Week beginning 23rd February

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Hello everyone, hope you’re all well. Some great work last week. We’re nearly into spring, the signs are there! We’ll be using the various parks and fields when the nights get lighter.
We had a good laugh doing the recce of the Stafford Half Marathon yesterday. Three grumpy old men and Lucy Calrow keeping us in check. I’ve included a write-up of the course below. TRX Wolves AC members, please sign up if you can, it’ll be our first official outing!
Huge thank you to all of you that have joined TRX Wolves AC – vests are order and will be with us within 4 weeks. I will keep you updated.

Tuesday
Warmed up and ready to go at 6.50pm, Cranmere Avenue.
10 minutes tempo, then 10 x 600m with active float recovery. That’s 10 laps of Cranmere.
Marathoners head back out afterwards for 5 minutes tempo.

Saturday
i54, warmed up and ready to go at 9.30am.
JLR triple island 800m session: 10 minutes tempo on the mile rep course, followed by 8 x 800m off 75 seconds recovery, standing.
I’m away this weekend, so Paul and Beth Tabor will be hosting the session.

Stafford Half Marathon – How I’d Run It

While it’s fresh in my mind, this is how I would approach Stafford.

First thing – I would not try to run this at one even pace all the way round.
This course rewards people who are prepared to change gears. Run the terrain, not the watch.
If your watch stresses you out when it shows different paces because of hills and twists, ignore it. What matters is effort and rhythm, not a perfectly flat pace line.
If you don’t look at your watch anyway, you’ll probably love this course. It’s varied, interesting and keeps you engaged. It’s not a flat, boring, drag-strip half marathon.

Start to Mile 1
The first half mile is flat. Get a good start, settle yourself.
Then ease back slightly as the climb begins. Don’t fight it. Let the race come to you.
Near mile 1 you turn left and get a bit of a breather. Still climbing, but nothing savage.
You’ll loop around the outside of Rowley Park track. If you feel sluggish, this is a good place to gently pick it up. There’s a bit of a rise coming out of the stadium but nothing steep. Then as you leave the stadium, you can open up.
Lovely downhill section here – use it. Relax your shoulders, lengthen your stride.

Miles 2 to 5
There’s some really good running here.
It’s slightly technical – a few small climbs [over the railway], a few twists – but nothing dramatic. Great support in places too.
Between mile 4 and 5 you loop a housing estate. This is a good “reset” section. If you’ve gone off a touch too quick or too steady, adjust here. Get yourself back under control.
Think rhythm.

Miles 5 to 6
This is probably the first real grind. It’s not a Holloway-type climb, just a drag.
If you’re fit and feeling good, you could lean into this section because there’s reward coming of some good downhill. If not, stay controlled and strong.

Around 6.5 Miles
Left turn and then a lovely downhill.
This is where you recover properly. Get your breathing sorted. Find your cadence again. Get your head straight for the second half.

7 to 10 Miles
They’ve taken out the nasty climb that used to be around 7 miles. Instead, you go across the wetlands on a lovely path.
Miles 7 to 8 aren’t easy, but they aren’t brutal either – just go with it as you’ll get some easier running soon.
At 8 miles you’re on the Beaconside section. Slight climb, but it’s straight and runnable. You can switch off a bit and just tick the miles down.
The big climb to the top has gone, so 9 to 10 is much more manageable now. Just as the really steep kicks in you turn off it now!

10 to 13.1 – Time to Race
Miles 10 to 11 are good running. Mainly downhill. If you have ever ran the Staffs Cross Country the route takes you alongside the field it’s in. If you feel strong, this is where you can start to press.

11 to 12 should take you onto the Isabel Trail. Flat and fast. A great run-in. Just be aware there may be a diversion if it’s flooded.
From 12 to the finish, you’re back through town.

By this point it’s about intent. Stay positive. Keep the cadence high. Don’t wait for the perfect moment – commit.

The Big Takeaway
This is a course that rewards:
• Effort-based pacing
• Confidence on hills
• Patience early
• Commitment late

Run the terrain. Stay positive. Change gears when needed.



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