Training Log Archive: murraystraining

Warm up/jog to start/jogging with the upstarts afterwards.

WOC Sprint Selection race. A bit of a funny one for me. In normal circumstances I'd have been looking for a clear win but with legs light on mileage and speed work after a disappointing winter I expected to be further back, in the mix with the new crop of GB sprint talent. Whether that would be enough or not would be out of my control, but I thought it was the best I could offer at this point. I know I have a clear trajectory to improve significantly from where I am to where I'd like to be in July and beyond, but is that enough to deny a youngster with obvious talent like Hoddy or Crickmore a first chance at WOC?

So I expected to be in the pack, and that's where I ended up: in 4th, 15s behind Kris. It felt like a fairly straightforward sprint and I did feel a bit slower than normal - the runs from 7-8 and 10-11 seemed to drag. However it was a few silly mistakes which actually dragged me back into the pack: 10s on 10 (I thought it was at the dead end of an alley so I S'd left unnecessarily; 10s on 13 when I started navigating 18->17 (silly silly silly!) and then 22 where I fluffed the control, turning into the golf club entrance, losing 5s. My pace wasn't too bad it seems - a couple of seconds dropped on the long legs but nothing major. A fully fit me would have finished stronger but that would have only gained 5-10s at best. So in summary, I feel a bit bemused at my performance, I'd have been far happier to be off the pace but clean: perhaps it's a case of running at "normal" pace but struggling to navigate at that pace with the reduced oxygen available?

Anyway, selections have yet to be announced. My gut feeling is that past results will count for a lot and I'll be racing in Venice this summer. I really feel for the young guys who are so keen to break into the team: I really hope they make the most of the opportunities they get (EOC, WUOC, WCups) to show they can perform when it matters and force me to up my game next year. If the selections don't go my way then I'm fully ready to turn myself into a speed machine this summer and start the long road to Inverness. Bostrom didn't run WOC2012 afterall!
Map

C • Think you're 1

Ponderous potter along Derwent Water to Hawse End, thinking through all that ^^^^^^^^.

Here's another thought: anyone fancy a Scotland v England Sprint relay at some point? Ward-Strain-Fraser-Orr vs. Hill-<2 of Hodkinson/Crickmore/Schorah/Street/Smithard>-Taylor. I think it could be pretty close. Maybe the Sprint King could recruit a Welsh team too - Anwen-Jones-BJ-Palmer?

C • SHIs 8

Pottering about at the long test race.

Treadhill.

C • Better than the world champion! 3

Treadmill fitness test. Fitter than a month ago. Getting there…

C • If Mo Farah sees it... 1

Treadhill.

Escaped work in time to make the most of the early evening light. Looped through Blackford and the Hermitage and up onto the Braids bridlepath. Feeling good at the start but tired by the end #MileageHump.

Treadhill.

Itenburgh. Just me and Gunby and neither of us feeling particularly inspired so I suggested we copy Churchill's session from last week: 3-3-2-2-1-1-3-2-1. I didn't fancy 8km of reps so only singles on the second set. 1 min between reps, 2:30 after the first set. 3:04-2:59-2:54 pace.

Morgonjogg. Outside. In the sun. Brilliant.

Faff. Had an energy crash after 50 minutes of the planned 90.