Training Log Archive: Big Jon

Walk up Macdui and Carn A'Mhaim with S & E. Set off with wind behind us up the Luibeg (camped by stream near ford). Lots more snow than expected - greats strips across the hillsides and filling all the gullies on steeper slopes like zebra stripes. Going well up to edge of cloud, then quick stop to put on waterproofs (not raining but cold and windy), carried on across the first huge snowfield - rapidly got wet feet (hadn't anticipated so much snow so was wearing road shoes...), grip OK as snow soft. Higher and higher, E checking bearing to make sure we stayed left of the corrie, reached Sron Riach and then slope steepened and wind increased, pushed on until we decided to bail - wind was starting to blow us around a bit too much for comfort. Dropped back a bit and then descending traverse to col and up Can A'Mhaim ridge. Hellish windy here - struggling to move in a straight line. Reached top and met a large group of oldies- they started singing as we got near... probably a celebration of some climber, respect to some of them, they looked pretty old and it was a tough climb they had just done. Down path - over large snow patches, some great for descending, others a bit slippery. Back to camp site and packed tents, walked back to bikes.
Out for 4.5 hours camp to camp.

Cycle back to car - downhill... but headwind :-( hard work and felt pretty whacked by this stage. Bad nights sleep and hard work on up and down.
Recovered in the Both with a soup and sandwich and hot chocolate, nearly falling asleep.

Linn of Dee to beyond Derry Lodge on bikes. Heavy pack, nae nice on rougher bits!

With S, Big Birse track, across diagonal below Can Ferg, up Brackenstake, across church road, along to Lamahip big, long climb in heather :-( then small track towards descent to Glen cat road, S slowed on reaching road and easy return from there (though glad as my legs were feeling fairly shot by this stage).
Right leg/groin was a wee bit tweaky at start but eased off quickly. Felt various niggles near end and tight back on heathery descents. Need to keep going with stratching.

Various stretches as before.

With B west of Aboyne - along Deeside Way to west, then up track near Dinner to north and swung back in middle of hills - lovely views and some great old abandoned crofts and farms- would make superb holiday places... Back into NW corner of Balnagowan and through track in wood.
Leg mostly OK - trying to keep right hip up and forward and found that tightening the core muscles slightly was helpful. Did a few sprints up hills and managed to keep form.

Lots of groin stretching and hamstring work. Seems to be working bit.

Forest Sprint, Dunnottar Woods. Decent warm-up but right leg still feeling a bit handicapped - not moving smoothly and a bit slow.
Anyway started race and went as hard as possible - limited on a few downs and the longer flat sections. Mostly clean orienteering, a bit hesitant in approaching and leaving some controls but no major errors.
Managed to bear E by 2 seconds... phew :-)

Bit of jogging and some strides and drills.

Stretching of right hip/thigh. Doing physic exercises and some shoulder bridges etc. Seemed to help get muscles firing but groin a little niggly on some of the stretches - probably showing its the right place to work.

Deeside Runners (first time in a long while). Planned to do some speed but right shin muscle cramped up on warm-up so abandoned that plan and did a steady 2 bridges circuit with S. Tried a few strides but right leg not cooperating.
Seems like 2 steps forward 1 step back just now, frustrated.

Hill of Banchory wee loop. Leg feeling OK.

Resistance band work plus wobble cushion- nice :-)

Collecting orphan control form yesterday, plus did about a dozen surges - leg felt surprisingly good, a few twinges in groin on later sprints but nothing bad. First speed work for a long time!