Club Training Thursday 29th August

A rather predictable progression of this hill training block for Thursday's session. However, it is building these sessions over weeks and months that makes the difference to fitness; a one-off session does very little except establish some muscle soreness the day after. Keep subjecting the muscles to that stress over a number of weeks and months and they adapt and become stronger. 

So, same warm-up via Strathaven Rd and Sainsburys to the bottom of the hill at Langlands and then 10 x 50 seconds hill reps, jog down recovery. The extra 10 seconds will be tough but do try to maintain the same pace and the same running form as established over the shorter distances in the past two weeks. Given the amount of traffic there was on that hill last week and given that it will be darker, wear something bright coloured and keep your head up looking for on coming traffic during each rep. Cool down is the reverse of the warm-up.

Do the stretching after the session.

Alan

Club Training - Monday 26th August

Monday's session takes us back to speed endurance in contrast to the strength/power hill rep session. Taking our step-down session from the past month or two and rearranging the order of the reps, we end up with another variation on the step-down session. This time we are doing 3 x 3 minutes at 5k pace/effort with a 3 minute jog recovery followed by 3 x 2 minutes at slightly faster than 5k pace with a 2 minute jog recovery and finishing with 3 x 1 minutes at approximately 3k race pace with 1 minute jog recoveries. Regroup into your packs during the jog recoveries. So the sequence is (rep/rest) 3/3, 3/3, 3/3, 2/2, 2/2, 2/2, 1/1, 1/1, 1/1.

Daylight will be a problem, particularly if the weather is unfavourable. However we will try this route: Strathaven Rd round by Sainsburys to the Langlands Club House junction. Start the reps there, heading past the clubhouse to Auldhouse. Go straight through Auldhouse cross and turn right to go past the kennels. Follow Shields Rd all the way back to the fingerposts and Greenhills Rd, return towards Strathaven Rd on Greenhills Rd. In the unlikely event that there is not enough road left on that route to complete the session, turn down into the Sainsburys loop and complete that in an anti-clockwise direction to finish the session.

By stepping down the distance of each set of reps, there is a better chance of the quality of the reps being maintained and hence a greater training effect is achieved from the session.

Alan

40th Anniversary Interviews - Alan Derrick

 As part of celebrating Calderglen Harriers 40th anniversary year, we are conducting some interviews with various members. First to be interviewed is club coach Alan Derrick. Watch it here.

Club Training Thursday 22nd August

Thursday's session builds upon last week's hill reps which were intended as an introductory hill session to get the muscles used to the speed and load involved. For this week, we extend the session slightly to 10 x 40 seconds up the same hill at the same level of effort. This is strength endurance development, holding on to the same form for slightly longer than last week.

Given the atrocious weather and darkness, the warm-up and cool-down are the direct route via Strathaven Rd and Sainsburys.

Alan

Live it for Lee Triathlon

 

The 4 hardcore harriers doing the full triathlon

Saturday morning was the day of the Live it for Lee triathlon, a fun triathlon that Jim Holmes organises with his sister to raise money for the Live it for Lee/Blood Cancer charity.

Once again Jim, Elizabeth-Anne and her team did a fantastic job of organising this event.

We had 4 harriers entered to do the full event and several more making up relay teams. Julia Pechlof was concentrating on her marathon training this weekend and the 50 mile round Strathaven cycle on the Sunday so had entered her body double – identical twin sister Luca  instead.

The triathlon started with a 750m swim which is 42 lengths of the Crutherland Pool. As with the laid back nature of this event, you get in the pool when suits you and time yourself for the 42 lengths. Jim Holmes who was forming part of the relay team ‘The Young Pretenders’ was first out the pool in a time of 13:26. Julia Whittle, who had entered the full event was enjoying the swim so much she did a couple of extra lengths and wasn’t far behind Jim Holmes after taking the time off for the extra 2 lengths with a time of 13:42. Julias sister Luca had a great swim at 16:05 as did her Partner Ciaran who finished in 14:11. Andy Buchanan our sole male harrier to do the full event swam a brilliant 16:33. Lisa Greer and Alison Lessells were the other harriers taking on the full event and their times were 19:18 and 23:10 respectively. Jim Mearns’ daughter Emma was forming part of Kennys relay team and she swam a fantastic 19:56. Billy Buchanan forming part of the ‘Supersonic Seventies’ team swimming 21:00. The waiting relay members did a brilliant job of cheering us all on from the sidelines.

Supersonic Seventies

After everyone had gotten changed and got their bikes we cycled from the Crutherland across the road to the road where we sometimes start our harriers training efforts from. The cycle leg is approximately 23.6km and follows this road round up the hill and then on to Leaburn road, turn left to go up toward the wind farm where we had Emma and Jim Mearns doing a fantastic job of cheering everyone on and directing them along the road past the fishery, then towards Auldhouse and past Langlands and Park farm to do the same loop again and after the 2^nd loop you head back to where you start.

