Andy
« Previous Entries
Feeling good
Monday, February 11th, 2008Have felt surprisingly good all week despite the 80 odd miles at the weekend. My wife normally likes to run with me on the day after a long event as she can make me suffer as she runs ahead but we went out on Monday and ran 5-6 miles over the hills locally and I felt good the whole way.
On Tuesday I started a new programme in the gym which is working more on my upper body ready for the MDS, this felt OK too. I even managed a run on the treadmill again before the circuits class on Wednesday. Obviously this training lark is starting to pay off.
However on Thursday I went for a run with Nigel and we were both not feeling particularly energetic so cut the run short, maybe I wasn’t as lively as I thought. Finished up the week with another gym session.
As I am tapering towards the Thames Meander I will have two shorter runs this weekend to ease down from last weekend and ready for next.
No Comments »Ready to taper
Friday, February 8th, 2008Up early and caught a bus to the start in Brentford for the Town to Tring 40 mile race. I was carrying a reasonable size pack with 2 days food and clothing as I had spent the night at a friends in London.We started off early and it was cold and icy the whole way but the weather was lovely. Loads of friendly marshalls and runners all along the Grand Union Canal and despite a slow start and a mid race slowdown I managed to finish reasonably well in about 7 hours. Got back to my hotel room and found out that my friend had loaded up my pack with some bags of coins to add extra weight, I was too tired so just laughed.
First thing Sunday was mentally hard, stiff legs and general fatigue meant the last thing I wanted to do was put on my smelly running gear and run back with a pack. I lost the extra ballast and started having met Pat on the start line. The weather was a bit warmer but there was a headwind nearly the whole way. The first 10 miles I took steady and was actually feeling not too bad, the next 10 were harder and I was starting to flag. The last 20 were done with my head and not my legs but managed to carry on at a reasonable pace. I also ran the last 25 totally alone apart from passing the odd person and the checkpoints which was mentally hard but should prepare me better for those hours in the desert. I finished in just under 7 and a half hours so was reasonably pleased. I did feel that I could have gone for longer as my legs had just settled into a steady pace but the only injury I picked up was a blister on my small toe.
Now for a well earned taper before the Thames Meander.
No Comments »Two weeks to go…
Tuesday, February 5th, 2008I managed a couple of short runs and a couple of gym sessions this week. Was a bit disrupted by my daughters parents evening and the need to travel up to London ready for the Tring to Town run on Saturday. One of runs I had to do early morning and one late at night to fit it all in but was able to maintain some level of training without stretching myself too much and trying to stay reasonably relaxed for the weekend.I have set my pack up for two nights and days away including food and spare clothing which means that it is starting to get a bit weighty now with drinks as well but all good practice for the MDS and Thames Meander – only 8 and 2 weeks respectively now!
No Comments »Good company
Friday, February 1st, 2008Still keeping it light this weekend as I am planning to run in the Tring to Town 40 next weekend. On Saturday I put my pack weight to about 5kg + drinks and had a run for an hour or so to get used to the weight.
On Sunday it was good to see Pat back from his holiday in Canada and we went out for 2-3 hours around the forest paths and muddy tracks locally. He didn’t seem as bothered as I was by the frost and cold as it had been -27° where he had been. We did however enjoy a good run together and due to his company when my legs started to feel tired after 10 miles the discomfort was minimised. Finished tired but pleased and should be more rested for next weekend.
Only 3 weeks to the Thames Meander, looking forward to it more now, hopefully the water levels in the Thames Valley will have gone down a few feet, it does seem to have been less rainy this week.
No Comments »Confessions on a treadmill
Wednesday, January 30th, 2008Still a little tired this week following my 50 miles at the weekend so have tried to keep things light. I still managed a couple of gym sessions, some circuits and a couple of shorter runs through the week. Just trying to keep my body moving without putting too much strain on it, it seems to have worked. It was nice to have company on Tuesday on a run with Nigel and Jerry which makes you forget about the sore legs. I do have one slight confession – it was cold and frosty on Thursday so I did my run in the gym on a treadmill. I am not normally so wimpy but used the excuse that I am training for the MDS and needed to get all hot and sweaty.
