Convert Suunto Moves (Runs) to GPX without Movescount

I've been highly impressed with my Suunto Ambit2 Black. A premium product with superior GPS connectivity, build quality and battery life. However much of the configuration needs to be done online at the Movescount website (and using the Moveslink application to upload your moves). Ordinarily this isn't a problem; however the Movecount website frequently goes down due to poor administration and management. This means that not only is it impossible to change the settings on your watch, but you are also unable to upload any runs.

Personally I use Movescount as a means to an end. I've set it up to automatically push my moves to Strava and, although I do look at the interesting stats Movescount produces, it is Strava where my head is (mainly due to the social aspects). I also do not change the settings on my watch that often - perhaps a couple of times a year, if that. 

So when the Movescount website goes down and it takes a couple of days to bring it back up (which frequently happens), I'm unable to upload my runs. This is compounded by Suunto making it notoriously difficult to export the runs from the watch.

However there is a way to get a GPX file which can then be uploaded to any running site you fancy - in my case Strava.

There are a number of 3rd party products on the market, but the method below (for use on Windows 7) is by far the easiest. Happy tracking!

http://forums.watchuseek.com/f233/guide-accessing-ambit2-possibly-others-gps-data-offline-1343682.html

2014 Review

Overview

With Christmas fast approaching (in 2 days' time) I thought I'd quickly review the last 12 months in what has been a very interesting, if challenging, year of running.

2014 Goals

At the start of the year I set the following goals:

• Complete my first marathon 
• Complete two ultra marathons 
• Achieve a new 5k and 10k PB

The events I chose for the first two above were:

• Manchester Marathon (April)
• Marlborough Downs Challenge (May)
• Endure24 as a solo runner (June)

The 5k PB would be achieved at a parkrun event but it could happen at any point in the year; the 10k PB would have to happen towards the back-end of the year.

Marathon Training Plan

I worked with Gobi to develop a 16 week training plan that started in December 2013. It was an intensive training plan that required me to run 5 times per week and involved Progressive Runs, Hill Training, Intervals, Slow Runs, HR-Based Runs and Long Runs. The Wednesday run would be half the distance of the Long Run on the Sunday. Due to my existing fitness and running throughout 2013, my Long Runs would start at 26k and gradually increase by 10% each fortnight.

Injury
As many of you know I suffered during the year with a reoccurring injury to my right foot. After many months of disrupted training and battles with the physio, I finally got an MRI scan in the NHS. The results where quite interesting: 

• I had a buildup of fluid in the ankle joint - this is what is causing the swelling in my ankle.
• My right foot also has 'Os trigonum syndrome'. The os trigonum is an extra bone that sometimes develops behind the ankle bone. I've probably had this from birth. Only a small number of people have this extra bone. Thankfully this isn't causing me a problem at the moment...but it's amazing what they can find in your foot!
• I have a subchondral cyst (fluid-filled sac) that is extruding from my ankle joint. Medical advice is to leave it alone. However it is indicative of early phase of osteoarthritis (breakdown of cartridge on the joint), and although the subchondral cyst improves without medical attention, the disease itself does not go away
• I had an abnormal accumulation of fluid around the medial and lateral malleolus (the knobbly bone on the outside your ankle - mine is quite large!). Over time this will die down, which it seemed to do but still flares up when running off-road.
• What we thought was pain with the tibialis posterior tendon was in actual fact a damaged and inflamed sheath around the tendon, with yet more fluid
• The Achilles tendon has been permanently damaged but this was done overtime. There is a slight loss of normal forward movement. The Achilles has also increased in size (stretched) to a point that it cannot repair itself. Again, this was done overtime. Achilles exercises from the physio should held retain movement. Need to be careful with sprint training and hills (both ascending and descending)

This injury not only impacted my training but ultimately had an impact on the races I entered in the first half of the year. Running off road seemed to make the problem even worse.

