Attackpoint - performance and training tools for orienteering athletes

Training Log Archive: murraystraining

In the 31 days ending May 31, 2013:

activity	#	time	miles		km		+m
Running	39	25:58:24	208.48	(7:29)	335.52	(4:39)	1300
Orienteering	10	7:56:27	51.7	(9:13)	83.2	(5:44)
Urban Orienteering	6	2:48:53	24.23	(6:58)	39.0	(4:20)
Terrain Running	2	1:14:00	8.08	(9:10)	13.0	(5:42)	550
Total	50	37:57:44	292.49	(7:47)	470.72	(4:50)	1850

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Friday May 31, 2013 #

12 PM

Running hills (FNHR) 45:00 [3] 8.0 km (5:38 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Lunchtime F"N"HR - Salisbury Crags and the Dasses. Feeling alright.

Thursday May 30, 2013 #

6 PM

Running warm up/down 1:07:00 [3] 14.0 km (4:47 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Easy round Braids with Chepls.

Wednesday May 29, 2013 #

7 AM

Running 23:00 [3] 5.0 km (4:36 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

WoL downhill loop. Planning a session tonight rather than tomorrow so just shaking out last nights sprinting today.

6 PM

Running warm up/down 7:30 [3] 1.5 km (5:00 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Criminally short: office - pavilion - startline + 2 strides.

Running intervals 22:00 [3] 5.0 km (4:24 / km)
shoes: Asics Hyperspeed #2

3x 1mile with the ST Mile race for the 3rd. Aiming for 4:4x, 4:3x, 4:2x, ended up with 4:44, 4:38, 4:30. Quite happy with this given I was solo for the first two and out in front running away from Don and Stevie on the third. No Garmin so nice to be moreorless on target pace without external help.

I think this is one of these sessions which I'll look back to in November and think "how the hell did I run those times" when I'm struggling to break 5:15s.

Running warm up/down 20:00 [3] 3.4 km (5:53 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Lap and home. Short and sweet.

Tuesday May 28, 2013 #

7 AM

Running 21:00 [3] 5.0 km (4:12 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Murrayfield loop. Calf ok. Surged down Gorgie Road and felt quite good.

7 PM

Running warm up/down 25:00 [3] 5.0 km (5:00 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Before/during/after.

Urban Orienteering tempo 10:38 [3] 2.8 km (3:48 / km)
shoes: inov8 f-lite 230 #2

First of two courses on the new Erskine map (being used for SOUL3 this weekend - get your entry in today!) planned by Donald P. Pushing pretty hard, missed a couple of routes but pretty good. Might not have been taking enough risks on the tight bends & stairs - would the adrenaline of a race make me more aggressive?

Urban Orienteering tempo 10:45 [3] 2.8 km (3:50 / km)
shoes: inov8 TrailRoc 235

Second course. Testing new shoes out - good grip on the grass but I was lacking a bit of confidence on the slippy corners compared to f-lites. Not sure how they would be on wet rock either as they were worst on some small cobbled sections.

Thanks to Donald & Clyde for their support in this training session - it makes a huge difference to be able to do a sprint training session on a brand new map with a good course that we haven't had to plan ourselves.

Monday May 27, 2013 #

11 AM

Running 29:00 [3] 6.0 km (4:50 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Craiglochart. Legs stiff but nothing worse.

8 PM

Running 12:00 [3] 2.5 km (4:48 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Jogging out to test some new shoes on Corstorphine but L calf seized up on Russell Road. Not serious but it's not a week for pushing through pain so turned around and jogged home.

Sunday May 26, 2013 #

9 AM

Running warm up/down 25:00 [3] 5.5 km (4:33 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Jogging and strides.

