Auldhouse Time Trial - June - Another Virtual one

The June edition of our Auldhouse individual 5k Time Trial will also be a virtual one. All the rules and requirements are in this previous post. This month, I will accept any Auldhouse TT time set between Monday 1st June and Sunday 7th June 2020. I will update the results database the week after that.

Last month I missed quite a few individual times on Garmin Connect for a variety of reasons (e.g. I have dozens of  connections on Garmin Connect and it is difficult to find every Auldhouse session among the list of hundreds of sessions recorded during the week; easier to find on Strava but not every Harrier is on Strava yet; not every Harrier is connected to me on Garmin Connect or Strava). So, please send me an e-mail (w.alan.derrick@gmail.com) or Messenger IM when you have completed your session so I can file them all together and find them easily.
Alan

Training Monday 1st June

Following the great turn-out for the club over the weekend doing the Scottish Athletics 30 minute Virtual Race, Monday is definitely a recovery session this week (for those who have done the 30 minute challenge). 

For those who have not done the challenge, please go ahead and do it. The Harriers' ladies' and men's teams are sitting right up at the top of the leader board (in fact, at this moment, our ladies are leading and our men are third). This can all change overnight as more clubs upload their results, so if you have not yet done it, do have a go on Monday, instead of doing a rep session. You have until midnight Monday to actually do the run. It may well make a difference to the final team positions! The pace should be very close to the 10k pace we have been training at over the past few months. Therefore it is a good check on that.

For those doing a recovery run, please do 5 to 8 miles very easy.

Alan

PS just a crucial little detail on uploading your link from Garmin Connect (must be on a laptop or browser, not the mobile phone app), you must unlock the little padlock icon beside the "share" icon in the top right corner to make your session visible to all. Otherwise you can't copy the link and/or Scottish Athletics won't be able to verify your run.

Example of setting up Garmin for 30 minute virtual race

For those doing the virtual 30 minutes this weekend, here is a useful way to set up your Garmin such that it bleeps/vibrates at quarter, half, three quarter and full time (or you can split it into two halves or eighths, tenths etc using the same process). Here is another video of setting up a custom workout via Garmin Connect to do this. As before this is the Android version but the iPhone steps will be similar.  Remember to synch your watch with the app at the end to transfer the session to the watch.

When ready to start your 30 minute race, select the session from "My Workouts" on the watch; select Do Workout and finally press the "Start" button and run like hell. The watch will bleep/vibrate every seven and a half minutes and will stop automatically at the end of the 30 minutes. All you have to do after finishing is select "Save" on the watch.
Alan

Training Thursday 28th May

I've been taken a little bit by surprise by the Scottish Athletics 15 or 30 minute distance challenge this weekend. This means we have to be a bit relaxed on our Thursday session if planning to do one of those hard, sustained race pace efforts over the weekend. Therefore do around 8 miles easy. Finish with 6 x approx 100m fast strides on the flat.

Can I ask the team captains to organise their strongest team effort for the distance challenge. See the SA event page for details of teams and categories. It's basically 4 per team in various gender and age categories. We need to make sure our strongest runners are doing the same time duration event and not split with some doing 15 minutes and some doing 30 minutes. Our ladies did exceptionally well in the 1 mile challenge. Let's do the same or even better this time.

Alan

Training Wednesday 27th May

Another easy recovery run day today with 5 to 10k (or even as much as 8 miles!) at a leisurely pace and on easy terrain (and a soft surface if possible). Let the leg strength recover. 

For the evening circuits session, we are on to a consolidation phase now, so having built up to 3 or 4 sets the past two weeks, step it back down by one set to 2 or 3 sets.

Alan 

SA VIRTUAL CHALLANGE

This weekends virtual challenge gives you a choice.
As far as you can go in 15 or 30 minutes make your choice before you start so you know your pace.
Same rules apply as the virtual 1 mile 3 weeks ago.
No laps under 1km, no point to point and no overall loss in elevation.
Everyone that still has a valid SA number has been entered and you have from Friday till Monday to do the run and you have to submit it on the events page by noon on Tuesday.
Only Strava or Garmin can be used.

Training Monday 25th May

A slight but difficult progression from last week's session. This week the 10k pace session is as follows:

3 x 1200m + 2 x 800m, 1 minute recoveries. 

Consistency of pace is the name of the game. The total rep distance has increased by 400m whilst the total recovery time is the same as last week, so is more challenging.

