For those allowed out to play on Hogmany, it looks like it is golf course weather. I suggest 3 laps with a gradual increase in effort on each lap i.e. first lap very easy, second lap a little harder and third lap a little harder again (but definitely not absolutely flat out. Under control at all times).
Happy New Year!
Alan
Update from our man on the ground, Eddie Reid: "It's an ice rink in EK today". Therefore the session is the golf course session described below.
Alan
Given the strong possibility of snow and ice on the ground, there are two suggestions for tonight's session.
If the pavements are snow/ice free, then it is a threshold session at Lickprivick. 4 loops with the threshold effort continuing from the bottom to the water tower and then regrouping on the steady run back around the loop to the start. As this is the third Lickprivick session of this block of training, it should start to feel more comfortable, particularly as the number of reps is the same as last time. Usual warm-up/cood down via The Murray.
If it is snowy/icy, then the session is 4 x 6 minutes threshold, 2 minutes jog recovery on the golf course. Warm-up is as far as the bell on the fairway about 3/4 of the way around the lap. Then the session starts, finishing the lap and continuing on to a second full lap. You may well get on to a third lap during the session however, irrespective of how far you get during the session, the cool down is a very gentle jog to the end of whatever lap you are on.
Alan
Just in case anyone has a late pass for Christmas Eve, here is the session. During this strength phase of training, we will return to flat, 10k pace approximately once per month just to keep the muscles and memory in tune with the pace we worked so hard at over the Spring to Summer.
The session is 12 x 400m at 10k pace with a 30 second recovery.
The venue is Langlands Place. Be very wary of ice on the roads and pavements. The warm-up is from the club, along Strathaven Road to the small roundabout. Cross the road there and then follow the road around past Sainsburys and up the hill to the junction with Langlands Place. Choose the cool down route within your pack. Remember to maintain your social distancing rules before, during and after the session.
Alan
Hi all, wishing all Harriers a happy, healthy and peaceful Christmas and hopefully a better new year. 🏃🏿♂️
Continuing with the building blocks of strength this Monday, we return to Avondale and once again do 8 x reps of the hill, starting from the usual point on the wide pavement and finishing at the post box at the top of the hill. The effort (not pace) should be 5k effort. That means, if you encountered this hill at the start of a 5k race, this would be the effort you would put in, considering that you then have to continue on and complete the 5k. So it is not sprinting.
The warm up is along Strathaven Road to the NEL roundabout and then down Churchill Avenue to Lidl and around to the Avondale junction and up to the start point. Decide within your pack what to do for the cool down.
Alan
Something a little bit different for tonight's lockdown session. We are going to try a progression run whereby the pace is gradually picked up throughout the run. The route for the run is:
Club - Queensway - Centre One - Morrisons - Stewartfield Rd - West Mains Rd - Lidl - Churchill Avenue - Club.
Start with an approx 15 minute warm-up at a slow pace and then a progression of 3 x 10 minutes with a gradual increase in pace for each 10-minute segment. There is no recovery between each 10-minute section, so the pace judgement has to be very good. If the first or second 10 minute is too fast, you will not be able to get faster on the final 10 minute segment.
If you are running the session in a pack rather than solo, then nominate a different person to take the pace for each 10 minute segment. You should be running single file, 5 metre spacing following each other in a long train and shouting to the person ahead of you if the pace is too fast and you are being dropped and pass the message up the line to the front so the pace is pulled back. The person who leads the first 10 minutes drops to the back of the train after 10 minutes and the second person in the train takes the next 10 minutes and then drops to the back and the third person in the line takes the third 10 minutes. Just stick o a long line and don't be tempted to run on anyone's shoulder. This session involves team work and communication.
The final 10-minute segment should be no faster than threshold effort (1 hour race effort so approx 10k to 10 mile race pace depending on the ability of your pack). Therefore the first 10 minute session would be about marathon effort/pace and the second 10 minute effort about half marathon to 10 mile race effort/pace. After the third 10 minute effort, run easily back to the club.
What can possibly go wrong!
Alan
Its a slight progression on Lickprivick threshold session this Monday. It is 4 reps at threshold effort, starting the effort from the usual place on the pavement and finishing at the water tower. The regroup into your pack and recovery is a steady run over the top and back down Owen Avenue, past the lockups to the start. Warm up via the Crooked Lum and the Murray and come back the same way.
Remember that threshold is a level of effort, not a specific pace. Threshold going up this hill will be significantly slower than threshold would be on a flat road. It is the level of effort you could maintain for about 1 hour in a race situation. Nobody can tell you what pace you should be running at; it is individual to you but part of learning to race over any distance is knowing where your various limits are. Anyone can hammer away for the first mile of a race and then be on their knees for the final miles. Similarly, its easy enough to start off way too slow and go flying past people at the end. In both cases, you will not achieve anything like your best potential time for that race, whatever the distance. So during these sessions, put the blinkers on and don't worry too much about what pace others in your pack are doing; try to run to your own limit.
Alan
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Topic: Calderglen Harriers Christmas Quiz 2020
Time: Dec 11, 2020 07:00 PM London
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Continuing on our strength training phase, tomorrow is another hilly threshold, this time at the College Milton loop around Glenburn Road. As mentioned a few weeks ago, a threshold session really only works if you arrive at the first rep with a bit of distance in the legs already. So if possible do please do the full warm-up from the club to Glenburn Road.
The session is 3 complete loops in an anti-clockwise direction. The threshold effort (3 word effort, controlled discomfort, effort level you could maintain for a 1 hour race) starts at the small roundabout at the bottom of the steep hill on Glenburn Road and continues up that hill, turn left at the top of the hill and keep that effort going until you get to the end of that top section of road before you turn left and downhill again. The jog recovery section is all of that down-hill stage until you come back to the roundabout at the bottom of the steep section of hill. Regroup into your pack during that long downhill recovery jog.