Running race 30:44 [3] 10.0 km (3:04 / km)
shoes: Asics Hyperspeed #2

Great Manchester Run - 10k. A notoriously fast race with a flat course and a deep field. Perfect place to smash my PB (30:57 from Glasgow last year). But how to do it? GPS on and run to the watch - set a target and go out to hit it? Or run naked, run the race and see what time you end up with?
After adopting the latter approach for the Scottish 5km champs I decided to see if it worked as well over the longer distance.
The first km was inevitably fast - the elite field had over 60 guys in it - so I pushed out for a little longer than I normally would before relaxing. At the 1km point I could just see the clock on the lead car - 2:5x. That's ok. A little fast maybe, but that was the plan - get out in under target pace to set the tone for the race. Now relax and settle in - let the others do the work for you. 2km in 5:5x - nice. On target. Now the lead car was moving out of sight so I was running blind from here on. The continuum of runners discretised into packs as we hit the dual carriageway. I found myself in the third pack, still with Crawley and around 10 others. I had to make a decision as to whether to stay in this group or try to jump the gap up to the next pack. Looking up I reasoned that the lead pack was the <29min leaders group, the second pack was the <30min leading domestic runners group and that I was in the 30-30:30 pack. Perfect, no need to push on. I'm also not feeling 100% fresh, legs are heavier than I would like so I think any thoughts of breaking 30 are unrealistic.
From 2-5km I sit at the back of this pack. There is a slight headwind so I make the most of the other runners to shelter me. You run the first half to get to the second half. I wouldn't say I was comfortable in this group but i was in no danger of getting dropped. It was difficult to hit the racing line though while running in such a large pack, so I think I added a little bit of distance in here. Apparently we ran right past Old Trafford just before 5km - I honestly didn't notice!
Half way reached! Time to push on. Consciously increase your effort. Pick goals to focus on - a runner to catch, a milestone to reach. Keep on pushing. I move to the front of the group and keep going. Are people coming with me? I can't tell. Through 6k I chance a look at my watch - 3:02 for the last k. Still good. The 7th k seems to be lasting forever though and I'm struggling to keep the pace up. It's supposed to be hard, you're supposed to want to stop - that's when you should try harder and keep going. Finally the k marker comes into view - and it's the 8k one - I must have missed the 7k. Just after 8k someones coach is at the side of the road reading out 5mile times (5miles = 8.045km). 24:14 I hear. Brilliant - even if I crash and burn now I've still destroyed my 5mile PB (24:58). But even better, I can cruise in at my current pace to a solid 30:20 or better. If I can pull out a sub 2:50 final k like in the 5km I could even give 30 minutes a scare? It's all or nothing here and I really start cranking. There are 3-4 of us from the original group left and a couple of guys coming back to us from the second group. It's a lot of surging and then tucking in, and counting down the markers. 1km to go. 800 to go. Accelerate again. 400 to go. Try and raise a sprint. 200 to go. The finish is in sight. 100. 50. See the clocks. Too many of them - which one is ours? I find it.

30:44.

Eh? That wasn't on the menu. OK, it's a PB, but it should have been way faster. The race was fast, conditions were good and I gave it my all. And there is no way I took over 6:30 for the final 2km?

While I wasn't looking at my Garmin I did have him with me recording k splits on autolap. They reveal the truth:
2:53
3:00
3:04
3:09
3:03 (15:10)
3:02
3:08
3:05 (24:25)
3:04
3:01 (30:30)
0:13 (70m of cornering and GPS variability)
So I went through 5 miles in 24:40 rather than 24:14. Apart from the fast opening 2km I ran an even pace throughout but didn't manage to pick it up much at the end. Everyone I spoke to afterwards was amazed that I'd managed to PB in "these conditions". OK, it was warm and sunny but it was low-20s at best, hardly difficult running weather.

Two days later and I'm feeling better about my run. PowerOf10 informs me that of the top 20 British guys I was the only one to break my PB so maybe it really wasn't a superfast day. Only 2 Brits broke 30 and only a couple more broke 30:30 - I was 8th or 9th Brit depending on which results list you look at. It's probably the most consistently paced 10k run I've done on the roads. Taking a critical look at my splits you might say I ran the first k too fast but (a) it was very slightly downhill and (b) if I hadn't I'd have wasted more energy chasing through people from 1-4km. And at least now it will be easier to break my PB again next time!

