Training Log Archive: bradcIn the 30 days ending Nov 30, 2008:
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Sunday Nov 30, 2008 #
Note
(sick)
-8.5C overnight and -3.5C max today, icy and misty in Dunblane, but gorgeously sunny above the cloud at North 3rd reservoir, where we went for a wee 2 hour walk. The best thing you can do when you're stuffed with the cold is to get out and about, if only at a dawdle pace! Fantastic views to Stuc, Ben Vorlich, Ledi etc.
Saturday Nov 29, 2008 #
Note
(sick)
Full of the cold.
Friday Nov 28, 2008 #
Running (Easy) 30:00 [2] 6.0 km (5:00 / km)
ahr:142 shoes: Asics Gel Landreth 3
Another lovely lunchtime, so just a wee jog to loosen off and get some air. Both back and the tendon behind my knee were sore. Crock.
Wednesday Nov 26, 2008 #
Orienteering (Night-O) 1:09:13 [3]
FVO Night event Minewoods. Was hopeless. Aggravated the tendon behind my left knee - should be OK after icing and a couple of days' rest.
Tuesday Nov 25, 2008 #
Intervals intervals 29:00 [5] 7.38 km (3:56 / km)
ahr:165 max:175 shoes: Asics Gel Landreth 3
First FVO intervals session in a while, and I felt it. 6 x 4 mins, 1 min recovery. A steady but unspectacular pace. Dixie kept me honest for the first two, then dramatically pulled up with a re-injured calf at the start of rep 3; bad luck, hombre. I was already feeling sore by rep 4 but JonX dragged me around that one; I felt done in by the end of rep 5, and on rep 6 I basically relaxed and took it easy, dropping about 15m off the distance I'd been pretty much constantly managing over the other reps, to my surprise. It was good to be working hard, but sobering to see that even my fastest laps were only what I was averaging for my 3km time trial last year. Hmm. Oh well. I'll keep plugging away and get better eventually!
Running warm up/down 25:00 [2] 3.5 km (7:09 / km)
shoes: Asics Gel Landreth 3
Drills, some steady laps and sprints.
Monday Nov 24, 2008 #
Running (Trail) 30:00 [3] 6.5 km (4:37 / km)
shoes: Saucony Grid Jazz Omni
Too lovely a lunchtime to stay hunched over a keyboard, so I went out for a wee jaunt around the muddy paths of Livingston. Contrary to expectations I felt loose and relatively bouncy, although still twingeing away in the lower back & buttocks. The tender ministrations of my TP Massage Ball must be having some positive effect!
Strength training (Pilates) 40:00 [2]
Back to the FVO session, yippee! Hmm, decidedly wobbly on the side raises, that's a) the result of some weeks off, and b) some slightly wayward lower lumbar muscles. Not too bad though. Good craic as usual.
Strength training (Circuits) 25:00 [4]
Did better on the circuits than I'd feared, nothing broke, although Janine's fiendish new exercise was way harder than the comical crab walking that it replaced. I had a partner in crime sharing my station again, Rupert P on his first visit, so I tried to be gentle on him. Not. He wasn't as fast as Spongey was on the step ups (the lad's feet were blurring) but would have killed him on the scissor kicks. Good efforts by all!
Saturday Nov 22, 2008 #
Orienteering race 1:03:03 [4] *** 6.7 km (9:25 / km) +200m 8:11 / km
shoes: Silva K80 dobs
FVO Club Champs at Barr Wood. Very enjoyable - Steve B planned a great course, and even managed to fit in a terrific long leg. I ran well enough - not quickly, and in particular I was weak on the hills - but felt I'd done OK. I'd have been happy with my run if I hadn't thrown away 3 and a half minutes on #12, but I was far from being alone in that; lots of people missed that one!
Will ran a stomping time, 51 mins was pretty awesome, dude.
Will ran a stomping time, 51 mins was pretty awesome, dude.
Friday Nov 21, 2008 #
Running (Trudge) 29:30 [2] 5.2 km (5:40 / km) +170m 4:53 / km
ahr:140 max:161 shoes: Asics Gel Landreth 3
Just time for a wee trot out to see where the legs are before I have to make the decision about whether or not to do the XC at Broxburn tomorrow. And the answer is - not good. Much twingeing, in back and buttock, and very slow legs. Was going so slowly up the hill I wasn't sure that the feet were still actually moving...
