Training Log Archive: Mark3

10th
http://www.macclesfield-harriers.co.uk/images/wind...


Raining, no wind but still colder than yesterday. Legs didn't feel too bad from yesterday (probably because there wasn't all that much running yesterday) and felt good on the descents. 'Partially marked' course should've said 'sporadically and randomly' - lost 30s on the arrow pointing the wrong way, and then a minute later on where there was no arrow and I misremembered. Had the map easily accessible but never checked it.
Smashed stakeside descent again and got past Nathaniel from work, maintained the gap to the end which was excellent on our first race against each other. Well ahead of Billy too. Also won first team! Good day all round. Nicer route than expected from looking at the map as well.

C • Nathaniel 2

Edit - 240 turned up out of 520. 180 finished.
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After one of the worst rain forecasts I've ever seen on MWIS (the word 'incessant' was used) I expected this to be cancelled or at least shortened. Fortunately fell running marshals are mental and were prepared to be up a mountain for the whole day in anything. I salute those guys.
Of the c.550 entrants, we were told at the start that about half had showed up. The hardcore half. Plus me. It was warm in the valley but due to the forecast I still went for three layers - very happy with that call.
Slow up to the tarn, very rocky and waterlogged, all paths were streams. Still slow up to Thunacar. Expected to start gaining places at this point since it was grassy and fast - but didn't. I'm going to tell myself that in order to be attempting this race in these conditions, you're probably at least a bit good.
I'd planned to go around rather than up and over black crags but the bus was ok at this point and no-one else was, so I went straight.also I was reluctant to get the map out in case it blew away. I doubt the wind was far off the forecast 75mph.
Anyway managed to run a bit of the way to Esk and passed some people. Then again, I'd planned to go lower and pick up the path to Ore Gap, but everyone else was taking the rocky straight route and I decided again due to the conditions if I was going to fall off something I'd rather there were people around to notice. It wasn't too bad anyway, would've been easy in the dry.
Up to Bow Fell, and down and up to Crinkle, I just followed a group. I did get my compass out to check we were roughly on the right bearing though, and we were, so I carried on.felt circuitous at the time but Strava shows me it wasn't too bad. Think I managed to avoid bad step but more by accident than design.
Finally down from Crinkle there was an opportunity to run a bit, overtook some more people, although the rain pelting me in the face made this less than fun. Found the climb up to Blisco ok and vaguely remembering the route down from Three Shires worked ok too...

...until right at the key moment,I slid over and dropped my map, which promptly blew away. I wasn't too bothered about this since I was with a few people and it was near the end, but when I looked round and it had got caught on something 50m away I decided not to litter the lakes and went to get it. But then I was off the correct trod - but it looked like just round the corner I could contour and we'd meet up.
This was a BAD CALL. Suddenly I was on the wrong side of a massive reentrant with a raging torrent at the bottom.There was no way back without significant climb. So I slithered my way down a much worse route, which no-one else was taking, worked out a way back eventually but lost loads of time.dammit.
The bit from 7 to the end was fun! Nice descent, not too steep.

83rd - pretty poor. Even in the dry would've been too rocky for me; like Wasdale only shorter. In these conditions I was/am rubbish.
Positives though, I'm both alive and uninjured. I'll take them.
Also I'll probably end up doing again simply because I know I can do it faster in more or less any other conditions. If it had been cold as well it would've been really really grim.

Fairly epic journey home. Most roads flooded to above exhaust pipe level, which meant high revs and no stopping...
Car in front got stuck at one point which gave us little choice. Reversed into youth hostel car park to find massive piece off plastic hanging off car. Ripped most of it off. Then waited a bit for it to stop raining and the water level to go down a bit.
Stopped again at the Swan since another bit of plastic was dragging on the tyres if you turned a corner too tightly. Luckily had some scissors which made long work of it.eventually.
Finally got home over 12 hours after leaving this morning. Long day.

The forecast for tomorrow is a little damp, I expect to be out for quite a while, so a rest day seemed justifiable.

Warm evening. Working from home so got out in the light :)

Dull route. Canal better than MiDULLwood Way.

C • Dull? 1

Easy with the fell group. Tropical evening, probably the last one this year.

Working out a potential shining tor loop, in theory, in practice, getting lost in fields. It's hard in the dark!

Easy with the road group. Felt good apart from my Achilles which is still very painful at the start of the run but fine after a few miles.