Training Log Archive: Big Jon

Easy (!) day walk up Lagazui exploring WW1Italian tunnels - amazing stuff. Then long long plod down the hill +700m from pass. Out for about 4 hours, moving maybe 3.

To start and a wee bit extra. Right knee very painful on top outer part just above kneecap.

Day 3 middle distance. 3.6k 210m... plus start was 115 above assembly...
Tough, seldom walked so much of a course! 7 mins down with a 1 min error near end
Forest was horrendously steep early on and the superbly detailed for most of second half (discounting the long transport legs to finish). Would have appreciated 1:7,500 map for all three days but especially today!

A bit more warmup today, felt a bit better but knees achy.

Day 2 same assembly/finish, start about 40 from yesterday. Started into same intricate spur/reentrant area, clean through first 3 then long leg, OK. Kept going cleanly, maybe one or two slightly poor micro routes but all OK. Ended 4th about 4mins down!
Felt alive today and enjoyed it much more.

A brief attempt at a warm-up. Felt tired, drained and achey.

Day 1 Dolomites 3-Day
Seldom have I felt so poor physically at the start of a race. Took it steady and missed only a fewcontrols by seconds and not sure of some route choices. Ended up 8th just over 4 minutes down. Others must have been struggling physically too!
Anyway another day another race tomorrow.

Walk up hills near Vigo di Fasso ( some side valley) headed up steep forest and nice small paths then reached the via ferrata. Didn’t think much of the memorial board for a dead local climber at the start - perfect for removing any possible composure I had. Spent most of the next hour focussed totally and fixedly on a small steel rope, clipping on and off at bolt points. Can’t say it would be my personal choice of a route up. Ended up on a lovely grassy hill top with amazing views all round. Descent was down a horrific gully - steel ropes were on the side of the gully so we basically descended a cliff going sideways. Arms wasted by end from holding my body weight most of the way down. Next summit (2670m) had even better views. Then a leg pounding descent to the van - 1200m lower down. Stopped en-route for apfel strudel and berries in yoghurt at a lovely homely refugio.
Felt fairly drained by end - out for 7 hours in sun and heat and also the stress of the via ferrata.
On the plus side saw several Marmots - seemed to be a bit like large rotund rabbits!
Another plus was that I only almost lost it completely on one occasion- steep outward sloping rock and steel rope too low to pull on.
About 5 hours moving time ( though some of this was very very slow in the horizontal dimension).

C • Via ferrata.... 1

Walk/jog withS & E above Vigo di Fassa. Lots of climbs, legs felt strong - cycling? Downhills not so good, felt awkward and trying to protect right knee. Some pretty severe mountains around but paths mostly fairly easy.
Well dehydrated by end despite drinking 2.5+l water.
Out for 5-30, probably about 4 hours moving time

Up bloody great big hill from a Dolomite pass. Really struggling to keep moving. Knee OK on uphill

Down the hill, R knee not happy - seems to be muscle/tendon above knee that is causing problems.

Earlier in the day. Walk around 3 castles near German border - mix of medieval and more modern, plus a wander across a suspension bridge (about 500m long and 179m above the valley) a bit twitchy at times as it swayed sideways a bit... Out for about 2.5 hours