The temperatures are forecast to be just above freezing tomorrow evening. If it turns out that the pavements and roads are too icy to do this session, please decide within your pack whether to do the above or not. The suggested alternative session would be to use the Sainsbury's loop for an easy run in packs as described in last Thursday's session blog post.
Alan
The weather forecast suggests that snow may be lying in EK on Thursday and if not snow, the temperatures will be around or below freezing by the evening with the risk of very icy pavements. I am suggesting three alternative training sessions for tomorrow depending on the weather conditions:
1. If there is lying snow, then the session is a steady run on the golf course (3 easy pace laps to get used to it). Bring off-road shoes if you have them. Take care.
2. If the pavements are icy and there is no snow on the golf course, the run is an easy run on quiet roads rather than potentially icy pavements. Please use the Sainsbury's loop in an anti-clockwise direction. This means that the only bit of pavement you have to run on in the loop is that on the Greenhills Road stretch of the loop on which you will be running up-hill and less likely to fall if it is icy than you would if running downhill. For the rest of the loop, run on the roads of the industrial estate which should be salted/gritted. Take extreme care at all times not to fall and especially getting to/from the loop. Do 6 laps easy.
3. If the weather forecast is completely wrong and there is no snow or ice, then do an easy run down the Queensway, West Mains Road, East Mains Road, Kingsway and back to the Club.
This is the first "non-rep session" run we have tried during the current restrictions. It is imperative that you run to the pace of the slowest runner in your pack whilst maintaining the required separations. Nobody should be dropped and left alone.
Alan
The executive committee has taken the decision that the Annual General Meeting will be postponed and convened at a future date due to the current restrictions in place for Covid-19. We will update the membership when the restrictions are lifted. These are exceptional circumstances and public health and safety needs to take precedence and the club committee have followed guidance from the Scottish and UK governments along with Scottish Athletics and SportsScotland. However given we will not be able to hold the AGM within our constitutional timescale we propose a resolution for the AGM when it is convened seeking the members retrospective approval of the decision to postpone the meeting. At the moment the current officials will remain in office until the postponed meeting is convened.
On behalf of the executive committee
In the meantime i will give you a brief update on our finances without putting any exact figures on here.
As you should be aware our finances have been very healthy for a number of years now and this will more than sustain us with no revenue from the trail race this year. This will cost us though. This year we have ran at a loss of approx £3000 although half of this is for new vests that ive still to apply for grant aid to support and some has been for the 50% support on membership fees we introduced a while back. As has been the case for a number of years now we will be freezing the fees for 2021 at this years rate although we will look to ratify this when we do have the AGM. For those that have paid full fees this year this will mean next years will be 50% and for those that paid 50% this year this will mean next years is full cost. Anyone in between i will let you know. I will let everyone know individually before the end of December what credit they are carrying into next year. This will cost us approx £3000 from next years accounts but again we can more than cover this so no need for any worries.
If anyone has any questions on this or dont quite understand it please drop me a direct message and i will get you an answer.
Russell
For the winter months, the aim is to focus on strength and endurance as the possibility of regular, quality race pace sessions is at the mercy of the weather (there will be occasional 10k/5k pace sessions though to maintain what you have developed this year).
The first session of this series is at Lickprivick and is at threshold effort. This means you are not powering up a short hill risking injury but are running at a steady, sustained pace. We will do shorter, faster hills once the legs have adapted to hill running.
Take the usual route from the club to Lickprivick via the Murray. Then do 3 x 1 lap of the Lickprivick circuit (up to the water tower, over the top on the footpath, past the school and then turn left back down Owen Avenue and past the lock-ups to the start at the bottom of Lickprivick). The threshold effort is to the water tower; the recovery is the rest of the lap during which you should allow your pack to regroup.
Alan
In our current climate it is the club's responsibility to deliver organised sporting activity within the specific guidelines agreed with sportscotland and Scottish Government to ensure we can continue club training as long as we are allowed.
With the help of these guidelines, the committee have to create a safe training environment for all members to feel safe and happy to train in our club during these difficult times.
Scottish Athletics has a dedicated page on their website covering all aspects of operating in a COVID-19 environment. When there are updates from Scottish Government regarding social distancing rules this is the page that gets updated by Scottish Athletics.
Please click on this link https://www.scottishathletics.org.uk/clubs/club-support/coronavirus/ and you will see all the information you need.
Can I draw your attention to the following documents to look at which are Framework for athletes and Guidance for athletes
The committee understand that members get a variety of benefits being involved with our club from physical and mental health improvement and socialising. We can still get all these benefits but we need to social distance more before, during and after training. Be considerate to your fellow members and possibly good friends as ultimately we don't know what is going on in people's life. Work pressure, family problems, mental health issues, unemployment, financial issues and the list could go on.
All this can make people fragile, sensitive and react to situations sometimes not in the right way.
So be considerate and supportive but from a social distance point of view.
On behalf of the committee
Richard
Given the hard session on Monday, Thursday is a lighter, recovery/speed session.
3 sets of 6 x 1 minute @ 5k pace, 1 minute between reps, 5 minutes between sets.
The venue is Carron Place. Warm up via Murray Roundabout and Kelvin Road.
Note that as of Monday we will be doing club sessions with each pack in a different venue. This is due to concerns brought to the attention of the committee that complete distancing between members of different packs is not being adhered to before/during/after sessions. Although most participants do what is required, some don't and this is the consequence. Pay attention to the information provided in advance of Monday's session.
Alan
We have finally arrived. Tonight is the 10k session and will hit a total rep distance of 10k at 10k pace. The session is as follows
2 sets of 9 x 400m + 1 set of 7 x 400m. 30 seconds of recoveries between reps and 2 minutes between sets (effectively 30 seconds recovery + 1:30 recovery after the last rep of each set).