For those not familiar with how to programme such a session into a Garmin watch via Garmin Connect, I have created the following video. This is for the Android version of Garmin Connect but should be similar on an iPhone. Note that only the higher spec. Garmin watches can be programmed with custom workouts. If you go to the Training menu on your watch and the first item you see is "My Workouts" then it is likely that your watch can accept custom workouts.

Once the above session is loaded to your watch, select it and press the Start button (usually the upper right button) when you are ready to start your warm-up. Don't press anything else until you are ready to start the first rep. Then press the "Lap" button (usually the lower right button). The first rep timer will begin and you should not press any other buttons until the session is finished and you have finished your cool-down at which point press the Start/Stop button (usually the upper right button) and then save the session as usual. Apart from the first rep which will start as soon as you press the rep button, all subsequent reps will  give you a 5 second count down before the rep begins.

(PS of course, if you have 1200m and 800m distances marked on the ground, then that is the most consistent way of doing the session. In that case just set it up using the interval function on the watch as a set of 5 open reps with 1 minute recoveries. Then just press the lap button to stoo each rep when you reach your marker. I will be setting a Zoom exam on all of this in a few weeks). 
Alan

Virtual WHW Relay Leg 15 - "Highlights"

Another bit of light entertainment as I try to run flat out over a very challenging course on last Sunday's leg 15 of the Calderglen Harriers Virtual WHW Relay whilst videoing with a mobile phone. This time the focus was very much on where I was putting my feet and not taking a header, so the video quality is particularly poor, looking and sounding like it has come from some terrifying chase. I have edited it down to the "highlights" so it is not the full 8.8km and 40 minutes, you will be glad to hear.

The key point is that this video does finally solve the mystery of why within the Harriers, this leg is often referred to as the "Double Staircase". Indeed, that's what it states on the T-shirt, so it must be correct!
Alan

Training Friday 22nd May

It's a bit of a recovery day today. Try half an hour to an hour easy Aerobic (coukd be 5 to 10k easy run or out on the bike for a gentle spin). Then later in the day do up to 3 sets of the Friday Circuit Training (5 exercises per set) as shown here.

Alan

Training Thursday 21st May

Keep it steady is today's message. That means 8 to 10 miles at a comfortable pace, something like half marathon pace for the middle 6 miles and easier at the start and finish. Once finished do 6 fast strides over about 50 to 80m on the flat.

Alan

Training Wednesday 20th May

An easy day in terms of running with a 5 to 10k easy run scheduled for during the day. Later, we are back to the Wednesday Circuits for overall conditioning. Last week we stepped up the number of sets by 1 set, so do the same number of sets this week too. Precede the circuits with a short warm up if possible and finish with stretching.

Alan 

Training Monday 18th May

If you did WHW leg on Saturday do on Monday, otherwise delay this session until Tuesday. Remember, you only benefit from training when you are resting, so stringing hard efforts together day after day will soon lead to breakdown and decline. 

A bit of a step up this week but still sticking to 10k pace.

3 x 1200m + 1 x 800m + 1 x 400m with 60 second recoveries between each.

Alan

TTC 2020 - Postponed

To all potential participants in the TTC, although not yet formally launched for 2020, I have decided to postpone the event for one full year. Nobody has a crystal ball that can tell us exactly how the current pandemic will "pan" out but it seems unlikely that an event based on shared accommodation and dining for 30+ people will be attractive to many by early September, even if the government advice had evolved to allow such social gatherings by then.

Given the huge problems I had booking the accommodation in the first place this year, I have attempted to move our booking ahead one full year in the hope that this will be less problematic than cancelling and trying to re-book. I have also advised that the charity should transfer my deposit on the accommodation until next year. Therefore the new provisional dates are Friday 10th to Sunday 12th September 2021. I await confirmation from the charity that owns the hostel that this will be possible. (THE CHARITY HAS NOW CONFIRMED THAT THE POSTPONEMENT TO NEXT YEAR IS PERFECTLY OK - SO THOSE ARE THE DATES FOR 2021)

As an alternative for this year, I propose that those who are interested (and again depending on government advice) meet up in Callander on the originally planned Saturday and/or Sunday (12th and 13th September 2020) and we will do some typical trail based sessions and runs, shower in the McLaren Leisure Centre and go to the Lade Inn for a pub lunch or dinner. This may give those who cannot normally come through for the TTC weekend a flavour of what it is all about and they can perhaps work on full participation in 2021.
Alan

