Today's Training

[Travs]

Despite feeling pretty tired from yesterday's race, managed a reasonable longer run this morning, 9.5 miles, of which the first 6 miles were uphill, finishing off with flat.

76 miles for the week.

Next week is (hopefully) a biggie..... 2km reps on tuesday, 12 x 400mtrs track session on thursday, and the weekend will see my first attempt at 40mins continuous run at 15% gradient.

However.... i've been struggling for a few days with what i thought was Plantar Fascitis, however after giving it a good check out today, it seems i've bruised/banged the bone which goes down into my foot, and this evening struggling to put any weight on it. So we'll have to wait and see what happens there... i suspect it might be my trainers completely worn having done probably 750+ miles in them... so not getting the protection required on the concrete... expecting some plush new ones to arrive any day now.

[Travs]

Club night and 3 x 2km (actually a hilly 2.1km)

Due to the above mentioned sore foot, i was only down for 2 reps though.

After a trip to the physio today, my foot is neither Plantar Fasciitis nor a bruise/bump.... but most likely a strain on the ligaments. I was given the ok to train tonight, but told "not to be stupid" if there was pain.

The session went well...
7:32
7:24 (pb)

Compared to last time we did this session (December)....
7:35
7:26


However once the adrenaline had worn off and i'd cooled down, my foot was very painful. So most likely i'll be dropping the thursday track session, and hoping to be recovered in time to do a big hill session at the weekend.

Mileage therefore likely to be a bit lower this week, but i'm clearly in good shape given my times tonight, so getting my foot sorted is more important.

[Travs]

A frustrating week.

After my ligament issues in my foot, i've been unable to run at all, and have been limited to using the stair-climber and power-walking uphill on the treadmill.

Good news was i was able to resume easy running this morning, where i knocked out a steady 9.5 miles.

50 miles in total for the week. I'm banned from doing any club hard sessions this week, but hopefully i'll get in a hill session on the treadmill.

Hoping to be fit to run the final league XC fixture next saturday.

[Travs]

Club night. and what a disgusting night it was too.... torrential rain from door-to-door.... even my fantastic Ronhill Shakedry Waterproof, endorsed by such fellrunning royalty as MikeT, struggled against the onslaught of wind and rain.

It was supposed to be 5 x 1km, but i was instructed to run easy due to my foot issues.... following an emergency conference in the gym last night with my physio, it seems it is not a ligament strain, but seems to be tendonitis in the foot.... which is a relief as i now know it is not damage, and will get better over the coming weeks with treatment....

8.5 miles for me, on top of a very easy 2 miles this morning.

Depending how my foot reacts overnight, i may opt for a hill session tomorrow night, and i'm feeling a lot more optimistic about running the XC on saturday.

[Llani Boy]

first fell run of the year. A not very ambitious recce paced effort around the Royal Rumble Route up Darwen Moor.
5 mile/1090ft/69 minutes
I'll take that especially after a 9 mile/1200ft walk yesterday.

Aim is to get fit enough to have a go at the Stan Bradshaw and see if I can get a personal worst

Been doing lots of walking, now moving to running carefully.

Well done WP.

Even though an easy pace I bet you felt good afterwards.

[Llani Boy]

A belated report on last Thursdays RATRun due to not being able to log in

Only 4 of us from the George Hotel in Youlgreave on a cool, breezy but dry evening. Down into and up Bradford Dale towards Middleton before a left at the sheepwash and up through muddy fields to Mount Pleasant Farm. On to Little Rookery Plantation and then Kenslow Knoll with its well maturing 24 years old Millennium Woodland.It is a lovely spot, with great views in daylight, that is rarely visited, probably due to the fact that it takes a bit of effort to get there.

Back down and then along Whitfield Lane to Middleton. More muddy fields to the South of Bradford Dale via Wenley Hill Plantation to the river and up the other side to The George. Due to a late start and some fannying around in a field trying to find a stile to get out of it (AKA getting lost) we were too late for chips.

We made do with Pipers Crisps which were washed down with a couple of pints of a very agreeable Anthem Pale Ale 3.8% from St Austell Brewery. A beer that obviously travels well!

A steady, muddy but pleasant 7.5 miles, 893 feet in 1hr 16 min.

[Witton Park]

4.17 miles, 400ft, 41 minutes just through Tockholes and back.

Fantastic views today - clear skies and could even pick out Whernside. Made me envious of those that can just nip outside for a trot up PYG or Fairfield.

[Llani Boy]

Feeling a bit ropey of late so no racing last weekend.

A leg stretch on Sunday along the High Peak Trail with my pal Joanne. It was mid afternoon and very pleasant after the rain had stopped so was surprised to see so few folk out. 8 miles, 273 feet in 1hr 8 min.

Yesterday evening I set off from home in the wind and rain to do 3 miles on the road. After a mile and a half when I was due to turn around I felt good so it turned in to a slightly longer run which took in a loop of Sheldon and the outskirts of Bakewell.

10 miles, 910 feet in 1hr 22 min.

[Travs]

Feeling a bit ropey of late so no racing last weekend.

A leg stretch on Sunday along the High Peak Trail with my pal Joanne. It was mid afternoon and very pleasant after the rain had stopped so was surprised to see so few folk out. 8 miles, 273 feet in 1hr 8 min.

Yesterday evening I set off from home in the wind and rain to do 3 miles on the road. After a mile and a half when I was due to turn around I felt good so it turned in to a slightly longer run which took in a loop of Sheldon and the outskirts of Bakewell.

10 miles, 910 feet in 1hr 22 min.

Cardingmill Canter in a few weeks Llani?

Weekend after the National XC.

[Travs]

It couldn't be put off any longer.... tonight i had to go for the 40 minute continuous uphill run at 15% gradient.

Pleased to say i knocked it out at the first attempt, and in fact it was pretty drama free.... obviously highly unpleasant, but i was expecting to suffer a lot more.... although i'm well aware that i've not done any hard running for well over a week, so was pretty fresh, aside from the foot issues.

I was expecting that i'd still be doing rep sessions to build up the volume until the National XC, which is still a fortnight away.... and then i expected it might take anything between 4-8 weeks to build up to 40mins continuous..... so i feel like i'm anything between 6-10 weeks ahead of where i want to be.

A big milestone, and now i need to gradually build up the speed.