Runnerslife

Meet The Guest

Matt Barnes

 

How was it to win your first National title in the 5k at Blackburn?

It was really pleasing to win my first national title. I had planned my season long in advance and had targeted 3 main races, which were the BMC Grand Prix in Manchester, the UK trials at Birmingham and the AAA's 5k road race at Blackburn. I seem to run quite well on the roads and have always done well at the 6 and 12 stage, so I was hopeful of running well at Blackburn, in particular.

That said, I should just cheekily point out that it wasn't strictly my first national title, as I was national Modern Pentathlon champion in 2002 (for those not in the know - running, swimming, shooting, fencing, and horse-riding), which I guess makes me one of a reasonably select group to win national titles in 2 sports.

Could you talk us through the race from your point of view that day?

I was in good spirits for the race, as I had been picked to run for England in the home countries international, so although I had represented Great Britain when I ran the Chiba Ekiden in 2006, it was the first time that I had pulled on an England vest. The course started with a steep down hill and so predictably a lot of people went charging off, with the group being led by 2 Africans - Kipkorir and Ndayisenga. I think one of my better qualities as a runner is that I have got good pace judgment, so I settled in, in about 10th and moved through to about 5th by the half way mark. By that stage, the only 2 in front of me were James Smith from Leeds and Jonny Mellor of Runnerslife fame. On the way back though, there was a strong headwind, so I had to work hard to pass James and get on the back of Jonny. With about 800m to go, I was neck and neck with Jonny - we know each other very well and we've had some really good battles this year, especially at the Liverpool 10k and at Mansfield in the relays. Like both of those races, I managed to get clear of Jonny in the final few metres. This surprised me because Jonny is a 3.40 1500m runner and I'm not in that sort of shape over the shorter distances but I guess at that stage of a race its strength that counts and not pure speed. Jonny is a great runner though and I can see him really progressing fast over the next couple of years.

As for Blackburn, it was also good that my Dad and my fiancée both came to watch as they (especially my Dad) don't often get a chance to see me race, so it was nice from that perspective and to have a celebratory lunch with them afterwards.

How did the 5,000m English Championships go for you?

I'd say the English AAA's on the track at Gateshead last weekend was probably the least successful of my runs this season. It came at the end of quite a big block of racing (4 races in 4 weeks) and I just felt a bit flat. John Beattie took it out in 69's which I was comfortable with, but then Ryan McLeod took it on with about 3 laps left and I just didn't have it in me to go with it.

That said, I had to be satisfied with the 3 championship races I have run this track season (Birmingham, Gateshead and Blackburn) as the only UK guys to have beaten me are Thommo, Andy Vernon, Ryan McLeod (twice!), Drapes, Neilson Hall and John Beattie. That is quite a select list and to be challenging some of those guys for the first time at 32 is no mean achievement in itself. Although I am quite old, or some might politely say experienced (!), I have only been running 5k's since 2008, so I am actually quite inexperienced in terms of the event. Until 2007, I had been doing the 1500m, so I think I had only ever completed 4 5k's before this season, so there is still plenty to learn I'm sure. Also, the last 2 years have been disrupted quite badly at crucial times through injury (patellar tendonitis in both knees, which is the same injury that Owen Hargreaves has suffered with) and in that sense it was really pleasing to put the injuries behind me and run well on the track again this season.

You broke 14 minutes earlier this year, are you in the best shape that you have been in?

I would definitely say that the 5k at Sport City was my best race since 2007. I had made it known that my main aim for this year was to run a sub 14 min 5k and I knew I was in great shape going into the race. The week before, I trained with Matt Bond and Dave Norman at Wythenshawe on the track and I ran a really, really good session in very hot weather - I think Matt Bond was still in shock about a week later, as he tried going with me for the first lap and then the half marathon he had just done caught up with him!

As a lot of people know, the race itself ended up being quite controversial after Ryan made some comments about it on this site. I get on well with Ryan and we've had a laugh about it since - I let him know that there is no way that I could have taken the pace as I was operating on my limit before the pace maker even dropped out! For what its worth, every credit to some of the guys in that race who ran brilliantly, I had no problems with how they ran it. It was a great race to be part of and in particular I remember there being big groups of people at 200m and on the start/finish line who were cheering us on, which made a big difference. The pace picked up at 800m to go and I gave everything to stay with it, but that left the tank empty by the time we hit the bell and when Tom, Ryan and Bruce kicked again I was hanging on for grim death just praying that I ran sub 14. Luckily I just made it, although James, Phil and Alex came past me at the end.

How is training going for you now?

