Training Log Archive: MVB

Bit of a shorter trail race in preparation of the WRE in 2 weeks. Wasn't feeling well yesterday and had troubles falling asleep as well. Bit better today but still my longues felt like burning inside a bit. I decided to push hard for 40-45' and see where this would lead me. None of the good Macedonian trail runners on the start of the 14k so I figured that pushing 45' would be enough to slow down a bit near the end. I felt my heart rate was not close to the max (180-185), but I also felt that I would not be able to push it higher up.

I set the pace from the start and there were only 2 guys running with me. Keeping close track of their breathing it was clear I'd not have to go flat out to finish first. The first 8km were a constant switch of 2-300m uphills, alternated with some flat part, so I tried to push them to the limits a bit more on every uphill. One of them kept up for about 4.5k and then had to let me go but he did not completely crash as happened to the other guy. I decided to push hard to the top, then there was 1k of technical downhill were I tried to work my way down fast and focussed. After this was 5k (mostly) down to the finish were I lowered the heart rate to 170, legs were pretty heavy but breathing was great. Quite a lot of sections where I could see 2-300m behind me so I was never worried anymore. Happy to see I can get to this pace on a trail with this heart rate, and about how fast time passed, but a bit worried about how I've been feeling before and after the race this weekend.

Crossing fingers for the next few days.

Easy recovery, nice day out there but pretty windy. No matter which direction I was going it seemed like headwind.

HR doesn't seem to be correct once it gets over 160-170. Was dying on this strava section and max hr was only 180. One of the few Strava sections around of which I thought it would be real challenge but ended up taking it with quite a big gap. Good feeling out there.

Rev1, deel 1