Training Log Archive: jed

Work then travel (to not quite as deep south as usual).
Plan complete, just got to go out and do it now!

C • good luck Kirstin! :) looki... 2

C • Text 3

Lots of stretching/mobilising before the usual class as promised.

To/from Roseburn Park....flying! Feeling great, I'm ready :).

2x90secs (3mins).

To/from orienteering plus 4x strides.

Royal Mile and Dumbiedykes for what could be the last time for a lonnnnng time.

Mobility, gluts, hips, jumps. I was quickly reminded why I avoid the gym in the evenings.

Sports massage, promised I'd stretch/roll especially gluts over next few days.

Another good couple of weeks to add to what has been a really consistent winter. Legs not as bad as expected today but hamstrings niggly (thought calves would be worse from racing flats). Now for some good recovery/taper ready for Friday. Good chat with Lecky to analyse the weekend and reinforce a few points :).

3x90secs (3mins).

Checking out the start/end of course plus usual speeding up and drills.
Easy out along the road with mum after.

National Road Relays - Livingston.
Good strong senior team but sadly as usual lots of drop outs so mum had to step into our team. Solid runs by Zoe and Sarah, then mum only dropped 3 places with a good another run. Realistically thought I'd catch 2 in front but 3rd (Central) might be too much at 90secs+ ahead as I normally have a battle with her in short XC - then rest really big gap to strong team in front. By 2km I'd passed two teams. It was then a very tough lonely run, difficult to pace due to constant undulations and twists/turns but good orienteering training. Felt like there was a lot more uphill than down but at least the wind was in the face for the first half. After 5 I caught a glimpse of yellow in the distance, still far away and thought maybe it was doable. Happened quicker than I thought and passed around 6km, thought I'd get a bit of a race but went straight through so back to being alone again. Caught a few slower men once we rejoined the short loop but didn't help much. Just kept trying to push, great support from Gala. Course longer than last year but my pace is faster so that's positive especially as it was essentially a time trial.

Team really pleased to finish 10th (highest for a while), reckon we could have pushed for 4th with team we should have had.

Stomach struggled today, think two days of not being able to eat much most of the day and pushing hard hasn't been the best. Started to get a pain about 3pm but managed to control it, however once I had a normal meal at dinner I felt pretty grim (not sore) most of the evening as everything got going again....

Nice controlled, good orienteering getting the head in the game and wound it up towards the end. I'd like to feel this relaxed in a race.

I don't handle it very well when starts delayed as just end up doing lots of extra running around (the same happened at the two races in Spain), need to have a strategy for this. Feeling good though.
Quickly back to get some clothes after then out to my road crossing duty.

Rosyth Castlandhill. Treated seriously as good run out before next weekend, even running at basically the same time of day so could get my eating etc. right.

Out the start fine but halfway to 1 saw Kris collide with a young girl off to the left and her screaming. I slowed a bit wondering if I should stop but realised there was nothing I could do so ran on. Hadn't planned ahead to 2 and took a few steps passed my junction so had to double back, a bit jumpy so wrong side of building to 3 with the incident still on my mind. Felt a bit hesitant coming around tight corners, still faffing towards 4 but forced myself to refocus and I got my act together after that. Not sure I got the right route on the long leg and kept having to force myself to push on as hadn't really been able to on any other leg. I put in a really good flowing section 8-13. Mistake going to 14, due to being distracted by other runners on my course coming back towards me so lost focus and took wrong road and also didn't realise so had to stop work it out and go around. Pressure was on now as knew Laura had me in sight and wasn't going to let her actually pass me. This forced me to make quick but good decisions and I put together another good phase right until 23 where I thought I had another control before the last control so panicked slightly and had to stop before pushing on to the finish.

I'm happy that a messy run gives me this result now, especially with an intense relentless course where I couldn't use my speed. I've had quite a few unusual scenarios to deal with in the last few races which hopefully is preparing me well.

All my mistakes came from distractions causing me to lose focus. When I was fully focused I was really good. Something to think about this week.

Control collecting (hilarity!) and back to car with Jess.

Route choice, fair climb. Legs didn't really want to go and too close to food but by time finished race/helping it was after 5pm and needed to eat something so nothing could do really. Happy enough with my routes.

Housing estate course, good plans and no extra looks at map. Fun. Another of the areas to be embargoed ticked off.

Back to car.