What a truly frustrating week.
I've been laid low from Tuesday to Saturday with a nasty little stomach bug, which basically meant that I absorbed hardly anything from the food I ate, with most of it coming, well, straight back out! Alan at work described my reason for absence from work on Wednesday to all enquirers as being 'a case of the raging sh*ts', which unfortunately sums it up nicely. Well, perhaps not 'nicely'.
I tried to stay hydrated, and used Diarolylte to get some salts in. One slight silver lining is that some have recommended useing Diarolylte during the BGR if it's hot, and at least now I know I can tolerate it! But I lost 4 lbs in weight (my wedding ring kept falling off on thursday!) and it clearly affected my running at the weekend too.
Here's how the week panned (!) out...
Monday - Ran up Moel Famau after work. Felt great! Straight up from Cilcain, the steep way and ran every step very strongly. Came down the Clywdian Hills route - 40 mins all in.
Tuesday - Started feeling tired and poorly Tuesday morning and spent most of the evening on the loo. Not good at all.
Weds - Off work sick, terrible stomach cramps and just shattered.
Thurs - Still not quite right, but a little better? Went for a 3M potter around Rossett and just about got back in time - silly boy...
Fri - No, still not well, stomach still awful so decided to fast for 24 hours to kill this bug off.
Sat - Felt better and contemplated Edale. Decided to do an hour on Moel Famau as a 'test'. If i could do that easily, i would run. Set off from Cilcain and did an hour circuit of about 6M and 1500' climbing at an easy pace. Felt very easy and ran the climbs well. Appetite returned, starting eating again at about 3pm. Had evening out with Cath and friends, still felt a bit rough.
Sunday - 21M 4500' - Edale Skyline. What an EPIC! The weather was extremely poor - with very high winds, freezing temperatures, blizzards (blizzards i ask you!) and some very near sounding thunder. Ran something like 4.15 (not sure exactly) - well down on last year. I actually started well, although felt a bit sick for the first hour. Despite the wind, i got to Mam Nick in 2 hours dead, 15 mins ahead of last year. After that though, the wheels gradually loosened before coming off at Jacobs Ladder, with some distance still to go. Dave caught me up soon enough and although we ran together for what must have been an hour, he pulled away when i had used up the fumes and was running on willpower only.
The last 5 miles of running was a strange sensation because my legs we not heavy or sore, but there was just no fuel. I took gels and some lucozade, but it's clear that my body was missing that base that loading up in advance gives you.
Other lessons from that day - OMM waterproof very good, wear a tight hat, not one with a 'turn up' as it comes down and you can't see - oh and wear really thick gloves on days with strong wind and rain/snow even if they seem at odds with all your lightweight gear. I started showing signs of frostnip on my thumb and middle finger at times and had to keep massaging them as i ran. Horrible.
Monday morning and feeling tired now...
Summary - 35 miles, @7,300' ascent
Monday, 19 March 2007
Monday, 12 March 2007
w/c 5th March - a hard, easy week!
I'd like to have been able to look back at this week and say that I backed off to provide a little recovery before returning strongly and training harder still. The truth I did less milage, ran less frequently and did less climbing than in previous weeks and am sat here on a Monday lunchtime stiff and sore. How?! Well, the answer, and the lesson concerns cross training. On Saturday I played some squash and badminton, things I rarely do, and made the usual runner's assumption that being fit for the fells and the roads makes you fit and strong for anything physical. If i can knock off a stage of the BGR and feel as fresh as a daisy, what harm is an hours squash and an hours badminton going to do..?
Imagine my chagrin when I awoke on Sunday morning at 6.30 to go out and run on the fells to find that my hamstrings and glutes registered a soreness that i recognised only from having run the London marathon or the Jura fellrace! Quads and calves were fine but still I walked like Douglas Barder after a night on the pop. Strangely, I ran OK on Sunday - as if the bits of my body that did running were fine and the bits that did hurt weren't made any worse.
