Training Log Archive: IanW

SGB's Bob Graham attempt - supporting Leg 1 from Keswick to Threlkeld, starting 2.30am.

Had been glad to recce the route out of Keswick on Friday evening as it was tricky in places, out onto the big track round Latrigg and up the motorway to Skiddaw. A little chilly, SGB wanted to pick up the pace a bit to keep warm - topped Skiddaw at 84:40 on an 85 mins schedule.

Took same route off Skiddaw as in May, at 4am in the morning the scree was slippery and in hindsight this wasn't the best plan. If doing this again, the scree slope stops a bit further along the ridge and this is most likely the best way off.

Feet sliding every which way in the walshes on descent towards Hare Crag - O shoes win here. Easily up to Great Calva in 42:45 and 10 mins up on schedule. Again sliding around in shoes down to Caldew, SGB got quite a big lead on the descent and kept going straight up Mungrisedale - eventually got to top and jogged to catch up on the flat bit - on the last climb to Blencathra my legs were feeling tired and he easily pulled away. Saw him at top in 59:00, 11' up on thi leg and 21' overall.

Attempted to inform Leg 2 we were up on schedule from the top, descent down Doddick fell was good, far far faster than going down the rocky Halls Fell, even if there's a bit more distance (600m) along the bottom. SGB was down at the bottom before the support car as message hadn't got through, had a 15 min break rather than 5 and still left 10' up on schedule. Then I went back to the hostel and to sleep...

Attempt was abandoned at Bowfell as weather closed in - rain, wind, hill fog, low visibility - generally terrible. Made Saturday evening a bit more relaxing...

Short jog warm-up/down along the car-park to start route.

Summer Series at Downley. Typical Chiltern forest with a few point features on otherwise broad shapeless slopes. Aim was to treat it as a training exercise, planning ahead, having good strong attackpoints and picking up all possible route choices. So was happy with only two real wobbles - overshot one control by 50m or so, and a poor exit from another meant I landed up at the wrong gate to exit the forest. Planning ahead was generally good, but the orienteering for the first 8 controls wasn't greatly challenging. Felt quite smooth running but not near full-out, kept moving pretty much all of the time including up all the hills, no 'scratch head where am I' moments - hesitation into #12 as to how things matched up was the nearest it got.

Surprised to come into the finish field with no-one there, looking around in case of a sprint finish but there was none, so a second summer-series victory of the season! Now equal on points with Roger T, just creeping above Jon M - 2 points ahead in the standings.

Garmin distance: 5.2km

Easy jog around before circuits to see if the legs still worked

Circuits, just 3 of us this week, still felt tired after yesterday, some exercises near the end were a struggle.