Club session, LSR, results analysis and some rambling before the BH weekend!

It's nearly the bank holiday weekend, so I'm planning on relaxing a bit and enjoying some time off work which will be really nice.

I have quite a bit to talk about today!

Wednesday club session
I got a tough club session in yesterday evening.  It was 5x1m intervals with 2mins recovery.  I haven't done this session before, and my legs were aching afterwards but I'm glad I went.  It wasn't a "perfect" session in that I slowed a bit at the end, but I'm pleased as all the splits were a fair bit under 7min/mile.

1 06:49

2 06:43

3 06:40

4 06:54

5 06:51

This week's LSR
Following the above club session, I'm in two minds about when to do this week's LSR.  I have a 20-miler to do and I could a) try and to it after work or b) do it tomorrow AM?

If I do get time to do it after work, it will be on tired legs from the session last night.  I think it's probably a good thing to try and run an LSR once in a while on tired legs, so I may give it a go and see how I get on.  Also, if I get it out of the way this evening it will mean that I can enjoy the beer festival more tomorrow!

Exeter "wrap up and run" 10K
The results are out for the 10K I did on the weekend, and I'm pleased with the results.  Out of 550 finishers I finished 87th, which I think is my best relative position.  However, although there were lots of quick runners, there were also quite a few fun/charity run/walkers so that has to be kept in mind.  Even so, I'm pleased.

Also, for my age category (M35) I finished 13th out of 36 which I am sure is the best age category position I have finished in.  Onwards and upwards!

Runner's World Sports Psychology web chat 
Every so often, Runner's World have an expert on a particular subject where forumites can ask question sand the expert answers them in the form of a web chat.  This week, there was a sports psychologist and I posed a question about what to do to help avoid nerves on the start line of an important question.

My post/question:

I also suffer with nerves alot before a race that I want to do well in (i.e, if it's an event I've been training hard for and my goal is a PB).  However, the other day I did a 10K and got a PB and wasn't nervous at all on the start line.  I think this was because it wasn't a main goal for me, but I was still expecting I would do well.  However, if it hadn't gone well I know I would have genuinely brushed it off and moved onto the next race.  I do have a routine at the start of each race (which I also practice on my LSRs) around food, loo, stretching etc but even this doesn't help on the start line of an important event.

I know the obvious answer is to try relax at the start of my important races, but I find that easier said than done.  Therefore if you any tips on this it would be appreciated.

A couple of other people asked similar questions and there were some useful tips, including:

• Expect anxiety if you have had this before in similar events.   
• Imagine how you will preform, how you will manage the day, how you will execute your strategy. 
• Recall all your good training. You're ready, aren't you!   
• Food wise, eat what you'd normally eat, try not to over do it, or eat anything that a nervous stomach will not like.  Go easy on fibre - as your stress hormones reduce your ability to digest and increase the need to evacuate (bowel movements).   
• Nerves are normal, they prepare you to fight or take flight.  The marathon is a long 'flight'.
• Tell yourself beforehand that you are going to do your best, stuff may happen, and if it does you will do your best at the time to handle it. 
• However things go, you will be proud of yourself, live to fight another day and seek other goals. This is one, but not the only goal for you in running, activity and life!  Go for it.