Race Results (2014)
The following are the results of the few races I entered in 2014:

Date	Race	Distance	Type	Time
6 April 2014	Manchester Marathon	41.93 km	Road	4:21:41
5 May 2014	Milton Keynes Marathon (withdrew after 24km)	24.43 km	Road	2:27:04
10 May 2014	Marlborough Downs Challenge	54.81 km	Trail	8:45:12
28 June 2014	Endure24	88.51 km	Trail	11 Laps
16 Nov 2014	Swindon 10k	10 km	Road	48:08
24 Nov 2014	The 9Bar Chilly 10k	10 km	Track	46:54

Manchester Marathon

Felt very good for the first 25km then the injury to the foot forced me to run/walk the remainder of the race. Was aiming for a 4 hour marathon and was on target but for the injury. Happy to have completed my first marathon given the lack of training and injury, but a little frustrated because without the injury I could have done so much more. I have unfinished business with the marathon after this race.

Milton Keynes Marathon

I stupidly entered this race as an immediate reaction to my time at Manchester (lesson learnt the hard way!). Felt good for the first half of the race, and kept with the 4 hour pacer. However like Manchester my foot started to hurt and I decided to pull out rather than forcing myself to continue. A race I should never had entered - take note people! 

Marlborough Downs Challenge

This was the one race I wanted to run in 2014. My first ultra marathon. I was still carrying the injury but decided at the last moment to run the race. I went with the intention of running slowly and protecting the foot. The terrain was hilly and rough underfoot, with the weather conditions being truly horrendous. I hadn't trained hard enough for this race and was in real pain with the foot. Despite crossing the line in a rather embarrassing time, I'd ran my first ultra and survived - all 34 miles of it (got lost for 1 mile). 

Endure24 - Solo Runner

This was a huge event for me - see how far I could run in 24 hours. I'd set 3 targets with 55 miles being the minimum. The weather conditions and terrain were truly horrendous and the worse I have ever ran in. Heavy ran for the bulk of the race; ankle deep mud in many places that really hurt my ankle. Ideally looking to achieve 75 miles but gave up (like many solo runners) after 55 miles (11 laps). Could have gone on further but my foot was really painful. If only the conditions were not so bad then I could have made the 75 miles. That said 55 miles is the furthest I've ran in a single run, I am proud of that.

Swindon 10k

After a few months recovery after Endure24 I decided to start focusing my attention on the shorter runs but with pace. The first of these was the Swindon 10k in November. Prior to the race my official 10k PB was 53.30 which I got at the Wargrave 10k back in June 2013. I've ran 10k races since but mainly hovered around the 55.xx mark. My last official 10k was the ADP Highclere event in September 2013 when I got a very disappointing 57.56. With only November to really get my PB down, I entered my first 10k race of the year. I set out to go sub-50 and was very happy when I crossed the line in 48:08. However there was part of me which thinks I could have gone quicker! The main problem I had was the pacing. I needed to focus on getting my pacing right and not getting too excited. In the back of my head I knew I could go sub-48 mins.

The 9Bar Chilly 10k

No sooner had I finished the Swindon 10k than I signed up for The 9Bar Chilly 10k the week after. This was a 3.5 lap around the undulating Castle Combe race circuit. This time I controlled my pace with more authority, and although I did stop a few times to catch my breath, I managed to hold on to record a new PB of 46:54. A huge improvement over the week before and an excellent demonstration of what can be achieved when the pace is controlled. I left the race circuit a very happy boy! No sign of injury and a nice shiny 10K.

Personal Bests

2014 was never intended to be a year of Personal Bests (PBs), with the focus being heavily weighted towards distance running as opposed to shorter faster races. That said I have noticed through all my long-distance training that my pace, and more especially my pace with a lower HR, as increased. This has allowed me to achieve a number of PBs. 

These are broken down by official and unofficial (unofficial either recorded as part of a larger race - e.g., first 5k of a 10k race - or on a training run):

Official PBs

• 5k Parkrun PB of 22:54
• 10k PB of 46:54
• Marathon PB of 4:21:41 (my first and only marathon, despite injury)

Unofficial PBs

• 5k PB of 22:42 (the first 5k of The 9Bar Chilly 10k)
• 10 mile PB of 1:26:10(achieved on my last Tesco-Garden route training run)
• Half Marathon of 1:51:20 (not a real attempt as this was an easy run focused on HR)

I also ran the furthest distance in a single race - 88.10km (55 miles) at Endure 24.