Considering how sore my calves were last Monday and Tuesday (and still a bit on Thursday) after the half marathon last Sunday, it seems that this week holds a lesson - training for running on the fells makes you good at running on the fells.
Here's how this reduced week's activity actually shaped up...
Monday - Rested, legs tired from Haweswater half
Tuesday - 8M, easy run out with the club, calves VERY tight. Was worried about getting injured so I let the group so the efforts and pootled round on my own.
Weds - Rest, plus some stretching
Thursday - 9M, including 2 1.2km efforts and 6 400m efforts. Worked hard and calves tightened up towards the end. Ran well and was at the head of the group. 400m efforts were tough.
Fri - rested
Sat - 3M run after 2 hours of badminton, squash and probably an hour's cycling.
Sun 8M, 2500' - Run on Bowscale Fell and Bannerdale Crags. Initial heather slope was a tough to get any rhythm on, so much so that I descended to the valley and climbed a different slope. Ran well once on the top. Didn't feel too pushed at all. Out for 2 hours - but had to get back to group. Weather windy and misty but dry. Felt a bit dissatsified afterwards.
Totals - 28M, @3100'?
Will do better next week, honest...
Imagine my chagrin when I awoke on Sunday morning at 6.30 to go out and run on the fells to find that my hamstrings and glutes registered a soreness that i recognised only from having run the London marathon or the Jura fellrace! Quads and calves were fine but still I walked like Douglas Barder after a night on the pop. Strangely, I ran OK on Sunday - as if the bits of my body that did running were fine and the bits that did hurt weren't made any worse.
Considering how sore my calves were last Monday and Tuesday (and still a bit on Thursday) after the half marathon last Sunday, it seems that this week holds a lesson - training for running on the fells makes you good at running on the fells.
Here's how this reduced week's activity actually shaped up...
Monday - Rested, legs tired from Haweswater half
Tuesday - 8M, easy run out with the club, calves VERY tight. Was worried about getting injured so I let the group so the efforts and pootled round on my own.
Weds - Rest, plus some stretching
Thursday - 9M, including 2 1.2km efforts and 6 400m efforts. Worked hard and calves tightened up towards the end. Ran well and was at the head of the group. 400m efforts were tough.
Fri - rested
Sat - 3M run after 2 hours of badminton, squash and probably an hour's cycling.
Sun 8M, 2500' - Run on Bowscale Fell and Bannerdale Crags. Initial heather slope was a tough to get any rhythm on, so much so that I descended to the valley and climbed a different slope. Ran well once on the top. Didn't feel too pushed at all. Out for 2 hours - but had to get back to group. Weather windy and misty but dry. Felt a bit dissatsified afterwards.
Totals - 28M, @3100'?
Will do better next week, honest...
Monday, 5 March 2007
w/c 26th February - progressing nicely
This was a good week, showing the benefit of an easier week before it. It also shows that you do need to endure a couple of week's tiredness before moving through to a higher level of fitness.
It's been a mixed week in terms of activity. Fellrunning, road efforts on the hills and flat and to cap it all, an impromptu road race.
Also learned a few things about food and route choices on the BGR.
Monday - 7M slow - up the hill to Llay and back - felt very slow to start with and picked up toward the end - a proper recovery run.
Tuesday - 9M - club session. 2 Burwardsley figure of 8's. Always a tough workout, esp on tired legs. Ran hard and well, couldn't hold AG who ran very well, but he was not too far ahead all the way round and i think i even gained on him on the 2nd effort - good endurance.
Weds - 7M pace run with A - ran at A's marathon race pace (7.30/mile) at Wrexham IE. Boring and neither of us could be arsed, but gets me out on a Weds and it's good to help Alison out given that i'm always buggering off to do fellruns.
Thurs - 9M - club session. 12 * 300m (!) ran well, with speed of all reps very consistent and at about 5.30 pace. Again, no holding Andrew or Peter - they were off! Then 3 efforts of about a mile of or so which were hard and I was a little off the pace, but felt good at the end.
