Training Log Archive: rcro

Recovery jog as legs really not wanting to work today. Mostly along the canal Llanover-Goytre and back but an early detour via some lanes on the way out.

Was a nice breeze going out so pleasant conditions for first 20 mins. Then it was really hot later on. This did coincide with legs waking up so was easily negative splitting.

Legs feeling much better now.

https://www.strava.com/activities/2307140509

Find I need quite a long warm up if I want to start fast. Legs feeling tired and weak the whole time.

https://www.strava.com/activities/2303882700

Back in March I’d said on a Tuesday evening that Easter Saturday might be my only chance to try for a fast Parkrun for some time, so I’d have a go at Cardiff. Then found out that Cory had had the same idea and it became a bit of a suicide pact with both of us targetting PBs and breaking into a new minute.

Prep for this hasn’t been great with legs struggling post Kymin/Tuesday intervals and this week’s runs haven’t been great. Didn’t sleep well last night and feeling ill all morning - worried about just missing my target and then being very disappointed if in low 18s.

Started in a good position as didn’t get held up. Was pushing, but it felt comfortable. Martyn appeared from the bushes 200 yards in and slowly worked towards catching and overtaking him, making sure to surprise him by shouting wtte of “cheating bastard” as I caught up.

First 2k were good, and felt like downhill. Worried that I was going too hard and would struggle, also looking at watch time/distance and at KM markers and aware I was behind time most of the way, and at best on for bang on 18.

From the turn at the bottom just had to push on. Started overtaking at a faster rate from here and was just a case of keep going as fast as I can and it’ll be over in less than 7 mins. Through the field, Cory was about the right distance ahead to beat me by 1 min at the end so gave a bit of confidence.

Went through 4k marker at 14:25 - so a 3:35/k would be enough. Pushed, got one last overtake, kept pushing. At 500m to go had 2 mins left so all not lost yet. Then with 58s left passing the 200m to go sign knew I’d got it.

Hard to be sure with corners and poor GPS, but think the first 4k were all quite consistent 3:37s (previous PB pace), with the last sneaking in 3:24.

Mission accomplished. Not a perfect run, but good enough; now start thinking that if everything slotted together I could shave off quite a lot more - sub-17 doesn’t *seem* impossible...

Cory was 16:52 so a successful outing for FODAC. He was, however, wearing the expensive shoes that take 4% off your time (so add that back on would put him at 17:33 ;-) )

https://www.strava.com/activities/2303883655

C • PB 5

Reasonably long warm down with Cory up the TT to the bottom of Hailey Park and back. Then walked the k down to Blackweir to find his family and dog. Legs feeling better at the end of it than they have since pre-Kymin (but don't think there's much running in them).

https://www.strava.com/activities/2303884351

Struggled through traffic, big holes in the road, no parking spaces and up the hill to support the Cribyn race. With it being holiday season, just 2 MDC runners this year (Stefan and Peter). Still maintain it is not a good race for me to attempt.

Nice day so stuck to the plan of an easy run from Caerphilly to Abertridwr and back. Pace was reasonably good as (1) ascent was a lot less perceptible and (2) legs felt a little bit better than they did on Weds/Thur. Still, was a few k further than I intended to run today.

Came back down the railway track - which was definitely downhill, but also definitely had a strong camber down to the left the whole way.

Several positives, but can't say I'm looking forward to trying to run hard tomorrow.

https://www.strava.com/activities/2301622940

Spent a few hours enjoying the sun in Caerphilly after. Seems today is first day of the year the path over the "islands" by the castle is open.

So, JK started today - and I wasn't prepared to pay the entry fee again.

Gather from the likes of Nopesport that the best bits from the sprint are:
* the website uses silly colours
* the results website is unreliable
* the silent start that orienteers keep asking for is too quiet

Really selling this "orienteering" to me! Didn't the sun shine? Wasn't there a fast paced and technical sprint race where the best in the country won? Should I take the complete absence of anyone mentioning the actual orienteering to be that it was (a) underwhelming or (b) excellent?

I walked around a castle and got a sun tan. Sure, there were geese and geese shit everywhere - but fundamentally, what I've got to say about today is a positive :-)

C • JK 1

Been a bit of a crap day. Train was an hour late into work this morning, then got a bollocking for daring to suggest we need some instructions or comprehensive training for a new complicated process we have to do and goes wrong 90-100% of the time... Got to 3.30 so just left then, and out to the Forest to look for snakes - and found none. Feeling very much in need of a break - seen that I've had just 2.5 days off so far this year, and even that time ends up worked back in travelling to London and Norwich :-(

Went over to Coleford to explore some bits of the town I didn't see on the MapRun, and check for any updates to put on OSM - then a road loop to the west. Original plan was to do Newland, Clearwell and Milkwall but already at 5k by Newland and legs pretty unhappy. Didn't want to do more than 10k anyway.

Cut back the direct way, with a short stop at an ironworks, then loop of Belle's field at the end. Need to do more stretching. Don't want a rest day tomorrow but will be going even easier.

https://www.strava.com/activities/2300036866

Queue for the tunnels was still over a mile long at 8.30. That's what happens when you get rid of the tolls...

Legs suffering quite a bit from yesterday's intervals. No speed at all so kept it steady. Went up to Cwmbran so that I could run in a few squares I've not been into before.

Took one wrong turn - so had to cut across a field where both ends had broken stiles that rolled quite severely with any weight, was quite a struggle to pick legs up and get over. Slowed the overall pace a bit further.

https://www.strava.com/activities/2297538288/overv...

Out to FoDAC to pick up my share of Sunday's cake.

Main session over by Parkrun but stuck on the track for 12x 402m with Marcus, Gavin, Cory and Fletch - so quite a fast group.

First 6 all anti-clockwise and starting together. Second 6 all clockwise, with us staggered at 5s intervals.

83, 80, 79, 79, 80, 77; 75, 77, 77, 77, 76, 77.

Struggling a lot today - both legs and breathing. Ended up topless for the last 3, which helped the breathing quite a bit. Would have liked it to be quicker, but not sure I've done that many 400 sessions much faster than this.

Quite a long time standing around afterwards before me and Cory went for a lap of Parkrun to warm down.

https://www.strava.com/activities/2294916103

Legs not up to much today