Training Log Archive: 007

jogging up to the start of Laui Stafette with Christoph und Lea

Walking up to start of Laui Stafette. Feeling rather nervous about running back down such a steep slope and hoping like mad that my knee pain wouldn't come up again..

Laui Stafette Tallauf!
This is a really cool and unique event, a kind of winter mountain relay with 7 per team like this: flat run through town (15mins), MTB (20mins), uphill run (30min), uphill snowshoe run (20mins), downhill ski (3mins), downhill run (10mins), flat run through town (3mins). The Skiiers and snowshoers were flown up to their starts with the Heli, which created an exciting buzz!
I was of course doing the downhill run (I was in a team from the runners club who painted it as a terrifyingly dangerously run, only suitable for orienteers or mad people imported from outside the running club). 2.5km with 560m drop, fastest ever time around 8mins. I was really nervous about it because I had a hint of the sharp knee pain during intervals on wednesday, which reminded me with dread that I have damaged cartilage and have to be careful. Walking up to the start just made me more nervous because most of the route reminded me more of a ski piste than something you could run down.. and I'm still a bit nervous about steep slopes since my tobogganing incident!
Anyway, once my skiier came into the changeover I was off and there was no stopping till the end! As soon as I started I realised how much fun it was, friggin awesome fun!!!! The snow was soft so I could take big flying steps and land comfortably, only fell once by getting one foot stuck into deeper snow. I was probably overly hesitant in the beginning now I think back, grabbing trees on the way down through the forest to slow down. In the middle there was a flatter section on a snow covered road where I was really trying to push because I could hear Christoph behind me, but legs were feeling a bit in shock from the first steep decent. And then there was the really steep slope down the field into the finish, where I was pretty much out of control trying to keep my feet up with the rest of my body, it felt like flying!
My time was a bit slow compared to Christoph and Lea, but I was very happy to finish uninjured and to have absolutely loved it!! Would have been beneficial to also do a test run of the route to build confidence.
Unfortunately it's only every two years- not sure if I'll still be in Switzerland in 2017, but if so then I cant wait..

C • fun 2

2x20mins trainer

rowing machine

With ASVZ running group
9x2 min intervals with 1min rec, about 4m/k pace
Stopped short because sudden sharp knee pain came during one effort, went and came again. I know this feeling and I know to stop straight away and move on to cross training until I feel confident bending it with weight..
Amping up stretches and knee strength again.
Sauna after training was awesome, 10mins of summer heat ;)

This semester I have an over-full load at uni, plus trying to work one day a week, plus training. It's going to be tough to fit every thing together and there will be days when I have no time for training. So I have to make sure that I plan well, prioritise quality sessions and work hard!

Plan for this week (slightly easier week)
M: (rest) Strength
T: am 40min mod run (or bike intervals if toe sore)
pm pool run intervals 60mins
W: pm: ASVZ Intervals (12x 2mins) + Strength
T: pm: long run terrain 90mins
F: (rest)
S: am 60 mod run w fartlek
S: Lauistafette (2.5km, 250m descent)

C • Be careful... 2

Quite tight, need to get back into a regular morning stretch routine.