Training Log Archive: rcro

Event: 2017 Welsh League Event
 

Welsh League at Whiteford Burrows. 8.8km Brown course.

Legs surprisingly fresh given yesterday, but did start tiring from 19 onwards.

Had terrible run here last time so hope was to be cleaner and was fairly good. Generally knew where I was all the time. Losses:
2: 30s as went in too early and continued along ridge
3: route choice took me through pretty thick undergrowth (not on map). Maybe still was best route
4: 20s as too far east and found the level.
8: 60s - went to depression to east, think the veg on the ground encouraged me - then went in wrong direction looking.
13: went straight and hit much worse undergrowth than expected - ended up almost hitting the path to W to avoid.
14: 60-90s on route choice as got bored of path quickly so tried to go around avoiding climb. Ended up further west than I wanted and went via 17 - and still had climb at the end.
20 - went out to path and then fairly straight - as per 3 undergrowth was much worse than mapped. Then at end went to depression to E and had to relocate. Following path right down and approaching from S would have been quicker but not hugely - 30s

Fairly good run overall. Results print out shows me -6th/13. Generally moving at same speed as Tom when neither had mistakes, most of the splits only a few seconds difference.

Would be a good place for night-o!

https://www.strava.com/activities/1252338771

Event: Western Night League
 

Legs not up for this and large amount of single track meant not "racing" fully today. Stuck to this by starting near the back, which gave me a hell of a job of overtaking. Lots of stop-start in the bracken, going off path to pass and then getting stopped by people pulling out in front, and then walking...

Hit the wind along the top, but kept jogging until the last 60m climb to the top. Passed John Aggleton here so was first MDC (I think) for a bit... right calf feeling unhappy after the flat so gave even more reason to slow down - so no records today. Incredibly windy on the top!

Reasonably quick for me on the down, but could have gone faster. Tripped a bit on the steep bit just before Forest Coal Pit corner. Reasonably try on flat part after corner then slowed right down on the climb as trying to reattach race number as the wind had ripped out all 4 corners by this point and the needles were doing their best to get stuck into my thumb. Turns out all in vain as 3 of the corners had ripped out again after a k so I just held it.

From the turn (which was earlier than it used to be, making the course slightly shorter, but much nicer) picked the pace up along the ridge as nice running, and slowed down along track at the end.

A good route for a run, and surprised time was reasonably good for the effort put in.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1250606650

WNL on Trellech Common. Poor run with lots of mistakes. Thought the terrain was better than expected, as was nice early on, then hit the brambles after 17 minutes.

S-6-14-18-1-9-20-17-24-25-19-26-30-23-27-11-22-29-16-28-10-7-13-2-F. 510 points (of 600).

Not taking it too seriously so just aimed to get an hour's night running in and go where ever - maybe showed in navigation as pulled well off line after 14 (knew it!), didn't go left enough on 20 and various bigger mistakes further through the run.

17 seemed much higher up the hill than I thought - would have lost much more time if Tommi hadn't just exited from it. Around path to 25 then straight to 19. Compass said I was pulled some wa left - so went a long way down path to compensate and overshot. Had established best route to 26 would be around the paths, so I went straight and ended up fighting big brambles. Big big overshoot on 27 and relocated from track corner. Attacked by a load of burrs going into 11 and stopped to remove them all as they were digging in a lot.

Then a good section as from leaving 11 to getting to 7 was pretty clean (yes, lucky of 16 being led in by Jason). Then a balls of 13 as cut through the open (not to be advised) and then into wood expecting gully in the trees. Found path beyond and got confused before working it out.

5 to 5.5 mins of mistakes - so if I was a bit cleaner would have had time to finish up with 28-15-8-10-7-2-13-3-5 and then around the road for an extra 45 points. Not enough speed post fell race (and to be honest, in that terrain I wouldn't be faster) to really consider 12/21/4.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1250971123

NOTE - I didn't "just" beat Clive, I completely outclassed him! ;-)

Skipped the pub as car park looked full and there were a load of zombies by the entrance smoking fags. By going straight home was treated to a fantastic firework display at the racecourse :-)

Once home in the dark learned how to (a) dismantle my car key, (b) reassemble said key, (c) dismantle car door handle, (d) reprogramme car key, (e) reassembly car door handle - so it means I'm back to having two working keys after one packed up this morning. Answers a question I've long had about how the plastic "spare" key disables the alarm when there's nothing electronic - it doesn't. Glad I did it at 9pm rather than 11!

C • Zombies.... 1

Legs tired from last night so a rest day today. Then wanted to eat a big oreo chocolate bar after lunch so became a Burley rest day.

Slow pace and short route, but quite undulating. Actually going better jogging than I'd felt walking.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1248006698

C • Burley rest days 1

First time at Lliswerry for a long time and legs feeling a bit crap. Hartridge Hill reps so nothing too hard.

Started out with group 3 so that I ease back in to it. 4x 3 reps, did first 2 sets as long stride low cadence and it felt pretty easy and thought I was going faster than group 2.

For third rep started quicker and then was lapped by group one on the first down so had them for company - and unlapped all of them... As in front of group 2 by this point joined them and did 4 for the last two sets and feeling I had been trying by the end.

Quite a nice interval session as the effort is about 40s and recovery is double that, and not a *huge* amount of climb. Passing everyone by virtue of not slowing down half way up and so carrying more speed after the corner onto the flat.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1246725165

MDC run on Merthyr Mawr sand dunes. Traffic was awful - took an hour, and went to the pub to avoid driving later so had to jog over to meeting point.

Fields all very wet and slippery - these shoes are hopeless on wet/mud, but these are also my dedicated sand shoes.

Legs not feeling good from too much sitting down and not enough stretching so sticking right at the back and going slowly. Much better on the sand though and going reasonably quick and descending almost well.

Return was quite quick as left the others and went off alone as I had extra k to go back to car.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1245189405