It's All About Lee

This week sees an official attempt on the world record for running a half marathon carrying a 40lb pack. The attempt is being made by one of my clients, Lee Riley, who is a Personal Trainer and former Royal Marine. However this is just a stepping stone on the way to Lee’s real goal, to break the official world record for running a marathon whilst carrying a 40lb pack, which we hope will occur at this year’s London Marathon.

When Lee first approached me with his intention, and request for assistance, in October 2010, I was flattered, but also a little nervous. True I was a runner, with almost 22 years experience behind me, I had run the distance back in 2003 and had athletic coaching qualifications alongside my Personal Trainer qualifications, but I’d never run carrying anything approaching that kind of weight. In fact I’d never run with anything other than a top and a change of clothes on my back previously. Still I believed it was all down to logical thinking, flexibility and planning, so I had no hesitation in taking on Lee and his ambition. I did have one restriction, due to the nature of his work Lee was only able to commit to 3 runs a week.

The official marathon record currently stands to Paddy Doyle, who achieved 4 hours 42 mins and 44 secs in the 1991 London Marathon. Lee doesn’t just want to beat that, he wants to run sub 4 hours. Now anyone who has run a marathon before will know what a feat to run sub 4 hours is, but to run that with a 40lb pack is phenomenal. Adding to all the excitement is that Lee is not alone in this quest. Apparently two other runners are attempting the same feat and so it is possible that all of them will beat the existing record but two will be disappointed. But that’s a few weeks away yet, and we still have some hard work to do before that attempt.

As you’d expect from a Personal Trainer and former Marine, Lee is fit and strong. The strength side of it meant that I had no concerns about his ability to carry the pack over the distance, particularly as Lee had already completed an 150 mile run over 5 days, carrying a 30lb pack. However, in order to achieve his goal Lee would need to run at a faster pace continuously for the 26.2 miles, an altogether different challenge. Lee had previously done a few runs with my running group and whilst he was fit and fast, he struggled a little on the longer speed endurance reps, so my first task was to set Lee some challenging long repetitions at a fast pace. This would be both physically and mentally challenging, requiring Lee to run hard for 30 minutes during a 55 minute run. However, I knew Lee was up to the task as he’d never dropped out of my sessions, even when he was hanging on, and I knew that this would build up his confidence for what was to come. As Lee became fitter I increased these runs so that he was running hard for 45 minutes worth of repetitions. I also started incorporating long runs carrying the pack, gradually increasing the length so that we were almost covering the length of time we anticipated Lee would be running on the big day.

As a gauge of his fitness, and to test out his ability to race with the pack, I also incorporated some races. The first of these was the Cheddleton 10k on 27 November. My target for Lee was to run sub 50 min. On a difficult course on a very cold day, Lee excelled to finish in 46 min 42 sec. Two weeks later Lee was in action again, on another tough course in cold conditions, he completed the Stockport 10 miles in 73 min 10 sec an unofficial world best for carrying the 40lb pack. The next challenge was on 23 January, The Helsby Half Marathon. This gave us a few weeks to build up some mileage. The official World Record for running the half marathon with a 40lb pack is listed as 1hr 43 min 42 sec by William Hugh MacLennan, achieved at the Redcar Half Marathon on 25 March 2001. When Lee ran at Helsby he set a new unofficial record, official records need to be overseen by Guinness, of 1hr 41 min 08 sec. Now he goes for the official record, with Guinness present, at Stratford-Upon-Avon.

Lee’s training has now switched into full marathon mode, because we’ve lined up a number of races carrying the pack and to ensure he can cover more distance in his tight schedule we’ve dispensed with the pack in training. Lee’s ultimate goal is still the sub 4 hr marathon, interestingly the official world record for running the marathon with only a 20lb pack is 3 hr 49 min 14 sec, now to beat that time carrying 40lb would be something. I should also point out that Lee isn’t just aiming to break the world record, he’s also aiming to raise money for ABF, the Soldier's Charity. He’s already raised over £1,400 for this cause, if anybody would like to donate anything to that cause please get in touch.  

Not to get ahead of ourselves here but knowing Lee, after the marathon, he’ll be looking for his next challenge. I notice that another friend of mine, Paul Simon the Salford and former Shaftesbury Barnet runner, currently holds the record for the fastest marathon dressed as Santa Claus, at 2 hr 55 min 50 sec. I know Lee already has a Santa suit so watch out Paul!

