Training Log Archive: ba-ba

Event: Harvester Trophy Weakend
 

Once I was up (at about 3.30) had about 2 hours to initiate a down-town squeeze by eating ham sarnies, sausage roles and jelly babies before jumping up and down and running around. Thankfully it worked.

After the night legs we were 45mins off FVO and SYO, and JT had opened up a good 25mins or so over BOK/OUOC. To the start kite I felt surprisingly fresh, and had planned a safe route to the first 2 controls, in which I overtook 2 guys on a B course who had left about 5mins ahead of me. Each of these in turn helped me into 3 (~20secs) and 4 (~90secs)n where I nailed the approach but went a bit too far over the crest of the ridge. Lost them at 5, even though I ran past one of them blatantly heading towards the control, but if they fancy walking round in circles it's fine by me. Safe on the longer legs to 7 and 8 (even with 8's boulder field being dodgily mapped - which lead to 30secs on an incorrect bearing to 9) and the most comedy dead sheep I've ever seen - on its side with all 4 legs perfectly straight in the air. Never saw anyone after 9 and made a bit of a cock-up to 14 heading for the first control I saw even if it was on a ridge and not a ditch, but found it quite easily (and luckily) - ~30secs. Shortest finish loop ever and handed over to Dave having pulled back best part of 4mins back on SYO and FVO, opened up a few more minutes on BOK and nearly lapped OUOC. Cracking run, cracking area and felt really good. Would like to have seen if I'd been as clean if I'd had had people within 5 mins of me (front or back), but on the way to number 4 I suddenly realised it was 5.45 in the morning, the weather was lovely, it was still as anything and I was bloody loving it. Easily the best I've Od, and on a fairly tough area nav wise (the terrain suited me down to the ground :P). Can't wait until the moor days at Scottish! (best enter it now and work out how to get there!)

absolutely cream crackered now. Cheers to Marcus for the lifts, the rest of ShUOC and Bangor for a good night, South Wales for some cracking areas (even if Merthyr Common is the most obvious dogging destination in South Wales) and nice weather, and Rocke for ducking out of the Harvester team so I ended up with a run! Shame it's in a jobbie area next year (with a jobbie map to go with it), but dare say ShUOC'll better this year in results, raucous banter and style-points when it comes to tent-pitching.

Banter warm-up - one lap of the school's track in my baggy shorts and daft hat. 1st time running on Tartan. In Wales.

shake out the legs before banter start lanes, Dave, Dave and I giggling like schoolgirls at every double-entendre the poor starter walked into.

Black course. Looking back over it, I have no idea what any of my routes were it's so complex an area! Lots of 20sec losses and dropping a bit too low going around lumps, and a good minute lost at 11 and 12, and 2 at 25 for some reason. Always had people around me, which was a help, but was feeling tired and slow up the hills.

start-stoppy running around town. To Accelerate for a chat, Decathlon for gas, TKMaxx for shorts and a daft hat then Tesco to stock up for the weekend. Quite warm, and all the stopping at places/traffic lights menat I got plenty of rest so could run at a decentish pace.

I think that the word 'fat' should be banned from nopesport.

Plan was to go into Hathersage, but couldn't be fussed climbing out along the A6187 on a mountie. Got to Stanage Pole, then turned around and came back, turning right to get to the top of the Porter Valley. Back through Ranmoor and Broomhill. Nice late afternoon for it.
throwing the idea of getting a roadie around my head... but I don't really want to wear the lycra that goes with it...

C • bike... 5

Out to Abbeydale School with Dave, meant I did a useful pace and not a pansy one.

'Long' sprint. Distance ran a bit more because of buildings. Held Dave off over the whole course. Nothing else to report.

and the medium course. Legs tired so walked the hills. I say hills, lumps.

And home again. Different route, same distance, more climb, apparently.
Legs felt a bit tired on anything differing from the flat/downhill.

evening run, felt good at times, but still felt the need to stop for a few breaks. Was bloody warm, so got the milk-bottle out for most of it, resulting in bites.
Odd loop around stables, allotments, out to Blackbrook woods, back along the bottom of Rivellin, up Heroes very slowly.

Out from home along the SVT to birch vale, up Lantern Pike, then down the May Queen route from the top before heading back to Stitch Lane abd back to Birch Vale.

Back from where I turned off the SVT on the way out at Spinnerbottom. Took it as a tempo. kmsplint were 4.02(gates) and 4.07(inc. Watford hill) ish.
felt pretty good througout the whole run today, although I need to sort out my guts as I don't seem to be able to run without having to go fd at the moment...