Training Log Archive: Frostbite

parkside and weetwood. Forced myself out in the rain because I missed out on running over the weekend. Bits of me are beginning to dissolve.

team coaching at JIRCs relay. Mainly involved carrying bags and standing in the rain. Got a bit excited when the girls won, walking around in the rain.

Team coaching at JIRCs individual. Mainly involved standing in the rain and carrying bags.

4 x 600m in Meanwood. 2:30, 2:25, 2:27, 2:26. I felt a but ropey beforehand so wasn't expecting much, but this was fine.

Weetwood and Lawnswood. Very wet so I didn't want to go in the park.

Twigmoor YHJS training.

Great Whernside fell race. Beautiful day. Slow up, OK down. 5 minutes behind Evie.

Very slowly, West Park Fields and Beckett Park

Jog up into Meanwood, 4 x 600m, jog back. 2:31, 2:24, 2:24, 2:28. Considerably faster than last week, but that's not surprising.

Better speed. Harassed by a dog.

British Middles, Chinley Churn. OK area for a level B event, not really suitable for a British Middles.

I lost about 15 seconds at #3, come up just beyond the control and didn't see it to my right until I had stopped and pondered the map and the control below me in a re--entrant. Could have got a better line on #7, I followed the elephant track into the rocks when it was easier going a bit lower down the slope. Could also have got a better line on #8 apparently. I just went straight up the hill to the path junction but it was very steep. A more circuitous route might have saved me 20 seconds or so. The section through the quarries was not very interesting, basically running along an elephant track parallel to the crags and the controls were easy. Then it was out onto the moor for a burn-up, helped a little by Roger pulling away from me over the first few before he disappeared out of sight. Very easy orienteering, nothing to trouble the brain very much.

British Sprint heats, Loughborough University. OK for the first half, then started making little errors on 8,9,10. I was still doing ok until 15 where I misread the overprint lines and started heading for 17 instead. I almost got there when the penny dropped and I was basically on the wrong side of a building that took me 20-30 seconds to run round. I found it very hard work trying to raise a sprint to the finish after that. Finished 10th on the heat, 29 seconds away from qualification so I could have done it but it would have needed a perfect run.

British Sprints final, Loughborough University. Felt better with my running than in the heats and was going pretty well. Didn't get the best route to #7 and thought I would never find my way out of the blocks I was caught up in. Missed a way through the buildings at #9. Did a stupid at #11 where I knew I had to get all the way to the bottom of the downhill path before turning right, but turned right too soon anyway. I don't know what I was thinking, I knew I couldn't get through the building. Wasted 20 seconds or so. From there to the finish I was chasing Simon Thompson who I had already caught once at #10.

4th in the final, a minute down on Chappers and Paul G. I could never have gone that fast, but I should have got 3rd.

Maybe I will work on my sprint speed/technique for next year's JK Sprint in my home town.

Just jogging up to Meanwood Hospital and then 2 * approx 600m efforts on the perimeter path, then jog back through the park. Just about managing 7 minute miles on the second effort.

First attempt at running even moderately quickly for weeks. It felt all wrong but could have been worse I suppose. I thought I wasn't going to be able to run on Saturday but now I can, but I'm not sure there's any point. Is there ever?

Recovery jog from Stainforth in Ribblesdale. Smearsett Scar and Oxenber Wood. Apart from being knackered feeling much better than yesterday, much less sore. A pleasant diversion on the way home.

Baccy's Boggy Bash, Applethwaite to Coniston via Keswick, Walla Crag, Bleaberry Fell, High Seat, Ullscarf, High Raise, Angle Tarn, Bowfell, Crinkle Crags, Three Shires Stone, Swirl How, Coniston Old Man. Did not feel good at the start and was straight off the back of the pack, but I just kept plodding along and got there in the end. I didn't really do any running at all between Ullscarf and Coniston Old Man, but did manage to jog/shuffle down into Coniston. Fantastic weather, great views of the whole of the Lakes. A grand day out.

A struggle. Knees sore to start with, then later on pretty much everything was sore. Nicely tuned up for the Baxterthon.

Stockholm DM Long, Bogesund. Covered some different terrain with some larger hills and clearer features than yesterday. It all seemed a lot easier. Also had a 2k track run in the middle of the course. Just 1 small mistake at #8, coming downhill onto the wrong crag and having a good look at it before moving on to the right crag. Very tired by the end but pleased with the run. 21/55, 137% (Allan Mogensen again).