Training Log Archive: olsoran

With Alex G from Sorella to the Terry Hershey again. Out there for 15 and then followed AGs local knowledge for an alternative route back. After a few unplanned meanderings through an affluent Houston housing estate in the gathering gloom we finally got back to Memorial Drive. Still, it was at a fairly decent pace and good to both have company and get away from the gym. Felt fairly good and was impressed with the pace that AG kept up.

Pleased to have managed the level of activity I have this week . Counterbalances the overindulgences.

X trainer
Stretching
Spinning

4am this time.
X trainer.

5am in the hotel gym. Too busy to do usual session but did what I could.

At sun up from Sorella to Terry Hershey Trail start, then out and back on the tarmac. mainly just woodpeckers and squirrels for company although one or two more Houston residents were awake by the time I was heading back. Not a particularly interesting outing but at least it was largely away from Houston roads.

Long flight

Out along the Dee from Scolty CP with K. Great snow but tough. Out and back. Tired at the end of that.

Went down with K and first swim for a good while. Shoulder tolerable so that's good.

Bit of a mission of a wu/wd. Parked at Potties because of the snow and ran to registration at Carlogie with RMcM. Then ran back after.

So much snow.
Out early again..bad move. Really tough in the deep stuff particularly to no 1, but harder still for RMcM who went before. Slightly easier in the forest. Caught her at 3 but it was then somewhat head to head if you can call it that through the snow. 6 was a small boulder covered in snow so ran past that a few times. Confused by the map between 7 and 8 which didn't seem to fit around the fences. Missed 11 too...another boulder.

Great to have the incentive to get out and really enjoyed it once out of the thickest snow. Didn't orienteer very well though!

Glen O'Dee doesn't get any better. Fresh and falling snow. Head torch run with K & T. Alternated stretches of strides with K. Really nice and good fun too. Met an onrushing local superstar as he was flying home. He was oblivious.

Pre-Potarch

Didnt fancy the Brown in the snow - - probably a good choice as any longer and I think it might have become too much of a plod.
Hard work in the plentiful snow and was pretty clean throughout except for 1, where I just couldnt see the boulder or the flag. Tough up the hills, and was out early so few tracks about.

Couldn't make the MAROC run today so got out late on in Glen O'Dee. Managed to avoid the worst of the muddy bits - very enjoyable. Still light at 4:30 - things are improving.

I needed that after a tough and stressful of couple of work days.

Hazlehead loop - rather nice in the snow. Just steady and very enjoyable.

Not good. VIP visitors at work = late = no DNC..and a very local one at that, even if it is Raemoir.

Too many work commitments day and evening.

Never seen the place so busy - post-Christmas I guess.
Normal warm up, session and stretches.
Followed by new stretch sequence.

At Tilquhillie for MAROC training - running in terrain with the group.

To and from Tilquhillie and had parked at Bridge of Feugh to ease parking pressures.

Maroc run from Cambus up Culblean Hill. Another first for me. Lots of folk out..all ages again, maybe 25 folk in total. Turned out much better than I thought it wouldn't given the rain in Banchory, but it was far more pleasant in the snow. Still not feeling very spritely.

Got a good deal on VivoBarefoot Breatho trail shoes from SportPursuit and have been wearing them round the house for a while. It was time to experiment with them outside on proper stuff. Having been using road running flats with a low 8mm heel/toe differential I figured these may not take much getting used to. Extremely comfortable and good grip. I could certainly feel every stone on the Glen O'Dee trails. Will take things gently but so far so good.

Usual - with some additional stretches.

Discovered bits I'd never been to before..not always intentionally. One or two poor route selections, faffed about at 3 and a bad miss at 11. Stopped for 90s close to 5 where DMcD was clearly suffering having, as it transpired, run into a tree stump or such like. Too winded to be able to say anything for a while. I carried on once he was able to tell me to!

Enjoyable run out, but places seem very different at night, even on your doorstep. Would have been happier closer to 50.

Failed at lunchtime so dark Banchory roads instead.
5 x Corsee Hill loop, opposite way round to normal...down the rough way. Just steady though. Feeling heavy.

Very much needed. Took it somewhat more sedately than usual to allow for the 2 week interruption in these type of sessions.

Driving miles finished.

Hill of Fare - shortened loop - anticlockwise. More folk up there than I've ever seen before. Needed to get out after all the driving miles.

To Dunsyre.

Out on the Leeds & Liverpool canal in the rain with only fishermen, ducks and the occasional narrow boat for company. Turned round at a gaggle of geese and retraced my steps. 49 to Leeds and 78 to Liverpool, a milestone said. Miles, not steps.

Very many driving miles. About 478 of them.

To Tom's Cairn from Corsedardar memorial stone and back same way with K on a glorious day. Cracking views all round from up top.

From Corsedardar Memorial Stone over Tom's Cairn to Shooting Greens then along the top to Scolty and Banchory and home. First time I've done the whole way from Corsedardar. Felt the christmas cake on the last uphill to home.

Short walk up to the old steading at Torquhandallochy from Marywell with T & K. Bit blustery.
Anyone looking for a Deeside building project have a word with Ballogie Estate about that steading. Brilliant spot but a bit exposed and a steep track.

Reflections on 2012:

Biggest positive:
- successful foot op in January meant that left foot is now 100%, or as 100% as a 55+ runners left foot can be. Running properly by June was tremendous.

Biggest disappointment:
- cancellation of NY marathon. A good trip that could have been really great. Still, to be able to run 26 miles in Central Park, and still walk about Manhattan in the evening with no bother meant a lot. Thanks dc.

Other pluses:
- really got to enjoy some of the NY preparation road runs, and a certain sense of satisfaction from running home from work in Aberdeen a few times.
- the establishment of the Maroc long terrain / trail runs on Saturdays. Some great days and some great new routes in great company
- feeling of greater efficiency in running in flats with small toe / heel height differential - forefoot landing. New pair of "barefoot" trail shoes will hopefully build on that off road.
- the apparent success of the regular S&C sessions which so far seem to be keeping old man injuries at bay.
- still managing decent length enjoyable runs with all the offspring..big big plus.
- managed to avoid colds, coughs and sickness just about entirely in 2012. Maybe a result of decent diet and hydration, and managing the training quantity properly, and getting enough rest and recovery.

Less good:
- didn't manage any cross country skiing this year..must do better
- missed competing on a regular basis. Need to get my act together a bit more.
- Lack of competition didn't help my technical o competence either..seriously bad.
- overall training session number and quantity was good but quality deficient.
- still bothered with ?frozen left shoulder. Getting better slowly slowly but there doesnt seem to be anything that I can actually do to speed that up. Only stops me swimming though.

Overall
- delighted with the overall outcome from 2012 although competed far less than almost all other years. Intend to continue to be picky in 2013 and will continue to try and be sensible with training quantity (both number and length of sessions). I enjoy this stuff too much to jeopardise it and hence I'll do anything to prolong it, as neither cycling nor swimming, whilst enjoyable, can quite replace it for me.
- now looking to identify goals and targets for 2013.. will post in due course.