Thursday Nov 20, 2008 #
Note
(rest day)
A long day on-site in Manchester, a 6:30 departure for home - no chance to do any running.
I've decided that Astras are crap for my back. Beccy's did mine in over the last couple of weeks; then Steve hired a car for this week and what did he get? You guessed it... geez.
I've decided that Astras are crap for my back. Beccy's did mine in over the last couple of weeks; then Steve hired a car for this week and what did he get? You guessed it... geez.
Wednesday Nov 19, 2008 #
Gym (Cross-trainer) 45:00 [3] 10.55 km (4:16 / km)
ahr:152 max:163
Pushed hard - sweated buckets - just about fell over when I staggered off the machine, so I think that I burnt off enough calories to mostly offset the lardy hotel grub. For this evening, at least!
Gym (Warm down) 10:00 [1]
Stretching and gentle warm down.
Tuesday Nov 18, 2008 #
Strength training 35:00 [2]
Hit the machines in the gym after work...
Running (Road) 32:00 [3] 6.92 km (4:37 / km)
ahr:150 max:159 shoes: Asics Gel Landreth 3
...then had a steady plod back to the hotel. Dull dull dull. Back still not right.
Monday Nov 17, 2008 #
Note
(rest day)
5am start - long drive to Manchester - long day in the orifice - traffic jam en route to the hotel - chucking it with rain the entire time. Yeuch. Can I start the week again, please?
Sunday Nov 16, 2008 #
Running (Recovery) 40:00 [3] 8.35 km (4:47 / km) +150m 4:24 / km
ahr:146 max:160 shoes: Saucony Grid Jazz Omni
Buoyed by ibuprofen... perhaps a bad idea. I set off for a wee jaunt around Dunblane in the lovely afternoon sunshine. A slightly faster pace than yesterday, and my back started twingeing and generally telling me off. Fool! (in my best BA Baracas accent). Gorgeous views across to Stuc, Ledi, Lomond et al. Oh to be up a hill...
Saturday Nov 15, 2008 #
Running (Recovery) 30:00 [2] 5.6 km (5:21 / km) +120m 4:50 / km
ahr:142 max:146 shoes: Asics Gel-Trail Attack WR
Another day trapped in the training course in Edinburgh - at the weekend! - but I escaped at 3 and managed to get home in time to go out for a tentative trot to see how my back is faring. The answer is - getting better, but still not great. The proof will be in the pudding tomorrow morning, when I try to get out of bed...
I'd really been hoping to run the Braids today. Very jealous of Dixie and Grump!
I'd really been hoping to run the Braids today. Very jealous of Dixie and Grump!
Friday Nov 14, 2008 #
Note
(rest day)
All day on a training course in Edinburgh - deeply dull, and no chance to exercise. This was a good thing, as my back's improving but still not up to allowing me to run.
Thursday Nov 13, 2008 #
Note
(rest day)
Back crocked again this morning. Stupid thing.
Wednesday Nov 12, 2008 #
Running (Recovery) 21:30 [2] 4.5 km (4:47 / km)
shoes: Asics Gel Landreth 3
Tentative early morning jog up the road to see if my back's getting any better. It is, but my legs were rubbish, felt like they were on backwards.
Strength training 35:00 [2]
Back on the machines again after work in Stockport. No queuing, unlike last night - obviously 5pm is the time to go...
Gym (Cross-trainer) 40:00 [3] 8.5 km (4:42 / km)
Love the random effort program on these machines; a far better workout than the yooni ones.
Tuesday Nov 11, 2008 #
Note
Lower back very crocked today. It wasn't even the hill race that did it - I think now that it was clearing out the loft on Sunday afternoon, hoiking boxes of books to/from the loft and ripping up lots of excess cardboard packaging. Double d'oh. :-(
Gym (Cardio) 40:00 [3] 7.7 km (5:12 / km)
Located a nice municipal gym less than half a mile from the customer's site - perfect. 30 mins of non-impact exercise on the cross-trainer and 10 mins on the rower in an attempt to mobilise that lower back...
