Training Log Archive: fluceluce

Kayaking with Helen - speedy bursts then some bobbing around to regroup. Another lovely evening on Windermere :-)

Another hours sleep back home then off for the next ride. Kendal - Kirkstone - Pooley Bridge - MASSIVE CAKE AND COFFEE - Shap - Tebay - Kendal.

Felt good on the bike, think the legs have finally recovered from beasting over Duddon, Ennerdale and BG Support!

Whilst I was disappointed not to be out supporting Adam on his awesome attempt at the BG 24hr record, watching his supporters returning beaten and knackered did take the edge off slightly. Rode with Edie instead - over Newlands to Loweswater where we caught the end of buttermere horseshoe then back over whinlatter before a quick tea, meeting a battered Wil at Honister, cheering Adam through Newlands within 5 mins of the schedule and then catching a couple of hours sleep in Braithwaite before waiting with baited breath!

So close I've no doubt that record will be his one day!

Got home from sheffield and Wil sent me straight to the doctors due to inflamed lump and swollen foot. Antibiotics due to suspected infected insect bite

Run around crookes with Zanthe. appearance of lump on L foot.

So I give my feet a few days off and my left one decides to randomly swell....

Run up Wansfell with Ant and Sal. Lovely evening for it and legs not feeling too bad. Quads rebelled a little by the top but didn't crumple on the decent which I thought they might.
Into Windermere to cool off at the end, then an ice cream, good end to the weekend!

Ankle very sore now but still mobile. Time to put it up - to Sheffield for a conference tomorrow and probably not a lot of time to do much else until Thursday.

Ceilidh dancing at the copper mines to celebrate Chris and Heather getting married, congratulations Mr and Mrs Heppenstall!

BG leg 3 with Nic for Stefan and Paul. They were 20mins up on 27:07 schedule when we left Dunmail, this fluctuated across the summits but was only majorly reduced on Scafell. 3mins up by Wasdale.
Amazing what a difference good weather makes! My first BG leg support in nice weather and it was lovely across the tops in the early morning sun! The guys did a great job finishing in 22:48 in the end!

Ankle was sore from the off but seemed to move a bit better after a couple of hours. No knee trouble. My 3-4am lull arrived about 5am, but was feeling strong from 6 onwards.

Trying out a few paddles at Fell Foot demo day. Definitely want a cranked shaft I think.

C • A cranked Shaft 1

Run out to meet Steve Birkenshaw as he finished his record breaking Wainwright's Round! Had arranged to meet Kate Apps at Moot Hal at 9 and run up cat bells, Steve was well up on schedule though so, despite a hot pace out of Keswick, didn't quite make it to the bottom of cat bells before an entourage of runners appeared. Amazing stuff by Steve, 12hrs taken off Joss' record!

A day of highs and lows, I intend to sit on the sofa and then go and eat pizza

Run out from Longsleddale, hoping to meet Steve Birkenshaw on his amazing wainwright round on Tarn Crag, but he was slightly up on time so got the timing perfect to intercept between Tarn and Gray Crag.
Planned to run up and see how the leg felt then decide whether it was a good idea to run on or not. As it happened, ankle/knee felt fine, legs still a bit tired but what do you expect when setting off straight into a bog/tussock monster climb....(brain had chosen to forget this from January when I was last up here). Ankle fine for the run, tightened up after but a bit of stretching and poking seems to have kept it under control.

Steve was moving well so joined them round to the col before Selside Pike before a swift run back down the valley (reminiscent of Ennerdale) to be back by 8pm.

Steve is doing an awesome job of eating up the miles, despite blistered feet and slightly too warm weather (major question of the evening, do you tie the shoes tight or loose once the blisters hit...) - well worth a few pounds of support: http://stevebirkinshaw-wainwright2014.blogspot.co....

So, fibula head feeling good still (although no running yet, will have to bite the bullet soon and see what happens), but dull pain at the bottom of my heel. Imagine this is something to do with ankle mobility, but going to be a bit careful in case it's soft tissue - PF is not what I need right now!
Heel soreness was also there after duddon but disappeared to be replaced by fibula pain, certainly plenty to be fixing still.... I put it down to wedging my foot between some rocks then but maybe not!

Lovely evening for a paddle - Nic was visiting and I tempted him along to refresh his kayaking skillz. Over 4mph in a sot! The XL ones are a little comfier
Up Windermere, further than previous weeks then back through a gala avoiding hitting any sailing boats. Back a bit late to catch Steve on his way through Rydal but aiming to head out to Lonsleddale tomorrow instead

Aqua Jogging in Rydal with Lizzie. Got some funny stares, but was good fun.

2mins, 90s, 60s, 30s,60s, 90s, 2mins each with 30s rest then 3x30s at the end. Hopefully get my ankle/lower leg working properly and talking to each other without everything tightening into oblivion!

Swim to the island and back. Watch reccons 1.3miles, I think given Bruce's watch said 1.1km last time this is probably more reasonable....

