Training Log Archive: IanW

Felt a bit lazy, and even lazier when I saw Benjamin had been out for a ride. So waited a bit for a gap in the weather - as it happened, I waited a bit too long and hit the end of one window and the beginning of another. Got soaked for a 10 minute period between Clifton Hampden and Abingdon. Should have gone out about an hour earlier...

Route: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1788331

Missed a couple of turnings/got confused by road signs in Abingdon, so added an extra 1km+ of distance onto the intended route. Quite a nice ride, felt pretty good over the one hill (Boar's Hill, +55m, 7-8% gradient for most) right near the end of the ride, hit a good rhythm along there. A few too many sets of traffic lights slowed things down a bit too much, and wind was a bit stronger than I expected in places.

Rear light was dead by the end, it's good but does eat the batteries...

Right I had to stop being lazy, so jogged up to Shotover for the Saturday Series, across golf course, through Magdalen Woods and up from the bottom of Brasenose woods to the top. Quite warm out, but carrying a cag with the essentials in (keys, Emit card etc) which seemed to make the running far harder than you think it would. This always seems to happen though - I clearly like an unrestricted running motion with nothing significant in my hands. Should have taken the camelbak I guess...

Saturday Series up at Shotover. Same course as in early September, but that didn't really make it any easier as (a) know Shotover pretty well anyway and (b) couldn't really remember the course/route choices. Tried to run it at a fairly constant pace, and to feel comfortable, but the hills in Shotover don't generally allow that - went into intensity 4 a few times but was never near going full out like last weekend. Feeling a bit clogged up like I have, or had, a cold of some description this past week, certainly didn't feel 100% and walked a couple of the steeper uphill sections.

Think I took some slightly different routes this time, route to #1 was still a bit rubbish but 40 secs faster than last time! Couple of little 5 sec wobbles to #5 and #6 and almost set off on wrong path to #13 but no real mistakes to speak of which was pleasing. Still not sure of best route choice to #10 but I don't think I found it - there is many a good route-choice leg on this course.

And the comparison:

8th Sept 2007 - 43:17
10th Apr 2008 - 35:12

which sounds about right I'd guess in terms of improvement in fitness :) Tried new Emit punching technique today, that worked quite well too.

And jog back down home, slightly longer route via the Churchill rather than the golf course. Couple of little twinges in knees/hamstrings etc meant a few stops to stretch out a couple of muscles. No real reaction from the shin though, which is a good thing - maybe having a few days off has been a good decision :)

Productivity today almost hit a new low. And when it was about to increase, I went to my bike to find rear wheel a bit flat, took a while to locate the puncture (little bugger). Sorted now but plan to go out on bike this evening has been shelved just to be on the safe side. Noticed back tyre really bald too, should get a new one for that.

Might go out for a run in a bit, see what the shin's telling me today...

Well that didn't happen - body said it wanted a doze at 6pm...

Camera died halfway through an experiment, messed up the plan for the day and so no training...

Feeling like I'm on the edge of getting a cold again... enforced rest day.

Circuits, back indoors this week as not overly great outside. Guest appearance from CJ, who's in Oxford for a conference. Feeling far better than last week, certainly more spritely and fewer muscles aching. Shin hurt on ski jumps though. At the end, we helped Ali count to 100...

and then my forgetfulness gave me an unexpected long warm-down. Needed to go back to lab to stop experiment, got to top of Morrell Avenue before realising still had key to return in exchange for access card to get me into lab. Duh... So all the way back into town, and then back up Morrell Avenue again - went for it in top gear, last third was a bit of a struggle but managed it fairly easily.

And after all that, the experiment has thrown up a couple of interesting things that need sorting out...