Finally, just so it’s not all about Lee and for those who have been following the blog since it’s inception. I have been considering whether I should enter the BMAF Cross Country Champs in my current unfit state. I made the decision to give it a miss when I realised there would not be a Herne Hill team present. Then, this weekend, my partner reminded me of some of the things I tell my clients, specifically that racing will bring me on both physically and mentally, helping me towards later success when I am fit, and also that if I didn’t race I’d end up having to go shopping. Shopping, not being one of my favourite pastimes, but the experience further enhanced by the addition of the potential future mother-in-law, who just happens to be down that weekend. With this important information to mind, I quickly printed off an entry form and got it in the post before the closing date.       

Good luck Lee.

Contrasting Weekend For Me and Mo Farah

This weekend I was chuffed to see Mo Farah broke both the British and European indoor 5000m records. I don’t know Mo personally, though I have many friends who do, but he seems to be a decent level headed guy. Plus he trains hard, which is always good in my book. I do believe I once beat Mo, but it’s probably not worth putting that on my CV as it’s the equivalent to my 24 year old cousin beating me in a 30 metre sprint when I was 9, though I think Mo was about 17 at the time. I did once pass him when we were both training in Richmond Park, but it would have been more impressive if we’d been travelling in the same direction.

My favourite memory of racing Mo was at the 2002 South of England 6 Stage Road Relay Championships at Aldershot, I was running for Belgrave Harriers and he was running for WSEH, both on the 4^th of the 6 legs. At the time there was quite a rivalry between the teams and a lot was expected of Mo as he was coming to prominence in UK athletics. I’m not sure what was expected of me, but as I took off in the lead I considered the least I could do was send our 5^th man off in the same position. Mo set off some distance back but went charging after me with some intent. Half way around the first of two tough laps the crowd were getting excitable and I could sense that I was being hunted down. I didn’t look back but gather that Mo made up all but 30 metres. At 37 years of age I was about to show I wasn’t a pushover, I quickened my pace, just enough to show it would take a further effort to bridge that gap, and spent the next lap concentrating solely on maintaining that pace. The support along the route was tremendous, both for Mo and myself as spectators could see this was shaping up to be a great race. With half a lap to go Mo was no nearer and I knew that all I had to do was get up the next hill in the lead and I had every chance of holding him off. I pushed with everything I had, turned the corner into the main arena area, used the downhill stretch to pick up more pace and finally kicked up the hill to the finish. I’d done it, handed over in the lead and Belgrave went on to win the title for the first time. Only then did I look back to watch a dejected Mo coming up the hill, I’d pulled out a little distance on him and WSEH had shot their bolt. It was a great moment for me and a great day for Belgrave, but my time has now passed and I wish Mo all the best for his bid for gold at the 2012 Olympics.      

Bringing us back to the present….Whilst Mo was gearing himself up for his record attempt I was making my way to Alton Towers to make my racing comeback in the English National Cross Country Championships. When I arrived I couldn’t believe my eyes, it was like being at a pop festival, there was so much mud. I was beginning to wish I hadn’t brought my partner with me as we slithered towards the Herne Hill tent. It was definitely the muddiest I’d ever seen at a cross country and that was just the spectator area and inside the tents, not the best to encourage her to return. As I put on my number I hadn’t realised I’d dropped my chip in the mud, the last time I’d run chips were only used on road races. Thankfully I spotted the chip before a huddle of Herne Hill Harriers came in and trampled it deep into the mud bath. Actually that’s a good term for a group of runners, like a herd of cows a huddle of harriers is quite fitting.

With the start of the race approaching we were informed the distance had been reduced from 12k to 10k, due to a number of incidents in earlier races. The race was also to be delayed 15 minutes, then 5 then on time but eventually 15 minutes, communication not at it’s strongest. Thankfully it wasn’t too cold as we stood waiting for the actual start. Finally we were allowed into our starting positions and as I made my way to Herne Hill’s designated starting position I leapt up in pain as some idiot trod across my ankle, spike first. Painful but thankfully not so deep that I needed to worry about what I was about to run through. At least it gave me something to moan about while waiting for the hooter to go off.

