Training Log Archive: Leon

Ran round the walls for 2 miles on the east side, which kept the pace nice and slow due to the all the steps. The sign 'no dogs on the walls' was too good to resist. Came back on the roads though to avoid doing too many steps.

Made myself head down to South Leeds as it's plainly obvious I'm missing some interval work. Was quite up for it during the day, scheduled 5k session was 10 mins tempo, 6-8 x 400. Ran there from station to find only 4 others there, one who wasn't doing a session and the other 3 doing the MD session (600, 5 mins rec, 2 x 300, 5 mins rec 3 x 150, no thanks). Quite dispiriting. Didn't fancy doing 10 mins tempo alone, which I know isn't an issue anyway, so decided to do some 400's off 200 jog to try and get the legs turning over.
On the group warm up I figured that 10 at 70-71 would be a good target.
Set off and working at what felt like the right, hard pace, did a 73. Then another one. And another one. Last 100m of each rep was certainly hard work so wasn't like I wasn't pushing, just no bounce or leg turnover. Basically stuck in the one hard gear without another gear to really step up into.
After 5 73's I did manage 3 72's but called it a day at 8 as the quality wasn't there and no point slogging another two mediocre reps out.
Mitigating factors were it was fairly windy, I was alone and running in plain old road shoes, but if you offered me a large sum of money I don't think I could run 1x <65s for 400 right now, maybe I'm getting hold but I need to perservere, one session doesn't mean the end of the world, we go again next time...

Pottering around York at lunchtime, making up the route as I went along. River north, through the teardrop, over Holgate footbridge and back through Micklegate.
Felt fairly neutral, not like I wanted to go faster but comfortable pace.

Train to Shipley, 2 miles NE down LL Canal and then into Baildon for more research. Rained on every visit so far, hope that isn't an omen. Courses 90% done now, looking good, even if I do say so myself. Felt a little leggy on the climb up to the village centre. After buying a loaf had to run the final half mile at 5:30 pace to make the train home.

Round Highroyds, up Tranmere hill, over Bradford GC, and up into Baildon to check out some control sites. Legs felt fairly good so ran steady until I got onto the map. Clearly in decent shape, recovered well from 4 hard runs in 4 days. Will probably do the other half tomorrow from Shipley side.

C • Is the race on a new map? T... 2

I seem to recall the flyer said the race would cover a newly mapped area to the north, but it didn't and the start was pretty much outside my workplace, which made it easy to get my bearings.
Probably a better run than yesterday, with more defined mistakes
8 - went down the dead end to the west of control
13 - came in and out from the west and not from the north, failed to see gap in uncrossable wall
I guess my local knowledge helped, but if you've done this race several times it is pretty familiar anyway.
Other than that pretty spot on, route choice 19 to 20 went east which on paper was better route (back to by office!) but level of human traffic might have meant better route was west. Coped well with ginnels etc.
Was really struggling to run full pelt last few, but that's to be expected on a sunny bank holiday.
However, after yesterday (and we shall see in Halifax) think evening racing is the way forward for busy towns, especially with growth in urban.
If York is to stay daytime I think the finish needs moving to somewhere more akin to where starts have been recently.

Warmed up a mile for expected start time, found out starts were delayed, jogged once they set people into start boxes, came back to find no one had set off as a clear box was broke, decided it was warm up not to jog anymore and just stood there for 8-9 mins

Ludlow Urban - 1st - 31:39

Quite surprised to win, and even more surprised to win by a minute. Granted most there will have raced earlier in the day and Sat, but I ran hard Friday and Saturday too. Analysis of St.Albans and Dorking splits led me to feel I wasn't going off hard enough (which is my normal running tactic without a map) so I went off like the clappers here, and it must have worked. Certainly hurt though! Controls 1-9 were straightforward, (shoudl start have faced 180 the wrong way?) though slightly overshot path through church to 6. Took route round to the north to 10, which didn't seem optimal, and I dawdled over the fence, but fastest split so can't have been too bad. Marquee in the way of steps in pub courtyard threw me slightly to 11, but punters called me the right way (not the best idea to have shortest route through a pub beer garden I'd say) 13 took wrong route down narrow path, should have gone down residential road. Legs were really burning now. Spent long leg to 14 deciding whether to go round to west or uphill and to east to 15, when spotted route through finish as best route. Nearly threw up past starts was gasping. The dived head first onto concrete as pavement ramped up to 15, but bounced back up. Apologies if the SI unit was loose on 17 as I did a two footed tackle on the pole, much to the amusement of the girls having a BBQ next to it, I tried to put it back on.18 was a bizarre control placement, got stuck behind someone else. Went on footpath up to castle, cut between lower and middle paths but was too steep so stuck to middle one into castle, went over footbridge before realising control was underneath. penultimate control also a bit of a mess up, before i realised that was up the steps too.
Luckily finished just in time to make train back north!

