Training Log Archive: ȷamesIn the 30 days ending Nov 30, 2017:
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Thursday Nov 30, 2017 #
9 AM
Running (out of date) long 1:34:51 [4] 22.2 km (4:16 / km) +30m 4:15 / km
shoes: VJ Bold 8 (dobbs)
Out to provide some company for Paul and Rob on their Ely run. Went out as far as Waterbeach before calling it a day, but then found out its quite easy to keep a decent pace down the towpath, so set my sights on bringing down the half-marathon PB (which, to be fair, was not exactly impressive). Annoyingly the route out to the bridge is marginally further than the way back, so a bit of faffage going around Jesus Green to make the numbers up in an act of typical garmin-pedantry.
Got the PB: 1.29.01 although mostly just for a bit of entertainment on the way back since an actually decent time was already out of reach before turning (and never the intention). Also according to garmin, my longest ever run... possible, but any sort of climb conversion would put a couple of others above it I suspect.
Goes some way towards making up for disappointment of not running yesterday (But only some)
Got the PB: 1.29.01 although mostly just for a bit of entertainment on the way back since an actually decent time was already out of reach before turning (and never the intention). Also according to garmin, my longest ever run... possible, but any sort of climb conversion would put a couple of others above it I suspect.
Goes some way towards making up for disappointment of not running yesterday (But only some)
Wednesday Nov 29, 2017 #
Note
(rest day)
Not happy about this. Really wanted to run today but not enough hours in the day - Ely run is on tomorrow to make up for lost miles though... :P (Maybe not)
Tuesday Nov 28, 2017 #
3 PM
Running (out of date) intervals 59:20 [4] 11.4 km (5:12 / km) +30m 5:08 / km
shoes: VJ Bold 8 (dobbs)
Churchill session: 3 laps (~3k) tempo, the 6 x small lap (~400m)
Bit quiet without a lot of the II-IVs usuals, so trying to keep contact with the blues while at the same time taking the session a little easier. Turns out these goals are incompatible.
2 weeks of semi-injury/taper/tiredness has been really weird but with a very simple outcome of basically no training getting done, so nice to feel like winter training is back on track and no pressure to perform in anything for a few months now. (still eyeing that sub-17 parkrun by the new year though)
Bit quiet without a lot of the II-IVs usuals, so trying to keep contact with the blues while at the same time taking the session a little easier. Turns out these goals are incompatible.
2 weeks of semi-injury/taper/tiredness has been really weird but with a very simple outcome of basically no training getting done, so nice to feel like winter training is back on track and no pressure to perform in anything for a few months now. (still eyeing that sub-17 parkrun by the new year though)
Monday Nov 27, 2017 #
4 PM
Running (out of date) 1:22:00 [3] 18.0 km (4:33 / km) +50m 4:30 / km
shoes: Asics GT-1000 5 (heavies)
Shoddy turnout from the Haries pre/post-varsity in the cold, dark and rain :(
Just me and PaulP for a longer steady than I was expecting on a new route, but very enjoyable anyway and certainly no harm in compensating for missing SLR yesterday. Ungarmined the first 3k from Emma to botanics, so a bit of guesswork - know I took it out a bit too fast though.
Very reminiscent of late dark runs in Edinburgh - to be resumed very very soon :)
Just me and PaulP for a longer steady than I was expecting on a new route, but very enjoyable anyway and certainly no harm in compensating for missing SLR yesterday. Ungarmined the first 3k from Emma to botanics, so a bit of guesswork - know I took it out a bit too fast though.