I have to say, my training has gone fantastically well this year. I had quite a bad cold in November just before the Leeds Abbey Dash and then a minor snuffle after the BMC in Manchester which ruled me out of the Watford BMC, but other than that (touch wood) I have been in amazing health. Most importantly, I have really enjoyed the training this year and even more so, the racing. I'm sure I will look back fondly on the 2009-10 season as there have been some great moments. In particular, I'm sure I will look back on the 5k at Sport City in the future as a very  good race to be part of. There have been other good moments too - one that stands out is getting to the pool at the 12 stage leading the field and there being a lot of people there cheering on - that was pretty cool. I really pushed myself that day - ask Dave Anderson as I gave him a lift back and we had to stop on the M6 because I thought I was going to be sick!

At the end of the day, I am not doing the sport for any significant financial reward, so I have to be enjoying it to keep doing it, with the amount of training that is involved. At the moment, I really am enjoying it! Until that changes, I will keep running as long as I can. I treat the training as my social life and I have some really good mates at the track, so there is certainly no reason to think about stopping in the near future - why would I want to not see my friends?

You are a solicitor, how do you manage to train around a demanding job?

I have to be really organised. The main thing I would say that helps is that I use my commute as the bulk of my training. I get up at about 545 and do a cycle/run to work and also run back on non session days so my training is done once I get home (around 7). I am very fortunate in that there is a gym (LA Fitness) in the same building as my office, so I use that to stretch, shower and change. I actually really like the run in and I do most of it on towpaths and parkland. The last bit into the city is a bit grim though and I have a good story that running home from work through Moss Side one day last year a guy in a hoodie dropped his gun in front of me on the road. He saw that Id seen it and for a minute I thought he was going to pick it up and shoot me in the back. I absolutely legged it for about 3 minutes after that before I even dared turn around!

I also set aside about 20 minutes on a Sunday evening to plan my whole week, so I pretty much know where I am going to be every hour and how the training fits in. I don't really mind that either as I am quite a habitual planner. I am the same about planning weekends in advance too - I could probably tell you right now pretty much what I am doing on every weekend between now and Christmas. For it to work for me, I have to know what I am doing both in the short term and in the long term and it helps massively with motivation. The other important thing to be able to do aswell is say "no." I have had to accept that you can't got to every social event that you want to and some sacrifices have to be made.

I think coming from Pentathlon, where I trained 3 or 4 times a day has helped too, as fitting in 2 runs a day seems pretty straightforward. I wish Pentathlon got more coverage as its a great sport - I think it might get more coverage now because they have combined the shoot with the run too make a winter biathlon style final phase which is pretty cool. I keep thinking I should go back and have a try especially as my good friend Sam Weale has just won European silver (my swimming would be terrible now though!).

What are your plans for the rest of the summer?

I realised a long time ago that with the Europeans being so early this year, that it would shift the domestic season even earlier, so I targeted races in May, June and July for me to be running at my best then. Obviously I wasn't going to qualify for the Europeans as the qualifying time was ridiculous so I knew that my main races would be in the early summer months. I wasn't so bothered about what happened in August as there is only 1 BMC then which is on Bank Holiday weekend and I can't do that because my Dad and I go to the Rugby League Cup Final every year (I've been to each final since 1987.) If I missed it my Dad would kill me! Incidentally, my Dad has been to every final since about 1965 or something, which is phenomenal!

As a result, I have decided to do the Great North Run in September as something a bit different and so I will probably just do a few road races in August to keep my eye in for the Great North. As I said before, I run quite well on the roads and I would say that my best sessions this year have been our tempo runs on the road, where I have been at the front of our training group. Matt Bond from our group recently ran 65.30 for a half, so I've got that to beat (I've been told the GNR is undulating though so I've got an excuse if I don't!)

Will you be on the roads in the autumn or doing to cross country?

I think I will stay on the roads in the autumn, which has been my route for a number of years. I have never done the European Cross Trial at Liverpool,  and there is a very good reason for this! My grandma's birthday is on 27th November and, I am her only grandchild. She likes to get close family together for a party each year on the Saturday of her birthday, which always clashes with Liverpool. This year my gran will be (amazingly) 100 years old and so I'm afraid Liverpool will have to do without me again this year. As I said before, running is not my job and so there are times when family comes first. As a result, I have tended to do the Leeds Abbey Dash as this is always at the same time but is on the Sunday and I suspect I will do the same again this year. I was ill before the race last year, so hopefully I can be on form this time around. I will also probably do the Ribble Valley 10k at Christmas which attracts a good field. I'm sure Ill be back on the country after Christmas though. 

National 6 stage chance for Altrincham this year?

