Training Log Archive: OJ

Event: Mont Blanc Marathon
 

Jog down to the start with Alex and Florian.

The short version: 10th place. That went about as well as it could have done and although it involved a lot of pain in the last 5kms, I loved every minute of it, paced it well and got the most out of myself.

The long version: I'm sick of being asked (by non-runners) if I have ever run a marathon. So I did. I've also wanted to run a Skyrace for a long time, and this one seemed like a good candidate - without too much of the race spent at serious altitude. That coincided with Inov8 aiming to take the Skyrunning series more seriously and it seemed like too good an opportunity to miss.

The start in the middle of Chamonix was a real buzz with a big crowd despite the 7am(!) start. After a day of torrential rain yesterday it was mild with mostly cloudless skies, so ideal running conditions. I just about managed to get myself to the front of the narrow start corridor, next to a bubbling Shona Stephenson (also Inov8), who kept me amused until the gun - it took me 500m to overtake her, she's nuts. I was surprised that the pace was quite comfortable for the first flat 3km and I settled into a nice pack of about 15, none of whom seemed willing to get in front of Kilian. Wonder why? It got a bit harder when we hit the climbs and I tried not to overcook it here without losing touch. I was saved for the time being by a technical bit of singletrack that bunched the pack back up again.

We were all still together when we hit the first serious climb at about 11km, and I made the choice to sit back as the pack strung out in front of me. I was in about 15th and happy that some of them would probably come back to me. Up and over the Col de Montets, where I was on my own, but I made some inroads on the long descent to Vallorcine. Here we hit the first feed station (at about 18km - they were few and far between). I loaded up on cake and banana and dug in for the crux of the race - a 1000m climb to the summit of Aiguilles des Possettes at 2201m. I ran every step but quite conservatively, although still managed to pass a couple of stragglers and I didn't notice the altitude at all.

The ridgeline descent back to Tre le Champ was possibly the most spectacular bit of racing I have ever done with a complete panorama of the Mont Blanc range dizzying you on a technical knife-edge ridge. I hit this hard to try to work back onto a couple of folk that I could see in the distance and enjoyed the technicality in spite of some cramp twinges in my calves - amazingly the only cramps I felt all race. By the bottom I was thirsty and hungry and it was still a long way to the next feed station, which was a bit of a worry. Made it in one piece and loaded up on salty crackers (not easy to eat but necessary) washed downb with energy drink. I got passed here by the only person who overtook me in the whole race - he was fair shifting and I had to let him go. With 11km to go and a 750m climb up to the finish I knew I had to focus on my own race.

The climb started gradually along a balcon route through boulder-strewn forests, before climbing steeply up a switchback climb to Le Flegere - I felt good initially and passed another guy here, but quickly realised that I had underestimated the climb. This was the toughest part of the race for me and I had to walk a couple of short sections up to the cablecar station and another chance for a drink. With 5km to go there was some respite on a stunning but technical contouring path across some open screes, which revitalised me and I was suddenly on the back of a New Balance athlete, who I knew was probably in 10th. I gambled on making an assertive move and overtook him fast, hoping that he would capitulate. He didn't and I knew that I had committed myself to a world of pain. A short downhill was followed by the denouement of the course - a 150m climb up to the finish in the last km. Aware that I was being chased I resolved to run every step of it (no different from Hero's, surely?). It was horrible and if it wasn't for the amazing crowd (especially Tessa, who ran behind me shouting for a bit) I would never have managed it. Marathon PB.

Great support from Inov8 all the way round. All I could stomach for 2 hours after was watermelon. Got cold, caught the telephonique down to Chamonix, lay down in the square to sun myself and soak up the atmosphere and fell asleep. After a double espresso, a massage and two beers I felt like a new man.

Now I just have to get home without missing the last train from Manchester airport...

C • Tres bon 18

I had to run as fast as I could from the gate to the train station with some heavy hand luggage to make the last train home with seconds to spare. It destroyed me.

Morning jog up the valley before a very lazy day. Rain, rain, rain, but sun forecast for tomorrow!

Long day of travel out to Chamonix. Got out for a late jog from the Inov8 'athlete retreat' for an easy leg loosener.

Out to Blake Street for 8x20sec bounds followed by 2xthe whole street in 47, 46. Feeling light and bouncy. Good.

C • smash the frogs! 18

Meander along Rivelin via BHP feeling good with no fatigue and no niggles to speak of, which is always a little worrying.

IW shortest possible route.

2xHero's, up and down on the first effort, then just up. 5.15 (off the pace, didn't feel great), 3.28 down, 5.01 (much better, but suffered for it). Pleased with the time although it would have been nice to dip under 5. Home via Alex's place for a tour.

C • It's my place too! 2

IW, smashed from a late night and early morning.

HFW followed by an early night.

Loxley common, Fisheries, Dungworth and back along Loxley valley. Started steady but was bouncing along in the end, buoyed up by the dramatic skies over Damflask with sunbeams lancing down through the dark clouds.

Tiring day at Castle Carr carrying Alex around in the rain while he napped, good to have some company with Randy and the girls.

C • Backpack 3

Hillsborough Parkrun. Got a nice sunny weather window and felt decent so I set off quite assertively. Made the mistake of looking at my watch at the end of lap 1 to see that a course record was probably not on the cards and was a bit ambivalent after that. 5.28, 5.34, 5.37, 11. Big gap behind so not much motivation to push harder. Last sustained effort before next weekend.

Out to Our Cow Molly's up and over Stannington to make room for the grandparents in the Panda. Ran at a comfortable fast pace and felt OK, afrogato when I arrived, followed by a nice walk around Agden with Alex on my back.

