Training Log Archive: ColmM

Purko cleaned my o-shoes ❤

Token ankle testing.
Not sore from it, don't feel much, so probably quite doable.
As it is, imagine I will give the ankle a full day's rest to reduce the swelling a bit, and then see where we are and hopefully get on the spin bike Wednesday. Don't expect to be out of running for too long.

Relatively chilled session.
Included more upper body work than usual to make up for no real leg-work.

Pull ups, strict press, rotator cuffs (?), plank, press ups, some deadbugs, and more.
4 x 5 bench press @ 35, 40, 50, 50kg. (last two sets were 4 reps, and failed 5th).

BUCS Relay - bronze

Having had my swollen ankle beaten around by the terrain yesterday, as the day (and night) progressed, it proceeded to get considerably worse, and walking in the morning was a right struggle. Hobbled around the arena, and got a really shitty warm up done, where hobbling seemed sore, but manageable, but going at any speed didn't.

When the time came, I just took a heap of drugs, lathered the ankle in ibuprofen gel, and adrenaline did the rest.

Will had done mostly well, but a rough last loop meant I was going out behind the main group, maybe 7th / 8th. Got going and was still hobbling a bit for the first few controls, but running nonetheless, and I kind of figured being clean was the more important part on this area. Still, I was scrappy on 1 (going to #17), very scrappy on 3, and scrappy again on 4.
Coming into 5 Felly had pretty much caught 75sec on me. Still, he decided we were going straight to 6, so I just tagged along. The boy was fair fluid through the forest, and I still had a minor hobble so keeping up was a right struggle. Some brambles, and a couple of tracks later, we were together going up the hill to 6, so we compared codes, and had the same next 6, delightful.
My ankle was starting to loosen up, so I just made sure I tried to keep up, the navigation was easy, but it was even easier with Felly doing most of it for me. Into 12 I had to take over because his team number covered the circle, this was fine, and then we parted ways.

Mostly okay through the remainder until the spectator (despite losing some minor time doubling back to check a code). Mostly okay through the start of the next loop, but well confused by the hill at 21, mental, and was rejoined by Felly & Duncan Birtwistle here. Got through the next few fine as well, nothing of note, some slightly different gaffles.
Myself & Felly then almost caught Mikey right at the end, which meant I handed over in the group fighting for bronze with 3rd, 4th, 5th & 6th there.

I was handing over to Jonny, so he did the business and secured us Bronze, and left us not all that far off the front 2 either.

A really nice little tricky area, great fun altogether. Scrappy early on, with ankle and that, obviously not a special time, but jaysus to be honest I was delighted to get around it respectably. Had really ruled out all our hopes before my run when I thought I wouldn't manage more than a jog.

In the end, given the circumstances, a great team result I think. Not sure when Heriot Watt will get another shot at a BUCS relay medal.

Results

Event: BUCS - British Universities & Colleges Sport Championships
 

Morning leg-loosener and achilles tester.
Achilles there, but not sore. Legs fresh enough.

BUCS Individual - 17th

Started the racing moving well enough, but got caught in shite on 4, and didn't see the control on 5, which cost me maybe 90s between them. Ali had just gone past me when I missed 5 which was a shame, I then took the low-ish route. Got into 6 just behind Ali which was a pleasant surprise, and got slightly ahead on a better line leaving it.
Dane went through me at this point, and I could keep sight of him for a while, but only maybe halfway to 9. Was surprised not to have Ali catch me properly again until 10 or so.
This area was really rocky and I could feel the terrain beating me around a bit. I could feel my achilles was tight too, it wasn't particularly sore, but it was taking a lot of my energy.
Bit of a miss on 11, and climbed up to 12 & 13 with Ali going away a little bit. Punching 13 I was pretty tired now, and my lower leg felt a bit beaten up. Ali got a decent gap, and once I hit the open I could see him, but he was well gone.
Ran out the rest of the course, but couldn't get shifting properly with my foot and achilles & some stitching, however wasn't incredibly slow either.

Not really a great day out. Probably only lost 2:30mins or so, but definitely a bad day physically with little strength too, not helped by the rocky patch.
Cool to race, and a nice area, but a shame not to be racing up to scratch really. Very early season at least, and if I can shake these niggles that'll help.

Results

Standard warm up, activation, mobility, stretching, hurdles drills.
Added quite a bit of achilles work.
Main session, skipped bulgarians, and reduced weights otherwise.
3 x 5 OH Squat @ 25kg
3 x 5 Bench press @ 30, 35, 40kg.
3 x (6+6) OH MB walking lunge @ 10kg.

3 x {10 TRX row, 10 MB Slam, 10+10 paloff press}

Unhampered by the 9:15 lab, actually probably got more than usual done.

Went for lap of the seat with Mark, achilles started seizing up at the top, so had to turn back. Not ideal, but loosened a little on the way home.
Will have to just take a rest tomorrow, 48hrs off and hope for the best for BUCS.

Nice run with a few of the boys.
Achilles was seizing up a little on blackford, so eased off, and cut back early with Carcas, rather than the intended 2hrs. Was feeling alright again towards the end, but best be safe for a day or two, and can just write it off as little taper for BUCS anyway.
Cracking day, even a little bit of taps aff.

small injection to catch Euzie tempo-ing, but had to leave him go again.

EUOC speed - 4x 800m [2min]

Shorter session than most will be I think, due to BUCs this weekend.

Running a bit better than I expected. Everyone started a bit hard, and inevitably died off a bit, myself included.
Still, happy with the session. Times are good, although feel the reps are probably slightly short (the gps looks fairly inaccurate over this loop), but probably made up for a bit by the bumpy surface.

Times: 2.22, 2.23, 2.27, 2.30.

jogged Niklas off - then back to meet the guys, and basically a longer warm down home via sneaky snips on dalkeith road.