Training Log Archive: Big Jon

Culblean Hill loop, anti-clockwise. Should have gone along road to avoid dogleg up MoD track, but didn't think of it till 5 mins in.
SLow plod up big hill, but apart from a bit of refusal near fence/cattle grid I managed to run most of it. Lovely views from CulbleanHill - as always. Looking down into Deeside reminded me of Alpine views down wooded hillsides to roads far far below. Took my time on descent, stopped to look at views a few times and appreciate the scenery and woods. Such a wonderful spot, even by Deeside standards.
Bit slow from quarries through Cambus but kept moving along.
Pleased with how run developed - felt fine from about 30 minutes in. No real aches so I'll take that :-)

Some coaching along line course (cutting corners) and along control pick, then to start and back for compass/windows exercise.
Much better training than I anticipated from initial look at map - challenging but lots of good learning about need for planning ahead :-)

Collecting a few controls at Trossachs* (after coaching in a bog for 2 hours...). Managed to get feet just about thawed out by end.
* I should fess up that the controls were along the track on the south side of the river :-) - but I did have to run through a bit of terrain to get to them.

With JD & R, Boat - Fungle - Cistern track. Tired but OK. good to catch up.

Balmoral cairns with S. Dozens of walkers... used to be nice and quiet...
Some icy patches but nothing too slippery. Struggling on uphills (as usual).

See trot round woodland west of Morrone Birk Wood beyond Braemar. Checking it out for possible mapping. Nice day - road white from Braemar and woods were mostly clear of snow with about 10cm on paths/clearings. Very enjoyable wee run.

Mortlich with S, E, ME, SP & SR. Legs a bit knackered for climb but nice descent. Lovely low light on climb. Good start to the day.
Mery Christmas to all :-)

Lochnagar (attempt). Headed out loch side then up the Glas Allt. Walking as soon as on hill - snowy and legs tired. Snow got heavier the higher I went. OK to bridge then had to really search for path - no footprints and only really able to be 100% sure when crossing drainage channels. Met guy coming down (he was well off path but came across to me) stopped soon after this to put on waterproof trousers and extra fleece layer. From here path got more obscured and light got flatter, lost path completely and cut up to right - got good line - probably on old snow drift and eventually came out near top of Red Spout. Didn't take any time to decide to cut my losses and turn right to go back down tourist track. But was still really disconcerted by light - if there was just snow around I was really wobbly - balance gone with nothing to focus on, had to look at patches of black rocks here and there. Ladder was not great but did manage to find some footprints to follow down (again, I think an old snow patch) so avoided the worst of the boulders/gaps. Crossing the flatter ground at hte bottom of the ladder was horrible - again nothing to focus on and kept stumbling or losing my footing. Eventually found some more tracks - 2-3 people had come up and I was able to follow their tracks and actually start running!
Tourist track was better than normal with a few cm of snow (smoothed out some of the stones!).
Stuffed by end - hard physically and mentally. Glad I turned back when I did as I would have been totally pooped with the extra 3-4km out/back plus the mental stress of staying upright in low light conditions.
I think the tops were clearing a bit by the time I reached the car park... :-(
Spotted what I am pretty sure was a Blackcock in a woodland enclosure along the loch side :-))

C • Tough day out that one.! 1

Lap of Dess Woods and fields - parts of the wood are a real mess... but most tracks clear.
Had rain last night on frozen ground so wore dobbs - good choice as some places are a bit skitey with a layer of ice covering everything.

rest day - feeling fairly pooped after Morven (plus some right glute twinges, so day off to try to recover.

Morven night run. -8/9C at bottom so started with plenty of kit on. Took slow up first steep climb - didn't want to rub myself too early. Managed to run parts once slope eased off. Gradually got warmer and clothing was stripped off accordingly - at top didn't need hat or gloves despite standing around admiring the view for 15 mins or so. Clear skies at start and moon just rising - then looking back from summit realised that a cloud sea had crept in with just the higher hilltops left exposed. Fantastic atmospheric views.
Whizzed down (as usual) fueled by a wee nip for two :-) Much colder again at base of hill.
Great night out and one of the best conditions.

Wee trot round woods to warm-up before run club :-)

Run club, Aboyne Castle, some relays (boys v girls) and then a bit of man-hunt. Back through woods - head torches on.
Chocolates after.
Only 11 turned out - so lots of chocs for each!

