Training Log Archive: rcro

Another long run from Ogmore Vale with Ben, joined by Mark P today.

For most of the time, weather much improved on last week. Unfortunately most of the last 90 mins was "death hail" and not always very pleasant. Enough to turn the ground white and was pretty thick too.

From Ogmore Vale west to the trig at Pen y Foel, then on around to Blackmill and the trig on Mynydd y Gaer. Back around Gilfach Goch and the trig at Mynydd Pen-y-graig - and it was the last climb up to this where the hail began in earnest.

Seemed to take a lot longer than expected to get across the windfarm, weather not helping. Tried to avoid exposure by cutting into forest on way back - but the key footpath we needed didn't appear to be on the ground so had to detour by a pretty deep muddy/wet track and add an extra mile. Ben, however, is now well used to taking mile long diversions ;-) Contouring around the edge, got to a gap in the trees and was a wonderful view across the valley - well worth the pain.

Nice run and glad to have company to run with. Think that's this bit now ticked off and it's just the cycle path into Bridgend left to join up with Kenfig, and that can be done anytime on my own. Definitely looking forward to better weather as we come out of winter!

https://www.strava.com/activities/888696724

Event: Welsh Championships / Short Distance Champs & 2017 Welsh League Event
 

Welsh Champs on Merthyr Mawr. 8.8km Brown course.

Parked pretty close to the start - closer to -1 box than call up :-)

Early part of the course was in the new extension of map into the woods. Nice, but fairly easy - shame I made 2 notable balls ups. On 2, I misinterpreted contours so turned up late (90s), and then for 3 following the line from 4 and not 2 - so did two sides of triangle (30s). Improvement from there on! The new bit of map definitely a nice addition to the area.

Going into 8 (in the open) took a different "path" to what I thought and confused by the trees which I eventually worked out were the stream. Carried on parallel to stream before turning left and using "good judgement" to hit the control bang on effortlessly. Broadly straight to 9 and matching up the map well - caught Mark P as he was looking around near 20 and then we were pretty much together for remainder of run, chatting away and not really taking it too seriously. Benefit was that pace stayed reasonably good and didn't lose much time looking for controls.

Went quite to the left from 10 (on my own - a few others went to right with Mark) and came out at the gate ahead of most so it must have worked. Got 13 without trying - expected it to be more challenging. Slight miss on 14 (30s) - expected it to be less challenging. Through the wood down for novelty and me and Mark split for the latter part - the woods I went through just after the fence corners were slow and brambly (cut my arm :-( ) so his way was better.

45s or so lost in circle at 16. Not paying attention to map (it was raining). "Led" Ben into 18, which was quite a drop. OK on 19 and 20, but the diagonal straight path came a bit sooner than I had expected. Had caught a Wrekin guy (I think army) at 19 and stuck on tail all the way from here on.

Thorn in top of foot after 20 was hurting a lot and had to stop just before 21 to try and adjust shoe to reduce the considerable pain (unsuccessful). I don't think this leg went so well due to distraction, poor plan and no checking the map so down to luck that got to control fairly quickly.

Straight forward from there on in.

Enjoyed this today. Nice course and no *huge* mistakes.

https://www.strava.com/activities/887371551

With Ben D, Enid and Mark P. Definite improvement.

Also improved fuel economy - working out the most efficient way to drive. 60.8mpg for trip but peaked at 61.7 before getting stuck behind an idiot who didn't seem to know how roundabouts work

Another adhoc MDC session with Ben. This time just Will joined us - but made for a good (and young, for MDC!) group.

As a clear, dry evening and wind dropped, went right to the top of the Garth and did 6x bench to trig. c.400m with 50m climb. Quite a good effort as it gets progressively steeper and it's hard to start with a pace that you can still sustain at end of final effort! Jog recovery and after lap of bench would go straight into next effort)

Felt like a hard session, but not as hard as I expected given legs pretty tired from yesterday's drowning. Times:
2:19 (this was shorter as started up from the bench)
2:27
2:24
2:25
2:26
2:20

Fairly happy with consistency.

Not too adventurous with the warm up/down route, but hopefully Marcus approves of the length, and inclusion of wood. GPS lost signal completely for a few minutes on the warm down - no idea what happened.

Interesting fact - three consecutive MDC runs without Marcus, and also three consecutive MDC runs without bramble :-)

https://www.strava.com/activities/885409811

Having looked at GPS plot in more detail - completely offset for the whole run. Not good.

Lliswerry flat intervals in foul weather. Torrential rain for the jog out, but eased - but strong winds which were against for almost the whole time except for short bursts on jog back.

7x loops over the river.
First 2 loops 1x 450m, jog, 1x 120m (this short one was barely an effort as the brick surface was so slippery), jog
rest 2mins
Next 2 loops 1x 450m, jog, 1x 470m
short rest 1min
Then 2 loops 1x 1060m
short rest 1min
Finish 1 loop 1x 450m, jog, 1x 470m

Times pretty consistent given wind
450s: 1:41, 1:43, 1:43, 1:43, 1:41 (the two longer ones passed this end point at 1:46 both times)
470s: 1:53, 1:51, 1:51
1060s: 4:13, 4:13

Not a bad session and should make up for eating *lots* of cakes at work.

https://www.strava.com/activities/884077048

Home from Tesco in under 3 hours is another bonus.

Adhoc MDC run with Ben from the Ty Nant - and managed to persuade Mark Buxton, Will, John, Alan and Hayden to join us.

Same route as last July but skipping out the Gary route where I died. Pretty muddy.

No strava since the Amazon cloud server has gone down and taken the whole western world (excluding Attackpoint and Polar) with it.

Food turned up within 5 mins of ordering - very good. And drive home at very economical 58mph gave astronomic fuel economy of 59.7mpg by Tredegar Park and 59.5 once home (according to trip computer). Progress... but really noticed just how quiet and smooth it was on an empty motorway :-)