Training Log Archive: SarahD

Full lap of the course at Knockburn as w-u. Short jog around after.

Knockburn x-c 3 miler. Wasn't totally up for this, but generally felt ok once I got going. Legs a bit heavy on the hill, especially the second lap. Pretty happy with position and time. Not many senior or vet ladies running but will be good to check time against CW as a benchmark. E running 15s/km quicker than me on his course.

Time to get back to this again.

Cow shit squelch - so good to be home. Legs feeling heavy but nice to be able to breathe again. Didn't realise at the time just how much the altitude was affecting me.

Travelling home Thu night.

Chilling out at A+R's on the ILRI campus in Addis. Pool was really quite refreshing - not that warm here the last couple of days.

Took a taxi up to the church at the top of Entoto, a good way beyond where I reached yesterday. After touring round set off to run back down, adding in a bit of an extra loop on one of the more popular running routes through the forest. No runners there today ( several hours too late probably) but lots of female wood carriers transporting huge loads on their shoulders down to Market. Continued on down the road to Entoto market before stopping to do some shopping etc.
Cool and cloudy this morning. Good for running but not so good for the views over Addis.

From Entoto market continued on back to S's house with a jog / walk. Feeling very tired and footsore from too much hard surface. Took 70' total.

Exploring the Entoto hills (playground of the local running community) behind S's house, on foot. Armed only with a compass and a vague knowledge of the geography, I was set for a bit of an adventure. Climbed up to the N through eucalyptus forest, across a road and on further until I came out onto some pasture land. Turned W along a forest track, but then dived along a smaller path heading further NW again. Came to a steep drop into a gorge with a very small stream in it which I wanted to cross but had to descend through thicker forest to do this. Then picked a small path / animal track on the other side heading downstream, deep in the forest by now. After ~5' of this I came across what I now realise to be a spotted hyena lying on the track in front of me. Not quick enough to get my camera out, but no doubts about the id. Eventually I came to a bigger river which I knew would take me back to civilisation if I followed it downstream. It ran down through a wider, pretty valley with bits of footpath alongside and I even came across another runner for reassurance. Reached a tarmac road and decided to try and head further NW in the vague direction of a church up in the hills. I was into urban areas now and continued mainly walking. After a good long while and some busy market streets, I eventually found a church. I wasn't convinced it was what I was looking for (it wasn't) but as I'd been going for long enough I decided to head back down the hill via some back lanes. After much zig-zagging and winding I eventually got myself back down to the city ring road at a point I knew from the GER, and walked the last 3.5km back alongside it. Sore feet by the end from too much tarmac / hard surfaces, but a really good exploratory outing. Had lots of people calling after me, but really didn't get too much hassle and didn't feel too on edge.
Out for ~4.5h

Early morning splash at Lodge pool.

At Wenchi volcanic crater (~3200m). From the rim dropped down ~400m into the crater and then continued round the lake edge. Took a boat across to a wee island with a monastery, then on to the other side. Continued round via some hidden valleys, muddy wetlands (shoes off), water mills and thermal springs. Met a group of locals walking up the last climb who were moving at a good pace and as we hit the steep bit two of the ladies started to break into a trot. My competitive nature came to the fore and we pushed on up the last climb at a good lick! Very beautiful scenery. Slightly overcast day, so good temperature for walking. Out for ~4hrs.

Great Ethiopian Run 10km. On the start line with ~ 40000 over exuberant Ethiopians. Knew the running would be tough after poor prep in the days leading up, running at 2400m and a course with 150m of climb mostly in the second half. Oh and it turned out really hot too. So after going through the first half in a comfortable 24' I died big time on the hills. Pretty sure altitude was part of that. Either way it was never about the time but the experience which was truly amazing.

Decided in the end it would be quickest and easiest to walk to the start. Only about 3.5km in theory but after being diverted round the back of the start line was more like 5km. Actually managed to get a really good start position in sight of the line and timed it to perfection. Long way back to S's house after though.

Some lengths of the thermal spring fed pool at the lodge at Weliso. Nice.

Visiting some remote study sites from Simon's work yesterday and today. Lots of travelling and dirt roads. Really interesting insights into rural lifestyles and culture, lots of very friendly welcoming people and some beautiful landscapes too.

Travelling to Addis

2 short laps of the woods and DW. First with E, both of us in a grump after he made me change my plans then changed his mind. Second lap on my own running off my frustrations, a good bit faster. Still tired from the w/e (to be expected) and weather dragging me down. Hope to see a bit of sun in the next few days.

Easy spin round Loch Kinord with E. Bit skitey on the stoney, rooty bits.

DR in Aboyne with E on the roads. Wet. Very. Left foot a bit sore at the start but eased off during the run.

Very tired but no real damage to anything. Speedy recovery required for next weekend's little adventure...