Personal Records

Running

1 km4:17

2014

5 km22:54

2014

10 km46:54

2014

Half-Marathon1:57:36

2013

Marathon4:21:51

2014

Farthest88.10 km

2014

Running Statistics (2014)

Year-to-Date
Distance	2,558.7 km
Time	265h 59m
Elev Gain	19,266 m
Runs	204

Best Performance

The 9Bar Chilly 10k

Favourite Event

Manchester Marathon

Greatest Achievement

Marlborough Downs Challenge

It may not have been the furthest I've ran in a single race, but it was by far the most difficult and a huge sense of achievement in completing it give the injury, terrain and weather conditions.

Biggest Disappointment

Endure24 - Solo Runner

Despite running 55 miles, the conditions and injury prevented me from running further. This run had so much potential - I felt gutted when I had to pull out after 55 miles. Had the weather been better then the injury may not have flared up and I could have achieved my target of 75 miles. The route is very boring and I felt a sense of anti-climax. It's a safe ultra to run, but the cost had increased and running 5 mile loops for 24 hours does get boring. 

Lessons Learnt

• Don't run a long race with an injury! It's a lesson I already knew and consciously made the decision to continue anyway.
• More long distance training is required for ultras - never underestimate them. It's not necessarily the extra distance, but more that distance combined with the off road terrain.

Best Running Investment (2014)

I've purchased a number of running items this year, but the following are standouts:

• Suunto Ambit2 Black GPS Watch - a top of the range, Darth Vader looking GPS watch from Suunto. GPS tracking, build quality and battery are second to none and blow the Garmin's out the water. Very expensive but worth every penny. A huge investment on my part.
• New Balance M1260 v3 road shoes - outstanding road shoes for those who need support and cushioning for long distance running. One of New Balance's premium running shoes with a price to match. However I ran over 1,000 miles on a single pair and without any issue. Despite no longer being available, I replaced them with the same model by going direct to New Balance and asking if they had any left. They did; they charged me quite a bit for them; and yet I put them on when went for 20km run and they felt perfect. God I love these trainers!
• Inov-8 Base Elite 175 LS - My secret weapon during the winter months. This long-sleeved shirt is made from Polygiene® and ensures I stay cool in both the summer and winter months, whilst also providing much needed protection against the weather
• Inov-8 Race Elite 105 Windshell - idea for colder days, this allows me to stay light, warm and fast in howling winds. Made from Pertex Quantum windproofing, this jacket provides for maximum breathability and movement. I lost my first jacket and, despite the somewhat hefty price tags, I purchased another one rather than going for a cheaper jacket. I great windproof running jacket! 

Conclusion

It's been an interesting year with some achievements but one that has ultimately been affected by injury. This resulted in less than perfect performances in longer distance events in the first half of the year. Although this has been (and still is) a major cause of frustration and resentment, it is positively countered by the fact that when I have been injury-free then my performances have been very promising and showed some real progress.

My poor first marathon performance due to injury is countered by new 5k and 10k PBs; my injury laden ultras where positively countered by the many back-to-back 30km training runs and, on a few occasions, I completed 42k and 50km training runs; all injury-free.

Training for long distance events does take commitment and a degree of selfishness. Weekly mileage of approximately 100km (62 miles) was common, with many weeks exceeding that. I came to love the early morning runs; although that said, the winter months were hard - very hard! However as the summer approached and the morning become light, it was a joy to get up during the week at 5am for a morning run before work; and even at the weekend when I'd be getting up at 4am to get a long run in, they would be enjoyable. I loved watching the sun rise as you got your early morning run in. I did the bulk of of my long distance training in the morning and all completed before 9am. I did this to avoid eating into family time. I've been lucky that my wife allowed me to train as much as I have done. However this come at a price; and that price was being over-tired on many occasions. Getting up very early in the morning was hard, and during those initial winter months at the start of the year, they were very hard. Running along the A4 from Newbury to Hungerford at 5am on a Sunday morning in winter in exposed conditions, with the wind and rain battering you was not a pleasant experience. But it needed to be done. As I started to move away from the longer distances and focused more on the 10k runs towards the end of the year, I decided to ditch the longer runs. Instead I ran 10k most lunch times at work and ran a couple of nights a week for an hour or two each time. Max distance was only around 23k. It was a much more pleasant and social experience.

