My Quantocks are feeling a bit tired....

It was an enjoyable little run this morning over the Quantock Hills. The race covered about 7 miles and 1800ft of climb. It was blowing a gale on the top, making it hard work but down below the top it was really rather pleasant - and it didn't even rain on us. It was an interesting course with a little of everything, steep climbs, steep descents, mud and a few streams to boot - that is, I got a booter crossing the final stream - but the gortex flyrocs definitely helped to minimise water intake - which was nice.

I was pleased to break the hour, 58:26, finishing in sixth place and only about five minutes down on winner (I think but not totally sure so don't quote me). Have to admit I put in some good hard effort early on in the race but then eased back once my position was decided - which I guess was about two thirds distance. No point in killing myself - it's only a race after all - but another one I shall be adding to the list of do agains. It was a good course, tough but fair and the competitors were a friendly bunch making it a nice friendly affair to be part of. Have to say thanks and well done to the organisers for putting on the race - one of whom won it - fair play.

I managed to get some OK footage of the race this time (still a little on the pointy down side but I've managed to cobble together the best bits). Video to follow later.

Thought for the day: Don't cry because it's over - Smile because it happened.

The Quantock Race

Bike test run

That is to say, I took the road bike I'm borrowing out for a quick (it's all relative) 10 miler to get used to changing gear and such like. Not sure if it's technically possible to get out for a test run on a bike (oxymoron alert) - I guess it's more of a test bike on the bike - but you get my drift.

Met Bitton's Pat S. over by the railway station while I was parking up. He was approaching the end of a two hour session - way to go Pat. If I can be half as fit as he is at his age I'll be well happy - he's practically super human.

Anyway, onto the bike - quite literally. I cycled along the Bitton to Bath cycle path. Straight out and back since it's about a ten mile round trip - the same distance as I will be racing next week. I was able to go much faster than I can on my mountain bike - even when I have the slicks fitted. Have to say the gear shifters were a little confusing. I could see a small switch on each hand grip but that only switched up through the gears. Took me a minute or two to work out that the down shift was a rotation of the break lever. Once I got the hang of that everything was fine.

I flew down into bath - I mean I was really quick - not I took off and flew into bath but it was much harder coming home as the wind was right into me. Overall though, it was a successful little session and hopefully it will stand me in good stead for next week - although I'm expecting to be well down the field as all the bike specialists will come tearing past after the first run. Hopefully, like last week, I'll be able to make back a few places during the final run.

Now it's time to turn my thoughts to the race tomorrow in the Quantocks. It's another fell style race covering about 7 miles and 2000ft of ascent. I'm going to take it steady and treat it as a hard training run - unless, that is, I loose control - which is quite possible, in which case I shall end up legging it flat out!

Thought for the day: A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station!!!

Rest day?

Well, the rest day didn't go quite to plan..... I took my kit to work in case Graham was heading out at lunch time for an easy one but we decided to hit the Dundry hilly run instead. Not only that, I ended up running rock solidly up the hill and then really powered along from the top. For the final two and half miles I was running a good few seconds sub 6 minute miles and the last mile and a half undulates in the upward direction. It was a cracking solid effort and I felt strong. In light of the hard week's training I've had it really was a great run. The calf muscles didn't even tighten up like they've been doing all week and as a bonus I no longer feel the tiredness I've been suffering during the last couple of days.

So how is it with me at the moment? I have to admit that over the last few weeks my enthusiasm for running has been waning. I've enjoyed my races and had some good results along the way. In fact, I guess, I've had my best few results ever but somehow it still felt like something was missing. Some of my passion for this great sport had deserted me. I've been getting out there, putting in the training, completing the sessions and generally running them as fast, if not faster, than I ever have. But somehow the fire has been lacking - until now, that is. This last week my desire has returned. The fire has been rekindled, the flame that had cooled, is once again burning hot.....

Thought for the day: Nothing is foolproof to a talented fool.

Today's run

Even more tired....

We were lucky with the weather tonight up at the zoo. It looked like we were in for a wet one but the rain held off and we made it round in the dry - excellent. It was ye olde, single lap followed by a small lap, times four with about 90s recovery. I was consistent again tonight with 3:00, 2:24, 3:00, 2:23, 3:01, 2:24, 3:00 and 2:23. For me, it was as quick as last week which was in itself was as quick as I've gone. The last couple of laps were tough and if it weren't for Lisa breathing down my neck on the very last small lap I wouldn't have made it round in the target zone. My legs were on a wobble coming up the final gradient but I just managed to find that little extra to keep the pace good.

I'm glad that's the last session of the week because I'm sorely in need of a rest. I'm beginning to flag a little. Don't get me wrong, it really has been another good solid week for me and I'm pleased with my performances. They've all been towards the quicker end of my spectrum, it's just I need a day off. I've run five days back to back including the duathlon so a rest is well deserved. It won't be much of a rest though as I need to get out on the bike on Saturday to have a practice ahead of the Castle Combe duathlon in a weeks time. Need to try and find a good route were I can burn some rubber....

