Saturday, January 28, 2012

Have To Be Quick

Haven't got long. I'm off out. Good training today though - as you can see from my route below. I went off on the wrong ridge on the way out to race - doh - but quickly realised my shadow wasn't in the right place and I wasn't heading north. So I whipped out the map, a quick dabble on the compass and I was back on track.I arrived without much time to spare, registered and headed for the start line.

I started slowly, sitting pretty towards the back of the field and slowly but surely - don't call me Shirley - worked my towards slightly in front of the back of the field.

My legs were feeling the earlier 10k to get to the race as I struggled on the climb but being a race you still work as hard as you can - at least I do. I was hoping to improve of the fast, slippy descent - and I did. I gained somewhere in the region of ten places as I skied my way towards the middle of the field.

By the time I was into the farm fields at the end I was puffing but it was all down hill and no one came back at me. All in all I pleased with my time of 31:12. Quite a bit slower than my previous 27:39 - but then I hadn't already run 10k and 1,200 feet of ascent on that day and nor was I carrying full kit and a few extra bits and bobs - well, you can't take short cuts with the mountain or she'll bite your arse!

No time for chatting after the race, I turned tail and headed back up the race route for the journey home - and I didn't take the wrong ridge this time. I covered a total of close to 25k and 3,500 feet of ascent which included the Longtown Fell Race. A good days training. Up tomorrow is another 20k and 3,000 feet of ascent but first I'm off to the Chepstow do...

Today's training, race, training route...

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