3 PM

Urban Orienteering intervals 30:00 [3] 6.4 km (4:41 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Split the journey home with some sprintervals around Carlisle - trying to run as hard as possible on tired sore legs. Risky, but good training.

Saturday May 25, 2013 #

8 AM

Urban Orienteering intervals 1:02:00 [3] 14.0 km (4:26 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Very gentle sprintervals in Stockport. Focusing on the process, keeping the running very relaxed.

Friday May 24, 2013 #

8 PM

Running hills 55:00 [3] 10.0 km (5:30 / km)
shoes: inov8 RocLite 312 GTX

FNHR in the Lakes (east side of Ullswater). Nice night.

Thursday May 23, 2013 #

8 AM

Running 23:00 [3] 5.0 km (4:36 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

WoL

7 PM

Running long 1:17:00 [3] 17.5 km (4:24 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Epic "long" run! Feels strange to think that I sometimes do two of these sorts of runs a day through the winter. Very interesting to visit Duddingstone House, and even found a new shortcut through the golf course - I'll be using that when I go back out to finish the rest of Duddingston.

Wednesday May 22, 2013 #

8 AM

Running warm up/down 25:00 [3] 5.0 km (5:00 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Murrayfield.

6 PM

Running 40:00 [3] 9.0 km (4:27 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Mincing about watching the 2-mile race - somehow worked too late to get out to the South Gyle event.

Tuesday May 21, 2013 #

8 AM

Running 15:00 [3] 3.2 km (4:41 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Short shuffle to Harrison Park. Murray's path very muddy.

6 PM

Running warm up/down 15:00 [3] 4.1 km (3:40 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Running intervals 36:00 [3] 9.4 km (3:50 / km)
shoes: inov8 f-lite 230

Solo 8x1km off 200m easy jog (60-90s). Started off reading NORT sprint maps on the run on alternate reps but finished off fully focused on running. I needed to be to hold off Tessa when she jumped in for 200m segments!
2:56-3:01-2:55-2:58-2:56-2:55-2:53-2:52.
It felt pretty grim and I was beaten up afterwards but times were decent and apart from the odd 200 with T I was on my own. I think in the past I would have struggled to hit this pace myself but this year the shorter faster work with Dougie and Max in April has meant that this interval work just feels that little bit more relaxed.

Running warm up/down 15:20 [3] 3.0 km (5:07 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Monday May 20, 2013 #

6 PM

Running 43:00 [3] 8.0 km (5:23 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Relaxed trot to the Radical Road. Initial plan was an AZ raid on Duddingston but when I was still shuffling by DVC I had a change of heart so went up the crags to enjoy the stormy views. Easy days easy!

Sunday May 19, 2013 #

10 AM

Orienteering tempo (SEDS) 22:40 [3] 5.3 km (4:17 / km)
shoes: inov8 roclite 285 #4

Another forest/urban hybrid, this time Lhanbryde/Crooked Woods. Lots of changes in style to deal with, and also longer than I was expecting! Thanks to Liz F for planning this one.

12 PM

Orienteering race (SEDS) 49:17 [3] 9.7 km (5:05 / km)
shoes: VJ Intergrator #2

MOR event on Sleepieshill Woods. Trying to push as hard as I could but Doug just had a bit more pace than me (not helped by a couple of silly wobbles from me - not checking compass well enough on exit from controls). Good wee new area though, I'm amazed there are forests out there like this that we haven't used for years! If this was central belt we'd be using it all the time.

Running warm up/down (SEDS) 15:00 [3] 3.0 km (5:00 / km)
shoes: VJ Intergrator #2

Misc jogging before and after each session.

Cracking weekend of training, really going for it in all the O sessions and good craic from the SEDS bunch in between. Just a shame about the dreich weather though!

