Runnerslife
Meet The Guest
Ian Hudspith
Personal bests
Track
800m - 1m55.5s
1500m - 3m47.6s
3000m - 8m3.9s
5000m - 13m46.9s
10000m - 28m35.11s
Road
5miles - 23m11s
10km - 29m8s
1/2 marathon - 62m53s
Marathon - 2h15m47s
Questions
Q.How did you start running?
A. My dad was a runner (50mins for 10 miles) so got involved through him. I joined Morpeth Harriers (with my brother) when I was about 10 but I was playing football for Newcastle boys so was more interested in that. Gradually my interest in running increased and I started to take it more seriously in my mid-teens. I was running at a reasonable standard but never qualified for the English Schools Track and remember finishing 171st in the Youths race at the National! Precocious talent me like!
Q. When did you decide to train properly?
A. I started to train every day when I was in the sixth form at school and then twice a day when I went to Liverpool University (1989). I started to run some decent times during my time there despite living in some pretty slummy houses and having some re-fuelling issues. My real progress happened when I moved to Enfield, London (1993) and trained in a great group including Keith Cullen, Matt Barnes, Jason Dullforce and Andy Coleman. I stayed there for four years before moving back to Newcastle (1997).
Q. Where are you based now?
A. I moved back to Newcastle (1997). Since moving back to Newcastle I've done most of my training with my brother. We've always got on really well and worked well together in training. It helped that we were evenly matched for about 15 years. Our PB's are very similar apart from the marathon. Mark has run lots of really good marathons whereas for whatever reason I couldn't get it right.
Q. What would be a typical training week?
Sun: AM - 2hrs
Mon: AM - 35mins PM - 65mins + 30mins weights/exercises
Tues: AM - 35mins PM - Track session
Wed: AM - 35mins PM - 65mins + massage
Thurs: AM - 35mins PM - 1hr30-40mins
Fri: AM - 35mins PM - 60mins + 30mins weights/exercises
Sat: AM - Grass/Road session PM - 35mins steady
I really enjoy training especially steady runs. I find it very therapeutic after a day of teaching.
Easy runs
The only runs that I do that are easy are in the last couple of days before an important race. I run about 7min/mile pace on these runs.
Steady runs
All of my other non-session runs are at a steady pace varying between 6-6.30min/mile. I never run any quicker than this.
Interval work
I do two interval sessions each week - a track session on Tuesday and a grass or road session on Saturday morning. Typical track sessions are 12x400m with 60s rec in 62s, 8x1km with 200m jog in 2m50-52s, 5x1mile with 90s rec in 4m32-36s. I like to do the shorter reps in the week before a race to sharpen up. Typical grass or road sessions are 2x2miles, 10x2mins. The pace is generally as fast as you can run. Very scientific!
Group training
I do practically all of my steady runs on my own which I actually prefer because I can run at exactly the pace I want to run at. However I much prefer to do sessions in a group. It's more enjoyable and easier doing sessions in a group. I train with Chris Sampson, Ryan Stephenson, Mark Hood, Mickey Morris, David Swinburne, Michael Dawson and occasionally my brother.
Q. Do you do any strength work?
A. As mentioned above I do weights and exercises for 30mins twice a week. I don't enjoy it though. Find it very boring.
Q. Do you use massage?
A. I get a one hour massage every week. I never used to bother until I started to have achilles problems about five years ago. I really feel the benefit of these.
Q. Do you follow a strict diet?
A. I have a pretty good diet. Lots of pasta, fruit, energy bars etc but let myself down by eating some absolute rubbish sometimes.
Cross country
I think cross country racing has its benefits but I certainly don't think it's essential. There's plenty of examples of great distance runners over the years who hardly did any cross country races e.g. Haile Gebrselassie, Said Aouita. Doing a decent mileage and the right sessions is vital regardless of whether or not you do cross country races. I don't mind tough courses as long as it's reasonably firm. Not a fan of mud really. I prefer the roads and track
Altitude / Warm Weather Training
I would've liked to have tried altitude training but because of my job the only time this would have been possible would be in the summer holidays and that's generally been the time of year when I've needed a break after a long spell racing on the roads and the track. I've only been on two warm weather training trips years ago to the Algarve. Enjoyed it but could've done the same training at home with the same benefit I think.
Rest
I generally have a break from normal training about four or five times a year consisting of one week of steady running. Normally I would take the break at the end of the season or after a half marathon.
Q. How is you training going at the moment?
A. My training was going reasonably well until last week when my hamstring started to feel tight and cramped up in the Middlesbrough 5K and forced me to drop out. I haven't managed to train since but it feels bit better.
Q. What you got planned for 2009
A. My plans for this year are to race in the Nova races in May then onto the track. I'd like to try and get back under 29mins for 10K on the track.
Q. How is Morpeth's team looking for the National relays?
A. Not sure who is running for Morpeth in the national 12 stage but I'm on holiday and Nick McCormick is away training.
Comments On "Ian Hudspith"
lolll
heyyyy ;))))
hollyy Posted on January 4th, 2010