Strength training 20:00 [2]
Some simple core core, stretching, and a couple of machines that I managed to get to without queuing. Obviously 6pm is NOT the time to go to this gym!
Monday Nov 10, 2008 #
Note
(injured) (rest day)
Driving to Macunia. In Beccy's car again. So my already sore back was completely crocked after 5 more hours in the hot seat. Doh!
Sunday Nov 9, 2008 #
Running (Trail run) 55:20 [3] 10.25 km (5:24 / km) +280m 4:45 / km
ahr:141 max:151 shoes: Inov8 RocLite
Low intensity slither around the golf course, muddy trails of Kippenross and up the road past Pisgah & forest tracks to Dykedale.
Legs sluggish. Maybe I should have warmed down yesterday after all...
Legs sluggish. Maybe I should have warmed down yesterday after all...
Saturday Nov 8, 2008 #
Running warm up/down 5:00 [2] 1.0 km (5:00 / km)
shoes: Walsh PB Trainer Ultra
Not even a half-hearted attempt at a warm up. Poor show. Too busy fussing over Jamie when I should have just left him in Marcella's excellent hands and got on with a decent bit of jogging, strides, sprints... rather than a lame trot around the field next to the start.
Running race (Hill race) 39:31 [5] 6.78 km (5:50 / km) +480m 4:18 / km
ahr:165 max:171 shoes: Walsh PB Trainer Ultra
Tinto hill race: into a stiff headwind and into cloud all the way up, but no rain - something of a balmy day by this race's standards. Not that I can comment, as the last time I ran this (in 34:47) was in 2001. My PB (33:11) was set the previous year.
Well, the lack of warm up really cost me. I had the kind of ascent that would have made any grown fell runner weep. Sluggish legs, sore back; I walked up ALL of the steep bits. On the way down I relaxed and really enjoyed the steeper, rubblier bits, which (at least) I'm happy about. I had no zip on the flatter bits, though, and come the bottom I was basically just coasting along. Rubbish. 40th/260.
I had been expecting to be way off my PB, given the wind (all the usual suspects seemed to be about 2 mins slower), my lack of hills and generally being an old git, but nonetheless I was disappointed with my time. Lots more hills required.
No warm down, as I was dashing off to take advantage of the hot shower and coffee & cake generously offered by Ross's mum!
Well, the lack of warm up really cost me. I had the kind of ascent that would have made any grown fell runner weep. Sluggish legs, sore back; I walked up ALL of the steep bits. On the way down I relaxed and really enjoyed the steeper, rubblier bits, which (at least) I'm happy about. I had no zip on the flatter bits, though, and come the bottom I was basically just coasting along. Rubbish. 40th/260.
I had been expecting to be way off my PB, given the wind (all the usual suspects seemed to be about 2 mins slower), my lack of hills and generally being an old git, but nonetheless I was disappointed with my time. Lots more hills required.
No warm down, as I was dashing off to take advantage of the hot shower and coffee & cake generously offered by Ross's mum!
Friday Nov 7, 2008 #
Gym (Cardio) 25:00 [3] 5.6 km (4:28 / km)
Just a bit of a leg-loosening, easy cardio effort - race tomorrow. 20 mins of intervals (high rate, low resistance) on the cross-trainer, then 5 minutes rowing at a high tempo.
Gym (Circuits) 20:00 [2]
Stretching, core muscle exercises.
Thursday Nov 6, 2008 #
Running (Trail) 42:21 [3] 8.66 km (4:53 / km) +140m 4:31 / km
ahr:148 max:159 shoes: Asics Gel Landreth 3
A very turgid trundle around Livingston. Sore back, tired legs and brain, not up to speed at all. Felt like a right jogger.
Wednesday Nov 5, 2008 #
Note
(rest day)
On-site in Manchester and then crawling back up the M6.
Tuesday Nov 4, 2008 #
Running (Road) 46:30 [3] 10.0 km (4:39 / km) +100m 4:26 / km
ahr:150 max:160 shoes: Asics Gel Landreth 3
After a lovely event-filled drive to Manchester and a full day in the office, I forced myself out for an evening (dark) run from the hotel. Not knowing the area, I stuck to the pavements and followed what Googlemaps showed to be a promising route, at least until the pavements ran on on a small country road and I had to leap out of the way of a car. Twice. At which point I decided to live to fight another day, and turned around.
