Training Log Archive: duncanarcher

CLOK event at Ayton Moor. Brown course. Think I came second to Andy Llewellyn. I had a decent run, navigation ok, only lost about 30s on #17, depression tricky to spot in deep heather. It was mainly a question of keeping running in the heather, which at times was ok, and there were little paths to follow, but at times was very deep. Feeling tired from yesterday's exertions too. Need to start some proper training again!

Training with North East Junior Squad in Houghall Woods in Durham. Control hanging first. Pretty easy as I know most of the control sites. Saw three small deer in the forest.

Trained with the older juniors (Aidan, Alice, Barney and John). Did four loops 1-2km each at a decent pace, each concentrating on different basic techniques. To be honest, knowing the woods so well, the technique wasn't a bit problem, so long as I concentrated on where I was actually supposed to be going, without thinking I knew it all.

We also did some hill reps in the middle, 10 minutes of up and down a wooded hill, which was fairly soft underfoot. One warm up rep, then eleven more. First time I've done any interval or hill work since the OMM, and it felt like an effort. But at the same time it felt good to be training hard again. Aidan was just ahead of me on most of the reps - he is running well at the moment, doing lots of training, and should be on track to have a good season next year.

Control collecting. Pretty tired by now.

Got inspired by climbing in Morocco, so decided to go bouldering tonight (I rarely go bouldering, just Sunderland once a week). Was quite rubbish, but had fun, and nice to stretch out afterwards, after this morning's running. We'll see how long this craze lasts...

Run around the river and Houghall Woods. Feeling ok till MC bridge on the way back where my right Achilles started aching, and that continued up the hill to home.

Physio. The top of my left calf that I did at the OMM seems absolutely fine now, just needs a little stretch out now and then. But my right Achilles has been aching. Physio thought that was likely what had been making me favour my left leg and why my calf had cramped up a couple of times recently. He also did a check over, and concluded my right hip was higher than the other, twisted in the sacro-iliac joint, so he tweaked that back into place, in the hope it might have been what was putting some stress on my Achilles. We'll see.

Climbing at Sunderland.

Core stability exercises.

Steady run, not far, just along top of fields, down Bent House Lane, and back across MC fields.