Training Log Archive: rcro

My toughest XC race to date. Bumped into Chloe after her run (25th in SW) whose advice was it was hard, to pace well, and tape shoe laces. Only found the rest of the Forest contingent just before the start - Cory looked so cold and unhappy I almost gave him a hug...

Stuck to the pacing well so by the first corner - but that meant I was stuck in horrendous traffic for the next km or so. Horrendous being many many times worse than doing the Bristol 10k from the 45 min pen. Even if I was just 20m ahead at the corner could have shaved 30-60s by being ahead of it as there was absolutely nowhere to go even if I could get past the person immediately in front.

This slowness was because the mud was well over ankle deep and for some reason that, I assume, means that you shouldn't try so hard. Once we started going uphill, my traction in mudclaws just left people behind as though they weren't moving at all, but still had a few cut me up. In the top field somebody not far in front collapsed and was straight away put into recovery position - marshals said for us to carry on.

End of first lap found Martyn (+ starry arm warmers) just in front of me, but I wasn't fast enough through the really muddy section to pass until the uphill again. We were together from there pretty much to the finish. Stomach cramps came on at the end of lap 2 and progressively worsened for the remaining 1.5 laps. Conditions + wind helped as a distraction, and was still overtaking people. Took a different line on the inside of one of the muddy bends and had to stop and divert as a big loop of barbed wire on/in the ground...

Having been encouraging Martyn around laps 2/3, he returned the favour as I started dieing on lap 3.5, and with uphill finish was able to pick up a bit and gain a few (inc. Jon Like of Mynydd Du) just before the end. Didn't beat Tom Mollekin this time, but he wasn't far ahead - he was ahead of the worst of the traffic at the start.

Managed to be first Forest this time, so big improvement on the Malmesbury XC from a few weeks ago. Still not my best running with the stomach cramps and a reasonable amount of tiredness from doing a bit too much yesterday.

139th overall - which should put me into top third, maybe top quarter - not sure how many braved the weather. Could do better. Think on a good day for me, and slightly lower attendance (such as Pembrey), top 100 ought to be achievable.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1996642996

Shoes washed in the lake after - got the worst of the mud off. Tried some jogging warm down but stomach wouldn't let me.

Try this out for a bit of variety - tarmacced old railway line with a lot of leaf mulch.

Legs feeling yesterday and XC tomorrow so never planning on going hard so just slotted in behind Jools. Expected to be faster for the effort though.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1993832244

On to Llanfoist so that I could see the race in the afternoon. Extra distance by going out along the canal for 5.5k and then coming back. Muddy in places, but was actually quite nice for an easy run. Found a ruined dam.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1994333746

Tired now - feels like it's been quite a hard few days.

Very long day yesterday - out from 6-midnight, and then back out at 6 this morning. Didn't really get a huge amount of work done today so left just before 4 like everyone else.

Unfortunately weather pretty crap this afternoon so had to wait until 6.10 for a dry window. Back up Machen mountain but seriously underestimated how much slower the conditions were from last week. Ground saturated, deep mud, rocks very slippery, and the run off from all the rain has washed out a lot of the loose stones near the top so most steps ended up rolling something - really worried about ankles.

As running much later than anticipated, cut down to the road on the way back to save distance and climb. Still wouldn't realistically have been able to get changed and over to bouldering before 7.40 - and apparently was quite busy - so took the decision to just come straight back home instead. Burst water main just by the quarry turn came as a bit of a surprise on the drive back.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1993094633

Short run from home as needed the evening to do quite a lot of work that I was going to do last night (MDC for FoDAC took out 2 hours, then had to coax the only working car key back to life to lock the car, fix my computer [socket decided to not work last night], fix one of the car keys, and fiddle with software on laptop that wasn't opening.

This run was delayed too as was waiting for my heart to start beating - which it wouldn't do. Second attempt my resting HR was 95 so gave watch a third go. Gave me time to sit in the car at confirm the fixed key turns the ignition on.

Delays meant it was raining for much of the time I was actually out. Pace reasonable but not feeling strong, and legs seem quite tired.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1989756884

Due to rain the grit track at Five Acres is off limits - so whilst on the way out of Newport established that Cory, Chloe and Harry were going to skip the re-located session, so saw no point going on up and diverted to MDC instead. Traffic was pretty bad and reminded me why I go to Coleford instead (38 mins home to Coryton...)

MDC run went up Craig yr Allt side but managed to miss all the real hills. Going on the slow side of OK, but pretty cautious on the off paths and slippery bits. As was set to go to Forest didn't have my good fell shoes in car and had to wear the worn out ones with little grip and no support.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1988221269

Not in the mood tonight and home late due to train problems. (Did at least ignore the first train to come in that everyone else rushed for, correctly assuming they would try and then fail to fix it, whilst the one half an hour behind sailed in, and then on out, almost empty...)