🏃♂️ ⏰00:26:31 📏5km ⏱️5:18/km 🛫100m ❤️🔥172bpm 🧁486Kcal
My first dance at the Pendle Parkrun, and the frst time I've seen Alkincoats Park in daylight. Muddy and hilly, but decent time.
Tag: race
🏃♂️ ⏰00:52:56 📏10km ⏱️05:15/km 🛫80m ❤️🔥160bpm 🧁70Kcal
Ran my fastest 10km in a decade at the Stockport Daffodil 10km this morning. Article to follow.
Stockport Daffodil 10km 2026
A brief article about my race at the Stockport Daffodil 10km on 25 January 2026.
Until very recently I had no plans to race any time soon, my next scheduled race being the Great North Run in September.
Fate had other ideas though. Vickie has been getting enthusiastically into running since joining Accrington Road Runners. So enthusiastically that she has injured herself and could not run in this race which she had entered. So midweek I paid just £10 to transfer the entry. A 45 minute drive in circles around Stockport later, and I had my race number in hand late Thursday night.
I didn't really know what to expect if I'm being honest. I've been training with Trawden for a few months now, and though I can feel form and speed coming back, most of my running has been at a recovery pace, with a few hill and speed sessions mixed in. I've lost a lot of weight though, and my movement feels so much better - I feel that my running has advanced much more strongly this winter because of that than it has in previous attempts to get up and running. I can feel some speed coming back, but with a niggling doubt about endurance while taking Mounjaro, and more latterly Wegovy.
I said to Vickie beforehand that I was aiming for 55 minutes, but I wasn't sure that I'd hold on to that, and that I would be happy with anything under an hour. I probably expected to come in around 57:30.
Once I'd parked up at Hazel Grove Station, walked over to the race (20 minutes) and popped to the loo, there was just time to pop to the loo before the start. The route consists of an out and back on Woodford Road to the Manchester Airport Link Road, where it runs up and down both carriageways before returning toward to start. Rarely flat, the route is rolling throughout with gentle climbs and descents, and a few that are not so gentle too!
I found the start pretty congested, as so often not starting sufficiently near to the front, losing a couple of minutes to the congestion, and to correcting some badly tied laces. I was happy coming though 5km at just under 27:30, I thought that I might be able to get to 54 minutes, but with a niggling doubt about endurance in the final kilometers.
I really lent into the climb back up the dual carriageway, and averaging just over 5min/km for the remainer of the race I came in with a chip time of 52:56. A big negative split, and far better than anything I thought was possible. My best 10km since the summer of 2016, when I was still firmly in my 30s.
So all in all I was really happy with the race. I think there is faster to come given that my training has barely started for the year yet, and I'm just putting the perfromance down to 15kg less to carry rather than anything to do with training.
Great North Run 2025
Talking about my race at the Great North Run, 2025
Going into the Great North Run, I'd been really pleased with my pace, but a bit concerned about fuelling and endurance racing on Mounjaro. I hoped to get under 2h, but I expected to suffer at some point, coming in around 2:10.
The weather was much nicer than last year, and though it still took us best part of 90 minutes to walk through the funnel to the start, at least it was not in a torrential downpour.
The run started quite well, with the first 2km in low 5min/km territory, starting to lose time on the Tyne Bridge though, I would not see 5min/km again for the rest of the race.
The course felt much more congested this time around. The last two years I've started with a later wave to avoid waiting around in the cold at the end for Vickie. Next year I'll be running with my own wave. I seemed to spend to whole race stopping, starting, weaving in, weaving out, just avoiding people walking in groups on the course.
That wasn't the only reason I'd miss my goals for the day though, I struggled a little with the heat, and trying to keep my heart rate in the 170s, and not the 180s... ultimately I'd have to settle for low 180s. I didn't really have it in my legs, reverting to walking hills between 13 and 19, slipping time at each interval, though I was able to run 19-21.
Ultimately I'd run over the line in 2:22:14 - I'd have slowed by another 8 seconds had I known. Faster than last year throughout, and running much more, I was surprised and a little disappointed to only be around 4 minutes inside that time.
Until next year...
Hartlepool Parkrun 521
Warming up ahead of the Great North Run with a visit to Hartlepool Parkrun
We started off the day with our annual visit to Hartlepool Parkrun as we are up in the North East for the weekend ahead of the Great North Run tomorrow.
My legs seem to be moving very well, with good form, and my pace seems to be flying back with Mounjaro induced weight-loss. On the other hand my endurance and fuelling have definitely taken a hit, feeling out of gas throughout.
I held onto around 5:15/km throughout for a 26:40 finish - my fastest 5km in two years, and my fastest Hartlepool Parkrun. Very happy with that considering I did not have the energy to hit the pedal - though I'll need to ease off considerably tomorrow.
🚴♂️ Mamiky Series Race 2
San Menaio to Ischitella
Race 2 of the Mamiky Series on Rouvy. Tired, and keeping the intensity down for the most part. Average power slightly up, hr significantly down = recovering well.