During the course of the year I managed to achieve a number of 5k and 10k PBs, and done this without any specific speed work. The base training from the ultras had given me a good baseline from which to get those PBs.

As I end the year my fitness levels have most certainly increased, and this is reflected in the pace I can run with a lower HR. At the start of the year I had trouble getting any kind of pace into my runs whilst keeping the HR low; although not as low as some other runners, I can now see some real progress and this allows me to really control the runs whilst also maintaining a solid pace.

The year has been tough, challenging and frustrating; but ultimately rewarding. I achieved all the goals I set out to achieve and, although I had to pull out of a number of races due to injury (Trail Marathon Wales, Stort30 to name a few), I'm more than happy with the small number of races I did enter. 

As I write this Mrs N is one day overdue on our second child. The reason for cramming so much running in this year, and the reason why I ran with an injury, was because I knew that next year my running will be curtailed - or at least the long distance running will be. Through determination, commitment and occasional stupidity, I've managed to come through the year with some achievements.

Before I end this entry I must also thank Mrs N for allowing me the time to train. She's not a runner (with the exception of some local jogging to stay fit) and she has no interest whatsoever in my running; however she has supported me by allowing the time to go out and train whilst she looks after our son. Without her I would not have achieved what I did this year.

I must also thank the Newbury Runners for their support and advice. A great bunch of people who support each other. I hope you achieved all your goals for 2014 and good luck for new ones in 2015.

I shall end by saying running is fucking awesome!!!! Set aside all the gadgets and technology, running is ultimately about you putting one foot in front of the other and moving forward. It's the easiest thing in the world to do; anyone can do it with a little help. The question you have to ask yourself is: how far and how fast? And that my friends is the challenge and is what drives us forward. Whether it's to run up and down the street; do a couch-to-5k; run 5k in sub-20 seconds; go sub-30 hours for a marathon or run 100 miles - it really doesn't matter. The most important thing is that you are doing it. Don't think about other people. There will always be some one better than you. So get out there, have fun, and achieve some personal goals that will make you feel like you are on top of the world.....

Race Report: The 9Bar Chilly 10k

Someone pinch me!

I need to wake up...

SOMEONE PINCH ME!!!!

I've just smashed my 2nd 10k race of the year with a whopping new PB of 46.54, that also included a new 5k PB of 22.43 for the first 5k of the race! This doesn't happen to me - I'm a slow plodder who prefers to put in long slow miles rather than short fast ones. But over the last 2-3 weeks there seems to have been a slight transformation - and it's all come at the right time!

As winter sets in and the temperature drops, my performance at The 9Bar Chilly 10k on Sunday will keep me warm for many months to come...

Training

Given the race was a last minute entry and only 1 week after the Swindon 10k, I didn't have much time to prepare for it. The sole reason for entering this race was to get a PB. I'd learnt so much from the Swindon 10k. My main concern was around pacing, and more especially where ascents (no matter how small) are concerned. With this in mind I decided to run a couple of hilly routes during the week as preparation.

On the Monday I ran 14k at a slow pace that involved running up the Wash Water / Wash Common Hill; the Hill of Death; and Newtown Road Hill. All 3 are reasonable long and steep, but I made sure I kept to a slow gentle pace averaging 5:57 min/km. On the Wednesday I went out with the Newbury Runners for another hilly run - this time incorporating The Bypass Hill and Andover Hill and injecting a little more pace into the run (averaging 5.26 min/km over 10.80k). It felt good and much needed.  

Friday involved an average-paced 10k work lunch run that included some hills. I didn't want to go too fast; just a gentle run (averaging 5.30 min/km) to keep the legs ticking over.