Very reminiscent of late dark runs in Edinburgh - to be resumed very very soon :)
Sunday Nov 26, 2017 #
Note
(rest day)
Recovery from a very tough session yesterday ;) headed out to Grantchester with some of staircase for a jolly Sunday countryside walk because apparently that's what students do at the weekend
Saturday Nov 25, 2017 #
12 PM
Running (out of date) warm up/down 20:00 [3] 3.0 km (6:40 / km) +20m 6:27 / km
shoes: VJ Bold 8 (dobbs)
WU, a lot of it ungarmined
1 PM
Running (out of date) race 31:56 [5] 8.3 km (3:51 / km) +90m 3:39 / km
shoes: VJ Bold 8 (dobbs)
Varsity IIIs at Shotover
Went out at a sensible pace probably due to the size of the race, got up amongst the front for a bit but then a dropped back quickly after the out&back when people started positioning for the forest loop. Caught Tim at the end of the first lap and stayed on him for a bit but he got away back in the forest again. Second lap dragged on and on and felt like I caught a few people but then don't think they were behind me at the finish - honestly the head was so broken I don't really know what happened.
Still don't actually know where I finished but certainly near if not at the back. End of the day got the team victory which is what we went for so pretty happy.
Also definitely finished higher than Freddie, who might've got that GB vest if only he'd worn dobs :/
Went out at a sensible pace probably due to the size of the race, got up amongst the front for a bit but then a dropped back quickly after the out&back when people started positioning for the forest loop. Caught Tim at the end of the first lap and stayed on him for a bit but he got away back in the forest again. Second lap dragged on and on and felt like I caught a few people but then don't think they were behind me at the finish - honestly the head was so broken I don't really know what happened.
Still don't actually know where I finished but certainly near if not at the back. End of the day got the team victory which is what we went for so pretty happy.
Also definitely finished higher than Freddie, who might've got that GB vest if only he'd worn dobs :/
Running (out of date) warm up/down 14:18 [2] 2.3 km (6:13 / km) +10m 6:05 / km
shoes: Asics GT-1000 5 (heavies)
CD, initially with the team, but then felt absolutely horrific so went over to die on the side of the road until it cleared up 2 mins later.
Weird.
Weird.
Friday Nov 24, 2017 #
Note
(rest day)
Tapering, hyping.
Thursday Nov 23, 2017 #
Running (out of date) 41:52 [2] 8.4 km (4:59 / km) +30m 4:54 / km
shoes: Asics GT-1000 5 (heavies)
Pre-lunch steady out and back to Grantchester, kwwping the taper in mind for pacing. Beautiful day for it, and a very soft grassy route to play it extra safe.
Injurieswise:
Nothing in the achilles
Bit of movement in the knee but no pain
Base of heel hurts maybe one in every 3 strides on a slope, but fine on flat
Left quad seized up on the one stride I tried just at the end, hurt for about 2 minutes but then okay to jog back at the steady pace. No idea what could cause this :(
Injurieswise:
Nothing in the achilles
Bit of movement in the knee but no pain
Base of heel hurts maybe one in every 3 strides on a slope, but fine on flat
Left quad seized up on the one stride I tried just at the end, hurt for about 2 minutes but then okay to jog back at the steady pace. No idea what could cause this :(
4 PM
Note
Nice half hour sports massage after the physio decided my achilles was fine since there was no pain. Probably didn't need to waste his time on that, he didn't know what could've caused the left quad/leg situation earlier though, so just tried to loosen that off too.
Wednesday Nov 22, 2017 #
Note
I feel very very silly. Ice packs and rest for the morning then :( sure it'll be fine for o-training this evening
5 PM
Running (out of date) 5:00 [3] 1.1 km (4:33 / km)
shoes: Asics GT-1000 5 (heavies)
Down to Sidgwick
6 PM
Sprint-O 9:52 [3] 2.0 km (4:56 / km)
shoes: Asics GT-1000 5 (heavies)
Just the one exercise today at Sidgwick/UL. Knee seized up starting the second, maybe could've continued after 5/10 minutes break but had work to do and really not keen to risk anything
Tuesday Nov 21, 2017 #
3 PM
Running (out of date) intervals 36:57 [5] 8.3 km (4:27 / km) +20m 4:24 / km
shoes: VJ Bold 8 (dobbs)
Final session before Varsity.