Tired

Managed to get myself over to the track tonight. Didn't feel totally up for it. We were at full capacity tonight on the runners front but our intrepid leader, Rick, couldn't make it. The topic of conversation soon turned to our suspicion that he was off to the local footie derby, all tooled up and spoiling for some action. (Rick, only kidding - we known you wouldn't need to go tooled up :)

Session wise, we ran ten 400's - using the rotation technique (oh er misses) - as is makes the time go quicker. Nick was knocking out 65's for the first half but drifted out to 68's - still pretty good effort though. There was a bit of wind about tonight (but we won't mention who had the curry) - seriously though, the wind was strong into us down the home straight. I managed three at 75, then six at 74 and a final 73 to finish. I've gone quicker when only running eight reps but not when running ten so I have to be pleased - and I really felt tired tonight. Sean, Harry and Rob were somewhere in the middle, between 65 and 71. Sean missed one of the laps early on but we all joined together once we'd finished to shame him into running a final one solo to make up for it - and fair play he ran a 65 which was good going, especially considering he ran it solo.

Tomorrow it's off to the Zoo. Not sure if anyone else is going to turn up so I might be Billy no mates - that'll be nice.

PS. For the record, Sean's absence last week was due to him racing down at Street in a 5k and no other reason as previously implied, wink.

sMile and the world sMiles with you....

....jog and you jog alone. Tonight's Mile reps at Aztec were OK. I ran a reasonable session. Had to keep massaging the left calf after each rep on account of it getting tight but apart from that it was pretty good. Not quite the fastest I've run but still pretty good. Covered the four reps in 5:50, 5:46, 5:54 and 5:44. Not quite as consistent as I would have liked but you can't have everything.

Onto news of my next duathlon in two weeks time. A friend has kindly loaned me their road bike, which I picked up after tonight's session. At least I'm not going to stick out like a total amateur now that I don't have to use the mountain bike - even if it will be a dead give away by the way I ride! Now all I have to do is get out for a bit of practice.

Urgent update....

Duathlon results now in! Didn't think I made the top fifty - how wrong can you be ...... Top fifty, piffle, ...... top forty, oh yeah, ...... 36th out of 185 - have some. Got to be happy with that. Thought I did pants but it turns out I did pretty good on my first (and last) outing. The result is still not enough to make me change my plans and do another one though. One was definitely enough - but the result has brightened my day - definitely a case of polishing the dull side!

If you can't see the bright side of life....

....just polish the dull side. Well it is Monday after all.

Managed to get out for a run at lunch time with Graham and then headed off down the gym after work for an hour on the bike and a go on the weights. All in all a pretty good recovery day. The legs are not in bad shape after yesterday so I'm looking forward to the Aztec mile reps tomorrow.

Now I know you've all been dying to catch a glimpse of the cap-cam. So here it is in all (or should that be none of) its glory. You can see the quality design and workmanship. A little bit of string here, a bit of sponge there, a small elasticated Velcro band in army style camouflage effect - making the cap-cam almost invisible to the naked eye, a touch of sticky back plastic, an ostrich feather, the odd card board tube from a loo role and of course, an empty fairy liquid bottle....

Disclaimer: No animals were harmed during the manufacturing process

Episode Three: Revenge Of The Bike

Well, I think this weeks installment of 'Mad Runner: The Series', filmed live at the Cirencester Off Road Duathlon, 18th Feb, 2007, is slightly improved from episodes one and two. I think I managed to capture a bit more of the actual race this time! I over corrected a bit from last week to end up pointing slightly downward but bit by bit I'm getting there. In about ten or eleven more races it'll be there.

The transition to the bike was a bit rubbish. Had to improvise and shove the cap-cam on the tri bar and strap it up. I didn't want to waste too much time - I was in a race after all, got to take it a little bit seriously. So I just boshed it on and went. Unfortunately it ended up mostly pointing at the ground - can't remember that happening before!!!!. As the bike section went on it slowly slipped down more and more, pointing evermore ground ward. It was worth a bash though, so no regrets for trying. As that wise Nepalese Guru of mine would say, better to have filmed and pointed at the ground than never filmed at all - perhaps that's open to debate.

Anyway, here it is in all it's technicolour glory. Hope you enjoy....

The mug said it all

No, not me - I mean the memento mug, 'I Did It In The Mud'. To describe the mud on the bike section would not do it justice. Suffice to say on two of the four bike laps I got off and ran with the bike as it was quicker. In fact I actually made up a few places while I ran. I recon that could be a sensible tactic for future mountain bike duathlons - not there are going to be any. Never say never but you can take it from me that this is going to be the closest I ever come to saying never and meaning it!

