May 2018
FOLLOW MY SPORTS, FITNESS & SPIRITUAL JOURNEY:
INSTGRAM: @joycinho
TWITTER: @rjsports1 @joycinho @rjrugbyleague
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Richard learning skipping over time at the age of 33 years old, trying to keep the sporting flame going and now trying a few different variations of jump rope out.
May 2018 FOLLOW MY SPORTS, FITNESS & SPIRITUAL JOURNEY: INSTGRAM: @joycinho TWITTER: @rjsports1 @joycinho @rjrugbyleague SPIRITUAL TWITTER: @JoyceParanormal
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Richard Joyce aged 33 demonstrating a quality outdoor core strength workout using the abs wheel and core yoga balancing ball. May 2018 FOLLOW MY SPORTS, FITNESS & SPIRITUAL JOURNEY:
INSTGRAM: @joycinho TWITTER: @rjsports1 @joycinho @rjrugbyleague SPIRITUAL TWITTER: @JoyceParanormal On Sunday 13th May I ran my 12th Leeds Half Marathon in a row, something that I am very proud of and will continue to build on. I ran my first Leeds Half Marathon (and my first half marathon) in 2007 aged 22, with my two friends Jonny and Gaz and from that day, I was addicted to this amazing race. After running it for five years in a row I set myself the challenge of running it for 10 years in a row and after about seven or eight, I thought why not step it up and go for 20 years in a row and that is what I intend to do. I love everything about this race, the course itself is a good challenge, it’s always in the spring so is usually nicer weather and the atmosphere created by both the spectators and the runners is something special to me. In 2012 when I joined Kirkstall Harriers running club I started taking it seriously. My best course time before I joined Kirkstall Harriers was 1:31:00 when I was in-affiliated and not training that much, although had very fresh legs. For five years between 2012 and 2016 I ran the Leeds Half Marathon comfortably under 1:30:00 and in 2014, with an IT Band injury I recorded my half marathon PB with a time of 1:22:45 and finished in 35th position out of 10,000 runners. I was so proud of myself and I honestly believe that I was in such good form at that time, fresh from a 2:57:29 PB at London Marathon a couple of weeks earlier (and hiking the Yorkshire Three Peaks), that it if it wasn’t for my injury I would have ran under 1:20:00 that day, I am convinced of that. Sadly for me, I never kicked on from there and in recent years I have been unlucky at the Leeds Half Marathon that I have gone into it with a few niggling injuries and have been unable to perform to my ability. Leeds Half Marathon 2018: This year I wanted to make sure that I really enjoyed the race and I have to say I enjoyed this year’s race more than I have in a good few years and I feel that I got some of my running mojo back in the process. My official race time was 1:35:23, which compared with my times between 2012 and 2016, where my worst finishing time I finished in was 1:28:00, it was still quite a way of that standard I was at before, however I beat my time last year by over two minutes. After having two years off the marathon and long periods off running over the last two years with limited training, I have found that in my comeback marathon season, my endurance speed is not in my legs at all. At Liversedge Half Marathon I finished in 1:35:00 as well, over 9 minutes slower than my previous worst time on that course and from that point I accepted that currently atleast, I am not a sub 1:30:00 runner over the half marathon and certainly no longer a sub 3-hour marathoner. I ran the Spen 20 a minute quicker than target pace in 2:31:00 and felt pretty good. At London Marathon I under performed massively and felt gutted about that, however it was all my own fault. I was pacing it too fast over the first half marathon and the intense heat caused me to fall apart during the second half, it was a mistake but that is something you learn in running. Despite that, I have still stuck to my original plan that the London Marathon 2018 would be my last marathon. For the Leeds Half Marathon my plan was to set off much slower than my current pacing. I decided to start further back from the start than I usually do and set off behind the 1:40:00 pacer. A few years ago I was used to being strong in the back end of races and a half marathon, over taking runners for fun, but as I started to go up in level and my speeds improved I started to run in packs and more consistent pacing and overtaking people began to become less frequent, although my times were much faster. This time I wanted to go back to the old school, go back to basics and pace the first half slowly and boy did that work. As soon as I passed Stonegate Road area and was cheered on by my friends Gazza, Emily and Emily and passed the steep hills I then decided to put on the gas. I absolutely flew down the ring road and powered up the Lawnswood Hill up to the top of the ring road towards Far Headingley / West Park and the rest of the course was so enjoyable. I was full of energy, my legs felt fresh for a change and I was overtaking runners for fun. I had a couple of battles a long the way as you do, one guy overtook me a few times but I sprinted past him on the last 50 meters stretch and I knew I would. The support around the course was amazing as always, I saw quite a few spectators I knew and Kirkstall Harriers were out in numbers around the course as always. My Sprint Finish: I spotted Paul Chapman and Neill Marshall by the Kirkstall Road Firestation during the last mile and they gave me the heads up that Adam Moger (my fellow Kirkstall team-mate who beat me at Liversedge Half Marathon) wasn’t too far ahead. I just kept powering through and eventually, 230 metres from the finish line I spotted him and I had already began my sprint finish at this point and I looked back at him and he had this laughing look on his face. I kept sprinting and had a cheeky look back just incase he was racing me. I always put on a sprint finish at the Leeds Half Marathon, I love the crowds as always and even when I have ran this race with injuries I have had energy and adrenaline to push at the end, however last year I was so gutted that I struggled to do this but having paced this race perfectly for my current level of running I am very proud. I have to thanks Jonathan Young, who is on great form at the moment and took me on a great speed training run earlier in the week and also took a picture of my finishing the race (see below). I also want to say congratulations to my friends James Hunt and Tom Mortimer who both finished in great times. 1:45 for Tom, a time he was aiming for and 2:08 for James who is improving all the time in the half marathon. My cousin Matthew Stephenson was also set to run but had to drop out after suffering an Achilles injury playing football, he will be back next year. Conclusion: Overall I am very happy with my race time considering that I have had a long lay off from running in general (for various reasons) and having now accepted I am not at the level and speed I was a couple of years ago, which is understandable as I am not dedicated like I was then, I am not at my physical peak any more, I think that going forward, building from the foundations again is the way forward. From now on, any races I do (which will mainly be half marathons), I will pace myself slowly in the first half and then run a faster second half. This worked for me when I was in my early 20s before I started taking running seriously and now that I am at the other side of that spectrum again, not taking my running that seriously right now, I will stick to this plan every race and enjoy myself. RUN HAPPY - results eventually come! BELOW: Please checkout my latest highlights video on RJ SPORTS TV: My Marathon Comeback Season 2018: FOLLOW MY SPORTS, FITNESS & SPIRITUAL JOURNEY:
INSTGRAM: @joycinho TWITTER: @rjsports1 @joycinho @rjrugbyleague SPIRITUAL TWITTER: @JoyceParanormal |
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