Training Log Archive: Becks

Jogging about on the warm up map. Stomach complaining so nothing too fast. Figured it would be fine once I started though, as was right.

Long race at Huntington State Park. A really, really excellent course, leaving me physically and mentally exhausted a good 2km from the end. In an 8km course, on a map with load of trails, I ran on trails for 500m. The long leg was brilliant, macro and micro route choice, constantly having to be on your guard. Beautiful woods and some good competition. Managed to grab 2nd again today, but Sam's time was really great, almost three minutes ahead. I guess I lost this when my faculties started to deteriorate at the end! I was fighting Erin the whole way for 2nd, and a late mistake from her just got me in there. Again, really brilliant fun.

Start-1 - Took the left trail which was windier than I would have liked, hesitated up the wide rentrant, over the hill with more hesitation until I saw the wall junction, and then spiked with more confidence. Note to self, either learn how to type hesitation or better, stop doing it!

1-2 Down the spur to the wall corner, across the flat hill to the pond and up.

2-3 Wanted to go pretty much straight, but hit the pond so slightly right in the end. No wasted time thinking about it though, and line into control good.

3-4 Chose to go straight across the swamp. On comparing splits, this was definitely not the right choice! Totally nailed the control though.

4-5 Round the contour of the hill, not sure where I am, saw the same wall junction and still not confident enough across and down to the control. Damn it girl, you're alright...trust yourself!

5-6 Round the green marsh to the right, then down the trail to the control.

6-7 Took the right route, up the white, then over from the middle of the marsh.

7-8 Uber leg! Planned well and executed well. Virtually straight but with the contours of the hills, so slightly to right of line then switch midway to slightly to left.

8-9 Caught Erin at 8 and we raced hard round this bit. Rough bearing to the trail, in from the trail junction reading the contours.

9-10 Straight with the rock features on the right. Hills so clear.

10-11 Across the stream to the rocky reentrant, then in from the big boulders.

11-12 Starting to get tired now. Hesitated dropping into the marsh running north south, the stayed on the big trail not wanting to fight the mountain laurel. Could'nt for the life of me figure out which boulder my control descriptions stated the control was on, luckily Erin helped me out with that one. The arrow just meant nothing to me! Brain pain!

12-13 Out to the wiggly trail which I foolishly tried to follow. Then decided to cut across to it's next wiggle, but was confused by the direction when I hit it. Finally figured it out and followed it round to my marsh AP, but I should have seen the brain ache coming and gone out to the marsh to the north, or trail to the south. Erin dropped me here.

13-14 Straight but veered a little low, corrected very quickly though.

14-15 Through the marsh, cut through to the northern pond, through the next col and in.

15-16 Rough bearing up hill, and luckily hit the flat valley to the north. Only just hanging in there now, super tired. No real plan, could have gone horribly wrong. Caught Erin again here...almost in!

16-17 Failed to see the large fence and had to go back on myself ot cross it. Then failed to see that the small trail led right to the control, and cut across. I feel better that Mr Peel also did exactly the same thing here.


At the end my hamstring was sore - didn't notice anything at all while running but seized almost instantly on finishing. I can't remember the last time I pushed that hard, and enjoyed racing so much. To almost lose control of my faculties is not something that's really happened before.

I am getting the bug again :)

C • Great description 4

Short jog with Marie. Was surprised to feel that on moving, there was no pain whatsoever in the hamstring. Ibuprofen and ice tonight!

Red Day 2: Long - Splits

Event: WCOC / US Team A-Meet/WRE
 

Jog to the start and around the warm up map.

WRE Middle Race at Ansonia. Really fun. As Ross and I stood in the start box the skies went dark, the heavens opened, and the thunder started. Turns out the course was so good that 20 seconds into my race I had ceased to notice, and proceeded to have fun. In detail:

Start-1 Confused at the start triangle. Checked path directions with bearings, crossed the stream, then cut up crossed the trail above the clearing and along the spur to the control.

1-2 I just couldn't figure out a plan, so I ran terrified and hoped. Turns out it worked, but I was scared shitless. Should have stayed high, a plan suggested by Sam. Maybe not faster, but certainly way more secure. I was lucky.

2-3 Low to the trail, then off at the clearing. No sweat.

3-4 Back to the trail, hit it a little high. Off at the junction. Sweet into the re-entrant.

