Training Log Archive: rcro

Easy paced recovery taking in quite a bit of elevation and an explore behind the army barracks.

Pretty warm - and was suffering later on. Not good after so had to lie down in the dark for a bit.

http://www.movescount.com/moves/move217326348

Spent some time this morning stretching and making sure knee wasn't seized up. Little expectation for running well - and given lack of decent training - so aimed to start near the back and just enjoy it. Definitely wasn't a great deal of speed - but it took a huge amount of effort!

Some lessons learned... (1) it's a really tough course, (2) when the car says its 14C outside it really means 34C, (3) I should take food and drink with me if I don't want it to feel even harder.

Stuck in traffic up the road, but it cleared up after second gate and was able to get moving. Ran a lot of the first climb but struggling and not really making headway against anyone else. Didn't shortcut at the start which cost me a bit of time.

Did shortcut to Mynydd Llangorse, which got me level with the person in front - who's an occasional orienteer from somewhere near Oldbury Court. Talking to him along ridge line then spotted a nice looking trod in corner of my eye which cut down the left side ever so slightly and was smooth. Maybe took a worse line at start of main descent but once on the grass it was fast.

Again made little headway up Mynydd Troedd, but didn't think there was much running to be expected. It was, however, much steeper than I thought - pretty much a Blorenge. Towards the top went over to the right up the path as was told it was faster and runnable. Not much running to be done but did get some breathing space from Sasha.

Descent was hard on the knee. Pretty dry though and incredibly steep. Wouldn't like it in the wet. Lost 5 places but gained 2 by walking all the way up the last climb. From the cairn down was just a case of holding on - and pushing pretty hard. In a sprint finish all the way down the road so by the end was completely ruined and barely able to stand (and I didn't get passed).

For all the leapfrogging Sasha and Matthew ended as a pretty decisive victory for me - and I'm not in good shape. Couldn't have given it much more based on current fitness.

All in all a good result.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1567510158

Pleased to see the newly redesigned roundabout between Cwmbran and Pontypool has been redesigned again... Any common sense or traffic study would confirm 99% of dual carriageway traffic goes right or straight on - so dedicating 50% of the road capacity to the <1% turning left would be stupid. Why did they have to wait until it they saw the mess it was causing before realising? Assume the Welsh Assembly specced it... Hopefully common sense will stop their similarly dreadful (soon tba) plans for the Valley Lines trains before that gets proven to be another disaster!

First time there's been no empty seats left on one of the new 10-coach trains. After 30 mins sat at Parkway was then cancelled and everyone turfed off to catch the following 7-coach train... Ended up net to a group of teachers from London talking about "Caz the hat" - could be a long trip for them tonight with the trains stopped west of Bridgend

Managed to confuse myself and think catching the 7.10 train would get me into office at 7.10. Realised mistake at 6.30...

Sunshine again this evening.

Legs very dead and feeling tired - think my days are too long for amount I'm able to sleep.

Pretty slow out to Tredegar Park via Gaer fort both ways. Explored the "Tim Longley" path under the motorway, which was mostly complete (but rough), with only around 50m on the river bed. Moving better on the second half of the run.

Another day's annual leave deferred into June (my choice) so at this rate will be a professional athlete for 2-3 weeks; Just need to get knee sorted and start sleeping!

https://www.strava.com/activities/1562846384/overv...

Cardiff street-o in Heath Park.

Legs pretty dead but mostly moving ok. Mapping a bit "iffy" in places - but serves a purpose and had no trouble interpreting it early on.

Couple of time losses - 9 where I stopped a junction early (they were about 3 paces apart) - went back and up the wrong track. Think I did this last time. Looking at GPS, think the "wrong" path is closer to the "right" one than mapped, but most of the error was my own for not reading the map carefully enough.

Another loss on 13 as didn't find the indistinct path I was looking for so had to go around quite a long way. Again not totally sure the veg/tree canopy is quite correct but I know what these paths are like and was willing to take the risk.

It's a nice park to run around so enjoyable, even if I didn't win. Appeared to be a decent number turn up tonight.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1560800739/overv...

Marshalling Craig yr Allt summer race. Jog to start and along the race route to my point, stopping to talk to a few people on the way.

Knee not great and legs very much not used to hills any more.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1558607264

Finished quite promptly and opted for the shorter flatter route back so would be back before everyone else had finished.

Ate a lot of food after so feeling pretty full. Been a very long day as in work for 7.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1558602618

Having a very easy day. Walked from Swansea to the Mumbles and back.