Training Log Archive: Lard

A very slow potter around Sauchie checking the lines and routes for the night race - mmm, map needs some work.
Felt pretty rough and slow but great to be out.
The actual forest is excellent stuff - really classy.

Still sick - sore throat and hacking cough.

Relay day at JEC.
I am proper ill - very sore throat and big sniffles!
Great JEC - Peter's Bronze in the Sprint, Alice's 6th in the classic and the lads, with Ali on anchor moving from 10th to 4th. Some excellent results.

JEC, Classic.
Got time in the afternoon for Becky and I to run one of the courses.
I ran W20E. Ran it hard but wasn't feeling too good and raging sore thoat.
No excuses though - beaten by a Cech and Swiss girl!

In Germany at JEC.
Morning free training on a good example of the classic terrain. Some nice rocks!

FVO headlamp run and soup from home.
Took the posse on an elaborate wander through the paths and woods of Dunblane and Laigh Hills. Nice.
Big turnout for soup.

First time on the track in ages.
Nervous about the calf but it held out well and I ran on the mid-foot for most of the session. Keeping good posture but not running too hard.
6 x 3 mins with 60 floating.
Drills and warm up and down, as per usual.
A strong crowd tonight - it doesn't feel the same when you're at the back of the pack!

A dash to pilates and conditioning.
Joined by J9 and Snoopy which was great to see.

Rather a late start and lots of nattering mid-session, shall have to crack the whip a bit next week! ;-)

A wee jog round Sauchie checking out the area for a future night event. Back a little stiff but I enjoyed getting into this wood - it's an excellent area and would make a superb high class short or middle......... on a professional map.
Janine took fraggle round the ridge path and I met them en route on the way back.

Great sunny day, sore calf so no x-c.
Decided to have an easy walk up a hill.

Foolishly chose Ben Venue which is never a short walk and I was carrying 5.5 kilos of extra front luggage (aka Yoda). Both me and J9 struggling away but we got to the top in the end and the views were excellent. The wee one didn't really mind either and he looked well cool in the Stevenson's all-in-one. My back is now knackered!

C • Photos 2

Into work. 2 degrees!
Fab!

From work at lunchtime to Kings Knott and a full loop of Kings Park - ended up being too big a loop and having to come back along the road from by the motorway. Beautiful day. Calf improving but not ready for X-C tomorrow. ;-(

Home from work. Felt a bit tired on the hill.
Still a beautiful day.

Rode into work.
Despite the gloomy day it was a lovely ride. Even Raploch looked nice - must be my exercise endorphins kicking in!

Home from work, fairly hard.
Then a full-on evening with the 12lb-er.

Calf still wrecked.

C • GWS 3

Felt very lethargic this week, but then, so did most of the crowd after a full-on weekend.
Left calf very very sore - no running for a few days.
Had to walk home.

Warm up/down, easy run along old railway followed by tempo run back.
Tight gluts and very very tight calves now .
Can hardly walk.

The 4.5 hour drive home helped though......

GB Squad weekend.
Variety of warm up and down, drills and 4 x 1ks with 60 recovery followed by 10 x 10 sec hill sprints - loved these.
Then more drills, more drills and S&C posture work.

Tight ass.

A very enjoyable FVO headlamp run from Doune. Dixie's alternative to the Doune Ponds route - up and down the river starting through Deanston.
Most fun.

Choked with the cold.
First illness in ages.

C • same i bet you gave it to m... 2

FVO Pilates, circuits and jog to and from home.
14 turned out tonight - this season's record. Can we see a few more please!!! ;-)

Bagged the Northallerton Races as we headed home. A great idea, well, didn't enjoy the urban race that much - too much hard road running and too soon after breakfast - must have run at least 9k here! In 2nd place 40 secs down on Jonny Malley - I lost this much 5 from the end at the control next to my car!

Micro O event at the Leisure Centre with its own maze - brill!
3 qualifying rounds of between 4:20 and 5:05 minutes then the fastest overall 4 people go into the final.
Due to a distinct lack of elites about and Charlie Adam's mis-punch I made the final.

The final entailed a slightly longer course with 2 gaffles - 4 of us starting at the same time - I started steady in behind Andy Spencely but when we came to the maze I outnavigated everyone leaving it first. We then had a further two gaffles which involved trying to work out the map and where you had to go next - not easy to see when you visit controls up to 3 times!
Fortunately I was in front at the penultimate control with Simon Martland (!) of all people breathing down my neck - a perfect line to the last control and victory was mine!

£10 Up and Running voucher and a Craft technical T-shirt - thank you very much!

Thanks to the Pooles and Thornton's for a great fun day!

C • Congrats! 1

Plenty of jogging around between races.
I now have very sore quads from all the road running and sprinting!

Visiting the rellies in Yorkshire, managed a quick run before breakfast from the Hensman's - usual route through the woods, Birk Crag and Pine woods. Thing improved as I got going - very windy!

FVO 3 km Time Trial on the Stirling Uni track.
A big warm up and down and a rushed 3k as Central were hogging the track - ba%*ards!

Given the recent treatment and not feeling 100% I didn't exactly attack this, but posture and everything felt good - 11:25.
29 secs off my PB.

I think I can get that when we return at the end of November.

A great turnout and mix of folk of age and ability - well done to all.