With those runs in the bag I decided to call it quits until the race. This was my final chance to get a new 10k PB and I wanted to throw everything at it.

Target Time
Having performed so well the week before I knew I'd have to be on top of my game to beat my Swindon time of 48:08. I knew if I paced myself correctly I could go sub-48 mins; but I also knew the course was very exposed and any chance of a PB could be blown away should the weather turn for the worse and a head-wind appear. I therefore set myself a generic target of sub-48 mins; if I could run 47.30 then I'd be over the moon!

Arrival and Preparation

The night before the race it was the Newbury Runners Quiz Night. It was an amazing turn out; however I drank pretty much a bottle of heavy red wine and eat too many crisps and too much bread, cheese, olives, ham, etc... A fantastic night but when I got home I felt bloated and just a tad tipsy. I needed to sober up quick - and Diet Coke seemed to help.

When I woke in the morning I felt a little croggy but okay; thankfully the race didn't start until 10:30am. After munching on 2 large ham bagels and drinking a strong coffee, I had a shower, got changed and headed over the Castle Combe.

Before everyone arrived...

The event took place on the race track at Castle Combe. It was my first run around a race track and I suspected that I would get very bored very quickly (3.5 laps). However I was pleasantly surprised by the set-up. Rather an portable loos they had proper loos; they had a cafe, restaurant and a warm area to chill out and relax. Basically we could make use of all the race track facilities, and that really helped as it was a little cold. The 10k was not the only race taking place on the Sunday; there was also a Duathlon, but that didn't start until after the 10k race. As a result the place was buzzing with a great atmosphere.

Pre-race goodies

I went to registration and picked up my number and timing chip; they were also giving away free 9Bars and Jelly Beans. So I grabbed two bars and a handful of Jelly Beans and munched on them whilst fitting my number to my top. After pottering around for a little while I decided to warm up. The legs felt a stiff and those 'mind aches' started to appear; these are basically aches you all of a sudden feel before a race but in actual fact are not there. It's usually just stiffness. I jogged around the car park for 15 minutes or so trying to loosen up the legs whilst keeping them warm with my tracksuit bottoms. I got back to the car, stripped off, did another 5 minute jog and then we were called to the pre-race briefing.  This was it....

The Race

Once briefed we were escorted along a pit lane to the start line which was on the track itself. This was approx. 0.5 km away from the finish line and at the start of a gentle downhill section in the track. We were instructed to completed 3 laps and then take the pit lane to the finish line. Even before we started you could see the gradually ascents on the course. One day I'll run a completely flat route!

After the wheelchair participants started the runners then gathered at the start line and before you knew it we were off! It was quite exciting running on a track and I think that encouraged me even more to nail a good time. I could have played it safe and started slow - but I didn't. I had in my head that I'd run fast on the descents and flat and would slow the pace on ascents.

Lap 1

My opening lap was a pretty exciting affair. I loved the track and I felt good. Yes there were long gradual ascents but there were also some good descents. We had to run 400m anti-clock wise then loop back in a clock wise direction before then continuing around the track.

The route - multiple laps

I was in the zone and pumped in a 4.23 min/km, 4.26 min/km, 4.36 min/km and 4.41km for the first 4k respectively, which ended up being over 1 complete lap. As I crossed a timing mat I got a huge encouragement from a marshal who yelled "Go Newbury!". On that first lap-ish I managed to overtake a number of runners. I'd been lucky with the weather. The track was wet and there were still rain clouds in the sky, but there was no rain or wind and the temperature was just right for running. In fact I'd say they were perfect running conditions! I felt good as I reached the 3k mark. I knew I was running a little too fast (especially the first 2k), but at least I stuck to my plan and slowed down on the ascents. Now that I'd "banked" some time on the first couple of kms, I could now pursue that strategy with a little more confidence. One thing I didn't want to do was drop below the 5 min/km mark.

