Training Log Archive: mattp

Chiltern Challenge Survival Mission

Started out quite well until about control 6 where I realised it was going to become a survival mission rather than racing with any aggression. One really bad route to control 11 through the fields after I bottled the straight route for the first time in my life. Older but not wiser.

Lovely woods to run through, some quite pleasing straight lines and managed to get to the finish.

British Night Champs

First time I've made it to the start line for the keenest competition on the calendar after missing out on Merthyr Mawr in 2018. With Rob and Michael is tow we were all set for a good race, at least between ourselves.

Rob started 4 minutes before me and I was fairly confident I would catch him if I was clean and so I did at control 9 before losing a minute on 11 and another 3 minutes on 12 to take us back to where we started. Should have just taken the safe route to 12 but seemed like the open would be a good enough attackpoint.

Quite good after that despite getting distracted by other people running the wrong way and he finished just before me. Feeling a bit slow in the terrain, out of practice and not enough miles in the legs at the moment.

Mixed it up with the cycle path on the way in. Too many lights everywhere, even more motivation to hurry up and graduate.

Tried a slight variation on the route in via Stokes Croft today, turned up one street earlier instead of going past Lakota. Missed out a turn I don't like but got caught up in more lights. Not sure this way is even good anymore as you get trapped by the lights near the bus station every time for ages and then also usually going up past the Hospital. Need to regroup and reassess, I've got into a rut.

Easy loop with From Our Home Correspondent. Good collection of stories, more inspiring that my loop around a cemetery. Next time I will return to the slopes.

Big big "night" train on way back, but it's not at night anymore. 30 fellow commute enthusiasts enjoying dusk with me as the lights aligned to bring together the two forks. Need to get the gears sorted as they are jumping around a lot, especially in the mornings.

Back on track, at the track. 2k,1k,2k,1k

Don't seem to have lost much fitness from not doing any training and foot feeling good now. Good short session and the time seemed to fly by.

Times: 7:01 3:22 7:00 3:21

Beautiful red sunset gave way to grey dusk. No light needed for the first time this year.

The one Eastville Slope before branching out into Oldbury Slopes.

Bigger climbs further up the river, more crags and bigger lines to discover. An unrivalled sense of opportunity for some urban terrain running.

Happy to get out for a longer run, not run close to 70 minutes for quite a while.