Saturday May 18, 2013 #

10 AM

Orienteering tempo (SEDS) 32:00 [3] 6.4 km (5:00 / km)
shoes: VJ Integrators

Loch Vaa (non-Caper bit) 1:5000 middle training. High intensity short courses. Two prologues of 1.7km then a mass start 3km one. Blown up map really highlighted little wobbles, as did having Ewan critiqueing me after the mass start race. Good exercise.

Terrain Running tempo (SEDS) 15:00 [3] 2.5 km (6:00 / km)
shoes: VJ Integrators

Jogging to / from the starts.

3 PM

Urban Orienteering race (SEDS) 20:00 [3] 4.5 km (4:27 / km)
shoes: inov8 f-lite 230 #2

Pre-running EM Sprint. Time includes some jogging. Saying no more.

Orienteering intervals (SEDS) 39:00 [3] 7.8 km (5:00 / km)
shoes: inov8 roclite 285 #4

Urban/forest hybrid sprintervals in Lossiemouth. Four ~2km courses with a different planner for each. I think #3 was the best one - I think either Ewan or Linnea planned that one?

Friday May 17, 2013 #

8 AM

Running 28:30 [3] 6.0 km (4:45 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Lower Craiglockhart. Return via Murray's Path again.

8 PM

Terrain Running hills (FNHR) 59:00 [3] 10.5 km (5:37 / km) +550m 4:27 / km
shoes: inov8 RocLite 312 GTX

Sgearnach Mhor, one of the Drumochter Munros just behind the Sow of Atholl. After driving through a gorgous evening in perthshire the temperature plumetted and the cloud came in on Drumochter. What the run lost due to this (gorgeous mountain top sunset) it made up for in excitment (zero visibility on the summit, impending gloom on the descent).

Thursday May 16, 2013 #

8 AM

Running 25:00 [3] 5.0 km (5:00 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Usually my legs complain between getting out of bed and getting to the loo in the morning. Today they were complaining before they'd even left the bed. New pain on left side of groin emerged while doing pressups & situps but wasn't a problem on this PW challenging jog round Murrayfield.

6 PM

Running (AZ) 33:00 [3] 6.7 km (4:56 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Still shuffling. Was it the strides wot done it?
Paying tribute to Maclaurin House, home of the Faculty of Actuaries.
Streets visited: 4 - Dublin Meuse, Dublin Street, Dublin Street Lane North & Dublin Street Lane South.
AZ Stat: Average distance per street - 2.9km

Wednesday May 15, 2013 #

7 AM

Running 23:00 [3] 5.0 km (4:36 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Out early for a short one down the WoL.

6 PM

Running warm up/down 15:00 [3] 3.0 km (5:00 / km)
shoes: Asics DS Trainer #1

Good rainbow. Bad rain.

Running intervals 22:00 [3] 6.4 km (3:26 / km)
shoes: Asics DS Trainer #1

Running intervals 9:43 [3] 3.22 km (3:01 / km)
shoes: Asics Hyperspeed #2

3 x 2miles, finishing with ST race. Did this session a couple of times in 2011 and thought it was a good one but couldn't fit it in last year. Back then I was treating it as Tempo-Tempo-Race but I thought with fresher legs and only one key session this week I could have a crack at Interval-Interval-Race.
First rep was a steady 4:57-5:00 for 9:57, bang on schedule and not feeling too difficult.
Second rep went 5:00-5:06. A shame to to let it slide on the second lap: it was that point when it was past half way in the session and starting to hurt but still a long way from the finish so too early to really dig in.
In the race I didn't want to blast off from the start and blow up in the second lap so I tucked in behind Patryk G (recent BUCS marathon champion with 2:26 in London) and let him take me through the mile in a steady 4:58. I'd been itching to go faster though and took off at the start of the second lap and held it to finish with a 4:45.
Satisfied with this session.

