Training Log Archive: Frostbite

A non-relaxing day at home feeling completely dead.

I have been selected for the VHI to run M35. This is brilliant as I was expecting to be reserve for M40. I think there are probably better M35s around but they weren't at the selection races.

Must do some training. Once I have recovered from the last week.

C • VHI's 3

S6D - day 6 Ardchattan. Dead on my feet. Had to try a bit too hard on the climb to the start. First half of the course I was ok, then started to stuggle more. The last climbing leg back across the slope was very hard but I kept moving - chasing James Williams. The only mistake came after that when I had to get past some gorse to the second last and never really decided which way I was going - I just meandered along whatever elephant track seemed most convenient. 19th place, and 20th overall. 20th doesn't seem very good when I had 8th, 12th, 19th, 22nd - but those mistakes early in the week made a big difference. At least my navigation/ concentration got a bit better towards the end of the week.

Followed by a long long drive home, got home at 10pm.

C • Sounds familiar 3

S6D - day 5 Shenavallie and Loch Nell. A bit different - by the sea with lots of bog and lines of ridges. Made a small miss at 2 (cut down the slope too soon and had to struggle along it - 30 seconds) but after that didn't lose anything. I was nearly caught by Ben Stansfield at 12 but managed to hold him off for another 12 controls - he only overtook me at the last. Always pleasing to keep ahead of somebody running faster. 12th place, with a late start. My best run of the week.

S6D - day 4. Raining, raining, raining and an early start. Found it very heavy going, and seemed to be feeling worse rather than better after the rest day. Struggled through the heavy wet tussocks to number 8 by which time I had taken 50 minutes and was only capable of walking. Walked around to 11 then jogged/walked downhill to get home. It wouldn't have been a very good result if I had continued.

I did consider not starting but given how much difference an early/late start made I think you have to do your share of making the tracks.

C • Put Me Down 1

S6D - day 3 Craig Mhic Callein. A good solid run, a small error at 3 (maybe 30 seconds), and picked a silly wrong route at the second last (40 seconds). 22nd place doesn’t seem like much reward for how well I ran - after a much worse run the day before got me 8th. It was quite easy though.

S6D - day 2 Ardnaskig. Started well - caught James at 2 and was still with him going into 9, then a small error there missing the control and heading for the wrong thicket. After that I didn't see James again but kept up a good steady run up to the second last - at that point I was in 4th place, but blew the second last by 4 minutes. I came down the hill close to the control but just could not relocate. All I had to do was move about 10m to the right and it would all have made sense - so I went 100m to the left, then came back, then went up, then came down again in the right place. Ended up with 8th place (still my best result of the week) but a complete meltdown at the end. I also decided half way down the run in that I couldn't remember punching the last control on the railway bridge, turned round, then I remembered again and turned round again. Brain meltdown.