Probably easiest to set this up on your watch as 3 sets of 9 x 400m (or 9 x open reps with a manual lap button press when you cross the finish marker) and then just stop after 7 of the reps on the last set.
Naturally, we return to Langlands Place for this session. The warm-up is along the Strathaven Road and cross at the small roundabout, around in front of Sainsburys and up the hill to Langlands Place. Decide in your pack how to cool down (probably via the shorterst route possible). Really important to hit the right pace from the start of the session and not to go too fast.
Alan
As of Friday 20th November at 6pm South Lanarkshire, along with other authorities in Central Scotland, has been put into Level 4 tier of Scottish Government COVID-19 protection level. This is for a 3 week period to Friday 11th December.
As a club we can still train in level 4 but with some changes that increase our social distance procedures.
Arriving
Thursday's session is another threshold session. Before describing the session, please note that the long warm-up prior to a threshold session is part of the session. The idea is to start the session with the legs already fatigued such that you quickly get into a true threshold effort early in the first rep. If you just turn up at the venue, run an easy mile to loosen off and start the session, you are unlikely to hit threshold until late on in the first rep if at all, which will seem very easy. That's not the point and not what will bring you benefit. To give you an idea of taking this to an extreme, on training camps in Portugal, I have regularly been required to do a hard track session first and then immediately step off the track and into a hilly threshold session similar to that described below with serious fatigue in the legs before I even start. That is a bit extreme, so our session is easier. The session is:
3 x 10 minutes with 3 minutes jog recovery.
The session is on the Stewartfield Loop in a clockwise direction, running on the pavement all the way.
The warm-up is from the club to Lidl, along past the train station, past Kirktonholme and then into Stewartfield at the pedestrian crossing/bus stop. Run up the hill and start the session at the T-junction at the top of the hill where it joins the loop (crossing over to the pavement on the opposite side before starting). Regroup into your packs after each rep by turning and jogging back towards the back runner. Decide on the cool down route within your pack. The Stewartfield Loop is as shown below.
Alan
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| Stewartfield Loop |
The committee has been made aware that members have strayed from following the COVID-19 training booking rules that were implemented back in September. These rules were developed by the committee for members to train safe and allow the club to comply with all the new rules laid out by our governing body Scottish Athletics.
The training booking system was created and managed by Alan every week. So for it to work efficiently and support Alan managing the system please initially read the COVID-19 Training Booking Forms and Pack link at the top of the blog page.
Please note the timing of booking a space for the next available training session is critical.
We train every Monday and Thursday so book your space as early as possible. If your circumstances change the system allows you to withdraw.
Key Points
Please be mindful of your actions and the impact on others and as we move into Level 4 on Friday 20th November at 6pm for 3 weeks it is even more paramount we follow our training rules.
Calderglen Harriers Committee
We have once again reached the point in the training cycle where we are due a lighter session after 5 weeks of hard running. The total duration of this session is a few minutes longer than our last "easy" session 6 weeks ago but you should still feel light on your feet given the short duration of each rep and the relatively long recoveries.
3 sets of 6 x 1 minute at 5k pace, 1 minute jog recovery between reps, 5 minute jog between sets.
Return again to Carron Place for this session. Warm-up via Murray Road, Kelvin Road, up past the factories and down to Carron Place. Decide in your pack what cool down to do. Regroup in your pack after every rep and every set.
Alan
The session this week is another in the series of Threshold Thursday sessions. We will return to a session from about 5 weeks ago.
The session is 5 x 6 minutes at threshold effort with a 2 min jog recovery in between. Remember that "threshold" is a level of effort corresponding to the effort you could maintain for about 1 hour in a race (e.g. a 10 mile to 10k race depending on your race pace) or an effort that is just beyond comfortable such that if required you could gasp out about 3 words whilst in the midst of a rep. This session trains your system to continue to sustain effort in the presence of accumulating lactate levels.
We will return to the College Milton Loop for this one. For the warm up run down the Queensway to West Mains Road and then start the reps at the entrance into College Milton and do your reps around the Glenburn Road circuit in an anti-clockwise direction. The run back to the club is the direct route via the Queensway again.
As with all club sessions, it is imperative that your pack regroups during the recovery section after every rep, meaning that everyone turns and jogs back to the slowest runner in your pack and then continues jogging on until all runners in your pack come together (but socially distanced!). It is a jog recovery, so nobody should stop and wait for their pack to come to them.
As always, if anyone feels that over the past month they have been in too slow or too fast a pack, let me know and I shall adjust your bubble.
Alan
Stepping up a in distance a little from last week's 3k pace reps but dropping the pace down ever so slightly to 5k pace. This week we are doing:
4 sets of (1 x 800m, 60 seconds recovery, 1 x 400m, 60 seconds recovery), 2 minutes between sets.
Pace is slightly slower than last week. Estimate your pace as follows:
If your 10k time is 40 minutes (= 4 mins/km = 1:36 /400m) then 5k time is about 19:11 (= 3:50/km = 1:32/400m)
If your 10k time is 50 minutes (= 5 mins/km = 2:00/400m) then 5k time is about 23:58 (= 4:48/km = 1:55/400m)
If your 10k time is 60 minutes (= 6 mins/km = 2:24/400m) then 5k time is about 28:46 (= 5:45/km = 2:18/400m)
If setting up the session on your Garmin, edit the session already on your phone and just change the number of reps from 3 (last week) to 4. You will have to click the send to phone icon again and you will also have to resynchronise the phone with your watch. Check that the session has transferred by finding the session in your workouts on the watch and selecting view workout and step through to check each step.
This session is a Langlands Place session with the usual warm-up via Strathaven Road and round the main entrance of Sainsburys and up the hill to the start. Cool down is to be decided within your pack.
