4 hour walk today. Starting to feel a bit stronger
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4 hour walk today. Starting to feel a bit stronger
Another 5 hours today
Well done, Andrew; keep at it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Derby Tup
Something in mind?
Great stuff DT. You're really clocking up the hours (and miles!).Quote:
Originally Posted by Derby Tup
Another steady 6 mile run and 1200 feet today, plus a 750 calorie in-door row (49 minutes). Ankle still holding up. Staying in Cumbria this week and aiming to do Wildboar Fell just behind the cottage.
Entered LDWA Afoot in two dales 50 early July with Stef. Ian Charters rated it (it’s a loop inc Swaledale, Wensleydale, Gt Shunner fell etc) but it not been put on for about 10 years. 2019 LDWA 100 is Hadrian’s Wall and a 50 is an entry requirement
Go for it lad.Quote:
Originally Posted by Derby Tup
Cheers Ian!
Good run out with the KCAC last night again
Bowderdale to The Calf to Gt Dummocks and back again. 12.03 miles, 2643 feet and 2 hrs 21 mins (managed 1 hrs 57 mins back in May :( - but without the dodgy ankle!). Still, I'm on the path to recovery and the ankle has held up well so far - fingers crossed.
Been a more steady week after the relatively big mileages of the last couple of weeks. Only two sessions done this week so far, with a total of 11 miles and 3400ft.
Working at a trade exhibition at the NEC tomorrow, and going down to the road relays to spectate/reserve on Saturday, so not sure how much more I'll get in this week, although hoping for a decent run approx 20 miles Sunday.
Thinking back to last weekend's retirement, I guess I ran badly. Went out hard, and it was no surprise that with a niggle in my knee, it was going to fall apart. But looking on the bright side, I still got a hard 30 miles under my belt, with 28 miles the weekend before at LM42.
In better news, I've been picked for the Warwickshire team at the inter-counties Fell. I'm under no illusions that Warwickshire is not big mountain country, and in a more prominent Fell racing county I'd be nowhere near selection. But they have some decent runners, some very good cross country runners, and often punch relatively highly for a lowland county. But it's the highest accolade I'm likely to ever achieve (unless I manage something good in ultra long distance terms at some point in the future), so I'm very pleased.
Hey that's great news Travs. I'm sure you'll do the team really proud with your obvious commitment and dedication to fell running and being in super-peak fitness generally.Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
Well done Travs. Just rewards for some solid and consistent training
Thank you for the kind words both.
I like to think that having a solid background of Fell results has held some sway, particularly as the lady picking the team is a prominent Fell racer herself, and from the area where I've just managed a top 20 finish in the winter Fell league (more due to a consistent set of decent results rather than any special ability).
I'm well aware that on a shorter, more runnable course, as I expect the inter-counties to be, that the other guys who perhaps don't do Fell as a first priority, but have speed in abundance, will probably give me a good thrashing.... it's a shame the inter-counties isn't ran over the Peris course, I'm not sure the cross-country boys would quite fancy traversing Lliwedd after 3 hours...
Well done Pete. I got several Nottinghamshire vests in my earlier 50's for a similar reason and I have to say I look back at those with real pride. I still wear those green vests to the gym now! Enjoy it, you'll do great. My first time was a superb but very runnable course at Broughton Heights in the Southern Uplands, and other courses similarly runnable. I always wanted a Blisco type course where my ascending would have trounced many of the cross country guys. Traditionally though its a kinder type of course.Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
Well the course is Lad's Leap at Crowden this year. I understand its an AS and has been used as a champs course a few times in the past, so hopefully it's a rough one. Although the bigger factor is likely to be the absolutely huge race I have the weekend before... may need a few ice baths in the week between...!
Managed to knock off a couple of decent sessions this weekend, a decent climbing session yesterday of 3500ft, and 16.5 miles along the canal this morning. Brings my total for the week up to about 35 miles and 7000ft. I'd have taken that at the start of the week, considering the long race last weekend. Have now got just under 4 weeks til the UTS100, and a race each weekend, so will struggle to get real long runs in, which is probably a blessing if it enables me to arrive at the start line in a relatively fresh state...
