w/c 19th February - an easier week, a sting in the tail

The last 2 weeks have been tiring. Whilst it is satisfying to know I'm getting stronger, I feel a nagging need to be able to demonstrate this. Running tired means I'm off the pace when training with my peers, which is part of the deal I know but it doesn't stop me from being frustrated.

The only answer of course is to back of a little before picking up the training again. Such backing off has therefore been the feature of this past week and it has paid dividends both physically and mentally....

Mon - My 34th birthday. Chilled out with Alison, and very enjoyable it was too. Almost got through the day guilt free but had a slight tinge of 'rest days are for wusses'-itis late on.

Tues - Speed session at club. 4 * 400m, 2 * 800m, 4 * 400m. Despite still having heavy legs from the previous couple of weeks, I ran like a train! I was at the head of the group and stayed there, pulling away a bit more towards the end. This was great, the first good run I felt I'd had for a while. Rest days - they do work you know!

Weds - 4M easy - lunchtime at work. Cantered around 4M loop at work.

Thurs - Physio session - Sarah marvelled yet again at my inflexibility and pummelled my calves, quads, hams and glutes into submission. There were a few knots to get rid of but got a clean bill of health! I think 4-6 weekly sessions will help prevent injury.

Fri - More rest!? What are you, some kind of big girl?! Saving myself for Saturday.

Sat - Welsh 3000'ers - well two thirds of them! 21 miles and @7500' ascent. Paul Miller, Pete Taylor and I got up very early and travelled to Penypass intent on doing the Welsh 3000ers. We got up onto Snowdon via the Pyg Track by about 9.30 and set off towards Carnedd Ugain and Crib Goch. Apart from a "Taylor diversio(tm)", i.e. more rocky and scrambly than necessary(!), we got to and came off Crib Goch in wet but improving weather. By the time we'd run to Elidir Fawr the clag had come down. From there on in, the rain inched slowly from showery bursts to a persistant pour. We picked our way over the Glyders and, faced with driving rain across Tryfan, decided to run to Capel Curig to along the old road. The carneddau will have to wait.

I had mixed feelings about this at the time - one part of me wanted to train myself to carry on regardless, and i would have been happy to do that. But there were two others there and Paul in particular was not keen abouty proceeding further. This made the decision very straightforward, but there was not too much dissapointment from me at the time! The good thing is, I felt strong at the end, like i could have easily gone on. The legs were a little heavy but not sore, no pain and my mind was not dulled to the prospect of more rain and effort.

Had a night in Helyg with Pete, Paul and Jen (who very kindly picked us up from Capel and prepared some good food for us) and sunk a few well deserved ales that night in Capel...

Sun -Rest, after mighty breakfast in Pete's Eats. Came home and chilled with Alison - including a visit to the cinema and sorting out of housey stuff. Feel quite satisfied and ready for a bigger week, including two hard days next weekend...

Time to reflect on some lessons from yesterday.
a) Take waterproof gloves. They are bulky but worth it - my hands were painfully cold with windstoppers on which are useless when wet.
b) Eat on the climbs - and don;t eat with too much urgency as you'll not be able to swallow the food - you'll just chew it for ages!
c) Remember savory and salty foods. Sugary energy food is fine for an energy boost, but a sandwich of tuna and loads of mayo to make it mushy is good on the big climbs.
d) Don't cram the whole day in your head. I was relaxed (and therefore moving efficiently) when thinking about the next summit, but tense when thinking about the whole day. Just tackle it a bit at a time.
e) Wear sealskinz socks for the boggy bits. Cold and numb feet makes for potential ankle twisting territory.

Given the lessons from yesterday, I now think it was a success, not a failure.

Week total - 32 miles and 7500' ascent - easy week

w/c 12th feb - Getting stronger, getting tired

This week I've started to feel tired. The last two weeks have seen me run fast and free with the benefit of the recent training kicking in. Now, I'm going through that tired phase that I recognise from marathon training - the February malaise! The dark nights, the feeling of winter dragging and the not-quite-imminence of spring combined with lots of running on top of lots of running before lead to something of a 'wall'.
It's showing in my running, but the endurance seems to be coming along well - i.e. I'm knackered at the start but am not more knackered when I've finished! A good sign? A glimmer of hope? Probably...
Also finding it hard to concentrate at work - a combination of some dissapointing developments at work, tiredness and pre-occupation from training and some issues at home (not least getting the place decorated!). Am typing this at work when I should be working in fact! It's hardly what I would call a tough time, esp after such a fantastic weekend away in the Lakes with the runners, but it's a slightly tougher patch which i know will subside.