Alan
We are ramping the pace up to faster than 3k pace tonight (I see that some of you managed this on Monday's session too!!).
The session is 8 x 1 minute at 1 mile race pace with 2 minutes jog recovery between each rep.
The objective is to maintain good form and consistent pace on every rep as always. For the venue, we shall use the Futura Loop in Colvilles Place. I recommend starting each rep as far back along the "main straight" as possible and as shown in the map below. This ensures you get a good, long and flat stretch for most of the rep. In the 2 minutes recovery, jog back to the same start point via the shortest route if possible.
The session is short and fast. So take a long easy warm-up via the Murray Roundabout, Kelvin Road, towards Carron Place and then down Colvilles Road to Colvilles Place. Do 6 gradually accelerating strides over about 50m distance before starting the session to get the legs fully warmed up. Decide within your packs which route to take for the cool down (note that if you have entered the SA 3k time trial and are doing that on Friday, take an easy run instead as this would be a bit much the day before a 3k time trial).
Alan
 |
| Futura Loop - "S" marks the start |
This weekend we have a virtual 3k challenge. It runs from Thursday till midnight Tuesday.
I will not be entering everyone to this as there is a £2 fee per entrant.
This will be used as a qualifier for entry to the short course XC in December.
Entries need to be done by tomorrow evening (Wednesday) and should be done individually.
As our next Scottish Athletics event is (hopefully) a 3k Virtual Time Trial to act as a qualifier for the National 4km XC championships, our most recent session gradually ramped the rep pace up from 10k pace to something closer to 3k race pace. This week we will actually aim for 3k pace during the reps. The session is:
3 sets of (1 x 800m, 60 seconds recovery, 1 x 400m, 60 seconds recovery), 2 minutes between sets.
The most suitable venue for this session is once again Langlands Place. Warm-up via the Strathaven Road to the mini-roundabout, cross over and then turn left into the factories and around in front of Sainsburys and back up the hill to Langlands Place. Decide within your pack which route to take for the cool down. Here is a video showing how to set up the session on a Garmin.
This session should be quite a bit faster than 10k pace. Some examples:
If your 10k time is 40 minutes (= 4 mins/km = 1:36 /400m) then 3k time is about 11:10 (= 3:43/km = 1:29/400m)
If your 10k time is 50 minutes (= 5 mins/km = 2:00/400m) then 3k time is about 13:57 (= 4:39/km = 1:52/400m)
If your 10k time is 60 minutes (= 6 mins/km = 2:24/400m) then 3k time is about 16:44 (= 5:35/km = 2:14/400m)
If you are somewhere in between these 10k times, then just split the difference accordingly.
Alan
Unusually, two sets of faster reps in one week, the purpose being to keep the feeling of pace in the legs. Whereas Monday was quite long, sustained reps at 10k pace, for Thursday's session we will drop the distance/time and up the pace to 5k pace. Recoveries are important in this session; the intention is for the legs to be relatively fresh at the start of each rep. The session is:
1 set of 10 x 70 seconds at 5k pace at Langlands Place. The recovery from each rep is a jog to the end of the straight (i.e. where the 400m usually ends) and then a further minute of standing recovery. The intention here is that the faster packs will get less total recovery than the slower packs as the fast pack will get closer to the end of the 400m straight in 70 seconds than the slower packs.
After the final 1 minute recovery in the first set, take another 4 minutes recovery and then do a second set of 5 x 70 seconds following the same recovery format as in the first set.
The total cumulative rep distance should take the faster runners close to 5k of rep distance.
For the warm-up, run up the Strathaven Road, cross at the mini roundabout and then follow the road around in front of Sainsburys and up the hill to Langlands Place. The recovery should be decided within your pack.
As always, pay particular attention to social distancing rules at all stages of the run (2m to the side, 5m ahead/behind) and keep to your pack whilst recovering at the end of each rep.
Note - to set this up on your watch, probably best to set it as 10 x 70 seconds with an open recovery. When you have jogged to the end of the 400m after each rep, have a look at your watch and wait a further minute beyond the displayed time before starting the next rep (triggered by pressing the lap button).
Alan
Continuing with the 10k pace sessions, this week the reps are time based rather than distance.
8 x 4 minutes at 10k pace with 90 second jog recovery (regroup into your socially distanced packs by jogging towards each other during the recoveries).
Use the Carron Place circuit for the reps. For the warm-up, run via the NEL, Murray Roundabout and Kelvin Road as per usual for this circuit. Decide within your pack how far and what route to use back to the club after the session.
Alan
Following on from the hard session on Monday, Thursday's session is not hard as threshold sessions go. This will be a single 12 minute effort at threshold (3 word effort) during a medium length run. The route is:
Club; Queensway; West Mains Road; East Mains Road; Whirlies; Kingsway; Club
The 12 minute effort should start when you reach East Mains Road and is therefore a slightly uphill effort. After the effort, it is imperative that you re-group into your complete pack and run back to the club together. Refer to the previous post. However, this means that everyone in the pack turns and runs back to the slowest person in the pack.
Remember, stick to your pack, except during the effort and re-group after the effort. Maintain the required social distancing throughout.
Alan
Your committee asks all members to pay particular attention to the following regarding pack discipline.
Check who is in your pack on the blog link after 18:45 on the day of training.
The packs are selected to satisfy several criteria. Some of these criteria are conflicting to a certain extent (e.g. reduced pack size for Covid 19 social distancing whilst also having enough runners in a pack so that there is less chance of being isolated for safety). You all have a duty to ensure that your pack is following this guidance. Speak to each other during the run (you may have to shout!) to ensure your pack is clear on how to behave.