Urban Course 1 - Splits

Warm up - up & down the Links

Whitley Bay parkrun - 1st - 16:59

Predominatley flat course, down the seafront prom, up a little bank onto a trail, loop round onto the parallel road, cut in & down towards the prom, then up onto a parallel higher path back to start. On 2nd lap, cut straight into on the prom and 400m to finish, so not even 2 full laps which makes a nice change.

Was 5th after 400m, 3rd after half a lap, moved level with leader at the turn, who was clearly a triathlete, earphones in, shades on, nike tattoo (!!). Tucked in for a bit, to see how he was, then when he took a drink at the end of the first lap I decided enough was enough and pushed on. Was hard work alone at the front and didn't get that big a gap to be fair, but enough, legs hurt last mile after last nights run, but put something in on finish straight and hopefully dipped under 17. A quick course if fresh probably. Mr triathlete didn't have his barcode and was pretty rude to the volunteers who offered to take his name, and he just left.

Gorgeous morning, pretty ideal

Course scenery - 7
Course difficulty - 3

C • Drinks after 1 lap, maybe I... 2

Warm down along beach & to St.Marys island. Luckily (though I'd checked in advance) tide was out so I could spend 15 minutes there for http://30islands.blogspot.co.uk/
Island no bigger than a football pitch and visitor centre wasn't open so no need to be there any longer.
Back via the Links

Staying at a travelodge outside Newcastle, so ran down the old Newcastle Riverside Loop line which is (mostly) now a cyclepath. This line has always fascinated me for a few reasons, it survived until the 70's, was close in many parts to the extant coast line, and served industry and workers of a bygone era/community now long gone. In fact the western half didn't close for freight until 1987/88 but apart from the earthworks and a few bridges (about half have gone) nothing exists to tell you this was a railway.
Anyway, it's a great running surface and after last night stroll I was feeling rather good so treated it as an acceleration run, progressing from 6:50 to 6:09 for the eight mile. Ninth mile was all uphill back to Byker metro, 1 in 70 for trains apparently, more now the end of the cutting isn't there but managed a 6:40.
In the grand scheme of the weekend ahead this may not have been the most sensible thing, but long term I was feeling very good and you've got to take advantage of these evenings...

Warm down from Percy Main metro back to hotel via waggonway path. Was actually on the phone to my Dad for most of it!

Ran with Mick round Lofthouse Colliery but he was struggling with both fitness and injury so the pace was easy, very easy. Added a bit on to the end solo just to get scrape something out of nothing. Got a intense weekend of running ahead so not a disaster but there's a nagging voice at the back of my head telling me I need to turn the screw sooner rather than later, think June is going to feel the brunt of this...!

To/from Keighley station w/bag

Wednesday evening event at Cliffe Castle & Devonshire Park
A nice area, if quite busy due to the nice weather.
Tried to go the wrong way to #1 but wasn't the only one by a long stretch, needed to focus hard on the map to spot the OOB in the way. After that clean and running fairly hard, but to some extent going through the motions as knew to really put the foot down would have lasting effects for the weekend - given there must be some cycling miles still in there. Good fun as always, beats plain running for sure!

Run from Shipley down Leeds Liverpool canal to end of Hirst Wood and back down the Aire to Baildon. Legs felt suprisingly fine on the flat, though any incline quickly became an issue.
Then 90 minutes exploring Baildon and plotting where the courses may go for the Urban Event 14 July. There one absolutely fantastic section, but I'm not going to give too much away...!