Running warm up/down 10:00 [3] 2.0 km (5:00 / km)
shoes: Asics Hyperspeed #2

Jogging with the Trotters then strides with Tessa.

Running warm up/down 10:00 [3] 1.8 km (5:33 / km)
shoes: Asics DS Trainer #1

Change shoes then home. Finished off a very busy day with an hour surveying at South Gyle.

Tuesday May 14, 2013 #

7 AM

Running 28:00 [3] 6.0 km (4:40 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Lower Craiglockhart loop. Slight deviation from the usual route at the end as I took the old railway line path from the north of Harrison Park back to Diggers - not sure if this path has a name?

C • Murray's Path ? 1

Monday May 13, 2013 #

7 AM

Running 20:00 [3] 4.0 km (5:00 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Early morning shuffle.

6 PM

Running (AZ) 1:06:00 [3] 16.5 km (4:00 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Plan A was a speed session - felt too tight and tired this am so canned that.
Felt ok at the end of work though so though maybe the track was back on.
Jogged home and decided it wasn't.
Started running properly and actually felt quite good.
By the end though calves were very tight - right choice to miss track as I think it might have pushed them over the edge.
Streets visited: 1 - Duart Crescent.
AZ Stat: Percentage complete - 24.82%

Sunday May 12, 2013 #

10 AM

Orienteering tempo 15:00 [3] 3.0 km (5:00 / km)
shoes: inov8 RocLite 312 GTX

We realised that the Breamar side of Creag Coinnich was about as relevant for the forest bit of WOC sprint as we were going to find so eventually we tracked down a 1:5000 map of the permanent course (in the pharmacists of all places) and made a little sprint course out of it. Tessa said I looked like I was jogging - I thought I was putting in more effort than that!

11 AM

Orienteering 1:15:00 [3] 10.0 km (7:30 / km)
shoes: VJ Intergrator #2

Tessa planned a 16km epic on Glen Fearder for Hector so I picked the good bits and ran them at middle distance intensity.

Saturday May 11, 2013 #

11 AM

Urban Orienteering tempo 20:00 [3] 5.0 km (4:00 / km)
shoes: inov8 f-lite 230 #2

North Muirton sprint training. Planned and "shadowed" by Jegor.

Orienteering 45:00 [3] 6.0 km (7:30 / km)
shoes: VJ Intergrator #2

Dalrulzion middle distance training - low intensity. Map was (accidentally) blown up to 1:6600 and some of the detail felt a bit strange because of this.

5 PM

Orienteering intervals 1:05:00 [3] 8.0 km (8:08 / km)
shoes: VJ Integrators

Creag Coinnich gaffled intervals w/Hector and Jegor. Double track this week + sprint tempo this morning = shattered now. Orienteering OK though.

Friday May 10, 2013 #

6 PM

Running hills 1:02:00 [3] 10.0 km (6:12 / km) +500m 4:58 / km
shoes: Asics Gel Enduro Attact WR

FNHR - Scald Law & The Kips from the Red Moss carpark. Nice evening.

Thursday May 9, 2013 #

7 AM

Running (AZ) 37:00 [3] 8.5 km (4:21 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Resting heart rate back down to 39 this morning (had been 49 yesterday) so glad I took a day off.
Streets visited: 1 - Drylaw Walk.
AZ Stat: Projected completion date - 26/5/2018

6 PM

Running warm up/down 20:00 [3] 4.3 km (4:39 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Running intervals 30:00 [3] 6.0 km (5:00 / km)
shoes: inov8 f-lite 230

Experimental track running while sprint map reading session.
3x (5x200 w/micro recovery, 2min/200m walk/jog, 1km) at interval pace (aiming for 34/200, 2:55/km).
First set just running, the rest I experimented with maps as well. On the 2nd 5x200 I memorised a sprint leg from at the start of a 200 then drew the key point on a blank sheet of paper at the end. This was a bit faffy though so for the rest of the session I just read a map on the run and verbally described the route to myself at the end of each rep.
This was a good session but I have an idea about how to make it even better - not sure how practical it is though (and I'm not posting it here as you never know who might be reading & stealing ideas!)
Broadly on target pace - 200s varied from 33-36s & kms were 2:59,55,56.

