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CITY RUNS
"View Rob's training during his warm weather training stint in Potchefstroom, South Africa - Its a tough job but someones got to do it!"
INTRO TO ROB:
Date and Place of birth:
03/04/85, Truro in the mighty county of Cornwall
Club:
Bristol & West
Occupation:
Student (well, kind of any way)/ community rugby coach for Cardiff Blues
Representative honours:
Cornwall; South West; South of England; England Schools; England AA and Great Britain
PBs
Track:
800 - 1:55.86 (indoor, 2005)
1500 - 3:49.74 (2006)
3000 - 8:17.53 (indoor, 2007)
Road:
5k - 14:17 (2007)
10k - 30:15 (2007)
Proudest moment:
Representing your country is the panicle for any sports man. Every time I've pulled on an international vest has filled me immense pride but my two stand out moments were running for GB at the 2006 European Cross Country championships and winning my first international, an U23 Cross Country race in Germany in February last year was a cheeky pay day to!!!
Worst moment:
Having been called into the GB U23 team for the European Cross County Championships in December 2007, my mum sent my passport to my address in Cardiff only for it to take 6 days to get to me and as a consequence, I could not fly out with the boys. It cost me a Gold medal to, as my team won the team event.
Current form:
Well the winter has proved to be fruitful for me on the whole. Missed the entire track season last year due to tearing my right ankle ligaments (havent had a proper tack season for around 3 years-keep getting injured, ill or simply burning out) which was very disappointing as feel I can do some real damage on that surface, but after only been back running for three weeks I raced the City of Cardiff 10k, finishing 3rd in 30:15. It was just nice to get back competing and to come in at the top of a really tidy field. Following this I ran 17:36 and 17:22 at the, Midland and National 6 stage road relays respectfully. Both were anchor legs with me running in no mans land!! The European Cross Trial in Liverpool was a hard slog but I finished 21st (6th U23) and was then called up for GB U23 team, only for passport problems to hold me up.
Opted for a very different New Years Eve the Nos Galan 5k in Mountain Ash where I won in a pb of 14:17. What an event, a brilliant atmosphere and a reasonably fast course. Id recommend it to anyone and 2008 is going to be huge as its the 50th anniversary of the event and previous winners include Dave Bedford.
Last Saturday in Swansea, I finished 3rd at the British Universities (BUSA) Cross country champs in Swansea. Really pleased with this as the field was loaded, its a course that sorts the men from the boys and its always good to medal in a major championship. Hopefully, ill now get selected for GB to run at the World Students XC Champs in France on the 5th of April. However, if I do, it means carnage on my birthday in the week leading up to it will have to be kept to a minimum!!
Results this winter:
1st - South West Championships And Inter-counties, 21:44
2nd - Cardiff Cross Challenge, 32:21
3rd - BUSA Cross Country Championships, 33:42
1st - Indoor 3,000m Cardiff, 8:17.53
1st - Nos Glan 5km, 14.17
3rd - City of Cardiff 10k, 30.15
21st - Liverpool Cross Challenge, 31:29
1st - Bath Gwent League, 31.31
1st - Swansea Gwent League, 33.34
Whats next:
Well, unfortunately Im off to train in Potchefstroom, South Africa for three weeks form the 11 of February. Its going to be hard leaving the wind and rain of the UK for the average temperature of 35 degrees and sunshine of Potch, but hey, someones got to do it!!!
After that its all about the Inter-Counties & World Trials in march. Im hoping to get near the senior British team for the World Cross, which this year is in Edinburgh on the 31st march. I think a World Cross, World Student double on consecutive weekends would be a brilliant way to finish of the winter. Its going to be a huge ask, but I hope South Africa will set me up nicely for it.
I need to stay injury free over the summer as I know I can run some big pbs outdoors. Another year without a full track season will infuriate me!!! Im going to aim to run under 14 mins for 5000 and around 3:45 over 1500 on the track. Sub 30 minutes for 10k on the road is the bench mark and thats my target for the BUPA Great Manchester run. If Im honest, I think Im capable of running 29:40-45 there.