Lad's Leap: Tough steep first climb, bit of bog-trotting, steepish descent then a long grinding runnable climb on a track before getting back on a bit of uphill bog before a longish fast steepening descent into a fence hop before the Finish. Good little race, the second climb through the quarries is where the XC boys will come to the fore!
Thanks ba-ba...
A good club session tonight to start off training for the week. A 4 mile "tempo" run, followed by 4 x 400m on the track.
Not being entirely sure what tempo pace is, and not having any pace/gps on my watch, I set off at probably harder than half-marathon pace, but I don't think I was quite at 10km pace. Despite showing my promise for the LDMT in September, by getting lost in the University Campus (again), it was a decent run out.
4 x 400m I knocked off in 80secs each, despite feeling mildly fatigued in the legs due to the change in pace up from the tempo run. I suppose that was the intention of the session.
With my own extended warmup and warm down, total session of 7.5 miles.
Racing at the Mynd Dragon on Sunday, a tough AS, hoping to get under an hour (was 1:05 last year), looking forward to it.
Buck Hill and the Outwoods, fairly brisk pace from the outset. I was surprised how much the paths had dried out after just a few days without rain. But there were still plenty of seriously muddy and wet patches; like on the bridleway coming down from the Outwoods, where there is a spring in a little copse next to the path, which floods the path when there has been heavy rain.
I noticed a runner ahead of me soon after coming out of the Outwoods. When that happens I can't help myself: my brain goes into racing mode (and the fact that this runner was female didn't make any difference to that). I was gaining on her, and when she slowed to pick her way through the flood by the spring, I stormed past and shouted, "Just go straight through it." I think I managed to avoid splashing her as I followed my own advice.
I carried on at the same speed, but hadn't gone much further before I realised that I wasn't the only one who goes into racing mode when seeing another runner ahead. With the path slightly downhill and the wind behind me I was running faster than I have for many months, but she stayed just a few yards behind for at least half a mile until I turned off the path for the last 300 metres or so to my home.
I looked at my watch as I arrived at home, and got a surprise; it's been a few years since I have covered that route in under 35 minutes. Endorphin overload for the rest of the day.
After a tough session on Tuesday, an equally tough hill session last night, unsurprisingly I was feeling pretty lethargic tonight for the club session.
Decided against going out for a steady run, as I knew it would only consist of me jogging round, so I joined the ladies on the grass for a rep session. It was rather painful, but enabled me to put in 5.5 miles of which nearly 3 miles were quality work.
Brings my total for the week so far up to 15 miles and 3300ft, nearly all of which have been hard effort, but I'm going to have to take it steady over the next couple of days in order to have a decent showing at the Mynd Dragon on Sunday.
Lead the fashion-stakes tonight in my old Dark Peak vest, illuminous green and black shorts, blue and orange trainers, and a red & black bandana....
I'm sure the "ladies on the grass" appreciated it. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
Hot day in Lakes. Buttermere and up to Red Pike, rest of skyline ridge. Then first ever open water swim across Buttermere before finishing up Robinson and slow descent back to village. Meniscus didn't like the downhill so must be careful and not over ambitious. Nice to be out in hills again though.
Good stuff Simon - a bit ‘froggy sounding’ ? 😉
It does sound froggy. But unfortunately DT, my knee really won't take 38 miles on the hill now. Therefore I have to add some bike work into a long challenge and currently working on a route for June 30th.Quote:
Originally Posted by Derby Tup
Hey that sounds a great challenge anyway Simon. 6 mile walk last night for me and Tuss at Bolton Abbey last
Good stuff Simon, it's great running/walking country along there. I was up there last year, having ran over from Ennerdale/Lamplugh via the Gavel Fell/Hen Comb hills. Unfortunately I attempted the direct route off the north ridge of High Stile, attempting a shortcut down to Buttermere, in less than ideal conditions, and took an age when I'd have been better off carrying on down Scarth Gap. By the time I got down to the shore it was sweltering and it was a hot run back over the never-ending Floutern Pass to Ennerdale...