WUP, then:
Steady mile, then 8 x 400m with ~90s active rec. round Churchill fields. Going a bit harder than most people (who were sensibly tapering) given the week off, just to try to get the legs turning over fast one more time otherwise it would've been since Met League.
Felt really good and don't think I've lost much from the week out. Better to learn the spikes are bad for me earlier rather than later. Forgot the very strange balance in the VJs and seemed very dodgy to start with - so different to anti-pronation insoles, but felt really good to go fast in and no problems by the end. A wasted £2.80 on spikes I reckon.
WUP, then:
Steady mile, then 8 x 400m with ~90s active rec. round Churchill fields. Going a bit harder than most people (who were sensibly tapering) given the week off, just to try to get the legs turning over fast one more time otherwise it would've been since Met League.
Felt really good and don't think I've lost much from the week out. Better to learn the spikes are bad for me earlier rather than later. Forgot the very strange balance in the VJs and seemed very dodgy to start with - so different to anti-pronation insoles, but felt really good to go fast in and no problems by the end. A wasted £2.80 on spikes I reckon.
4 PM
Running (out of date) warm up/down 14:28 [1] 2.9 km (4:59 / km) +20m 4:49 / km
shoes: Asics GT-1000 5 (heavies)
Long CD to make absolutely sure those there's no pain left. Bit of movement in the knee but settled after a couple of laps.
6 PM
Squash 1:00:00 [3]
Squash with Calum. Started well, ended horribly. Stood in a stupid place and got a thwacking on the top of my shin from his racquet, but it settled down quick enough. Failed to score a single point after that, oops. Will feel very very silly if it swells up overnight but I doubt it.
Monday Nov 20, 2017 #
7 AM
S&C 1:00:00 [3]
Doesn't feel like this happened today. Such a grim early morning but good fun
2 PM
Running (out of date) tempo 14:30 [4] 3.8 km (3:49 / km)
Having worn down my 12mm spikes by 3mm, I decided to buy some 9mm replacements for Varsity. Gave them ago around the grass track painted on parker's piece. This may have been the most boring run ever but kept the pace up a little bit to make it interesting.
Spikes were good gripwise, but certainly not painfree. Various bits and pieces hurting: heel-base, knees and right quad, but none of it injury-like, just nasty niggles. Achilles fine. Worried that the shoes just don't have enough heel cushioning, so tempted to run varsity in VJs, will just assess mud level on the day
Spikes were good gripwise, but certainly not painfree. Various bits and pieces hurting: heel-base, knees and right quad, but none of it injury-like, just nasty niggles. Achilles fine. Worried that the shoes just don't have enough heel cushioning, so tempted to run varsity in VJs, will just assess mud level on the day
Sunday Nov 19, 2017 #
Note
(rest day)
Rest week is over and achilles feels normal again, will be up for circuits tomorrow morning and assuming that's okay, a couple of afternoon miles in the spikes. Feeling pretty fresh, just hoping I haven't lost too much fitness pre-varsity.
Thursday Nov 16, 2017 #
4 PM
Note
(injured)
Injured, just about. One of those awkward "I swear it was bad at the start of the week" physio sessions. As far as I'm aware achilles tendonitis doesn't come on after one run and go away after two days rest, so scratching my head as to what it was.
With varsity coming up, and under physio's orders, I'll stick to cycling for the weekend, and then on Monday, a ludicrously dull tester run in xc spikes around probably parker's piece or maybe Jesus green if I can be bothered running in two pairs of shoes... ugh.
With varsity coming up, and under physio's orders, I'll stick to cycling for the weekend, and then on Monday, a ludicrously dull tester run in xc spikes around probably parker's piece or maybe Jesus green if I can be bothered running in two pairs of shoes... ugh.
