Training Log Archive: Ifor

Westbury from Blaise clubhous. Not so many out on BH so just one slow group with people running off the front and lots of regroupeing. Had to chace at the start as I had trouble locking up luckily I guessed the right route down to the tunnel... Mostly running at the back after that for a bit then a few efforts to the front and running hard to make sure the young girls out did not get off the front too far.

Inpromtue severn outing, 5 out. Bridge, Devauden, Treleck, Llandogo, Tintern home. Legs definatly still not recovered felt hard work. Neck stiffened up quite badely. Shoulder not so bad. Want go out tomorow like originaly planned.

76.965 02:56:25 26.1 03:09:01 24.4 827 -832 2.1
00:22:42 01:16:43 00:47:03 00:24:15 00:07:12 202 136

From bike_logs

None of the Westbury interval sessions were apealing so ran the 6 hills in Blaise. Did them stedily rather than as intervals was not expecting to do all 6 but legs were feeling ok so did all 6. Past Cranie going the other way whilest out there.

Out to Club 10 before the rain. Then out to the Plough to marshal in the rain then the alternate route home.
Forgot I had taken the mud-gaurds off the bike so soaking. legs OK left back/shoulder still not so good.

26.182 01:08:12 23 02:39:35 9.8 218 -221 1.6
00:00:00 00:00:00 00:00:00 00:00:00 00:00:00 0 -1

From bike_logs

Bok training from The Crown Churchill. Fairly standard route out west. Legs very heavy at start but kept jogging along at the back OK.

Just out around the block to spin the legs out. Remarkably good feeling for the legs. Left arm and shoulder fairly achy and not too comfortable on the road bike.

case broke where strap holds the bike computer and it ended up on the A38 but luckily over by the verge so no one ran over it. Case should be fixable with some glue and more plastic. A couple of bits of patchup needed to the soldering bit should be fixable.

A big thanks to my Mum for staying up all night and feeding me. Also to Steve Heading for helping out with the bike mechanicals.

Legs well stiff and painfull first thing in the morning a lot beter by night. Back, shoulders and arms still a bit painfull probobly worse than my legs now.

Second half of 24.

The leader (Josh Ibbett then) put his second lap on me at about 12.30AM which I though meant I was geting stronger relative to him. I could also keep up with him and chat for a bit so I was happy with this. I also though I was 3rd Vet although I did not want any good timings till daylight. I was just happy that the only people who past me were lapping me and there were not many of them.

I think it was about a lap and a half later that 2nd place (Ant White) past me for the second time early on the lap but after the first single track decent I pulled him back in on the fire-road climb. No doubt very bad for his moral but great for mine. He had lost his bottle so I gave him a sip from mine and settled into his pace letting him lead the decents were he pulled away a bit but I pulled him back in on the accents without fealing I was over doing it to far from the end of the race. Just at the end of the lap 3rd place (eventual winner Matt Page) caught us up and I was happy to pit for more rice pudding after somthing like a 72 compared to 75 the previous few and next laps.

A lap after dawn at about 6.40 I was informed that I was second Vet. 40 minutes down on the leading vet Keith Forsyth and just infront of 3rd John Fettis. On my lap times I sould be doing 4 more laps at a max of 80 minutes. 5 laps would take sub 70's and thus not realy be possible.

About a third of the way around the lap I got caught by a guy saying you must be Ifor and introducing himself as John my immediate competitor for 2nd vet. We chatted and rode the rest of the lap together initaly him leading the technical stuff them myself. He was a rookie and we discused the exact protocol of the finish if close to the do you go don't you go for another lap point (laps have to end inside 24 hours at this race) I am fairly sure that I said that if he beat me across the line and there were 70 minutes left I would be out to try and do a 70 minute lap this lap and 3 more was what I though was do able.

Technicaly he was better leading down than me but I was not sure about the ups I though I could easaly of gone harder a couple of times following him. When I was in the lead I just tried to keep my same rythm which he easaly followed down and at least stayed with me up to the end of the lap. Come the pits I told him I was stopping for food as normal and said if he wanted to race off he was welcome to.