That was a struggle. Kms at Myers Grove bike track during a downpour. The intention was to run a bit faster than normal for fewer reps off longer recovery. In reality I struggled to hold my normal pace in the wet and wild conditions, and had to grind it out. 3.06, 3.09, 3.11, 3.10 off jog 500 (~2.30). Oh well, good to get it in the bank.

As part of the warm up.

IW the flat way, feeling battered from last night.

HFW via bank.

Win Lose Win session starting from Cutthroat Bridge. Pushed the ups and downs quite hard and cruised the flat road run in between. Tough session as the hills get longer, roughly 10mins, 11mins, 12mins. Facefulls of midges on the way home.

C • starting to bite 4

IW via BHP, not feeling sprightly.

HFW via Parkwood Springs, better this evening.

Got out early to squeeze a run in before a day of entertaining Russians. Steady up Rivelin and Coppice feeling tired and groggy. Much better for this though.

Arrived pretty early, so warmed up by jogging the whole route with plenty of stopping to chat to various folk. Needed a long warm up to get the legs moving. Plus some jogging before and after.

Buckden Pike English champs. I was a bit worried about my legs after last weekend, but they help up just fine. Didn't take any risks on the initial steep climb and a lot of folk came past me here, but it paid off as I could work my way through the field once the climb started to ease. I felt pretty good by the top and pushed on, lost a couple of places on the first descent, but gained them all back and more on the traverse path before holding my position on the final drop into Buckden. 11th place, well in the mix, probably not a lot more I could have done really. Surprisingly good fun all told.

C • Nice moves 3

Some easy jogging in York. Did a lot of walking carrying Alex today so the legs were a bit tired.

Up the Ings. Felt the need to inject some pace. Ran 1 min hard into 5 mins strong tempo x2 then 10 mins moderate tempo. Regretted it, legs still tired. Easy day tomo to salvage what I can.

Another day of surveying on the run around Dalby. Lucked out with the weather again and covered lots of ground, good to get this done before the bracken and nettles engulf everything.

C • smash it 3

And the rest of the day's work. Long and tiring!

Along the Ings in York. Planned to do a bit more, but this was enough.

IW, feeling surprisingly good considering; no particularly sore muscles, just a bit tired overall.

HFW, in a hurry as usual.

Nope, most strenuous activity was playing a bit of cricket with some kids at a first birthday party.

For own reference: ate a chunk of christmas cake at 1hr, a cliff bar at 2hrs and 6 shot blocks from 3hrs to the finish. Drank 1ltr nuun plus a few sips here and there from marshals. Seemed about right.

Running toMalin Bridge for my lift, not much more warm up needed today!

Ennerdale, 1st. Up for this after a few weeks off racing. Decent field out today, so didnt know how it would pan out. Set off comfortably at the start chatting to Pete Vale, but hit the climb in front and pulled away quite easily. Decided to take it on and managed to establish a decent gap by Great Bourne. Felt good on the flattish run to Red Pike, but I could see Pete and Kim Collinson chasing hard - they took some different lines and I was still running a bit scared by Haystacks. But that was the last I saw of them and I started to relax up Green Gable, where Matt Hulley was giving good support and showed me the way down the scree gully. Bruised my instep on a sharp rock here which was a bit uncomfortable for a while.

After that it was just about not doing anything silly and looking after myself to avoid a bonk in the hot conditions. Found the gully off Kirk Fell no problem, Pillar was much bigger than I remembered and my water ran out here still almost an hour from home. Haycock looked bad but passed by without incident and I managed to enjoy the final few kms in spite of some minor cramping in the (heavily brashed) forest below Crag Hill. Even managed a decent pace along the flat track back to the finish. Cake, tea, handshake from Joss and a cold river to sit in, nice. Happy with the race and encouraged to feel good all the way to the end, good training for Wasdale!

C • Top work 15

Gentle trot up Rivelin to loosen things off. Not feeling particularly bouncy, oh well.

IW via BHP, heavy legs.

C • ennerdale 2

HFW via BHP, better.

Got out for a run during Alex's afternoon nap. Up to Loxley Common on tired legs.

Back from a mapping trip/holiday at Lands End with no Internet access for a whole week, thought I may have got over my AP addiction, but looks like that was wishful thinking...

Myers grove kms on a nice warm evening. Didn't know what to expect after a couple of weeks with almost no sessions, but was happy enough with the times. 3.11, 3.08, 3.09, 3.07, 3.08, 3.06.

Spent the whole day driving to bristol from lands end, got out for an exploring run from Sandford, over towards cheddar, back via a radio mast, a fast descent into Winscombe and a final 10 min tempo along the strawberry line.

Run from St Just YH to Lands End, carried on for another half hour, then turned back to meet Jen in Trevescan. She was running late, so I ran another loop via Lands End and Nantjizl, followed by veggie fry up in the Apple Tree and an afternoon on the beach. Set off harder than normal for a long run to try to cover as much distance as possible and felt good all the way in spite of the hot morning - some great technical running on the hilly and rocky coastal path.

Couldn't resist jogging down to the beach one last time for a sunset circuit session and some hill bounds.

Final 2hrs survey at Botallack, finishing off the cliffs and the arsenic labyrinth!

Not really a training run. Day off running today, but blasted it up from Pendeen lighthouse to the town to pick up the car before an afternoon on the beach. Walk down and back with Alex on my back, legs really tired today! Evening BBQ in the sun with Shane and Heather at the YH, all very idyllic.