There is an outdoor sculpture event going on in The Outwoods with lots of weird things hanging from trees. A lot of ponytails and lip and nose rings around too!
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There is an outdoor sculpture event going on in The Outwoods with lots of weird things hanging from trees. A lot of ponytails and lip and nose rings around too!
Oh yes, so there was. I really need to pay more attention to the Loughborough Echo. It finished yesterday, but I ran through the Outwoods on Sunday and didn't notice anything; probably concentrating too much on why I couldn't run at much more than a snail's pace.Quote:
Originally Posted by Llani Boy
Did you come down for it, Llani Boy?
No, you wouldn't catch me near that sort of thing. Saw it on East Midlands Today news. Must have been a quiet news day.Did go to Loughborough last summer to pick up some bees and had a walk around some nice parks whilst waiting for them to return to the hive. Saw that big bell!
A steady 8.5 miles around the roads/disused railway/fields to the south-west of Coventry. With a dead straight 2.1 mile time trial down the disused railway, which is supposed to be hard effort.
However I took it steady all the way round, and recorded a very leisurely 13:40 for the 2.1 miles.
Trying to keep fresh for the South Mynd Tour at the weekend, and subsequently the UTS the following weekend.
Regards the UTS, have I done enough preparation for a 100 (actually 105) mile race? Well it's been a mixture of ups and downs. On the downside, I planned two 40+ mile races in successive weekends... the first was shortened to 28 miles due to the atrocious weather, in fact this made it a real test, and coupled with a knee issue, made it a stern mental test as well. The following week was a flat race and I stopped after 31 miles. So not the 80-odd miles I wanted, but still 60 hard miles.
I'm also beset with apprehension and "the jitters" about such a tough race, as you would expect for my first time at that distance.
On the positive side, my weekly mileage and climb is considerably higher and more consistent than last year, and I'm undoubtedly a stronger runner than last year, when I got round the 10 Peaks (and got round well) on a diet of much less consistent training. My trials and tribulations in various races will hopefully have added to my mental strength. And despite the jitters, I can't wait to get going and stop worrying about it, and just concentrate on racing.
Whether this will have any bearing on my UTS performance remains to be seen.
First reps session of 2018. [Yes, I'm a fair-weather reps runner.] 8 times round the rough field near my home, first one in 2m03s, the rest between 2m10s and 2m13s.
Varied training effort today;
Morning Bakewell Parkrun 19.21
Afternoon 2hrs strimming nettles and weeds for mountain bike activities
Late afternoon 2hrs fighting with rotavator on allotment
Evening 3 pints of Magic Mushroom Mild
EVERY muscle group had a good workout!
Set off at 8pm for my run today: no worries about overheating. Crowds of people on Beacon Hill to watch the sunset, although distant cloud was already obscuring part of the sun. Markers out for tomorrow's Woodhouse May Day Challenge, which I'm not running: apart from having too much road and not being hilly enough (it doesn't even go to the top of Beacon Hill), it's 13.5 miles whereas my 71-minute run today was my longest for several months.
Good stuff Anthony. Enjoyed your article in the Fellrunner too...
After running hard (and well) yesterday, I dragged myself back out again today for another session. 5.5 miles and 2500ft. Just keeping the miles consistent ready for UTS on Friday. That was my last real session. I'll attend tomorrow's club track session and may run it half-heartedly, but certainly won't be doing anything too taxing between now and Friday.
Last weeks scoreboard shows 39 miles and 9700ft which is just about on target...
19 mile + (Stef’s Strava didn’t record every inch) walk home - Haworth - Hardcastle Crags - PW over Withins - King’s Arms - home. I was trialing a newish pair of shoes which were great and apart from feeling the heat a bit felt quite good
Thanks, TravsQuote:
Originally Posted by Travs
Still just a little bit more mileage and climbing than me. :pQuote:
Originally Posted by Travs
Sunday, 55 mile Cycle from Ambleside to Wasdale Head and back. Left bike at NT shed and up the Scafell Pike along with thousands of others and crossed to Scafell via Lords Rake. Normal BGR decent from Scafell (2.5 hours round trip) and back on bike and over to Ambleside. Confessed that I did touch down twice on Hardknott return trip!