2 m side-by-side or 5m behind the runner in front (within your pack) to maintain the social distancing guidance specified by Scottish Athletics which allows our sport to continue. This applies during all phases of the training (warm-up, reps, cool down). If you can't imagine what 5 metres looks like, then most of the Harriers are running with a stride length of around1m, so let the person in front get 5 stride lengths ahead of you and you will be doing just fine. If you are passing someone during a rep or passing another pack during the warm-up/cool-down, then pull out 2m to the side and go past when it is safe to do so. If you can't imagine 2m, it is 2 running strides! During the warm-up and cool down when you might be on narrower pavements than during the reps, then running one behind each other at 5m separation is probably the only safe option. Make sure that you are not dropping anyone from your pack during the warm-up and cool-down.
When you arrive at the training venue, once your entire pack is there (some may be going direct to the venue, some may be running from the club) start the session without delay. Do not mingle with other packs. If another pack is there when you arrive, stand well apart from that pack so it doesn't look like a mass gathering.
During the repetition session the fact that each pack contains runners covering a (limited) range of abilities will become apparent as the correct rep pace will be specific to each individual and the faster ones in the pack will naturally stretch away from the slower ones. However, during the recoveries, everyone in your pack must regroup. No exceptions. No "splinter" packs. This is a matter of safety in numbers and concerns have already been raised by members of the club who have been left isolated by their packs during rep sessions. Follow the procedure that has been implemented in the Harriers for the past 30 + years. At the end of each rep, everyone except the last person in the pack turns around and jogs back to the slowest person in your pack. When you reach the slowest person in your pack, turn around and keep jogging onwards toward the faster ones who are still running back to you. Do not stand and wait for the rest of the pack to reach you whether you are at the front or the back; keep moving towards each other. This always worked well when the whole club was training together and should be even easier when you are only regrouping within your pack rather than the full club regrouping.
We cannot control who turns up on any specific training night. Some days you may find yourself as one of the faster ones in your pack, other times you may be one of the slower ones in your pack. The intention is to have 3 to 5 in a pack and covering ability ranges spanning no more than 3 ability "bubbles" (e.g. a pack may contain runners from bubbles 4, 5 and 6, or 5, 6 and 7, etc). However, if you find that you are consistently either struggling to stay within sight of your pack during reps or are running away from your pack during reps, then let me (Alan) know and I will adjust your bubble up or down accordingly for the next session.
Alan
We continue with the 10k paced sessions this week. The previous 2 sessions of this type have totalled 8km of reps and this week is no different. The session is:
2 sets of 10 x 400m, 30 seconds between reps (standstill), 2 minutes between sets (i.e. 30 seconds after rep number 10 and then a further 1:30 before starting rep 11).
The venue is Langlands Place. For the warm-up, run up Strathaven Road and cross at the roundabout and then turn first left and round past Sainsburys entrance and onwards up the hill to the entrance to Langlands Place. Decide in your pack which way to run back after the session.
Alan
Still keeping it simple for this week's session. The session is 2 x 15 minutes at threshold effort with a 5 minute jog recovery in between during which you should regroup into your pack (whilst maintaining all social distancing requirements).
Remember that threshold is a level of effort, not a specific pace, which defines a specific physiological state, that where you just start to breath hard and could maintain for 1 hour during a race. To practice judging that effort, we will use a hilly course (as usual) such that your pace varies depending on the slope but your effort remains constant. We won't venture far from the club for this session.
Start the reps at Lidl (Atholl House) and head back up Churchill Avenue to the NEL roundabout where you should follow the pavement around to the left along the Kingsway past St Brides school to the Whitemoss roundabout and then left again and down the hill to Lidl's main car park entrance, being very careful crossing the road at the bottom of Avondale and also at the entrance into Lidl. So this is an anti-clockwise circuit of what we could call the LidNEL loop :-)
The warm-up should be EKSC to NEL roundabout then turn right to Whitemoss Roundabout and then left and down the hill to the Lidl car park entrance where the reps start. Decide within your pack which route to take for the cool down depending on what extra miles you want.
Alan
A tougher session this week as we return to 10k pace.
5 x 1600m with 2 minute jog recoveries.
Consistency is the name of the game. We will be using the Sainsbury's Loop (clockwise) at the Kelvin for this session which provides a mixture of uphill, downhill and flat sections. This means the pace will vary as you go around the lap but on average, each 1600m effort should take you the same time as you adjust your pace to suit the slope.
For the warm-up, head up the Strathaven Road and cross at the small round about and then first left on Greenhills Road and around to Sainsbury's main gate.
Alan
There will be a virtual event held between Thursday 22nd Oct to Tuesday 27th Oct.
I will enter everyone with a valid SA number so there are a few out of date and some ready to go out of date so if you want to take part get it renewed. I will enter the Juniors we have too incase Richard wants to get them involved
Run Distances
Results
Challenge Rules
Safety
o Para Wheelchair or Race Runner athletes may submit Point to Point results. P2P results with a net elevation loss of more than 10m will be subject to a 10sec penalty per 10m of loss.
All current government guidelines regarding physical distancing must be strictly adhered to. Any changes to government guidelines will be implemented immediately
Due to the extra restrictions for the next 16 days weve had clarification from Scottish Athletics and SportsScotland about what were required to do.
Training is almost unchanged from what weve been doing except for the following.
Social distancing must be maintained during training not just before and after, therefore a 2 metre gap should be maintained when running side by side and a 5 metre gap when running in a line.
The only other change to be aware of is the Sports Club is having to close till the 26th so no toilet facilities will be available.
Packs should meet in the car park over the next 2 weeks
FURTHER UPDATE The event will now take place on the weekend 7th/8th November therefore the deadline for names will be extended to Monday 26th October. Remember were only allowed 3 male and 3 Ladies so if we have more names our selectors will pick whose running. There will be virtual events on too. A reminder that some have got there SA number due for renewal and to enter the number needs to be valid on the day of entry and the date of the event.
