Training Log Archive: Jon X

Post Dumyat race recovery run with FVO posse plus guest appearance from Doug Tullie.

Headed through Kings Park to a loop of Polmaise and back round the other side of Kings Park. Another glorious day making Stirling and surrounds look lovely, hope the weather holds for Saturday!

Event: Dumyat Hill Race
 

FVO Wednesday evening series at Plean. Wasn't too sure about going out but when the opportunity arose it was too nice and sunny to turn down.

Just had time to cruise round before heading off to run the Dumyat race, enjoyed it and just as importantly judged it perfectly to finish one second ahead of Fraser :)

C • Timing 2

Dumyat Hill Race - big FVO turn out with 13 men and 8 women there enjoying a glorious day to be out.

My plan was to try and stick a bit closer to Bradc than two weeks ago at the Whangie, then if possible get a gap at the top on the grounds that he would descend better than me. That was the plan anyway!

In practice I started slightly too fast and had to chill out a bit on the track run along the bottom of Hermitage Woods, got passed by Brad and Paddy Walder along there. Brad was not looking totally comfortable, favouring one leg ever so slightly. I felt like i was climbing along quite happily just behind them through the woods etc, was feeling okay so overtook them again part way up.

Brad got just in front of me again just before the summit (there in 26:10) and I was immediately in front of Will with Paddy just behind. Revised plan of getting off the hill with Brad in sight and try and make an effort on the final not-as-short-as-you-think gentle climb along the track below Hermitage.

Descended hard trying not to let Brad get away, and not to be distracted by all the spectators who seemed to know Will - at least it meant I knew he was still right behind without needing to look back! Didn't know where Paddy was but had forgotten he was in trainers - a defnite error for the descent!

Maybe picked up a few places but wasn't catching Brad or being caught by Will, got to the planned place and pushed really hard on the ascent to get away from Will, picked up a few places as a result including nipping past Brad who was suffering. Thought I was going to pass out or throw up just before it levelled off as my vision started to go blurry and black, but got to the flat bit, kept it going and ran scared all the way to the finish to hold them off.

Reckoned I had done pretty much all I could on the descent (15:10 for the descent) and absolutely done in at the finish, but a bit disappointed the time wasn't nearer to 40mins. Well chuffed to beat Brad and Will though, even if Brad was part crocked and Will did have a fairly large and unpleasant blister on display afterwards!

Good work by all the FVO troops - especially Ewan and Jamie and Rosco, all in the top ten (out of 264 - I was 30th).

Some token drills and jogging before the race, some token shuffling was all I could manage after the race.

C • Disguise.... 2

Very pleasant FVO evening jaunt from chez Inman, supposed to be 'probably less than an hour' but didn't quite work out like that!

Janine had made fab soup and luckily unlike me everyone else had done as requested and brought bread'n'cakes'n'stuff so I was able to freeload. Next time I will remember. To bring stuff I mean, not that freeloading worked well!

C • didn't you leave with some bread? 2

Went for a walk with MC plus Deb and Paul and the kids, through Longshaw to Grindleford station cafe and back up Padley Gorge. I have never seen so many 'don't do that' signs in one place as in that cafe.
No mobiles.
We never change what is in full breakfast so don't ask.
Don't sit in front of the fire.
Don't take more than one serviette.
Don't look at the papers they are for buying not browsing.
Don't loiter at the serving hatch.
Don't leave your dirty plates on the tables when you leave.
Don't ask whether there are nuts in the food as we don't know either (!)
And so on.

Having said then it sells tea and hot chocolate in pint mugs, does a decent fry-up, and huge slabs of flapjack. So not too bad at all despite the grumpy impression they seem to want to give!

Felt lethargic after the three hour walk at the pace of the six year olds, but headed out from Longshaw for what turned out to be a fun run despite the rain.

Headed along White Edge to the trigpoint, cut down to Froggat Edge, back along there and through Longshaw. Had quite a tough week so knackered by the end, time to take up Dixie's suggestion of a rest day methinks.

C • Signs... 2

Evening jaunt in Sheffield through Endcliffe, up Porter Brook and back.
Didn't get any points.

Warm up and jogging between efforts.

C • Rest day ... 1

Efforts around different parts of Stirling.
2x 10mins and 5x 1min30s.
Quite hilly and tired legs by the end.