Training Log Archive: IanW

OK, so that was a bit mad... Saw the forecast and hatched a plan to do my first 100km on the bike. Threw in a few hills for good measure. Aim was to ride at a comfortable pace on the flats and put in the requisite level of effort for the hills - think I got this about right, as the legs still felt ok on the flat until near the end, but the hills felt a reall effort in the second half of the ride. Legs just didn't have the strength or endurance - hadn't done anything mad like this since the LAMM.

Route - Burton, Hanbury, Marchington, Loxley Green, Bramshall, Bearsbrook, various Leighs, Lower Tean, big hill to Hollington, Rocester, Cubley, Langley Common, Etwall, Repton, Knight's Lane to Winshill, Stapenhill, home.

Quads barely coping with the climbs along Knight's Lane to Winshill, eventually got to the top and could have cut straight down to town and along the river, but madly decided one more hill through Stapenhill would be doable. Just about survived, having dropped into the granny ring, but really hard work almost 4 hours into the ride. Ensured the climb topped the 1km mark though...

Fed at fairly regular intervals, but probably not enough. Probably 30 mins or so spent stopped for food and map checks, which probably helped as the legs got a touch of respite each time.

Note for the day - Being straight is the advantage and disadvantage of Roman roads: less distance, but no avoidance of the lumps and bumps in the way...

C • like 4

Sheffield Urban 'Sprint' Relays - Endcliffe. Lap 3 for South London team. 7th place overall.

Fairly good technical run, but didn't feel like I had a great deal of energy, and pretty much zero zip in the legs. Course probably 600m on the long side for a 'sprint' but certainly had to keep on the ball over the first half. Knew had to be careful as plenty of controls close together out there, including

Technically - slight miss at 3, wrong drive initially at 5 but realised immediately. Looked one turn too early at 15, then chose the wrong approach option. Also ran about 10m past 28, switching off at the end. Bit hesitant at times, when things on the ground didn't match my expectation from the map, and might have chosen a couple of slightly non-optimal route choices, but nothing game-ending.

Results now up - 7th place for the team. Next challenge is Southern Champs, so need to get in a few miles now...

Spin out on the bike in the evening - loop from home up to Needwood (Five Ways), then on to Barton, Walton and back via Stapenhill. Pushed it pretty hard and a little surprised at the time, given 'training' over the last couple of months. A fair bit faster on this route than 11 months ago... how much of that is down to the bike would be an interesting test.

Felt some cramp-like twinges in the calf muscles which was a little disconcerting - more salt needed perhaps?

First part of run - easy down river and across to canal

Attempt to run a bit faster - from canal road bridge to usual turn-off just before marina along the towpath, at a tempo-ish pace. Fairly smooth, though breathing a bit too heavily towards the end of this section.

And a shuffle back to the flat, with a bit of cooling rain