UPDATE The relays will no longer be run as a relay. They will be run in waves of individual bubbles of 30max over 2 days starting 20 mins apart. Wave start times will be advised for each individual in advance. Junior females will run in bubbles on the Saturday morning with Junior males in the afternoon. u/20 senior and master men will run on Sunday morning and the ladies on Sunday afternoon. Only one team from each club in each event and it will be teams of 3 running 3k each.
No spectators allowed but one team manager is allowed. Social distancing must be observed until your in the start pen then you are deemed to be in your bubble. Its also asked once youve ran you should depart. Times from the runners will be added later to create the team time.
There is a plan for the short course xc to go ahead in November but this may be invitational so they are going to set up a virtual event the same weekend as not everyone will be able to take part in this. details to follow.
What will happen now is if you want to be in this please add your name and if we have more than one team our selectors will decide whos running. Everyone with a valid SA number will be entered so they can take part in the virtual event
The plan at the moment is the National XC relays will go ahead at the usual venue in Cumbernauld on Sat 24th Oct.
Assuming this goes ahead i need names of those that want to take part by Tuesday 6th Oct I cant take names after this so if you want to run it get your name down.
Cost £5
Make sure your SA number is up to date and valid on the 24th Oct
Start times are Ladies 13.00 to 15.00 and men 10.00 to 12.00
If you want entered please add your name HERE
Those already entered are listed HERE
Keeping with our 30 minutes of total Thursday threshold effort and also recognising this week as an easier week, the 30 minutes is broken up into 5 x 6 minutes at threshold with 2 minutes jog recovery. Remember that with all training sessions you are trying to adapt a particular physiological system. Running the session faster than intended does not give you more benefit; in fact it probably gives you no benefit as you may be using a different, limited energy process compared to the one we are trying to train and are just knocking your pan in for nothing. Therefore, just because you are only running for 6 minutes at a time rather than 20 minutes as we did last week, do not run any faster than threshold effort (3 word pace). Keep the Heid!
The route for tomorrow is the College Milton Loop as first tested two weeks ago. The route to and from the session is straight along the Queensway and turn into West Mains Road after KFC to enter the industrial estate and the loop. Refer to the post from two weeks ago for a more detailed description of the 2.2km loop.
Alan
Hello,
With the Senior Harriers been back for nearly 3 weeks of club training with COVID-19 social restrictions I just wanted to remind people of the rules and procedures that were implemented before we started back.
These were created by myself with guidance and support from Scottish Athletics, our committee and East Kilbride Sport Club COVID Coordinator.
Before members get complacent please read the rules and procedures again (Alan has put quick links on the blog) now that we are back and ask yourself am I following the rules, do I understand them and do you observe other people not following the rules? If you have any concerns you can approach me, Russell, Anne, Frances, Alison, Alan, Andy & Lorraine who are all committee members wither it's in person, email, WhatsApp or mobile.
So this brings me onto to my key point. We have agreed in our rules with East Kilbride Sport Club that when we arrive for training we meet in the club gym and not collate at the front door. Also for members to santise there hands upon entering the East Kilbride Sport Club. The door handle to the sports club is metal and if a lot of people keep touching that and not cleaning their hands you are creating a link for the virus.
The sports club doesn't want groups of people hanging about the door which can be intimidating for other users of the club trying to enter or exit and it only takes 1 person to complain.
All this is for everyones safety.
Thank you for reading and take care,
Richard (COVID-Coordinator)
After a month or so of hard Monday 10k pace sessions, this weeks session is lighter and slightly faster with relatively longer recoveries. The following reps are to be run at 5k pace:
2 sets of 8 x 1 minute with 1 minute jog recovery. 4 minutes between sets.
The venue for the reps is Carron Place. Warm up via the Murray roundabout and Kelvin Road to the factories and Carron Place. The cool down to be decided by each pack.
Alan
No surprises that this is a Threshold Thursday session but on more familiar territory this week. The session is:
1 x 20 minute threshold, 5 minute easy jog recovery, 10 minute threshold, 3 minute jog.
The session should be on the Sainsburys Loop in the Kelvin, starting at Sainsburys distribution centre gate and following the road all the way around in a clockwise direction as we usually do. Its about 2.2km for a complete lap, so 2 to 2.5 laps for the fastest ones in 20 minutes.
The warm-up should be via the Strathaven Road, turn right onto Greenhills road and then first left and around to the Sainsbury's gate. The cool down should be for each individual pack to agree to get the total mileage they want.
As usual, start the session as soon as your pack arrives, re-group within your pack during the recoveries. When your entire pack has finished, start your cool down.
Alan
After a few weeks of trialling our training attendance booking system, I have made a version 2 of the form and revised the logic behind the scenes to hopefully avoid some of the problems experienced. The new form is available at the link at the top of the page. If you had added the old form to your browser favourites, please replace it with a link to this new one.
The main changes are:
For this week's 10k paced session, we are going to use multiples of the "Futura" circuit in Colvilles Place, at the top of the steps just across the Strathaven Road.
The session is:
2 sets of:
2 x 3 laps, 1 minute recovery after each effort +
1 x 2 laps, 30 seconds recovery +
2 x 1 lap, 30 seconds recovery
2 minutes between sets (i.e. 30 seconds after last 1 lap rep + 1:30).
For the warm-up, turn left on the Strathaven Road, at the roundabout cross over and run up Greenhills Road. At the top of the hill, turn right and downhill into the Kelvin and then turn right onto Colvilles Road and along to Futura. Decide within your pack where to do the cool down (either down the steps and straight to the club or a longer route back).