1 Comment »Long training run
Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008We drove up to Reading on Saturday to run the first 50 miles of the Thames Meander as a training run. I kept my pack deliberately light as I wanted to use the run for training purposes. Unfortunately due to the weather and the floods the first 20 odd miles were under water. So after going in chest deep a couple of times and wading up impassable riverbanks and back a couple of times I took to the roads until I got to Maidenhead. From there I was able to mainly follow the path to Shepperton and 50 miles. Hopefully the floods will have receded in the next four weeks as finding a different route on the spur of the moment via road was not much fun. However I was pleased with the run and my time.
Got up Sunday and went for a short run on the tracks behind the house. Was very stiff to start with but warmed up after a few miles and felt better and a lot less stiff afterwards. I am an advocate of recovery runs the day after a long run and they usually aid recovery and loosen things up as long as I don’t overdo it. Having said that it is easier said than done when you wake up with stiff legs.
No Comments »Some short runs
Monday, January 21st, 2008A pretty boring week as regards training. A couple of gym sessions, a circuit class and a couple of short runs was the sum total of my efforts as I kept it fairly easy ready for a long run at the weekend. One run I had to do in the gym as the weather was foul, not something I would normally do but I fed up with being soaked.
I have been trialling some of the dehydrated foods for the desert from Expedition foods and most are OK. I am not planning on taking any cooking equipment to the MDS so also tried them cold – not to be recommended as they taste awful cold! I may have to rethink my strategy if I’m to have some decent meals.
No Comments »Hill running
Friday, January 18th, 2008Training Diary 13th January 2008
No back to back long runs this weekend. On Saturday I had to take my wife Clare into hospital for a minor operation so an early start was needed. Whilst she was there I just went for a short half hour run around the woods behind our house. I did however put on several layers of clothing to get some appreciation of heat and was sweating like a rhino when I got back. As I had to be around for the rest of the day Saturday I spent the time sorting out gear and making lists of kit and food etc to further prepare myself for the TM and MDS. Only about 5 weeks to go now I have just realised.
On Sunday I had to stay close to home so I ran up and down every hill in a two mile radius and found a couple I’d not done before. I ended up covering about 12-13 miles and felt fairly tired at the end. I also missed my first Dorset road league race for 2 years or so at Milborne St Andrew today which was a shame. However I am glad for a less energetic weekend. Will aim to do 50 miles in one go next weekend covering some of the same paths as the Thames Meander, hopefully by then the torrential rain will have eased.
No Comments »A varied week
Wednesday, January 16th, 2008Training Diary 11th January 2008
Feeling a bit tired this week after a couple of long running weekends so have tried to vary it a bit.
Monday was a short gym session where I avoided the treadmill.
On Tuesday I went down to see one of my other running friends, Nigel, who dragged my tired legs around the streets of Ferndown for 7-8 miles. I would not have managed either this speed or distance without him as my legs were feeling the 50+ miles from the weekend but ended up feeling pretty good.
Had a lazy circuits session on Wednesday but on Thursday I felt more energetic so I did my first night run of this training program. This involved 10-11 miles through the hills and woods in pitch black with only my little head torch. Thankfully the badgers and the deer stayed home tonight (they have a tendency to jump out at me in the dark). However this was probably because of the heavy rain we had had and I ended up in far too many puddles and mud patches. Having said that I felt good and enjoyed myself thoroughly and it also served to help my night vision ready for the TM and MDS.
I finished off on Friday with another trip to the gym.
I am intending to have a shorter weekend as I want to do a longer run the weekend after.
No Comments »Another 50-mile Weekend
Wednesday, January 9th, 2008I had planned to run with Pat again on Saturday but unfortunately he has fallen victim to one of the circulating bugs, get well soon Pat!
I decided nevertheless to do the same route that I had planned only it seemed a lot harder on my own. Basically I ran cross country from Fordingbridge to Salisbury and back – about 28 miles, a lot of it over hills and through mud. I had been given a weather forecast of no rain so I was somewhat surprised to be battling through wind, rain and even sleet for part of the journey. Even so I enjoyed the route despite feeling very tired at the end.
On Sunday I spent ages looking at maps to find a different but easy to navigate route but in the end went out the back door and kept going without a definite plan. I ended up following the Castleman Trailway from Ringwood through to just South of Wimborne. It was mostly flat and very muddy but as close as I can get to replicating the Thames Valley Path. Despite my reluctance to get out the door I again enjoyed the run and strangely felt less tired than yesterday once I had got going. Total mileage was about 27 miles so I was pleased again to get another 50+ miles down over the weekend and even more pleased to still be running fairly strongly at the end.
No Comments »« Previous Entries