A couple of steadier days to recharge the batteries, and my weekly total so far is 23 miles and 7700ft. With a short race tomorrow, I'll reach the magic 10000ft mark, but miles will be down. Perhaps needed an easier week, and will look to build again next week, although the National Masters Road Relays next weekend will be in the back of my mind and will want to be fresh for that....
Buck Hill and Beacon Hill, wearing the Wrong Shoes. Somehow I thought that, even after last night's thunderstorm, the paths would retain the dryness that the recent heatwave has given them, rather than returning to the morass of just a week ago. #ShouldhavewornWalshes
After a bruising race at the weekend, I was finally able to resume training today, and knocked out a fairly arduous 6.5 miles and 2150ft. With the road relays at the weekend, I'll once again be struggling to get up around the 40 mile/10000ft mark, but we'll see how the week develops from here.
My average for the last 10 weeks was approx 30 miles/8500ft. Albeit I did have several weeks in there where calf injury, and illness, really set me back. Hopefully the next 10 weeks more consistent, although the UTS100 may well scupper that!
Really suffered from the effects of pushing so hard in last weekend's race. And my experience at the weekend has got me thinking how much my performances have been held back by my mental attitude. I pretty much always go off hard in races, and usually expect to be swamped up by the pack over the next few miles. But this time I looked back and there was a huge gap back to the pack, I really was up the front. Something clicked that I deserved to be there, and if I pushed hard I could maintain that position. So I absolutely flogged myself to death and subsequently got my best ever finish by a long way. The confidence boost and belief it has given me has been substantial, and I can't wait to get on the fells again. But the extra push to hold my position really fatigued me.
Club night tonight and still struggling a bit from the weekend. Once again neglected the longish run in favour of a speedier session on the grass. 5 x 800m reps on various levels, which incorporated perhaps 80-100ft of climb and descent on each rep. Actually managed to knock out 6 reps, but really struggled to pick up any speed. Total session included warmup and down, 7 miles.
Running the opening leg in the over-35's national road relays on Saturday (3 miles), so hoping for a miracle recovery between now and then. I'm sure I'll be fine on the day.
Buck Hill and the Outwoods. Often when it is raining and cold, that impels me to run faster, but not today. And there was no woman to chase me down the path from the Outwoods this time (see my post on this thread on 17/04/2018).
End of April, and my hands were getting too cold while running on a route that doesn't get above the 150-metre contour. Should have grabbed one of those lambs in the field below Buck Hill, and made myself some woolly gloves.
After another week where I haven't got enough miles in, and a short race yesterday, I went for a big session today. 2 hours on the treadmill, knocking up 11 miles and 6000ft. Perhaps not the ideal session, compared to reading about people running over their local fells, but at least an example of how determined I am to keep progressing.
Brings my total for the week up to 28.5 miles and 8150ft. Hope to improve on that next week.
Whatever it does for your physical fitness, enduring the tedium of two hours on a treadmill must improve your mental toughness!Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
Last year I was a volunteer participant in an experiment at the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine (conveniently located just the other side of the cricket field from my office in Loughborough). It involved two sessions of 45 minutes at moderate intensity on the treadmill. Even with the experimenter chatting to me to relieve the boredom, I was continually watching the timer and thinking about how long I had left.
I'm pretty used to it now and it goes surprisingly quickly. The treadmill I used today resets itself after each hour, and at halfway I didn't even think about what I'd just done, just thought "only an hour to go"....!
Like a long race, just split it down into sections of 15 minutes and try to hit a target for climb/distance over each section. Last ten minutes I was chasing 6000ft hard, to the extent that I was basically sprinting 7.5 of the final ten minutes as hard as possible. I was 8ft short!