An obvious rest day, legs not too bad, say feeling like after a half, but generally drained and not feeling 100 percent. Also throat feels like I've swallowed a golf ball.

What a day!
Decided to be really positive and enjoy the day and do my own thing.
After the easier shorter White Rose Classic caused me to bonk last year, I felt I needed to know my limits but also I had put some training in this year, so in the back of my mind decided to get to 75 before phoning the pain agency.
The group of us who had entered (myself, Matt L, Tom C, Ian N, Adam G) set off with Settle Wheelers at 8.30 as Tom who is the most cyclelly of us knew them and their pace. Fellow ironman Danny J set off around 7 as he (needlessly) was worried about how long it would take him.
Through Grassington village and after less than a mile the pace felt hot. 2nd mile was 25mph and I was at the back of the group of 20 or so, when my brain kicked in, and said the pace was suicidal, so I dropped off to a steady 18mph which I was comfortable at.
This left me on my own, which excepting the odd couple of minutes here and there, I was for the next 7 hours! I wonder what time I would have done with the benefit of any drafting at all!
I did have a few chats with people but kept moving away, probably due to our late start time.
Having not covered much of the route, this was good in my mind as I couldn't out psyche myself with the thought of upcoming hills. Fleet Moss was probably the most difficult but was fine as I was fresh. Going down the other side I hit 48.8mph and my helmet nearly blew off! Fantastic.
Buttertubs had a couple of hard sections but was good steady ascending.
The little kick up Turf Moss caused my chain to come off as I changed down, and then I caught Adam at the ford who was in trouble for staying with the pack early on and told me he was bailing at Tan Hill. I tried to get him to stay with me and keep going, but I was dropping him on any gradient and had to say goodbye. Adam is a far better athlete than me and hopefully he will be back at his own pace next year.
The coffee at Tan Hill was probably the best coffee I've ever tasted, and this was probably about as bad as things got, the weather was pretty bleak and cold, and the long drag had worn me down a bit, but the 7 or 8 mins I stopped and ate for did me the world of good.
Up the hill before Nateby I was completely alone, looking forward and back I saw no-one and for a while thought I might have taken a wrong turn.
Probably took it a bit too easy down to the Moorcock and for the first time in 20 miles someone came past. 2 min stop there to refill water bottle and it was off up the infamous coal road. Worked really well up here overtook loads, the major problem being my hands both cramped up badly, couldn't grip the handlebars at all, had to lay my hands flat and pointed out straight in front of me.
Luckily I was just about able to grip the brakes for the mad descent past Dent station. On to Ribblehead and felt tired up the Newby hill which must had a lot of people weaving, which I turn had to weave through.
Sun was well and truly out now which was nice.
One climb to go over to Halton Gill, I probably took it too easy from Ribblehead to Horton, and when only the 2nd rider since Tan Hill came past, I woke up and started working again.
5 min stop at Stainforth, and up the final climb, which was nowhere as bad as I remembered it from descending it last year, and soon we crossed the cattle grid into Littondale. Turned and was suddenly flying, expected it was too good to be true but was well over 20mph to the finish.
Made up to finish is 7:33, 7:12 moving time.
Shame I did it all alone, but a real mental as well as physical victory, need to put all the songs that came into my head in a playlist to get me through anything.
Enjoyed every minute, a fantastic day out, 100 miler a week on Sat down south should be a doddle...
Back to the running training properly for a bit now

Leeds city centre to/from parkrun. Drizzle about.

Cross Flatts parkrun - 1st - 17:10
Raining for the 2nd week running
Used to live 500m from here so was looking forward to this one, it's not the prettiest park but is deceptively big (long & thin), with a slope from north to south. My aim was to break Pete's course record of 17:19 (he ran 15:53 at Esholt two weeks ago), which I managed, hard work on the uphills perhaps could have pushed more on the downs but then would have suffered more I think going back up.
Like last week, had company for the first mile before pulling away.
As always a great vibe in the park, helped by Hunslet Hawks coming down with their mascot who I had to have my photo taken with. He was well and truly in character, refusing to squawk let alone speak. A fun morning.

5:28/5:51/5:39 miles
Park rating - 4
Course difficulty - 5

Post work trot round York. Loosened up quite nicely by the end, moving fluently.