The run sections were fine, I was well up the field after the first 2 miler, probably top twenty but as soon as we got to the muddy section on the bike I was pants. On the final 2 miler I gained somewhere in the region of ten places - these mountain bike types don't seem to be able to run but they sure as hell make up for it on the bike.

Regarding the bike, I have to say that my brakes were a real problem. It's so old they had only just invented the wheel when I bought it so it doesn't have any of those fancy disc brake thing-um-jigs. Consequently the mud just clogged in the old style brakes and added to the resistance. I recon that must have added a good few minutes.

Even with my crap equipment I still recon I managed to get in the top half of the field. I finished in 1:29, a bit slower than I had intended - I was looking for between 1:20 and 1:25 but I guess I have to be satisfied. My splits were, 14:36 for the first run, with a transistion of about a minute and a half. The bike section was around 58 minutes with about a minute for the transistion and then 14:39 for the final run. But when all is said and done it was still a PB! - but we all know the reason for that. Oh, and one final comment, I had to where my road running shoes as my trail shoes were too painful on the hell blister.

Anyway, here is the route (small lap - run, big lap - well, I don't have to say do I?)

PS Video to follow later today once it's been processed by Google

A little bit of fencing

No, I'm not talking epee or foil, I'm talking garden. I have six panels to replace after the recent wind and managed to get four replaced this morning. Boy am I tired though. May not have been the wisest decision I've ever made to do it this weekend but then again, as I'm racing every week I have to do it sometime. Think I may have injured myself in the process though. I bashed my knee while moving one of the panels - are they ever heavy. It's real hard work moving them on your lonesome. The knee is quite sore at the moment. Isn't that a bummer. I've been racing and training like a lunatic this year so far and managed to avoid injury. Then you do a bit of diy and take yourself out of action. Hopefully it will settle overnight so I will be OK for tomorrow. Now off to give the bike the once over....

That Friday feeling

Whoo hoo it's Friday. The weekend is here and on Sunday so will be my first ever duathlon. I am really looking forward to it. Not sure how well I'm going to apply myself to the mountain biking as I really haven't done much - that is, when I say not much I mean just the Saturday and Sunday ride I did a few weeks ago. But I recon that'll be enough (raises eyebrow to camera). My bike is a bit basic so I'll just have to see how I go. Still going to try for a top fifty spot though. Hopefully I can be as brave on the bike as I am throwing myself down a mountain. The run sections should be a doddle though - famous last words. But if you're wanting to join me then you're going to be out of luck as we have a full house with the event now sold out.

Training wise, my calf muscles are too tight to even contemplate running today. I was going to go for a five miler after work to ease this weeks sessions out of my system but I shall just do some gentle stretching instead. Hopefully I can get out for an easy one tomorrow.

Can't believe I ran so quick...

I've had a pretty hard week back in full training after Dursley on Sunday and the total write off that was last week after the Long Mynd. I honestly thought that tonight would be slow. My calf muscles were a little tight before the session and are a little bit more tight now but the session itself was absolutely brilliant.

We were up at the Zoo tonight and the turn out was low - of which I guess the Weston Prom Run can shoulder most of the blame. We've not done the exact same session before but my average lap pace tonight of each of the different laps was just plain quicker than I've run them before. In fact, the average was about 4-5s quicker and consistent as well - really consistent.

We started off with two big laps which I covered in 4:00 and 3:52 - OK, not the most consistent but I always tend to have a bit of a warm up on the first rep. Then we ran two repetitions of a single lap and a small lap of which I ran 3:00, 2:23, 2:59 and 2:24 - now I think you'll agree that is consistent. I was absolutely dying on the final two laps but I hung on to complete the session - and I'm glad I did. I still can't believe I ran that quick. My previous goes over the single and small have been anywhere between 3:00 to 3:09 and 2:24 to 2:28 but generally averaging about 3:05 and 2:27. So this week, on the back of a good session yesterday and the day before has been - simple put - a most excellent week.

School boy error....

Well, we had some school boy errors tonight at the track. I'm not going to mention any names because that would be nick picking. You could almost say it would be perNickety to name and shame but one from amongst us was caught committing a most heinous crime - jog recovering in the inside lane with oncoming runners. School boy error. And Sean was conspicuous in his absence - nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more, say no more.

On to the session. I was pleased with my run tonight. I was, as I seem to be becoming, ever consistent. Three 800's in 2:39, 39, 38 followed by three 450's in 1:21, 21, 20 and finished with three 300's in 54, 53, 52. I ran hard and the 300's were really tough work but worth it. The lads ran 9's, 5's and 3's and gave chase. I think it helped both me and them. They were able to focus and give chase while I tried to hold them off. Have to say Nick almost caught me every time. So well done Nick.

Now for a new feature on the blog. A feature I like to call, 'Follow The Mad Man' (or 'Run With Dave'). Yes, now you too can run the routes that other fear to tread. I shall be adding various routes as I run them. Tonight's route is from last Sunday's Dursley Dozen.