I'm sure we are like every club in that we think if we got our best team out, with everyone fit, then we would have a chance. Easier said than done though. In our case, we have the added problem of trying to keep Andy Norman on the straight and narrow which is pretty much impossible. I have quite often run the first leg for us though in recent years because not many of our chaps like the bumping at the start, whereas I handle it OK. I normally line up alongside Sharpy and we keep having a joke about how we are getting too old for this...But by running leg 1, I get the added bonus of running a true race on the first leg. I won leg 1 at the 12 stage this year, which had always been one of my aims, so what price a double at the 6 stage in October?!

Easy Running

Yes, I would normally do an easy run on the morning of a session or after a session on a Saturday. These might be at 7.30 minute miling and for about 40 minutes.

Each run has a purpose and the point of these is to keep the legs ticking over and loose, without tiring yourself or stressing the body too much before or after a hard workout.

Steady Running

Yes, the bulk of my running would be steady running. As I mentioned above, I work full time, so I use my commute as training. I live about 11 miles from work, but there is a gym about 3.5 miles from my house, so on non session days, I cycle to the gym, lock my bike up and then run in. In the evening I run back to the gym, do some circuit training or weights and then cycle the last bit home.

The run part might be at 7 minute miling and for about 50-55 minutes. I should point out though that if this sounds a little slow, I have got a rucksack on my back! The main reason for this is to build aerobic capacity and keep the weight down. Its every runner's bread and butter.

Do you ever have company for the above runs?

Sadly no, I haven't found many people willing to run between Hale Barns and Manchester at 6.45am who want to run at 7 minute miling. My only company is my ipod and that way I can keep up to date with the latest football via the "5 Live Football Daily Podcast" or with running on Martin Yelling's/Tom William's "Marathon Talk!"

Interval Work

Normally 3 times a week, this might drop to 2 in a week of high mileage.

Could you give some Examples of important/key sessions for you?

For 5k training, my main session would be approximately 5k's worth of reps on the track with short recovery. This is a really tough session, but as I run it at race pace, its gets me into the feel of running the right splits, which is very important as I think you need to be really aware of your pace for track running.

Over the winter, we do 3 main types of sessions - (i) a 5k/10k session which is normally 4/5 road loops of around 1800m (ii) a 10k session on the grass which is 3 x 10 minutes; and (iii) a tempo run of up to 45minutes at not much slower than 5 minute miling. Of course, there is progression throughout the winter doing these sessions.

Do you change surface dependant on the time of year?

Yes, absolutely. In the winter it is a mix of road work in the week and grass at weekends when daylight permits with infrequent visits to the track (although I think its important to keep in touch with the track and Ill normally do a session of short recovery 300m's on the track a couple of days before a big race.) In the summer, I might end up doing as many as 3 track sessions in a week.

On your own or in a group?

In a group as much as possible! I would say that one of the best skills of our coach, Norman Poole, is his ability to make sure that we train as individuals and do the right preparation depending on your event but where possible we help each other out. I was particularly lucky on some of my 5k sessions this year that James Bailey was just coming back from an illness, so he was able to take me to half way in sessions. The same thing happened with Dave Norman pacing me round too as he had just done a marathon. There was 1 particularly brutal 3k rep I had to do in 8.28 and Dave kept dipping in and out doing 400's and 600's. If I can get someone to go to halfway with me, then I'm normally happy to take over from there. I will always do my share at the front of the group, such as the 3 x 10 minute session on grass.

Who is in your training group?

I think our group has to be one of the best groups in the country. Norman Poole is a highly respected coach and above all a fantastic person and as a result his presence has attracted some of the top runners from around the country. I don't think people realise how much Norman does for his athletes, all for no reward, just the pleasure of seeing his athletes run well. Amongst the stand out names are Michael Rimmer, Tom Lancashire, Niall Brooks, Dave Procter, Dave Norman, Matt Bond, Gareth Raven, James Bailey, plus Donna Jones and Laura Finucane on the ladies side. We have such a good group, I'm surprised that more people don't join in, as there are several people around the Manchester area who I think would benefit from his input. If Norman can get a 32 year old with 2 dodgy knees to run 3.42/3.59 and 13.58, then imagine what he could do with someone with genuine talent!

Hardest session?

I guess most athletes will agree that the session is as hard as you make it, although I would say that the hardest sessions are on the track. I think most people probably have a love hate relationship with the track as there is no hiding place and as a result that brings an extra bit of pressure with it. Having said that, the added pressure makes a successful session even more satisfying and so I really do see track as the purest and most fulfilling type of running. I think people who ignore it are really missing out. I would never have done what I have done on the road and country without the track and I don't think any runner who wants to compete at the highest level can ignore training or competing on the track. My road and cross country running would drop off if I ignored the track, I am sure of it.