GMC Glenshee B course day 2. Felt surprisingly good today. First half of course seemed much more runnable than yesterday. Slightly disappointing in terms of covering a lot of the same ground, but I suspect that was inevitable given the restrictions of length etc. O section at the end was quite technical again, but took it really carefully and spiked them all nicely. Dalrunzion really is a mess and hard not to get thrown off line in places. Managed to finish with a sprint and legs feeling a lot better than yesterday. Not sure of overall position yet but happy whatever.

C • Good effort 4

A combination of other people's mishaps and some slick orienteering at the end let me sneak through to take the win by 19s after 10h - dead chuffed ;-)

GMC Glenshee B course day 1. Tough but good. O section in Dalrunzion was quite technical and lost a few minutes here, but not as many as most! Tough running in the early part of the day meant that by the time the going got a bit better my legs weren't capable of much. Cramp threatening from 2.5hrs in, but managed to stave it off. Very stiff and sore by the end. Think I got the routes more or less right. Weather pretty good considering the last few days. Dry with cloud only on the higher hills. 3rd place and first F overnight, ~20' down.

Had planned to do a wee jog round the woods, but really not worth it in this weather.

From sawmill at Finzean did a loop through the woods to the north on forest tracks. Have run through here often enough on long runs, but never done this loop before. Really pleasant recovery run. Legs feeling fine, but head completely spaced out today. Hopefully all part of the energy recovery process.
Some great terrain in there, with lots of shape even on some of the bigger slopes. This forest should be really high on the mapping project list.

Some much needed R+R in the lead up to the w/e. Slight tweakiness in the R groin too - drills probably!

Plan was to do a half session 5 x 2' + 1' with the aim of going 500m+ on each. Felt tired on the warm up so decided to try the first and see how it went. Still felt awful but distance was good, so made myself continue. Almost hit my target which is good in the circumstances. 510, 490, 510, 490, 470m. Last 2 were into the wind.

To the railway and home after intervals

Went up to DR with E. W-u to the green, some drills, 1 full lap fartlek round the green and back, then jog back to community centre. E enjoyed it - good!

Home to Potties, Mill of Cattie, Marywell, Balfour, Aboyne and A93 home. Bit fresh. Thought I was under-dressed initially, but worked out ok. Nice Monday morning wakener.

At AR club, including a couple of times up the hill and a race back down to the gate - dangerous!

Wee jog to keep warm whilst coaching at Tilquhillie.

Beautiful day so decided on a wee spin to ease out tired legs. Also in cake debt from junior training this morning ;-(
Out the A93 to Boddomend, over to Lumphanan bowl, to the crossroads and back by DAP. Roads still quite wet in places so being a bit cautious. Lovely otherwise.

Guiding for RTH at Balmoral. 15 mile race route along to the west end of the estate and then back round Ripe Hill. Good group and a steady pace. Feeling rather stiff and uncomfortable by the end, especially in the lower back. Not used to so much distance on hard tracks. Cracking day for it.

Balmoral. Guiding for RTH. River bank, stables, Albert Cairn, John Brown. Turned into a nice afternoon. Relaxed pace. Good.

Needed. Well timed - grim day.

From 1km east of Corriemulzie through forest and birkwood to join Braemar Games climb up Morrone. Past the 5 cairns and on to the summit (closer than I realised). Then continued on round a c-w loop of the horseshoe taking in Carn na Drochaide and Carn Mor, finishing back down the spur to Corriemulzie. First snowy run of the winter above 800m. Mostly good going with bits of path or short cropped heather, except for the last hill and descent which were rougher. Right foot feeling a bit sore so being extra careful. Never in any rush anyhow and walked much of the Morrone climb. Sun tantalisingly peeping through the clouds over distant peaks, but never cleared out overhead. Aesthetically pleasing route which was almost all new to me.

Plan was for same session as last week, but knew it would be tough with only 1 day recovery between quality sessions. Almost bottled it, feeling not too good on the w-u, but decided to try the first and see how it went. In the end it felt really hard but was ok. 5 x 4'+2' on the railway from Dinnet towards Cambus and back - 910, 910, 960, 970, 990. Overall distance down on last week but first 3 were identical.

To start of intervals and back

Through woods and fields to military Rd, Lumphanan, Torphins by road, S Footie, tracks to Pitmurchie Rd, cut by barn to W-Rs and back through the woods. Feeling pretty good with no real x-c soreness. Mid-way stop at Platform 22.

With the AR club slow group.

Balgownie x-c 3 miler. Lots of youngsters but no familiar vet faces. Started quite far back but gradually picked people off all the way through the race. Not sure of finish position but pleased with pace - 4:34/km if my gps watch is to be believed. Worked hard, almost puked at finish.

Good long w-u round the course. Short jog after.

Early wee run with J down to the village and back before breakfast. Nice morning.

Family friendly walk up Clachnaben. Slow, but sociable.