Clearly need to get some faster some in, so put 3x 1 mile efforts in within a 7miler, trying to keep the rest as steady as possible.
Ran down the Dalesway, then on the railway to Otley, and back up the hill.
1st mile - 5:33, slightly downhill, last 400m hurt a bit which was concerning
2nd mile - 5:28, a good one, muddy and uneven through Milner Wood but felt decent
3rd mile - 5:58, pretty much all uphill so happy to break 6, gave it a lot.
Solid, but more work required.

Warm up with rucksack from Guiseley station up Carlton Lane (now thankfully minus sea of shale) and over Chevin

Danefield WEI
5th.
Rain in the past 48 hours and the demise of my fell shoes meant I was slipping everywhere in trailshoes but doubt fell shoes would have made much difference.
Still cannot decipher one rock/boulder from the other accurately enough so lots of faffing around in the first half trying to work this out, though I didn't seem to be the only one struggling. In the past I would have run about a lot but a bit wiser now.
Wasn't motivated to run hard after this but did increase speed through the last few once I had escaped the rocks of doom. Lovely evening.

Warm down over the top of the Chevin with Greg and down to Menstonia via my favourite path along the ridge to Heber's Ghyll.
Beautiful views down Wharfedale. Stunning.

Warm up with Sir Michael of Hill.

19th (!!) - 9:26.24
Disappointed but not downhearted.
Simply confirms I'm fit but lacking in speed.
My 5 3k's last year were 9.27 / 9.20 / 9.28 / 9.18 / 9.14 so I could claim to be 1 second up, though really I had hoped to run about 9.15
Was bang on course early on, and when it started to hurt I did try and dig in, but last 1000 legs felt very heavy and I switched off mentally last 600 from making it really hurt, knowing I was going to end up somewhere 9.20-9.30.
Good to be back track racing, hope the standard holds up for the rest of the summer.
Unfortuantely once Etape and the Bristol cycle are out of the way I'm going to have to, as feared, ditch the cycling part of the training and put some quality and conistency back into the running. Whilst the cycling is great for fitness I need that final edge from running training which I haven't been able to commit to lately.
Next 3k is 48 hours after the Bristol cycle so probably not sensible, not keen to wait 6 weeks so will have to see what I can find track wise...

Warm down with Hill & Hooker than progressed from a jog into a full blown steady run round Chorlton football pitches. Felt fine.

Day Off. Thought about a 20 min run with strides, but aching legs up stairs put paid to that.

2nd.
1 minute behind first.
Only a couple of minor errors, but looking at the splits, the first cost a lot more time that I thought, maybe 30 seconds, had planned to go round to the south to #12, then realised I could cut through the car park, but when I did so I became confused as to which junction I was at. Then lost maybe another 30 secs to #14 as I'd folded the map with the out of bounds down the middle, not realising there was another parallel OOB (railway) to the east, so I turned in after the first and not the second. Pretty schoolboyish that error. Otherwise no issues except the crossable wall near the end took a few secs to realise it was the crossable one and not the uncrossable one.
Slightly damp conditions, Chesterfield a lot less busy than Dorking and St.Albans were.

Cycle - Chesterfield - Matlock - Crich - Ripley - Heanor - Langley Mill (train home)
Post race assault on hills #31, #32 and #129.
Nasty long drag up out of Chesterfield but some decent views. Was feeling pretty knackered and you can see Slack Hill slash upwards from a while off, so I just freewheeled down to it, so my time is pretty good as I could and probably should have built up a lot of speed into it. Managed the bulk of it fine got into a good rhythmn, problem on the flatter bit near the top where the wind hit me.
Lunch in Matlock
Straight into Bank Road, pretty amazing road, built up all the way, kept thinking it can't go on at this grade much longer, but it got steeper! A real good test, would be a great training hill both running and cycling.
Down the other side and straight into Riber. As soon as you turn off the bigger road onto the lane you're in trouble, at least there are some bends to break this one up but you need to stay on the outside where possible. Really pulled myself to the top was well over the front wheel on the last drag which you don't realise how steep it is as it has gradually increased.
Haven't mentioned the rain, sheeting down by now, over the lanes to Crich and down to Ripley, quite enjoyable despite conditions, a few other cyclists about, though I couldn't face 112 miles of this next Sunday PLEASE! Stopped for a pint in Ripley and Heanor as a reward.
A great Sunday.