Not feeling too sprightly on the way out, but warmed up - literally, it was 11C - and started feeling OK, so pressed on a wee bit on the way back, but got a bit ragged.
Not feeling too sprightly on the way out, but warmed up - literally, it was 11C - and started feeling OK, so pressed on a wee bit on the way back, but got a bit ragged.
Monday Nov 3, 2008 #
Strength training (Pilates) 35:00 [2]
I was feeling pretty rotten today, as I'm trying to beat off B's grotty cold; the hard exercise of the weekend let it get a bit of a foothold. Still, moderate exercise and stretching can only help.
Things were all a bit wobbly tonight - tired legs/core, and a blocked ear didn't help my balance.
Things were all a bit wobbly tonight - tired legs/core, and a blocked ear didn't help my balance.
Strength training (Circuits) 25:00 [4]
Oh what the heck. Since I was there...
Felt ok during the session. Great to see the young whippersnappers trying hard - Abi's got those flutter kicks sorted - but the seasoned campaigners were holding their own as well, no-one was pushing it harder than Dixie! And he even went for a run afterwards... tough to resist on such a fine evening, but I was trying to be vaguely sensible, honest.
Felt ok during the session. Great to see the young whippersnappers trying hard - Abi's got those flutter kicks sorted - but the seasoned campaigners were holding their own as well, no-one was pushing it harder than Dixie! And he even went for a run afterwards... tough to resist on such a fine evening, but I was trying to be vaguely sensible, honest.
Sunday Nov 2, 2008 #
Running warm up/down 10:00 [2] 1.3 km (7:42 / km) +70m 6:04 / km
ahr:140 max:156 shoes: Silva K80 dobs
A very stiff and sore jog to the start. Gosh, everything hurts! Especially those soon-to-be-ex-big toenails.
Orienteering race (Score) 1:05:58 9.37 km (7:02 / km) +400m 5:48 / km
ahr:153 max:167 shoes: Silva K80 dobs
The Tinto Twin day event, aka the Scottish Score Champs, at Rachan and Dreva, on a stupendous day. If winter is going to be like this, bring it on! Clear as a bell and the sunshine was too warm for me to need to wear a T-shirt under my light O-top. Fab.
For once it was clear from first glance that it was perfectly achievable to collect all of the controls in the allotted time, despite the slow and creaky pace dictated by yesterday's travails. Running out up the hill towards Trahenna was fantastic; coming back looking at the snow-topped Culter fells was even better. The controls were, well, pretty easy. Unfortunately the area is small, so to get enough distance and choice in, the planners made use of two grotty little bits of wood at the S side of the map, forcing a long run along tarmac - not great in studs. The only control I stuffed was in the second bit of wood, where all the veg on the map had been decimated by forestry work, and was all lying on the ground. Apart from that, though, it was grand. Just wish I'd been able to run faster!
For once it was clear from first glance that it was perfectly achievable to collect all of the controls in the allotted time, despite the slow and creaky pace dictated by yesterday's travails. Running out up the hill towards Trahenna was fantastic; coming back looking at the snow-topped Culter fells was even better. The controls were, well, pretty easy. Unfortunately the area is small, so to get enough distance and choice in, the planners made use of two grotty little bits of wood at the S side of the map, forcing a long run along tarmac - not great in studs. The only control I stuffed was in the second bit of wood, where all the veg on the map had been decimated by forestry work, and was all lying on the ground. Apart from that, though, it was grand. Just wish I'd been able to run faster!
Saturday Nov 1, 2008 #
Running race (Hill race) 1:01:18 [5] 11.55 km (5:18 / km) +525m 4:19 / km
ahr:167 max:172 shoes: Inov8 RocLite
It was a fine sunny morning. I had read an e-mail on the Carnethy distribution list about some spurious madcap event called the "British Military Fitness 10k" at Dreghorn. Beccy was still ill and gave me a pass. It seemed that there was nothing for it but to go and show the squaddies what for. Tally ho!
