Discussion: Nice session

That is very good omm training considering the terain you have avalible. A few more like that with running down insead of walking and pushing the pace on the ups a bit more will do you a lot of good.

The best training I ever did was always the session on the Blorenge which was as much walking as running time wise. The suprising thing is that it did wonders for my road speed set my PB's for 10km and 5km the year I first did it.

I have been trying to run up hills for omm training evidently walking is the way forward seems a lot more appealing aswell

You realy need to find the steepest longest hill you can, and if your serious have weight on your back. The upper bit of the Blorenge I used was a concave slope with about 200m climb in somthing like 500m horizontaly so stupidly steep at the top there was no way you would run up it. Walking up it hard I could get my heart rate up to very close to max if I realy went for it so not an easy option compared to running.

I would agree weighted power walking up steep ascents is a much more specific training for MM's than running up. Mind you Jonny your partner is Nick so maybe you will be running up every hill! When Tim and I did the SLMM Bedafell walkers class last year when I was injured we won day 1 in 3hrs 35mins - compare that to 3hrs 20mins which is what the Wansfell runners class (same course) was won in. Ok so I appreciate the Wansfell class doesn't exactly attract the best MMers but hey they were running the flats and downs. MM's are won and lost on the hills and if you can fast walk up every hill that is thrown at you and never get tired you are in with a good chance... anyone can run flats and downs.

Ifor - just out of interest when you did your Blorenge sessions when going uphill how would you describe the intensity? Were you walking as fast as you can (like you say heart rate very close to max) or just steady? Depends on how many reps you were doing? It's just that you say you improved your road speed and I'm interested whether you did that training V02 max or at a more extensive aerobic level.

Have you done any specific falling through bridge training?

My Blorenge efforts were high intensity. Without a sack I would run the bottom half steady warming up which is 11 or 12 mins to the fence then do 3 sets of the top on the hill. Runing the inital bit e.g. a minute or two and walk from there to the top. Time wise it's sub 9 mins if I was going well and 10+ if I was unfit I think the best I ever did was an 8.15 but that was just a one off.

I don't realy know why it had a good effect on the road running but the effect was pronounced a 1.5 minute improvment of my 10km time over 6 weeks when I started doing this session once or twice a week. Omm training wise the obvious thing is leg strength where both the ups and downs help.

Looking at this year though doesnt seem to be all about the hills but more about ankle and core strength on the tussocks.

Cool - if I can be arsed to do a workout today that's 5 regular core strength/balance workouts in a row! Somehow I think we will still get our fair share of hills though.

Alan - maybe I'm hoping that falling thru bridge training won't be that specific this year!

I think eating less pies is always fairly specific MM training.

Always fairly? You don't sound too sure. Good point tho... just had a tub of B+J's and a bag of tortilla chips with all the trimmings for lunch! Think I might crack open a cider...

John...

Have already been orienteering today... and am going hashing later. I'm a growing lad!

Trying to be tactful mate ;-)

So what exactly are all the trimmings with B+J's and tortilla chips?

No trimmings with B+J's - just fine on its own. Layers of tortilla chips, hot salsa, jalepenos, grated mature chesney and a splash all over of Tobasco mmm, all gone oops.