Recently there's been a couple of last minute additions to the England team for the 24hr race in next week's Commonwealth Championships. The five men are: Ken Fancett, Chris Finill, Pat Robbins, Jim Rogers and myself. The five women are: Sandra Brown, Marie Doke, Sharon Gayter, Vicky Skelton and Ramona Thevenet-Smith.
There are 22 runners in the men's race and 22 in the women's race from the following countries:
Australia (six men and six women)
Canada (three men and four women)
England (five men and five women)
India (one man)
Isle Of Man (one man and one woman)
Kenya (one man)
New Zealand (one man and three women)
Scotland (three men and three women)
Wales (one man)
A few surprises here: Kenya - hope their guy isn't as good as the top 10k and marathon runners; only four countries have sent men's teams - increasing the likelihood of England being among the medals; no runners from South Africa (none in the 100k race either).
I would guess that the individual favourites would be Martin Fryer and Jonathan Blake (both from Australia) and Sharon Gayter (although Vicky Skelton isn't far behind). Martin ran a fantastic 48hr race in Surgeres earlier this year to place second on the all time list with 433.686 km - his feet were a real mess afterwards though. Sharon had a great run at Badwater [hope she's recovered].
Still relaxing lots - no loud music, no late nights, no stress ... and no caffeine.
Showing posts with label Ramona Thevenet-Smith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ramona Thevenet-Smith. Show all posts
Thursday, 10 September 2009
Monday, 18 May 2009
Ultra Squad Weekend
I was at the England Athletics Ultra Distance Squad Weekend in Gloucester on Saturday and Sunday. I wasn't particularly looking forward to the five hour journey involving two buses and two trains. It could have been worse though.
Everything was fine until we reached Birmingham a bit late. The train was supposed to arrive at 1107 but arrived at 1128. My next train was supposed to leave Birmingham at 1130 so I was beginning to panic a bit until I found that it was due to leave from the same platform I had just arrived at ... but it was going to be 10 minutes late. We all got on and a few minutes later heard the following message over the public address system: "this train will now leave at 1200 because there's no driver available."
Arrived in Gloucester half an hour late and not too happy.
Got to the hotel at two o'clock, on the early side but it would give me time to meet everyone before proceedings began at three. Never been invited to one of these before - never considered myself 'elite' before and that's still an unfamiliar tag. Chris Finill, Vicky Skelton, Ramona Thevenet-Smith, Andy Smith, Jez Bragg, Dominic Croft, Matthew Lynas, Brian Cole and the other runners I spoke to were great at making me feel very welcome and I'm very grateful to them for that (particularly Chris and Ramona - you were both fantastic).
I always find these type of get togethers rather awkward, mainly because I'm a shy and introverted person by nature - mainly because of my medical history. Apart from cancer as an adult I had recurring major throat problems as a child and I spent three or four weeks in hospital every 18 months or so having throat surgery and not being able to talk for a couple of months afterwards.
Had less than four hours sleep before going for a run on Sunday morning with Jez Bragg, Chris Finill, Matthew Lynas and Dominic Croft. I found that quite a surreal experience ... running down the road with a group of international runners, chatting away and covering well over nine miles in 70 minutes or less before breakfast.
Then came a long relaxed breakfast before the rain started. That wasn't good as I had to walk back into Gloucester to the train station [no buses there on a Sunday]. Journey home was uneventful except that we left Sheffield seven minutes late and arrived in Leeds two minutes early !!! The scheduled journey of 48 minutes actually took 37 minutes - very strange.
Overall a good weekend. I picked up a few tips from Chris Finill, Andy Smith and Hilary Walker and learned about the forthcoming Commonwealth Championships. It still rankles a bit that I haven't been officially selected yet even though I exceeded the tough qualification criteria easily in my last 24 hr race ... all this waiting makes planning and training a bit difficult.
Oh yes, less than four hours sleep. Well, the bloke I was sharing a room with snores, loudly. Very loudly at times. So loudly that, a couple of hours after getting into bed I decided to try using my MP3 earphones as makeshift earplugs. Not much better but I eventually drifted off to sleep ... sort of.
Everything was fine until we reached Birmingham a bit late. The train was supposed to arrive at 1107 but arrived at 1128. My next train was supposed to leave Birmingham at 1130 so I was beginning to panic a bit until I found that it was due to leave from the same platform I had just arrived at ... but it was going to be 10 minutes late. We all got on and a few minutes later heard the following message over the public address system: "this train will now leave at 1200 because there's no driver available."
Arrived in Gloucester half an hour late and not too happy.
Got to the hotel at two o'clock, on the early side but it would give me time to meet everyone before proceedings began at three. Never been invited to one of these before - never considered myself 'elite' before and that's still an unfamiliar tag. Chris Finill, Vicky Skelton, Ramona Thevenet-Smith, Andy Smith, Jez Bragg, Dominic Croft, Matthew Lynas, Brian Cole and the other runners I spoke to were great at making me feel very welcome and I'm very grateful to them for that (particularly Chris and Ramona - you were both fantastic).
I always find these type of get togethers rather awkward, mainly because I'm a shy and introverted person by nature - mainly because of my medical history. Apart from cancer as an adult I had recurring major throat problems as a child and I spent three or four weeks in hospital every 18 months or so having throat surgery and not being able to talk for a couple of months afterwards.
Had less than four hours sleep before going for a run on Sunday morning with Jez Bragg, Chris Finill, Matthew Lynas and Dominic Croft. I found that quite a surreal experience ... running down the road with a group of international runners, chatting away and covering well over nine miles in 70 minutes or less before breakfast.
