Training Log Archive: fluceluce

Failure of an English champs race. Long mynd, proved harder than an hour at QKS. set off feeling flat, ended up feeling exhausted, dragging my legs along and going backwards so decided to ditch it before people the massive climb to come. Unfortunately I'm stubborn so quit at the furthest point from the start.....never mind.

QKS 'session' done very steady with catherine and Carl. Meant I could always stop running if I wanted but was ok to the end

After swimming, stomach started to get painful and by the end of the evening had gastritis. Bit odd as out of nowhere!

Pool swim with Sally, Helen and Carrie

Road loop with Lizzie

Howarth Hobble which was a packed field going for selection to the world ultra trail team. Set off with Sally and co, just to see if I could, and I could for about a mile. At the point they overtook Rob and Andy Jebb I decided not to follow, I wasn't going to finish ahead of them so why start there (turns out none of the women were gong to finish ahead of them).
Settled into 5th as we ran across to the first res, at which point super speedy road runner lady ran past on the road like I was stood still (actually running a sub 7min mile pace) shouting 'I wish I could run like you off road'.
PB for an hours running I think, making 7.5miles in the first hour.

Stayed in 5th to about 14miles when Jo Buckley caught me up having been focusing on catching 'Sharon taylor' for the last few miles (it must have been the plaits and helm vest). Still setting pbs with 14.5miles in two hours.

Now came the fun bit, down and up to stoodly pike. Still going strong I made it up still averaging under 9min/mile. In fact I think I kept this to 23miles where I saw Bashir out along the way who shouted some encouragement.

Unfortunately this is where the race takes to tarmac and within the next half a mile I was caught by 3 women including Sabs who shouted 'keep up' as she ran past. If only it was that simple. I kept close but not up on the way to heptonstall, only to catch back up as I'd done a recce.....the next climb is about 3 miles long on very even ground and I made a mistake. Watching those ahead of me run I vowed to run it all too. This meant I gained minimal ground away from the Eden runner who fell walked up the steepest bit only to have ruined my legs for the less steep bit. Stick to what you know!

Redeemed myself in the last 1-2miles of the race but had lost a bit of ground to the women ahead to finish 10th.

I was a bit worried before the start that I'd managed to get fast for a marathon but not for 30miles. I was totally right but also very pleased with the result. First time I've actually done some sort of focussed training for something in about 3yrs and it sorta worked :-)

Open 5 Bike. So nearly didn't do this. Drove down from Jon and Jeni's amazing wedding in the peaks so arrived around 2am in church Stretton. Woke up to heavy rain and thought that was the final straw, not getting out the van. Then is stopped.....oh no wait, it turned to heavy snow!

Wrapped up off we went, totally unexpected conditions and I set the president. This was a game of finishing off the open 5 series, we only needed to come 3rd to win overall and I was not going to ride any faster than granny gear to preserve everything I had for the howarth hobble next weekend. This lead to some comically slow moments with rosemary just riding away from me up hills then having to wait. But we got round unscathed (bar one stupid moment on some board walk, thankfully just bruised).

Steady away, right until the last two miles where it became apparent we were going to be late. So too speedy last miles downhill. Can't believe this was enough for the win on the day as well as the series!