Training Log Archive: Jon X

No muscle soreness in quads or calves but paying the hill race price with my ankle tendon plus feeling right hamstring where it cramped on the descent yesterday.

No training although did manage a short stroll along Stanage.

Brad's birthday part 1 - FVO posse bike ride from Aberfoyle up the Loch Ard road through to Stronachlachar, then round Loch Katrine and finally back over Duke's Pass.

Another stunning day and a brilliant route (apart from the Lochs and Glens coaches early on!). Loving the traffic free stuff although before we reached that I did have a few choice words to say when I punctured (again!) after about 45mins.

Enjoyed the King of the Mountains challenge up Duke's Pass but couldn't quite stay with Tullster and Forest......although I'm sure Forest was coming back on the final section.....

Out for just over 2hrs 30 (time shown is approx ride time excluding puncture and Loch Katrine stop, plus a couple to regroup). Back to Aberfoyle in time for me, Rosco, Tullster and Forest to head back to Gargunnock for some additional festivities.....

...the Gargunnock Show hill race!

Still blazing weather and warm work on the ascent, legs not sore but feeling pretty dead (not surprising after this morning plus little proper running lately). Usual hill race story of the higher pace meaning walk section in places I am used to running in training!

High point of the route slightly below where I was expecting which was much appreciated as was having a water point there! Managed to stay ahead of Hazel up to there but was behind the lead woman - Hazel came past in hot pursuit about a third of the way through the descent (and got there just before the end - nice one!).

Not much to give on the descent (got cramp in right hamstring part way down which didn't help) but managed to keep it going enough to achieve main target of breaking 40mins.....and glad to have done my local race at last! (In retrospect having looked at the stats I am a bit appalled how slowly I did the descent........)

Ice cream in the field afterwards was VERY welcome - then off to Connor Celebrations phase 2 of drinks and BBQ, also very welcome!

Warm up jog with Rosco after some desperate stretching first.
Warm down - no chance!

Physio in the morning about the tendonitis round and above left ankle. Got a couple of new stretches plus advice not to run for a week while it settles down. Will try and follow the advice on the stretches but hill race tomorrow is too tempting to miss.....

Another great cycle in glorious sunshine, this time with Janine from chez Inman. Could get quite into this cycling lark........especially if it wasn't for punctures (got one on the Deanston-Torrie road), they are not my favourite thing.....

Parked up at Sherrifmuir Inn (venue for FVO post-Dumyat-event meal) and did a circuit via a quick chat with everyone enjoying the sun at Dumyat.

Comedy on the Carse of Lecropt road when I squeezed past two people on mountain bikes on a small slope, came round the corner and found it was not such a small slope after all - to amusement all round I was caught so badly in the wrong gear I had to stop, freewheel back down and then do it again properly, what a punter!

Managed to drag myself up the climb out of Dunblane and towards Sherrifmuir again, horribly hard work though, not sure I could have kept going up something much steeper. Not great as the steepest kilometre is only about 7% climb - I would like to think I need different gears on my bike but in reality I suspect I just need stronger legs.....

Chucked it down all day and miraculously turned fab for the evening. Same route as yesterday, needed some shades for the bits heading west though!

Could feel I had been out the day before, not used to this cycling lark...

C • HR data 5

Felt terrible all day, lethargic and heavy legs (maybe been tensing muscles to protect ankle while running at weekend?).

But silhouettes of mountains everywhere on the drive home so had to get out and do something: and inspired by today's article on JackB in the Stirling Observer, I dusted off my road bike.

Home-Blair Drummond-Deanston-back road-Top of the World- Thornhill-Blair Drummond-Home

Glad I made it out and got heart rate up to a decent level on the climb, gearing on the bike needs some work however (not that I know how to do it!). Reckon it would be a decent test of marathon fitness to be able to do this type of ride at twice marathon run speed - specifically perhaps double marathon distance ridden inside three hours would be good to do a few times...