Training Log Archive: bradc

Urban race, Cumbernauld - M Vet (5.5km).
Really not expecting much from this, given that I am desperately unfit, don't train to run on roads any more (heck, don't train, let's face it), and am currently struggling with bad knees. R knee stiff from yesterday. So, I set off with that taped, compression bandages on both knees, and compression socks. Not matching, of course. Talking to Steve W at the start, though, who has had knee probs for years, he was telling me that whilst his knees hurt when he runs slowly on tarmac, they don't when he races. I'll try anything once, so decided to follow his advice.
I tried pretty hard all the way round and had no knee twinges at all. Only very small hesitations, too, < 1 min total, so, 5 mins down on PW in 11th place is as good as I could expect, really, given my lamentable state of fitness and lack of speed. I really enjoy urban, but have shied away from it in recent years due to my back problems (and now knee problems). If I don't hurt TOO much tomorrow, though, maybe it's time to rethink that policy. Fine victory over Al :-P.
TRIMP 113.2.

C • Lol 1

O: middle, Glencryan (Cumbernauld). Black course - 5.1km. An extremely inauspicious outing. Lumbering slowly around in an apocalyptically unfit state, I was totally unprepared to attack the course, which was the only way to make any real progress in an area such as this. Which was rough and tough, but had its nice bits. I did struggle with the way the kites were hung very low - I hesitate to say "hidden"! - as I always do, so leaked lots of time in the circles due to lack of confidence. I lost most of my time (16 minutes!) on six specific controls, though.
#4: my dibber got snagged on a branch and pinged off my finger just as I reached the control, and in the kafuffle to find it (ca 30s), I completely forgot to punch the control, and was most of the way to #5 before I realised. 5 minutes gone.
#5: found the one on the ruined building, which was also in the circle, and got confused by that - should have checked my descriptions. Ran off and eventually found my way back a couple of minutes later. Sigh.
#9: I was bang on the thicket and just didn't see it. Lost confidence and ran off to the next stream before working it out. 3 minutes.
#10: couldn't see the pit in the hack. 2 minutes.
#20: ended up dragged way too far to the north, hit the dot knolls, then bounced off the fence and slowly worked my way back. 3 minutes.
#22: sorry, but the map was just wrong here! The feature in relation to the path bend was in the wrong place. 1 minute.
Speaking to Crawford L on the way back, he had exactly the same problems with #20 and #22 as I did, and another ESOC'er agreed about #22. Hey ho! At least I was still in one piece by the end. One very scratched and soggy piece. TRIMP 168.8.

First FVO pilates session for a long time. Not TOO bad, but a long way off where I should be.

FVO circuits, 30/5s in paired exercises. Very tentative on any of the exercises that might aggravate my knees - both being supported by braces tonight, to be extra cautious - but the right knee had still become swollen and stiff by the end of Coustick Cinemas, so I clearly had been a tad overambitious. Not like me at all. Voltarol and a day off tomorrow. Core rubbish tonight, too! I will hurt tomorrow.