June Auldhouse 5k

The June Auldhouse 5k will take place as part of the club session on Thursday 3rd June. However, for those who will be unable to attend on Thursday, you can also run the time trial solo and submit your time on Strava/Garmin Connect if you wish (please name the session as June Auldhouse 5k) anytime between Tuesday 1st June and Saturday 5th June inclusive. Only your first attempt will count (e.g. if you run it on Tuesday and Thursday, only the Tuesday time will be recorded in the club database). I'll update this post with details of timing for the club Thursday session.

Alan

Club Training Monday 31st May

As this is Auldhouse TT week, Monday is a 5k pace sharpener. Assuming there are 30 or less participating, then we are using a single route to do the following session:

10 x 2 minutes at 5k pace, 2 minute jog recovery.

The route is from the club, up the Strathaven Road, around the front of Sainsburys and start the session at the bottom of the Langlands hill at the 90 degree corner. Carry on past Park Farm to Leaburn Road. Turn right onto Leaburn Road and follow it to the end where it veers right down the steep hill. At the bottom of the steep hill turn right and head to Auldhouse cross. Carry on straight through and back via Langlands Club House and back to the factories. Carry on up the hill to Greenhills Rd and then turn right back down through the road works to Strathaven Road.

Alan

Club Training Thursday 27th May

Thursday's session is a steady run at marathon pace or slower. Our maximum training group limit is 30, so assuming we don't reach that number, there is only one recommended route for all packs.

The route is as follows: start off through the glen all the way up to Langlands. Then down the hill and around via Park Farm. At the Leaburn Rd junction turn left and then immediately right and climb on up to the next junction and turn right onto the top road. Follow the road along and then swing right back down the hill towards Leaburn Road. At Leaburn Rd, turn left and then follow along to the sharp right turn and down the hill again to Auldhouse Rd. Carry on to Auldhouse Cross and go straight through and follow the road back to Langlands Club House, Sainsburys, Strathaven Rd and the club.

Alan

Club Training Monday 24th May

 Short and sharp again tonight. The session is the descending pyramid with the sustained, steady pace recovery rather than a walk/jog recovery:

• 2 x 90 seconds @ 5k pace (90 second steady run recovery after each effort) +
• 4 x 60 seconds  @ 3k pace (60 second steady run recovery after each effort) +
• 4 x 30 seconds @ 1 mile pace (30 steady run recovery after each effort) +
• 4 x 15 seconds @ even faster (15 second steady run recovery after each effort).

The idea is to run slightly faster as the reps get shorter, starting off with 5k pace during the 90 seconds efforts and getting gradually faster from there. Remember that the jog recovery has been replaced by a "steady run" recovery (that is something like marathon to half marathon pace). This is difficult! The rep splits should show a gradual acceleration, the recoveries should be the same pace every time. Slow down to the recovery pace after each rep (don't stop after the rep and re-start).

We have a maximum group size of 30 again so assuming a single venue, the venue for this session is the flatish (for EK) road past Langlands Club House into Auldhouse. Warm-up from the club, along the Strathaven Rd, onto Greenhills Road and turn first left, past Sainsburys to the starting point for the reps at the junction just before Langlands Club House. Run to Auldhouse, turn right at Auldhouse Cross and towards the new houses and on to Greenhills Road. Follow Greenhills Rd back to Strathaven Rd and the club. 

Alan

Summer Pub Run

Its been talked about for many years but now it could be a reality. Eddie is organising a pub run for Friday 16 July, starting at 6pm from the Sports Club. Hope everyone can make it. Subject to whatever Covid restrictions are in place at the time.

Eddie

Club Training Thursday 20th May

Mass participation Threshold Thursday is back. The session is:

2 x 10 minutes with 3.5 minutes jog recovery.

Our maximum training group limit is now increased to 30. Therefore, assuming we are within that limit, there is only one training venue/route. Park at EKSC or the Torrance golf club and start the run from EKSC car park. Social distancing rules must be followed until such time as the run actually starts and then resumed when you return to EKSC after the session.

The route is up Strathaven Road, around past Sainsburys entrance to Langlands. Start the first rep at the junction for Langlands Club House and run past the club house towards Auldhouse. Carry straight through Auldhouse Cross and turn right to run past the kennels. Carry on to Shields Road and then turn right on Greenhills Road and back to the club. Remember that threshold is the effort you could maintain for an hour long race (so somewhere between 10k and 10 miles for the vast majority in the club).

Alan

Use of the Training Booking Form

Could everyone please remember that the cut off time for filling in and submitting the training registration form is precisely 18:30 on the day of training. This isn't because I can't be bothered looking at the data after 18:30, it is because the cut-off time is programmed into the formula that automatically creates the pack list and the separate track & trace contact list. If you register after 18:30 and after I have already assigned the packs (which I try to do as soon after 18:30 as I am able) then the pack letters are misaligned.

