Impromptu Holiday

With my car not quite getting through its MOT yesterday I was forced into a day off today. I decided to go for the 9km May Hill loop and it went quite well. I was quicker than the last time - always a good thing - but, slightly disappointingly, a few seconds slower on the final, short climb to Hobbs Quarry. I definitely need a few good hill and speed sessions to put the finishing touches on the training. I finished off with a 15 minute cool down on the bike.

Anyway, my wheels are now back on the road, so it's off to work I go tomorrow...

Overcooked It...

I attempted to run some intervals tonight. It didn't quite go to the plan. The rep is 700m from the end of the road to the church and slightly uphill on the outward rep. I warmed up by jogging to the church to start with a downhill rep - and from there it went a little wrong. I legged it way too fast. Hitting the first rep in 2:22. With 90s recovery done I slowed significantly on the uphill to 2:50. I was fading fast. With another 90s recovery I ran the third in 2:35 and I decided to call a halt as I was struggling, having burnt myself out setting an unrealistic pace. I guess that's what comes with being out of practice. I shall learn the lesson and pace it better next time. I finished tonight's training with 30 minutes on the bike and some core work. Week 22 has begun...

Week 21 Ends On A Restful Note...

My legs were sore, mainly the quads, so I decided to pull a rest day. Just a leg easing hour on the bike. Hopefully I will be fit for action tomorrow.

That Was Hard Work...

My legs were feeling heavy after yesterday's run. Not sore just heavy. I decided on the clockwise Flaxley loop and set out early afternoon. Unsurprisingly it wasn't long before I knew a PB was unlikely at best. The first climb into the woods from the road was damn hard work. Despite the heavy legs I was determined to make it a solid workout and pushed on in the second third of the route but I came to a grinding halt on the final climb. From there I decided to bide my time, get to the top and then push on again.

I was surprised to finish only a few seconds slower than last time. Even more surprising was that Strava tells me my times for the first two climbs were actually quicker than last time. I lost all the time on that third, steeper climb, which brought me to my knees.

Not sure how my legs are going to feel tomorrow - probably not good. Hopefully I will be able to carry out the plan of three runs in a row. I'm entering the last few weeks before The Comeback so really need to maximise any gains.

Stonking Good Run

I got over to the Malverns mid morning and set out with the intention of bettering my last run 26 days ago. The wind was stronger than I expected but other than that conditions were good. The splits, that I had so carefully calculated and written down last night, remained on the piece of paper on the table in my living room - bloody waste of time that was. I could recall just one split, 62 minutes to the Worcestershire Beacon on the way out and the total time 2:24.

I found it hard going and didn't feel I was going very well. Thoughts of it being a disappointing run very quickly started forming in my mind. I kept going but it never felt good. As I headed over Pinnacle Hill, the distance I had to cover and the hills in between I had to climb to reach the Worcestershire Beacon looked impossible to achieve the 62 minute split. I dug in and pushed on, not really believing I could do it.

Impossibly I seemed to eat up the ground between there and Summer Hill - that's the hill before the Worcestershire Beacon. As I started the climb to Summer Hill I realised I could probably make the hour after all - and so I did. Buoyed by the fact I was going alright I pushed on. Despite being out of the comfort zone I was feeling more positive that it was going to be a good run after all.

As I neared the Hereford Beacon on the way back I began to realise I would be well inside the time from last time. I should add that last time's run was 400m longer due to parking in a different car park but I adjusted the target time accordingly. The big question was by how much...

I got back to the car in 2:14. A full ten minutes quicker than last time (adjusted for distance). Route distance today was 22.5km with 1170m ascent. An improvement of 22 seconds per kilometre average pace. Really pleased with that.

Got My Splits All Set...

Going for the full Malverns again tomorrow. I've made a note of split points along the route so I can monitor how I'm going. Then moving into the weekend proper, as this week has been a little light, I'm intending to run all three days. Haven't decided what or where yet for Saturday or Sunday but ideally I'll average an hour a day.

