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Displaying Archive Posts from January 2012
Paul Whittakerendurance athlete with olympic ambitionstraining, coaching and advice about all things running
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- 29Jan2012
South of England Cross Country Championships Brighton 15k
South of England Cross Country Championships Brighton 15k
After having good results in my last few races I had only one tactic that was going to play a big part in how I was going to race the southerns which was to get high up into the top 3 places early on in the race.
As the race was 15k over cross country I knew this kind of distance would suit me seeing as long term I am most probably suited to this type of distance. As the race started I went straight up into the lead alongside my old club mate Adam Hickey from Southend Ac, we both was together on the first small lap around the hill on the first section of this course. I settled back into the top 6 runners in the front pack and decided to ‘stay there and relax’ for as long as I could over the next 12-14k.
I did my best to hang on to the leaders throughout the entire race and overall I finished a respectable 8th place.
I found as like most cross country races the lead pack are not necessarily running much faster than the pack of runners behind its more of a case that the front group tend to start harder and faster up to the front and hang on. This is what I have believed in for a long while, eventually I will be able to get up to the front pack and relax and be able to kick on off a fast pace… watch this space!Be the First to Comment and rate this post - 07Jan2012
Essex Cross Country Campionships
Essex Cross Country Championships 12k senior men’s- Gloucester Park
After having a pleasing run at Whitham I was hoping for another good run at the Essex XC champs, the distance of 12k wasn’t going to be too much of a problem so I thought I was in for a good chance of coming high up in the field. The course was 3 laps around Gloucester park incorporating some challenging hills and flat sections.
As we set off on the first lap I ran up to the front group and decided to sit in and relax on the first lap, I was in approximately 2-3rd place as we approached lap two. The pace seemed to slow and I was looking around thinking someone has got to take this race on because we weren’t running hard enough, next thing I know Adam went to the front and started to push the pace slightly. I knew I had to cover every move that he made to be in a good chance of winning the race, he seemed very fit and it was tough hanging onto him up the hills and round the corners on the 2nd lap. We came off the hills approaching the start of the last lap and I still felt that I wasn’t ‘all out’ and I had lots left, I went into the lead with one lap to go knowing I only had 3k left and I really pushed on hard saying to myself ‘don’t look back!’
I pushed the pace all the way until the last 100m when I glanced back knowing I had a lead and slowed up into the finish for the win!
See results on the Power of 10 website
After the race and looking back on my performance I ran a really good tactical race and felt really strong, if the race was 5-10k the result might have been different but who knows? I’m in good shape and training is paying off!Be the First to Comment and rate this post - 01Jan2012
Recent race performances
Racing update:
Hello again,
I hope everyone had a nice Christmas and a happy new year!
I have been running a few races recently both road and cross country and I just thought I would update the blog with my thoughts throughout each race I have ran and how I got on
Ingatestone 5 (miles) 18th September 2011
Having ran the ingatestone 5 a few times before I was really looking forward to this run because it was on a new course. Apparently this time around it was going to be fast and flat with only a few undulations on the course… it wasn’t!
I set off on the first uphill with caution not really knowing how steep it was going to be and how much the hills would take out of me on the course; I did the first mile in 5.30 which was to slow for my liking so I went to the front and pushed the pace from there onwards. The next mile was slightly down hill and I checked my watch and saw 10.10 meaning I ran the next mile in 4.40! I’m usually pretty good with pacing and running at the right effort level but somehow the pace was up and down. After that I settled into a pace of approx. 5.05min per mile, which gave me an overall finishing time of 25.26 and 1st place. Overall I was pretty pleased with the performance but knowing I could run a quicker time on a really flat course.
Southend 10k 2nd October 2011
Since my form was good after winning the Ingatestone 5 two weeks ago I was confident that I could run really well at the Southend 10k, the hardest task I suppose was to beat a good friend of mine called Adam Hickey who I know is always in good racing shape throughout the year.
As we set of down the road on this 10k race we passed the 1st kilometre in around 2.55, I felt good and it felt easy, me and Adam pulled away from the pack and was running side by side the rest of the race. I reached around 4km already struggling! Feeling like I couldn’t handle the pace, we passed 5km in approximately 15.40ish and I was hanging on for dear life by this stage. It was an extremely hot day for a weekend in October and I felt really rough the last part of the race coming home in 2nd place in 32.19 a poor performance judging by how fit I ‘thought’ I was but that’s running for you!
Whitam 5 (miles) Boxing Day
Training has been good the last few months and I knew my preparation was good enough leading up to the race to have a possible breakthrough. I have ran the Whitham 5 once before and came in the top 5 so I was hoping for a good run, the weather was pretty good but it was slightly windy.
The course was a big loop around country lanes but started slightly uphill towards the first mile.
I set off hard and went straight to the front hoping to run a quick time, I passed the first mile in 4.48 and was pleased that I felt good and already had a small lead on the field and the man in second place. As we hit 2miles I slowed slightly (5 min mile) due to another small incline and I tried to keep my rhythm going between 2-4miles. I passed 4miles in 20.05 and there was a nice stretch that went downhill and around past the start line towards the finish. I ran the last mile in 4.48 and finished in a new p.b of 24.53 for 5miles. Coming off the race I was really pleased with the time but having done 90mile week and a 3mile time trial effort the Thursday before the race in 14.51 I know I can still run quicker! Always pleased with a first place finish but I’m always looking to improve my times.Be the First to Comment and rate this post
