Today's Training

[Travs]

Somehow the conditions tonight contrived to be even more unpleasant than tuesday. Heavier rain, and a little bit colder.

A steady club run tonight, i did the short version which was just under 4 miles, which combined with a warm up of about 4km, gave me a total of just over 6 miles.

Planning to attempt the XC on saturday.... i assume the ground will be soft due to recent weather, and the course at Northampton doesn't have too many twists and turns for an XC course, so hoping my foot/ankle won't be too bad once i've warmed up.

[Llani Boy]

The snow had stopped falling by mid afternoon in theses parts and the roads were clear enough for four of us to drive to Great Longstone for this weeks RATRun from The Crispin.

It was cold but dry as we set off through the fields and 4/5 inches of wet snow up to Longstone Edge on a reverse section of the Great Longstone FR route. Once on the edge we were hit with a very cold easterly wind which had caused the lying snow to have a crisp crust. It was too much for Matt's dog who didn't like the sensation of his paws breaking through the crust so they returned to The Crispin whilst the 3 of us continued over the moor and down to Wardlow. Onto the edge of Cressbrook Dale and up to the TP at Wardlow Hay Cop where there was a large knee deep drift to negotiate.

Down through the Nature Reserve, where in one tussocky field the snow had formed a hard crust and breaking through it caused lacerations and bleeding to our bare shins! Into Hay Dale and steeply up the other side on the concession path to Castlegate Lane. Across the road and up towards Longstone Moor where a right turn took us down the bridleway via Dale Farm to The Crispin.

Once inside we were reunited with Matt and his dog who was now very happy, laid in front of the fire. Pre- ordered chips were washed down with a very good Citra 3.4% from Robinsons. Many people are not fond of Robinsons beers but if they are kept well I find them very drinkable.

A surprisingly wintry but enjoyable run of 7.5 miles, 1,350 feet in 1hr 22 min.

[anthonykay]

Out for a paddle to clean my Walshes.

Splashed along the footpaths to Buck Hill, not certain how far I was going to go. At the first path junction I turned right towards Beacon Hill, rather than the shorter option back to the Outwoods. After crossing the Woodbrook on the bridge, I decided that I didn't fancy having to cross back over on the fence by the (submerged) stepping stones (see my post on 2nd January), so turned right on the other branch of the permissive path, up to Whittle Hill. This path is used much less than the route up to Beacon Hill; I need to go back with secateurs to deal with the holly on the path through the wood on Whittle Hill.

Across the road and down into Longcliffe Quarry, then across Longcliffe golf course. I was a bit surprised to see some people out on the course in the rain, but they turned out to be tree surgeons, not golfers. Then back home via Burleigh Wood.

I was out for 84 minutes, the longest run so far this year, but rather slow.

[Witton Park]

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.

Saturday - Same again - 2 minutes quicker, but felt a fair bit easier.

[Travs]

A struggle this week.

Finished off on 56 miles, but its been a case of fitting in what i could and trying to preserve my ankle/foot for yesterday's race.

Now at a stage where i need to take a week off. So i'll be confined to the gym until next weekend, plenty of strength work, and will do some easy stuff on the treadmill as and when i feel able.

Final XC fixture (the National) in a fortnight, and open up the fell/mountain season in three weeks.

[Llani Boy]

[QUOTE=Travs;686989 and open up the fell/mountain season in three weeks.[/QUOTE]

I didn't know that the fell/mountain season closed Travs

[Travs]

I didn't know that the fell/mountain season closed Travs

Sadly it did for me!

The frequency with which the XC fixtures come around meant no time to also race on the fells.

The days when i'd race XC on Saturday then go and do Roaches or the Trigger the day after are a thing of the past....!

[Llani Boy]

Yesterday, another Sunday run with Joanne but this time with a bit of elevation. From the car park at the bottom of The Street in the Goyt Valley and along the forest bridleway to Overton Hall Farm. Up to Windgather Rocks and along the ridge to Oldgate Nick. Up to Cats Tor where the weather suddenly changed and on went the waterproof jackets for protection against the horizontal freezing rain.

Along the slippery slabs in the clag to Shining Tor where there was a couple with two young children who were crying. One was around 7 years old and the other a bit younger and being carried by the male, presumably the father. They were all wet and cold. I asked them if they were OK but they did not want to engage with me but appeared to be arguing in what sounded like an eastern European language.

I looked at Joanne, shrugged my shoulders, and we set off down into the valley. Once off the ridge it was sheltered and the rain had stopped so we had a lovely run down to the ruins of Errwod Hall. After a nosey about we ran along the side of Erwood Resevoir back to the car.

I had heard that the nearby Shady Oak had got a new landlord so we called in and had a decent pint of Landlord 4.3% from Timothy Taylor. It was really cold inside so we plugged in an electric fire that was next to where we were sat and huddled around it! Looking out of the window I could see that the sun had come out and the Windgather/Shining Tor ridge was clear which eased the concern I still had for those young children.

An enjoyable afternoon of 10 miles, 1,700 feet in 1hr 40 min.

[Llani Boy]

Last Thursdays RATRun was from Carriages Bar and Restaurant at Newhaven. Only 3 of us on a damp and drizzly evening but too mild to wear a waterproof. Over the 515, behind Standedge Grange and through Horseshoe Plantation to the Tissington Trail. Along the trail for half a mile before back across the 515 at Cardle View and up to the TP at Aleck Low. Down through muddy, recently ploughed fields where the cloying soil made our shoes four times heavier and us 3" taller!
Onto the High Peak Trail and then a bridleway to Pikehall. Across the road and down Gratton Dale on a lovely grassy path to its junction with Long Dale. Along the full length of Long Dale to the road at Bolderstone Plantation and then half a mile of tarmac past Friden Brickworks to Carriages.

Inside the refurbished and very welcoming Carriages excellent chips were washed down with, one of my favourites, Arbor Light, 3.6% from the nearby Hartington Brewery.

Another steady and enjoyable outing of 7 miles, 590 feet in 1hr 4min.

[Travs]

I had no expectations of this week.... simply a case of recovering as much as possible from my tendonitis woes.

It was thursday morning before i was able to resume easy running.... yesterday morning i ran easy for an hour on the treadmill. This morning i felt confident enough to attempt my staple hill session of 40mins continuous at 15% gradient.

Upping the pace a couple of tenths of a km/hr from last time.... despite sweating so profusely that i had to wipe down my own treadmill at the end, as well as the two treadmills either side of me, i completed the session.

Next time however, i feel that the next slight increase in pace is bringing me out of the "pitter-patter away up the hill" zone, and closer to "purposeful attacking of the hill" zone... and 40mins of that is a daunting prospect.

I'm not 100% free of tendonitis, however much improved. But this week, being the build-up to the National XC next weekend, is a scheduled easy week for the club group. I may throw in my next hill session on wednesday if still feeling ok.

Will make a decision about the National XC midweek, but i'd say there's a 60/40 chance i'll be ok for it.