Pits was slightly longer as I had to put on a short sleaved top as I had started to sweat hard in the long sleaved night time top. I organised for a normal stop next time but just a water stop the final time though. Going across the line I saw John still pitting and said hi. I set off at the same rythm as normal up the horrid hill aiming for a steady lap befor racing the final 2. I then got past by someone fast how I assumed was putting a lap on me but by the start of the first decent I had caught him again and took a good pull down the technical stuff behind him. Chatting going up the next climb it transpired that he was actualy 2 or 3 laps behind me but was 3rd rookie. He was lapping ok but taking long pits stops like 10 minutes plus. He knew John was the leading rookie well clear of the rest. I also learnt that John was well used to 24+ hours in the saddle although on the road rather than an MTB event.

With John leading the rookies catagory I decided the best use of two fast laps would be straight away so as to try and get a good gap before the last lap pit so he would not bother racing it hard but cruse in instead happy with 1st rookie. Plus the saying that the last interval will take care of itself concentrate on the one before came to mind. I put in a hard 2/3 of a lap to do my quickest lap at 66. A very quick yogurt and 2 IBP and I was off for another quick lap as I pushed it from the start all the way for a 69.

Come the pits for the last time I am told John was 17 minutes back after the previous lap but the 40 minute gap to 1st vet is now only 7 minutes. I headed out of the start as hard as ever with the comentry saying there may be a race on. Unfortunatly just past the horrid climb I broke the hyper-link in my chain and bent somthing around the rear mech area so I was getting the chain between the casset and the spokes once I had put in a new hyperlink and recoved from some cramp brought on be kneeling down. I set off about 5 minutes delayed just looking to nurse the bike home keeping away from the big cogs and getting off to push the realy steep hills.

Half way around the lap the leader Matt Page past me to put me 3 laps down overall. I was very happy to get to the top of the final decent and know that I would make the end of the lap well in time even if I had to carry the bike. John did not even start the last lap after me so my push from 3 laps out was good stratergy.

So 2nd Vet and in fighting for 1st at the end. Also 7th overall so all around a good result. I felt I pushed myself fairly close to the limit for the steady pace stratergy. If I should of had quite so mush left for the final 4 hours is the only question. My fastest laps were 17, 2, 3, 18....

From 24_hours_exposure

C • 24 hour solo 3

Event: 24hoursolo
 

First half of 24.

We started in town after having to sign on Big bike race style and were led out very steadily to the race site a couple of miles. Made a point of getting to the very back so I could start moving forward from the back...

First couple of laps at a good steady pace chatting to Ski Sharp doing his first Solo 24. (on a 29er HT) Totaly forgot to talk about the Lamm we did on Jura which would of been apropriate as the weather was just as hot. Laps about the same as the test lap (68) but probobly easier on the ups and a better flow on the downs.

I just tried to keep this pace up though the day improving the decent flow and trying to not push the ups but spin them out. Not sure of the lap times yet but I slowed a bit with the heat which I think was a common thing.

Started to throw up the energy drink after 5 or 6 laps so had to go onto plain water but still had the odd vomiting moment which I just ignored and kept on trying to eat and drink as before but having some yogurts in transitions to try and settle my stomach.

Switched to the Scale for the lap into the dusk so the main lights could be put on the Blur and it could be lubed for more action. Scale was both faster and slower. faster in that on most climbs I was at least a gear higher and also faster on the flats. Slower because I got cramp half way up the first climb and lowered the sadle 5mm as it felt high compared to the Blur. This was not enough as I craped up again on the steapest climb and had to take it down another 5mm. Also slower because my slopy riding meant I had a fall where on the blur I would of been OK. Just a bang to the knee that I was not feeling by the end of the lap.

