Training Log Archive: Mal

Leg feeling surprisingly lithe.
Minimal afterwards as took a while to sort out dibber due to changing the order

BOC Relay
Thought I was running last leg to make sure Pete and Tom were to have a decent run as I expected to be utterly wasted from yesterday. But turned up to find out Pete was more broken than I and had gone back to Manchester so was on 2nd.
Tom had a stormer much to my disappointment, so went out with the chasing back not too far behind Coombsy. Took a lot longer than expected to sort Toms top out so only looked at the map once I was in the forest and subsequently missed on #1. Then a big mistake on #3 where I went up a wall too early so Schorah came past. #4 and #5 went ok then was slightly too high on #6 so binned another fair whack of time and Jegor came past then mis-read a wall on #7 and Nixon came past....hmmmm.
Ran ever so slightly past #8 but got it just a Schorah reappeared. Chased him to #9 and re-caught Nixon. Stuck in the pack through the spectator but had a low gaffle to #17 so lost time yomping back up the hill and they were gone. Spied Nixon heading to #22 as I was approaching #21 (I then missed again) and cruised in unchallenged.
Leg were a lot better than expected which was nice! Navigation was poor but it seemed that loads of other people were struggling too so maybe not quite so bad

Out through Callendar found my way to the Esker and apparently past a Roman Fort. Legs felt a bit naff

Run through Strathye and up to the start
Managed to muster a slow jog about an hour after I finished

Stuc A Chroin 5000' 33rd (champs race pb)
EPIC!

Set off steady hard and found myself in the top-10 up through most of the single track before gradually slipping backward along the fenceline. Re-grouped with Josh and Oleg and managed to hold of Jack on the pull up and drop down. I did swear a fair bit as we crested and the valley floor didn't appear knowing we had to reascend on the return!
Saw Kris and Weener on the lower slopes of the climb up Ben Each and just stuck in as close to Josh and Oleg as I could. Dropped back a bit on the summit but was still in the group albeit at the back. Couldn't hack the undulations too well and slowed down. Pez came back to me on the climb up towards Stuc A Chroin and then Tom Gibbs, Mark Roberts and Jim Davies whom I managed to group with on the descent and part of the climb back up until the cramps started. My mind set changed to just finishing on that climb until a quick glance back near the top saw Saville hunting me. Re-caught a couple on the descent who'd passed on the climb and just stuck in with Mark as the cramps returned. Had to let them go and Saville cruised up managed to haul in Chris Edis as the finish line approached but the last little climb put paid to overtaking him as he finished a few seconds ahead of me for the second champs race in a row.

Great fun but I was in too much pain to take in any of the views really so I'll need to head back and take it in more sedately at some point.

I also don't think I'd have managed to run anywhere near as well if there hadn't been as many marshals out there with water, I don't think I've ever needed to drink so much whilst running before

Out along the Rob Roy Way from Callander upon arrival, stonking out!
Steady 5 with 6*25s(35s) thrown in at half way feeling alright

Jog before and after in Clumber Park
5mins jog between efforts

2*10mins tempo aimed at consistent pace/distance with 10mins of 15s strides in between on the trails, tracks and roads.
1st - 2.65km 3:46s 165/172
2nd - 2.72km 3:41s 166/173

Still having a bit of bother with my hip flexors from the HPM. A bit disappointed with the tempos didn't really have a higher gear, though feel motivated to do more as I think that's what has been missing this year.

Around Sefton and in to Princes. Stomach decided to not play ball so back along Aigburth Road. Took a wrong turn so would have been 6.5km for reference.

Taking an easy week before Stuc a Chroin and British Relays, lack of sleep over Tio weekend has ruined me a bit but still feel healthy enough

Feeling terrible and exhausted off about 6hours sleep over 3days. Complete crash today