Training Log Archive: markg

Didn't make it back up to the Alberta Long champs today, which was unfortunate, would really have liked to run the long.

The Alberta Middle distance champs with a spectacularly poor field — Tomas Navratil and I were the only ones competing. The race was at Medicine Hills near Winfield. It is open farm land with patches of forest with flat spur-gully terrain; it reminded me very much of some Australian maps. This is possibly 4min/km territory but the open areas are covered in very long grass which drags on your feet and legs. My primary goal was to have a clean run, so I didn't push very hard and really focussed hard on planning and keeping map contact. It worked and I lost maybe 10 seconds at the 1st control and nothing else. Perhaps didn't pick the best route choice on number 2 though. Finished first about 10min ahead of Tomas who isn't fit at the moment.

The Alberta Spint champs on the same map as the middle. Didn't really take this seriously and bolted off without a plan. This worked fine for the first three, easy, controls but the 4th was in a thicker patch of forest and trickier and I lost it, dropping about 3 mins. I could have minimised that damage better but didn't slow down and re-attack the control properly after releasing my mistake. Ran cleanly around the remainder but a little slower than I would have liked after rolling my right ankle several times, something I've done a lot since buying these VJs. 1st about 1.5min ahead of Tomas.

A harder run to test my calf one last time before the Alberta champs on the weekend; about 15min at a fast aerobic pace and then eased off. I did notice the calf after 30min but only a little. It felt good to run fast again.

C • AB Champs 4

Took it easy around the FWOC 'Long' grand prix. Hmm, long for the W50s perhaps but this is barely middle distance for elite men or even sub-elite men such as myself.

Anyway, jogged around paying close attention to my calf and it was pretty good. Still doesn't like hills, so I walked up those, but by the end I felt confident enough to stretch out a bit on the flat and easy downhills. At this speed the course wasn't challenging at all, so I tried to get a little techinical practise by focusing on route planning and execution, and planning ahead.

For the first time in a few weeks I was looking forward to heading out for a run at lunch; it's a beautiful day in Calgary. This was an easy run to test out the calf muscle and warm it up for some more stretching. It wasn't great on the run, I would start to feel it after a couple of minutes, then I'd walk a bit, run some more, etc. Didn't get any worse, which was nice, but I don't think it's up to anything harder yet. Followed with more stretching and now have ice on the calf.

A gentle ride on the exercise bike at work to get warmed up and just do something. Calf felt okay when stretched afterwards. Legs feel great now, it's amazing how tight they can get with a week of no exercise.