Training Log Archive: Bashman

Two days off school, so planning a recovery/short gym induction at Banchory, and might consider doing 10x150m at Aberdeen tomorrow. If not then Cosmics on Tuesday.

WU - didn't want to overdo it but then again, wanted a good stretch out after yesterday. Feeling a bit queasy from the journey in.

MAROC Inver Colour Coded - Brown - 7.4km - 1st*
I was looking forward to this. First local event in too long and a brilliant area too. Turned out to be even better on a nice day like today, it felt weird wearing summer clothes with ice about and thick snow in the distance. Feeling relatively fresh but didn't want to go all out as I did want to stick in a long run after.
Good start, took me a good 20s to fold my map but luckily the first control was mostly straight along the path. Enjoyed it as it was a good way to get into the race. Over the spur and spiked number one. Along to number two, my direction was perfect (as it was for most of the race) but I got stuck in a marsh. Pulled my muddy feet out, almost taking my shoe off, carried on and hit it nicely. Couldn't make heads nor tails of the veg. on my way to 3, but looking back I think I was just running too fast. Ended up too low but happy with the relocation in the relatively vague stuff. I wasn't looking forward to 3, because I remembered from last time that this hill was a killer. 100m climb in around 850m, so quite steep. However, it turned out to be quite nice underfoot and I breezed up it easily, only hesitating because I didn't trust the boulder that it was on.
BEEP - low battery on my Garmin - damn! Challenge was to get back before it ran out. Easy to 5 and 6 was a bit of a calf-destroyer heading down a steep slope. Saw it from ages away so no problem there. Slight incline to 7 and then Andrew M made us climb the huge hill again. I had to walk bits this time but I was really pleased with my route and hit it perfectly. Only poor directional choice to 9, too far left - and I think it was it was too high because I came to the crag and looked up and saw it on what was more like a boulder. No problem with that though, I just spent 2.5 mins on the really near vertical scary stuff. Checked my emit heading out of 9 - flat - just my luck with batteries today. Time to get a new emit brikke. I thought of all the time we had together and it really was an upsetting going to 10 and 11, but it did mean that this "race" had turned into a training exercise, which relaxed me a bit.
10 and 11 were good, nice lines on both and some generous deer(?) paths were quite helpful. I thought I was contouring to 12 but I ended up having to climb 25m and it was very risky when I hit the slope - left or right? Chose right and got lucky, speeding away from Alistair. Lovely running to 13, but I couldn't pick off a single thing. Ended up 15m down on it, rather lucky to have seen it though. Flying down the hill to 14 15 and 16. No problems, just amazing running. Into the nice stuff and flowed through 17, 18, 19 and 20 without any problem because the map was perfect. Finished not really being tired, and was looking forward to a long WD with Alfie.
http://www.maroc.routegadget.co.uk/cgi-bin/reitti....

Initial WD to the car park. Thankfully my Garmin lasted, but didn't bother to take it on my run because it really was on the brink of dying.

WD continued.
With Alfie along the "moderate" 8km route doing a loop of Craig Leek. Of course, Alfie was very mischievous and after about 1km he stopped and rolled in something very bad. So for the rest of the run he absolutely stank and it was pretty unpleasant. The climb was pretty much all in 2km and it was quite draining, especially after the orienteering. Got to the top to see some stunning views of the Northern Cairngorms and looking back, Lochnagar and it's neighbours. Took the thermal off at the high point, took a few photos, and began to descend. Alfie got a run for his money here because he was flying up the hills effortlessly whilst I struggled behind, but he's a pretty poor descender so it was a good battle. Probably averaged something pretty good for the second half. Stopped once or twice for Alfie but running hard otherwise. Finished just as my final few drops of energy had been used up. Knackered after Sunday: Long day, long K.

It feels weird to be having a full rest day on a Saturday, but I think it was overdue anyway. Also see it as the calm before the storm, the storm being entering base phase.

Steady
Nicely paced run with Robbie beginning at school, Corsee, through to the abandoned golf course and down to Banchory golf course. A loop round there and got back to school just as it was getting dark. The abandoned 18 hole inchmarlo golf course looks like the perfect place for terrain intervals, might consider doing some during/after school. Almost going tempo at some points today but kept a good conversation going. Stayed off the roads as much as possible too.

WU/WD - spooky without a headtorch

Keeping the intensity high today, so that on Saturday I won't be too tired after the next S+C session. Focused on Strength/Core today, 30mins of core exercises, with a few new ones added in, and then 10 minutes of strength. However, I was forced to use a very light bar so I was mainly going for the technique and lots of fast reps instead today. 10 mins of stretching to top things off, could hardly stop myself shaking by the end.
Ice bath and big dinner in an attempt to recover, still feeling weak though. Measured the ice bath temperature this time and it was 10C, not sure what to make of it but should probably start throwing in some actual ice.

Longish/Steady
With Robbie after school over to Scolty. A climb of Goauch and then straight back down to the big track crossroads, up Scolty the main tourist way, down to "halfway" then up from the saddle and back. Getting pretty dark towards the end. Slightly risky as it was a bit icy - bad choice of footwear too - but once we got onto the tracks it was fine. Feeling great the whole way round, managed to talk the whole time. Not needing to walk at any point either and the whole run just seemed to fly by. Need to remember a headtorch next time I run after school this winter.

Wu

After an afternoon nap (been sleep deprived recently), I finally got out to a really high quality session.
10 x 3 mins, with each set being 1 min of upper body exercise, then a set of plyo work and a set of strength with the rest of the 3 mins to recover (usually only 20s but didn't really need to recover anyway).
Then 17 mins of stretching.
My oncoming cold has gone thankfully. Carrying on my second week of recovery mode which means no intervals or double days. Intervals start again on monday/tuesday. Run tomorrow.

Recovery
Felt a bit ill this morning but this run seemed to shake anything that was in my head - out. With Daniel from school, did a loop of Corsee and back.

Strides and then stretching