Training Log Archive: GaryHouse

Drills and guided running on dry forest trails. Some overall tightness but fine

No running just a 40 minute dog walk. heel feels find strangely but taking it easy when possible this week

Lakeland 100 organised recce - Pooley Bridge to Ambleside.

I was on full time dad duty this week while Charlotte was away on a hen doo hence the late update sorry.....

Had to leave at 0430 to get to buses for recce so early start to pick up client Nigel who is doing the 50. It was good to have him there today as it stopped me getting any ideas of rushing off with the run.

I used the poles from the start and hiked all the climbs walking down the steep descents too to make sure I didn't trash quads.

Navigation was easy with the road book especially compared to the firs thalf of the 100 so that gave a confidence boost.

I will look forward to this section of the race as its either a hike or downhill I guess for lots of it and I'm confident on the downhill

Very warm day so splashed around in the streams/waterfalls and genraly had a good day out.

One downside was I could really feel my heel hurting towards the end again and driving home got a bit worse but seems better today already (Monday) ....

easy group run , no issues

60' Steady + 8 x Hill Sprint

much better running today, was in Llandegla Forest for work afterwards so steady running was on technical ground but nice warm morning with the sprints at the end feeling good.

Still could feel some restriction with hip flexors so will try and work on them next week.

easy run through park before group run, very easy and legs feel ok now.

60' Steady Speed Variation

Steady was replaced with easy, legs just were not responding and quads were still feeling a bit like concrete...did do the 8 x 40 variations with rest in-between.

easy coaching drills with client

easy run on forest trails, quads and hip flexors still tight from the weekend.

easy technique and group run with work. feeling tired today but ok .

Woke up with some stiffness in legs and some soreness where I had cramping during the race the day before, had to do some stuff at home and walk the dog first which gave me a chance to loosen off.

The hike was definitely just a hike with little running.

I did 4 loops of the same climb taking a slightly different route each time ranging from fast hike to scramble in steepness.

Was definitely useful in the fact that I concentrated on keeping a rhythm and intensity to the climbing rather than just "drifting" up I guess.

The downhills were tough on the quads and had to walk down most of it.....

Spent about 20 minutes having some food and relaxing at one point but no issues with energy etc after the previous days farce.

I was extremely tired towards the end particularly upper body and glutes.

I have never walked/hiked this long before and was not looking forward to it but actually I enjoyed the fact that I was doing it already fatigued....gave the session a good edge I think.

heel felt ok too

Home to an Epsom salt bath and fell asleep at 8:30 pm.

Excalibur Mountain Marathon.

Will try and keep as short as possible but way more eventful than planned.

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Week had gone ok especially with my heel injury getting better by the day with no serious running.

The race started at 09:30 so I aimed to leave at 8am as its only 20 minutes away. I was up with plenty of time but can't eat straight away so planned to eat breakfast there).....I usually have Avocado, Bean salad with some hard cheese etc with some warm rye bread before a long run but I left it on the kitchen table. (mistake no.1)

The main race day car park was already full when I got there so we had to park 1 mile away at the overflow, this was fine though as its straight uphill to the start so I used it as a warm up. I did however leave my race nutrition in the boot of the car (mistake no.2)

I managed to forage a banana and some malt loaf before the start from some of my clients who were doing other various distances but I didn't worry too much as the organisers promised "well stocked" checkpoints.

I wanted to use the poles and got the usual mickey taking before the start from the familiar faces there on the day but everyone was in good spirits .

We started on time with a nice 1 mile climb up on a wide forest track which quickly sorted out the congestion even though some were quite intent on me stabbing them in the shin.....

Quite quickly a group of around 8 were off the front with me alongside another about 10metres behind.

The pace was a bit lively considering I knew the first half of the course and I wasn't out to trash myself.

A short descent to 1.5 mile mark and the path forks in two.....half the group in front then disappeared left up the half marathon route which made more sense pace wise and we started to climb again.

At this point two runners flew past me with matching vests working pretty hard.

