to Litington and then through Friston Forest, to West Dean, Jevington and up Bourne Hill, so at the half-way point I had a fine view of Eastbourne and Pevensey Bay. It was hard, though I saw at the end that I had done 3318 ft of ascents; this compares with 2007 ft last Sunday and 2326 ft for the Fake Jog Shop Jog.
Time: 3:51:50
Distance: 19.05
Pace: (best 8.11)

Total this week: 33.75
Five weeks till the Beachy Head Marathon

Fartlek before dawn

I ran at 5.30 this morning, and it was very cold, for a fartlek with one mile warm up and cool down. Seaford front is good for fartleks. The lamp posts, shelters, kiosks and dog-shit bins all offer easy markers for fast and slow sections. This was supposed to be eight miles in total, but I only had time for something shorter.
Time: 1:10:28
Distance: 6.70
Pace: 10.31 (best 7.30)

Not my best week

I post late, and include a whole week's running in one post. It was a bad week, I missed Tuesday's speed session, being still tired from my long run and suffering from a cold, and also missed what was supposed to be a eight mile slow run last Wednesday. Instead I managed five mile and four mile runs on Thursday and Friday, and a long run yesterday. On Thursday I ran a route I hadn't tackled for a long time, up to the Newmarket plantation then back down to the A27 and home; on Friday I ran the perimeter of Stanmer Great Wood.
Yesterday's was something of an epic. I ran out along Seaford front, past the sailing club where people were clutching inviting glasses of white wine and to Newhaven. Here at Newhaven Fort there was a Battle of Britain event, with a fly-past by a Hurricane and a Spitfire, the day after a Hurricane crashed at Shoreham. I ran along the cliffs as far as Peacehaven, and then cut across by Newhaven golf club along a very overgrown path, to Piddinghoe, where I tried and failed once more to find the correct route for the Piddinghoe section of the Ouse Valley Way, which leaves the river for a short stretch. Rejoining the Ouse Valley Way I went north to the Southease bridge, and then onto the South Downs Way and up Itford Hill; on this run I climbed roughly 2000 feet. I  went along the ridge to Firle Beacon, stopping to help a cyclist try to repair a broken gate and to give directions to another cyclist who wanted to know the way to Brighton. By now the strong wind had brought a weather front. The sky was dark and gloomy, like a winter afternoon, and as I neared home, it started to rain very slightly.
Time: 3:32:35
Distance: 18.5
Pace: 11.30 (best 7.55)
And on Thursday:
Time: 53:18
Distance: 5.14
Pace: 10.22 (6.18)

And Friday:
Time: 40:05
Distance: 3.99
Pace: 10.02 (best 7.00)

Total this week: 27.63
Six weeks till the Beachy Head Marathon

Fake Jog Shop Jog

I was honoured today to be able to take part in the first ever running of the Fake Jog Shop Jog, a run over the Jog Shop Jog route, but leaving out the Big W. I was among the three who completed the whole course, with Claire and Lou. I fumbled with the Forerunner, so missed out a section of about a third of a mile
Time: 3:17:51
Distance: 18.27 (so probably 18.6 in reality)
Pace: 10.50 (best 5.45)

Total mileage this week: 30.64
Seven weeks till the Beachy Head Marathon

Four miles

Accompanied for some of the way by Claire and Jana, I ran round Stanmer park and then round the back of the campus.
No data, but it was around four miles, and hot, though not as hot as yesterday.

Four miles

I ran four hard miles at lunchtime on a route north of the  campus, mostly uphil on a stony track. It was hot, hotter even than runs in high summer, in the way that autumn can be.
Time: 43:54
Distance: 3.86
Pace: 11.22 (best 7.50)

Speed session and seven miles

Yesterday I ran a speed session at lunchtime round Stanmer Park, of twelve 200m fast runs with 100m recoveries. Today I ran before dawn to the front and up Seaford Head, to see the sky striped orange and pink.

Yesterday
Time: 44.26
Distance: 4.18
Pace: 10.37 (best 6.55)
First 200m: 1:05/8.46
Second 200m: 1:02/8.21
Third 200m: 1:00/8.06
Fourth 200m: 1:01/8.16
Fifth 200m: 1:00/8.1
Sixth 200m: 1:07/9.01
Seventh 200m: 1:07/9.04
Eighth 200m: 1:10/9.23
Ninth 200m: 1:08/9.12
Tenth 200m: 1:10/9.25
Eleventh 200m: 1:09/9.20
Twelfth 200m: 1:06/8.57

Today
Time: 1:17:40
Distance: 7.04
Pace: 11.01 (best 8.43)