Fri - Rest - up to Center Parcs
Sat - 15M and 5300' ascent, BGR leg one with Paul Miller. Starting at the Moot hall, I went the 'normal' way and Paul went up via Carl Side to see which was quickest. We both went at an easy BGR-esque pace. I got to the top in 79 mins without breaking sweat and moving very easily to find Paul had been there 5 mins! His route was just under a mile shorter acc to our GPSs but his was steeper and he said he had to work hard whereas I didn't. So, is the 5 mins or so worth it? Given i was still 7 mins under A 23 hour schedule and was 2 mins inside a 22 hour schedule it mighth be that the extra effort Paul had to endure on the steeper slopes might have cost him later on. We stayed together after that and did Calva 7 mins under and Blencathra 6 mins under. A bitty descent off Halls Fell was done about on schedule. This resulted in a leg one time of 3:44, which is exactly on 22 hour schedule (thuis included some stopping to check routes). It felt easy and i was fresh - so no worries there.
Foodwise - dried mangos (fair trade ones from Somerfield) were brilliant.
Sun - Haweswater Half Marathon - 1:28:58. Rain , rain and tired legs at the start means that although this was not a pb, it was still a respectable run. Happy to get under 1:30 with this week in my legs! Turns out there was nearly 1000' climbing in this race acc to Runners' World so very happy with time considering state of legs and weather - a real confidence booster.
Totals - 61 miles, probably about 7500'
It's been a mixed week in terms of activity. Fellrunning, road efforts on the hills and flat and to cap it all, an impromptu road race.
Also learned a few things about food and route choices on the BGR.
Monday - 7M slow - up the hill to Llay and back - felt very slow to start with and picked up toward the end - a proper recovery run.
Tuesday - 9M - club session. 2 Burwardsley figure of 8's. Always a tough workout, esp on tired legs. Ran hard and well, couldn't hold AG who ran very well, but he was not too far ahead all the way round and i think i even gained on him on the 2nd effort - good endurance.
Weds - 7M pace run with A - ran at A's marathon race pace (7.30/mile) at Wrexham IE. Boring and neither of us could be arsed, but gets me out on a Weds and it's good to help Alison out given that i'm always buggering off to do fellruns.
Thurs - 9M - club session. 12 * 300m (!) ran well, with speed of all reps very consistent and at about 5.30 pace. Again, no holding Andrew or Peter - they were off! Then 3 efforts of about a mile of or so which were hard and I was a little off the pace, but felt good at the end.
Fri - Rest - up to Center Parcs
Sat - 15M and 5300' ascent, BGR leg one with Paul Miller. Starting at the Moot hall, I went the 'normal' way and Paul went up via Carl Side to see which was quickest. We both went at an easy BGR-esque pace. I got to the top in 79 mins without breaking sweat and moving very easily to find Paul had been there 5 mins! His route was just under a mile shorter acc to our GPSs but his was steeper and he said he had to work hard whereas I didn't. So, is the 5 mins or so worth it? Given i was still 7 mins under A 23 hour schedule and was 2 mins inside a 22 hour schedule it mighth be that the extra effort Paul had to endure on the steeper slopes might have cost him later on. We stayed together after that and did Calva 7 mins under and Blencathra 6 mins under. A bitty descent off Halls Fell was done about on schedule. This resulted in a leg one time of 3:44, which is exactly on 22 hour schedule (thuis included some stopping to check routes). It felt easy and i was fresh - so no worries there.
Foodwise - dried mangos (fair trade ones from Somerfield) were brilliant.
Sun - Haweswater Half Marathon - 1:28:58. Rain , rain and tired legs at the start means that although this was not a pb, it was still a respectable run. Happy to get under 1:30 with this week in my legs! Turns out there was nearly 1000' climbing in this race acc to Runners' World so very happy with time considering state of legs and weather - a real confidence booster.
Totals - 61 miles, probably about 7500'
Sunday, 25 February 2007
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
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
Monday, 19 February 2007
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.
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.
Monday, 12 February 2007
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.
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.
Monday, 5 February 2007
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.
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.
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