Almost a Triathlete today.... Honister, Newlands, Winlatter with Edie 'I'm a cyclist now' Hemstock. She certainly showed me how to ascend, if I ever do the Fred Whitton I want some more gears! Thankfully feeling a bit more with it today, don't know what was going on yesterday...

Clouds looked threatening when we set off but the sun came out in time for ice cream at Whinlatter :-)

Good ride and catch up, going to repeat more often!

Visit to Graham post ride - laser and stuck with needles, much better after!

Fun loop over to duddon and back over Walna Scar with Ant and Sal. Muggy and hot, so good stop off at the pub half way.
Saw Chris Hope out on his 200km epic, looking good coming over Walna!
Legs/body felt completely empty today and generally not feeling on it. Nice ride though and some great descending :-)

Cake Tuesday

Down Windermere to Ghyll Head with Helen, half way back, then musical boats so I returned in Cat's epic. Compared to Andy's it's the most stable thing ever! Also nice and speedy :-)

Lovely sunny ride and catch up with Lizzie from Ambleside. Knee generally fine as long as I didn't smash it through the pedals, so cycling it is for a bit!
Followed by great cafe stop at the rattle gill, then confused some tourists with park physio exercises :-)

C • This sounds like a very fun... 4

Event: Ennerdale Horseshoe Fell Race - British and English Fell Running Championsh
 

Ennerdale Fell Race - the alternate version.
The route went from Ennerdale over to Crummock Water - along Crummock/Buttermere then up to Scarth Gap, over to black sail hut, up to moses trod below green gable, skirted Great Gable and Kirk Fell on moses trod then back down to black sail hut for an 8mile forest track run to the finish...
Start was fast and furious, was not enjoying the first climb but got a bit more into my stride down to Crummock. Decent pace along the lakes and by the ascent to scarth gap my breathing was just about warmed up (85mins in!). Started reeling people in from here and was gaining on Hazel Robinson up this and the next climb. Feeling good but keeping it comfortable (although overtaking an obscene number of people) back to black sail hut.
I passed Tom Gibbs (without realising it was him) being helped off the hill. As I passed the words 'I can put weight on it' were being spoken.....knee cap fractured in 3-4 places, but walking himself off with the aid of a few other runners!
I'd saved plenty for the track so hit it running well - first couple of miles went well, then noticed a bit of pain in my left knee which progressively got worse and the pace dropped as I found bending my knee more and more difficult. At the last checkpoint I wondered if I was actually going to make it back running...and I'm not sure what followed can be called a run....but the alternative was walking back from the checkpoint anyway so with less than 3 miles to go, I decided my best option was to finish.
Really gutted to lose so much time in the last 5 miles after pacing it perfectly for them. No hitting the wall, no problems with leg turnover whilst I could bend the knee... I think the now recurring knee problem is linked to ankle mobility, having had no problem since April (but also potentially not having a very mobile ankle at all in this period) and a week on from having my ankle mobilised the knee pain returning.
I've clearly changed my running style since wrecking my ankle and it now doesn't suit normal biomechanics of running, need to sort it out!

Results out - consolidating my 14th place in the English Champs. From the splits I lost 7-8mins between the last checkpoint and the finish with my inability to lift my leg over stuff and a couple before that as I slowed down on the track....ah well...that equates to 2-3places and might have meant a sprint out between me and Hazel Robinson if I'd not come to a stand still - silly knee

After a good 10 day run, chest got all tight and cough returned Tuesday - too good to last but ah well. Will see what the weekend brings!

Also, the Sh*t hit the fan at work this week, one of the team decided to resign but promised to stay on until replacement in post. Unfortunately their brain appears to have completely shut down and now a hindrance to the rest of us most of the time, with less than 6wks until a massive deadline we were already tight for....man down and.spoon feeding to try and get something to work but still getting nowhere/ getting mundane requests constantly for things she is already in possession of - no I won't resend you everything that's in your inbox because its easier for you! stressful office to say the least, but we've been very good at biting our tongues....

Rather tired, but a swim in rydal seems to have woken me up :-) and removed some of the gunk clogging my airways

C • Don't worry 1

Post work swim in Rydal with Rach, ,Sal and Bruce. After looking like it might rain, it turned out lovely :-) Just the ticket for this evening!
Much bigger fan of lake swimming than pool swimming.

In work 8:30-18:45 so missed flag chasing. Still ate pizza though :-)

My first go at lanequest.
Well, not sure my route was optimum but I got all but 4 controls (would have been all but 2 very easily if I hadn't tried to clear it). Nice evening to be out riding with some ace views of the mountains with cloud on top!
Legs seem to have recovered well from Duddon which is good for next weekend :-) Although I haven't run any distance yet so we'll see....

Monday night is paddle night. Sot with Rachel, good chat and a lovely paddle. Shame Sots are bathtubs but might as well get used to it :-)

Gentle leg spin with Wil, testing out the Harry Hall. Lovely to ride. A few tweaks and commuting is go!