A steady, hot and dusty 18 miles along the Cov Canal this morning. Brings my weekly total to 47 miles and 10100ft, which I was pretty impressed with, until reading DT's post....!!
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A steady, hot and dusty 18 miles along the Cov Canal this morning. Brings my weekly total to 47 miles and 10100ft, which I was pretty impressed with, until reading DT's post....!!
Correct John; that was the plan
Tracks, I’m going to start doing some running again soon. Well once I can walk properly again
very well done both.Quote:
Originally Posted by Derby Tup
Crumbs you must have some pretty steep canals in Coventry!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
Unfortunately the canal run didn't amount to even 100 of those 10,000ft...! The rest were gained on the treadmill in the sweat box that was the gym last week!
Back to club night tonight. After looking honestly at my progress, I'm very happy that my Fell Running is coming along well, and my race positions are generally showing that. But I don't feel that my 'general running' is improving as fast as I'd like (although it is a lower priority than the fells). But I'd like to think than when the road relays and XC comes round I'll show some improvement this year.
So I came to the conclusion that I really need to kick on in the club training sessions. Start running off the front of the group that I now find myself in. Stop being satisfied that i can hold my own in a group which I couldn't live with last year. Even if I crash and burn in a few of the sessions, I'll hopefully start to progress again.
So went for it today with a new attitude. 8 x 1km road reps with 90 seconds rest between reps. Went off hard and tried to maintain it. Stayed off the front of the group for the whole session, and managed to stretch the gap out from about 10 seconds after 6 reps, to nearer 25 seconds after the full 8 (mainly helped by a desperate final 500mtr sprint to finish the final rep).
So I've set myself a bar and got to keep at that level now...
Did an extra track session this morning... as part of my concerted effort to run faster.... so I turned up to attempt as many 400m reps as possible under 80secs, with 2mins rest between each one.
Had no idea what I could manage, but had a vague (ambitious) target of 15-20.
Managed 12 in the end... 82, 80, 78, 78, 77, 78, 78, 78, 79, 79, 80, 79.
Finished the week off with a big slog in the gym this morning... 6.5 miles, 4700ft.
Total for the week, 37.5 miles, 11900ft.
I'm sure other forumites will (quite rightly) be wondering what possessed me to spend the morning in a dark gym, on such a fantastic day like today? If I lived on the doorstep of the fells I'd of course be out there. I'm sure we all have our reasons for running... some love the outdoors, some love the mountains. I certainly do, but I'm a racer at heart (albeit not a fantastic one).
My pleasure from today comes from knowing it's another solid week of training, a couple of really hard fast sessions, and giving myself the best chance of achieving my target for Snowdon next weekend. If I have a decent performance next weekend I'll look back on the last few weeks with a great deal of satisfaction.
As for next weekend, well I've done all I can. I'll have an enforced rest towards the end of this week as will be in Cork for two days on business. Not ideal preparation, but perhaps the forced rest will be a blessing. I know I'll get to Llanberis on Friday afternoon raring to get my trainers on and get out there. Have to force myself to just stick to a gentle easy run on Friday evening!
Roll on Saturday...
Got soaked last night, what a refreshing change
Quote:
Originally Posted by DrPatrickBarry
I managed to avoid the rain but made a change not to be lathered in sweat within 5 minutes :) I am now missing the Sun
Yes it was considerably cooler tonight...
A shorter track session tonight.... 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 500, 400, 300, 200, 100....
Tougher than it looks on paper. The middle section amounts to 5 reps at more than 400m, which is tough enough if you run them hard. Surrounded by some shorter sharper reps, it added up to a tough night...
Kept the promise to myself to run hard and try to push myself to a higher level. In fact my legs deserted me after the 2nd 300m, and I pretty much phoned in the final two reps...!
Couple of days rest now as I'm off to Ireland in the morning. Hopefully have some form of a warmup run on Friday evening, and the race on Saturday. So a lighter week in terms of mileage, but it's all about Snowdon at the weekend.
Good luck at Snowdon Travs
Back to long walks for us this weekend
I'm back, well, sort of.
Just done a mile, well 1.75k to be exact.
On the flat but 34° in the shade.
Did 300m swim this morning.
Goal for hols is to be a bit fitter on my return.😎
2k run steady, temperature still 34°.
360m swim
Recovery is still ok.
Super news Stagger!! Go go go and have so much fun on the way :-)
23 mile walk yesterday in the Dales
Thank you RTS.
Nowt compared to the your efforts but its a start.
1.6k in 37° heat. Hottest day yet😎
420m swim 🆒️
Slow jog and walk over High Tove, High Seat, High Tove (again), Armboth Fell and then the endless slog over to Ulscarf, followed by a swim in Derwent water. Knee not liking the tussocks but thank heaven it was dry as it would be a contender for the Lake Districts worst and wettest route otherwise!! Do it now or not at all!
After 2 day's (beach & excursion) it was time for another steady plod.
With the temperature lower at 31°
Oh dear, what happened then?
I managed a 3k run and also 480m swim.
Run felt easier and pace was slightly improved.
In my quest for fitness i intend to use park runs to get back to shape.
Another outing of 2k temps lower at 31° getting used to the temperature now.
630m swim (3 × 210)
Hopefully i will have the motivation to carry on when I get back home.
Certainly enjoying it again now😎🤣
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stagger
Enjoyment is all the motivation you need! I lost my running mojo a while back but the last few years I have only run when I wanted to and only done races I know I will enjoy. Really got me back into it again although only 2 or 3 runs a week and nowhere near the miles I used to do.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stagger
Park run is a great way to get back into running. I don't do it now but used it as my rehab after a long lay off through injury. I think I clocked up 103 runs on the end. (I stopped when I realised I was becoming a bit of a 5k road race speed merchant to the detriment of the long hilly off road stuff!)
