Training Log Archive: rcro

Bit of a token effort. Started a little bit as not long before the start.

https://www.strava.com/activities/3145310280

Spent the morning down the road supporting Newport HM. More than a little disappointed that the XC wasn't cancelled, but tbh as parking turned out to be ok there wasn't really any reason for them to cancel it. The revised parking was only £1/car rather than the £3/car they said so didn't have to be nice to Steve Harris for car sharing after all!

Really don't get very enthused by the Gloucester leagues and didn't really feel in the zone today. Maybe all the standing around this morning? Ground conditions weren't brilliant but not as bad as I thought it might.

Quite a lot of elevation too, but the big up wasn't nearly as severe as I remembered - it was the little one that was the problem, and the downs. Some tough contouring and corners that were not possible to take at speed, or moving at all.

Not many people out today - 88. Looking at the start looked like me/Jim/Jools/Scott/Simon would be maybe all in the bottom 10. Near the back out of the start but gained places steadily. Didn't give the hill 100% effort as if I did I wouldn't have been much faster but tired a hell of a lot sooner. Ascending better than the people around me so generally dropping people on each lap. Last lap caught a load at the top and easily overtook them and held to the finish.

Last XC of the season done. Easily my best finishing position. Will be keen or the Gwents again in the Autumn but next thing now is get ready for Rhayader in 3 weeks time.

https://www.strava.com/activities/3145313554

Weather was truly shit when we got there (after sunshine in Newport) - and regretted travelling very light as didn't have lots of layers. Was actually quite pleasant (but windy) during and after race.

Warm down jog and chat with Alex Hamblin (Westbury). Gave him the good news that we are Gwent enemies next season :-)

https://www.strava.com/activities/3145367858

Again very tired after so went for a long lie down. Probably should have an early night...

In the Forest as less chance of a cancellation - didn't want to drive miles to miss today's Parkrun!

Mallards as it has toilets (but would have much preferred Five Acres). Found Jools in the free parking so jogged down with him.

https://www.strava.com/activities/3140977404

After Martyn showed me this Parkrun challenges app last week, had to make sure I got out today as otherwise have a long wait to get a second chance at a 29th Feb Parkrun.

Lots of people at Mallards as Lydney was cancelled very late (it was flooded from first thing this morning so shouldn't have been such a surprise!). Lots of dogs too.

As leap day, course run in reverse, unfortunately been decided to make it 150m longer so that people's course PBs *should* be set on the normal route. I was 5s behind my course PB...

Dogs started fast, and I put in a decent effort. As it started going uphill pulled away to be 2nd human, but was struggling to keep the pace by 2k point. After the top was being reeled in by Faye Johnson, but in practice she only gained maybe 10s over 2.5km. Got one of the dogs with a k to go, making the most of the downhill, but really struggled on the last 500m flat, which turned into 600m flat as they'd set the finish back (as well as the start).

Not really much fun but wanted to have a go at a quick Parkrun - and nice to know that I would have been on about 19:00 on this route at the right distance. Sadly means I have to have another go on a day when it's not long and I'm not recovering from a cold!

On the plus side, Pete Ward only made up the one excuse for being a whole NINETEEN seconds BEHIND me - he was almost gracious in defeat!

https://www.strava.com/activities/3140980938

Slow warm down jog up to Cory, then with Jools (and Pete for a bit) for a normal direction loop of the course. Feeling the hills a lot more now, but good to get out for some extra miles at chatty pace. Returned to finish just as last people were coming in.

Very tired all afternoon - spent most of it lay in bed. Weather's been a bit shit so not missed out on much. Fingers crossed tomorrow's other XC is cancelled - parking moved to a different waterlogged field (£3 per car charge), down a road that is flooded. We can hope - would much rather do something else after instead after Newport HM is finished!

https://www.strava.com/activities/3140983806

Since I felt fine at home yesterday, went into work today and was mostly fine. Still had the one person sniffing, sneezing and coughing everywhere yet still insisting he didn't have a virus and wasn't infectious...

Not sure how hard I was able to go today as yesterday's was quite quick. Went for a reasonably rapid start, which felt quite hard, but built up to pace and had a clean run around the corners so hit the 1k point at 4:24, which I'd say is pretty good.