Then came a long relaxed breakfast before the rain started. That wasn't good as I had to walk back into Gloucester to the train station [no buses there on a Sunday]. Journey home was uneventful except that we left Sheffield seven minutes late and arrived in Leeds two minutes early !!! The scheduled journey of 48 minutes actually took 37 minutes - very strange.
Overall a good weekend. I picked up a few tips from Chris Finill, Andy Smith and Hilary Walker and learned about the forthcoming Commonwealth Championships. It still rankles a bit that I haven't been officially selected yet even though I exceeded the tough qualification criteria easily in my last 24 hr race ... all this waiting makes planning and training a bit difficult.
Oh yes, less than four hours sleep. Well, the bloke I was sharing a room with snores, loudly. Very loudly at times. So loudly that, a couple of hours after getting into bed I decided to try using my MP3 earphones as makeshift earplugs. Not much better but I eventually drifted off to sleep ... sort of.
Monday, 11 May 2009
bad weekend
Looks like John Pares had a bad run in Basel. I don't think he'll be happy with 133k. Ramona would, I think, be pleased with her 162k. Les Hill I think will be disappointed with 180k but where was Jim Rogers ...
My bad weekend has resulted in me having to take some drastic action to restore my sanity. More details another time.
The reasons for Sharon's bad run in Bergamo appear to have been of a medical/nutritional nature ... too much sodium. Electrolyte imbalances over a long period of time when exercising can cause major problems.
My bad weekend has resulted in me having to take some drastic action to restore my sanity. More details another time.
The reasons for Sharon's bad run in Bergamo appear to have been of a medical/nutritional nature ... too much sodium. Electrolyte imbalances over a long period of time when exercising can cause major problems.
Friday, 8 May 2009
chasing the distances
All the best to Les Hill, Jim Rogers and John Pares who are running the Basel 24 hr race this weekend no doubt in a bid to get a qualifying distance for the Commonwealth Championships.
As Les is Scottish and John is Welsh their performances won't effect my chances of being selected for England. Jim is English and although he had a bad run at Tooting Bec last October he is definitely capable of passing 225k to join Chris Finill, Ken Fancett and myself with the English qualifying standard.
I hope Les has a better time than his previous 24 hr race (Hull 2008) when he collapsed during the 22nd hour whilst in a good position - I don't think he ran again in that race.
Ramona Thevenet-Smith is also running ... hope she does well too.
Thanks to Nadeem Khan for posting the piece on the IAU website. I feel honoured to have my story on the site of the world governing body (I did find a small mistake when I read it but I think it's just a typo).
I certainly don't feel as if my life has been extra ordinary ... I'm just a lucky guy doing something he loves which he happens to be quite good at.
As Les is Scottish and John is Welsh their performances won't effect my chances of being selected for England. Jim is English and although he had a bad run at Tooting Bec last October he is definitely capable of passing 225k to join Chris Finill, Ken Fancett and myself with the English qualifying standard.
I hope Les has a better time than his previous 24 hr race (Hull 2008) when he collapsed during the 22nd hour whilst in a good position - I don't think he ran again in that race.
Ramona Thevenet-Smith is also running ... hope she does well too.
Thanks to Nadeem Khan for posting the piece on the IAU website. I feel honoured to have my story on the site of the world governing body (I did find a small mistake when I read it but I think it's just a typo).
I certainly don't feel as if my life has been extra ordinary ... I'm just a lucky guy doing something he loves which he happens to be quite good at.
Sunday, 2 March 2008
A Good Weekend
Another good run today although I could've done without the hurricane strength winds this morning ... in this weather I don't think I could manage more that 4 or 5 miles anyway (I was out for 35 minutes).
Forty minutes tomorrow !!!
Yesterday I helped at the latest Otley AC handicap at Eccup. I'm not allowed to run 10k so I did the timekeeping - it was cold though. Phil Robinson was first home closely followed by Antonio. If I had have been running I'd have been last starter ... by at least a couple of minutes. Back home I had a 90 minute session on the exercise bike.
This afternoon I booked our hotel for Hull. Three nights at the Innkeepers Lodge for me and a crew of two for £108 in total. Not using the middle night though as I'll be running ... but it's good to have something just in case the worst happens. All this planning recently is definitely helping with the mental thing regarding the injury and the fact that the Hull 24 hr race is now only 19 weeks away and I still can't manage 5 miles [let alone 135].
Good to see an ultra result in Athletics Weekly - Thames Meander 54. I see that the twelfth finisher came home in 8h 59 (9:59 per mile) ... shame I'm injured. Useful info for next year though. The winner was D. Afshar (7h 16) and the first two women were Ramona Thevenet-Smith and Sharon Gayter whom I last competed against in London in Oct 2007 [beat Ramona, narrowly lost to Sharon].
Forty minutes tomorrow !!!
Yesterday I helped at the latest Otley AC handicap at Eccup. I'm not allowed to run 10k so I did the timekeeping - it was cold though. Phil Robinson was first home closely followed by Antonio. If I had have been running I'd have been last starter ... by at least a couple of minutes. Back home I had a 90 minute session on the exercise bike.
This afternoon I booked our hotel for Hull. Three nights at the Innkeepers Lodge for me and a crew of two for £108 in total. Not using the middle night though as I'll be running ... but it's good to have something just in case the worst happens. All this planning recently is definitely helping with the mental thing regarding the injury and the fact that the Hull 24 hr race is now only 19 weeks away and I still can't manage 5 miles [let alone 135].
Good to see an ultra result in Athletics Weekly - Thames Meander 54. I see that the twelfth finisher came home in 8h 59 (9:59 per mile) ... shame I'm injured. Useful info for next year though. The winner was D. Afshar (7h 16) and the first two women were Ramona Thevenet-Smith and Sharon Gayter whom I last competed against in London in Oct 2007 [beat Ramona, narrowly lost to Sharon].
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