Training Log Archive: Kris

Felt very flat today.

Two breweries.

Looking forward to getting out of my comfort zone a bit with something a bit longer. The first couple of km along the road felt very easy and as soon as it went uphill me and Spongey started to pull out a lead. We both went for the line shown on the race map but no one followed us. It turned out to be very heathery and have extra climb. This was a bit annoying as when the pack rejoined they'd been running up the valley on a nice trod.

Still, me and Spongey pulled away again on the climb proper. I took this climb, the descent and the next climb very easy and so did Spongey. It felt a bit like a nice day in the hills. Just after the second hill, Spongey reached into his bumbag and the next thing I knew he was 100m behind. I wasn't going to stop if he was slow and faffing (turns out he'd lost his map in the wind and tried to chase it for a bit) but I didn't really push on all the same.

He caught me again when I didn't know the route through the farm. We were still going well and feeling good through the forest, apart from a couple of navigation errors, but when we came to the climb I started to get a bit of a lead. I pushed on a bit this time and the gap started to grow. It was still feeling easy so I wasn't worried I was pushing too hard. I think I had about a minute lead maximum.

I crossed the river across to Trahenna bog in a bit of a rubbish place and got a little pang of cramp. Oh dear. I started through the bog a bit further left than where I had planned from the satellite but it was awful. I crawled through the bog, weaving in a vain attempt to find anywhere where I could run. It was on one of these weaves that Spongey came back past me. I pulled a little bit back on the first part of the climb but the last part became a survival exercise in the wind and the rain.
Spongey reached the top with a 15-20 second lead and I'd all but given the race to him but he stopped at the summit.

I thought this was a bit odd but turns out he didn't fancy guessing the way off the hill without a map in the rain and wind and mist - can't see why.. I took the lead and started to run off the hill but my legs were gone so I had to stick to the trod the whole way for fear of cramping.. I didn't want to be a dick after Spongey had me on the ropes and waited (plus I don't think I could have done much anyway) so a bit of a gentleman's agreement appeared and after Spongey went past on the descent we both cruised in with Spongey a bit ahead.

That was the longest race I have done and good fun. I haven't experienced anything like the quick demise in there bog before. I went from feeling fine to bring dead on my feet almost instantly..

C • bog 6

Printed out a map for two breweries but got almost all the way to Guardbridge before I realised I'd left it in work..

Got home and realised I'd left my keys in work on the second attempt at leaving. Not a good evening for me

Legs felt amazing today, loving the flat road.

Just a quick one before leaving. The Two Breweries training camp is complete.

C • 2 breweries 11

Gave Anwen 20 minutes and then set off after her. Wanted to try to run all the way to the top. I switched to walk/run after about 40 minutes but it felt good to push hard uphill for an hour. Don't get to do that often.

Slow across to the mer de glace and then back down into Chamonix after visiting Aiguille du Midi (3842m) by cable car.

Started at Montroc, then went to Lac Blanc, Col de la Gliere, Plan Plaz, Brevent, Plan Plaz and then back to Chamonix. Rewarded with beautiful views across the Mont Blanc massif after days of cloud.. Big toenail hurting by the end, feels like there is a blister under the nail which is unpleasant and made the ~8km run down rather timid.