Last week's training was good, but lacked some quality...

Mon - 3M easy on road. Heavy legged after big run on MF the day before.
Tues - 9.5m steady at club. Hilly route (Brown Knoll) and pushed it on one effort - which saw me run strongly up the hill (but was goosed afterwards!).
Weds - 7M - trail run with A on Maiden Castle, Harthill and Raw Head - about 1000' climbing. Lovely and sunny, but tired.
Thurs - 9M - 12 killer hill reps to the grit bin plus a run up Harthill. I was really slow although didn't feel like I couldn't run, just that I couldn't run fast. 1000' ascent? Got round OK.
Fri - Rest - was actually planning to go for a fell run, which would have finished me off!
Sat - 14M, 3500' - walk from hut with Running Club to Clough Head and the Dodds. Wonderful day, easy paced and nice to re-recce that section. Great weather.
Sun - 11M, 4600' - 4hr 15min fell run with Steve, Pete, Nick and Sarah. Was feeling rough at start, too much food! I now know I cannot run with sausage bacon and eggs in me! Felt bad for an hour - stomach and head pounding, plus legs were still tired. Got better and lovely weather meant that BGR recce from High Raise to Bowfell was useful and enjoyable. Feel like I need some physio and an easier week! Good sign is that even when feeling ill and rough, I could move at a reasonable pace!!

Week total, 54M and 10000' ascent.

w/c 5th Feb More training, loads more climbing

Another good week, with 2 hill days (and 2 rest days).
Monday - brilliant day off. Ran for 5hrs in Snowdonia taking in all the Glyderau. Worked out at about 11 miles and 5500'. SLower going on the rocky stuff around Tryfan, but really enjoyed it. Dried mango seemed to work a treat.
Tuesday - 9M felt very heavy legged so ran round the hill session i took steadily and let others do the efforts. Tried one effort and realised that was silly, but running steadily was not a problem.
Weds - rest day (club committee)
Thursday - 6M club session, short sprints on the snowy field! Very hard efforts and ran well - fastest in the group.
Friday - Rest - just plain busy
Sat - XC was cancelled so i did an 8.5 mile run up to Eccleston to meet Alison who was doing her marathon long run training. About 7.45 pace
Sun - Another big hill day - managed to find 4500' climbing and 14 miles around Moel Famau. It's hard running long there because it's a bit contrived, but also it's so runnable, so there is no respite. Only the gully provided a short chance to walk. This is excellent training though. Melting snoe made whole run feel like it was through a giant puddle!

Totals - 48.5 miles, @11,000' ascent.

Looking forward to weekend in the lakes next week - a big climbing week. Have got Friday off to get a long one in before going walking/running with the group. Superb.

w/c 29th Jan - Another good week

Monday - rest day
Tuesday - Great club session - 2 v hilly fig of 8's at Burwardsley. I was out in front - ran really well. 9 miles all in.
Weds - 7 miles with Alison, briskish pace at Wrexham Ind Est. Av 7.20 pace felt a bit ill (stomach) but wore off.
Thursday - 10 miles at the club - really hard efforts which were good, but then i was jaded for the next part of the session. Flat running so no chance to show off progress on the hills!
Fri - Easy 4 mile plod - probably junk miles but good to get work issues out of ny head,
Sat - 10M 3100' climbing - jogged around the Clywdian Hills route. Felt good on a lovely cold day. Views tremenous. Ate Rocky bars and those Ainsley Harriot wafer things - Rocky bars seem to be winning through.
Sun - 7.5M (inc 6M road race - 37.19) - Borders League at West Cheshire. Finished 65th from 263 in closed race series - my best ever position, which is commendable after yesterday's (in fact, this week's) efforts. 2nd in for the club - not bad going (a few quick uns missing mind!).
Total for the week - 48miles, @4000' climbing (held off on climbing due to big week next week, with hill days on Monday and Sunday).
Also, Jen Taylor has booked us the Achille Ratti climbing hut for use during the BGR - fantastic. Having a hut on Dunmail Raise, actually en route, is terrific. Jen has also booked a hut and organised (with Sarah) the food for the forthcoming February weekend in the Lakes to recce and enjoy! Nice one Jen!
Have emailed everyone (bar Ian) who i;ve got set out to do fell support. Some have already come back saying they are happy with their leg.
It's starting to come together now, and I'm running better than I've ever run. Time to get those long days in.