Eventually, id love to become a full time athlete and get the most out of my body as humanly possible, so Id like to attract another sponsor to go with my ongoing deal with the Duchy Hospital Truro, to help me with that.
Ill be updating my blog from Potch on a weekly basis.
25th Feb 2008
Well, ive been in Potch for two weeks now and i reckon ive finally got used to the altitude. For the first week i felt like i had the lungs of a chain smoker!!Im about a mile above sea level and allthough ive trained at altitude before, even doing easy runs was a shock to the system. Bacuse the air is so much thinner up here than it is at sea level, everything is knackering. On top of which, you cant run as fast as at sea level. Am dealing with this, by cutting the sessions down and having longer recoveries. This should help to keep the quality but i get frustrated at not being able to run as fast as normally would-even though its perfectly normal at altitude!! However, im two weeks in with a week to go and i feel ive trained well and that im now used to the heat as well as the altitude. Ice baths help to aid recovery, but the only draw back is they make things shrink that you really dont want to be shrinking in tight running shorts!!
It so good to be in this environment. Everywhere you look there are world class athletes - during a track session last week i had the Olympic spear chucking (sorry i mean Javelin) champion, Linus Thornblad, throwing over my head!For health and safety reasons, that wouldnt happen at Carn Brea or Leckwith Stadium on a tueday night!! Also where im staying there are large consignment of Brits, including Kate Reed, Charlotte Dale, Becky Lynne, Andy Cain and Jo Pavey has arrived this week. The banter during afternoon "lets get sun burnt" sessions is proving fruitful.
Enjoying relaxing between sessions and am happy with my tan- but everything can be inproved right?!Went out for dinner on sat night-3 courses 8 quid- and then enjoyed a pint (75p) as i swore and cursed England to a mighty 24-13 victory over France in the six nations!!! After my long run yesterday morning, i acived one of my lifetime ambitions by going on a safari. Was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life. Actually being that close to Lion cubs and Girafes in Africa was amazing and id recomend it to any one. Have a rest day on tuesday so am going to a Lion and Cheetah farm, where they help raise cubs ready to be realised back in the wild. My coach has been there before and im hoping that i might be able to get in the pen with Cheetah cubs. Lets hope i dont get eaten!!
Potch itself, is a town dominated by sport so im feeling right at home. First clss facilities for all sports but unsuprisingly its rugby tht dominates. There are lushious green pitches everywhere and in my opinion, alot of them are in better condition than piched you will sea in the Premiership or Magners Leagues. Its going to be a shame to leave next week but i know the trip will have been worthwhile and im determined to come back.
TRAINING
12/02/08: AM- arrive Potch | PM- 35 mins very easy
13/02/08: AM- 45 easy | PM- 1 hour 15 easy
14/02/08: AM- 45 easy & gym sess | PM- 50 steady
15/02/08: AM- 40 easy | PM- 1 hour easy & drills
16/02/08: AM- 40 easy | PM- 2 x 4k threshold off 2 mins rec. Grafting for fun!Not used to altitude yet.
17/02/08: AM- 1 hour 30 mins | PM- Gym sess & drills
18/02/08: AM- 45 easy | PM- Sess on grass track. 600, 500, 400, 300, 200 x 3 off 2 & 5 mins. Better than sat and consistant. Knackered after.
19/02/08: AM- REST | PM- gym sess
20/02/08: AM- 40 easy | PM- 55 steady
21/02/08: AM- 40 v easy | PM- 2 x 4k thershold. Much better and faster.
22/02/08: AM- 1 hour 15 | PM- 45 easy & drills
23/02/08: AM- 40 easy | PM- 6 x mile off 2 mins. Much better-feel aclimatised now. Averaging 4:45 with rep 6 in 4:40
24/02/08: AM- 1 hour 50 | PM- REST
25/02/08: AM- 40 mins easy & gym. Knackered today. Have session later on tonight so will see how that goes. Day off tommo
