Training Log Archive: Duncan

Walking round town with Paul finalising stuff for the BOK Blast.

At the Bristol Cycling Festival in Castle Park. Was just 'have a go'; borrowed a bike and a mallet. Good fun.

Needed to pick up a North Somerset bike map from town so went down and back up Park Street and past Manor Hall to the Suspension Bridge then to the new bike shop in Ashton Court to put my seat up which I wish I'd done moons ago, makes little hills so much easier.

Was later setting off than intended so skipped out the Cheddar Gorge plan and got the train back in time to watch the tour.

Great ride down. Roads well surfaced all the away apart from Too Long Ashton. The cyclepath from Cambridge Batch to Farleigh near the railway was lush.

A370-ed it all the way through to and past Weston, turning off at Purn to zig-zag across to Brean which was actually a bit of a trek but nice and twisty. The little rise leaving Weston was nice.

Scouting out Brean sandunes and holiday parks for orienteering. Didn't have much time but the northern banks are covered in vegetation and there aren't too many paths from the beach to the road. Maybe some effort on permissions would yield a few more cut-throughs. Great views of Brean Down and out towards Hinkley Point and Exmoor. Bit foamy on the beach but at least there's sand!

Needed to rush to get the train but got side tracked by the SSSI area just to the north of the proper Burnham & Berrow golf course. Much more expansive and interesting. Didn't test out the pricklyness of any vegetation. Didn't get as far south as the golf course but that is definitely the best area with runnable grass on the dunes between the fairways - not sure how easy it is to get permission for that one!

Brean to Highbridge and Burnham Station. Flagging.

Train to Temple Meads then across town the the Roll for the Soul bike cafe to catch the last 20km of the TdF, then back home.

Didn't feel tired enough so went for a nice dusky run round the Downs. Up Whiteladies, through the pits, down the wiggly path to the Bridge Valley Road jct. Round the Fairyland tarmac path then straight down to intercept the tramway. Up, out, and along inside the fence to the top of the climbers' route. Then just around the road past the viewpoint and back across via some paths and diagonals. Pushed on down Whiteladies and did an extra fast loop at the end. Still didn't feel tired enough! But did feel fitter.

Got a lift with Mark and Alice from Newport so no riding this time. Had to borrow lots of kit...

Great medium race. Runnable climb, awesome views and and interesting descent - apart from that hill at the end.

Not the strongest field but some surefooted guy went off fairly fast at the start but did a lot of walking. After passing him lead for the middle third of the way to the first checkpoint before a Swansea guy who'd been shadowing me (and doing his first fellrace) came past and pulled away a bit.

Got to the CP and was thinking I hadn't had much 'fight' recently when it came to racing, being a bit weak, although been kicking quite well in training. Decided I'd get him back. Had about 3k to do it before the real descent so did push on maybe a little harder then necessary and got back with him well before the final little climb to the summit.

Pulled away along the top of the fell to CP3 and again on the lush descent. Grassy with a few testing steeper rocky bits now and then. Maybe put too much effort in at the bottom of the penultimate ridge hill trying to impress some walkers. The little climb to the finish was killer. [1st / 50.18]

New course. Conditions underfoot were perfect if slightly warm out. If you were fit could put a serious time down.

Avon County 10k Mob Match

Starting from Greyville Smyth Park and spiraling towards the Avon towpath (1km) for a run out to the four arches railway bridge at the far end of Leigh Woods. And back.

Was aiming for a relaxed 36. Started okay making the decision not to go with the front group. Was in between for a bit but settled back into the group behind at the 2k drinks point. At the front of that group but died a little before the turn. Was very slow getting gradually overtaken until about 3km to go when I thought I better get a move on and caught back maybe all the people who had passed me except that second group. Watch at the finish said I'd turned pretty much bang on 18 which would have been perfect and then taken 19 to get back. No excuses really, was in the shade on the right side of the Gorge. 37.00. Long socks guy was well ahead.

Punctured going down BRV...

Felt really good and powerful.

Three quarters of a pyramid. 2*(1min, 2min) then only 1*(4min, 2min, 1min). Average.

...to the new Morrisons. Very steady.

Yeah just medium. Was definitely pushing in some bits but then very slow in others. After failing to two I started reading the map properly to three but was just taking ages to make up my mind route choice wise, especially 3 & 9. Felt good 9-10-11-12. Would have liked to have been more confident in the wooded controls. MPed but I would have taken the same routes anyway doing it right. BBQ.

4*(2 laps, 1 lap) on the small cricket pitch.

As I had been really poor and hadn't run/stretched since Saturday the first few were just getting that out of my system. Got up to a speed for the last one and managed to kick quite nicely. Just poor from me. XC BBQ after.

Respect to that guy we met last summer doing John O'Groats to Land's End on on a Boris Bike. Way too low geared to get up to any speed on the flat, must have had some serious willpower.