Monday.......Grike, Crag fell and Lankrigg, before going to watch the finishers in the GL3D.
Great stuff
Yes, great stuff Simon...
I think the Grike, Crag Fell, Lank Rigg outing is equally impressive as the Ambleside-Scafell! Having done Grike and Crag Fell in zero visibility, and Lank Rigg-Pillar on a scorching hot day, it's a fantastically untrodden part of the Lakes.
Am staying in Ennerdale for the race weekend in June. I have 5 Western Fells to complete the Wainwright book. Hoping to knock off Fleetwith Pike and Haystacks the day before the race, and assuming I've got anything left in my legs the day after the race, planning a long cross-country jaunt from Ennerdale to bag Middle Fell, Buckbarrow and Yewbarrow, which could be quite an epic, looking at the remote terrain to be covered.
Fleetwith Pike has some of the best views in the whole of district
My favourite hill :-) straight up the nose, nice little bit of scrambling in sections. I'm slower coming down :-)Quote:
Originally Posted by Derby Tup
I have a fantastic picture that I took last summer from the south shore of Buttermere, looking up at Fleetwith Pike, in perfect sunshine. It looks like a professional airbrushed photo, yet it was simply taken on my phone. Sadly it doesn't want to upload... started off in Lamplugh and climbed the Gavel Fell/Burnbank Fell group in zero visibility... across the no-mans-land to Hen Comb (thankfully that route is not in any Fell races, it makes climbing Great Gable at Borrowdale seem like a Parkrun), then a tough traverse across Floutern Pass and up onto Starling Dodd. First people of the day weren't encountered until Red Pike. Suddenly out of the cloud into the most beautiful day over the High Stile ridge. I had intended to continue over Fleetwith and Haystacks, but it was so hot I ran out of water and had to divert down to Buttermere, before the long run back over Floutern Pass to Ennerdale. What a fantastic day that was....
Club night tonight and a track session. 6 x 800m reps with 2 minutes recovery between reps. My sensible plan to take things steady tonight, with only 72 hours until the start of the UTS, lasted for precisely 2 reps, when I got throughly bored and tore through the group like dose of salts. Picked my reps up from about 3:05 for the first two, down to about 2:40
Not feeling any negative effects, and it was nice to have a final last fast burnout, as after this weekend it could well be a while before I can run well again...
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=3&theater
The only way I can see to add it... apologies if you can't see it...
Beautiful!Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
Walked just short of 25 miles yesterday in wonderful sunny Wharfedale
It was me who waved Andy! past you when cycling at Bolton Abbey 2x Petes +Little Dick HaHa
Sorry didn’t see you Steve. Stunning day to be out either on foot or bicycle
Resumed training today after getting over the UTS, and will do another treadmill/gym session later.
Finally a relief to get back to training and thinking about "normal" Fell races like Ennerdale and Buttermere (god help me!). These are the types of races I'd like to see as my bread-and-butter, and really improve.
I can't lose sight of the fact that I've worked hard and progressed a long way in the last 6 months, a couple of top 10's (albeit in smaller fields), but I do feel that someone with my ability, and more importantly, time to train, should have better pb's than I currently do at Borrowdale (4:50), Buttermere (a chaotic 7hrs), Welsh1000 (6hrs), and Peris (5hrs).
Not disrespecting the many people who wouldn't manage these times, but I still feel I've got a good amount of progression in me, so will be working hard again in the coming months.
Also quietly looking forward to Snowdon in July.
Back to positivity...!
32 mile walk today on Dales Way
Nice one DT you've certainly been racking the long outings up...
A mixed return to training this week. I've been suffering with mild Achilles tendonitis. I think caused by my 'day to day' running shoes which I use on road/track/grass/trail, being far too harsh for some of those surfaces. Although I love the trainers (La Sportiva Bushidos), it's twice it's happened now, so I've got to accept it's more than coincidence and go for something with a bit more support/cushion. I got on absolutely fine with Akasha's last year, and am now trying the similar Ultra Raptors as my everyday choice.
