Training Log Archive: murraystraining

So much for the easier second day! First leg, straight up to the nearest summit. At least the hard frost we'd endured through the night had firmed up the marshes and peat bogs so the running was improved in places but there was less track running and more peat than yesterday. Conscious of my slender advantage over Spongey and how reluctant to get going he was at the start I went out pretty hard to get an early advantage. I think I slipped into autopilot in the middle section but a bit of track running then a fast downhill got me back in the racing frame of mind. Wobbled on the last hill control, on a reentrant amoungst a lot of unmapped reentrants but other than that pretty good.
It was a bit of a shock dropping down to 1:10,000 for the O section to the finish, everything happens so much faster at that scale. Conscious that Spongey took chunks out of me in the forest on day one I tried to push the pace a bit here but I was battling fatigue by this point. It was a real case of head-vs-legs at times, legs wanting to take the long flat path routes but head telling them the straight route was faster and would get it over with sooner.
Soon enough the finish came and then the news that Spongey had dropped out after an hour to protect an ankle injury he picked up yesterday. At least he made sure I ran an honest race to get the win!

C • Things can only get 2

Gramp Mountain Challenge Day 1.
Set off steadily on the orienteering section round Glen Dye but still managed to fall over in a felled area and smacked my knee. Lost 2:30 to Spongey in the first 3km section - I think he went out a bit hard (normal orienteering pace rather than normal start-of-a-three-hour-race pace). Picked up the OS map at the start of the hill section and made a howling 90 degree error (not sure if I didn't use my compass or if I set the map using the E-W grid lines). The first couple of legs were real slogs through thigh deep heather, not helped by a low sun in your face but after that the going improved and it was nice to get a proper summit in (Mount Battock, 778m). I was feeling pretty strong on the last few legs and closed the gap to Spongey to pip him by 2 seconds for the day :)

Morning cruise over to Craigend Park a new development off Gilmerton Road. Legs feeling fresh and strong after lots of easy days.

Got battered, pricked, stretched, flexed and taped up by the physio at lunchtime. Unfortunately, a 2 hour lunch to see him combined with a fire drill in the morning meant I had to work late again. It is just as well it has been an easy training week given how much work I've had to do.
Gentle cruise over to the first 8 of the 114 streets in Edinburgh called Craig___, the Craigcrook's in Blackhall. (Avenue, Gardens, Grove, Park, Place, Road, Square, Terrace). Pain free.

C • hamstring 1

Another gentle loop, this time Cowan's Close (behind Edinburgh Bargain Stores) and back through the Cowgate to Cowgatehead. The Cowgate is one of my least favourite streets to run down in Edinburgh, too narrow and with lots of blind corners and entrances, so it was a great move running it in the rush hour!
Physio booked for tomorrow to get an expert to inflict pain on my hammy. Hurrah.

Coxfield, Coxfield Lane in Gorgie. Hamstring goes: fine, fine, fine, fine, spasm, fine, fine, fine. Quite amusing really.

Couldn't get out of bed this morning, just totally exhausted! So morning run pushed back to lunchtime. Down to Couperfield and Couper Street in Leith. Hamstring tight still so holding fire on anything faster until I've got an expert opinion on it.

Work late, train later. Fortunately the AZ tossed up an easy single, Cowan Place by Harrison Park.

French-style head to head training in Deishar, planned by Lea. Great fun even on tired legs. Deishar has to be one of the nicest areas in the country. We've been truly spoilt this weekend!
Hamstring tightened up on the third loop when I went flat out for a leg so just the one training today.