Went out for a run last night. Sun, heat, heavy rain and hills made for a tough outing. I need to run more often (than every three months)
Glad you’re still alive. It’s coming to something when you feel so rough you can’t manage a pint at the end of a run.Quote:
Originally Posted by Derby Tup
Have done that central ridge all the way from Keswick, over Bleaberry Fell, down to Watendlath via High Tove, then down to Stonethwaite/Rosthwaite via Great/Grey(?) Crag, found it very enjoyable coupled with a bus back down to Keswick.Quote:
Originally Posted by Corniceman
Also gone from Thirlmere direct up into Ullscarf which was certainly a slog, then down to High Raise, Calf Crag, Steel Fell (a great descent), but the walk/run was a bit tedious in comparison to other areas, very quiet though....
Parkruns are a great way to get back into it, and I heartily recommend that sort of speed work, it will still make you a better runner even if you only do AL's....
My local Parkrun in Cov is one of the biggest and regularly gets upwards of 500 people, and often up to 700 on a big weekend. Being a two lap course, this does make it a bit of a weave in the 2nd lap to avoid the people walking with dogs and pushchairs, but it's free after all. I certainly couldn't see me pay for a road 5km when can just do a Parkrun. Having said that I've only ever done two, usually trained too hard in the week to blast out a "fast" 5km. And at the front end the standard is good, regularly 16-17 mins wins it which is far better than I'll ever manage. The depth of ability doesn't reach very far though... my 19ish (although hopefully next time I'll get into the 18's) easily gets me in the top 15-20.
Bleaberry, High Tove etc can also be enjoyable in mid Winter when frozen over. Certainly agree about avoiding it in the wet!
Another 2k at 34° heat. Long may it continue.
After working out last week's distance covered i intend to work on the 10% rule.
So distance will increase but by less than 10%.
Great stuff Stagger.
After a week off, I did my first session this evening, a mile out, 100 squats, then a quicker mile back. Standing in the middle of a cricket pitch in a monsoon doing squats might sound stupid, but after my head-first fall into a very busy jacuzzi earlier, it's positively sensible...
^ sounds like something from an out-take of the first Rocky film!
The Jacuzzi episode unfortunately is reminiscent of something out of Mr Bean...
Well, spill the (Mr) beans, then. I think we need more details.:DQuote:
Originally Posted by Travs
I just saw a rather attractive lady in the jacuzzi, so casually walked over to get in and introduce myself as "Eccleston the fellrunner" which would obviously have her quivering with lust.
Unfortunately I'd just come out the hot sauna and not quite in prime state. In fact I was feeling quite faint and in need of a sit down somewhere cooler. As I stepped in the jacuzzi I couldn't see the bottom so just assumed it was the same depth. In my addled state I forgot there is a ledge where you sit, so I stepped into thin air/water and torpedo-bombed her from about 6ft up. Luckily didn't headbutt her and she saw the funny side, but she obviously thought I was mental.
Short session tonight, quick sharp hill reps, managed 1600ft in 2.5 miles. Was still sweating half hour later.
Track session tonight. 5 x 1000m with decreasing rest... 2mins, 90secs, 60secs, 30secs.
Struggled tonight with a dodgy stomach, and spent most of the warmup dashing back and forth to the toilet. Said after each rep I'd do one more then stop, but managed to complete the session, although was lapped and was way behind where I'd usually be.
6 miles.
3.5k jog and 700m swim
35° LOVELY
Just need to get on your bike to complete the triathlon training.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stagger
Club night tonight. Supposedly a 6 mile run with a 2 mile "time trial" down the middle section, a disused railway known as the Greenway.
Always love this session. The "slowest" start first, with the faster guys going last, the idea being everybody finishes reasonably together. Despite it being a hard effort, it's always enjoyable, chasing the guy in front down. Or as is usual, half the people are either recovering or preparing for races, so are "taking it easy" and start early, to then get carried away when they hear footsteps behind them, and it turns into a full on steeplechase by the end.
Tonight was no different... I started 2nd as I wanted an easy one, but as the faster guys and girls came past me, I couldn't help upping the pace until I was fairly hammering along by the end.
Including my own track warmup, a good outing of 8.5 miles in hot conditions.
2.5k with 2 little steep 40 ascents in the middle and on the fire break trials.
Off road only at this place and all hilly trails.
And 750m swim.
The best is this hotel has free use of mountain bikes.
Buck Hill and the Outwoods: fifth run since my latest calf injury, but first time back on one of my regular routes. Given how bad the calf felt on the way down Pen y Fan at the race less than 4 weeks ago, I'm actually very pleased to have made this much progress. I even managed to put in a bit of speed when I heard another runner behind me on the path back down from the Outwoods; managed to hold him off for the half-mile-plus to where I turn off the path.
Just awesome 3k trail run.
Under pine trees and shaded from afternoon sun.
The smell was fresh and clean and other than a couple of Jays and crickets it was so peaceful.
A quick blast up Wideford Hill from Kirkwall this morning. 9.5km in to a stiff breeze and lashing down with rain. Enjoyed it nonetheless and almost as much as the trip to the Highland Park distillery this afternoon.
A good week last week.... 48 miles 11000ft, culminating in my best race so far.... although i still fell apart a bit at the end... race splits show my leg times generally between about 5th-8th, with the exception of the first climb (3rd), but on the last leg i was 15th. Still work to do.