4-5 Straight ish but just above the rocks. Stopped too early on the control on the identical (but larger) boulders. Finally convinced myself I needed to go further. Not impressed with self here, knew they were wrong really but couldn't quite get the confidence up not to check. And double check. And triple check.

5-6 Tick off trail bend, rounded open re-entrant, cross the trail above the double boulders either side, and in. Great.

6-7 Started planning my route for the long leg, looked up and realised I had no idea where I was in a totally flat and featureless bit of forest. Went out to the trail but that didn't help as had no concept of how far I had gone. Eventually saw Cristina get it and legged after her. Not good at all.

7-8 Straight, ticking off the rocky re-entrant below. Very visible site.

8-9 Went low and round the hill, then attacked the control from directly below. Lost an incredible amount of time to Sam here, about 90 seconds. Hesitated a bit, but not 90 seconds worth. Straight is great guys! Can;t believe I made such a poor choice after messing up the previous one finding it!

9-10 Control pick, fine.

10-11 Between the spur end on the clearing, then over the hill on compass. Nice.

11-12 Dropped too low and found myself in a featureless flat bit. Pushed on to what I thought was the green, and found the rocky features. Dropped into the crag. Almost a disaster here.

12-13 BEautiful, across the wide hill, down by the stream, cross the marsh, bang.

13-14 Down the col, across to the trail, bang.

And in. Overall really pleased, could see where I lost the time to Sam, and could have been up to 3 mins faster I think. Feels really, really great to be racing hard again, after so long. And my confidence is returning too. I love these woods!

9-10

Red X Day 1: Middle - Splits

I made it to the gym! I actually felt fine too - going to force myself to get up when I'm sleepy from now on. Started with 15 mins random on the treadmill at 8.34 a mile - no pain or stiffness in the hamstring! So maybe being a lazy sod for two days was a good plan.

Upper body/core strength session 2. USed 12.5lb for all the stuff, then level 4 on the twists. Only did 2 of the planks at the end as realised I was going to be late for my 8.45 seminar. Just made it. Score. Looking forward to tomorrow now!

Short laundry run. No tightness or pain in hamstring at all - got to the top of the southern hill top no problem at all! Excellent! Lovely evening, bit of a breeze.

Today I couldn't get up again. So I stayed in bed until 9.30ish, but that didn't make me feel any better. I think I am too hot overnight, and not getting as much restful sleep as I should be. Need to sort out some kind of air con for the apartment. Tomorrow I will force myself to get up whatever, do my missed gym session, and go for a short run in the evening while my laundry goes again. At least being rubbish means my leg is getting a rest!

The gym is looking less and less likely tomorrow. This election is looking like a car crash, and I can't stop watching. Go to bed Becky!

Have been up nearly an hur now and am tired and achey. Really have no motivation for gym or lab. So going to have a rest day. Just from the gym unfortunately!

10 mins jog out to East Rock, 8 x 90 (30) going not all out but accelerating significantly, 10 mins jog back. Hamstring is tight but not painful even on very gradual inclines. Totally fine on the flat and downhills. Looks like I should manage the weekend, even if I have to walk up all the hills!

Tomorrow's plan - no running, morning upper body strength session. Last proper rest day for the leg before the weekend.

20 mins of the random program on the treadmill at a slow 10 min mile pace. Hamstring is totally fine running flat, slightly tight on an incline, but no enduring discomfort when returning to flat. Looking good for the weekend! Going to try some trail 90 x 30s tomorrow - not many, maybe 8.

Pretty quick strength session as I had to get back in time for my grocery delivery. Just about whizzed through session 1:

Shrug mid thigh 75lb 4 x 5
BB lunges 55lb 4 x 5
Squat 105lb 4 x 5
OH Disc rotations 25lb 2 x 16
DB Row 25lb 4 x 8 each side
Assisted dips 4 x 8 -30lb

Had to tell two guys doing the worst bench presses ever some technique points so that they didn't seriously screw their backs. They were amazed at how much more weight they could lift with their feet planted on the floor. Some guy was doing World's Strongest man style dashes with 100lb in each hand. Awesome. I was the only girl in the weights side of the gym today!

C • Hahahaha. 2

Stretching whilst waiting for the grocery man, who came bang on 7pm. Score!