Then the start, and a mad rush for some. The initial bit was undulating but not too muddy, but that was short lived and we were soon into the deep stuff. The course was one lap of 2k and two of 4k, and I’d say it was about 90% mud, with the majority of mud free area being on the steep hill we had to climb twice. Those who know me well would know this is not my kind of course and I fought hard just to keep going. I got a stitch at 7 minutes, my first for many years, but I kept ploughing through the mud. I was moving so slow I could even identify the people cheering me on. I’d obviously gone too fast early on as from the start of the first long lap I just seemed to be going backwards. I looked ahead and saw masses over people strung out ahead of me and thought my hopes for a top 1000 place were out of the window. Still I kept plodding forward.

At the start of the 2^nd long lap a sense of serenity came over me as I realised I wasn’t going to be lapped, every runner’s nightmare put off for another race. Then the pain, my right foot was aching, I must’ve been twisting it as I was trying to gain any purchase in the mud, both of my 4^th toes were sore too as I have a tendency to bend them over claw-like to grip in mud. By now I was absolutely exhausted, moving so slowly and getting passed by so many people that I had thoughts of Andy Lea-Gerrard passing me before the end. Up the hill for the last time and I could sense the end was nigh, for the race that is not me. I dug deep, the vision of Alex Rowe up ahead driving me on and then it was all over, just after I passed Alex I was under the finish line.

It had taken me 47 minutes and 34 seconds to run the most unpleasant 10k of my life, that’s 12 minutes and 23 seconds behind the winner, Steve Vernon of Stockport Harriers. And my finish position….well I was 500^th, a full 500 places higher than I had anticipated.

So after all that was it worth it? Well yes, I got to catch up with my club mates, it was great to be a part of such a big race again, I didn’t make Herne Hill’s scoring 6, I was 12^th man in but the 6 that scored did us proud by finishing 12^th team. Interestingly, I would have made the scoring 6 for Belgrave! Will I enter the BMAF National? I don’t know, I’m clearly a long way off achieving the 2^nd place I did last year but if other members of Herne Hill enter I could be tempted to provide the rear guard.  Will I run this race again? Unlikely, but who knows what tomorrow brings. Will I take my partner again, hmm might be better sending her to a spa hotel or shopping.

It’s now 3 days since the race and my legs still ache all over. I know some people would ask why we do it, my stock answer to that is, if we didn’t do it we might end up having to go shopping with the mrs and I’d go through any pain not to have to do that.

One final word before I go, my thoughts are with the people of Christchurch, New Zealand and in particular my good friends and famous New Zealand athletic family, the Coughlans. I hope you’re all safe and well.

English National Cross Country Championships

This Saturday’s English National Cross Country Championships, at Alton Towers, marks my return to racing. It’s now about 3 weeks since I started running again, after a protracted break since last December. The latest issue has been a torn calf which occurred on 2 Jan, just after I’d started a comeback from a knee niggle that stopped me running for the bulk of December. I’m currently unfit, overweight and 46 years of age, so why am I even considering pitting myself against the cream of English athletics over a challenging 12 km cross country course. Well frankly there are easier comebacks, in fact I could have chosen to run a much easier cross country race, closer to home, against people my own age, but I’m not really an easy option type of person, plus there are a few other reasons for wanting to do the National.

For starters the race is taking part at Alton Towers, which is about as near as you could get to a National course from my Cheshire home.

Secondly, it gives me an opportunity to catch up with my club mates and other long term running friends. My club, Herne Hill Harriers, is based in London and I haven’t actually had many opportunities to catch up with them since I moved away 6 years ago.

Thirdly, this is the English National Cross Country Championships, which dates back to 1876 and is firmly established in the athletics calendar. I remember when I first ran it in 1990 at Leeds, I was so proud to compete against such class athletes and although a novice, having started running less than a year earlier, I even made the scoring 6 of my then club, Belgrave Harriers. It’ll still be a great feeling to be ‘competing’ against the best English athletes, though I suspect I won’t make my current club, Herne Hill’s, scoring 6.  

Fourthly, it’s not to late to enter the British Master’s Cross Country Championships. I had written it off for this year as I thought I would be too slow, but depending on how Saturday’s race goes, I may reconsider. If I can make a difference to the team then I may well do it.

