Training Log Archive: Bashman

Didn't mention it at the time yesterday but got very confused at a certain group of people who were climbing the seat as I was ticking off climbs. Everything was fine until they summited and spent the next hour screaming almost every minute. Initial thoughts were 'they must all be high' but then Lucy pointed out this when I got home....
https://www.facebook.com/events/493929784450309/?a...
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C • screaming 2

Long Hilly

With a sweet forecast on the menu I was keen to get somewhere with longer climbs. Ben Lomond then because it had good climb/proximity ratio to Edinburgh and I still hadn't been up. Set out early and got going just as sunrise began. Treated to some awesome views with blue skies all day. Went steady up the first time, only stopping to chat to Tom Callan who had been up there for sunrise itself. 50mins up the first climb and then descended past Ptarmigan on a very sketchy frozen stream/"path" back down to the car park, munching a bar on my way. Opted for big Salomons to save the feet today and just about got away with it. Dumped my bag, ate another bar, had a drink and a quick toilet stop and then hit the second climb considerably harder. Pretty much just wanted to better my time from earlier which ended up being a good target with the legs a bit wobbly after the descent. Climbed well with HR in a good tempo kind of zone, confused a few walkers with my repeated presence, and got to the top in 48:30. Thinking I'd want a good shot at the race in May, I took the normal descent this time and gave it a bit of effort. Though with it being quite icy and the legs beginning to cave it wasn't that fast. Good recce though. Dipped the legs in a very chilly Loch Lomond at the end to follow custom and hopefully save buckling tomorrow morning.

Glad to get this week done, Ali very cheekily told me to shoot for Everest so just about managed. Hamstring has coped well and the plan is to feed in slow flat runs again this week to see how it copes. Almost certain it's neural-based and caused by some trapped nerve now, which is both nice since it can't really get worse, but also worrying since there's almost definitely something up with my back. Hadn't thought much of it but earlier in the week, I had tingles over my back and legs about 30mins into every run. Thought it was just residue detergent in my lycra until I realised I wasn't wearing lycra on Thursday.... See what physio says tomorrow.
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C • 15m 2

C • trapped nerve 3

Long Hilly

Applying for membership into the Arthur's Seat Mile High Club. Not trusting Attackpoint or any other platform to correctly download my climb, so did some research and preplanned 9 climbs ending on the main top (except MFD) that would total ~1700. A reminder in the rules that each climb has to be at least 50% different. I think the longest shared section I did on any climb was ~50m, including the final approach to the top.

Starting locations:
S - Queens Drive next to Crags Saddle - 110m
D - Duddingston CP - 45m
M - St.Margaret's Loch - 35m
B - Bog - 60m

All climbs finished on the top (245m - a few metres below the quoted 249m as I didn't bother with the top cairn until the end) except MFD which finishes at the standard 235m.

1 - Pedley Direct (S + 25m to get there) - 160m
2 - MFD (D) - 190m
3 - Purko's Arete into Seat Direct (M) - 210m
4 - MFI (indirect) - 200m
5 - Tom Ryan's from Bog (B) - 185m
6 - APO into seat from Dunsapie (M) - 210m
7 - Whinny North Climb into Seat from Whinny Saddle (M) - 220m (extra 10m)
8 - Tourist Path (S) - 135m
9 - Dry Dam into Dry Dam Wall - 210m
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Total = 1720m

Decided to keep a good buffer just in case I'd bonked and not added things up right. Felt quite good until 2.5 hours when it was getting dark and I was getting a bit sleepy and hungry. Aim was to get it done a bit quicker but made sure the pace kept easy. Made a big mistake in wearing dobs which ruined my big toe on my left side quite quickly. Eased off before the end but made things very unenjoyable on rock. Managed to run just about everything except the ridiculous sections (TR/Whinny direct) until the final climb where the wheels came off on dry dam direct, which is too steep to run but too gradual to crawl, the grimmest gradient out there. Happy to get this ticked anyway, relatively unscathed.
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C • Strava official 6

Ante
Bright and early on AS with Tim for a climb from the north and then MFD. Time flew by, very nice.
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Easy
Tough conditions with Dan meant we had to bail off Turnhouse and take a flatter route. Got very very cold on the way back and was even beginning to panic thinking we might need to bail north and hitch back. Very blowy but icy rain was the main thing. Good standard Dan chat though (when we could) and he really warmed my heart when he pissed on his hands to try and warm up towards the end.
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Hilly 'Steady'
A very different set of conditions in the Pentlands today, nice, warm and bright sunset but fairly blowy. Hitting the climbs a bit harder today but to no avail segments-wise. Wind didn't help too much but generally not treated enough as a session and couldn't really stride out the tops. Happy with how I'm feeling going uphill after the last few weeks though, really hoping it will make a difference next season. Today's tune was a much sweeter one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTaFnoqHwus
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Gym
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Hilly
This will probably forever be one of those 'at least it wasn't as bad as that day' runs. It was clearly going to be a bit grim with persistent rain and wind but the conditions were a bit more extreme in that the rain was freezing as it hit the ground and so the tops were snow capped. Quite slippy and wet as a result but the route suited the day well in that I could freeze and defrost in a constant 20min cycle. 5 big climbs from the valley each time going Turnhouse, Carnethy, Scald Law, Carnethy, and Turnhouse, sometimes off path and sometimes on. Constantly adding or removing clothing but eventually everything became too wet and useless in warming me up. Finished off quite broken and flexors becoming weak but glad to have managed it. Had this absolute tune stuck in my head the whole way round which helped considerably https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmIwpzoKv3A
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Easy Hilly
Up nice and early to catch the sunrise on the Pentlands. Very chilly but still enough to not be too bad. Hamstring twitching but manageable.
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Easy Hilly + MFD
Another chilled out one with a bit of an effort up MFD. Could have been better...
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Easy Hilly
It's hills week! Up MFD/steps/seat direct before meeting Oleg and doing MFD/MFD part 2/steps/dry dam direct. Good chat a time passed quickly. Out to see Mountains on Stage after which was very nice and inspiring too.
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C • jesus 6