Back onto the Blur for the dark with the minor hickup that the helmet light would not work with either battrery so I had to go with my small traning backup light with 2 18650 cells as battery and controll the level manualy. To get the runtime about right for just one battery change. Fun out in the dark going relativly faster than others so lots of people to pass and encorage along.

Test lap for 24. Still very warm as I went out. Very glad of the hair cut. First climb after the bit around the old BMX track was horrid. Freshley marked track zig-zaging up tough thick walk wood with furrows in it that they had made a bit of an attempt to take the tops off with a spade. Was forced into the little ring and heart rate was way up at 165 even though I was tring to be steady. Luckaly after some more grassy staff that was slow we hit the proper trails and things were a lot more ridable. Good surfaced singletrack decents and double track acents in between. At the end there was more grass stuff that was hard going then a realy quick final decent on a rough grass. surface.

The lap had been slightly shortened from the advertised 12 miles 550m climb taking out the bottom bit of the first singletrack decent. I had the wheel setupo for the road bike but about 17km with 395m climb.

Decided not to have the computer on to start as the heart rate reading from the test lap were way up even though I was not pushing hard so did not want that to influance my pace.

Decided to take the first hard bit of clibming very steadly eg right down in the bottom gear as a recovery point and to give the food eaten at transition chance to settle.

17.803 01:07:56 15.7 01:08:08 15.6 395 -396 4.4
00:01:27 00:19:04 00:16:03 00:16:18 00:15:14 171 147

From bike_logs

Maybe that hot weather training I did will come in usefull this weekend....

C • Good Luck ! 1

Just out to the club 10. A bit down on helpers so I marshaled on the M4 RB at Aust and took some pictures. nothing hard just spinning the legs out.

30.103 01:23:11 21.7 02:35:45 11.5 259 -261 1.7
00:40:37 00:40:43 00:03:17 00:00:00 00:00:24 169 113

From bike_logs

Just a quick outing to the nearest hill to check I can not accelerate down hill fast enough to triger the spike filtering code I have added. Looking at the data I need to accelerate about 3 times faster than I was so I think I am safe.

2.338 00:13:29 10.4 00:20:36 6.8 17 -19 1.5
00:00:00 00:00:00 00:00:00 00:00:00 00:00:00 0 -1

Bok run from Hawksbury Upton. Nice route from phill but a bit long for me. Had to stop for a call of nature towards end and put in a good quicker bit along straight bit of road to catch up.

Ankle hurting at end, probobly should not of gone out...

A proper lap and a cheating lap (up the road) of Cwm Carn in the dark. There was actualy someone finishing there ride in the dark as I started which I have never seen before. He was suprised to not be the last man out as well.
Was looking to just go stedily but looking at the heart rate track I was clearly pushing quite hard on the way up but the technical climbs force that on you to some extent. The lap was a 64 so that is about what I was expecting. Was slightly damper than I had expected some puddles which I was trying to avoid as I had not taped up the computer.

Bike all good but I would not want to do a 24 at Cwm Carn and if I did I would not be using these tyres as I don't think they would suvive 24 hours. I don't think my arms and shoulders would suvive either its a fairly rough track down and the technical bits of the accent make things hard. Newcastleton is a lot smoother if I rememnber correctly and I expect the speed to be quicker although the lap is meant to be 12 miles so a good bit longer.

Lights Good but the computer picked up some dodgy wheel reading on the decent the first time around but was OK the second time. This is not good as a spike forces the light to full power. I have been meaning to put some code in to try and filer this sort of stuff out and will now do it. I will also put a second read switch on the bike so I will have a reserve input avalible.

From bike_logs

26.037 0.075729167 26.6 0.266030093 14.8 737 -742 4.8
00:12:00 00:42:20 00:33:33 00:14:05 00:08:45 169 138

C • Good luck 3

Another spin aroiund 3 Brooks and Mount Bradly. Blur this time and the 7XPG light now I have it bike mountable and software sorted for the bike computer to controll. Remembered my gloves...
Manual dip now works and I used it with a dog walker. I think I need to do a slight re-maping on the levels on the 7XPG the maxflex is less linear than the bflex. Low is too low (zero light) and the high end has very little effect. The half power point not being 128. I already have a mapping for the hpiflex 4mce light so I will put in somthing similar.