The system has worked faultlessly for 6 months but in the last 3 weeks, 4 people have submitted forms between 18:30 and 19:00. 

Alan

Club Training Monday 17th May

The maximum group size is now officially allowed to be up to 30 rather than the 15 we have been working under for a few months. Therefore, assuming we don't have a record turnout, we have only one training venue! Physical distancing is suspended for the duration of the activity (however we have to physically distance before and after the activity - I'll take that to mean the meetup before the session and after we finish the run). Note that if we end up with more than 30 registered, I will put some last minute venue 2 info on the blog when I am assigning the packs between 18:30 and 18:45 on Monday.

The session for Monday is:

6 x 3 minutes at 5k pace with a 2 minute jog recovery (note that the recovery has been cut by a minute).

Regroup during the recovery, everyone in the pack turning and jogging back to the last person in your pack.

Let's do this one on a route rather than a fixed venue. Might be best to park at Torrance Golf Club if the EKSC car park is busy. However, wherever you are parking, jog down to EKSC and start the run with your pack from there. The route is through the glen to the tunnel and then climb up to the Strathaven Road, out to the Crutherland and cross over onto the country road. The reps start at the usual sharp corner on the back road. When you reach Leaburn Rd, turn right along Leaburn Rd. Take the second on the right, down the dip and up to Auldhouse Cross. Turn right at Audlhouse Cross and back via Langlands Clubhouse, past Sainsburys to the Strathaven Rd and back to the club.

Alan

Club Training Thursday 13th May

As this is a lighter, recovery week, Thursday's run is a steady run (i.e slower than half marathon pace) of about 60 to 90 minutes duration. We are still on the max of 15 per training group/venue. Hopefully this is the final week of split venues/routes.

Venue 1 (park at Torrance golf club): Strathaven Road up to Greenhills Road and then all the way along Greenhills Road to the fingerposts on Shields Rd. Follow Shields Rd past the kennels and then turn right and immediately left up the very steep hill and bear left at the top onto Leaburn Road. Follow Leaburn Rd and turn second left past Park Farm, up the hill at Langlands and then around by Sainsburys and back to the Strathaven Road and the Torrance golf club car park.

Venue 2 (park at EKSC): Let the Venue 1 pack have a 5 minute start and then follow them up Strathaven Road and then Greenhills Road but turn in towards Sainsburys and then Langlands Club House and on into Auldhouse. Turn right at Auldhouse Cross and follow the road back to the fingerposts and then onto Greenhills Road. Return to Strathaven Road and the club.

Alan

Club Training Monday 10th May

Let's do a slightly lighter and short session after the hilly, dreich runs in Callander on Sunday. We are hopefully in the final week of split training groups so once again, if there are more than 15 registered, then we use two training venues but if there are 15 or less we are all at the same venue.

The session is and inverted pyramid (regroup to your pack during each of the jog recoveries):

• 3 minutes at 5k pace
• 3 minutes jog recovery 
• 2 minutes at 5k pace
• 2 minutes jog recovery
• 1 minute at 5k pace
• 1 minute jog recovery
• 2 minute at 5k pace
• 2 minute jog recovery
• 3 minute at 5k pace
• 3 minute jog recovery

Venue 1 (park at Torrance Golf Club): Sainsbury's  Loop. Warm up via Strathaven Road, Greenhills Road to the crest of the hill and then left down past Langlands Place to the main gate of Sainsburys. Do the session in a clockwise direction from there. Cool down on a route of your choice.

Venue 2 (park at EKSC): Carron Place Loop. Give the Venue 1 pack a 5 minute start and then follow them along Strathaven Road, Greenhills Road to the crest of the hill and turn right into Singer Road and down to Carron Place where you start at the usual place and run in an anticlockwise direction. Cool down on a route of your choice.

This weeks homework is to programme the above session into your Garmin without a video!

Alan

May Auldhouse TT Results

Despite the winter conditions, we had a great turnout of 17 to the first Auldhouse 5k of the season, either during club training on the Thursday or solo runs through the week. The results I have are now added to the Auldhouse Time Trail Times spreadsheet here (also in the menu to the left of the blog). If I have missed any of the solo times on Strava or Garmin, then please let me know. Thanks to Eddie for taking the times on the night.

Highlights include course bests for Julie Thomson in 22:49 (5k pb), Kirsty Wilson (21:15) and David  Wardrope (21:08). Kirsty was also the fastest lady this month. Fastest man was Iain Tomb in 19:09.

