Running Track Session at the west Suffolk Sports Centre

Two weeks ago I  I said that I intended visiting the track once a week every Wednesday from now on. Of course as soon as I said this I came down with a heavy cold and I missed last weeks track session.

However I made tonight's session and there was a healthy number of runners and spectators at the track.  As per usual I ran down to the track which is 3/4 of a mile and then warmed up further by doing 6 laps at a steady easy pace.

Tonight's session by the coach  included 2 sets of 4 x 3minutes followed by 2 x 3minutes and then a mile time trial. I am still getting used to being back at the track ( at least that is my excuse ) and so I dipped out after the 2 sets of 4 x 3 Min's. This gave me a total of 24 minutes of interval running at 10k pace which I ran at an average of 7.23 miles.

Two weeks ago at the track I did 20 minutes of interval running so my gradually stepping up of time on the track is logical and deliberately gradual. I did feel as if I could have done the extra 2 x 3 Min's but gave it a miss as I just want to avoid any more injuries at least this year.

Running Track Session at the West Suffolk Sports Centre

My first visit to the West Suffolk Sports Centre since March was as expected a bit of shock to the system! But it provided a bit of a wake up call that I wanted as now that I am running again regularly and without injury I feel the need to improve my speed.

I am lucky enough to live just .75 of a mile from the West Suffolk Sports track. This will play host to the Rwandan Olympic and Paralympic teams in the run up to the 2012 London Games.

On a mild October night with no wind or rain I jogged down to the track and renewed my membership of the Saint Edmund Pacers club. If you don't belong to a running club I would strongly recommend it . I warmed up for a few laps. and wearing a thermal top I was too warm before I started the actual coached session.

I decided to ease my way back in slowly to the coaching and just to do half the session which consisted of 2 sets of 4 x 3 minutes at 10k pace followed by 4 x 2 minutes at 5k pace  with a minute recovery in between. I sat at the back of the pack and was consistently able to keep pace with the group of runners for each of the intervals. I was tempted to do the second set but I felt a slight tightness in my left hamstring and I had never planned to do it. I settled for an easy jog home.

The aim now is to try and include a weekly Wednesday session at the track into my training as this should improve my speed over the winter months. It certainly helps to run with a large number of like minded souls!

Track Interval Session at West Suffolk Athletics Arena Bury St Edmunds Suffolk

Tonight my running schedule called for an 8 mile tempo session. I decided to vary it a bit and do an interval session at the West Suffolk Athletics Arena in Bury St Edmunds instead.

This was my first visit to the track this year as I have focused entirely on my half marathon training schedule. This has meant road training and road training and more road training and I haven't been to the track or ventured off road as much as I would normally do. This has been a deliberate plan to see if a focus on a schedule would put me back on the straight and narrow as regards to my stamina to run longer distance and most importantly my confidence. I haven't raced for so long it is now a scary prospective.

So it was with great pleasure that I jogged a mile to the track with a drink in hand wearing tracksters and a thermal top. It was positively balmy this evening and I wasn't in two minds about removing the layers and a short sleeved technical t- shirt and shorts was all I needed along with my Ascics Gel Stratus 2's. These shoes will have to be retired in probably a month or so as I see I have recorded 375 miles in them.

The coach and many of the rest of the Saint Edmunds Pacers club were doing some sets of 4 minute runs but I wasn't tempted to join in as my plan was 6 x one mile intervals .

I felt strong as I set off on the first mile. The main thing was I felt I could keep up a decent pace throughout and my legs and breathing were not acting as a brake as they quite often do. I wasn't sure what time to expect for a mile but I stopped the Garmin Forerunner 205 at 7.32.

Not bad my fastest mile of the year but only because I havent't been to the track. Normally runs at th track are over a shorter distance with intervals of between 1 min and 5 mins so running several mile intervals isn't usually done. Looking back my diary indicates that last year for pace on the track over 3 minutes I would often run around 6.50 - 7 mile pace. 

I tired after 4 intervals but managed to complete the set of 6 to give times as follows

7.32,7.32,7.27,7.22,7.39, and 7.40

In between efforts I had my Asda Isotonic Mixed Berry Flavour Sports Drink

I really like this flavour , very good design of bottles with a good closure cap and cheap  in comapison with the competitors £1.46 for 4. Nice one Asda.





My times were pretty consistent with just 13 seconds between fastest and slowest. I was tired after this and jogged home the mile to give me a warm down and 8 miles in the bag.

Felt good tonight will have a break Thursday before reurning to the road on Friday lunch time.