🚴♂️ 21.18km > | 423m ⌃ | 54:51 | 163bpm | 191w | 66/75
🏃♂️ WLVR Monday Malarkey 1.3 Race
Third race, two laps of the Flat 8 course on indieVelo.
Improved again, moving ahead of those I rode with last week, not quite able to hold onto Clive Byham’s wheel, having caught. Increased CP/FTP again.
18.30km > | 102m ⌃ | 32:00 | 166bpm | 225w | 430kcal | 34/45
🚴♂️ WLVR RACE 7.9 ITT Black Park
Individual Time Trial around Pinewood Studios course in RGT with West London VR.
🚴♂️ WLVR RACE 7.9 ITT Black Park
Individual Time Trial around Pinewood Studios course in RGT with West London VR.
Released at 5s intervals, without draft. Went out hard, held on, riding a little ahead of L.Baerts for most of my effort.
15.23km > | 72m ⌃ | 26:53 | 174bpm | 232w | 418kcal | 40/88
🏃♂️ WLVR Monday Malarkey 1.2 Race
Second race, a lap of the Coastal Loop course on indieVelo.
Much better race, holding onto a group including Neil Pugh, Andy Walker, Andy Evans - who pipped me on the line - nudged up CP/FTP again.
17.22km > | 26m ⌃ | 27:32 | 171bpm | 223w | 367kcal | 26/34
🚴♂️ WLVR Monday Malarkey 1.1 Race
First race of the Monday Malarkey series, 5 laps of the South Lake course on indieVelo.
🚴♂️ WLVR Monday Malarkey 1.1 Race
First race of the Monday Malarkey series, 5 laps of the South Lake course on indieVelo.
One off the back of the field, but much closer to group 14–18 - raised CP/FTP slightly. Class field from 11 up.
12.50km > | 62m ⌃ | 21:52 | 165bpm | 223w | 292kcal | 19/23
🏃♂️ ROUVY - Race: Challenge Shepparton | Australia 20 km
Enjoyed my first attempt at Rouvy races, but spent most of the race between groups. Misses a rider grading system like ELO.
Enjoyed my first attempt at Rouvy races, but spent most of the race between groups. Misses a rider grading system like ELO.
indieVelo workout helping to recalibrate my cadence and power.
19.99km > | 44m ⌃ | 34:29 | 165bpm | 219w | 433kcal
🚴♂️ West London VR Race 7.8
Racing on RGT for the first time in a while with West London Cyclists. Two lap rolling out and back route. Failed to hold onto the group at p30, and rode the second half alone.
🚴♂️ West London VR Race 7.8 - Dominicia Roseau Roller
Racing on RGT for the first time in a while with West London Cyclists. Two lap rolling out and back route. Failed to hold onto the group at p30, and rode the second half alone.
16.86km > | 129m ⌃ | 32:03 | 163bpm | 196w | 421Kcal | 33/38
Intro to indieVelo
My first look at indieVelo, in West London Cycling’s test ride for the new Monday Malarkey series running from next week.
Excellent start, some features I did not expect yet - note the Atom gear indicator.
🚴♂️ 12.64km > | 258m ⌃ | 26:44 | 154bpm | 195w | 312 Kcal | 16/18
virtualcycling 🔖#indievelo
Run Aintree Half Marathon - Feb 2023
We headed down to Liverpool for the RunThrough Run Aintree event.
RunThrough run the Run Aintree event five times per year, with entry into the half-marathon costing £40 (2023) including event t-shirt.
The event itself is well run, and based within the stadium, it was incredibly nice to use permanent facilities, and not to have to use portaloos! There was also an excellent though expensive coffee van, and spectators could just sit in the stands and watch their horses run around the course.
The half marathon consists of a 1 km dog-leg along the stands at the beginning of the race, followed by 4 laps of the course, which consists of a lap of the racecourse, and of an inner loop - all very obvious and straightforward.
I started slowly, my plan really was to sit in Z2, and hold on. Thats pretty much what happened too, building steadily on a long and hilly Padiham circuit from the weekend before. A slow start, with early toilet stop, after which most splits sat between 5:15/km and 5:35/km.
Run felt good throughout, other than left VMO tightening in last 2 km, before a fast finish. I didn't push anywhere near as hard as at Fleetwood in the summer - so I was really please to come in marginally faster (though it was cooler).
Vickie was out running today too, so it was nice to see here a couple of times heading through.
Gun Time: 01:56:28 Avg Pace: 05:31/km
🏃♀️
🏃♂️ ZRL Race 3 - Innsbruckring | EMEAW South Open C3
Having inadvertently ridden Innsbruckring over the weekend, I was fairly confident that I could race well tonight. At least as fairly confident as it is possible to be having completely fallen apart the week before!
Getting on early, I headed over to the volcano circuit on Watopia to ensure that I was properly warmed up in advance, averaging around 90% FTP across the 10 minute ride.
Dropping into the race I tried to hold onto the lead pack, and managed to do so for the first half a lap. I missed the sharp incline up from the river, and it was too late by the time that I had started to crank up the power.