Lap 2

The second lap was interesting. It started well enough with a 4.35 min/km and 4.46 min/km respectively, but with the constant gradual ascent mid-way through my HR was sky rocketing. I then hit another incline and I just needed to stop for a couple of seconds to get my breath back. Movescount suggested I stopped for 10 seconds before then continuing. I completed my 7th lap (just over the 2nd lap) with a rather disappointing 4.53 min/km. I was also noticing that for the first 5k the km markers were in line with my watch. However as we got beyond that I started to notice the markers were a little long. Some will say it's the GPS on the watch that is a little out. I'm not too sure about that. My watch is pretty accurate, as demonstrated in other races. I suspect it could be the racing line the runners were taking. It didn't really impact me, but I did figure that this race could be a little long.

Lap 3

I'd chunked the race up into 3rds, and this helped me loads. I was on my final lap and I knew how to control the pace. In fact my pace was pretty good and with the exception of the high heart rate, my legs felt strong. This was also the lap I started to over take some of the back markers. I've never done that before and it was a nice feeling. Advantages of running 3 laps on a track.

10k Splits

I did the 8th km in a time of 4.36 min/km which I was chuffed with, especially given the disappointment of the 7th km. I also looked at my time and at the 8km marker I was running at 37 minutes. I calculated in my head that even if I covered the last 2 kms in 10 minutes then I'd hit the 47.xx minute mark for the race. But I wasn't thinking like that. I now wanted to hit the 46.xx mark. However the 8km point also marked the start of a long ascent. I controlled the pace and although I was puffing a little I still managed to overtake yet more back markers. In fact I was using them like targets to pick off. I completed the 9th km in 4.46 min/km and a running time of 41.47 minutes. 

I crossed the 9km marker and went round the final bend only to be confronted by the steepest section on the course. I was starting to feel a little sick at this point. I ran up it but needed to stop twice to catch my breath. Very frustrating but I calculated I could lose a couple of seconds here but make up for them on the final stretch.

Finishing Stretch

10k Split

At the 9.75 mark I left the track and entered the pit lane. There was no way the finish was only 250m away. It was a gradual descent to the finish line. I felt like throwing my guts up but started to increase the pace to make up for the time I'd lost by stopping. I heard my watch beep to tell me I'd hit the 10km mark but the finish line was still in sight. I was focusing all my energy on not throwing up. There was nobody in front of me to use as a target so I kept pushing. I crossed the line, stopped the watch, collapsed to the floor and chucked up!!!! Thankfully the only food inside me was the 2 9Bars I'd eaten. Thankfully not much came up; more baulking than anything else. A marshal came up to me and offered a cup of water, but I couldn't drink anything for fear of bringing it back up. I collected my medal and a bottle of water but couldn't face any more of the 9Bars on offer. Once I cleared the finish line I looked at my watch and I'd recorded a time of 46.55 minutes. I'd also ran 10.80 km.

Once I composed myself I needed to see the official time. I headed over to a monitor, typed in my number, and was delighted to see 46:54.7. I was so happy! I'd completed the race in 46.54 with the final km (despite the two stops) in a time of 4.46 min/km. I looked through the splits on my watch and saw I crossed the 10km mark in 46.33 minutes. Although that time will not be recognised as the official 10k time, it does give me a huge confidence booster going forward.

I headed back to the car to change and couldn't help but smile. It was then a case of hitting Facebook and letting the world and his dog know. It may not be a quick time for many, but for me it was quick...and probably the best I've ever ran.

Assessment

Where do I start? Prior to the race I had fears the course would be boring and, should I experience any degree of bad whether, the chances of a PB wiped out. The reason for traveling the 54 miles to the event was solely to get a PB. What a pleasant surprise I had when I turned up:

