Training Log Archive: FE

Drove back arriving at 2.15am and woke at 5am.

Discovered y'day, refuelling and faffling with clothing in an ultra "race" is harder than a MM as you need to keep with a group or in sight. Perhaps one ot two items of real food should be eaten in the first few hours- no idea what slips down apart from homemade rice cakes.

Event: BB Ultra (Brecon Beacons Traverse)
 

BB Ultra - W to E Traverse over the Brecon Summits, 9000 ft climb - Started at the mines W of Black Mountain (in BB) to Talybont.

Start to CP1 (16.5k, 800m) - Started at the back. By 4k caught people I yoyooed the rest of the race with. Around 10k pulled 5mins ahead on descent off Bwlch Gledd, then it was 6k over pathless terrain (half covered in tussocky short billberries) on a 120deg bearing to CP2. Got out compass that I discovered had a bubble & ended up 1.5k offline (won spot prize Race T-shirt for longest route!). Lost 20 mins to group despite fast descent to CP1.

CP1 to CP2 - (6k, 550m) - Started 15mins behind group, pulled back half on descent to CP2 & set off to CP3 with them.

CP2 to CP3 - (9k, 350m) - Couldn't match the others on the ascents losing 5 mins, pegged it back on the small flowing plateau paths/trods.

At CP3 we were late for the cutoff (also at CP2). The official had no phone signal and was enforcing the cutoff. Fortunately, the organisers decided by CP2 the leaders were far slower than expected allowing extensions to the cutoffs at CP2 & 3. One of the girls had a phone with a signal, leaving the official the awkward conversation of telling 4 others who had been retired 20 mins earlier they could continue.

CP3 to CP4 - (16k, 900m). Girls were 10mins quicker on the ascent of Peny Fan. Wind was 35 - 40 on the summits and took 5mins to get jacket on. Left hand v swollen. Caught them & two held runners on descents, then stopped again to get hat & gloves on (not feeling great). Whlist faffing the back marker appeared & told me I could contour round the next 150m summit with a few others. Towards the end of the ridge path all 7 of us (including runners held) formed one long snaking group. Having caught them again, I stopped for a gel (lightheaded). The whole lot bananned back within two minutes & decided to follow a lower path, I decided to take the path they rejected with 15m more climb on a good path & went from last to first. Then pulled 5 mins clear descending to CP4 & ran through it and was out of sight in the woods when they started trickling in to CP4 and was 15 mins ahead by the finish, just 3.5k further down the valley.

Had a 15+ lightheaded spells, some lasting up to an hour & nausea 3 times. Gels worked well, though most were probably caused by afib. Was going to pull out twice and after making up time on the descents to CP and a cheerful chat, carrying was the obvious thing to do. Calf started to twinge near the end so couldn't "run" on rocky paths, then eased on grassy paths & was fine on the gravel paths at the end.

Excellent route, the first half favoured orienteers over trail runners. BBUltra plan to have a winter race over the same route. It will make the Montane Goat like a picnic(!) with more climb in 2/3 of distance.

Saw chiro (Robert) for 45 mins. He couldn't believe anyone could be so stiff/tight in their hamstrings and lower back. R glute poorly firing, plus he did a brief massage of R calf. Hopefully, with the flossing it will help this w/e.
Changed mind and will "run" on Saturday- hopefully longest ever time wise.

From past experience it feels like a trapped nerve, so flossing leg nerves 3-4 times a day.

Nerve in calf inflammed, so possibly little muscle damage. Needs raising & resting regardless.

St Martha's Hill - 10mins walking, then 50% slow running.
Calf felt tight as I got out of the car so walked for 10 mins and called it a day after some trotting as it didn't improve. Awful timing, a week after finding MM partner and entering SLMM.