I will do a lap or two of Cawm Carn on Monday with fully charged batteries so I can check how much I use when recharging them. This will get some good real world data I can experiment with in Excel to help predict what setting to use once I have done a test lap for the 24 on Friday evening.

6.913 00:22:32 18.4 12:13:29 0.5 45 -48 1.3

From bike_logs

Severn Saturday run. 12 people out for a nice day. Destinctly faster than the last time I went out on a Saturday no realy slow riders. Over to Wentwood. Two punctures so straight back from Usk as opposed to the Raglan option I was going to sugest. Pushed properly hard up both the climbs but not up to staying with Anna, Freddiy and Roger. Got a bit scattered on the way back after the climb up from Usk got drop[ed on the decent which has happened before.

Good altitude from the computer at least. HR was good after the first puncture but bad before which was not good as I have re-worked the power suply not to be directly off a pin like it was, there was a visable intermitent drop in the voltage when off a pin. Also changed the Ant module to the one from the old computer so at least I have eliminated a load of bits for the potential cause of the trouble.

91.428 03:19:35 27.4 03:50:31 23.7 1024 -1030 2.2
01:30:02 00:43:29 00:26:22 00:20:03 00:22:39 176 125

From bike_logs

Little spin around Three Brooks testing lights with new computer which I have not done before got very cold hands, forgot gloves. Scale with old 4 MCE direct cable and 10 xpe helmet Ant link. Full brightness to start with then turned it down to half power max which is more like what I will use for the 24. Low beam manual controll not working correctly, high is good everything else seamed good.

Still some work to do getting the code for the serial link with the 7 XPG light but hopfully will test that properly early next week with a lap over at cawm carn.

6.946 00:23:17 17.8 00:26:45 15.5 44 -43 1.2
00:18:36 00:05:21 00:00:00 00:00:00 00:00:00 132 105

From bike_logs

Shirenewton, Devauden loop. A bit of effort and then ran out of jelly babies and realy starting to bonk coming back home.

Computer looking sad no heart rate and also the altitude reading went haywire... still the two may be related which may help debug.

63.828 02:29:56 25.5 02:38:55 24 11350 -10466 34.1
00:04:18 02:27:08 00:00:00 00:00:00 00:00:00 127 125

In to Clifton to drop off the WNL handicap trophy which I disgracfully forgot I had and thus did not take to the Prize giving. I then disapeared to Greese for a month.... Still at least I got it engraved.

though I had the altitude sorted but it went foobar in the last few km... Time to buzz it out and maybe get the ossiloscope out.

21.969 00:53:49 24.4 00:59:40 22 354 -353 3.2
00:00:00 00:00:00 00:00:00 00:00:00 00:00:00 0 -1

Started off doing the Sunday run route Wentwood, Usk, Raglan, Star hill and back. Was feeling good at the top of star hill so extended up down to Tintern and up Brockwier hill. was not feeling like such a good idea half way up Brockwier but not too bad. Managed to avoid the worst of the showers just the odd spot.

Dodgy heart rate reading down hill again....

Only got the first 2/3 og the gpx. I stoped it when I spoted the heart rate going bad and clearly did not start it up again properly.

106.634 04:22:30 24.3 04:36:10 23.1 1351 -1351 2.5
01:04:13 02:30:43 00:38:18 00:04:07 00:07:09 225 128

Out to the club10. Did not need my help so went and tryed to take some photos. Started raining 5 minutes after leaving home stoped by HQ bus started again at the start and carried on getting harder. Not good photography weather so did not stay around for long. Got very cold hands going home with no gloves...
25.941 01:06:25 23.4 01:54:14 13.6 1104 -1128 8.6
00:00:00 00:00:00 00:00:00 00:00:00 00:00:00 0 -1

Bok training. From Burington coumb. Along contouring path to fell race first climb then out and back to the top of Dolbury nive views. Along fell race route to start of second climb then staight back past pothole to cars with Joe and Helen. Charles Pete and Chris whent on to the top up fell race route and back. Ankle hurting even with IBP should not realy of been running but not done a Bok trainging for a while so good to see people.

think I will lay off the running till after the 24 hour just do Bok next tuesday hope the ankle settles down. I don't want it hurting befor the event if there turns out to be any hike a bike on the lap. Very unlickly but you never know.