Twenty One

Week 21 begins with a 2000m row, gym bike and ab-crunches. I'm still feeling Saturday's long run in terms on feeling fatigued but my legs aren't sore so I must be getting stronger. Undecided on what session to run tomorrow...

Think I Might Have Caught The Sun...

It didn't look like I would when I set out from Talybont reservoir at about half past ten into the drizzle. It looked ominously grey with the tops shrouded in mist. I made my mind up to run the anti-clockwise version but missed out the crappy road bit at the start. Other than that it was the full Brecon Beacon's fell race route. I even added the small summit of Twyn Du rather than take the trod around.

Forty five minutes in I was starting to slowly broil but luckily the drizzle finally eased and I could take my waterproof off. It didn't rain again so there wasn't all the faffing of on, off, on, off this week.

I took things steady as I knew I had a long way to go. I felt pretty good up to Cribyn, Pen y Fan, Corn Du, the ridge run and the forest track but began to fade into the second to last climb, up to Pant y Creigiau.

I struggled across the ridge but kept pushing. To be fair, it was mainly a 'fueling' issue... I haven't quite got into the routine of fueling during the run. It's only these last few runs where I've needed to. One gel and and energy drink is probably quite a bit light for a 20 miler mountain run.

By the time I got to Tor y Foel the sun was shining bright but my calfs were feeling it and I was on the edge of cramp. I kept going at it as hard as I could - which was, in all honesty, a bit pitiful by then. As my wise Nepalese Guru would say, even when you're knackered you've got to keep pushing.

The descent back to the reservoir wasn't as quick as it should have been, mainly to stave off full blown cramp. I finished the 31.1k training run with 1500m ascent in 3:56. I was aiming for four hours so I'll take it.

Desperately Resting...

My calf muscles are still goddam sore - I'm definitely doing those hill sprints again! The pain those bad boys have caused must surely result in some mega-sized gains, right?... Anyway, I'm doing some gentle stretching in the hope I'll be ready for tomorrow's planned Brecon Beacon's race route run. Not sure which way to run. Clockwise or Anti-Clockwise... it's a tough decision.

Still Suffering...

The soreness and tightness has moved lower down in my calf muscles but still ache big time. Those hill sprints are a mean mistress - I shall definitely be doing them again. More stretching and 45 minutes on the bike plus complete core work out tonight. I'm hoping to be recovered for Saturday's twenty miler. Planning to run the Brecon Beacons race route - and I will be making doubly sure I have the water bottle packed this time as it's looking like being a warm one...

Yup, Definitely The Devil's Doing...

The upper bit of my calf muscles, towards the back of my knee - probably not a great description - is tight as heck today. Tonight was a gentle twenty minute session of stretching. Feels less tight so fingers crossed I'm ready for proper training tomorrow.

Hill Sprints Are The Devil's Doing...

On such a lovely evening as tonight there was no way I could run treadmill intervals indoors. I decided on a set of hill sprints. I've not run a set for ages - and I remember why... (That and the fact I've been a lazy sod for the last few years).

You wouldn't think a set of eight 30s reps of approximately 145 metres could hurt so much. My legs were almost giving way from under me towards the end of the last two reps. You might wonder at a mere 240s of effort but the book said not to over do-it when starting out. Good session. Finished off with a 30 minute warm down on the bike.

Change Of Plan

The outside of my left leg was feeling sore, going down to the knee. It almost felt like the time when I had a little bit of trouble with my iliotibial band. I wasn't taking any chances so resorted to the gym bike again. Not ideal but more ideal than getting proper injured. I ain't getting any younger and I am being reasonably aggressive ramping up the hill run mileage. After the hour on the bike my leg felt fine so I think I was just being over cautious.

The BIG Question....

Where to run tomorrow? I think the most likely candidate is a 10 miler in the forest. I've some recycling to, er, recycle so if I'm driving over that way I may as well park up and run there I guess.

My quads are a bit sore today but all my other bits feel okay - oh, er matron. Feel slightly fatigued so I rested with an hour on the bike as I finished reading the Gemini Effect and topped off with some core work. All that's left to do is pick out my next book to read - and you can bet your life it won't be anything highbrow...