Training Log Archive: Big Jon

Chalet Gaillard to chalet la Frasse.
Another short day - started along ski trails ( plenty of smiles and a bit shouting - but reckon it was more asking why we weren’t skiing rather than telling us offfor running on ski trails;-)
Dropped to Les Rousse and stopped for some juice then had a bit of a wobble for next few km - no energy and feeling a bit nauseous. Long grind up along side ski runs to Belvedere des Dappes and a view into Switzerland and a huge ski car park. Lovely cheese and crackers here and set off refuelled and refreshed if a little cold. Some fairly heavy unpisted tracks then back on wide ski trails. A run-in with the “police d’environment” who seemed to want to tell us off for running in the ski tracks but then pointed out an unlabelled track direct to the chalet! Sign posting not the best anywhere on the route!
Arrived about 1430 and nice La Trobonix beer to dull the pain ;-)
Tomorrow is a long day and weather looks pretty poor from midday but we’ll make it now :-))
A mere 26.5km but ca 800mclimb...
Legs OK and mind recovering from Day 1:-)

Source du Doubs to Chalet Gaillard Beautiful clear sunny morning :-) only downside was some black ice on tracks and roads early before sun got to them, but we managed to avoid any spills.
11km along a valley W some small climbs then a bigger climb to pass largely on snowy paths. Met pisted trails at high point and teetered along the edge trying to avoid skiers eyes in case they told us off! Descended to to Chapelle des Bois and had lunch ( and saw some biathlon on thE TV (Norway won, yawn yawn)
Then big climb up scarpslope(fixes rope at one point!). Then6km of undulating snowy track to Chalet Gaillardia. Got ther at 3-30, almost a half day:-).
Afternoon beer then 4 course hit meal and a night of sweaty mattresses and other people stomping past to the loo.
Feeling tired but not destroyed, maybe survive the trip after all:-)
28.5km - hardly worth getting out of bed for:-)

Day 2 woke to find the “rain” of last night had fallen as..... snow -4-6” so hard work again :-( Set off at 0840 in case it took longer than hoped... Decent going early on and only a little faffage trying to spot signs - seems to be totally random whether there are any or not, so much reference to GPS trace on map :-)
Stopped at Les Hopital Neufs for a coke and crisps (too early for lunch to be served) then a big climb up to Mont d’Or - dodging skiers in the piste at one point... From summit mostly downhill but it went on and on and on, last 6km were pretty gritty.
About 38km in 7-13 total time...

C • can you explain 5

Jura , Brenet to sur le mont de Verriers ( v posh hotel!). Looooong way, started with an extra 3km warm up on roads (Swiss trains not as clear as they could be...) then lots of tracks and bits of tarmac, plenty of hills but nothing too long or too steep. Quite a lot of route had snow cover but nothing more than 4-5cm so skiing would have been a disaster! Snow made things a bit harder than clear tracks and that coupled with a rucksack made things harder than they should have been.
Had right adductor problems from about half way and had to slow significantly but managed it. Longest run for many years!

Travel and still feeling a bit flat

Lap of Dess Woods, legs feeling weary - probably post-pilates.

Both sets - laying felt hard but standing surprisingly early for first thing in morning.

Good session, lots of abs, side twisting plus shoulder/neck work

After-school club, to Balnagowan, then man-hunt in field and back via a little relay on castle drive. Cold and breezy.
The kids need to wear gloves :-)