Training Log Archive: rcro

Done a lot of miles this week so short one today - and no point driving far. Around the park in Cwmbran. Feeling like I might be sick for a lot of it so wise not to be going too far.

Rain was promised but didn't happen. Still very hot and sunny - already starting to forget what rain is like.

https://www.strava.com/activities/5423550388

Another hot day with strong sunshine. Had a rough route in mind but no parking spaces available so had to think up Plan B - and drove on to Yarkhill for a loop around Shucknall and Monkhide.

Some trouble with footpaths. After getting fed up of road took the first footpath that came (not signed), and after the first field it was completely impassable so had to go back and along the main road instead. At least got to see the spout this way, not super impressive.

Climb up was pretty slow due to heat, but nice cottage at the top. Footpath through the woods was quite pleasant but on the Westhide side signs everywhere telling you to keep out. Then back up to get the trig, sticking between the "keep out" signs. After the trig the footpath just didn't exist so more doubling back to go around the bottom.

Monkhide felt like it took a long time to come, but the Skew Bridge was nice. Would look a lot better from underneath but didn't see how to get down. Then a lot of guessing to get back, which fortunately worked.

The llamas in the field opposite the car were all sat in the barn. Clearly not the weather for them.

https://www.strava.com/activities/5417017744

Not super motivated again but did get myself out. Down to Bishops Frome for a road run out to Acton Beauchamp and back via Halmonds Frome. Bright sunshine and hot today.

The church at Acton Beauchamp wasn’t that impressive, nor in a very prominent position, but the top of the hill had very clear views of the golf balls on Clee Hill. Generally a lot more climbing than I remembered - but haven’t been down these lanes for around 25 years now. Surprised none of the road signs directed you back to Bishops Frome, seems “Firlands” is the dominant location.

https://www.strava.com/activities/5411650638

Today’s crash on the main road was a traffic light that went into a car. Quite a lot of very slow cars being driven very badly (slamming brakes on ahead of corners, or crossing the centre line to the point that all 4 wheels were on the wrong side of the road, or just dangerously slowly - generally all over-70s in drivers seat...) - last couple of days have encountered the highest number of these than for very many years.

Looking for places to go but talking myself out of driving to any of them so pleased to hear Mark and Alice were passing through so invited them to stop off at Bromyard to explore some of the bits near home.

Did enough to show the steep bits and get views across to Malvern, May Hill, Black Mountains and Titterstone Clee; a bit hazy so anything further wasn’t clear. And the drive out should have given them the full A44 experience as an idiot had crashed into the brick postbox in Broadway this morning (set well off a straight road in a 30 speed limit...) and had the fire brigade out rescuing them from the bus shelter. You know when you are home...

Overall, just what I needed - slow paced off-road chatty run.

https://www.strava.com/activities/5406359808

Not really wanting this as well off form so left the fast shoes at home, started at the back and tried to do my own thing. Warmed up a lot after the start so quite unpleasant and still had to work pretty hard to get around 19.

https://www.strava.com/activities/5402553791

Extended warm down giving the others another mystery tour. A lot more sweaty than for the race, but cooler

https://www.strava.com/activities/5402554071

Easy run down to the riverfront.

Thought it was 20C again but turns out it's 24C here and found it very hot (and windy) so the easy run turned into a struggle once by the river, and found the hill at the end hard.

Reduced my expectations for tomorrow further. If the weather is like this I may drop back into the 2nd race as sub-20 may be more effort than I want to put in at the moment.

https://www.strava.com/activities/5396298106

Nice email from Welsh Athletics this evening, confirming that I exist and am Welsh again after seemingly falling into the gap between England and Wales 2 weeks ago. I guess I'm a difficult case, but they still seem to like me.

Longish run with Dan Sandford from Little Doward over to Buckholt and Welsh Newton - ticking off some more squares on my Hereford hit list. A bit cool to start with but sun soon cleared the clouds and fairly warm.

Quite a lot of trouble with footpaths at various points. Long old climb up at the start with a bit of wobbling around as signage poor - but the trails in the woods on the top were nice and worth the effort.

Second climb up mostly through fields and we went a bit wrong ending in a parallel field with an awkward bramble/nettle/barbed fence crossing and steep climb to get back on track. Doesn’t seem the actual route is walked often as the way we went at least had a trail we were following. Pyefinch Wood was nice to run through, grassy track was good, if not totally legal.

Crossing the road to Buckholt proved to be problematic as tried to cut the corner to the footpath above (reasonably passable to start with) but never actually found the footpath beyond. Did a lot of slowish contouring on trods between undergrowth, ducking under trees etc, and managed to get me feet caught on a big fallen branch that tripped me - fortunately just bloody knee and thorn in thumb as could have been a lot of prickles and falling if a couple of steps further. I think we managed to cross 3 footpaths before the vegetation changed and we could climb up the bank (not on a footpath) before eventually finding footpath #4 and being able to carry on. Need to have a good look at the map to work out what was going on here! On the positives, got to see some nice earthworks and a ruin by taking the less travelled route.

More straightforward from here on. Dan had planned to loop around Skenchill too, but didn’t like the overgrown footpath at the start, expecting it to get worse, so we wimped out onto the road. Got a bit of head deep oil seed rape instead - running is much harder with arms above your head.

Mostly but not all downhill the rest of the way but longer than I expected. Stopped on the top by a row of moles tied to a fence to take in the views up the Wye valley. Once last problem following the bridleway off the top as it didn’t seem to carry on down - but we hid it well by taking a pleasant trail around and jumping a fence to get back where we started.

Hot day in the end, and tiring a lot of the end, but very glad to have got out and done it.

https://www.strava.com/activities/5388254239