Run in your assigned packs during the warm up and cool down. Try to re-group into your pack during the recoveries. Start the session as soon as your pack arrives. Leave the venue as soon as your pack has finished (do not congregate and wait for other packs to finish). If you are meeting your pack in the Sports Club, remember your mask.
Alan
First of all a reminder to stick to the packs (the letters, A, B, C, D, etc) that you have been assigned, throughout the warm-up, session and cool down. These packs will be announced as of 18:45 on the day of training via the links at the top of the blog.
An explanation of Bubbles - the "bubble" number on the packs list is not your pack. The bubble number is a sequential ranking of the entire club membership into 10 groups of 5 based on recent Auldhouse 5k pace (or another 5k if you have not done Auldhouse recently). Depending on who and how many book into a training session, I will try to ensure that each pack consists of runners from no more than 3 adjacent bubbles (e.g. pack B may contain people from bubbles 3, 4 and 5) so everyone in the pack is reasonably well matched. We are trying to have only 3 or 4 people per pack to make the adherence to physical distancing easier and to avoid drawing attention to ourselves in public.
If you feel the pack you have been assigned is too slow, then I am afraid you are just going to have to live with it as this is a reasonably small sacrifice to make to allow us to have more freedom than the general public. The bubble ranking will be re-assessed every 4 to 6 weeks if there are any major discrepancies.
If you are coming back from injury and are not as fit as you were at your most recent 5k, let me know at least a few days in advance and I will re-adjust your "bubble" (don't worry, its not painful).
If you have booked to attend training but on the day of the training, you are not feeling up to a session, then I would suggest that under any circumstances (covid restrictions or not), it is not wise to come to the Harriers that night where, inevitably we are going to be doing a demanding session. In that case, just submit the form again (before 18:30) and tick the "no longer attending" box.
So the session tomorrow is 3 x 10 minutes threshold with 3 minutes jog recovery.
For a change we are doing the session entirely within College Milton on the "ring road" as illustrated in bright red in the map image below. This is a hilly circuit of just over 2km and is excellent for threshold on account of the need to control pace to match threshold effort despite long steep ascents and fast gradual descents. Start the session just off West Mains road where you enter the industrial estate at the pedestrian crossing. Follow the road down hill as if you were doing the 4 hills and then eventually up the very steep hill (Glenburn Road). However, at the top of this steep hill, turn left (this is still Glenburn Road) and this takes you back to the point where you started the circuit, just off West Mains Road. For the faster ones, you will do approximately one lap or a bit more in 10 minutes at your threshold effort. For future reference and to avoid me repeating all of the above if we use this loop again, I will refer to this as the "College Milton Circuit".
The warm-up and cool down are the direct route along the Queensway to/from West Mains Road and the club.
Alan
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With the covid restrictions weve had this year the comittee has been looking to see how we can help. Now that we have training back on we have come to the following decision. Please read carefully so you understand how it will work.
The Harriers section will cover 50% of your fees this year. To give an example an Ordinary members fees this year were a total of £130. This will mean we will cover £65 of this.
How will this work.
As long as a minimum of 50% of your fees are paid we will credit anything beyond this into next years fees. So if youve paid the full £130 from the example above i will credit £65 of this to 2021 fees for you.
If there is any reduction in fees next year from the Sports Club although i should point out theres been no indication there will be, as a section we will have already covered a reduction for you and would still look for full payment from you. For example lets say youve paid £130 this year and we cover the 50%. If the sports club said they were reducing next years fees by £10 due to this years restrictions we would still require you to pay the full fee. That is the £65 credit we kept from this year and a fee of £65 would be required from the member therefor as a section we would recoup £10 of the £65 we have paid for you.
Thats probably clear as mud and if it is and you have any questions please feel free to contact me and i can try and explain it better.
What i will do is let you know individually what credit your carrying into next year at the beginning of January. Hopefully we will know in January what the fees are next year and i will be able to let you know what the balance is.
On behalf of your comittee
Russell
Our facility operator, East Kilbride Sports Club, has notified us that the wearing of a face mask/covering is mandatory at all times within the club.
It can only be removed if you are sitting at a table in the bar areas.
So when we meet in the gym area prior to Monday and Thursday sessions you need to wear a mask.
Richard
COVID-Coordinator (Calderglen Harriers)
After a few weeks of lower total volume to allow recovery, we are stepping back up to the total volume we were at back in August for this weeks 10k session.
2 sets of 9 x 400m at 10k pace, 30 seconds recoveries between reps and 2 minutes recovery between sets.
If you haven't been doing these sessions regularly, then cut back the number of reps. The most important thing is to be running at the correct pace rather than slogging out all the 400's at a slower and slower pace.
For those attending the club, please fill in the pre-book form and check which pack you are in before attending the club. Packs will be published by 18:45 on Monday. The venue for the session is Langlands Place. Packs to decide their own route from the Sports Club to the venue and back again at the end.
Remember that under the current tighter Covid restrictions, social distancing must be maintained throughout the session (i.e. 2m side-by-side and 5m ahead/behind the next runner in your pack and any other runners you meet or pass on the way). This applies during the warm-up/cool-down and during the rep session. The road at Langlands Place is plenty wide enough to pass someone leaving a 2m gap, so keep that in mind.
Alan
Hello,
I am sure you will be all pleased to hear the Senior Harriers can return to club training with COVID-19 restrictions on Thursday 17th September.
READ ALL THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOUR BENEFIT AND FELLOW CLUB MEMBERS
Facility changes
Health and Safety
Welcome back to the club. For the purpose of tonight's trial club training night it is important you read these COVID-19 restriction Training Procedures. Remember tonight is invitation only so please refer to Alan's post (http://calderglen.blogspot.com/2020/08/test-of-new-club-mondaythursday.html)
Before You Train
YOU MUST STAY AT HOME
If not part of the Auldhouse Time Trail return to training trial (a separate post will soon be published with instructions from Richard), then either do the Auldhouse TT on your own throughout the day (see the post highlighting the start and finish line positions in Auldhouse) or do the following Threshold session:
8 to 10 miles run with 5 x 6 minutes threshold, 2 minutes jog recovery inserted in the middle of the run. Needless to say, the bit before you start and the bit after you finish the reps should be at an easier pace than Threshold!!!