Tuesday Nov 14, 2017 #
Note
(injured)
WGC results: 103/529 overall +3.55
21/32 Haries
21/32 Haries
Monday Nov 13, 2017 #
Note
(injured)
Having failed to get selected for the 3s, I've decided to create an excuse after the fact by injuring myself. Hopeful that I've caught this one early cos tbh there was no sign on Saturday and only noticed it after the long run yesterday - Achilles is very very tight, but hopefully that's the fullest extent. Physio booked for Thursday, no running before then (except this morning because I'm stupid)
Note
In correction to my previous fake news note, I intend to withdraw my excuse and my injury effective immediately. Not sure if someone's dropped out or if post-truth now extends to varsity selections, but now I'm in the 3s (but who believes anything anymore)
6 AM
Running (out of date) 38:19 [3] 8.2 km (4:40 / km) +20m 4:37 / km
shoes: Asics GT-1000 5 (heavies)
Early mornings take the pleasure out of everything, even painful cold runs :(
This was not great :/
This was not great :/
7 AM
S&C 1:00:00 [3]
CUAC/CUTriC/CUHH S+C.
Okay but unfamiliar with the exercises while everyone else except Rob seemed to be 6 weeks in... oops. Will try to keep coming to this though for the gainz
Okay but unfamiliar with the exercises while everyone else except Rob seemed to be 6 weeks in... oops. Will try to keep coming to this though for the gainz
Sunday Nov 12, 2017 #
10 AM
Running (out of date) long 1:12:39 [3] 16.4 km (4:26 / km) +70m 4:20 / km
shoes: Asics GT-1000 5 (heavies)
Had kinda planned to do Histon busway (~20km) but at Girton everyone took the cutoff, and I had neither the motivation nor the legs to do the rest solo. Plus Trinity waffles were calling. Social pace cos I doubt many were feeling 100%, but still struggling not to drop behind in places which isn't great.
Saturday Nov 11, 2017 #
10 AM
Running (out of date) 18:16 [2] 3.6 km (5:04 / km)
Morning shakeout - 2x parker's piece, 2x strides, 1x parker's piece. Thought this was probably okay pre-race having rested yesterday, and also keen to test out the spikes cos its been a long time.
Main outcome of this was not getting any work done in the morning and adding an extra cycle of spikes cleaning to the day - will never know if it helped my race or not....
Main outcome of this was not getting any work done in the morning and adding an extra cycle of spikes cleaning to the day - will never know if it helped my race or not....
2 PM
Running (out of date) warm up/down 15:16 [2] 3.1 km (4:55 / km) +10m 4:51 / km
WUP and course recce, not entirely happy with the pace so dropped off from the others
Running (out of date) 27:38 [5] 7.6 km (3:38 / km) +50m 3:31 / km
Welwyn Garden City Met League XC (varsity selection)
Huge race, don't think I've ever run against this many people before except possibly some sunny days at Cramond parkrun. 3 laps of a twisty hilly course with some mud but nothing unreasonable. Very tactical with a lot of narrow sections that did not happily accommodate 200+ runners.
Held off on the first lap, then tried to push on through the second and third. Lethal downhill hairpin turn going into final stretch meant I was never going to be happy in a sprint finish, so made sure to get clear of Haries vests in both directions across the last mile or so.
Think I ran it tactically sound, but as per could've done with a bit more pace. Maybe could've got away with pushing harder all round and maybe didn't quite do myself justice in the Haries pecking order. That said, I haven't actually seen any results - hoping I was high enough up to make the 3s for varsity though, and since 2s was out of reach that was always the goal.
Huge race, don't think I've ever run against this many people before except possibly some sunny days at Cramond parkrun. 3 laps of a twisty hilly course with some mud but nothing unreasonable. Very tactical with a lot of narrow sections that did not happily accommodate 200+ runners.
Held off on the first lap, then tried to push on through the second and third. Lethal downhill hairpin turn going into final stretch meant I was never going to be happy in a sprint finish, so made sure to get clear of Haries vests in both directions across the last mile or so.