Running intervals 14:00 [3] 3.0 km (4:40 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Wednesday May 8, 2013 #

Note
(rest day)

Still felt very flat after work so settled on full rest day - 5 weeks since last day off. 8.5 weeks to WOC - 1 more rest day to come.

Tuesday May 7, 2013 #

7 AM

Running 38:00 [3] 8.0 km (4:45 / km) +100m 4:28 / km
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Gorgeous morning - up Craiglockhart to enjoy it.

6 PM

Running warm up/down 25:00 [3] 5.5 km (4:33 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Running intervals 35:00 [3] 6.5 km (5:23 / km)
shoes: inov8 f-lite 230 #2

5x(2x500). 30s between reps, 4mins between sets.
83/82
82/81
81/81
80/80
80/82.
Dougie finished with an 80/79 but I was absolutely gone with 200 to go. Heavy legs before the session and some terrible pacing (eg through 300 in 45 then slowing to 82 on the third rep) contributed to the slow start.

C • tired 3

Running warm up/down 29:00 [3] 5.7 km (5:05 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Slow jog home. Didn't feel quite right afterwards - no appetite - so taking Wed am off just to give the body a bit of a break.

Monday May 6, 2013 #

9 AM

Running 1:30:00 [3] 19.0 km (4:44 / km) +300m 4:23 / km
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Hadn't planned to run the Dorking urban race as I thought three consecutive races at this time of year would interupt my training routine too much so I chilled out with a sunny trail run from Dorking up Leith Hill and back. I don't ever want to live in the SE, but if I did somewhere like Dorking wouldn't be the worst, with miles and miles of paths and bridleways to explore.

C • Dorking 1

Sunday May 5, 2013 #

11 AM

Running warm up/down 15:00 [3] 3.5 km (4:17 / km)
shoes: VJ Intergrator #2

Took over from Oleg with a 2 minute lead - nice job again. Sadly Cherry had MP'd for the first time ever in a relay on first leg so I knew we were out of it. I didn't want to interfere with the outcome of the race so I shoved my map in my pocket and went off for an "in-play" warmup for 15 minutes.

Orienteering warm up/down 40:00 [3] 7.0 km (5:43 / km)
shoes: VJ Intergrator #2

Neither movitated nor focused. Scrappy dappy doo. Beat Tessa's time, just. She had 300m longer than me though!

Saturday May 4, 2013 #

2 PM

Running warm up/down 10:00 [3] 2.0 km (5:00 / km)
shoes: VJ Intergrator #2

Orienteering warm up/down 1:33:30 [3] 20.0 km (4:41 / km)
shoes: VJ Intergrator #2

British Champion. A decent run, but not one which would have held up in a full strength competition - 90s binned on #4 (confused by paths which seemed muich bigger than mapped), 30s on a hidden reentrant on a butterfly loop and a few other wobbles and missed routes elsewhere. Felt a bit flat right from the start which meant I put quite a lot of effort into running hard. Good for the final 1/3 though, helped by catching Schminty who was pushing strongly. Still, the record books only say who won, not who was at TioMila!

C • Congratulations Murray 5

C • Only the Britsh Nights to go.... 3

Friday May 3, 2013 #

7 AM

Running 29:00 [3] 6.0 km (4:50 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Lower Craiglochart loop. Tired.

Thursday May 2, 2013 #

8 AM

Urban Orienteering 15:30 [3] 3.5 km (4:26 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Had to pick a parcel up from the South Gyle sorting office so combined it with a cheeky pre-work line course round my South Gyle map. It really needs some work done to it!