Lastly, this could be my last chance to run the race, so, irrespective of the pain, suffering and mud, and even if it rains sleet at me for the 50 odd minutes I expect to be running, I’m going to go for it and I’m going to enjoy it. Plus in the words of a good friend of mine, currently recovering from receiving 4 bullets from the Taliban, ‘what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger’. Here’s to our experiences making us both stronger, and hurry back Ben I need a good training partner.

In the 22 year’s I’ve been running I’ve only run this event 5 times but I have some good memories:

24 Feb 1990 – Leeds, Roundhay Park – 9 miles – 851^st – 55:19

It was a journey and a half to get there as the English Cross Country Union commissioned a special train that seemed to go all around the country picking up athletes for the largest field ever assembled in the history of the event. Hill 60 was a tough one to climb 3 times but I was still a newcomer to cross country and took it reasonably steady, so I had a lot of energy left for a good kick off the hill to the finish that must’ve netted me 50 places. The first time I met Paul Evans, whom I have so much respect for, he was first Belgravian in 18th, just before he made it big on his way to the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. I remember how cold it turned on the last lap as it started to hail, big lumps of ice. I was 5^th man in for Belgrave Harriers with the team finishing in 59^th position. Richard Nerurkar was the winner, an athlete I would get to know better in later years. The long journey home was made less tedious by one club deciding to hold it’s club championships for the fastest time to run the length of the train.

23 Feb 1991 – Luton – 9 miles – 713^th – 51:41

Another year of training under my belt and I was able to run hard all the way round. A big improvement for me, though I found this course tough, maybe because I was running harder! This time I was 3^rd man home for Belgrave, Mike Webb was top dog for us in 334^th with the team, disappointingly, dropping down to 105^th, our worst ever position. Not Belgrave’s best years, but they were to come. Richard Nerurkar was champion again.

24 Feb 2001 – Durham – 7.5 miles – 161^st 42:03

After 10 years absence, due to other priorities and injuries, I returned to National action for Belgrave. Mind you this one was nearly cancelled due to foot and mouth. A much better performance from me, though I’d been hoping for a top 100 finish. By now I was Captain of Belgrave so wanted to perform well, I was 5^th man home for Belgrave, in a much improved team that finished 8^th, Lee Hurst was top Belgravian in 49^th. Mike Openshaw was the overall winner.

22 Feb 2003 – London, Parliament Hill Fields – 7.5 miles – 106^th – 46:29

My best position, on my favourite course. It must’ve been all that marathon training I’d been doing. Still I think I would’ve made the top 100 if that idiot from Kingston hadn’t pushed me into a ditch, winding me on the last lap. I finished 2^nd Belgravian, only 14 places behind top man Will Cockerell, oh for that ditch! A momentary blip for the team as they dropped down to 28^th. Matt Smith was the overall winner.

21 Feb 2004 – Leeds, Temple Newsam – 7.5 miles – 211^th – 48:16

A return to Leeds, albeit a different location, where my National journey began, and where I thought it would end. At 39 I figured one last go before I was past it. Though judging by my position I was already past it, this also being the first time I didn’t make the scoring Belgrave team as I was our 9^th man home. Still, mustn’t grumble as the team was on form, winning the National for the first time since 1948. Spencer Barden led the team home in 5^th position. Glyn Tromans was the overall winner. This was my last cross country race as Captain, as I’d planned to hand over to Will Cockerell for the start of the following season.

19 Feb 2011 – Alton Towers – 7.5 miles

7 years away and no match for the youngsters of today, even if I was fit I’d be looking at a top 400 place. As it is I know this will be one of my toughest runs. My aim is to enjoy it, push myself enough to know I’ve raced and aim for a top 1000 position. Though if I could beat my position from 21 years ago that would be great. Of course having another Herne Hill Harrier just ahead of me during the race could just be the carrot, even better if it were a Belgrave Harrier or an idiot from Kingston.

Of course I wouldn’t necessarily recommend my course of action to others, but I know my own body, I’ve looked at the risks and I have very good reasons for running. So I’ll see you all on Saturday, look out for the old man in Herne Hill Harrier’s colours, if you’re positioned around the 1000 area, or if you’re watching.

Finally, good luck to all my Scottish friends in their own National championship, taking place on the same day, and enjoy the Trotters party in the evening.