HONC 2014 live, Easter action and onwards

Here's a quick update for the long weekend ahead, during which I hope you will be running, resting, relaxing, foam rollering, and recounting your racing and training, or parkrunning (is that a race, training, or just a cake eating social?)

I didn't mention on tuesday that the HONC MTB ride (Hell of the North Cotswolds) 30th anniversary ride gallery is now online here: http://bit.ly/HONC-2014-Official-Photo-Gallery
Yes whilst many people were watching Mo Farrah learn about marathon running, some 2000 people were out on the Cotswolds near Cheltenham mostly learning about puddles on their mountain bikes - and a bit of hills.

In other news for those of you interested, the possible stress fracture on the head of my right 2nd metatarsal is now diagnosed and with an immobilisation order on it (i.e. wear stiff soled trail cycling shoes without cleats on and don't bend your toes) it's 3 weeks away from the steroid injection to hopefully sort it out. In the meantime I'm getting no exercise which is incredibly depressing. If you're not interested in that news, just skip it.

Race Logo	Race Gallery link
	http://bit.ly/HONC-2014-Official-Photo-Gallery
Folkestone 10 - coming soon - entry	http://bit.ly/folkestone10-gallery-2014
Lewes 10k and fun runs 2014 - entry on the day	http://bit.ly/Lewes-10k-2014-Photo-Gallery

Cycling about on the North Cotswolds tracks and pathways looks a bit like this: Fun if you ask me !

London Marathon 2014

Just a few comments as I didn't get to watch it (probably for the best - my first day off since christmas - and when I say day off, I mean it is usually 7 days a week with an internet business, and anyway who wants to watch work on a day off?) - well done to Suzie Hewer on her new world record and as ever raising money for Alzheimer's in memory of her Mum, there was some awesome running by the chap who came in as third placed Brit - read his blog here on how it all turned out ok http://www.steveway.co.uk/  (average pace 5:11m/mile) and then an interesting bit of analysis (now fortunately anonymised) here on time splits: http://www.neillock.co.uk/training-blog/

One bit of ridiculous information - the winner - Wilson Kipsang -  just to split up the pack at the 20mile mark - put in a 4:29 mile. That's as fast as a very fast thing on turbo fast, and many 1500m club athletes would struggle to keep up with that just the once. Now for the punchline - he put in a 4:30mile immediately afterwards. Ha ha ha - keep up with that you crazy people (no you can't). Anyone who can do that - deserves to win in my book. Here's his 5k split results and feel mortal.

If you want a laugh - spot the fancy dress train he was wearing according to the official race photos

And so to Mo. The general commentary by those in the know (and we don't count Brendan Foster in that apparently) is after all the analysis done - that Mo set off the first quarter too slow, the second quarter too fast, and after that he wasn't going to have anything left to reconnect to the front group - with the most succinct comment made by Paula Radcliffe: "I think Mo has just found out what the marathon is all about".

Lets be honest - he made a fantastic debut - if you look at the results - there was the first two, gap, next two, gap, and then the race of about 6 runners in that Mo was part of - so the third finishing group and he came in 8th overall. Awesome. 

And finally - as a themed picture for the weekend - something I captured at the recent Alice Holt Races - a photo I've called the Passion of Running. Nothing posed, a genuine action shot.

The Passion of Running (c) Sussex Sport Photography.com

Have a happy Easter bank holiday weekend and enjoy your running or training !

until next time

Anthony