West Suffolk Athletics Track Bury St Edmunds

5.30pm 7.47 miles in 53 mins 49 seconds
Week to date mileage 13 miles
Month to date mileage 60
Average weekly rate 29.2 miles
Average monthly rate 127
Year to date 1357
Lifetime 10950

Track session


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Now playing: Peter Tosh - Downpressor Man
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West Suffolk Athletics Track Bury St Edmunds

5.30pm 5.88 miles in 52 mins 47 seconds
Week to date mileage 5.88 miles
Month to date mileage 53
Average weekly rate 29.2 miles
Average monthly rate 127
Year to date 1350
Lifetime 10943

After a week with no running to rest my leg injury I returned to the track but again it was a struggle.


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Now playing: Johnny Clarke - Every Knee Shall Bow (extended)
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West Suffolk Athletics Track Bury St Edmunds

5.30pm 7.7 miles in 54 mins 30 seconds
Week to date mileage 7.7 miles
Month to date mileage 47
Average weekly rate 29.8 miles
Average monthly rate 129
Year to date 1344
Lifetime 10937

Track session at the West Suffolk Athletics Track.

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Now playing: The Saints - Wild About You
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West Suffolk Athletics Track Bury St Edmunds

5.30pm 6.9 miles in 49 mins 30 seconds
Week to date mileage 6.9 miles
Month to date mileage 27
Average weekly rate 30 miles
Average monthly rate 130
Year to date 1324
Lifetime 10917

Track session at the West Suffolk Athletics Track run against the backdrop of fireworks.



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West Suffolk Athletics Track Bury St Edmunds

6.15pm 7.50 miles in 55 mins 8 seconds
Week to date mileage 15 miles
Month to date mileage 99
Average weekly rate 29.9 miles
Average monthly rate 130
Year to date 1297
Lifetime 10890

Another track session with the Saint Edmund Pacers. I am continuing to try and run with my leg injury. The Garmin device indicates my average speed for this sesion matched Monday's session identically at being 7.21 seconds per mile.

West Suffolk Athletics Track Bury St Edmunds

6.15pm 7.12 miles in 52 mins 36 seconds
Week to date mileage 7 miles
Month to date mileage 92
Average weekly rate 29.9 miles
Average monthly rate 130
Year to date 1289
Lifetime 10882

A club run as I haven't been blogging on a regular basis since being injured I no longer recall the session . The Garmin device is proving useful capturing loads of information but most usefully distance covered. There is also data on calories used, average speed , maximum speed and a breakdown of time spent running at different speeds split into ten zones. The zones can be set to your own profile and I have zones from 1 walk through to 10 which is maximum speed. Zone 8 is for fast intervals which is where I spent most of my time during this run.

West Suffolk Athletics Track Bury St Edmunds Suffolk

6.15pm 6.72 miles in 52 mins 43 seconds
Week to date mileage 6.72 miles
Month to date mileage 78
Average weekly rate 30.3 miles
Average monthly rate 132
Year to date 1276
Lifetime 10869

Another track session however my leg feels worse still so I am going to have to rest a few days and see what difference this makes.

Frustration!

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Now playing: The Saints - (I'm) Stranded
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West Suffolk Athletics Track Bury St Edmunds Suffolk

6.15pm 7.64 miles in 54 mins 52 seconds
Week to date mileage 12 miles
Month to date mileage 57
Average weekly rate 30.3 miles
Average monthly rate 132
Year to date 1254
Lifetime 10847

Another visit to the west Suffolk Athletics track. Whilst my cold is much better tonight I felt a strain in my leg running from the lower stomach , groin and back/side of the leg. Basically it feels like I have been kicked in the balls and there is a slight pull when I run.

I ran the session hoping it might pass but it didn't and was in the mind as I ran.

I also finally got one of those Garmin Forerunner 205 devices but apart from wearing it haven't really been able to think much about it as my focus is on the possible injury. I bought it from a website called blokesstuff.com for £98 which is the cheapest I could find in the UK and they delivered next day free of charge.

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Now playing: Patti Smith - Peaceable Kingdom
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West Suffolk Athletics Track Bury St Edmunds Suffolk

6.15pm 4.6 miles in 34 mins 17 seconds
Week to date mileage 4.6 miles
Month to date mileage 49
Average weekly rate 30.3 miles
Average monthly rate 132
Year to date 12346
Lifetime 10839

My running has suffered as I Have succumbed to a heavy cold and a sore throat recently. Tonight still not fully recovered I ventured to th track hoping a run might just clear me out a bit (pleasant I now but a run does this for you some times it comes with having to breathe rather hard and having your mouth slightly open in a permanent grimace or smile as you swallow up any flies or gnats in the general vicinity _ perhaps I have got blue tongue!) but it didn't really and I admitted defeat half way through the session and returned home.

I did 2 90's , 2 75's , 2 60's 2 75's and 2 more 90's for 1 set.


