Training Log Archive: AlistairH

Seven Hills of Edinburgh. Fun as always. Hot day and, although I was trying to hold back a bit, I'm pretty sure I went off too fast. Still, I was running reasonably well over to Craiglockhart and from Blackford where I think I caught my virtual ghost from 1 year ago, who had got ahead of me on the Braids. I was then fairly tired up AS and then fell on the dassies path on the way down. Both calves suddenly cramped and I couldn't stay on my feet, screamed but explained to passers by that was the cramp and not the gravel rash and dragged myself round the last part of the course. That's never happened to me before, good thing it wasn't on a more rocky descent.

I still haven't given up on getting under 2 hours on this one year but I'm going to have to be thin and have better hill strength to have a chance.

Past races (Corstorphine Hill, Craiglockhart, Braids, Blackford, entering Holyrood Park, top of AS; AS to end).

1999 128'46 (82kg) 58th (32'00, 59'53, 74'16, 85'53, -, 113'11; 15'35)
2000 146'58 (85kg) (36'09, 65'21, 81'40, 95'06, -, -)
2012 133'35 (82kg) 58th
2013 121'49 (77.5kg) 37th (31'40, 57'00, 70'01, 8100', 96'15, 108'00; 13'50)
2014 131'49 (73.5kg) 67th (34'20, 61'00, 75'30, 87'00, 102'15, 115'10; 16'30)
2016 134'40 (80.0kg) 68th (35'00 63'15, 76'30, 88'30, 105'44, 118'30; 16'10)
2017 137'41 (81.0kg) 76th (35'36, 63'00, 78'00, 89'40, 105'52, 119'10; 18'30)

Interesting that in my best year I had my best descent of AS by quite a margin.

Not unhappy, was running reasonably well as far as about the Commonwealth Pool.

TT was very steep hill reps on Blackford Hill. Although I felt pretty good running there I was pretty rubbish at them. I do need to get some glute strength sorted somehow. Then to WahWahs for "biscuits and tea". Was very cold by end of 2nd pint.

Went to Kenny about sore shoulder. It is transferred pain from neck, he gave the impression he sees a lot of it. Quite a lot of neck manipulation plus 4 exercises (flattening neck against floor, pushing chin down against fist, turning neck to the right using towel to provide resistance, using pillows to hold neck up sleeping). No reason not to run. So....

Meadows 5k. Was aiming for precisely 4 min/k and hoping to finish feeling like I could do another 5k. No luck there - my spacewatch got the distance quite wrong (4.85k) and was telling me I was 6-7"/km slower than I was. It was hard work to keep up with what it was saying was 4 min/k and I doubt I could have done much faster. Beginning to feel like a while since I did long intervals. 2nd best result this year according to vdot however.

OK running at lunchtime, shoulder very sore again by end of day.