Training Log Archive: BrandNewMe

Back on it with a morning run. Achilles was not sore, but I could feel it. I had decided to do the Lairig Ghru last night definitely, but now I am thinking I really really ought not. I don’t want to get injured. I am fit, things are going well, this race is a stepping stone, not the be all and end all. Blah blah blah. But I really want to do it. Gah! What to do? What to do? This is torture.

C • Torture 1

Work charity indoor cycling competition.

The problem with this was that there was no resistance on the bike whatsoever. It was not a cv exercise - my legs don’t move quick enough to get the pulse up - it wasn’t strength either. It just gave me cramp in my hamstrings. Not good at all!

Home via the paint ship

Achilles not good.

Jukola leg 4

Interlopers. Ray did well in his first night o for 13 years, then Max had a solid run with a silly mistake, Colin had a fun time in the forest with Laura Goy for company. I headed out in daylight. Dropped time at 1, 2, 3, before doing better to 4,5 and 6. Then stuffed 7. Grr. Probably 5/6 mins of mistakes already. Nailed 8 by going slowly, and was lost at 9 and was heading out to relocate when I bumped into it. Nice! 11 I was pleased with, and 12 I forced myself to stop and think which helped. Twisted my ankle on way to 14 pretty badly but was able to run on after a bit. Stuffed the second last one badly, biggest mistake here. Was distracted by Chloe Potter, and dropped 2 mins at least, She dropped even more though.

Got to bed but my Achilles was hurting so much, and it felt like plantar fasciitis too, that I couldn't sleep so got up. Hmm. Lairig Ghru or not Lairig Ghru??? I really don't want to get injured now. Too many fun plans.


Great fun weekend with friends. Good to see interlopers Venla and Jukola teams running well. Amazing atmosphere, Personally I need agility and adrenaline if I want to do better.

Venla. I picked up a run from the runners bank, 3rd leg with a team from a workplace in Helsinki. First leg said she would take 90 mins, and did about that, 2nd leg said 2 hours, and was pretty close to that. It was tricky to tell when they would get in, esp if you couldn't tell if they would be mistake prone (so could go clean from the last radio and mean I wouldn't be ready in the box on time) or slow (in which case I could warm up after they had been through the spectator). I was pleased to be able to recognise them when they came in though, and got my map ok.

Number 1 I was alright, but a wimp on the felled bit, and hesitated before the control. This was my biggest mistake in the splits, but I think at least 40 secs of this was the slow jog / walk my leg 2 did from punching the finish to the changeover as I was going ok. 2 fine 3 fine, 4 made a point of heading to the drinks point. 5 I was indecisive in the open and lost time by taking one route choice then another. The rest was fine but I was ambling a bit as my Achilles was hurting and I was really just out to check the terrain fro later. Always nice to get in a Scandinavian forest, and the terrain was amazing.

I think I have caught Peter’s dodgy knee. Hurts even when sitting down. Boo!

After a long day spent mainly at airports, a nice jog from the hotel with the interlopers dream team followed by the obligatory pizza and holiday beers. Gotta love Scandinavia.

I am running leg 4 in Jukola, but am happy to run Venla if anyone has a spare run. It’s either that or a training run in the forest tomorrow. Just pleased to be back in nice terrain.