Still have some lingering pain which I need to wait to go away, so can't rack up the miles too quickly just yet. As a result, only managed 23 miles, but a decent 11700ft. The fact that I've knocked up nearly 12000ft of incredibly hard work, since Tuesday, with seemingly no fatigue, must be a good sign, and hopefully an increase in mileage next week as I resume club sessions, with a simply horrible looking track session coming up on Tuesday.
Decided on a stairclimber session this morning, in an attempt to climb a bit more steadily, after some quite reckless hill sessions over the weekend. At least with a stairclimber you are forced into a power-walk.
Final score was 4500ft in 61mins. Was aiming for 4400ft in the hour, and just topped off the last few feet to round it up.
Quite difficult mentally to run a "negative split", especially being 60ft down after the first 15mins, but just had to trust my legs and power through the final 15mins a bit harder.
Beacon Hill, Ulvfrscroft valley, Cattens Rough, and back via Buck Hill: 90 minutes, longest run of the year so far, and I didn't have to dip into the food in my bumbag.
Big contrast between the crowds on Beacon Hill and the path from Ulverscroft to Cattens Rough, which showed little evidence of anyone using it since the grass (and thistles, and nettles) started coming up earlier in Spring. At one stage I slowed to a walk on a mild uphill through deep grass and thistles. The next field had sheep, but one had somehow escaped onto the path I was coming along. It panicked, and somehow pulled itself between the bars of the kissing gate before I could give it helping hand. The rest of the sheep were then spooked, and started running across the field with their lambs, so I decided to walk across that field to avoid creating any more panic. Unlike the sheep in the fields near Buck Hill, they are obviously not used to seeing humans on the footpath through their field.
Full marks to the farmer who owns the land between Beacon crossroads and Ulverscroft: he has spread wood chippings around the entrances to the fields, where the cattle would otherwise create mud-baths.
Good work lads
Our old forum pal Dom will be delighted their still life in Today’s Training
Need to spread the message that this thread is for everyone, including people who do even less training than me.
Plenty of training done but most folk download and compare on strava these days (as most of you know).
My 2,000Km with 50,000m of ascent, so far this year is all on there.
It is so easy get home from run take watch off set phone app to sync head for shower, get dried and changed grab a brew and sit down to check your stats and compare them with those of your mates all without the need to boot up a PC and sit down typing.
Saves quite a bit of time over a year and given that a lack of time is a often used excuse for not getting enough training done then Strava
has a big plus.
Shame really
Funny kind of world where indoor feats impress more than those achieved outside,but having recently taken to the stepper that is impressive Pete. I think my hour best is 3500 feet setting the machine at a steady 12 or 13. I find limiting factors are simply how much I sweat. Seems sweating is a rare occurrence in my gym. I often wonder if those that don't sweat are more fit, or do they just put in little effort? I am without doubt the sweatiest person in my Gym. A title to be proud of or not? To hit 4500 feet in an hour will see rivers flow! Will keep you updated!Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
Simon i sweat like buggery in the gym! Over the weekend, one of my treadmill sessions, afterwards i had to wipe down the treadmill i used, and the one next to mine!
On the climber i use Level 12 as my 'base' pace, and won't go below that, even on a slow and steady session. And for the first 15 minutes or so i didn't go above 12 or 13. But moving into the final 30mins i was holding Level 14 and 15 pretty constantly.
Last week managed 23.54 miles and 4,534 feet of climbing, averaging about 11 min miles. Second week since the post-injury return when I've topped 20 miles per week and 4,000 feet. So slow but at least a steady return to the fells and back to the 30 mile a week target! Ankle seems to be holding out, but I'm still not yet opening the throttle so to speak. Haven't stopped using the erg though with x3 weekly 850 calories 'burn-downs' in usually between 50 to 58 mins and each racking up about 13K of rowing. I've been playing around with the force curve and indoor row sessions are also mega sweaty, even with the garage door wide open :o.Quote:
Originally Posted by anthonykay
Good to hear you're still hammering out the miles on the rower, Mossdog.
