Not long to go
Hello WHM aspirants, not long now! Hope all is going well!
TRAINING THOUGHTS
Its been mostly hot and sunny in recent weeks, a real summer at last and how we have enjoyed it! Holiday style tans abound and most of them developed in our own back gardens or on day trips to local beaches, who would have thought it possible??
So how is your running going? Not easy in the heat is it? But it has to be done with the WHM only just over 4 weeks away now. If the warm weather continues, try to run earlier in the morning before the heat of the day or early evening. Also remember race start time is 10am and you need to prepare for that, get up, have breakfast, get to Ebrington for the start and be ready to run for 10am. That means quitting the bed around 7 30-8am Folks, even on Sundays, your long run day and of course Race Day!
Imagine, you're now well into week 8 of the basic Training Programme and your long run should be up to 70 minutes this week. Did'nt think you could do it? But you did. Congratulations. Keep to the programme and remember,take advantage of the Rest days and appreciate that you will be tapering down in weeks 11 and 12 to be fully primed for race day on Sunday 2nd September.
ENTRIES FLYING IN!
Entries are flying in and looks like the entry limit will be seriously challenged soon. Getting close to 1300 already for the full 13.1 miler and 40 or so Relay entries----a big increase on this time last year!
Our limits are 2000 individuals and 100 Relay teams so you know what to do! Get entered NOW! Monday 13th August is the closing date unless we have spaces left so take no chances and get signed up soon. We do not want to disappoint anyone.
NI & ULSTER CHAMPIONSHIP
You may be aware that the WHM is hosting the NI&Ulster championship this year, an acknowledgement of the quality and standing of our event and we should see an influx of good quality club teams on the start line. The top men and women will battle it out for the individual and team championship medals and the usual generous prize money, so great up front action is on the cards. Bring it on!
COMMONWEALTH HALF MARATHON SELECTION
Another massive carrot for the leading men and women is the automatic selection spots onto the NI squad for the inaugural Commonwealth Half Marathon championship set for Cardiff on Sunday 7th October.
That will go to the leading NI qualified male and female finishers and with sub 70mins and sub 78mins times required another reason to look forward to some red hot action on our riverside course in a few weeks time.
FANCY A GOOD 10K?
Wednesday 22nd August brings the annual Dessie's Run 10K, out of the Gransha Grounds, a 7pm start and entries taken on the night from 5 30pm at the U3A Foyle building in the grounds.
You may fancy a go to test your planned Half Marathon race pace perhaps so think about it. All standards of runners turn out for this one and you could pick up a decent race T Shirt and enjoy the race atmosphere.
If you do enter you should adjust your week 11 training schedule. That Wednesday is a longish run day of 60 minutes. That may well be close enough to your 10K time anyway so no sweat and if you are quicker then your warm up and cool down times should give you what the schedule calls for.
Cheerio for now, keep up the good work and see you in Ebrington on 2nd September.