Hawksbury upton loop. Nice and sunny although a slight breeze going out. Just a steady pace.

Heart rate data was way hight early on and not on a going down hill senario then before the climb it stoped picking up all together. Annoying but easier to investigate now back home.

48.16 01:55:01 25.1 02:01:16 23.8 420 -420 1.7
01:11:39 00:28:04 00:07:02 00:02:01 00:06:55 216 128

From bike_logs

Bike out to Tims for my first Monday night run, then to curry house and back home afterwards.

17.137 00:45:06 22.7 04:37:44 3.7 127 -132 1.5
00:00:00 00:00:00 00:00:00 00:00:00 00:00:00 0 -1

First ever team Monday run from Tims. Out to blaze all together then around the blazer route. MarkS, Charles, AliceB and myself joined the route at the top corner the others did it properly going to the start.
Nice steady pace. Ankle hurting from fairly early on probobly should not of been out and the overall time was a bit long for me stifening up on the road back to Tims. The curry was alright though but I think next door is probobly better. I will have to explain myself on Thursday to all the westbury people I past going the other way....

Harvester A 1st leg for the Handicap team having not got picked fot the open team. Up against Clive doing the first leg for the open team. Well motivated, warmed up well far more than anyone else seamed to do.

1 Nice and easy a number of gaffles.
2 Was going down the track with Clive 50M back off Kris and couple of others at the frontshould of been straig forward on a pond but I messed it up and found another pond with a flag, this was obvious on the map afterwards but I did not pick up where I was and just rushed off after lights. Ended up wasting 3 minutes and being by myself.
3,4 slowed down and took things more slowly past a number of people most coming back after overshooting etc and saw a number of others off to the sides but just ignored them.
5,6,7 used the paths to be sure I was close stoped seaing anybody.
8,9,10 more technical slowish carefull but clean.
11 trying to speed up got a bit off course left should of headed right where there was a good path just beyond I could of hit and come down 30 secs.
12 back in the parkland very easy but I just failed to pick up the thicket the flag was on was expecting somthing bigger wandered around wrong side of the stream for unknowen reason. 1.30
13 14 spectator and more parkland trying to be quicker before getting back to next technical bits. learnt I was at least infront of Clive even if running by myself.
15 slight hesitation started looking too soon 15s
16 got past it don't realy know how 60s
17 was a destinctive tree in white wood had no idea what I was looking for seamed to be lots of potential destinctive trees I visited ended up overshooting and having to relocate off fence beyond. Found the Yew tree OK when the right height above the fence. 90s
18 OK, 19 saw first person running since 5 when one of the people in front was comming back the other way for 21 Fairly obvious path route I took.
20-21 OK
22 another destinctive tree only 100m from 21 though some green and open bits. Got about the right distance and styarted running around the big trees again after a minute of this went out to path and found ruined fence to come in off again did not hit tree and messed around eventualy found it as I was going back out to path again led in 2 people catching me up. 3 mins.
23-24 OK finished 6th 15+ minutes back off leaders.

Destinctly disapointed with my run just stupid loosing the time and the front at 2 then having to run by myself. Good through the rest of that bit of wood afterwards once I slowed up but more stupid errors then after I tried to speed up though the park and in the second bit of wood where there were better catching features and a big mistake was less likely. About 10 minutes of erros which was just way too much.

