Training Log Archive: Bashman

WU
There was a car crash blocking the road just before the event so dad dropped me off and I ran along the river to the green. Then to the start from there.

Sluie Colour Coded - Brown - 8.1km - 1st by 8 mins
Even by the start I could tell that it was going to be similar to last week. The strength in my legs was non-existent and any hills were going to be a real challenge. Unsurprisingly, yesterday was definitely not an easy day...
Straight off 50m climb to 1, struggled but hit the control well, flowed through and down to 2. Aimed a bit left going to 3 to avoid some of the climb and hit it bang on. Off the corner of the field to 4 but somehow the crag was lower than I expected. It didn't help that I thought it was on a boulder either. A good 20s here as I passed it, relocated and went back. Down to 5 was good, unmissable really. Up to 6, got stuck in a bit off a weird tree zone but got it from there. Really happy with that banana line up to 7, worked a treat. Quick leg to 8 and up to the saddle for 9.
Nice bit of forest here. Really distracted me from my screaming legs going to 10. Wasn't sure where the control was going to be since the spur was so long but it ended up where I expected it to be. Long climb up and over to 11. Went right over the top of the hill almost by accident and ended up too far left. Saw Mr.Mcmurtrie exiting and the chase was on. It didn't last long through. We both missed 12 and I went back to find it leaving him a bit lost I think. Possible 30s gone here.
Mind began to wonder going to 13 and ended up too far right, losing maybe 20s. Still distracted to 14 and I stopped early, quite close to the control, looking around, another 20s. Refocussed going to 15 and hit that well, Another 20s gone to 16 when I was stood above the control looking around. Over the cairn to 17.... for navigational purposes.... and really enjoyed that descent. A brilliant hill, didn't really notice this at the recent NightO. Down to 18..slowly.. and to 19. Stopped to retie my shoe losing 20s.
Saw Ross completely missed the control so there was a quick hesitation to rip him for it. Then he attempted to put on the chase...even though he was on blue... Climbing to 20 was horrible, however I was feeling better up the hills than I was at the start. A bit dodgy on 21 and 22 simply because of the thinning so 30s lost there. I was expecting to see Alistair soon as I passed him going to 18 as I was heading to 15.
He popped out of 23 as I was approaching...chase! Took him just before 24 and put anything I had left to lose him. Did this well and went through the last control and the finish happily.
2:40 lost on an area like this isn't too bad I guess. But it should be closer to 0. Lost focus on multiple occasions. Still happy with how my navigation has kept over the winter. Some good training with Oleg next Saturday will definitely begin to fine-tune my technical skills.

http://www.marocscotland.org.uk/documents/results/...
Routegadget will follow..

C • 2 x Potarch maps 2

WD
Back to assembly and just over a kilometer along the DW towards Shooting Greens. A little bit tired.. need to recover by tomorrow.

Steady Longish
Can't think of a better description of it. Was meant to be an easy day today but at the same time this run had to be steady, so more of a comfortable threshold pace. Up through Milltimber, through a new short cut where a whole new network of tracks opened up that have to be explored. Through Westfield and up to Kingshill. Did the first 5km in 22 with a good 150 climb and realised I was going a bit too hard. I mean, I had beaten bethh's parkrun time for today...
Big loop around the hill and the down to the east car park. Someone had laid out a hash run but there wasn't any sign of any runners at either car park. Down to Foggieton and all the way down to Bieldside. Then back through Dalmunzie/Hillhead roads.
Prepared to do strides at the end but it began bucketing as I got to the RL and I sacked it for later. Feeling really comfortable the whole way through. The odd bit of wind/mud slowed me down but probably one of the most enjoyable runs I've had for a while.

C • Thanks for mentioning that,... 1

Good session. Fueled by andrenaline after England were beaten in the final stages of the six nations game. Had to use some music as motivation today but definitely feeling improvements coming through. Mixed in core with plyo and strength and 5 mins of stretching I finish.

Deserved I think

25min Easy
Quite stiff this morning, knees were sore to start off with and calves were all tight probably because of all the road pounding recently. Out along the Railway Line to Cults Library, up to the first level of Cults and back along that road. Loosened off well and happy that I had a good shake out before this evening.

15 mins of Drills, starting from easy, gradually getting harder.
3 Strides and home.

WU
Regular loop and then one whole stride before we had to start. Legs not feeling too up for it....

AAAC @ Seaton - 8 x 360m hills, 17m climb, 1 every 4 mins.
From the first rep I could feel that it was going to be tough. Andrew was flying today, usually I can keep ahead but he led every rep. And I wasn't running slower either. Anyway, his unusual power was welcome today because I just about managed to stick in nicely behind him for all the reps. By about 3, I was feeling a bit sick from eating too recently and it was just torture after that.

