Training Log Archive: fluceluce

After 2.5 years of progressively increasing asthma medication, getting nowhere, being incredibly unpredictable with how I can/can't run and ride, trying multiple 'speacialists' - today it is confirmed that asthma is unlikely as a doctor filmed my vocal cords closing (as opposed to opening like a normal person) as I breathe in.

The team at Preston have been really impressive so far, and were very clear that they did not expect to see anything today as I was not exercising while they filmed. Non the less, exercise or not my vocal cords don't behave. I guess I'm just used to it day to day and my oxygen demand for walking round is met given I'm generally fit (plus they don't close hugely whilst I'm sat still).

Next step is to repeat with me cycling on an exercise bike - plus a lot of other physiological measures of respiratory/cardio/muscular performance, a service they deliver for elite athletes within Royal Preston Hospital (actually amazing - I'm not being told to sod off and stop complaining as I'm clearly able to function day to day/ appear normal compared to the average population - something to be learnt by the Lancaster Infirmary). Can't come soon enough!

C • discovery. 3

Run round rydal with Wil, Nic, Neil and Zanthe. Legs felt ok for the flat/downhill, not too suprisingly steady on the ups.
Coffin route then back over Loughrigg to make sure Zanthe visited a hill top whilst in the lakes.

Lunch and cake at rattle gill to refuel :-)

Duddon Fell Race - Wasn't overly optimistic about this as last years run went so well, there wasn't much chance I was going to get close to it (3hrs 37). Decided this years target was to try and sneak under 4hrs.

This plan was going well to Three Shires stone, a couple of minutes slower to each of Harter Fell, Hardknott and Little Stand than last year brought me out about 8mins down on last year by this point - over half way in time if not distance. The time was mainly lost on the flatter runnable sections (and not taking the excellent direct line to 3SS that I was shown by Dave Sykes last year).

Then I set off up to Swirl Howe - ok for the first part but as soon as the wind appeared I slowed a bit.... 6 minutes slower to the top than last year. At the top I turned into the wind and headed for Dow.

Within a short distance I knew something was wrong as I was really struggling to keep moving (as if I'd not eaten enough, but I was confident I had) and I was tripping over things. Slowly comprehension dawned - this is exactly what happened along here on OCT - out with the buff, adopted the ninja buff look to cover my mouth and suddenly stopped tripping over stuff.
That said, it's not easy to breathe through a buff either so I dropped my 2nd Helm counter postition down to 4th as Charlotte and Ali came past. 4mins slower than last year between Swirl Howe and Dow. By now it had become damage control, the aim to get to the end still vaguely running as I'd had to stop a couple of times to regain control of breathing.

Over to whiteside, only losing a couple of minutes on last year. Not too suprisingly, in the warmer more sheltered section across to Caw I could remove the buff and run a bit more normally again only losing a couple of mins. Unlike last year this did not feel like the worst and longest part of the race and soon I was tottering down the hill to the finish, the target of 4hours slightly missed but glad to have kept running over the second half.

I can't work out how I was running so well last year - 3:37 seemed comfortable! This year I seem to hit an inability to keep running before my HR has really gone up to any great height or I've got too out of breath, which limits my speed on the runable sections somewhat. Ask Wil and he can confirm that this is not the case on the sections which require a good fell walk but not massive amounts of breathing e.g the climb up Little Stand.

Will keep plugging away and hope the speed magically reappears.

Quick spin around the upside down lollipop with Sal. Good leg spin out and catch up !

Sunny evening run with Tori - showed me the right way to do the long scar run. It is certainly a long scar run!