Runnerslife
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Nigel Adams
"Nigel Adams ... 61min 53sec half marathon time and going through 10miles in 46mins 21secs!! Basically one hell of a runner. I have never met him but have heard a lot about him. George who coaches the Swansea group I train with and sets the sessions I run down there used to be his coach and has nothing but good things to say about him along with others who knew him, unassuming, quiet, hard working, down to earth guy who never got the recognition he deserved. Hopefully you will enjoy this insight into his training and if you have any questions as usual email us from the contacts page and we will do our best to get an answer.... Simx"
My training was partly dictated by living near Crickhowell, which is a long way from the nearest track. I therefore did almost all my training on the road or on fields and rough tracks near my home, as well as running along the canal banks from time to time. However when I finally acquired a coach, by which time I was about 26, I did try to get to the track in Swansea once a week.
Track Training
I was always part of a group, which obviously helps. I tended to warm up on my own, starting with a couple of slowish laps then speeding up to around 6-minute mile speed or a bit quicker, usually for a further six laps. A few strides and some stretching and I was ready to start.
My warm down, which was anything from two to five miles, would be slower – maybe 6.45 pace. I did not enjoy running slowly. Sessions would vary from week to week, depending on the time of year and what races were coming up. My favourite session was probably 8x1200 with a minute recovery which if the weather was good I could do in around 3.15 to 3.20. If I was feeling good I would cut the recoveries down to 45 seconds, or less if I felt ready to go again.
I was no speed merchant but I had a fast cruising pace. I had to do that sort of session on my own, but if we were doing a stock work-out like 16x400 I would sometimes do a time trial first, always without a watch so I did not know how fast I was going. One night when I was very fit I ran 8.02.7 (timed by my coach) for 3k, then jogged for about six minutes and joined the lads for 12x400 in about 64 seconds with 45 seconds recovery. My coach also coached the rest of the group and he would occasionally throw in a brisk session in the winter, like 16x300 in about 47 seconds but that was for a bit of light relief. Normally it was 2ks, 1600s and 1k efforts.
Long Run
My long run was usually run on the watch, but I would guess I normally ran around 18-20 miles, more often than not on my own but sometimes with Kenny Davies, who was a very good runner. We would go along at a good pace but not too fast, probably about 5.45 speed. Like everybody else I did the long run on a Sunday, but if I had a Sunday race then I would do a long one on a Wednesday instead. I never ever did specific hill sessions but the terrain around Crickhowell was very hilly and quite often Ken and I would really attack some of the tougher climbs.
Rest
I used to work on the basis that an easy day was effectively a rest day so I never took a day off. Like most people I picked up really bad colds from time to time and that would mean having a couple of days off, as did the occasional nasty attack of hay fever. My easy day, usually a Monday, would involve just two very gentle five-mile runs, coasting along well within myself.
Steady Running
The best way for me was not to set out with a definite idea of how fast I would run, but just to go as I felt. So if I was a bit tired I would not try to push too hard. My schedule might say 10 miles in 54/55 minutes, but if I was a bit weary I would run it two or three minutes slower.
Seasons
I was never much of a track runner, so the season for me was almost all the year round because I wanted to take in as many big road and cross-country races as I could. I also really enjoyed all the team events, especially the road relays. I did do British League matches on the track but otherwise it was a few big cross-country races and as many road races as I could take in.
The mileage was normally around 95-105 miles a week, but would drop a bit in the spring when we were racing as a club almost every week. I also found that if I got a nasty chest infection it would be a stinker and after maybe two weeks of no running at all it would take me at least three to get the bug right out of my system so I would go carefully at about 65-75 miles a week until I felt right. So far as races were concerned, I took them all seriously and never saw anything as a "training race" although sometimes in low-key local events my coach would get me to go off a minute behind the rest of the field so I could have a real blast.
Diet
I knew pretty well what I should and shouldn't eat (and drink!), but never got fanatical about it. I lived at home and my late mother was a very good cook so I just used to eat a lot of basically healthy food. I was not especially fussed about what I ate the day before a race, although obviously it would be carbo-based. I also found that a couple of pints of beer the night before a race never did me any harm, in fact I think they helped me to sleep and I always woke up feeling fine.
Weights / Circuits
I always believed that the best way to train for running was to run and in any case the nearest gym was miles away from where I lived, so I never did gym work of any kind, but most of the work that I did was physical so that might have helped. I did own a turbo bike and would use that if I had the sort of injury that stopped me running.
Road Running Today
I am baffled by the fact that times today are slower when they should actually be quicker. When I was coming up you could run 30 minutes for 10k and sometimes not get in the top 10 or 15, whereas these days 30 minutes or a 65-minute half-marathon gets you an international vest. Even in the 1980s, and before that from what I’ve read, you could run 48.30 for 10 miles and be considered nothing more than a decent runner, whereas now you would be quite a star.
I think one difference is that a few years ago - and in the era before me - the top runners ran against each other regularly and had to race really hard. These days they seem determined to avoid each other at all costs. Some would sooner do a low key race to win £50 than go out against good men and win nothing but run a fast time. For me that's not the way to improve. I also think it's strange to see runners chatting and joking with each in the few minutes before a race. That's okay for the fun runners but serious athletes should be concentrating on what they are about to do. The time for socialising is afterwards. I sometimes think there is too much theory and hokum to do with heart monitors, ice baths and such like.
Everybody seems to waiting for the new magic way to success, but basically if you want to race hard you have to train hard and if you want to race fast you often have to train fast. As has so often been said there are no short cuts, but I do feel some runners are a bit impatient, because a year or even more of good training might not get you to where you want to be. I was 28 or 29 before I started to fulfil what ever potential I had and I think I was still only just getting there when I was injured and had to pack up.
Nigel
"This is a picture of Nigel winning the AAA 10k at Stoke in 1991. He won by 57 seconds from Mike McLeod in 28.48"
Comments On ""
Nigel Adams
He my next door neighbor :) And he's a goo runner too :D
Sali Powell Posted on July 29th, 2011Nigel Adams
Nigel was and is a brilliant down to earth person and a fantastic and brave runner, one of the best and did not get the recognision he should have
Paul Howarth Posted on May 2nd, 2011Nigel Adams
Nigel Adams is my dad
Tesni Adams Posted on February 15th, 2010