The young pretenders team had drafted in Seonaid Morton to do their cycling leg as unfortunately Julie Thomson had to pull out with a sore back. Before the start we were in no doubt who was going to be first back from the cycle and it proved to be the case with Seonaid first back in 47:43. Next in was Gerry Connelly who was part of Emma and Kennys team, in 51:46, Andy Buchanan was pretty close behind in 52:15, then there was a bit of a gap to the next harrier Bill Sturrock part of the Supersonic Seventies team who finished in 60;32. Bill was pleased to get round after crashing out on this course last year. Alison Lessells was next harrier back in 63:54, followed by Julia Whittle in 72:45 and Lisa Greer in 77:43.

Next we were on to the running leg. This was an out and back with everyone running along the road then turning right at the top of the hill to the turning point and back again, however we were all agreed that the car marking the turning point was parked in one layby further up the road than last year meaning the run was about 5.6k instead of 5k. We had Lorraine and Charlotte Buchanan as marshals at the turning point cheering us on up the hill, which was very welcome when your legs were feeling like a mixture of lead and jelly at the same time.

Eddie Reid took over from Seonaid to run strongly on this hilly course to finish in 23:33, with the young pretenders taking the relay title. Andrew Buchanan was next back with a strong run finishing in 25:40 (including transition time) to take the individual male title.

Kenny Leinster was next harrier home, after taking over from Gerry finishing in 29:40. Alison Lessells was next harrier home to take the female title, overtaking David Searil in the final few metres to finish in 27:26 (including transition time).  Much to everyone’s disappointment I did remember to take my helmet off this year before starting the run! David Searil was close behind finishing in 30:50. Julia Whittle was next harrier back with a run (plus transition) time of 31:55 and then Lisa Greer with a run plus transition time of 36:39.

After the event we headed back to the Crutherland to get showered/changed and have lunch (included in the entry) and attend the prizeging and raffle.

If anyone fancies doing a triathlon then I would definitely recommend giving this a go next year as it is a fun, friendly event with your entry fee raising money for a great cause.

Full results are in the photo below:

Event Results

Club Training Monday 19th August - Chatelherault

This is the final Harriers' Chatelherault session for this year. However, the benefits remain unchanged. Chatelherault is a wonderful session for building strength whilst running easy, if that does not seem a contradiction. For this final session, we are back to basics with an easy lap; no change of effort half way through, just easy and conversational all the way round in your packs. The only target I would set is try to run further up the log jam than you have managed so far; one more flight of steps or holding better form to the top if you already run all the way up. Each of you set your own target for improvement. Take it nice and easy for the few minutes after the top so that the heart rate comes back down.

I'll probably make it through tomorrow too.

Alan

Club Training Thursday 15th August

It is important that the sessions we do each week contrast with each other i.e. the Monday and Thursday sessions should each be challenging a different aspect of fitness. Whereas Monday (and the coming weeks) focused on long reps at threshold effort, the Thursday session is looking to develop power and speed as we head towards the short relay season on road and country. The starter session this week is 10 x 30 seconds hill reps at a hard effort but not sprinting. i.e. try to use your normal running style for say a 5k race on the flat but focus on maintaining that same style despite the fact you are going up a steep hill. That means you are overloading precisely those muscle combinations you would use if running at race pace on the flat but with extra load from going up hill. You'll be wondering what the hill is. Well it's our usual fading daylight hill at Langlands. Warm up via the glen. Cool down via Sainsburys and back to Strathaven Rd.

After a rep session such as this, it is particularly important that everyone stretches after the session as the muscles will tighten considerably after a running strength and speed session such as this. So gather together with Eddie in the club and do the stretches afterwards.

Alan

Live it for Lee Triathlon

 Just a reminder with the Live it for Lee triathlon being on Saturday that entry money can be paid via Julia Whittle’s just giving page. https://www.justgiving.com/page/julia-whittle-1722932054090?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=page%2Fjulia-whittle-1722932054090&utm_source=whatsapp&utm_campaign=pfp-whatsapp

As Microsoft will double any money that Julia raises please don’t mention that its race entry or mention names other than Julia’s as Microsoft won’t match these donations, just simply put good luck or great cause or something about the work the charity does 😀

Club Training - Monday 12th August

For Monday's session we are easing the pace back to threshold, however this time we will do the threshold session on the basis of distance rather than time. The session is 4 x 2km with a jog recovery equal to 3 minutes for those packs completing the 2k in less than 9 minutes and 4 minutes recovery for those packs completing the 2k rep in greater than 9 minutes. Be a bit flexible interpreting these instructions, e.g. if most in the pack are less than 9 minutes and a few are 09:10 to 09:15, then take this as a sub-9 minute pack with a 3 minute jog recovery.

