Shoe review Mizuno Hitogami.

I got some new shoes which are perfect for me. They are the new Mizuno Hitogamis.

The key features are

a cool midsole delivers lightweight, resilient cushioning.

Racing flat construction for a fast, low-slung ride. midfoot wrap for lockdown support.

Flat-bottomed last combined with low toe-spring for inherent stability.

Smooth forefoot rubber for optimal smoothness at touchdown in the forefoot.

Because they are racing flats I'm almost forced to land forefoot which means a softer landing. But there is cushioning enough to feel a bit of support. The hard plate also protects against any small rocks I land on. I raced a half half marathon in them on Sunday and I didn't notice or think of them at all so that's a sign of a good shoe. If you like to run light then go out and buy them.

Wrexham Half and a bit and a bit more for others

Wrexham Half and a bit and a bit more for others 5:47pm | Village Bakery Half Marathon FEB 16 2014

I did the Wrexham Half today. It had to be diverted due to flooding but one Marshall got confused and sent most people the wrong way. He tried to send me the wrong way too and I did go the wrong way for a bit, stopped, realised it was the wrong way and then went the right way again. All this happened before the 1st mile was over. I clocked it as 13.4 miles.

Most people went on the extended version and ended up doing about 13.8 or even more. Anyway, when I got home I wrote down all my mile splits, substituted the first mile for my average and cut the distance down to 13.1 miles. The result was an equivalent time of 72m08s.

I'm pleased with that time and if I had been running with some other competitors, I ran on my own, I may have gone quicker. Who's knows. I thing for sure is that I felt strong and it was a very good training run.

I was 6th overall and 2nd North Wales but all of that has to be ignored really because others may have been in front if they had not gone the wrong way.

Mentally strong running

I hear of some people who train MAFF, which is a training style of running slower all the time, and then when they race they just nail it because, they say, they don't forget how to run fast. There are other training plans out there too that are just unconventional but the work.

Is that because the training plans are better or because the trainees believe the plans to work? Do I go at my pace because I see what other people do and copy them (physical)? I wonder what pace I would do in a race if I'd never done one before and not seen anyone, other than me, run before (mental)?

I'm doing a 100k race in May and already I've looked at others and compared to find out what pace I should go at. Will this mentally cap what I might be capable of, who knows.

I think the great Steve Prefontane aka Pre never used to let other runners dictate his pace. He was A mentally strong runner.

Selected to run for Wales - My first

I got a letter yesterday asking if I'd run for Wales in the Anglo Celtic Plate 100km.

It didn't take me long to reply

Y E S

There will be a team of three of us. 3rd May 2014 in Kent.

Thames Trot 50

Just a short blog as I'm ready for bed. I did the race today and was pleased at coming third but not really pleased with the time. The pace was slower as I had to navigate a lot. The route had to be changed completely because of all of the flooding along the Thames Path. I didn't know the area well and so found it difficult. I don't think I put the map away all day. The final route decided upon was given out on the morning of the race. The organisers did a brilliant job of rerouting and adapting the course so near to the start. It would have been easy for them to cancel, I'm so glad they didn't. About 60 percent was on the roads so I decided to wear road shoes but when it was on a trail I just kept on sliding everywhere ! Iceskating skills . I fell over a couple of times too. I'm hoping some day to do an Ultra that requires no navigation so that I can run at a faster pace. Maybe just around a track or a two, three mile loop would be good. Having said that though the route today was beautiful in parts.

Cross Country Race

I ran in the North Wales Cross Country League today at Lilleshall. It was one of the muddiest races I've ever done because of all the wet weather we've been having. I just hope that my 50 mile race is not so muddy in two weeks time. I was 9th today. I enjoyed the competition in a group of about five of us. I'm usually slightly further ahead but since I've been doing so many miles lately I'd lost a bit of strength in the legs to carry me over the tough mud. I wish I could've been closer to Lee Jones but he is should a good runner, and older than me too.

Quote and run

To a runner a side stitch is like a car alarm. It signifies that some is wrong but you ignore it until it goes away. Author unknown This quote is not always true I know but it does indicate how runners drive through pain. The other day whilst out on a run the top of my foot was hurting. It hurt even more when I stopped to loosen my lace. Then at the end of the run it hurt again. I think the body has a way of shutting out pain when you're in a stressful situation. Does this mean then that we are designed to be in a stressful world and finding a stress free environment actually causes us Pain?Maybe to a certain degree. Anyways though, I'm training hard at the moment for an ultra on 1st February so the taper will start and maybe the niggles will show Themselves! Bye for now.