September is rapidly coming towards an end and the nights are drawing in.  On Wednesday gone, we were running out of light well before 7:30 pm.  This means that there needs to be a couple of tweaks to the schedule.  The current one has almost run out as well, so I will try to get a new one put together over the next week or so.


Plan for the week
Mon (7:30) - 400's were scheduled up at St Leonards - this is just not an option.  So I propose we do an old favorite - 2s and 1s up at Stobhill - 6X2 min efforts with 1 min recoveries and then 6X1 min efforts with 1 min recoveries.
Wed (6:30) - Track 5K session:  1000m at 5K pace, 5X(400m, 100 recovery, 200m, 100m recovery – efforts faster than 5K pace), 1000m faster than first. 
Thurs (6:30) - 6 mins - These were planned up the Steads, but I suspect this won't work.  An alternative is to run to the Station, and then do 6 mins through Copies, turning right at Jennng's.  2 min recovery where you get to and then 6 min effort back towards the station.  4 efforts (2 away from and 2 back towards the station) with 2 mins between each.  I'm afraid I'm away.

I hope everybody is well and training hard.  Well done to all of those who did the GNR or the trail run which seemed to have turned into a marathon!


Plan for the week
Mon (7:30) - 45's, St Georges Hospital.  Four sets of four 45sec efforts with 45 recoveries.  2:15 recovery between sets.  I'm away.  Just beware making too much noise shouting 'time' while running around the hospital.
Wed (6:30) - 1/2K and tempo.  3 X approx 500m efforts then tempo.  Different routes for the tempo depending on fitness and needs.  I plan to be there.
Thurs (6:30) - Track pyramid - 200m, 400m, 600m, 800m, 1000m, 800m, 600m, 400m, 200m efforts with 200m jog recoveries.  Unfortunately I will not be able to make this session, but a good general purpose one that suits all abilities.  If you want a slightly easier version, just drop the 1000m in the middle.


Have fun!
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For those not involved in GNR, Carole sent round an email about a fell run - sounds great for a nice sunny Sunday morning.  This is with Kevin Bray who is looking at the possibility of finding a route for a Morpeth Harriers organised Fell race, which would be exciting.  Just to re-iterate the details it will be a 10 mile circular trail run starting at Rothbury Riverside Car Park at 9am. It will be run at a normal chatty Sunday pace so will suit most abilities.
 
For those of you doing the GNR, again to re-iterate, the plan is to meet outside the Cat and Dog on Claremont road for a photo at 9:45.  The baggage buses go at 10.05, so we will need time to change and get bags on the bus and get into our pens in plenty of time, so I think we should aim to meet any time from 9:30/9:35 with the photo taken promptly at 9:45. 
 
Plan for the week ahead
Mon (7:30) - Track 400's.  A session that can be used as a bit of a loosener after the GNR or a nice tough speed session.  8-12 X 400m efforts with 1:30 to 0:45 recoveries.
Wed (6:30) - Hills.  Assuming the light is good enough then run these from Mitford Church.  1:30 up, 2:00 to get back down to the start.  10 reps, with the 10th run the opposite direction - I.e back towards the club house.
Thurs (6:30) - Surges.  Four efforts, each made up of two parts - for the first part the idea is to run faster than a steady pace, but not all out.  For the second part of the effort, the idea is to run faster as in the finish of a 5 or 10K race.  There is no gap or recovery between these two parts.  As the session progresses the first part becomes shorter and the second part longer:
4mins + 40s; 3 mins + 60s; 2 mins + 80s; 1 min + 100s.  Between these efforts there is a 3 min recovery.  You can do this session up the Steads, starting at the junction in Mitford so that you start with a short bit of downhill.
 
I'm afraid I'm away on both Wed and Thurs.  For Thurs you need somebody who can take charge of the session with a watch and shout out when to run faster and when to stop for the recovery.
 
If you are involved I hope you have a great time and achieve what you are hoping for.  For those you are not - just think of all of the travel chaos you are missing!  

As I have been out and about it is amazing how many people I have seen running - a sure sign that it is the GNR in a week's time!  Love it or loath it (and I think I do a bit of both) there is no doubt that it is a massive event and one that does get people into running.  

I know one or two of the group are running.  It would be good to organise to all meet up at the start and get a photo.  The start is at 10:40 and I guess people will be wanting to get into the pens early.  The baggage buses go at 10:05.  So how about meeting at 9:45 outside the cat and dog rescue home on Claremont Road? Its not far from the baggage buses, up towards Grandstand road.


Plan for the week
Mon (7:30) - The schedule says grassy pyramids.  I think after the amount of rain yesterday and last night that the common will be too wet to do this, so I will substitute another session.  I am also a little concerned about the light and whether we will have enough to run outside of Morpeth till 8:30, so we may do a pyramid around Lancaster Park, but I will make a decision on the night depending on the weather conditions.  It will be a session with shorter efforts.
Wed (6:30) - Track 800m.  I'm afraid I am now going to be away on Wednesday.  This is a straight forward session: 4-6 x 800m efforts with 2 to 1 min recoveries depending on your fitness levels.
Thurs (6:30) - 6 min.  This is about long efforts up the Steads.  6 min with 2 min recoveries.  Aiming for 4-5 efforts.  This is too much if you are running GNR, so there will be flexibility to fit in with people's needs.