Alan
As Richard mentions in this post (http://calderglen.blogspot.com/2020/08/senior-harriers-exit-from-lockdown-for.html), the Harriers' committee is drafting a plan for a return to training which Richard will detail in due course. To allow us to refine those plans, we would like to run a trial of the plan this Thursday by inviting those who have entered the September Auldhouse 5k as of 22:00 today, Sunday 30th August and who are able to attend the training on Thursday evening. That is everyone on this list from Jim Holmes to Morgan Beaton. The aim for this trial is to have a limited number of Harriers at first to see if it works with a relatively small number before refining and launching to the full membership.
Richard will post on the blog with a bullet list outlining the procedure you must follow before, during and after the session (the session will be the Auldhouse 5k individual time trial). So for the moment, this post is just about gathering the names of those who can attend on Thursday.
If those on the list are able to attend the club on Thursday, arriving there at between 19:10 and 19:30, then please fill in this form anytime before 18:30 pm on Thursday. It is vital that you type your name in full according to the spelling in this list as the automatic assignment to packs matches up registered names with a master pack list. The data recorded on this form will automatically generate two lists:
A) our track & trace list for the session with name and telephone number of each participant.
B) a list of bubbles/packs which you have to stick to for the evening. There are a maximum of 5 people per bubble/pack. The list of packs will appear here and automatically update every 5 minute as names start to be registered.
If you register your name and then find you cannot attend the session, just submit the form again and click the box that says no-longer attending.
If you can't make Thursday evening, then no problem, just do the Auldhouse TT on your own during the window from this Thursday to the following Wednesday as previously advised in this post.
Bear with us while we try to get something workable together. Any questions on this form, then let me know.
Alan
UPDATED WITH START/FINISH LINE DETAILS
The final race of this year's GP is to be the September edition of the Auldhouse TT, again run as a solo effort. The difference this time is that the course will start and finish in Auldhouse rather than at Langlands (Gordon has marked the start/finish as detailed below). Times will be taken from the elapsed time field on Garmin Connect or Strava. Make sure to start a new session for the effort and press the start/stop button to start and finish the session.
The competition window for this one will be Thursday 3rd September until Wednesday 9th September.
As is usual for the final GP race, all jokers you presently have will be automatically played, so no need to declare jokers, just put your name down on the list using this form. Those entered so far are listed here. Entries close at midnight on Wednesday 2nd September.
Alan
THE COURSE
The start is at the lamp post on the right of the road at the houses on the way out of Auldhouse as illustrated below. There is a red "S" painted on the ground on both sides of the road.
THE FINISH
The finish line is at the lamp post just after the gate into the primary school and in-line with the word "BUS" on the ground and level with the end of the Auldhouse Arms building/car park entry as shown in the photos below. There is also a red "F" painted on the kerb on the left side of the road only.
Thanks to Gordon for going out and setting that out.
Alan
Hello Members
Following further updates from the Scottish Government's COVID-19 route map we are allowed to resume sport in line with sports specific guidance from Sportscotland and Scottish Athletics and public health advice.
"Organised outdoor non-contact sporting activity can be undertaken by all ages with no physical distancing required on the field of play." The field of play for us is warm up, main session and cool down.
So the key here is for Mondays & Thursdays club sessions to return it is classed as "Organised outdoor non-contact sporting activity".
The committee had a meeting last week to discuss how we can restart club training with COVID-19 restrictions and work is under way to do this.
So to prepare everyone mentally it won't be like what we did before, there will be new rules in place that we as club need to do and rules laid down by the Sports Club who are our Facility provider that we need to follow.
Changes to be aware of include
1. An online booking system to attend Mondays & Thursdays club sessions using Google forms on the blog (similar to how we book to club races). We need to keep a register of training attendance for track and trace purposes.
2. Members split into their training packs (Scottish Athletics refer to them as bubbles) before you turn up for training to prevent people mixing outside their training pack (bubble).
3. Entering Sports club to join your training pack only and social distancing (2 metres) with everyone else
4. Toilets will be accessible
5. No changing room or showering facilities
6. We have agreed the Tuesday night training will not return immediately until we have successful re-started Mondays & Thursdays as this night of training has its own attendance complexities.
7. Work is in progress to get the Wednesday junior training back in September but no date set.
8. No access to Sports Club gym.
The committee have not set a date to re-start training but I hope it will be in September. The committee have agreed to have a test training night with a small number of members to see how our new systems work.
The committee and I will keep everyone updated on our progress. However I would like to say I hope we can have all members cooperation and goodwill to follow any new rules to help the return of club training and respect the work the it is involved in our preparations.
Kind regards
Richard
Relevant Links
Phase 3 - https://www.scottishathletics.org.uk/clubs/club-support/coronavirus/
Please pay attention to documents "General guidance for Athletes" but please feel free to look at any others General Guidance documents.
After last week's tough session (of which there will be more to come), this week we will put a bit of zip back into the legs with shorter reps (10k pace though) and consequently more recoveries.
3 sets of 6 x 400m. 30 seconds between reps, 2 minutes between sets (i.e. 30 seconds at the end of the last rep in the set plus 1:30 giving 2 minutes total).
The total volume (7.2km) is getting towards total race distance (10km) but we are getting plenty of recoveries on this one. Try to stay light on your feet, particularly towards the end of the session and think of maintaining good form rather than straining/hanging on.
Alan
