Runner who loves the off road

only 6 days to go before my 2nd Amsterdam Marathon and as last year the doubts are creeping in.Reminding myself that ive done all i can.Into 2nd of Carbohydrate Depletion/Loading and dont feel too clever but worth trying out after a few of the Morpeth lads and and few of older Blyth Marathon Runners reckon it really works.

That time of the year again and the Blyth Running clubs annual Autumn Relays at the Kitty Brewster industrial estate.3 on a team of different ability.Our team was in effect out of it after leg1 but i really gave 100% and managed 12.19 for the 2.35 mile course which worked out at 5.14 ave per mile.This really was quite encouraging and gives me hope for the spell of winter speed training i intend to do after the Marathon.It was the 2nd quickest on the night and although some of the older members of the club always go on about the past glorys i believe Paul Whalley,Ash Henderson or my self will beat the relay fastest leg time of 11.42 by Andy Brown.

At yesterdays Great north run i enjoyed the day but my time was disapointing 1.17.44 which although its the quickest ive done in 2008 it was a pb i was after.The course itself is in my opinion not a pb course with all them inclines.It was great however that me and Paul Whalley from Blyth RC both finished in the top 100 and Dave Kirkland finally done his sub 2.30 target at the Loch Ness Marathon.

At saturdays 6 stage relay at Hartlepool Blyth doen really well and even got a mention for a "superb" performance to come in 34th of 84 teams in the local rag The Evening Chronicle.I done the first leg in 18.22 for the 3.4 mile course and was pleased with my time considering im not traing for the short stuff.Hartlepool has been much improved since i was last year in 1997.As i ran the 1st leg i went on the course to watch the runners in full flow and some of them were superb making it look so easy especially Hudspith(Morpeth),Walsh,Bilton and Grice(leeds) and many more.Me and my teammates were discussing how lads like Peter Newton(Claremont),David Kirkland(Alnwick) dont get a chance to do the relays as there club dont have really 6 solid runners.The next day at Norham i made my annual trip up there to do the 10k and jsut ran as a GNR pace run and felt solid enough and enjoyed the day.

Trainings been going really well recently and seem to have a balance between maintaining a bit of speed with endurance.Long runs especially are going great and todays 22 miler felt really easy on quite a hilly run managed to average 6.34 average without trying.All in all feel really confident to do 6.08 miling or 2.41 in Amsterdam after hopefully getting a morale boosting pb on my Great North Run debut.Double header this weekend Saturdays 6 stage relays then the Norham 10km.Funny thing is dont really want to do them but would like to help my club on saturday where as the Norham 10k is becoming an annual thing and its really good to catch up with some of the family.As always ill give 100%.

Ages since i last updated my blog.Have really been training hard putting in some quite monstrous sessions but beginning to think i can do it in training but not in races.At the Ray Harrison 10k i ran well but blew up and disapointingly done 35.35 but this has not swayed me from my belief that ill run a pb at GNR 2008 and Amsterdam 2008 then beat all my pbs again by April next year.Started training with Ash Henderson and have to say we are working together well really pushing each other.I have heard a lot of stuff about the eccentricy of Ash but i have to say a lot of things are absolute bollocks and people have got him wrong.6 Stage realays at Hartlepool on the 27th then maybe nexy day Norham 10k the following day.

Done my first fell run in 3 months today at a sunny pinchinthorpe in one of the North York moors races.The course itself was a trail race and i looked forward to testing myself gainst some good hands including Bulman and Lowe of NYM,Tom Danby of new marske and my teammate Phil Sanderson Nfr.The first 2-2.5 miles it was myself and the 4 people i mentioned together but once on the tricky pull up Little Roseberry Lowe and Bulman pulled away and i dropped off the back.Whether this was my lack of fell running(ie:Climbing)or the fact id run 91 miles without a rest day i dont know but i was happy to run strong on the run in nearly reeling in Phil to finish 5th in 44.16 for the app 6.9 mile course.1.Bulman 42.10 2.Lowe 42.38 3.Danby 43.37 4.Sanderson 44.14 5.Me 44.16.Later on done a 7.1 mile run in the strong rain averaging 6.15 so all round a satisfying day.