Training Log Archive: GaryHouse

EASY recovery run guiding the group on a 10k along the canal path.

Tired legs but moving fine after the first few minutes.

I will complete the Fri/Sat planned sessions on Sun/Mon

Had a cheese scone with chutney afterwards....just being honest.

5 hrs Specific Endurance 2600m (change to plan)

Taking in to account the weather forecast and the fact I have Fridays completely to myself I decided to do the long 5 hour run today instead of Sunday so apologies if this was a mistake.....

I chose to go and do the Llangollen round route....33 miles of mountain running that starts finishes at the Ponderosa Cafe just 10 mins from home.

Full Kit, Full Breakfast and a big climb in the first 4 miles meant a good start apart from the pissing down rain....which didn't really stop until the final hour when the cloud lifted a little.

The temperature was fine though and was in a T-Shirt for most of it once the rain eased a little.

I fell a little short of the total climb but the climbs are long and same with downhills so I was happy with the route....the one thing that couldn't be avoided was the ground under foot.

I ran through a bush at one point only to find a fallen tree was through it and I stabbed my knee/quad on a branch pretty bad...it didnt stop bleeding to the end but I had a med kit with me to clean it up.

Its left a decent bruise on the quads and a bit of cut but nothing serious.

The plan mentions 'good runnable mountain trails' I think but this definitely wasn't...lots of scree, ankle turning moorland and that horrible single track stuff with heather up to your knees but I had a great day of running.

I cant say I picked up the pace in the second half but I had to finish with a 60 minute or so climb back to the start.

The recovery nutrition you give in the description is spot on in my opinion too and I had all that in place so that i didn't just demolish a pizza.

Loving the veggies still.

Good day out.

60' Easy + Technical Exercises

Perfect session for a Thursday....im mentally drained from looking after Winter all day so always feel tired running at 5pm on these days but I have 45 minutes of running with the group then I do the technical exercises with them too as a planned session to keep my head in the game....

Some of the drills towards the end of the session started to become a little laboured but got through them.

Early night and good food.

60' Easy + 6 x Hill Sprints

60 EASY running in the park with a client then stayed behind for the hill sprints which felt pretty good. Slightly longer reps than I would usually do on a country lane.

easy coaching session after teaching Kettlebells ...ive started to join in more on these to add a bit of strength work in.

EASY RUN

Free morning due to client being on holiday so took the dog out to 'worlds end' up at Lllandegla moors 10 mins away to play in the one inch of snow..

It was pretty cold out but bright sunshine and nice morning.

A few doms left from Sunday but kept it very easy and walked up the steeper sections.

Nice morning.

Coaching session with James.

Uphill reps long and easy then short and technical.

Legs were a little tired with some mild DOMS but no real issues.

*I can't feel it when running but my heel hurts a little again afterwards and when waking up for a bit.

Easy coaching session - very cold so some drills swapped out for running to keep warm. Snow on the way home??? WTF???

I woke up late!!

0730 is late for me and haven't slept that late for a long time......

I had a fuzzy head and bit of a headache straight away so had plenty of water and rushed some oats down me.

I had to leave for registration so took Avacado and Banana on toast for the 30 minute journey to try and stock up too...

Another brilliantly sunny day in double figures meant it was perfect conditions.

The firs t3 miles was pretty brutal.....up and down to summit Moel Famau 2 different routes from the bottom before scrambling up 'the gully' a narrow scree route of around 250m before getting to the undulating ridge.

I started pretty slow in about 7th up the first climb (made the school boy error of hitting a style in the first 2 minutes and queuing) but had gone to 3rd by the time we hit the ridge around 30s back from the leader Lawrence who I knew would be very strong at this distance.

I just ran steady on the next few miles undulating and the leader pulled away...

At this point my headache just lifted and I felt like a cloud had been lifted.

Some steep us and downs brought me closer to 1st again when I realised that 2nd place must have turned where the 10 mile runners split.

Another very steep climb up Moel Arthur at 12 miles meant I could see 1st but it was decieving as it probably took me mins of hiking up the scree to the top. I summited (its not that high) and the buggar had just vanished...

The next bit is pretty flat and again I just ran steady being conscious of the cramping at Wicklow Way.

The last 6 miles was pretty un - eventful ...the terrain meant I couldnt see first and hadn't seen anyone behind so I didn't push it.

A little bit of cramp crept in on the quads on a bit of a traverse annoyingly but held it off and finished with no problems apart from a marshal sending me the wrong way for a 100m or so.

2nd place and a cracking route/morning out.

After the race I felt better than I had since I landed which is a relief.