Training Log Archive: Kris

Slept well and feeling good in the legs. Nervous excitement starting to build..

C • Competent 26

European Cross Country Championships - 12th.

The course was twisty with lots of little banks making it very different from any cross country I'd run before. The ground was soaking wet but sandy, so it was more solid underfoot than it looked. I guessed that people would probably overcook it with all the little accelerations, so my game plan was to start cautious, save energy and try to work my way through.

The start was quick but I sat near the back as planned; tracking Dewi and Charlie which gave me confidence that I wasn't going to be left behind. The first couple of laps were a bit manic, people everywhere, but I gradually moved through as best I could. By around halfway I'd passed Charlie, Nick and Ross and was in a scoring position with Marc and Dewi in sight up ahead. This was a huge boost because I never really thought that I'd be anywhere near scoring for the team (top 3 from the nation). I caught those two and we were in a group for a bit until Marc pushed on with a lap to go, taking an Irish guy and an Italian with him. I didn't have the legs to follow this move but I got in front of Dewi in the last kilometer to finish 12th and second scorer. Our packing, 9th, 12th and 13th, meant that we snuck the silver medal just ahead of Italy, Spain and Belgium - unreal to think I have a European championships medal!

Way better than I expected going in - the course suited me and I got the tactics spot on. The whole experience was awesome; really nice people in the team, amazing atmosphere, accommodation in a safari park (watching rhinos and zebras while eating breakfast) - I'll definitely bank a few memories from this weekend.

Laps (1500m, 1300m last lap):
4.23 (41), 4.15 (28), 4.14 (18), 4.13 (12), 4.17 (10), 4.20 (13), 3.49 (12)

Easy running on the course and then a couple of strides.

Long travel day - flight delayed from Edinburgh which meant I missed my onwards flight to Amsterdam (with the team) and had to wait 5 hours in Heathrow for the next one.

A couple of longer strides in spikes. Planned to do a bit more but stomach a bit dodgy as I had eaten quite soon beforehand.

Short home circuit to get things moving.

Bringing the volume down (again).

Feeling a bit knackered, probably from being busy the last few days, so I was happy it was a short session.

4 x ~500 (70s), 4 x ~300 (70s), 2km easy with 4 x ~200m strides.

Started a bit slow, worried about ice, but it was fine, I eased into it, and felt pretty good. Sat back at the start of the 300's and tried to finish fast, which was fun and I felt like I had some speed. I got back to the car to 2 missed phone calls and two emails from British Athletics - time to start tapering.

C • missed calls 15

Ever so slightly shorter than my old morning route.