Training Log: Nobs

FRA Relay Leg 2 with Mr Masson
Set off in joint 1st with Keswick (Carl Bell/Mark Lamb). I was a bit hesitant to go with them but Ali quickly re assured me that “we are better than you think Nobs.” With those wise words in my ear I glued myself to the Keswick pair. Sadly it quickly became obvious that we weren’t going to maintain the pace so dropped off about 10mins into the climb up Great Rigg. Ali took the lead around this point. I didn’t feel very good, legs were fine but chest was a bit tight and I had a headache, it was nice that Ali wasn’t feeling to great either so we could suffer together. Got to the top of Great Rigg glues together. We got passed just before the top but there was nothing we could do. After a quick flat section we began the climb up Fairfield. This was much better felt stronger and got into a nice rhythm. Created Fairfield ready for a 6km gentle decent back to the finish. Sadly I hadn’t read the course description. We took a sharp right down an absolutee cliff. The decent was covered in skippy sharp rock with some rather large drop offs. I just didn’t have the balls for it. This section was only about 5 minutes but I think I lost us 30s. Ali has to slow up to account for my wetness. I was happy to see the end of this. 4km of gentle downhill left. Hit the hammer on this managed to just keep with Ali and we finished hand in hand. Not particularly proud of this but got the job done. A little bit worried about the headache on the climb and annoyed I had to walk so much of the climb. But set the boys out in 3rd and only lost 3.5mins on Keswick and 2mins off second on the leg.

Solo APO. Legs finally feeling back to normal. Just in time to ruin them at FRAs.

Pre-breakfast with the b-day boy. Quiet morning just ticking off the miles.

Double day again. KF and lap of seat with a rather large squadron. Feeling a bit pooped and slight headache but just think I was a bit dehydrated.

Pre-Breakfast miles. Down to KF where I found Tim. Had a lovely chat with him up the bogs, sadly we had to depart ways after this so I finished with a solo lap of the meadows. Good way to start the day.

Hermitage with Finn and Tom. Legs still quite sore from weekend but just prodded it out. This double day business is quite fun.

Some KF some seat and some bog with some nice people. Legs still a bit painful after skyline but was moving fine.

Watching Tom attempt to squat was probably the highlight of my day (apart from cycling back from kings with Jack which was also really lovely)

Pentlands Skyline - 9th
Happy with this, really didn't expect anything close to this time. Started with Tim, Tam and Ali. Got to flottlertone feeling ok. Going up Turnhouse I noticed sasha had stopped and waited for us (very kind of him). So very wisely I latched onto the back of him. At the top I had a 50m gap on Tim and Tam. The wise this to do here would be to wait, but I didn't because I'm not very wise. Managed to stay ahead of them right up to the kips which came as a bit of a surprise. Ran with these 2 lovely blokes over hare hill, then got spat on the decent because I have shite terrain tekkers. Just about caught them again by the top of Black hill, before swiftly getting dropped on the following decent. Mr Masson came flying past me at the bottom of Bell's Hill. I now started to feel the bonk but kept grinding away so Ali only had a 50m gap at the top. Basically from here to the finish I suffered a huge amound but maintained the gap to Ali until the final decent where he pulled away a bit more. Very happy to be mixing it with the Dalkeith trio, although I did fell like a bit of a 4th wheel at time ;)