But had the energy afterwards to knock out 55 x squats with 30kg on my back. Something which I'm convinced is helping me massively in my quest to improve.
That's what I call motivation Pete. I used to have it for my rock climbing and would do pull ups for over an hour in sets of 10 (weighted) on the minute!! Nowadays with age motivation still there but determination has reduced, as has the bodies ability to endure such severities!Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
On a note I did 1 hour and 350 floors on the stepper on Saturday (3500'), intended to do 1.5 hours but just couldn't carry on with another half an hour of such misery!
I hate pull-ups! Adequate at chin-ups (palms facing at me) but strict pull-ups i find very challenging. Pretty decent at dips and can do quite a few dips with a heavy chain wrapped round my shoulders to add to bodyweight. Having a relatively strong body and core is very underestimated.
When i did Muay Thai we did 'clinching'.... when two boxers clinch up they are separated, but in Muay Thai the fight continues with stand up wrestling, and knees/elbows/etc. We would do this for round after round and as well as developing strength and endurance, i also learned a lot about leverage and balance. And doing this in inner-city Bangkok under a tin roof in 90% humidity is no picnic either!
3500ft is a decent total on the climber. More than i can manage on the treadmill in an hour. On the climber i'm usually looking to knock out 4000ft in an hour (1000ft every 15mins i can manage at a steady sustained effort, but to increase up past 1100ft/15mins starts to get challenging if i want to maintain for an hour or more).
I was at the Masters Road Relays at Sutton Park on Saturday, i did keep an eye out for you and the familiar Notts AC tent and vests, but didn't spot you guys...
Wow! Chin-ups I can usually manage 3 or 4, several sets, but pull-ups 1 if any!Quote:
Originally Posted by Corniceman
After knocking out 8500ft of climb in the last two days, I was rather dismayed to read the club email today and find that tonight we were doing..... hill reps.
3 x long (400m)
6 x medium (250m)
9 x short (100m)
A good session, and I managed to lead the group out, but still quite stiff in the legs from the hard work and racing that I've got up to lately. I think the rest of the week will be a case of maintaining some steady miles, ready to race on Sunday.
In better news I'm pulling together what looks like at least one team for the Lee Mill Relays. Will this be the start of Coventry Godiva Harrier's assault on the Fell racing world...?!?
Go Cov!
I somehow don't think we'll be challenging the Borrowdale's and Dark Peak's of this world with a fearsome relay reputation.Quote:
Originally Posted by Derby Tup
But there is a little bit of fell experience scattered throughout the club, and a bit of enthusiasm...
Apart from myself, there's a couple of Welsh/Yorkshire natives who have done the odd fell race, a lady who has supported one or two BG legs and done a few south coast fell races, a guy who does a lot of the Lake District trail races.
I'd like to put in a team that while not necessarily looking for honours, that can at least be "competitive" (aka doesn't come last)..... and possibly another team as well, even if it means one or two of us running a couple of legs each.
I've got more pressing concerns at the moment, such as (to keep on training topic) do i drag my carcass out again tonight, as well as the small matter of do i enter the Dragon's Back which opens for entry in less than 90mins.
That's great news Travs! They have obviously seen just how much fun you are having and now want in on the action. I'll look forward to cheering you all on at the FRs' :-)
Today's Raining: yes, it's time we removed one letter from the title of this thread. The quantities of rain in recent weeks have got to the stage where most of the mud has been washed away from the paths; my Walshes were almost clean after today's "take-a-shower-while-you-run' effort.
Plenty of other people out enjoying the rain. There were several groups who looked like they were on D of E expedition training. The trouble is, when they become aware of a runner approaching, they turn sideways so that their big, bulging rucksacks block the way when I could have squeezed past if they hadn't turned. Then there was the group of about twelve people having a barbecue in the Outwoods (yes, they did have a tarpaulin).