Think I ran it tactically sound, but as per could've done with a bit more pace. Maybe could've got away with pushing harder all round and maybe didn't quite do myself justice in the Haries pecking order. That said, I haven't actually seen any results - hoping I was high enough up to make the 3s for varsity though, and since 2s was out of reach that was always the goal.
3 PM
Running (out of date) warm up/down 20:56 [1] 4.2 km (4:59 / km) +30m 4:49 / km
Lap and a half cool down.
Friday Nov 10, 2017 #
Note
(rest day)
Unplanned and largely unexpected. Not bad for a taper I guess, not that tomorrow is particularly big race as far as I'm concerned. Caused by volume of work in the afternoon, general tiredness in the morning, and wearing a ridiculous tiger ears headband all day
Thursday Nov 9, 2017 #
4 PM
Running (out of date) 56:31 [3] 12.4 km (4:33 / km) +20m 4:31 / km
shoes: Asics GT-1000 5 (heavies)
Cruised grantchester then home via Sainsy Bs.
Wednesday Nov 8, 2017 #
2 PM
Football 1:30:00 [2]
Might play the match on Sunday post-long-run :p
6 PM
Running (out of date) 11:45 [3] 2.1 km (5:36 / km) +10m 5:28 / km
shoes: Asics GT-1000 5 (heavies)
Down
Running (out of date) warm up/down 4:58 [1] 0.7 km (7:06 / km)
shoes: Asics GT-1000 5 (heavies)
WU
Sprint-O 40:27 [4] 6.5 km (6:13 / km) +30m 6:05 / km
shoes: Asics GT-1000 5 (heavies)
Weird moving controls training around CMS. Vastly improved the quality of my day, and very little else. Couple decent pace laps of Churchill fields while other were making sense of the crazy map.
Will have to admit that maths have a nicer faculty building than us, but probably don't have anyone with an arrest warrant hidden away.
Will have to admit that maths have a nicer faculty building than us, but probably don't have anyone with an arrest warrant hidden away.
7 PM
Sprint-O 2:07 [1] 0.2 km (10:35 / km)
shoes: Asics GT-1000 5 (heavies)
Collecting, lazily, still failed to pick up one of my three units.
Running (out of date) 9:25 [3] 1.7 km (5:32 / km)
shoes: Asics GT-1000 5 (heavies)
To pizza with Helen and Jeremy, carrying an SI box as spitefully as I could (not very)
Tuesday Nov 7, 2017 #
3 PM
Running (out of date) intervals 49:51 [5] 11.9 km (4:11 / km) +40m 4:07 / km
Hareys session at Churchill 4*(400m [2min] mile [3min]) Missed the first 400 as glute tied up really horribly but thankfully went away with a bit of stretching.
Tough session as always, but ground it out and got at least one quality rep focusing very hard on the back of Jose's head.
Tough session as always, but ground it out and got at least one quality rep focusing very hard on the back of Jose's head.
Monday Nov 6, 2017 #
Squash 1:00:00 [3]
Back to the classic squash partner. Racked up another L. Sad
Sunday Nov 5, 2017 #
9 AM
Running (out of date) warm up/down 15:00 [1] 2.0 km (7:30 / km) +20m 7:09 / km
WUP, way too early and deleted half of the garmin data. Maybe should've listened to Aidan telling me not to add unnecessary miles to the day...
Forest-O 2:02:33 [3] 20.6 km (5:57 / km) +230m 5:38 / km
November classic
Went out steady cos I knew it was a long course (but not THAT long). Flaky in places but just the one real mistake in the forest. Then screwed up the terrain change onto the fell, and PaulP came past. Thought I might be able to hop aboard the CUOC express for the rest of the race, but the gap was already big when I noticed my mistake, and it turns out I was just barely past the 1/3rd mark in terms of time...
Rest of the down was navigationally dodgy without ever being disastrous, but legs began to tie up, and went down in some unbelievably peaty mud which wiped out the map for a few controls. To survive the final section in some faffy technical stuff and then back into the forest, I split the map in two and just focused on getting to the end of each half - at this point the legs were in ruins. Scrappy, but aside from a charcoal burning platform no serious navigational time losses, just heavy heavy bonkage.