I spent the rest of the race trying to climb back as far as I could up the field, exchanging drafts G. Stewart, and then with K.Grant, before bridging to a larger group between 40th and 45th place. That split a little in the approach to the finish, and despite a strong effort on the straight, finished 44/54.
On the whole, a big step forward from last week, and still a little room for improvement. With a little more race savvy I should have held onto the lead group for longer, and a finish 10-15 places higher might have been possible. Though an average heart rate of 179bpm would suggest working pretty hard, and need to race smarter.
zwift #zwiftracingleague #virtualcycling #atomracingteam
2022-06-04 19:35
Extra proud of my Burnley Parkrun effort this morning, a big jump over any 5km I’ve ran in almost 7 years. I could feel the extra strength from resistance work, and much more to come.
Nice way to start a marathon training block!
🏃♂️ Burnley Parkrun #337
Looking to start off 2019 in the manner that I hope to continue, I headed off for my first visit to my new local Parkrun in Towneley Park.
We seem to be quite well blessed with Parkruns in Lancashire. The Pendle Parkrun in Colne is also particularly close, and Blackburn is probably 20 - 25 minutes away.
I did contemplate doing the Blackburn / Burnley Parkrun double this morning, the event times had been amended with an 8:30 start in Blackburn, and 10:00 in Burnley to facilitate this - and many did both. Ultimately I decided that was probably a little eager having not run for a couple of months - but with retrospect it would have been feasible.
🏃♂️ Dublin Marathon
Talking about my preparations for and race at the Dublin Marathon in 2017.
My initial race plans for 2017 had centred around the Grand Tour of Skiddaw race at the start of September. A big chest infection in the winter followed by ongoing problems with asthma meant that I barely run until May, and work commitments made it pretty difficult to get into any sort of rhythm until a change of job at the start of July. By which point I'd long discarded any hope of running at the Skiddaw race and had instead picked the Dublin Marathon as my A Race, and my only race, for the year.
Fortunately work eased off through July and August, and I managed to get a good couple of months training together before work ramped up again with a vengeance in September knocking the rhythm that I had been building up midweek, but not stopping me getting out for the long runs at the weekend.
Dublin Marathon weekend arrived pretty quickly. I hadn't got up to the distance that I had wanted in training, and I probably wasn't carrying the speed that I wanted to either - but I was pretty sure that I could still come in below the time I had achieved in London (4h26) and in Barcelona (3h55). My race strategy was based on a 14:1 run:walk interval similar to which I had employed in Barcelona, and using the 15th minute to fuel and drink.
The strategy seemed to be working pretty well early in the race. Heading through Phoenix Park I was maintaining an overall average under 5:40/km and I only needed to maintain a run average of 5:35-5:40km, so I was definitely banking a little time. So far so good. It did get pretty hot in the sun in the park, which wasn't really forecast, but I was taking in fluid so I wasn't especially concerned.
The wheels started to come off approaching halfway, and I was struggling a little more to easily maintain the pace that I had started with - which of itself isn't especially fast. I saw Vickie at half way and she gave me some flat coke. Straight out of the ultra-marathon playbook. I knew I was in for a long afternoon at this point and said as much.
I had been battling something in the left groin to lift that leg for a couple of km, and around a couple of km after half way my right hamstrings cramped up and I was stationary on the floor for a couple of minutes, and then walked for a couple of minutes, before managing to run on for perhaps the next 20 - 30 min. Eventually though I came to a point where I couldn't really run anymore. I decided to walk it out until I met Vickie and could get my coat, but she never appeared!
After getting pretty cold and miserable, and not to forget almost being demolished a couple of times by the waves of people clung to pacers for grim death as they came past, I picked up my pace and got up to around 8:30/km which is pretty nifty as walking goes.
I could see that it was touch and go that I could still come in under 5h, and I was pretty determined that I was going to do so. In addition to which all of the uphill had now disappeared, and I should have mentioned that this is a pretty hilly course for a road marathon - at least compared to London and Barcelona, so I was able to make use of the downhill to trot to gain a few minutes.
I didn't really want to run over the line, it felt a bit fraudulent having walked about a third of the route, but someone gave me a kick up the erse on the finish line so I opened my stride out and gave it some lalldy over the finish line - but paid for that the following day. I came in at around 4:56 in the end. A second personal worst in as many days, but I was a little less proud of this one!
With retrospect post race my right ITB especially was pretty grim and there was some knotting up on the peroneal tendon on the left, as well as the cramp damage on the left hammies. The volume of work wasn't there, and the ramp probably came too late and coincided with a time where I wasn't getting in my midweek runs to stretch everything out between big runs. So while I was disappointed with the outcome, your body doesn't lie in a Marathon. I pretty much got what I deserved - but thats not to take anything away from the level of improvement since April when I could not even run a 1km interval. So the key lesson that I need to take from this is to stay on top of my asthma through the winter so that I do not find myself in that position again next year, and to already have the distance and speed in my legs and to have lost more weight in the interim. There are some positives to take too. I’m perhaps a little faster than I thought I was going into the race, and for large parts of it I ran a very controlled race exactly to plan.
Here's to 2018. Slainté