Training Log Archive: AlistairH

Event: SOL 1 - Dalrulzion
 

Gentle warm up - more to keep warm than anything else.

SOL1 - Dalruzion. Black 19/19. It's a long time since I last did a Scottish black course. Feel reasonably upbeat despite coming last in that I was still sort of in one piece at the end (ignoring a 4" scratch just below the eye when I pitched into a tree) and had no injury problems. It did seem to take me a while though... went off fairly slow and was wondering if I had gone off too slow at half way but I suspect I did pace it as well as I could for current fitness.

Nav OK early on - long pause in the control circle at 7, route choice error at 12 (80 seconds?) going SW out of control to hill NW of control in order to avoid slow forest - the forest would have had to be a lot worse for that to be worth it - missed 15 to the right - wasn't far off but ran the wrong way first (80s). Felt quite tired coming out of 19 and then proceed to lose my place along the path to 20... 5 minute error - concentration failure on easy control when tired... got my act together for the rest - almost. Spent 15 seconds standing next to what I thought was the wrong control at 27, checked my position. Decided I was in the right place, checked the control code...

Anyway - good to have got round - I'll do some more of these.

Event: Scottish Sprint Champs
 

Warm up - still fairly tired, but not too bad. New ESOC O top and new shoes - latest version of same model of racer trainers as before on the principle that modern trainers have way too much cushioning, at least for my achilles tendonitis, and these feel as cushioned as high mileage trainers used to be.

Scottish Sprints @ North Muirton. Course 1, M/W18-35. 25/38, 19/20 men, 5/6 M35. +47%.

Hmmm... had hoped to do better following the pick up in my speed at intervals but made a few too many errors. Lost my place twice - at no. 2 (happy only 20s lost despite significant detour) and no. 10 (1'10 lost). At no. 13 I punched 16 but thankfully realised my error when checking the control code on the way out the control and ran on to 13 (30s lost). I was happy to have spotted that 9 was on the opposite side of the fence only to arrive at 6 to find it was also on the opposite side of the fence - but I think a lot of people did this and I only seem to have lost maybe 5s. I seem to have lost 15 seconds at 21 but not sure how.

So about 2 mins. of readily avoidable errors. I need some more practice on ISSOM maps (total lifetime experience, 2.5 hours). Didn't take thumb compass - instead baseplate on left hand (opposite to map hand). I started with it on my other hand but it was just in the way. Instead it got in the way of my control descriptions. Not sure what is best for urban - stick it in my pocket where I can get it if I need it? Really enjoyed the event though - this is a good venue for a sprint.

Incl. 5 x 30" hard/30" easy. Would have done more but left hip flexor starting to complain.

Same mini-circuits as yesterday. Still really tired. Would have gone to FWTN but thought I best not given flat out race on tarmac coming up on Saturday (which I'm looking forward to).

Mini-circuits - missed out anything that might aggravate my left hip flexor which only left press ups, crunches, lunges, squat jumps, plank. Then single leg eccentric quad exercises, 3 @ 27.5kg.

Right achilles stiff today after yesterday's intervals - better than previous weeks but it is still taking me a couple of days to get over the session.

Martin's intervals. 1ks in 3'44; 3'44; 3'42; 3'45; 3'40 (av. 3'43) - more progress. Feels really positive. Achilles fine (a bit irritated at end, but holding up OK), hamstrings fine. Left hip flexor tightening up and was only just OK for the last one. I've got to be careful not to turn that into a proper injury while things are actually going in the right direction - the aim is to turn up uninjured again next Tuesday and repeat.

Incl. 5 x 30s sprints/30s easy.

Felt good all day for the recent rest, but not so good when I was actually exercising - quite lacklustre. But hopefully this will sharpen me up to do intervals properly tomorrow. Left hip flexor sore again.