74, 71, 72, 71, 71, 71, 71, and I'll call that last one 70...( .6 )

Great consistency considering I wasn't looking at my watch until the split time came up. Today's average was 71.5 seconds (although my timing was probably quite poor). Comparing this to 74.6 at the end of November (where the first 5 splits were 76) gives a second sign of improvement this week! Great.

Recoveries.

WD loop
Tempted to make this hefty and break 100km again but refrained and I'm happy I did so. Rest day coming up.

Been shattered for the rest of the day, I'll have to cut things down after tomorrow I think..

Steady Longish
Took my time to get out the house. Everything was soaked and the weather wasn't great so tried to make the route as interesting as possible. And since Alfie was with me, I had to keep off concrete as much as possible (I think he hates it). So up through the trails to Bieldside, through to Foggieton and basically ran round the bottom perimeter to the east end. Then regular route to the north west car park, and up through a field to Kingshill. Basically a semi circle on paths around the southern field to get to the road home without going through the marshes which would be a lake today. Then back down Hillhead Road home. Alfie slowing me down on the faster paths, but he was ahead when they got technical. Only annoyed me when he stopped to smell and on the last few km where he can't break 4:30 downhill.

6 x 120m sprints + WD
Same as Monday on the Railway Line but I'm pretty sure they were more like 120m. First three were half tempo/ half explosive sprint and the last three were almost all out. Last one in something like 17, not the right shoes for it. Alfie kept up well, couldn't drop him, although just minutes ago he refused to run faster than 4:30... WD back after.

Shake out
Finally got out of bed, study leave for the next few weeks so there's not going to be anything earlier than 8.. Down to the river which had flooded the path, so I ran along the embankment (pretty rough -> slow) to a point where I climbed across a tree which had fallen across the stream. Through the fields to Maryculter and back along the railway line. Rain started at pretty much 9 on the dot as forcasted so the last 2km were lots of fun. Feeling great by the end, monster session later on I think.
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WU
After my chemistry prelim. When I got home we got a call saying that we sat the wrong paper so going to have to resit... grr.... But anyway, slight drained, set off in a break in today's huge rainfall up to Scolty car park. Little bit fast with the climb for a WU, ever since my toe got better I have been steadily running too fast..
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5km Tempo
Absolutely brilliant. Arrived at the car park and a new gate was up for forest works along the start of my tempo route warning everyone to go away... Nahh... I wasn't in the mood to change my plan.
Set off down the path comfortably, got to the track and I could see the lights of the felling machine working. Track was pretty uprooted so form was all over the place. This stopped soon enough though. Then hit the hill, hard, and it seemed a lot longer than last time (9th of Jan.). I wasn't looking forward to the re-entrant path which is more of a stream than a path even when conditions are good. Got to it and it was an instant slip n' slide. Pushed up it, couldn't really avoid the water and mud so just ignored it. Checked my watch before the last descent and I needed a good km split to nip in under 20. Didn't think this would happen but went for it anyway. Pretty risky in places but it felt amazing to be able to descend without a sore toe. With the help of a sprint finish got just under the 20mins with 19:52, not bad for such a tough route and compared to 20:25 3 weeks ago with a sore toe and better weather, brilliant!
Splits comparison:
Last time - This time
3:45 - 3:46
4:25 - 4:18
4:51 - 4:40
4:04 - 3:59
3:20 - 3:10
Faster on almost all, so the reason for the faster time isn't just my toe (since it used to really just effect me on the downhills) -> Progress!
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4x30s (30s) - 1 min recovery - 4x30s (30s)
First 4 were downhill and not pushing too hard, still tired from the tempo. Then the next 4 were up the hill and pretty much all out. Pretty tough, and was 7s away coming back up. Walking recoveries.
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Flush out Tempo
Really quite tired now, and with the second half being back up the hill: torture.
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WD
Getting dark so no extended WD. Caught up my old PE teacher and school janitor who were out for an easy run. Chatted on the way back and it made the whole WD a lot less boring.

Weekend all updated

Recovery
Up Hillhead Road to the top and back through the farm/Milltimber. I say road but the path section at the top of the road was a mudbath. Began tipping it down from half way and it was generally quite miserable. However enjoyed it and much better by the end.

6 x 115m sprints
First two were relatively hard, second two were tempo -> sprint at half way, and last two were all out. Think the last one was 16s or something, quite fast for me. Jog back recoveries and jog back home WD.

Good stretch/roll watching TV eating breakfast

40 mins strength and conditioning.
5 mins stretching.
Comfortably managed a 90s plank today, not bad for me.