Considered making an intentional mistake at the end to get the distance up so I could've orienteered for a half marathon. Think that probably says enough about what this race did to my head. Brutal physical and mental challenge, but can't remember enjoying a long race so much for a long time.
Went out steady cos I knew it was a long course (but not THAT long). Flaky in places but just the one real mistake in the forest. Then screwed up the terrain change onto the fell, and PaulP came past. Thought I might be able to hop aboard the CUOC express for the rest of the race, but the gap was already big when I noticed my mistake, and it turns out I was just barely past the 1/3rd mark in terms of time...
Rest of the down was navigationally dodgy without ever being disastrous, but legs began to tie up, and went down in some unbelievably peaty mud which wiped out the map for a few controls. To survive the final section in some faffy technical stuff and then back into the forest, I split the map in two and just focused on getting to the end of each half - at this point the legs were in ruins. Scrappy, but aside from a charcoal burning platform no serious navigational time losses, just heavy heavy bonkage.
Considered making an intentional mistake at the end to get the distance up so I could've orienteered for a half marathon. Think that probably says enough about what this race did to my head. Brutal physical and mental challenge, but can't remember enjoying a long race so much for a long time.
Saturday Nov 4, 2017 #
2 PM
Sprint-O 44:45 [3] 9.7 km (4:37 / km) +20m 4:34 / km
Started out well, made a gruesome route choice then a ridiculous error, a few more horror mistakes/routes and then Aidan caught me. He got away pretty fast though, and then into the soaked cobbles which apparently inov8s were not made for. Slowed to a crawl as a result of this, but also because this was about the 6km mark (running length), which is where the longest sprint races are supposed to end. Horrible urban-y grind back to the finish.
3 PM
Running (out of date) warm up/down 6:07 [1] 1.0 km (6:07 / km) +10m 5:50 / km
CD
Friday Nov 3, 2017 #
Cycling 1:04:19 [3]
Shortish cycle with Aidan, 24km just on the busway. Cold hands and slightly tired legs but very enjoyable
Thursday Nov 2, 2017 #
4 PM
Running (out of date) 1:03:55 [3] 14.5 km (4:24 / km) +60m 4:19 / km
shoes: Asics GT-1000 5 (heavies)
Supposedly steady Grantchester. Had to sprint to SJP to not miss the group, who then went out at a decent pace, but that moved up to fast pretty quickly. Couple went off the front and then it slowed right back down again. Finished up with some solo strides on parkers piece and a lap CD.
Feeling good but maybe tomorrow I ought to acknowledge these ridiculously tight hamstrings if I want to compete at the weekend.
Feeling good but maybe tomorrow I ought to acknowledge these ridiculously tight hamstrings if I want to compete at the weekend.
Wednesday Nov 1, 2017 #
6 PM
Running (out of date) 7:32 [3] 1.4 km (5:23 / km) +10m 5:12 / km
shoes: Asics GT-1000 5 (heavies)
To Lucy Cav
Running (out of date) warm up/down 3:18 [1] 0.5 km (6:36 / km)
shoes: Asics GT-1000 5 (heavies)
WU
Sprint-O 20:02 [3] 4.5 km (4:27 / km) +30m 4:18 / km
shoes: Asics GT-1000 5 (heavies)
Map memory sprint night-O at Lucy Cav. Not so bad to have a dead torch when there's no map anyway. Good fun
Stretching/Physio/Plyo 10:00 [1]
Half physio
7 PM
Sprint-O 6:33 [3] 1.1 km (5:57 / km) +10m 5:42 / km
shoes: Asics GT-1000 5 (heavies)
Control collecting
Running (out of date) 7:32 [2] 1.4 km (5:23 / km) +10m 5:12 / km
shoes: Asics GT-1000 5 (heavies)
Home via Big sains, yum but no pizza tonight :(