Training Log Archive: rachael

warm up from the carpark to the start

Edale Skyline.

After last time I wrote " I would definitely like to run it again having 1. not been ill before hand 2. my back in the right place and 3. done a bit more training!". Well, I haven't been ill at least but my back has been a mess and I haven't done much training... 1 out of 3 ain't bad! Having said that, today was awesome :-D

What a difference some experience makes! Took Oli's advice that the race only starts at Mam Nick (i.e. don't kill yourself before then) and Alex's advice on food (eat early). Went through Mam Nick in just under two hours - about the same as last time - but this time was feeling strong and then was almost 20 mins quicker in the second half. Got the food and drink right today and my engine felt strong pretty much all the way round. Legs were wobbly at times but I talked them round and kept pushing on. Got a bit chilly on Rushup Edge during the first hail storm but fortunately it didn't last long. The second hail storm was more brutal - it came on the most exposed part of the course up near brown knoll - driving hail. I decided it was like having a fairly vicious facial and that meant I could go in the bath then lounge in my koala onesie all evening and that spurred me on. The sun came out after the hailstorm and I was back to smiling again. Actually I was smiling for almost all the race :-) In total contradiction to last time I was passing people up brown knoll and round the last section of the course. I felt very sorry for the ones who were broken, I know exactly how it feels after last time.

Took a really good line from Jacobs ladder and got ~3 minutes, including passing one lady and almost catching Jude. I reeled Jude in up Grinslow and never looked back. Almost caught Alex at the end - he'd blown up around Brown Knoll - but he saw me coming and I finished 4 seconds behind.

4th lady and Dark Peak team win (3rd, 4th and 5th) - 8 bottles of Farmers Blonde :-D Sooo much better than last time! (yes, I will probably do it again and yes I am currently a compression sock wearing koala ;-))


For my own reference:
1 litre of electrolyte from leaving the car and round the race. Finished it around Jacobs ladder
1 full cup of water at each stop
Gels at the start of the Winhill climb, at the top part of Lose Hill, after Mam Nick and after brown knoll (approx every 40 mins).
half an SIS bar coming off winhill and up the bottom part of lose hill. Hard to chew.
Several jelly babies from kind people with boxes on Rushup Edge.

C • Nice one Rach! 2

Orienteering in Millhouses. Great to see so many people we knew there :-)
Hard round the map memory, then easy collecting controls with alex.
Good to stretch the legs out.
They had 135 entries today which is really cool, it's fab to see so many kids enjoying orienteering :(D)

short morning run with alex along south road with a short loop at the end. Mainly just loosening the legs, then back for lots of stretching and thumping.

Sports Massage with Matt. Wow, that was painful. Fingers crossed it works!

Then on to Corinne's birthday party - Temple Spa party in onesies/PJs. Bought myself a very furry koala onesie for the occasion!

Day out in London for Athena SWAN panels then fab catch up with Mhairi :-D

early bole hill loop and on down to work before my last 2 hour 9 o'clock lecture. actually there's one next week but i have my dad guest lecturing for it :-) The first time I walked into my lecture with a bowl of porridge the students thought it was a bit strange but they seem to have got used to it now.

Cass squeezed me in after his last appointment. Lots of pain in my lower back later it was very worth it. Plus, Cass lent us a thumper to work on the legs/glutes/back over the next few days. Fingers crossed the pain will be gone for the weekend.

just a short one along south road

Hot Flow Yoga. More complicated than hot Yin as it goes a lot faster but some good poses and could really feel my back lengthening. Some good clunks from my elbows too. My shoulders are ridiculously tight, really struggled to hold a bridge for very long at all. To think I used to be able to 'walk' around in that position and then walk out of it!