Training Log Archive: ba-ba

Cutthroat Bridge to Snake summit with Jim. Think this is the first time we've run together not racing. Both a bit tired (Jim has put in a hard week 1 week after his Ramsey winter record...) in the heavier going.
Wore new OMM Phantom bag. Nice. Looks a bit over engineered but felt good. Which you'd expect for a bag 'worth' £120.
Went hip-deep in a bog early, dunking hands, but pretty good for the rest.
Swaines Head to Wainstones will need more looks.

Got back to find graffiti in the dirt on my back window courtesy of Ash, Dan and Bommy T. Who also pissed on my wheel.

Spent the day marshalling/spectating BUCS XC round my training back yard.
Great fun, cracking atmosphere and some good performances, especially Jamie, Dane and Matt in the B race, showing he probably should have been in the A?...
Followed by some work time.

Enjoyed this but approached a few too many controls from the wrong direction. Some plans and APs were maybe not as good as they should have been, I got a bit pushed about by vegetation, and there were a few times where I was going OK before second guessing myself.

8mins behind Rich, 5mins behind JT and Alice Leake and beaten by a little girl. Standard.

Feeling good, extra climb and distance but quicker than last time I did a variation on this route.

GAP from Strava comes out at 4:49min/km. I wonder what formula they use compared to APs (which I think works out at every 1m gain = 50m horizontal distance)

Planned jog home replaced by post-work pints.
Fairly heavy week lab-work wise, but feeling good-tired. Good to know the lab monkey endurance survives from the old days. Pleased to know I can turn around from feeling shite to half-decent in 5 days.

DO I need to put goals down here? I think a bit of accountability is good and some people may have input (i.e. 'why are you doing so much you fule)
I'm not going to be as random in my races this year as last. I'm going to pick target races and aim for 'great' performances at these, but I will race inbetween, hopfully maintaining consistency with 'good' performances I can be pleased of. Champs races will mainly be at this level this year as in the pastI have set too much stall byt them. I'm not being too daft though - racing every weekend in jan was a bit too much - and intend to listen to my body, though I may need reminding of this.

The first aim of the spring is the HPM in 4 weeks (start March). This is well outside my comfort zone but hopefully I'll come through OK but will need some recovery from it, which will impact Long Mynd (end March, minor aim) and Donard (O'hares aim) which I will play by ear.
Then the next aim is PPP (end April). For this I'll need to work on my stamina at a greater speed. Hoping for a 3:15 (conservative), as close to 3 as possible (push). Hopefully I'll be able to join some training with Thumper: mine hi for marathon-type training in exchange for downhill tech? ;) Then a rest.
Jura and some lakeland days will hopefully have me ready for Ennerdale and Buttermere (June, will ipact on Tebay but Meh), which will be good prep for the Wasdale champs race, the Summer's main aim: Top 10, 4:10 or thereabouts and slaying 2013's demons.

O wise: BUCS will come 3 weeks post-HPM so who knows. JK is 2 weeks before PPP so should be fairly fit. BOC is a week post-PPP so shall take it by feel.
The main O aims are to get around BUCS without a complete meltdown (still not beaten my 2009 25th-ish placing), similar at the JK middle and similar on a Lakeland classic.

Post Wasdale I'll play it by ear. Maybe first few days of the Scottish before Borrowdale on the way home? Before building up to OMM again.

C • Down hill tech 4

Meersbrook, Oakes and Graves

round the XC course. Muddy in places, fast in places.
The main entertaining bits will the the bottom of the 2nd 'descent' as they hit the woods, which was very slippery, and also the last descent on the northern loop, which is slippery, rooty and ends with a ditch. 1st proper corner could be entertaining, bit slippery and off-camber.
All excellent!

C • Mud 2