Club Training Monday 6th April

Monday's session is a threshold session out on the road to Auldhouse. So rather than running the threshold session on a loop, as we often do in the winter, this session is integrated into a run in the country. The session is the same as we did a week or two ago but we will build on this significantly over the coming months. Do 3 x 6 minutes at threshold with a 2 minute jog recovery. The route is similar to our first Auldhouse run of the season last week, running out via Sainsburys to Langlands corner and then starting the first rep from that junction, heading past Langlands club house and onward to Audlhouse. This time, carry on to Auldhouse cross and then turn right heading towards the new houses at the fingerposts. Turn right on Greenhills Rd and head back towards the Strathaven Road and the club. As usual, manage your pace to maintain a constant effort depending on whether going up hill, downhill, into the wind or with a tailwind. As well as the physiological benefit of threshold sessions, when we do them out in the country this also trains you to manage your effort during a race where we are usually dealing with variable terrain and weather conditions and running on feel is way more beneficial than trying to maintain a pace from your watch.

Alan

Summer Pub Run

The committee are proposing the following dates for this years summer pub run. Friday 7th August or Friday 14th August. Please vote for your preferred date here.

Responses can be viewed here.

Chatelherault Training Starts Monday 27th April

Our 2026 series of fortnightly training sessions at Chatelherault Country Park will start on Monday 27th April and will continue through the Summer with the last session being on Monday 17th August when lack of daylight becomes a problem. The full calendar of sessions is listed in the club calendar at the top of the blog and in the club website.

The session is around an approximately 7 mile undulating trail. Some weeks we do it as an easy run, whilst on other occasions I turn it into a sort of fartlek session with e.g. efforts on the uphills and easy in between. For one of the weeks we hold a timed "race" around the circuit as part of the Harriers Grand Prix - this being the "Chatelherault World Championships" round.

We meet in the last car park on the right of the main Chatelherault entrance/drive off Carlisle Road, Fernigair ready to run at 19:30. The map below shows the location. Some are also available to give lifts from the Sports Club, in which case be there ready to run at 19:00. So that we know who to expect, fill in the training registration form and if going direct to Chatelherault select the "Training Venue" option or if going to the Sports Club to give or get a lift select "EKSC".

Alan

Car park is located at the marker on the map 

Club Training Thursday 2nd April

Thursday's session is a lighter session at the Harriers' "track". Those who did the Tom Scott will still have significant fatigue in their legs, therefore keeping the total volume of this session down.

Follow the usual route to Langlands Place and then do the following:

1 x 800m at 5k pace, 1 minute jog around recovery, 4 x 400m at 5k pace, 1 minute jog around recovery, 4 x 200m at slightly faster than 5k pace with 200m jog recovery.

If you were racing last Sunday and the legs are just not cooperating at 5k pace, ease back to fast but comfortable effort and don't worry about hitting 5k pace.

Alan

Club Training Monday 30th March

Monday's run is a post-race, easy recovery run with the intention of easing any tightness out of the legs before they seize up with the usual 2-day DOMS.

The route is Strathaven Rd to Greenhills Rd, round by Sainsburys and then past Langlands club house. Just before Auldhouse, turn right and right again, back towards the new houses. Carry on to Greenhills Rd and back towards Strathaven Rd and the club.

Take it very easy.

Alan

Club Training Thursday 26th March

Thursday's session is a pre-race run ahead of the Tom Scott 10-miler. The intention of the session is to keep the legs ticking over at a relevant pace to the race whilst not introducing lasting fatigue. Therefore, this is a short, steady run with strides.

The route is Strathaven Rd to Queensway, down to KFC and turn right onto West Mains Rd, up East Mains Rd to the Whirlies and then back up the Kingsway to the club. Fit in 6 x 50 to 80m accelerations to 10k pace on flat or downhill stretches, starting from the Queensway at the town centre. In between these strides, run at a comfortable, easy pace but not a chatty jog.

Alan

Club Training Monday 23rd March

As this is a pre-Tom Scott 10-miler week, Monday's session is the last hardish session and Thursday is a pre-race run with strides. The session for Monday is at Carron Place and is 3 x 6 minutes at threshold with a 2 minute jog recovery, running around the circuit in an anti-clockwise direction. For the faster runners, threshold effort will be very close to 10-mile race effort assuming that 10-miles takes you about 1 hour plus or minus 5 minutes, whereas for the less fast runners it will be closer to a 10k race effort. So keep that in mind when doing the session (and also when doing the 10-mile race on Sunday).

Alan