C • south gyle map 2

7 PM

Running 40:00 [3] 7.5 km (5:20 / km) +400m 4:13 / km
shoes: inov8 roclite 285 #4

Ian Campbell is running an "Everest of Allermuirs" this weekend - 29 trips up the face of the Pentlands - to raise money for Prostate Cancer Research. To raise awareness of his challenge he organised an informal Thursday night hill race on the route he'll run 10 times each day.
Donate generously here.
I didn't really race - just protecting the legs. Jogged back to the ski slope afterwards.

10 PM

Running 25:00 [3] 6.0 km (4:10 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Home from Fairmilehead.

Wednesday May 1, 2013 #

7 AM

Running 23:00 [3] 5.0 km (4:36 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Getting blown about on the Murrayfield loop. Legs not the freshest - I'm sure they'll be fine by tonight though.

6 PM

Running warm up/down 25:00 [3] 5.8 km (4:19 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

20 minute shake up from Silverknowes up to Cramond and the River Almond, then strides.

Running race 14:37 [3] 5.0 km (2:55 / km)
shoes: Asics Hyperspeed #2

Scottish 5km RR champs.
More orienteering = stripped back racing schedule, so with fewer opportunities to lay down a marker so I wanted to make the most of this race. With a strong wind blowing all day I decided to put my watch away and run the best tactics I could think of, knowling that the time was likely to be slightly slower than it might be.
The course is the same as the Edinburgh parkrun but with the start/finish moved to the middle of the course. With a prevailing westerly this means a headwind for the first km, last 1.5km and a tailwind for the middle 2.5km. With that in mind I wanted to try and shelter at the start, push on with the wind behind and then make the most of whatever situation I found myself in with a mile to go. I also decided not to look at my watch for the whole race, so I set the screen to "elevation" (basically 1m for the whole course) and just ran on feel.
1km - tucked in behind Dermot Cummings and Paul Sorrie (big lads - good for shelter!) in about 4th/5th. 3:02.
2km - big accelleration off the turn from the leaders. I picked it up a bit but still found myself a little off the group . Steadily worked my way back on though and got to the front, running shoulder to shoulder with Dermot. 2:53 - 5:55.
3km - itching to push on but forced myself to hang back until at least the half way point. Then gradually increased intensity as we entered the "go-zone". I was now alone at the front but there still people hot on my heels - I think the group must have started to splinter here but I wasn't looking back to check. Slight hints of a headwind at the end, despite us now running east - told myself that was just because of the speed we were running! 2:59 - 8:54
4km - yep, definitely an unexpected headwind now. I was pretty committed to leading now though so just got the head down and ran. This is the money mile, this is where you make it count. 2:56 - 11:50.
5km - Butchart and the young guy from Glasgow came past just after 4km. I was suffering now. I tried to pick it up to stay as a group but it still felt like a long way to the finish. I told myself to hang in until the trees at 500 and focused on the back of second place. I got past him when the finish came into sight but by that time butchart was 20m clear. With 300m left I thought the gap was closing but I couldn't muster the sort of all out sprint that was needed to catch him. Not a bad final km though: 2:47, 14:37.

Happy with that. A slightly bittersweet silver having led for a large part of the race but nice to get another 5km under my belt at this speed (14:38 in crazy Blackburn 5km before WOC2010 and 14:36.7 in BMC track race before WOC last year) especially given I wasn't running for a time, just trying to execute a good race. Maybe I should have eased off a little in the 4th km when the wind picked up but that's arguable.

It's good to get some reassurance that the speedwork & reduced mileage is working. After British I have 4 weeks until my next O race (NORT) to really get some physical work done - I think I'll move the focus to speed endurance rather than pure speed - but with weekends freed up I can get the quality sprint work done then and maybe get two interval sessions in midweek.

I think I've spent longer writing about this race than I did running it! That'll have to do for now I think,

Running warm up/down 20:00 [3] 4.5 km (4:27 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Jogging with HH (15:32). Then home with an over-the-moon Tessa (17:10 - huge PB - watch out world!).

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