Training Log Archive: rcro

Weather forecast was heavy rain early clearing. It didn't rain in the morning...

Drove over to Reynoldston to do a long loop to join up my other runs on the Gower. Fierce wind from the east so opted to do Cefn Bryn westbound. Out to Hardings Down, then direct across to Oxwich, straight up to Cefn Bryn and back. At a social pace, but not overly social as nobody available to join me. Did speak to a hiker though - passed him at Burry Green and again along the ridge at the end.

Generally added more road to the run than planned as was expecting fields to be bad. Some were actually ok, but the two before Scurlage were hell and a 100m section of a bridleway was also pretty terrible. So pace very variable, and lots of stopping to put waterproof on/off/ into/out of bumbag, cleaning shoes on grass/washing in puddles etc. etc.

Against the wind was hard work, and by the time I got to the sand, that was pretty hard too. Nicholaston looks good for an explore some day. Weather turned nasty within site of the end so from the last trig (I've been here before so not a new one...) came back a more direct, wet and spiky way.

Pretty happy to just get out and complete this in questionable weather and nobody for company. Legs were pretty wrecked last night and this morning - don't know if the mud-running, or walking at the fell race, but seemed reasonably fine on the run.

Worst of the weather was saved for the trip back. I'd just decided 60 was too fast and slowed down, looking at all the cars speeding by and thinking "there's going to be a crash soon" and it came about 30s later - and I thought all BMW drivers were God's gift... Bonus crash in the traffic at Newport because somebody wasn't looking where they were going. Ends up being quite a long day!

https://www.strava.com/activities/1510405021

Shoes have crossed over 1,000 miles - which even impresses me. Still going, but the uppers are deteriorating and today's run hasn't helped, it seems. Purchase cost works out at 7.48p per mile, or 1p per 215m :-)

Opportunity to catch up with Ben after 3 months. To fit with timings and anticipated fitness was a "short" one - so took advantage of two cars to get the last awkward join between Bath and Bromyard.

To be honest, not running very well today. Maybe combination of mud (it was pretty bad) and heat (I'm not used to it at the moment). Still made for a nice social jog in spring sunshine. Less good was that I managed to bash my shin on a bridge so now a bit swollen. Running better later into the run.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1507577336
https://citystrides.com/users/2892/map

OMM got a mention. Didn't actually happen last year though, am also still tempted by Long Mynd Hike which is a few weeks before.

Over from Ledbury to Longtown to catch people at the fell race. Note to self: Longtown isn't in the Abbeydore valley - and the road in between the two isn't *exactly* surfaced anymore and is full of lorries coming the other way.

Watched start then walked up to the fell with Becky and Jane, then back down on my own stopping to talk to marshals on the way. Back in finish field before the first MDC finisher so got some photos.

Good afternoon to get a tan going.

Course details for Ross urban (5th May) now uploaded - some bits could raise a few eyebrows ;-) Courses are, to quote me, "very good" - and should feel very different from any course I've planned before.

http://www.ngoc.org.uk/other-events/050518-ukul6-r...

Another run straight after getting home from work. Seems I need more time to prep for a run as found this a struggle, and similarly have done when actually running from work.

Reasonable pace, but felt hard. Ironically the only bit that didn't feel hard was coming up through the park at the end - trying much less than yesterday, just 1s slower, so would have been 8th best ever time up until yesterday... Some people must be really slow.

All other segments either new or PBs so not all bad.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1504519802

Recovery jog straight after getting home from work. Needed it and took 6k to get into it. Explored the bit behind the houses in Duffryn - would make a crappy map, but definitely mappable. Also saw a guy wearing a blue "Gunners Orienteering Team" jacket out walking his dogs in the park.

Did the actual route of the segment through the park today rather than head down to the bottom and back up. Rather embarrassingly for the effort put in - managed a top 10 time.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1502684703

Will make some updates to OSM as a lot more cut throughs than mapped.

MDC Cribyn run. Foggy.

It's a tough climb and very quickly my legs were feeling Sunday's hard hill effort so made the decision that I wasn't going to do the full route and just do Pen y Fan plus a bit extra on my own - so this run lacked both "MDC" and "Cribyn" elements.

Got up Pen y Fan with more walking than I would have liked. Visibility low so ended up on a poor line with too much on the shitty slate tracks. PyF to Corn Du felt as though it's been "improved" since I last went there - but I don't usually take the path.

Descent was pretty slow until got to a point where I could see a route in grass alongside the track. Looking very carefully at the ground to try and recognise points from the way up as recall it's easy to get lost coming day in clear visibility. Quite relieved when saw the gate at the bottom.

Lost a lot of body temperature when we stopped before the split and never got it back - and wind was getting stronger throughout run. Definitely a day to be glad to have carried full kit.

Flyby might be interesting.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1501046034

Raining - so will sort out Ross map and courses.