Training Log Archive: ba-ba

Was intending to do summat, but left knee a bit tender after yesterday and footy. It's this leg which is my 'take off' leg for 'heather-hurdling' - also known as 'bashing through heather'. I know I should practise this more, and not rely on one leg only for take-off, but any more practise and Dan would start getting suspicious!
Spent the day job applying. wooo....

Event: Kinder Trial
 

First race in a Pennine Vest, and a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Wasn't expecting much, just hoping to enjoy myself and run cleanly. On waking I was glad to see (or not see) Kinder and its outliers shrouded in mist. I was off fairly early, with Muir 30secs ahead and Tom (from Durham Uni who is normally just ahead of me) about 9mins ahead.

Score format: 12 controls, get them all, 1:25k OS map. Really well planned, with route choice, microRC, contouring, tough decisions and 'fine' nav all catered for.
Took the Snake path to K12, which worked well as I took some time out of Muir, who went around the road. Then bearing to the strem junction/grouse buts and straight up the line to the final but and K9 - lots of people drifting off to the right here so as not to loose very little ground - but they then missed the stonking great path up the buts (whay!). To K4 on Hollingworth clough I made my biggest mistake. I took the 'Orienteering line' - around the knott and a nice handrail (valley and clough), impossible to miss the control. However, there was a trod around the grouse buts to the south of the Knott, and it was generally quicker running - naturally I think I lost a bit of time here (along with a shoelace stop). Muir popped up behind me - first time I'd seen him.
K3 and K6 on the western flank were no problem - managed to nail the contour each time and the features were very obvious (walls perpendicular to the slope). At 6 I caught Tom (9mins) which was a surprise. Muir was still <50m behind me - we had a convoy! Contoured around towards the downfall. Should have dropped down (I saw someone drop down and thought they were being daft) - as it turned out we were far too high, about 50m above the kite (K1). However, by now the clag had cleared and it we could see it easily. There followed a rather steep and exciting descent, with many calls of 'below!'. The contour towards K10 near Red Brook was fairly easy - people were coming in the opposite direction and I'd had a good look across on the way to the downfall. Muir was still hanging on, but we'd dropped Tom. Then a balls-out descent to the plantation (K8) before a bit of a slog uphill to K5. Wasn't entirely sure of the walls so played it safe - crossing where I could see a gap - only to have to deviate more to round a fenced off area, but still not much time lost. NIce and easy to K2 - apart from the ankle-breaking tussocks that is! - bit of a slog to K11 before hitting some flatter ground to K7. Then it was all out to the finish - 4km of downhill/flat running on grass and road. Pinned my ears back and went for it - took me until the road below Tunstead before I managed to drop Muir and the guy who'd joined our group at K2. The 4km from last control to the finish took 14 mins (including stiles - not bad after 15km of terrain bashing, and I was surprised to be feeling quite fresh!
2nd back, 12th overall, 16mins down on Neil in a pretty handy field. I was at the back end of a group stretching from 5-12th separated by 4 minutes. Maybe the trod route to Hollingworth would have saved me this?
Happy with how I went, especially through some of the rougher stuff, and pleased to still have a bit in the tank at the end. Looking forward to working my way to the top of this little group!
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/64575717
HRM spent a fair amount of time closer to my belly button than sternum!
Oh, and the shoes were awesome!

won 3-1. Their goal was mostly my fault. Babyface provided basis for much amusement, including my new super-tactic: 'Dairylee Chunkers', involving the creation of triangles around lardish oposition members. I'm patenting that bad boy!

Low rhr today!
Had a long 4hr incubation in lab so got out during, run to accelerate and back to grab me a pair of X-talons as my the uppers of my mudclaws are shot. Also grabbed a pair of gloves that will work whilst there.
Garmin played up a bit as was close to empty battery.
Felt a bit crap on the way out, but good on way back.

Knacked today.
Pootle to clubnight.

5 small loops round Hallam.

Shuffle to the bottom of the road.

out to intervals via Walkley, Tinker Lane, Lydgate and Broomhill, then to Weston Park.

1st Intervals in a while - felt pretty good, not pushing too hard. Good sized/quality group out
4x(30,30,60,60)
30sec rec; 60 between sets.
covering ~ 150m/300m, quite consistent.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/64004792

Back via Endcliffe and Crookes. Hilly.

Round Heavygate and Crookes to Gooders

40/20s to get back into it.
I thought I was going to have a god work out today. Then Dan rucked up after 2 exercises. We managed to keep focused-ish until the 6th set, when bench hops became a game of slaps.
Evidently Dan's stamina only lasts 30mins max. It would have been rude to carry on and emasculate him further, hence I floundered also.