A number of Harriers also bettered their best 2020 times indicating that they are getting back into form (Richard Lawton, Kenny Leinster, Alison Lessells and Gordon McInally) with many more very close to last year's form which bodes well for future months. Encouragingly we had a number of first timers setting their bench mark to aim for through the summer (Gordon Quinn, Carly Reid and Hazel Stewart).

Hopefully we get better weather next time leading to even faster times.

Alan

Club Training Thursday 6th May - Auldhouse 5k

Thursday is the long awaited first Auldhouse 5k of the season. As usual, we are still limited to 15 people gathering at any one location and mixing. Therefore, we have to be careful about how to organise this. If there are 15 or less it is easy. If there are more than 15, then the "Venue 1" packs will be the faster packs and they should head off first. The Venue 2 packs should give the Venue 1 packs at least a 10 minute start before leaving the Sports Club to give them time to arrange themselves at the time trial start and for all of them to have set off on their time trials.

Venue 1 (park at Torrance House golf club) - proceed via Strathaven Road and Sainsburys to the start of the 5k. Eddie will set you off at 30 second intervals in the same order as displayed in the pack list. e.g. if packs A, B and C are all at Venue 1, then the first runner named in Pack A goes first, followed by the second runner in pack A and so on and then onto pack B and then pack C. Take your own time on your Garmin. Let Eddie know your time at the end. Return to the club via whatever route you decide within your packs (maybe via the Glen). Don't wait for Venue 1 runners to finish.

Venue 2 (park at EKSC) - wait 10 minutes after the Venue 1 runners have passed before starting. Then follow the same route along Strathaven Road and then via Sainsburys to start. All of the Venue 1 runners should have started by the time you arrive at the start. Eddie will set you off at 30 second intervals. e.g. if packs D, E and F are at Venue 2, then the first runner named in pack D goes first, followed by the second runner in pack D and when all pack D runners have gone, the first runner in pack E goes and so on. Take your on time on your Garmin. Let Eddie know your time at the end. Decide within your packs what routes to take back to the club.

Alan

Packs for Callander Run on Sunday 9th May

The packs for Sunday's runs are here. Note that I've not yet decided which pack to run with; it depends on the route.

Alan

May Auldhouse 5k

The Auldhouse 5k will take place as part of the club session on Thursday 6th May. However, for those who will be unable to attend on Thursday, you can also run the time trial solo and submit your time on Strava/Garmin Connect if you wish (please name the session as May Auldhouse 5k) anytime between Monday 3rd and Saturday 8th May inclusive. Eddie is going to do the timing for those attending the club session on Thursday. Only your first attempt will count (e.g. if you run it on Tuesday and Thursday, only the Tuesday time will be recorded in the club database).

Thanks to Gordon who has been out re-painting the start and finish lines.

You can check all your previous times via the Auldhouse 5k link in the blog menu.

Alan

Club Training Monday 3rd May

Monday is a final sharpener before the Auldhouse 5k (see separate post for arrangements for the 5k on Thursday).

The Monday session is:

10 x 2 minutes at 5k pace with 2 minutes jog recovery.

As before, if we have more than 15 registered then we will use two venues for the session, otherwise everyone is at venue 1.

Venue 1 (Park at Torrance golf club car park): Sainsburys Loop. Warm up along Strathaven Road, up Greenhills Rd and then first left around to the Sainsbury's main gate, at which point the reps start. Run the reps in a continuous clockwise loop of the circuit. Re-group after each rep (last person in pack continues to jog forward, others turnaround and jog back to the last person). Cool down is a route of your choice.

Venue 2 (Park at EKSC Car Park): Carron Place Loop. Give the Venue 1 pack a 5 minute start and then head out along Strathaven Road and Greenhills Road, then down Singer Road to Carron Place. Start the reps at the usual place at the corner and continue in an anti-clockwise direction. Regroup into your pack after each rep, last person continuing to jog forward, others turning and jogging back to the last person. Cool down is a route of your choice.

Alan

LONDON MARATHON CLUB PLACE

 Due to the disruption there has been with all events over the last year there is a slight change to how the club places are distributed this year and next. There is no new application for spaces and they will be allocated on the following basis. We had 1 place in 2020 which has been deferred to 2022 so we will have no place next year. As for 2021 we have been allocated 1 place so following our usual allocation of this place anyone that had a rejected ballot entry for 2021 can apply to be in a draw for this place. It is our intention to draw this place on Sunday 9th May while there will be a lot of us in Callendar so anyone wishing to be included in the draw that has a rejected ballot entry please let Francis or Russell know you wish to be in the draw by Saturday 8th May. If youve forgotten the race date is 3rd October.