I did as least beat Clive but that was because he was having a nightmare loosing 29 minutes to the leaders. The rest of the Open team ran superbly the night runners well quicker than me and thanks to some problems up front they managed to send Tim out only 100m behind GG on the last leg and with a defendable gap to 3rd. Unfortunatly once Tim was out we discoved that Pete James had not registered a punch at one of the flags. He was sure he went there and gueses he just did not wait for the beep properly.

Rest of the Handicap team had so-so runs and I think we may of come second but well over half an hour down on the winners.

Event: Harvester relays
 

Just a little spin around the block to loosen the legs up. Stiffened up quite a bit after the lntervals yesterday but a lot better for the spin.

14.303 00:32:36 26.3 00:34:14 25 85 -85 1.1
00:08:55 00:21:39 00:01:26 00:00:27 00:00:39 180 123

Just generated the report for the trip away. Not as many miles as when in Italy last year. I guess doing the odd very small run instead of the recovery rides may of made some differance but I guess the biking as just better in Italy and doing the bits of the Giro at the back end of the trip kept me motivated better last year.

I will find out in just over 2 weeks if I have done enough or not.

activity # time miles km +m
Bike 29 94:11:06 1285.31 (4:24) 2068.5 (2:44) 37485
Run 7 3:23:00 19.39 (10:28) 31.2 (6:30) 1120
Total 36 97:34:06 1304.69 (4:29) 2099.7 (2:47) 38605

Westbury Intervals. Pyramid session with mikes groupe 1,2,3,4,4,3,2,1 half the last rep as rest. eased into it for the first two but then pushed hard. Managed to finish the long ones on a down slope which helped a lot. well quicker than the rest of the group so I have not lost much during the trip away. I realy should look to move up to the next group. Legs fairly stiff afterwards did a good long stretching session.

05-05-2010 BF_45 12 Noon

Little lunch time spin around star posts as I was passing by on the way home. Forgot my helmet so all a bit cautious on the singletrack. Very busy with people in carpark but only saw one other biker.

11.609 00:49:17 14.1 00:50:34 13.7 194 -189 3.2
00:30:13 00:18:38 00:00:46 00:00:00 00:00:00 149 113

From bike_logs

05-05-2010 BF_46 5PM

Out to club 10 and back after doing my job timekeeping at the start. Pushed fairly hard for a good bit of the trip out computers infront to chace then someone past me so I had to chace to get on the wheel.

Got the high heart-rate reading again after 2 weeks without trouble going down Tockington hill. Still no realy idea of the reason for it.

21.21 00:49:27 25.7 03:01:56 6.9 191 -189 1.7
00:13:44 00:19:06 00:08:04 00:04:09 00:05:14 244 131

From bike_logs

04-05-2010 BF_44

Mtb from my German MTB spot most of route 4 this time. I think I am getting better at spoting the signed only a couple of wanders off course and I got back to where I missed it each time. chilly early start glad I had the longer tights and had put a helly under the long sleaved top. all fairly steady but you have to work some of the more technical climbs.

58.408 03:38:31 16 04:17:28 13.6 1149 -1149 3.9
01:28:43 01:38:01 00:32:38 00:02:57 00:00:12 161 120

From bike_logs

03-05-2010

Run. Mixed. 7km 40 level 2 3 level 5. Trough german mixed beach and coniferous wood following the start and end of tomorrows MTB trail. The bit cuting across was an off path cut up about 100m of climb though the wood. just taking it steadily untill just befor the end when some spots of rain started falling and I could see a downpour coming across the valley so leged it flat out back to the van.

02-05-2010 BF_43

Up an Austrian alpine valley and back. not as much climb as expected but it was a headwind going up which made life a bit hard. Was fun comming down lots of speed event on the flatter bits. Worked harder than normal but it's not normal for me to be able to do 45+kmph on the flat.

47.316 01:40:31 28.2 01:56:06 24.4 429 -425 1.8
00:13:50 00:36:32 00:23:53 00:24:53 00:01:43 166 136

From bike_logs

Event: British Long Distance Orienteering Champs