Training Log Archive: Big Jon

A lap of Easter Clune. Felt predictably grim with tired legs and aerobics struggling. Still nice day to be out and spotted 2 brown hares (one of which sat and watched me for 10 seconds before haring off) and 3 large red deer hinds. Plus spotted some lovely pools in the river on south edge-will cone back in summer on a nice hit day fir a run and a dip.

Final day - more sun and warmth. Watching the Volvo dumpers crawling up roads in power line construction works.
Now got the cartography to do - will be tricky!

Just surveyed one of the most technical areas I’ve been in for years. Worth attending Coast and Islands this summer :-)

'nother day of glorious weather... Tempting fate now!
More plantation with lots of contours and some rock. Gonna be interesting racing here...
Tired by end, days are telling on me now.

long day in forest, but got a fair bit done. Tired by end.

'other day at the office ;-), sunny and warm. Only downside was the tiny area I managed to survey today - its getting more technical as I get further into it. Could be a long trip.

Longer day nd less done. Really tricky but lovely woodland.

Kintyre. Mentally tired.

Base map prep then travel to Tarbert

Long day travelling to Frampton-on-Severn for family funeral. Trying to chill before next survey project.

More map drawing. Nearly finished :-)

‘nother recovery day. Lots of map drawing and slightly achey head and general apathy.

Travelling till late yesterday and then a day of catching up on many things. No time and feeling pretty tired anyway. Managed a wee donder in the woods late afternoon.

JK relays , mens open, glory leg … :-)
Sent out far too far up by AB & E, so lots went past me. Pushed as hard as I dared but legs were tired. A few wobbles and one almost disaster as I tried to be too clever. Lost maybe 1-30.
Finished 18th and beat Gramp ;-) - local rivalries are always the best!

Decent length but if scuffling to try to get muscles working like they should.

To/from start early on to check it out and start the warm-up.

Legs and body felt dire - tired, achy and tight. Oh well, damage limitation mode adopted from the start.
Used tracks where-ever possible and walked the uphills. Caught by Quentin leaving 7 (I think) and he promptly missed next control by 15 secs, so I told him off! Giot ahead for next couple as he hesitated, but then we turned uphill and bye, bye! Had water and some sweeties on long leg to 10 (took the track to right) and ground out the rest of the course, slight overshoot on 14 - never saw first ditch (a few others reported the same) and didn't look far enough left (aiming off deliberately - probably 20 secs. Gubbed by end, but managed to get back to car - just... :-) and E drove back to Merthyr - star!
Pleased to manage to race this weekend so soon after covid, hope it doesn't set me back...

Decent warm-up and felt Ok on easy run to start and some running around start area.
Bit of jogging on way back, but pretty stuffed!

Oof, that didn't go as planned. Started OK, taking things easy when breathing got too laboured and pretty clean on first 12 controls. One maybe suspect route choice ac ross the boggy spur above the start but everything else was good. Then 13 - pushed a bit harder on 9-12 and basically the wheels came off after leaving 12 - a couple of wee climbs and I was in the red. Misread a couple of tracks and didn't stop long enough to check what was going on. Then stopped way too early and faffed for 3-4 minutes before eventually getting my shit together and working out where I was. Then 14 - Fine till 50m from control and then just blindly ran past and onto next spur, big loop to relocate - 2 mins. Finished 8th, 7+ down, could so easily have been 2nd or 3rd!
I reckon I pushed too hard, and possibly the heat was getting to me, but once I was lost I couldn't make anything fir on the map - it was just squiggles ... not had a blank like that for a long time!
Anyway, running was obviously OK, given pace I was using early on.
Split times will be interesting...

Split times - easily in 3rd place at 12, then binned 2 mins and 2 places to 13 and 1-30 and 3 places to 14...
Schoolboy errors!

short run from Swansea university along beach. Very pleasant and not as busy as I expected. Even to a bit sunburn on my calfs!
Breathing easier than yesterday but felt like DOMS in legs, not sure if post C or just not running for best part of 3 weeks.

Short trot round Merthyr Tydfil after a long day in the car in English motorway jams...
Felt grim, chest tight and aching.

surveying RR areas
short and sweet - helped by E doing a school :-)

Short run atcForvie along paths while E did some O training. Felt great for first 4-5 mins then breathing got hard, relaxed into it and OK by end. Think I'll survive the JK, but it may not be too pretty :-)

Revision of some paths on KH. Very pleasant day, too warm wit extra layer on! Feeling fine walking, not sure how running will feel...

Tested neg again but still snotty nose and slightly chesty cough, so taking another day off.

tested negative !!! :-)
still snotty.

And slightly better again

Good day of map drawing, feeling better still

Feeling a bit better today. Managed to get a fair bit of map drawing done.

Much the same plus a bit more fuzzy headedness .
Still, a good day to be inside with steady damp snowfall all day

sair heid and tickly throat.

Final push to finish area.

Evening - tested +ve. Might explain tiredness of the past 2 days.

C • Oh no! 4

Shorter day. V tired by mid afternoon so cut short. Past week catching up.

Short sweet day in Cairn Wood. Lots of new wiggly tracks around the area and some pretty huge felled areas.
Loads of dog walkers (edge of Belfast!).