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West Suffolk Athletics Track Bury St Edmunds Suffolk

6.15pm miles in 1hr 23 mins 36 seconds
Week to date mileage 38 miles
Month to date mileage 38
Average weekly rate 30.9 miles
Average monthly rate 134
Year to date 1235
Lifetime 10828

Lots of short fast stuff tonight at the track tonight

3 sets of 8, then 7 then 6 - 75 second efforts at 5k pace.

With a bit of a niggle in my knee I switched to grass for the final set which seemed to work for me.

West Suffolk Athletics Track Session Bury St Edmunds

6.15pm 7 miles in 58 mins 36 seconds
Week to date mileage 12 miles
Month to date mileage 12
Average weekly rate 30.7 miles
Average monthly rate 133
Year to date 1209
Lifetime 10802

My memory is a sieve and I can't remember what we did last week in the way of an interval session at the track , this comes of getting way behind on blogging and a lack of time generally. I think we did some 2.30 splits but then again........

West Suffolk Athletic Track Bury St Edmunds

6.15pm 6.5 miles in 53 mins 45 seconds
Week to date mileage 6.5 miles
Month to date mileage 136
Average weekly rate 30.8 miles
Average monthly rate 134
Year to date 1174
Lifetime 10767

Dave Reed took tonights track session which consisted of 5 x 1.45 seconds with a 1.30 recovery in between at 5k pace and a 400 metres lap at the end of each set - with 3 sets in all.

I was able to comfortably run just over 400 metres for each 1.45 run and found that I improved my time for the 400 metres lap coming down to about 1.32 for the final lap.

West Suffolk Athletics Track Bury St Edmunds Suffolk

6.15pm 6.7 miles in 55 mins 7 seconds
Week to date mileage 6.7 miles
Month to date mileage 97
Average weekly rate 30.5 miles
Average monthly rate 133
Year to date 1134
Lifetime 10727

Apart from knowing the total time of the session I am unable to remember what we did in this session. I think it was something like a 4 x 3.30 x 2 sets. If anyone was there and recalls be sure to correct me.

West Suffolk Athletics Track Bury St Edmunds Suffolk

6.15am 6.7 miles in 55 mins 7 seconds
Week to date mileage 6.7 miles
Month to date mileage 97
Average weekly rate 30.5 miles
Average monthly rate 133
Year to date 1134
Lifetime 10727

What a tough session at the track!. Tonight was a bit of a shock to the system as we upped the track work by about a third.

After a run to the track and some laps to warm up we commenced the session which was:

3 sets of 5 intervals of 1 min 45 seconds at about 5 k with a 300 metres at the end of each set at a much quicker pace. The rest and recovery for the intervals in each set diminished reducing from 1.30 to 1 min and then 45 seconds for the last set.

A good session and at my pace I found I was comfortably running just over 1 lap for each interval.

West Suffolk Athletics Track Session Bury St Edmunds

6.15pm 6.8 miles in 55 mins 29 seconds
Week to date mileage 13 miles
Month to date mileage 66
Average weekly rate 30.3 miles
Average monthly rate 132
Year to date 1104
Lifetime 10697

I ran down to the track and warmed up with a further 5 laps. Tonights session was somewhat longer than recent consisting of 5 x 3 minutes x 2 sets with 90 seconds recovery between and 5 mins between sets.

There was a good number of beginners down at the track for the first time which is good to see. Warmed down with a run home for quite a lengthy session. Noticeable know that it is getting dark on the run home and at this time there are many rabbits along Beeton's way.

West Suffolk Athletics Track Session Bury St Edmunds

6.15pm 6 miles in 49 mins 27 seconds
Week to date mileage 6 miles
Month to date mileage 59
Average weekly rate 30.2 miles
Average monthly rate 132
Year to date 1097
Lifetime 10690

After a week without any internet access I can't actually remember what the set was tonight . We have had computer problems every since Tiscali and BT decided to do some upgrade works to improve Broadband connection in the area. This seemed to affect the desktop pc in the house which wouldn't connect . After much stress to the point of nearly buying a replacement machine my better half sorted it. She tends to never give up whereas as I easily do.

I think we ran a set of a number of 90 seconds but how many I do not know. There was a really good turn out by the Junior members of the Pacers and this seems to be going from strength to strength and long may it continue.

West Suffolk Athletics Track Bury St Edmunds

6.15pm 5.6 miles in 46 mins 39 seconds
Week to date mileage 10.6 miles
Month to date mileage 29
Average weekly rate 30.1 miles
Average monthly rate 131
Year to date 1067
Lifetime 10660

Another visit to the track for a slightly longer set of interval training. I ran to the track and warmed up as usual with 5 laps.

The session tonight was 2 sets of 2 x 3mins, 1 x 2.30 and 2 x 2 minutes a total of 25 minutes of running at 10k pace.

A run home was my warm down afterwards.