The next 5 miles were uneventful on the wide forest track with very gradual ups and down on good surface.....this led to some faster running ahead and I just ran on my own with the leader at least 1 minute up the road.

The rain was coming down hard but temperature meant it wasn't cold, I was wary of running any quicker on the limit fuel I had and was already felling a little hungry.

Around 6 miles in the first CP and a chance to grab some food......only options were skittles and gels weirdly so I grabbed one of each.

I was in 8th I think here when you joined single track on the mountain and started a decent climb, we were also alongside the half marathoners again so was good to be able to work through them without much trouble using the poles for the first time.

The gap to first was much closer at the top and then came a long technical and very muddy downhill that I knew quite well.

It takes around 2 minutes to run down and somehow I had gone from 8th to 1st at the bottom without pushing it nearly booting first place in the head as I went.

Another 2 mile stretch of flat running saw 5 of them slowly move past me again and this was the theme until around 20 miles.....I would catch up on the climbs and descents then they would clear off on the flat.

Two of them looked like they were working way to hard but the other three I knew loosely and were working well together.

The checkpoints were very well stocked to be fair......the only issue was it was only sweets and gels. I don't cope very well on that stuff alone and from around 16-20 miles I had a real battle with energy slowing right down on a flatter part of the route. At this point now in 6th the others drifted off out of sight...

I usually have a salt tab too but that was in the car too......I could feel some cramping in calves, then quads so had to keep things really easy for a bit.

At 20 miles the checkpoint had some flapjack/crisps and oranges so I took a few minutes to have a picnic and get rid of the empty feeling. I aslo knew from the map that the biggest climb was coming at mile 21 so wasn't risking pushing on without food.

A good strong hike up to the 22.5 mile mark saw me somehow back in touch with a group of 3 ahead with one obviously struggling.

The next smaller climb had me come back to 4th place and with 3rd in sight....I was still very hungry and cramping was a real issue now even feeling it in one tricep.

At the top with 2 miles downhill left I could see 3rd place descending a bit gingerly with cramp too I think so I focused on staying relaxed and soon caught him and passed.

I could see the finish 1.5 miles away down the path with no more runners so I could just jog in to the finish were I promptly threw up all the sugar

1st/2nd had finished 15 minutes ahead with me in third place in 4 hours 5 mins.

Luckily there was a food van at the end serving hot chilli and potatoes!!

All in all I had a great time running and felt strong until the fuel ran out, poles felt comfortable and legs felt fine later in the day apart from a little bruising and cuts.

easy coaching no issue

easy coaching no issues

60' Steady + 8 x Hill Sprints

Did session on usual forest trails and kept it very easy on down hill still as that's where I feel the heel pain.

The 8 hill sprints felt good apart from the last two which required more effort.

Wasn't too steep with each sprint lasting between 13-15 seconds but felt I was moving well.

There is a definite improvement with the heel this week after taking it easy, wearing cushioned shoes and also had a decent massage on lower legs afterwards.

Easy coaching finished with strides on my own. No issue with heel on strides stuck to soft ground

Run/walk with the dog around fields

easy coaching, I have a gel insert in the heel of my shoes now too to help recovery along.

No issues

Easy guided run for the group across rolling trails.

Mount Eilio Fell Race

Weather looked cracking and on Friday night Charlotte said she fancied a day out with the baby, I had said we could combine it with the run instead of doing the Sunday 2.5hrs which you said to skip with the idea of keeping it easy effort.

I kept the effort as easy as possible although the sun made it more difficult apart from I put some effort in to the big climbs (first 2 miles is full on) and then took some pictures, chatted to martials and generally had a good run in the sun.

The race has no technical aspect just up and down a few times

The steep down hills were nearly at walking pace just to protect my heel.

Iced heel afterwards and no better or worse than before the run.

60' Steady with Diagonals or Speed Variations.

(replaced with easy trail running with steep ascents. I walked downhill to recover and protect heel. Kept effort easy and took along some of my group to keep pace easy.

After they left I finished with x6 hill sprints which were fine on the heel.

