Training Log Archive: rob s

Running in the nice forest around the cross country course in Darmstadt. Strides and stuff too

Darmstadt cross country short race. Was going to do the 10k but it meant waiting another 3.5 hours until the start so the short course was a better option. Was an open mens race as well as the Euro XC selection for U20 men from Germany, Switzerland and Austria I think. Lots of fast track guys anyway. The course was 5 laps and one smaller lap, it was so dry underfoot but loose and sandy in places. No hills except three short steep 5 second embankments every lap.

I started really quick to avoid getting caught out all the sharp corners early on. I found myself in 3rd just behind a Swiss guy and an Ethiopian (both juniors). The first mile was 4.40 and it felt seriously painful. There were lots of guys just behind so I just kept trying to stay with the pace and see what happened. It got slightly slower each lap for me and the Swiss guy because it was so hard to keep up that pace with all the corners and sandy sections. We held on to 2nd and 3rd and I was a few seconds behind him on the last lap with the gap ahead of 4th probably 5-10s. He seemed to pull away with 1km to go then slowed down lots with 300m to go. I put in a bit of a sprint 200m from the line then he sped up and pulled away and I didn't think I could get him. I still had a bit left in the tank so I stuck on his shoulder then passed him in the last 100m to get 2nd. He wasn't too happy about it but I had to make the most of actually catching someone in a sprint. It was a good hard race and I haven't done anything so painful for a long time

Up and down Rechberg from Strassdorf. Nice clear weather and warm too

Running in the forest from Strassdorf with hill sprints at the end. Legs feeling reasonably good. Also nice to be running in warm sunshine

From Strassdord over Rechberg and Stuifen. Some steep climbs. Did strides at the end

Last day in rain land. Long loop going over to Ballogie and back by shooting greens. Raining very heavily so it felt quite cold and not so fast

Warm up on the forest paths then long cool down over Tom's Cairn after the session. So much mud and water

3km, 2 x 2km, 3 x 1km all with 3min jog recovery. Good session but wind and heavy rain again. Got a bit cold after the first one but felt better for the last half of the session

Jogging between reps

Loop from Finzean through the forest and along the river, too much water on the paths so not very quick. Hill sprints at the end

Peter Hill from Finzean, coming back through forest of Birse. Feeling fine but rubbish weather again, so wet.

Short run along the Finzean footpath before dinner