I've been a bit ropey the last couple of days so had no expectations whatsoever, I felt a bit ropey again when I found out that the entry fee was £20, but managed to stay on my feet and find my way back to the car to get changed. Being the last to enter I missed the pep talk and the route description, but was there to take part in the "warm up". Hmmm. The only other person I knew - out of about 80 - was Lorna. This could all go horribly wrong. Oh well!
Bang, and off we ran through a lovely big puddle. A guy lead off and ran hard, so quickly there was a small group of 5 of us at the head of the field. Hmm, either everyone else is taking it easy because they know something I don't, or I might be in with a shout here. I was feeling good. 1km in, leader suddenly stopped and said "I think we're off route". Ah. Turn left, up the hill, hmm, I'm in the lead. 0.5km later I stop, and say loudly, "I was having a wazz when the route was being described, does anyone know where to go?" Ex leader pipes up "when we did this last year we were up there".
Idiot.
Serious grind uphill. No markers. Head back towards the side of the wood above Bonaly. A marker! It's the 1km one. I check my GPS. 2.6km. Sh*te.
On on. The five had become four, and up the hill it became me and another bloke. He was pretty decent on the climbs, and overtook me for a brief stretch over Harbour hill - mostly because I came across one of the two "obstacles" and hadn't a clue what to do - but I powered away from him on the long track down to the reservoir, 30s lead. Oops, it's up all the way back to Capelaw and the Castlelaw col. The other two have caught up the second-placed guy. Somehow I hang on and increase my lead. Hm. Catch up some of the 5kmers. Fly down the track towards Bonaly. Sgt Major Nutter screams "straight through the mud" and I duly do so and shower him and the photographer. Better leg it. No sign of the followers Holy cow.
I hang on to record a surprise victory. Woo! Well chuffed. I was running OK, but I must say that my position was more a reflection of the quality of the field than any sudden burst of fitness of my part! Still. It's who turns up on the day who counts. Huzzah!
I've been a bit ropey the last couple of days so had no expectations whatsoever, I felt a bit ropey again when I found out that the entry fee was £20, but managed to stay on my feet and find my way back to the car to get changed. Being the last to enter I missed the pep talk and the route description, but was there to take part in the "warm up". Hmmm. The only other person I knew - out of about 80 - was Lorna. This could all go horribly wrong. Oh well!
Bang, and off we ran through a lovely big puddle. A guy lead off and ran hard, so quickly there was a small group of 5 of us at the head of the field. Hmm, either everyone else is taking it easy because they know something I don't, or I might be in with a shout here. I was feeling good. 1km in, leader suddenly stopped and said "I think we're off route". Ah. Turn left, up the hill, hmm, I'm in the lead. 0.5km later I stop, and say loudly, "I was having a wazz when the route was being described, does anyone know where to go?" Ex leader pipes up "when we did this last year we were up there".
Idiot.
Serious grind uphill. No markers. Head back towards the side of the wood above Bonaly. A marker! It's the 1km one. I check my GPS. 2.6km. Sh*te.
On on. The five had become four, and up the hill it became me and another bloke. He was pretty decent on the climbs, and overtook me for a brief stretch over Harbour hill - mostly because I came across one of the two "obstacles" and hadn't a clue what to do - but I powered away from him on the long track down to the reservoir, 30s lead. Oops, it's up all the way back to Capelaw and the Castlelaw col. The other two have caught up the second-placed guy. Somehow I hang on and increase my lead. Hm. Catch up some of the 5kmers. Fly down the track towards Bonaly. Sgt Major Nutter screams "straight through the mud" and I duly do so and shower him and the photographer. Better leg it. No sign of the followers Holy cow.
I hang on to record a surprise victory. Woo! Well chuffed. I was running OK, but I must say that my position was more a reflection of the quality of the field than any sudden burst of fitness of my part! Still. It's who turns up on the day who counts. Huzzah!
Running (Warm up/down) 15:00 [2] 3.0 km (5:00 / km)
shoes: Inov8 RocLite
Thought I'd better warm down a bit, really, as my left calf and glute were both tighter than a gnat's chuff. I suddenly realised that both my big toe nails also hurt like b*ggery. Argh. That's me officially back to hill racing then. No toe nails but a big grin on the fizzog. GREAT!