Easy with the dog on fields.

easy run for 20 minutes on my own before group trail running and drills, heel is getting better by the day. Only really hurts when walking..

easy run on flat trail followed by drills for client with race at the weekend

group session, just working on breathing and relaxation on the move

my heel was causing some discomfort from the last three days running so I decided to do some hiking on the last day in the lakes.

I took everyone back to Buttermere so I could get up sail pass again without the handbook and use the poles.

It was a quick run/hike up but slower back down to protect my heel.

Hopefully shouldn't have problems there now and felt better for doing it again

Beautiful weather and none of us had done Catbells before so went after breakfast and went up with the dogs, I had Winter on my back too so a bit of extra training.

Could definitely feel the pressure on my heel but was good to be out walking

With it due to be the nicest day of the year and most of yesterdays recce being less than inspiring I wanted to go and have some fun.

Although not a L100 recce i did retrace some tof the route from yesterday which I will be doing in the dark.

From keswick I ran out to Threlkeld to go up Blencathra via Halls Fell Ridge,a climb I had wanted to do after seeing it yesterday.

Lots of fun scrambling up with the odd sit down to look at the views.

A run along the top with the long descent across to climb Skiddaw, again I had not been up it so didn't want to leave without doing both.

Quads felt it running off the top back down to Keswick via Latrigg but felt good to have a good day of running, scrambling, eating and generally being a tourist on the hills.

The ony downside was my heel was pretty sore afterwards with al the rocky downhill.

Had an Ice Cream and a relaxing afternoon with the others.

L100 RECCE

I had to run out and back today so others could use the car, good for going over route but the route was boring for a big section of it, left the poles at home so i could just read the road book when needed but lots of downhill and road sections so meant they were not needed anyway.

Not very eventful or exciting and my heel was not enjoying the road sections but all felt easy and ticked over ok.

We did go for a 4 mile walk around the lake in the evening too and ate some good italian food to refuel.

Another hottish day.

L100 RECCE.

Long story short my planned very early drive up to the Lakes was scuppered by having to do the early feed for Winter so left a little late.

I drove up straight after on my own to start the recce in Buttermere which is the second 25 mile section and where I will be in complete darkness.

Not sure if I have mentioned before but I am not good with maps (im on a training course later this month though) so had the road book printed off. This was good enough to do the recce back in October.

Took the poles but trying to read the book and use them turned out to be a massive pain.......the run starts with a steady climb up the pass straight away and attention was needed to the route so it was a lot of start stopping.

I have been getting on really well with the poles so this was frustrating and made me realise I need to know the route on the climbs if I am going to get the best out of them.

The climb to sail pass has some steep sections and scree which was fun then the descent is long, rocky and technical in places.

No problems with nav but some points that could be easy to miss if im going quickly and in the dark.

Reached Braithwaite with no problems, stopped at a little shop for some water as it was getting very warm (by usual standards). and on to keswick

very boring section until the climb up Latrigg, hadn't been to the viewpoint here so went off route for a look and had to run back down to Keswick as time had ticked on and I had to meet the others and collect the car from buttermere

Not as far as I wanted but a good section and confident I can get through without any major errors.

Although I had been running 2.5 hrs moving time was a little over 3

No specific sessions but logged 3.7 miles in total from 2.5 hours worth of coaching.

60' Steady + 8 x Hill Sprints (llandegla forest trails)

Nice warm morning

Heel still not liking downhill running but seemed ok, hill sprints at finish were good short efforts of around 8 seconds only.

easy coaching session on trails

I know the plan says regeneration and this probably isn't that but no session yesterday and its bank holiday so just took some friends on a slow run along a ridge that has steep ups/downs.

Pain in heel is when any pressure is applied so steep uphill is actually ok, just had to be careful on descending.

The only tougher session before the Lakeland recce's is on Wednesday so will let you know how the heel is before that.

60' Steady with Diagonals or Speed Variations

Session aborted.

Went to a footy pitch to try the diagonals but didn't hold up much hope with my heel. Hurts to walk on it if I'm honest.

Did some easy running on the grass and it didn't get worse but any increase of speed was a no go.