Training Log Archive: Bashman

Ante
Note to self, stop trying to run in the morning.
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C • Two times 2

Hilly
With Ali on a nice tour de Pentlands. Unreal weather for February in t-shirt and shorts, and could have probably worn less. Feeling and smelling very much like a nice summer evening. Did the classic Flotterstone loop including Black Hill and the Carnethy scree. Windy as hell for the first half, getting to Carnethy 5 levels on the kips, but then put our back to it and forgot about it. Legs surviving very well until descending off the kips when a few knots became noticeable. Felt really quite normal throughout though which was very much welcomed. Ali's knee also holding up well so a lucky bunch of boys. Running very hungry so had to be a big maccies on the way home.
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Ante
With Ali and again very uncomfortable, only partially because of his company.
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Hills
Realised that no matter how much I say I'm not going to run, I'm going to continue to run while there's nothing physically stopping me. It's official that the injury is much better outwith the morning, and when going up hills it's barely noticeable - although at it's worst going down hills.
Solution: reps up Carnethy and taking the scree down. Three fairly grim climbs, especially the last as a 180 from the bottom of the scree back up. Lungs weren't ready for this but a nice run. A bit wobbly by the end as though the scree is an easier way down, it's quite easy to get carried away on it.... So back was cramping up quite bad by the end too.
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Easy
Met up with the Long run and did a bit. Significantly nicer when I don't run in the morning.
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Ante
Pained, with Ali.
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Easy + Sprints
During gym. Hit a decent 235W average mostly going quite easy, but had 10mins of 10 x (30s on, 30s float). Sweated considerably. DOMS still ridiculous but allowed for spinning.
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Gym
Few maintenance things. Saw physio and was told the pain is likely coming from adductors. This makes sense seeing as I can run hills fairly comfortably but still doesn't quite explain the quad pain, especially after running this morning (Tuesday). Got some exercises to do for it anyway, as whatever the source is, my adductors are still very weak.
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Recovery
With Tim after a nice day of walking about quite a lot. Don't think I've ever had as bad DOMS as this before, and couldn't really separate injury pains and general soreness.
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WU
Somewhat skeptical about warming up as I knew as soon as I began feeling my quad I would be put off. Never did though so all was well.
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Carnethy 5

Big question marks looming over this one in the last few weeks as my quad seemed to grow steadily worse, culminating in a bailed run on Thursday due to too much discomfort. Day off on Friday was a last ditch attempt at some form of recovery but I really didn't have much hope. Had it not been for the team's (in particular Tim's) drive to get the famous claymore/sword team prize I would have definitely pulled out. So I went in hoping I could at least fill the fourth counter, even if it meant limping around the whole route.

In the end a mix of adrenaline, distracting wind, and probably most importantly a good dosage of paracetamol meant that I could actually get round relatively pain free (though I don't really know, the quad could have also dramatically recovered). I say pain free but that would be a complete lie, as I don't think I've ever felt so bad running round a race. Think this was mainly down to having most of the week off though, as well as my rather bad race tactics...

Start gun was shot and I joined in a bit of a banter start with a few others, keen to not get boxed in. The wind was strong and I couldn't really hear much let alone the pack slowly dropping behind, so before I knew it I had made a good gap. Legs felt good, a form of good that only comes with tapering and hence something I hadn't felt for a very long time, but as soon as we hit the hill I realised I had been a bit too keen. Caught by Matt Elk about half way up but in the end I was happy to let him take the wind for a bit. Did begin to worry that I wouldn't last up the 4 more climbs to come though. However, soon enough it was clear that Matt was struggling as well so I went for it and got away again before the top, keen to not become a wind shield for anyone today.

Of course I'd have preferred it to be less windy today, but I had a quiet confidence about it. Having a decent amount of momentum behind me and a good experience of windy Pentlands, I was pretty sure I could cope more than most people in these conditions. Whether this was true or it was the confidence alone that did it, I managed to steadily increase the gap as we hit the windy section, a gap that would soon be critical on the final climb. Buff over the mouth seemed to fix any respiratory discomfort with incoming air, and a fartlek approach to using my effort linearly with the wind resistance made the gap increase to about 60s.

However a big descent was coming and I could feel my jelly legs would struggle to take it having hit the climbs so hard. This couldn't have been more true and within a few seconds of dropping off West Kip I twanged my back and began to get very sore all down my right leg. My bag was round my chest too tightly too and so on top of the increased muscular issues there was a horrible queasiness. The thoughts of going up another 300m climb was depressing but at least there was some time to recover. Let the legs go with minimal effort on the gradual downhill before bum-sliding most of the way down to the Howe, showing off a bit to Jasmin P.

Used the short flat section to get a bit of feeling back into the legs. Lots of support was very much appreciated but nothing could really help with the upcoming climb. Began walking as soon as it started and my breathing rate went well out of control. Legs went to jelly and I felt very unwell. Glimpsed a look back and a rather scary pack of Andy, Jonny, Jacob, and Matt were closing. Took a moment to compose and control the breathing though, and everything began to fall back into normality. It still felt horrendous don't get me wrong, but at least now it was sustainable. Got up the re-entrant with less of a tailwind than I had hoped, but then was picked up nicely for the rest of the climb. Some nice support and indications of a 40s gap were very uplifting, although I didn't want to check myself just in case it wasn't true.

I knew Jonny would tear down the last descent so there was a big job to do. Threw the legs down the first path section relatively straightforwardly but then as we dipped into the terrain my cadence disappeared. Began stumbling and slipping every few steps, much to the delight of the watchers at the gate. However, a quick check up the hill revealed there was no-one in sight, so very happily calmed down a bit and got down in one piece. Put the cruise control on to the finish with a few additional checks behind and finished with the most comfort I had had for the entire race. Can't really describe the relief and satisfaction of crossing the line, though the main focus at the time was on the rest of the team's whereabouts. Soon very excited to see Tim and Tam rolling into top 10 spots with some demon descents, followed by Ali T a nervous few minutes later to secure the team position. A shame that Ali M couldn't do his normal damage but he should definitely know he'd have been high up there in normal fitness!

It wasn't obvious who had won the team prize at first so when it was eventually announced we were very excited to retrieve the sword for the Haries for the second time, first in 2006. An unlikely dream had become a reality in a very short space of time. Sword activities so far include having a nice photo shoot, taking it on a trip to McDonalds, and slicing an apple.

A very memorable day out, there's really nothing better than days like these especially when there's a good group to spend them with. And of course there was a nice personal bonus. Would have put a lot of money on myself not doing well in this race - I may not the most confident of people but this was very different, and there's no good explanation for how my ruined quad had allowed for this and repaired in such a short space of time. Legs today are of course an absolute wreck, so still sticking by the plan to take some time off, but it's nice to know that the fitness will probably take more time to disappear than I realised.


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C • details 12

WD
Jog back down the hill with Tam and Jacob, bonking fairly hard towards the end so hot veggie quiche was very well appreciated.
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