Today's Training

[Corniceman]

Interesting day today. AM a standard easy session on the treadmill, 4 miles 2000ft, followed by some stretching and weights.

Our group at the club is officially on holiday, but tonight I joined a younger group, generally made up of absolute whippets and track runners. Actually did drills tonight. The only drills I usually do before a session are strides and maybe a half-hearted bit of skipping around. But this was a structured drill session, and to be honest I was way out of my depth and nearly kneed myself in the head about six times.

Thankfully we got onto the session... 5 x 1km with 2 minute rests. Considering I've raced the two days previously, and was chasing a younger group of runners, I was fairly pleased with my night's work, and even put a couple of them to the sword.

One thing I noticed in difference between this more 'high performance' group and my own veteran group... if we are having a bad day, then will slog it out and finish the session regardless, in the belief that we've at least trained a bit of mental toughness, even if it wasn't going right running-wise. This group was different... one or two of them having a bad day, so after a chat with the coach they dropped out of the rep session, and did some further drills and short sprints. I'm nobody to argue with the superb coaches at our club, perhaps there's reasoning behind this, but certainly new to me. We'd perhaps skip a rep, or shorten the reps, if it wasn't going well, but I'd be reluctant to drop out completely. Maybe that's why I'm decidedly average when it comes to running on the flat...

Running with confidence at the moment, and feeling good, but need a couple of easy days before the Jubilee Plunge on Sunday and Nine Standards on Tuesday.

That's interesting and makes me think of the old v the new generation in terms of mental toughness. I agree with you, if not feeling on top form you keep going even at a lesser pace to get the training under the belt a all costs. I wonder what Dave Bedford, Julian Goater, Kenny Stuart etc would have done?

[ba-ba]

To a certain extent that's OK but there's the old adage of no point flogging a dead horse.
The main job of a coach is to stop their charges from doing harm to themselves, and in the more 'highly tuned' world proper racing snakes inhabit striking a session may be best. Of course if you get used to dropping out it makes it far easier to do so in a race, so in this respect shouldn't be encouraged.

In modern pro sports athletes are more and more needing an arm around them rather than a bollocking, and whilst this may be construed as 'soft millennials' it seems to work in maximising performance - which is after all the name of the game.

During the last few days I have definitely felt like a 'soft millennial!'

[Travs]

When I'm struggling, I think to myself.... "well if you can't get your chin up and see this session out, you haven't got a hope in hell of getting round Wasdale/Bluetrail/insert tough race....." usually works for me.

I think when it comes to racing, nothing beats learning that bad spells come and go, and they will inevitably pass... if it wasn't for this I doubt I'd ever get round a league XC race...!

[PeteS]

When I'm struggling, I think to myself.... "well if you can't get your chin up and see this session out, you haven't got a hope in hell of getting round Wasdale/Bluetrail/insert tough race....." usually works for me.

I think when it comes to racing, nothing beats learning that bad spells come and go, and they will inevitably pass... if it wasn't for this I doubt I'd ever get round a league XC race...!

Had the same thought myself on a headtorcher this evening. Struggled on a couple of hills and almost packed it in and then thought about long mynd valleys in a few weeks.....

[Travs]

Had the same thought myself on a headtorcher this evening. Struggled on a couple of hills and almost packed it in and then thought about long mynd valleys in a few weeks.....

Nice one PeteS. Yes you'll certainly need that mental strength in the final hour at LMV...! No matter where you are in the field, there are positions to be had over that final section if you can dig in.

Steady 3.5 miles and 2250ft for me this evening. A longer but again steady day tomorrow should set me up for a tough couple of days racing. Had thought about the Parkrun tomorrow but don't think that would be a great idea.

[PeteS]

Nice one PeteS. Yes you'll certainly need that mental strength in the final hour at LMV...! No matter where you are in the field, there are positions to be had over that final section if you can dig in.

Had a bad fall last year at the top of Minton batch and that final hour seemed like an eternity! Still struggling with a sore ITB but back up to 10k without pain so the physio etc is going well. Hoping to be fit enough by the end of next month.

[anthonykay]

Last run of 2018. I don't often go running on two successive days, but after a week's lay-off with a cold, I went for a short run (37 minutes) on Sunday and then decided to do another of my shorter routes, Buck Hill and the Outwoods, before the New Year's Eve feast provided each year by our friends in Ashby-de-la-Zouch. But at the path junction on the descent from Buck Hill I turned right: whereas left would take me to the Outwoods, right goes down to the Woodbrook valley, followed by the climb to Beacon Hill. I opted for the route via Felicity's Wood up to the Beacon: after a week's dry weather, I hoped that the paths through the wood wouldn't be mudslides, and my hopes were fulfilled.

The only problem with my Beacon Hill route was that I hadn't left home until 3:34pm, and it was getting dark. I had been going at a fairly brisk pace all the way, and the descent required going fast to get home before it was too dark, but not so fast that I tripped over unseen stones in the gloom. Arrived back without mishap at 4:33pm.

[Travs]

Finished off 2018 wth a couple of sessions. AM a tough session on the treadmill, 5 miles and 3250ft. Evening did a very gentle 4 miles on the roads, to break my Bushidos back in, as they've been sat in the garage for months and I'm intending wearing them today at Nine Standards.

Overall I think the hectic xmas racing/training schedule I've put myself through has been positive. For one, got my 5km pb down to 18:41..... feeling good about my running, and positively can't wait for the XC this weekend.

Am feeling the wear and tear on my legs a little, and can't help feeling that Nine Standards today might be one too many... but a big effort today and a few easier days before the XC. It's a long drive today for an 8 mile race so I won't be giving it any less than full throttle....

[PeteS]

Had a trip out to the Wrekin yesterday and basically did the wrecker in reverse. That made for some interesting running highlights being the first full ascent from little hill and the descent of the goatie. Plenty of people on the main path but it was good to be able to take in the view of the Shropshire Hills for once.

[anthonykay]

8 reps round the field near my home. All 8 in under 2m10s, which I don't usually manage.

No, I haven't made a New Year Resolution to do more intense training; in fact I'm not quite sure why I decided to do reps today, although the dry but dull conditions were certainly suitable.