Training Log Archive: rcro

Event: Wales Middle Championships and 2016 Welsh League Event / Welsh Championship
 

Stop off on way up to Blaenavon.

Slow start - against the wind for the first 700m (and we had it twice!), and lots of sharp corners and changes of gradient to stop you getting into a flow. In roughly second place all the way, dropping those behind on the hill and when against the wind.

Quite a nice route - but think I'd still prefer Newport for a close one. Given the breaks in flow think it is actually harder than Pomphrey Hill - but still easier than Newent.

https://www.strava.com/activities/509250016

Results currently unavailable due to hardware failure. A shame but still a good run for the money. The volunteers are offering to put in results manually where known - shows real commitment and just how much their care about their Parkrun.

Slow jog up to the start

Welsh "Middle" (Short) Distance Champs. 4.2km brown.

Hesitant in to 1 - just not sure the paths are mapped right on the new map as had same trouble here last time.

Slow route to 4, and by now began to appreciate that the newer mudclaws are rubbish - feet were feeling really lose and getting no support, hence having to slow down even more in rough terrain...

Abandoned original route to 5 as was too steep for dodgy balance with dodgy shoes (1 min).

Overshot 9 as didn't seem to be much to go on (never saw the mapped pond, but maybe an unmapped one...). Control was quite hidden and by this point there had been nobody in front of me for a while so couldn't be led in. Eventually found it from the train of people behind me - a bit bingo-y but to be fair I had gone back into 1:10000 mode. (75s)

A little bit annoyed by now. Had to stop just after 10 to sort out shoes (45s) and then just coasted back leaving Cecilie to lose time looking for the controls - which did well for me on 11. Generally quite easy navigation back and able to tick off the features and work off contours but had lost interest by now.

Having run 2 hours earlier didn't slow me down that much but did mean I was never going to be competitive today. Still should have been on about 33 mins today and time loss above confirms it.

https://www.strava.com/activities/509258693

Checking controls on first half of brown and black maps. Walked start to 13 in one hour dead - so should hope runners are a bit quicker. Only one mistake (1 min and walking pace) - same one as I made on first visit, but to be fair I wasn't using compass (or the map, most of the time).

Lovely afternoon if a little too warm for wearing 2 coats and gloves. Beautiful woods so quite a nice walk. Not GPSed today but expect to run around the last 53(!) in the morning.

Wow - Focus says that a BOK race in April will have women in all three official rules. Highly admirable, but going to the effort of asking for a note to be put in Focus seems even more petty than the person who went to the effort of complaining to WOA about my under-qualification! Could it, by any chance, have been the same person :-)

C • Seems totally irrelevant 1

Little Stoke winter course as usual. 5.5 min gap ahead of me so again down to pace myself and not have people in the way (apart from two enforced stops due to people walking dogs with massive leads - one half way through my sprint start!)

Despite feeling a little unwell again this afternoon, v quick start and thought I'd see if I could get sub 19. First k was well on track but didn't appreciate the wind gusts and lap 2 in particular was tough on the cycle track straight. Lap 3 similar pace but, as normal, did last lap harder and pushed through the wind better.

Decent sprint finish to make up for Saturday to win by 2s. Really shouldn't be possible for me to keep doing this! (but now really do need to set a PB to stand a chance.

A little disappointed to just miss 19 - but factor in the dog stops and the wind being a lot lot stronger than the calm day of my PB it still does mean making good progress.

https://www.strava.com/activities/507882833

Continuing Lliswerry's theme of working to HM/marathons - tempo out and back along the steel works road - billed as 4k each way but actually 4.37k(!).

Most people set off quicker than I wanted so kept an eye on watch to stay over 4 min/k and targetted 4:15-4:20 pace out - seemed to do this quite well, and didn't slow down much for the last mile of the effort which was in the pitch black!

Return was less easy, running into a hurricane - mostly around 4:35 pace but speeding up a bit towards the end. Didn't notice the dark so much. Given I struggle so much against the wind really pleased to be only around 10s/k slower on 2nd effort to 1st.

Most of group 3 ducked out of this session (weather or "taking it easy" pre half) - so after finishing jogged back to sweep Brian as he was alone at the back. Have a lot of respect for him doing the full distance.

https://www.strava.com/activities/507151211/overvi...

Now HM and marathon season has started seems like Lliswerry are easing off hills...

Around the river, felt quite hard but was slow enough to chat all the way round. Legs been a bit tired since the weekend.

Home via Ridgeway to get a bit of height in.

https://www.strava.com/activities/506337697/overvi...

A struggle. After giving up for second time went for a long run following linear features. Think I should learn my place and stick to orange standard in future.

https://www.strava.com/activities/504605751