Today's Training

[Llani Boy]

A lovely morning run with a pal and his fox terrier from outside the Cock and Pullet in Sheldon. Over to Magpie Mine where my first Lapwings of the year were spotted and down through fields to Horse Lane, via a short detour to the TP at High Low, and along to Monyash.

We then picked up the Limestone Way and followed it to Flagg before a trudge over fields rutted with cattle hoof marks to the top of Taddington. Past the mere and along the bridleway to Wheal Lane. Down into the top of Deep Dale and up the other side and back over the fields to Sheldon.

A circular route of 8.5 miles and 730 feet in 1hr 14 min. Not a soul seen!

[Travs]

I repeated my cross-country exploits of a fortnight ago, heading out westwards parallel with the M6 towards Birmingham, then a loop back clockwise home.

11.5 miles and around 800ft. Was about 25mins quicker this time (around 1hr45 compared to 2hr10 last time).... mainly due to knowing where i was going and not having to constantly refer to the map, or taking dead ends/rights of way which didn't exist on the ground/etc.... and of course it was generally much better underfoot.

Warm and sunny enough that i was able to cool off afterwards topless, whilst cleaning my shoes in the garden.

Brings the week to a total of exactly 80 miles. Fairly encouraging in terms of quantity and quality. I think my 10km run in the midweek session was actually a pb, without actually going out with a race head on (which does highlight how little i race those kind of road distances).

[noel]

Noel, when we hit the road just above Lower Nabbs Farm I noticed a stile and sign leading onto the OA land to the right. When we reached the TP on Shutlingsloe I was tempted to return via the ridge over Mount Pleasant and Piggford Moor down to that stile and then have a lovely finish back across those fields to the Crag Inn. Due to it being dark and claggy and not knowing the terrain we decided against it.

Is there a path/sheep trod there?

Yes, there's a good path. It leads up to a gate on the SW side of Shutlingsloe. It's relatively easy to follow and has stile's/gates at the walls. They don't allow dogs on Pigford Moor, but if you're without hound it's a very pleasant run up or down.

[Llani Boy]

Yes, there's a good path. It leads up to a gate on the SW side of Shutlingsloe. It's relatively easy to follow and has stile's/gates at the walls. They don't allow dogs on Pigford Moor, but if you're without hound it's a very pleasant run up or down.

Lovely Noel, thanks. I'll give it a whirl next time I'm over that way.

[Travs]

Club session this morning. Felt a little heavy-legged so opted for the treadmill instead.

4 x (3mins, 2mins, 1min)

8.5 miles in total.

Looking forward to resuming club training a week tonight.

[Travs]

Back on the treadmill for an hour uphill this morning. Consisting of 5mins power-walk 10mins run (x4).

Weight continuing to fall very slowly, now 78.7kg which is now less than a kg from my "fight weight".... it's little wonder that i feel like i'm running well at the moment (by my own meagre standards), having lost around 2kg since xmas.

[Travs]

Repeated my recent cross-country runs round the loop by the M6 and surrounding farmland.

Having done it in 1hr45 last weekend, it was time to put some effort in today and aimed for 1hr30...

It certainly wasn't a full effort, starting with no warmup and building into it, but fell 45secs short of my 1hr 30 target.

Strong wind, against me for 55mins. Did feel a little heavy legged... perhaps a hangover from thursday's uphill work, perhaps the diet going a little astray yesterday, or perhaps even a bit of accumulated fatigue after last week's 80 miles. Still ran strongly, especially up the 800ft of climb... just didn't have the inclination to turn on the burners at any point...

[Travs]

A very lethargic 7.5 miles this morning brings the week to a conclusion. 69.5 miles.

A solid week, but unspectacular.

Next week sees the resuming of club sessions on tuesday. and i've got a track session booked for saturday morning... will just be aiming to keep as sharp as possible with a track race now only a fortnight away.

[Witton Park]

Having lost 20 days with my right calf towards the end of November, I then did my left calf and it was a nasty one, went without warning on a shorty 21st January.
I could still feel it walking after a couple of weeks, so I took until end of Feb off from running and just walked and did a bit on the exercise bike.
Set a modest target of 40 miles running in March.
I completed that today with a 30 minute 3.25 mile loop around Witton.

I've been doing 2-3 x 3-4 milers a week at just over 9 minute mile pace. Done quite a bit of walking still, having walked over 100 mile with about 10,000ft.

April is about getting some recce paced longer efforts in on the hills. So 50 ish miles and around 5000ft and if I feel Ok at the end of it I'll crack on through May.

I certainly need some fitness back, but strangely it's mostly confidence at the moment. I'm always thinking a calf or ankle is going to go on me.

Hopefully April will be the start of some meaningful entries on here.

[Travs]

Resumption of club training tonight.

7.5 mile steady run, with 4 hard intervals of varying distance 400-800mtrs, and varying inclines.

Fairly easy-going for a club session... but i have to appreciate that not everyone has been training as regularly as everybody else... but a decent turnout, and even a new face.

Thursday should be harder work, with a 25 minute hill session planned on the grass.