Pushed it hard from there - and very hard for the last 3k. Think it's the first time watch has been beeping <4:00/ks in the first half for this route.

Took another 33s off my door-to-door PB - or alternatively 1:21 since the start of the year. Bonus KOM on the ladder Western Ave+Glasllwch, now with a decent lead. Eeeked out another 2s on the long Risca Rd segment but still 6s off the record. Not sure I'd be faster if I really tried for it.

Cold is still there but symptoms seem very slight now. A bit of coughing up on the way down but nothing anything like as severe as previous few days. Hopefully I've escaped the worst of it!

https://www.strava.com/activities/3136911689/overv...

KM splits -------- 27/2/20 - 09/2/20 - 26/9/19
1 (+10m, -15m) - 4:25 ----- 4:30 ----- 4:41
2 (+10m, -15m) - 3:57 ----- 4:08 ----- 4:18
3 (+15m, -25m) - 3:53 ----- 4:03 ----- 4:21
4 (+30m) --------- 4:09 ----- 4:14 ----- 4:20
5 (+10m, -20m) - 3:49 ----- 3:46 ----- 3:54
5.5 (+5m, -5m) -- 1:41 ----- 1:44 ----- 1:37

Breaking up the day whilst WFH. Having had next to nothing to do in the office for several weeks now managed 8.5 hours solid actual work - helped by not being interrupted every 2 minutes!

Wasn't feeling great this morning so went into work to pick up laptop (company policy changed 14 mins after I went home yesterday so I now always have to carry it home every day :-( ) and back home by 8.15. Then felt pretty much fine all day - no coughing, sniffing etc, with only signs of cold being slightly sore throat at times and feeling hot for a bit. But I was wrapped in a duvet and on a phone call at the time...

Couldn't spend all day sat inside without going out, regardless of how sensible it is. Usual loop at fairly easy pace. OK to start with and on the downhill but started coughing up phlegm again from 3k point until after the end. Better out than in? Pace and effort were nothing spectacular but overall time was good as sub-24 and that's despite what could be a record number of stop-starts:
- lots of traffic at end of my road and then car rolled back at me as I ran behind it (400m in)
- recovery truck on pavement pulling out just around the corner (500m in)
- wait for slow car to pass (550m)
- car with door wide open completely blocking pavement so had to go right around (600m)
- wait for gap in traffic (untimed) (1.5km)
- dog walker with dog on long lead across whole pavement (1.8km)
- two cyclists on pavement with no way around via road because of parked cars (2.1km)
- car not reversing onto driveway (3.2km)
- two dog walkers moving very slowly around parked car half on pavement (3.6km)
- pedestrian coming at me but opting to walk in middle of pavement rather than to one side, forcing me into road and in front of moving car (4.7km)
- wait for traffic to pass (untimed) (5.1km)
- dog walker not looking before walking out across road (5.3km)
Really didn't flow well tonight!

https://www.strava.com/activities/3134309934

Good and bad news for the Cross Country now Singleton Park is too wet for cross country runners. Good - we're promoted! Ironically will now be up against my two former clubs Westbury and Lliswerry who've both been kicked up of the top division, and Chepstow for local competition. Our points score this year would have put us 5th/12 so quite safe.

Less good news is that it's now late entry fees for Welsh Champs and not sure it's worth the cost and driving to go up there a second day to get cold. Alternative is the free cross country in Alveston (hopefully without the air ambulance flypast this time)

A colleague at work has been coughing and sneezing everywhere at work without making any attempt to cover his mouth all week and when challenged gets arsy and protesting that he isn't contagious. I now have the symptoms of a cold - but seem to have jumped into the "coughing up" stage from a mild sore throat last night.

With it being cold and wet didn't see the benefit in going to the track, being out for a while, and doing a session (10x 400m) that my legs really weren't keen on. Much more sensible to stay close to home limiting total time outside to an hour and giving more time inside warming up.

Settled on easy hills, originally the flat hill next to Jeremy Parr's house, but then discovered one much closer to home (180m with 20m ascent) and did 10 of that instead. Noticeably against the wind towards the end but times all in range 41-43s. At the start thought about doing 12 given the short duration but the way I was coughing up during the recoveries didn't think it was worthwhile.

https://www.strava.com/activities/3131611292/overv...

8pm now, and have a nice hot water bottle and can think about going to bed if I want to.