West Highland Way Relay

Good luck to all the Harriers taking part in this weekends virtual WHW Relay.
Remember, it's an early start so get a good nights sleep ready to be on the virtual bus at 4am.
The spreadsheet has had a couple of enforced last minute changes so make sure you have a wee look to make sure you are running the correct leg.
Please also remember it's a bit of fun and not a time trial, throw in a hill or two or find a bit of trail if you can but don't stress if you can't.
Please identify your run on Garmin or send me your details e.g. a photo of your watch or similar. As we get the times over the course of the weekend , I'll add them to the live spreadsheet for your perusal.
Remember also to wear your club vest and if possible take a selfie during your run. A brief description of your route if you can also.

Finally, there are 2 teams. There will inevitably be a winning team , but there are no losers.

Have a great run!

Jim 

Training Friday 15th May

Today's training depends on whether you are running a virtual WHW relay leg and whether you are running it on Saturday or Sunday. If you are not doing WHW or not running a leg till Sunday, then carry on as normal. That means a 5k to 10k run during the day followed by your usual 3 or 4 sets of the Friday intense circuits session.

If you are running your WHW leg tomorrow, then cut back your run to 4 to 6k during the day and either miss circuits or cut the number of sets in half. 

Alan

Training Thursday 14th May

Carrying on with what should be a generally easy week, run an easy 7 or 8 miles today. It is important to take easy weeks when they come around and not to get greedy when you are in good form and chase times on every run. It might work for a month or two but will result in burn out. I know, I've been there 30 years ago and have spent the past 30 years up and down like a yo yo (the younger members may not know what that is; it's a non-phone based, passive entertainment device that runs up and down a length of string when perturbed at the correct frequency by the user) with long periods of fatigue. So take it easy when you get the chance. You can guarantee I will have something challenging for you next week.

Alan 

Training Wednesday 13th May

My suggestion is to start with a short to medium easy run (5k to 10k). Go for the shorter option if your legs are still tired from the previous week's exertions.

However, for the Wednesday circuits, we are going to step up the total volume of exercises. Add one set on to your previous maximum. E. G. If previously you managed 2 x 15 exercises, now you are increasing to 3 x 15 exercises. Some will now be on 3 sets and some on 4 sets. Don't go beyond 4 sets for now. The exercises are described in this previous post.

Alan

May Auldhouse 5k TT Results are In

A few more added (it would help for future TT's if you could all remember my request to send me an e-mail (w.alan.derrick@gmail.com) and make sure you are connected to me on Garmin Connect when you have done the TT so I can compile a list of names and easily find you in Garmin Connect  rather than going on a random search through Garmin Connect to find results. Note I am only using Garmin Connect times as I can access the data behind the run there; not Strava).

A total of 13 Harriers submitted times for the May 2020 solo virtual edition of the Auldhouse 5k. We have had fewer under normal non-lockdown conditions so an impressive turnout indeed. Several more Harriers completed solo 5k time trials at alternative hilly venues, posting some fast times.

Fastest time of the week was Stuart Gibson in 16:55, a time that anyone except Stuart may struggle to beat this season. Second fastest was Ian Hughes in 18:32. This was probably the performance of the month as it was Ian's fastest time since 2013 and he is no Spring chicken! Next up with an excellent season opening time of 19:15 was Iain Tomb. Just pipping Calum Wright, Graeme Lindsay had an excellent season opener of 20:26. Calum Wright almost carried on from where he left off last year with 20:27 as he homes in on a certain sub 20 this year. Then, in one of the few allowable head to head races taking place in the world, Mark Phimister dipped his dad, Stephen, on the line to stop the virtual clock in 20:58 compared to 20:59 for Stephen. Jim Holmes stopped moving after crossing the line, which was fortunate as he didn't stop the watch! A bit of forensic analysis revealed a time of 22:27. 

Billy Buchanan is benefiting greatly from the regular training which the lock down rules allow him to take, beating last year's best time by 21 seconds to finish in 23:24. Haven't got a fully official Garmin Connect time yet, but Claire McSorley had an excellent solo effort of around 24:05. Richard Lawton is on the way back to form, recording 24:14. Julie Thomson had some Garmin button pressing issues, so I may have done her a disservice by taking the full time interval of 24:46 which will be easy to improve upon next time by pressing the stop button! Still an excellent time for Julie running solo. Despite Morgan's disappointment in her time, she only smashed her previous course best by almost 2 minutes, recording 25:24. Well done Morgan, the only course best of the month.

