Training Log Archive: bradc

Event: SOL 6
 

INTerlopers' SOL at Inshriach South, M35L.

I was looking forward to this, despite never having run well here in the past - too many of those contour things for me to be able to read at anything above walking pace. Even the tales of rogue capercaillie in the INTerlopers accommodation the night before the race, which saw us having to remove several controls from the maps of four courses in order to prevent elders and juniors from being savaged, didn't put me off. Unfortunately the tales must have scared Jamie, because he - and, consequently, we - had a very bad night's sleep.

I set off without my head in gear and promptly made a 2 minute error, as well as tweaking my ankle en route. I wonder, does tiredness affect your balance as well as your concentration? Hmm. I was cautious to #2, but then duffed #3 and went over on my ankle heavily just coming into the control site. I sat on the ground for a bit and considered my options. Another 7-8km to go, head not in the game, balance/ankles clearly not either - hmm, again. Jack, walk back, ice, a couple of days off; or keep going and likely have to take a couple of weeks off? Sense, it seems, comes with age. I went for an early shower and spent the rest of the time playing in the car with the birthday boy.

C • where were the showers?! 7

C • Happy Birthday Jamie 2

BASOC kindly let us old geezers run at Inshriach North after the young guns had run their Junior Inter-Regional Relays. Well, not AFTER, as it turned out - East area got lost en route, it seems, and the start put back 50 minutes! - but the organisers' decision to leave the juniors' start unit still on its trestle in a big blue tent next to the finish was unfortunate, as several people, including Beccy, punched it before realising that it wasn't the finish and they'd therefore just cleared the contents of their brikke. Thankfully it was gone by the time I finished.

I enjoyed this. After a week of relative sloth, it was great to be out, and I was relatively wide awake, which meant that (apart from an early 2-minute blunder at #2) I was concentrating quite well. I also found it easier going underfoot than Inshriach South, although I wasn't really pushing and even had a sit down at one point, albeit to hold my knee after I'd wanged it into a big tree stump! If only I could get rid of the stopping, folding, and staring at my map at every control I could shave three minutes off my time. But I'd probably run off in the wrong direction.

Just enough time to squeeze in a short cross-trainer session before breakfast - a long day of trade show and then travelling awaits. Think I managed to sweat out some of last night's toxins; god, I felt rough.

Another lovely day in Stuttgart but the networking event tonight - 2 hours of malt whisky tasting at the Scottish stand - has a 99% chance of precluding any physical activity other than exercising my arm muscles and marshalling my facial ones in order to mask my grimaces... horrible stuff.

Postscript. The whisky tasting finished after 2 hours, but I'd already gone across to the Silicon Saxony stand, where they'd imported a beach, were giving out sandals and lots of beer - then it was on to the Jemi France stand for the fine wine tasting. FUzzywuZZydinglesplat hic oh my head

After a long day standing at my, er, stand, I was feeling pretty dead, both mentally and physically. Which is terrible. Surely we are designed to stand up? My calves and back were aching. Ban chairs, I say. Anyway, I really didn't feel up to anything speedy, so I opted for the steady plod for an hour.

Plod plod plod. After just an hour on concrete every muscle in my legs was as tight as a gnat's chuff. Even after some judicious stretching the quads were still feeling weird. Further, liquid, muscle relaxant (accompanying the hotel meal) was in order. Ya. Pass ze reddenweinenhicfallover, fraulein!

A long day of travelling to Stuttgart courtesy of BA. My first trip through Terminal 5 - it's, er, rather large. And all very nice, but how much did it cost? 5 billion?! You were robbed, BA.

Anyway, I arrived at my hotel in Stuttgart, deeply disappointed to find it in the midst of a concrete jungle with pavements being an optional extra. With the option largely not being taken, it seemed. On the up side, the hotel unexpectedly had a small gym, so I headed off down there for a stretch out and then 30 mins of interval programme on the X-trainer. Just enough to loosen off the tight calves and sore back. Only three more nights...