• Event organisation was top-notch; lots of friendly marshals who went out of their way to help you
• The facilities were excellent! There were real toilets and although they were not the cleanest, they are much better than portable toilets. There was a cafe/restaurant and a lounge area where you could chill out pre- and post-race with a warm coffee
• The race is also held on the same day as the Duathlon; which meant there were lots of competitors and supporters around. In fact there were over 1,200 competitors covering the two races. So a great turn out!
• Lots of free 9Bars (both pre- and post-race)
• Running on a track was a great experience. I suppose if it were Silverstone it might not have been as much fun as that track is longer; however having a short track ensured you could learn to manage the pace based on the ascent/descents. It also allowed the possibility of over taking back markers. This helped me immensely towards the end of the race when I could pick off back-markers and thus help to keep my pace. I also loved the nice smooth running surface!
• The final stretch to the finish was great. It was slightly downhill which made it more enjoyable
• The whether conditions were perfect for running!!! A little chill with overcast clouds and no wind whatsoever. It was great. I've heard nightmare stories of earlier races this year when the event was put on and it was so windy that getting a PB was near-on impossible. Not this time. It was perfect PB weather!

So from an event perspective my assessment is wholly positive! It is also an event I'd like to run again - a number of times! 

From a race perspective I can only be ecstatic about my performance. Yes I wish I hadn't stopped 3 times but even then I still managed to smash my 10k PB. The fact I also went sub-23 minutes for the first 5k (I've never run sub-23 mins for a 5k) made the end result even more special.

HR vs. Pace vs. Altitude

A number of people ask why I stop in races? I think the answer lies in my heart rate. As a result of the all the ultra running this year, my legs are strong and they don't get tired on 10k runs (irrespective of pace). However I'm what you may call a "high-beater" - that is my HR gets very high when I increase pace. The bulk of this run was done with an average HR of 178 bpm, peaking at 188 bpm towards the end. Running such distance with such a HR is difficult, and it is made harder when there is an incline (irrespective of how minor it may be). Every so often I need to take a moment out. I stop for between 5 - 10 seconds and I find that is enough time to help me compose myself. On a 10k race this will happen 2 - 3 times during the latter stages. I figure the time I lose here I make back up again as I can continue at the same pace.

Race Stats

Talking of pace - this was the first race where I have really controlled the pace from the outset. I had a clear plan on what I wanted to do and how to approach it, and I pretty much delivered on that. I aimed for sub-48 and I got a sub-47 with an average pace of 4.39 min/km. I have to be happy with that.

Could I have run the race better? Probably...but not on that day. I did the best I could at that time on that course in those weather conditions. If I'd spent more time training then I could probably have gone quicker. However that's a case of what-ifs-and-buts.

So I end my racing season of 2014 with 2 storming 10k PBs - and that makes me one happy northern boy!

Next Challenge

With Nicholls Jnr No. 2 arriving next month I've promised my wife that will be it as far as races go for a while. When I talk of "a while" I cannot put a definitive timescale on it. No racing for the first 3 months of 2015 is a certainty with the following 3 months also likely. Even then (from summer 2015) it would only be short 10k races as opposed to half marathons and above. As for my beloved ultra-marathons. Well I don't envisage tackling another one anytime soon. Not because I don't want to, but more because I won't be allowed to! It's one thing entering an event and spending a day out to run it; it's something else completely to train for several months to prepare the body for the onslaught an ultra puts it through. Realistically I'm probably looking at 2017 before tackling my next ultra.

So what lies next? 

Over the next 3 - 4 weeks in the lead up to Christmas and the birth of Nicholls Jnr (due date 22 December) I will be focusing on the following:

• Getting my 5km Parkrun time down. Official PB currently stands at 23.20; however I smashed that on this race with a 22.43. That doesn't stand officially as it was part of a 10k race; therefore my goal is to get my Parkrun time down to sub-23 mins
• Focus on seeing if I can maintain the 10k times on some training runs - more especially around the Thatcham Loop or on Greenham Common
• See how fast I can cover a half marathon distance. My half marathon PB is 1hr 57 mins which I got at Henley in October 2013. I haven't run a half marathon race since. I suspect I can easily beat that, so will give it a try on a number of training runs. I ran a very hilly 17.2km route last night in 1hr 27 mins, so I am definitely on target

Even when the baby is born I will still continue to run. I don't want to lose my base fitness. However I'm not sure how much time I will have to run. Very little I suspect. It may be a case of throwing in a short run during lunchtimes / as and when I can. One thing I cannot do is not run and put weight back on. That would be plain wrong...