If I've missed anyone, then please let me know. 

Alan

Virtual West Highland Way Relay

The virtual WHW Relay will be held on Saturday16th and Sunday 17th May. 

Legs have been allocated and can be found at this link WHW Relay teams 

There has been such an enthusiastic response to this event, that we have 2 teams.

Team Captains are Anne McLellan and Chas Steven. These are non running roles.

Rules

1/ Legs must be run on Saturday 16th or Sunday 17th May

2/The WHW is not flat. Where possible, runs should include a hill or off road section.

3/It is a virtual relay. Runs should ideally be close to home. 

4/ Times to be posted on Garmin connect and identified as your relay leg.

5/ If we are not connected by Garmin, please sent your time to me by messenger, whattsap, or text.

6/ If you are unable to complete your run or if you choose a route that is too easy, you will be publically shamed for this:-)

6/ As this is a club event, vests should be worn

7/ Race report will be published on the blog following both team's completion of the race.

8/ Selfies are encouraged as this will make my race report slightly more interesting.

Jim M

Training Monday 11th May

After a tough week of time trials, virtual races and a month of increasing repetition load, this is a week to take a step back. The session is 10 x 200m at 5k pace with 30 seconds static recoveries. So significantly shorter reps but a little faster pace (note, not quite as fast as your virtual mile pace). For those still intending to do the SA Virtual Mile, do that instead.

Alan

Eddie's Alternative Marathon

Eddie would like to thank everyone who helped him to raise money to help the families.                              

St Cadoc's Primary School (@stcadocsprimary) Tweeted: Thank you to Mrs Reid’s husband (Eddie) for raising over £500 for our Hub through completing an ‘alternative’ marathon. The money was used to make up 15 ‘special parcels’ which Mrs Reid delivered in person to some families. #superkind https://t.co/C5oaD66KHj

https://twitter.com/stcadocsprimary/status/1258444664149086208?s=20

Training Thursday 7th May

This would usually be the Auldhouse 5k TT night which this year is open all week for individual runs as described in this recent blog post.

For those not fitting in the 5k TT on Thursday, it is a steady 8 miles. For those doing the TT, your total distance may also be about 8 miles, including warm up to the start, the TT and then the cool down home. Please refer to the blog post at this link for details of how to record a valid time.

Alan

Drills - practice makes perfect!

Drills are a useful addition to your regular training. The benefit they bring is increased range of motion, better muscle coordination and more power in the legs. There are many different running drills out there. Here are a few (poorly demonstrated) drills to try! Always do the drills on soft ground (e.g. grass) and never on hard tarmac. You don't need much space, so this is another session you may be able to do in the garden or even in the house.  Don't try them all at once; perfect a few before introducing another, more difficult one. There is a brief description of the main points of each drill in the description of each individual video.

Drills Part 1

Another production brought to you by the Maxwell Ferguson Organisation, filmed on location in the Algarve!

Chief Videographer - F Ferguson
Director - F Ferguson
Hairstyling - The Wind
Sound Effects - Birds of the Algarve
Location Scout - A Derrick
Assistant Runner - A Derrick

There is an out-takes video in production!

Training Wednesday 6th May

A run and circuits! Make sure that if you are running (5k to 10k easy), then it is a good few hours before the circuits session to give some recovery time.

If you are intending to do the Auldhouse 5k TT and/or the Scottish Athletics 1 Mile Virtual time trial this week, you may wish to step down the Wednesday circuits by one set compared to last week, particularly if you find your legs very heavy the day after circuits. Otherwise, proceed as last week with the same number of sets.
Alan

Training Monday 4th May

A straightforward session this week, taking the total volume up by increasing to 12 x 400m with 30 seconds recovery. The pace is your usual target 10k pace. We are still not quite at half of the race distance that we are training for with a total volume of 4.8k so this should be tough but manageable at a consistent pace. If the pace is dropping away in the final few reps, then perhaps this week is the time to regignise that a second or two may have to be dropped off each rep for next week's session to try to get the consistency back. Of course if it is the wind that is causing the pace to drop, then just accept it and try again at the same pace on next week's session.

Remember also this is Auldhouse solo 5k TT week so try to fit one in after a few days easier days. 

Alan

Training Friday 1st May

Double trouble on a Friday. Only a 5 to 8k easy run given the tough threshold session yesterday, immediately followed by the intense Friday Circuits session. Stick with the same number of sets as last week.

Alan