Geallaig Hill traverse - start high to west and finish low to east :-)
Wasn't too sure, felt a bit achey and tired (can't have been yesterday's run) but managed to plod up most hills early on without walking, thought struggled on main climb. A wee detour down wrong path at one point added a few hundred metres - heading south to A93!
Caught sight of the woods north of A93 which I've always planned to but ne ver actually visited - lovely mature stunted pines at top, slope must be good lower down under full canopy. Maybe a Jan trip?
Descent along fence line was pretty decent - a couple of heavier heather bits but nothing too bad. Cold and cloudy the whole way but very little wind. Have hoar-frost on lower slopes.

Collecting final night-O markers. Lovely crisp sunny morning - but f-ing cold :-)

Early cycle with EC - Invercannie - Brathens - Crathes school - Crathes west - A93. Cautious due to freezing temperatures and possible icy patches but all OK. Mostly very quiet apart from A93 9and that not too bad).
Legs felt pretty decent, should try some more biking when legs shot from intervals or terrain.
Wore loads of kit - thermal, fleece, waterproof and longs over cycle shorts plus thick gloves. Toes got cold but most all else OK, didn't sweat at all mind!

Collecting some controls at Carlogie. Legs a bit better than yesterday but still not spritely.

Help mark course for Deeside Runners Cnoc Dubh night race. Pleasant day to be out for a walk with large rucksack of canes...)

Hanging contours in Carlogie for E's DNC. A bit of a slow shuffle with tired legs.

Lap of Learney Hill, not been there for a while so thought I'd have a look at the state of it. Not a lot of mature forest left - and even less now after Arwen. Bit of a plod with tired legs from yesterday's 4 sessions... Still, the track was clear of windblown and it was a nice day :-)

Aboyne - home after dropping car for swapping to winter tyres.

Matwork session but tough enough

Home - Aboyne to pick up car

Academy run-club, only 9 juniors (and 4 leaders!). East through Castle woods then some sprints on green and a few rounds of manhunt.

A couple exercises shadowing juniors. Darnaway so very pleasant and inspiring!

Shadowing with ScotJOS. Lovely but technical forest. Good memories of mapping and running here in the past :-)

Short Pilates intro - used it for some stretching. Nice

Victory hall toward sliding strip and back

6x2+1 From west edge of Aboyne west along Deeside Way. Struggling with breathing - maybe cold damp air was affecting lungs? Also recoveries felt a bit short, maybe go for 90 seconds next time.
But pleased to have done it - first for a few weeks.
Teeth - aware of old air across teeth and gum but never sore. Definitely improving each day.

Waterfall - Deeside Way east, riverbank, steep climb back via Dess road and DW west. Very wet underfoot but timed it to miss worst of rains.
Legs feeling good till near end (lack of food maybe) and breathing felt OK.

Easy pace back from dropping van at Aboyne garage. Legs felt good :-) but mouth still swollen. Track clear apart form 2 sections - about 20-30 trees down in one blockage and 10-20 at the second... Able to cut out to fields on both occasions. Virtually no attempt been made to start clearing at all (2 trees cut at second pile).

Back to Aboyne to pick up van - passed its MOT :-)
Timed it well, got lost of the way there before rain started.
Utterly grim within 20 minutes... strong wind, 2c and sleet

pilates. foam roller. Good session. Managed everything fine but didn't try bridge (in case pressure on mouth aggravated things.

Cnoc Dubh from Cambus bridge car park. Nice day out and over-dressed once on hills. Mouth much improved but still a bit swollen round nose/sinuses.

Gentle walk at Braemar - chose a good time between sleet/snow showers.
Mouth still swollen and tender.

rest day (if 3 hours of dentistry can be called restful...)

Round Sluie checking for storm damage. A few large areas but most of the forest is relatively clean (well apart from the recent thinning work and associated trenches...)

Checking Carlogie with E (he's planning a DNC in a couple of weeks). Lots of trees down but mostly scattered and only a few large-fish areas. Should be possible with careful control placing. Legs felt pretty ropey- but straight into terrain and uphill is never best.

C • blown out from the lochans I suppose ? 3

to start of DNC

DNC Braes. No SI clear so self timed...
Lovely wood, most good tuning and clean underfoot, only a handful of trees down. Navigation mostly OK - too far right at 2 and faffed a little, then got dragged left at 14 - following JN. All-in-all a good night out.
Snow flurries at times - not so good with a big head-torch and blinded by reflection!