Training Log Archive: BrandNewMe

Saunders day 2

I was struggling to walk around the campsite I was so tired. Things were not looking good. The first control was a 700m straight up ascent from the campsite to Lingmell, just west of Sca fell. It was brutal. Didn’t take long for Laurence to get given the heavy bag and even then I was dying. IThe entire climb took about 40 mins. Brutal.

It was misty and wet with a decent breeze but I was still sweating buckets so still in just my interlopers top and shorts. We went up to the col between sca fell and sca fell pike which was v scree covered and a bit greasy without dobbs. Glad to descend the other side into clear skys. By this point we had Issac Hunter and dad, and Reuben Lawson and dad and we all raced along together, the young legs going quicker than old ones. I’m so whacked now, esp after a drive home. I need some form of core stability if I am going to do that again - although I’ve already told him that he’s doing it with his dad next year. Great company, just a bit too fast for my current fitness.

2nd overall, first mixed pair. Will try to put maps on strava and link to this.

Results: https://www.sportident.co.uk/results/SLMM/2022/SLM...

https://www.strava.com/activities/7409643780

C • Top job! 3

Saunders MM day 1. Bedafell class with Laurence.

There is kit that each person has to take, and then the joint kit (tent, food and stove). Laurence had the essential in his bag, and I had the rest, including a camel bak. He caned it up the hill to number 1, and on to 2, at which point we swapped bags. Three was in a dip then we had a huge climb to 4. We swapped back here as Laurence was getting weary. I thought we took a really good line but we dropped lots here. Then a short ridge run where Laurence took the heavy bag again. Then a big desent with a bit of rock. He got a bit grumpy on the descent so on the next short sharp hill I got him eating more and after that he cheered up no end.

The rest was a bit of a slog through bogs, livened up by bumping into Imogen and Sarah, then on down to the finish. Despite dropping 7 mins on 4 (don’t know why) we were 2 mins down on Issac Hunter and dad, extended to 5 mins down with a handicap. For someone who rarely ever goes more than 6 miles Laurence did really well. Much stronger in terrain than I thought he would be, and v cheery most of the way. Tent and food and some nice socialising. And lots of cramp. I am not sure 3 days of 3000 steps average is ideal prep for this.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7409641913

C • Trail running! Did you not ... 1

Last three days spent sat with / lying with an ill Bertie. Fever of 39, the GP reckoned scarlet fever, but not fun at all. A bit tiring. I have watched so many episodes of postman Pat it’s untrue. Watching as an adult it’s hard to get over how shit he is at his job. His job is simple - deliver the mail - but every single day he fucks it up. Accidentally dropping a pricy vase, ploughing straight on into a snow drift, throwing a film reel into a puddle. He had to deliver a caged parrot, and I bet Lucy that within 2 mins the parrot would have escaped and the rest of the episode would be spent catching it. Kerching! Got it in one. And everyone keeps buying stuff. Ted should really get a new tractor for all of the parts he buys for it, and does Mrs Goggings need another knitting pattern? It’s consumerism gone mad.

Talking of going mad, I needed to get away, so prised my hands off Berties and headed to the Saunders with Laurence. Things weren’t looking all that good the night before - it was v wet.

To the meadows. Started my watch halfway there

I might have felt inspired by the excellent GB performances today, but I was more exhausted than anything else. Spectating is an exhausting business. I actually thought I might have had a heart attack shouting at Ralph to sprint in the QF (he clearly heard me as he put the boot in and won the heat). And there was also some arguing with academics at work to. People say never work with animals or children, but at least there’s an expectation that animals and children will be hard to control and do monumentally foolish things…. I need a new job.

Anyway, football has finished for the summer so I get to go running in the evening. I haven’t talked to anyone who is not a family member or a work colleague for what feels like a month or so, so a trip to Martin’s intervals was in order. Quite a ‘select’group today. Sheila was on the stopwatch, and I hadMike and Graham to run with so it was fun, but it really hurt too. 5 x 4:10-ish, which is a bit slower than 10 years ago when I did a full set of 5 in under 3:30. Sigh. Graham has stayed about the same distance behind me though, so some things never change.

After 3 I thought of heading home as I was too knackered - as I said, some things never change - when Mike and Sheila both unprompted said ‘you just have to get through the next one, the last one’s easy’, which meant I had to do it. And they were right, the last one was easy. Session done.

Quite sure I won’t be able to get out of bed tomorrow. Big problems with my hip and knee these days. Today won’t have helped that.

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