I also find that the shorter sessions on the track are probably the hardest. Going back to my 1500m days, we did 2 x (2 x 800) with 3 mins between reps and 10 minutes between sets on a regular basis. That was tough. I remember doing it at the start of the 2007 season in about 2.02 average, but by June I had got it down to 1.58.5 and that was the main reason why I ran the sub 4 mile.

Typical Training Week

Monday - am 5mile easy pm session - say 4/5 x 1800m

Tuesday - am 5 mile steady / massage pm 8 mile steady

Wednesday - am 5 mile easy pm session tempo

Thursday - am bike 3 mile / run 7.5 mile steady pm run 7.5 mile steady / weights / bike 3.5 mile

Friday - am bike 3 mile run / 7.5 mile steady pm run 7.5 mile steady / bike 3.5 mile

Saturday - am session 10k type grass session pm 5 mile easy strides and drills

Sunday - am 15 mile TOTAL 90-95 MILES

Race Week

Monday - am 5mile easy pm session - say 4/5 x 800m

Tuesday - am 5 mile steady / massage pm 8 mile steady

Wednesday - am 5 mile easy pm session 8 x 300m with 100m jog. In 44/45 seconds

Thursday - am 5mile pm 7mile / massage

Friday - Rest

Saturday - Race 

Sunday - 15 mile TOTAL 70 MILES

Mileage

I would say that during the winter I do 95 mile weeks and in the summer I will pull this back to about 80. On the week of a big race this would come down to about 60.

My Sunday run tends to be about 13/14 miles in the summer and about 16 in the winter. I enjoy the Sunday run as its the time to catch up with all the running gossip and usually find out what Andy Norman has been up to on a Saturday night, which would put a smile on anyone's face.

Do you ever run big mileage when racing?

The last few weeks I have raced a lot and its not been possible to do huge mileage - as I said I would drop it down to about 60 miles on the week of a big race.

One thing I would say is that I have tried everything in terms of running the day before a race and have decided that what works best for me is to have the day before a race off completely. I just do a short walk and a stretch as this gets the bounce back in my legs for the race. I know a lot of guys go out and run once or even twice and do strides on the day before, but if I am going to have a day off, why not have it on the day before a race? Its just what works for me though and might be different for others.

Strength Work

Over the winter I do core work once a week, although if I am feeling tired from the mileage this would be the first thing to go. I have to watch out on some of the bounding exercises though, as it puts quite a bit of pressure on my knees.

Weights?

Again, I would try and do these once a week. In summer, I would probably cut out the weights and circuits almost completely, as it can deaden my legs at a time when I want to feel a bit sharper.

Massage

This has become one of the most crucial aspects of my training. I get really good support from Duncan Mason, who runs Athlete Matters (http://www.athletematters.com/) a physio clinic based in Worsley, Manchester. Duncan sees a lot of the distance runners in our area including me, Gareth Raven, Andi Jones and Dave Norman. He has been invaluable to me in getting me back from some pretty serious knee injuries, although I'm not sure I should thank him too much given the pain he has put me through in the process! I now see Duncan without fail at least once a week in order to keep on top of any niggles I might have and I reckon this has been one of the main reasons why I have remained injury free this year.

I tend to see Duncan on a Tuesday of each week and then on the week of an important race I would also see him on a Thursday (if the race was Saturday.) I like having a 48 hour gap between a race and a massage as my legs sometimes feel heavy the day after, but then much better the following day.

Diet

Most people who know me will say I have a pretty healthy diet. Although I am not obsessive about food, I am a distance runner so I have to watch what I eat and drink. For starters, I very rarely drink alcohol. I also try and eat 4 or 5 times throughout the day and not eat massive portions so I am never getting too stuffed! I tend to eat porridge at about 5.45am each morning before starting my run to work at about 650. Then I will have some weetabix at my desk at about 9.00am once I am changed. I will normally have a sandwich at about 12 noon and then at about 4.00pm eat a small bowl of pasta to fuel me for evening training. I will then eat a decent size meal in the evening after training.

I am also a big fan of recovery sports drinks and have noticed that they make a big difference to my recovery after hard sessions. The one I use frequently is the Science in Sport Rego Recovery (strawberry) drink. If they want to send me some free supplies too for this plug - great!

Season Break

I would normally take about 10 days at the end of the summer season, just running 30 minutes every other day. I think as much as a physical break, its important to take a mental break from sessions, so that you are ready to hit them hard again when you start back.

 

Comments On "Matt Barnes Interview"

pentathlon

Come on, Modern Pentahlon isn't a worthy sport - elitist nonsense for boys and girls with rich daddies. A man of your intelligence would know that. Other than that a good read.

realistically Posted on October 7th, 2010