The warm-up is through the glen to the Crutherland Bridge and then up onto the Strathaven Rd an onwards to our usual corner on the back road where the reps start. Start the first rep at that corner and carry on to the junction with Leaburn Rd. Turn right and follow Leaburn Rd all the way along to the end where it turns right downhill. At the bottom of the hill, turn right and then left past the Kennels on Shields Rd. Follow Shields Rd to Greenhills Rd. Follow Greenhills Rd back to Strathaven Rd and the club. If the route is too short to fit all the reps in, complete the session with a lap of the Christmas Handicap course.

As always, listen to your body and control the effort to be uncomfortable but not on the limit such that the end of the 2km cannot come soon enough. Be aware of the uphills and downhills and adjust your pace accordingly to maintain constant effort.

Finally, join Eddie after the run in the Sports Club for stretching.

Alan

Club Training Thursday 8th August

Thursday's session is focused on race speed endurance as we move towards the winter racing season. It is the step down session again which has the benefit of maintaining quality (pace) as the session progresses by reducing the duration of each rep. This is one of the most effective ways of developing speed endurance without over exerting and hence allows a more rapid recovery to train well again the following day.

The session is 3 set of 3 minutes, 3 minutes jog recovery, 2 minutes, 2 minute jog recovery and 1 minute with 1 minute jog recovery and then straight into the second set. The 3 minute reps should be at 5k race pace/effort, the 2 minute reps slightly faster than 5k pace and the 1 minute reps at 3k race effort/pace. So, to spell it out, it is 

3 minutes on, 3 minutes jog, 2 minutes on, 2 minutes jog, 1 minute on, 1 minute jog, 3 minutes on, 3 minutes jog, 2 minutes on, 2 minutes jog, 1 minute on, 1 minute jog, 3 minutes on, 3 minutes jog, 2 minutes on, 2 minutes jog, 1 minute on, 1 minute jog.

Warm up via Strathaven Rd and Greenhills Rd to the fingerposts. Start the first rep on Shields Rd heading for the Kennels. After the Kennels, turn left and at Auldhouse Cross go straight through heading for Langlands. Continue around the Sainsburys loop in a clockwise direction to finish the session. Do at least one lap of the Sainsburys loop to ensure a good cool down and head back to the club.

Alan

Stretching

A key part of fast recovery from every run and injury prevention is post-run stretching. Running, or indeed any form of repetitive exercise, causes the muscles to contract to generate power and to shorten. The muscles remain shortened after exercise putting tightness into tendon and ligament attachments and increasing the risk of injury the next time the muscle is exercised. To minimise the risk of injury and to make the next run easier, holding long stretches (at least 45 seconds) after a session extends the muscles back to their full, relaxed state. This should be done whilst the muscles are still warm otherwise trying to stretch a cold muscle will most likely also result in strains and injuries.

Prior to the pandemic, we had a rigorous regime of stretching in the sports club hall after every club training session. The stretch master, Eddie Reid, will reintroduce this stretching session after every club session starting from this Thursday. Please gather in the large hall as soon as you get back from the session and be ready to follow Eddie's instructions.

As a reminder, the stretches are all described and demonstrated in this previous blog post recorded in a more exotic location than the Sports Club.

https://calderglen.blogspot.com/2020/04/stretching-harriers-stretch-set.html

Alan

Club Training Monday 5th August - Chatelherault

For Monday's Chatelherault, follow the same pattern as last time i.e, slow and easy for the first half to the top of the log jam and then gradually accelerate through the second half to the finish. The first half is being used to work on strength, the second half on speed endurance. Don't waste the first half by making that a speed endurance section too. The weather isn't looking great, so do be careful and lookout for slippy sections and it may be a little dark so concentrate.

Alan

New Parkrun - Cuningar Loop

 Posting this incase it is of interest to anyone.

I'm working closely with the Lanarkshire parkrun ambassador to start a new parkun at Cuningar Loop, a beautiful woodland park in Rutherglen. It’s a great location and we’re making good progress with the key needs to launch the event with the course and permission now in place.

A critical part of us being able to start the parkrun at Cuningar Loop is to have a core team of volunteers in place who will support the delivery and success of the event. The core team roles include Run Director and other volunteer roles who will run and co-ordinate the event each week.

I wanted to reach out to you to ask if you know of anyone in Calderglen Harriers who would be interested in joining the Cuningar Loop core team?  It’s a great opportunity to be involved in a brand new parkrun and all training and support will be given by me and local parkrun teams.

If anyone is interested in joining the core team, they can email me at laurynmartin@outlook.com or give me a call or message on 07477123444.

In addition, in order to start a parkrun, we need to fundraise for vital equipment, such as a defibrillator, which every parkrun must have. The total funding requirement is £4,800. If you or your members are away of any potential funders from your connections, I would be very appreciative if you could let me know.

Thanks very much for reading this and hopefully we’ll see some of your members at Cuningar Loop parkrun in the future!