Track session tonight. The scheduled horrible session I mentioned earlier in the thread, didn't materialise, and we had a shorter 100, 200, 400, 600, 800, 600, 400, 200, 100.... on paper not too bad, but done at speed it's hard enough. I must admit i felt the full effect of 14000ft of climbing since Friday, and a couple of blisters from new trainers. Very heavy-legged but saw it out. With my own warmup, group warmup, and warm down, totalled up to 7.5 miles.
I had two blokes with mops swabbing the decks after my treadmill session in a hotel in Dhaka, Bangladesh a few years ago
Talking of running abroad... I had two separate long-term stays in Thailand, where i was living/training at a Muay Thai gym. Obviously running formed a fair part of training (the acceptable amount for a Thai professional fighter is 10km in the morning and 5km in the afternoon, 6 days a week). Interestingly the Thais run very slowly (i was far and away the fastest runner on the morning runs), and they run to build up strength in the legs, as opposed to running for 'cardio' fitness. Their 'fight' fitness is gained from the 6 hours a day of constant training on pads/bags/sparring/etc.
The first time i went to Phuket, which had the fantastic benefit of being able to run in the jungle. Due to there being pythons/king cobras/etc in the vicinity, i was too scared to actually run 'off road' in the jungle, but there were some fantastic roads up through the Elephant camps. A personal favourite (for anyone who's been) was from the gym in Nai Harn/Rawai, up through the rainforest on the road to the Kata Viewpoint, which has a view of most of the west coast of the island. Beautiful, but incredibly hot work. On one occasion i missed treading on an unidentified snake by about 6 inches. Luckily it had just eaten, by the looks of the lump in it's belly, so it wasn't too bothered by my presence, although it was a good 5-6ft long and i wouldn't have liked to tread on it if it was in a bad mood.
The second time i stayed on a real top ranked gym in inner-city Bangkok. To get to the running 'circuit' (actually a 500m dead straight road which we ran up and down for 10km), we had to climb a ladder over the back wall of the gym, cross the local rubbish tip, then a narrow plank crossing a sewer/canal, onto the road. Due to the heat and humidity, we had to get up at dawn (about 6am) to run before the sun came up. By the time we had done the 10km (about 50 very steady mins for me) the sun had hit the canal, and it absolutely stunk getting back over it. The afternoon run, a more interesting 5km circuit, was in the full heat of the day at 3pm and was torture.
Amusingly considering Thailand is a tropical country, the Thai fighters (hard and fit men) were absolutely petrified of a bit of rain, and as soon as it even started spitting, they legged it back to the safety of the gym with it's tin roof, and regarded me as crazy for continuing to run. Though to be honest the rain is very rarely light over there, it's usually torrential when it comes.
I have visited Singapore three times (it's my wife's native land). Last time it was around Christmas and New year, which is the wettest part of the year there. I deliberately timed my runs in mid- to late afternoon, when I could usually rely on a heavy downpour. Apart from the problem of water streaming down my face so I could hardly see, it was very pleasant in that heat to be having a shower while I was running, rather than just taking one afterwards.Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
Today's sweating.
A hot and sweaty jog from Capel over Siabod and down to Penygwryd. Up miners track to top of Glyder Fach and over nameless peak and Gallt yr Ogof and along to Capel. Seriously close and humid! Fantastic cloud inversion and good to manage a jog despite lack of meniscus. Nothing a dose of paracetamol couldn't handle.
Pete I tend to use level 12 as base pace but then tend to do higher intensity 30 second bursts.
Club night tonight. A shorter session on the grass. 12 x 45secs around a football pitch, with 1 minute recovery between reps. I have good powers of recovery (it's putting it all together in a continuous run which I struggle with!), so I gave it some hammer tonight and strung the group out a bit. Surprising how much a short session can hurt, if you attack it hard. Including a shorter warmup and warm down tonight, total of 4 miles.
Tel Aviv to Old Jaffa port and back was a big favourite of mine when I used to visit Israel ten years or so ago
Long walk planned at weekend - min 20 and probably nearer 30 miles
2 x100m sprint to the cash point at morrisons when visa debit card couldn't be authorised...... 🙄