Training Log Archive: rcro

In the Cotswolds so running a loop of Minchinhampton Common. Breezy and cool but otherwise a nice day with rain holding off until afterwards. Started on the top so getting elevation in wasn't going to be easy. Did a few downs and ups on the loop to get some in.

Pace not super hard. A few points where trainers weren't quite ideal shoe choice, just nice to be on soft ground after yesterday's maprun.

https://www.strava.com/activities/2949062171

A feeling rubbish warm up.

https://www.strava.com/activities/2946313451

Had been told conditions were getting properly bad but they weren't nearly as tough as back in 2013. Legs totally wrecked and stomach not great, was in a traffic jam early on but didn't exactly feel easy.

Got clear of the 5 ahead on the muddy bit up to 1k marker by running through the mud and maintaining pace so was leading. The rooty section by the sawmills, and mud after, was really hard work so was giving pretty much everything in the mud for not a huge amount of speed. Lap 2 had some interesting bits that were hard going, and the sawmills were a lot more churned up second time round. but comfortably held the place for the win.

Quite a turn in fortune - went from never having won to a 3-time winner in 4 Parkruns. Confirms what I'd been thinking for a while that I should have won pretty much every week since it got muddy.

https://www.strava.com/activities/2946314346

Starting off the MapRun Christmas Challenge at Berry Hill since already here. Including me, 8 people got a result across 5 different courses today so has got some interest.

I really wasn't going to take this seriously, legs had little in them, especially uphill, and probably should have brought trainers given how much road I was going to do.

S-17-25-9-10-30-18-27-28-20-29-19-8-5-21-6-13-2-1-F. Just about in time.

Went south to visit all the checkpoints I didn't back in June, finishing with Berry Hill where I could do as much/little as I had time for. Stopped for the toilet early on and nearly cost me a penalty at the end, not helped by phone managing to unlock itself 5 mins from the end and beep constantly.

https://www.strava.com/activities/2946554439

Still feeling knackered. Weather not totally great and didn't really want to drive anywhere as suspect will be doing a lot of miles over Christmas. 5 mile loop from home to get some hill in. Moving better through the second half which meant average pace was actually pretty good.

Nose running a bit so a good excuse not to do the transfan, having been double booked and unsure what to do.

https://www.strava.com/activities/2944799692

Feeling knackered all day. Christmas holidays now at last!

Event: SWOC Street Event 4
 

Another wet evening but was forecast to pass just before 7, which it did. Put phone in bumbag, and again had the problem where I couldn't hear it beep the start (yet could at other checkpoints mostly fine) - not sure if the app beeps the start and finish more quietly? Given the choice would change the beep to be something more obvious anyway as had an email come through with same beep about 10s after passing second checkpoint. Will put in a request for the next app update if I get round to it...

S-12-6-19-33-13-2-32-14-22-42-15-3-25-23-26-5-16-17-11-7-4-20-24-8-F. 530 points.

Didn't start super fast as had spent so much time faffing (third start lucky!). Went from 33 to 13 as map made it look as though there was clearly no way out of 21 to the north - when if you look closely there is path in the hedge, so 30 pts binned for 30s extra time. By about 32 was really feeling my legs were struggling - uphill felt very hard, guess not recovered from yesterday yet. 22-42 and around 15 felt like a lot of up. On way to 25 was thinking of cutting short and heading back as had nothing left in me.

23 was an interesting control site as needed careful thought as to the best time to fit it in, so got it out of the way early and could avoid the middle on the way back. Came close to taking a wrong turn on way to 16 but fortunately it was on Clare's road and the road I turned into had the wrong name... Similarly benefitted out of a cut through by Mark's house - which is what tempted me to do the bottom loop rather than just had straight back through the park to finish. Still had 2 mins left at the end so reasonably happy with that.

Add 21 (30 points on) and think I'd have had joint 2nd, which isn't bad given how the legs were!

https://www.strava.com/activities/2941768642

At the track to catch up with a few friends. Session was 6 laps, then 4x 2 laps - with 1 lap jog recovery, followed by 2x 1 lap with 200m jog recovery. Never going 100% as haven't had a rest day for a while.

Paces (/km)
6: 3:55
4: 3:44, 3:44, 3:48, 3:45
1: 3:36, 3:27

Cold but had to take layers and gloves off - so down to base layer and shorts for most of it. Fog was quite thick so couldn't see the corners of the track from half way down the back straight.

https://www.strava.com/activities/2939555027

Twmbarlwm from Risca with the Monday night crew. Steady chatty pace up with Keith/Adam/Ben, steady chatty pace down with Mark and Alice - so swapped places with Meg!

Nice evening to get out and eaten far too much good food after. Thanks Mark & Alice!

https://www.strava.com/activities/2937424677

First time with latest new torch and seems pretty good for [apparently] only 450 lumens. I'm happy with it so far.

Also first day of commuting on [partially] electric trains. My prediction for months was that the new train timetable would fall apart by 7.30 on the Monday morning but turns out it was 8-8.30ish when it really went to pot. Coming home was surprisingly on time but no records despite a very clear run in.