Training Log Archive: Mark3

M21E. Great o and I did excellently.

7th, pretty pleased with this tbh as it's not like I'm doing any speed sessions. The 'hill' wasn't massive but definitely slowed me down on every lap, gotta be 30s faster on a flat course. Not sure when my next chance is for a parkrun though.

Finally, a run specifically to go and find (and photograph) the plaque. Had I thought about it more I would have considered that's it's a ludicrously rocky route and perhaps a day with rain forecast all day might not be the best choice - but I didn't. Therefore spent most of the day sliding all over the place and being terrified; consequently this wasn't much of a 'run'.

Regardless. Went the rocky way up from Honister to check whether the BG line is actually better or whether it's all a big conspiracy. Conclusion: yes, it's better, especially on a wet day. Probably not that different in the dry tbh as you could avoid most of the worst bits when descending.

Found the nic(er) way down Great Gable that Jasmine took at Wasdale where she got away from me - when she was parallel but moving at three times the speed, turns out theres a bit of a trod that way. Seemed to be start off to the right at the summit but then keep turning left at every decision point, end in a bit of scree and then as soon as you hit the tourist path you can transition to the grass on the other side and then really aggressively cut the corner, if you don't cut aggressively enough you have to negotiate a couple of crags which I think are avoidable with a better line.

Went up The Band to Great End which is much easier going up.

Tried and failed to find the damn plaque for at least 20 minutes. When I did, took lots of photos so I could find it again! When I die, I want a plaque in the middle of nowhere but on a race line. Posted on the fell runners UK Facebook page to see if anyone has heard of her.

Back to Great End and then down The Band. Not sure why I am so bothered about this route since there's not much prospect of doing another Joss for 16 years... But I guess I might support someone. Anyway I was happy with the lower bit but on my attempt I think I took unnecessarily long getting to it. So this was an attempt to go more direct which I think worked: due W from the summit down the boulders to the grassy spur, then slightly left of the big rock and climb down the dangerous bit. At this point you can see the grassy shelf you're aiming for and once you're on it its just an easy contour. It was really slow today in the drizzle but I think it's an improvement.

The next thing I want to try is seeing what it's like if you try and keep going down and joining the Corridor Route. That looks potentially even better.

Then tried to follow the converting contouring 'climbers path' around Great Gable - turns out you need to be a climber to use the thing - had to turn around five or six times and find a different route since the 'path' kept requiring downclimbs I thought were too dangerous! I imagine it wouldn't have been too bad in the dry. I don't think I'd choose that path again if there were an alternative, though.

Back via Moses Trod and Tramway. My intended route had been to do Fleetwith Pike on the way back, but my R outside knee started hurting niggliliy for no reason and I'd been out 5 hours, so I made the sensible decision. Hopefully will be ok the next couple of runs.

2-part sprint.
Pretty good part #1, one banana when I was paying more attention to not crashing into someone when leaving a control than my exit direction. Otherwise pretty clean. Straightforward.
Part #2 took a marginally shorter choice which involved cutting through woodland, but when I got there it looked too dense so I went around. Then I tried to go back along the same path I went out on and failed to find it; had to climb through a fence! Rest straightforward.

2nd by 13s, which is annoying for the above reason. Good fun, though. Em did well too and she said she prefers orienteering to any other type of running. Which is big praise from a road runner I think.

Packing and prepping - plus it rained at inconvenient times.

It's hard to pack for five things all at the same time, but I've nailed it by taking virtually everything I own.

C • Exactly 1

Loop post-rain. Very slow. Legs feel alright, but still a bit lethargic.

Indian with Em, N & F instead of running. Rest day seemed reasonable. Haven't had Indian for a couple of years - was good.