Hill #129 - Slack Hill - 6:14
Hill #31 - Bank Road - 5:45 (Guide Time 6:00)
Hill #32 - Riber - 8:36 (Guide time 8:30)

Warm Down inc. some strides

Preston parkrun - 1st 17:13
My 38th different parkrun, and 39th in total, and the first I've done in the rain. Pretty bleak.
However, a lovely park on the banks of the Ribble below the station, noted a permanent course with some heavy duty plates as posts but can't find the map on the interweb.
3 laps, with a short but steep hill of maybe 50m length a minute into each lap.
Tucked into 3rd early doors, and down the back of the lap we were 3 abreast moving well, so I sat back a bit expecting this to be a bit of a battle. However the pace soon dropped and I naturally found myself moving to the front, with one guy attempting to keep with me as we completed the first lap.
Kicked up the 2nd hill and dropped him and from them on just worked hard all the way home, though think I would have be v.close to 17 had I been pushed, I was sort of stuck at a hard but not killer pace as the mile splits show - 5:42/5:40/5:42. Course may be slightly short to be fair, if my Garmin is accurate though you do pass under a couple of lengthy bridges per lap and the time felt about right. Certainly better than Guildford last week and on a par with Pen Flash.
All those 3 have smashed their attendance records when I've been, parkrun really is booming.
Didn't feel bad at the end so threw so strides in at the end with only minor groin twinge so hopefully phase this back in. Down Old tram road and back on old railway which added to the location value.

The plan was to cycle home but the torrential rain in Preston put paid to that. Got train home and then never got out once it dried up, but I think I needed some time doing nothing anyway after a hectic few weeks.

Planned a long course for Baildon Urban which I may go and check out on Monday, quite pleased with it for a first stab, oodles of route choice (and contours!)

Preston parkrun
Course scenery - 9/10
Course difficulty - 7.5/10

I hate morning running, but needs must.
Down through the estate to the Otley railway path and back, felt good enough to consider looping back via the Chevin but there was no access from the end of the path, only to the by-pass, so just turned around, climb back past Heber's Ghyll wasn't too bad. Job done.

Mini session within lunchtime run round disused railways of York of 1 mile (2 mins jog) ½ mile (1 min) ½ mile.
5:35, 2:40, 2:35.
Fairly windy, but not a excuse would have hoped to be sub 5:30/2:35 really.
Still not feeling fast, but feeling fit. Doesn't help that I don't feel able to do strides. See what happens on Tuesday and we shall reassess things.

Acomb and Hob Moor loop, felt reasonable. Managed to miss the rain.

Decided against AIRE's Meanwood event as somewhere I have run a few times and instead headed for EBOR's Knavesmire event. As I live NW of Leeds and work in York, I could have also done CLAROs event. It might be helpful if all three clubs didn't use Wednesdays for summer events, but that might just be me being selfish, I imagine there are only a few who would travel midweek.
Anyway did one course in 19xx mins and the second in 14:59 once I had got semi-used to the vagaries of the map, which was didn't seem to contain all the paths, or all the rough areas I encountered, and with no contours I found it quite tricky as you only had the green holly dots to navigate on. Good fun and got the legs ticking over.

Just an easy stroll after the exertions of the weekend, round Highroyds estate.

Pretty decent run, legs felt terrible early on but managed to drag them to some sort of speed by the end. Tentative to #1 after last week and almost made an error to #2 but slowed down and didn't go too far wrong. Overshot #18 and so thought I had taken wrong turning so that cost about 20 seconds until I turned round and it was behind me. Slightly misread underpass control as well but overall was choosing the right routes I think. Enjoyed flogging myself the last 4 or 5. Didn't enjoy running into a bin after the control in the little garden. Ouch!

Ambled up to Peaslake from Gomshall station. Loads of cyclists out, must have set off early to deserve a tea stop at 9.15am!

Back to my normal terrain performance today, no real massive errors but hesitant throughout, plus legs knackered and with ankle issues running on terrain.
Could not read map and run fast enough at the start (is it accepted practice to blatantly look at the map pre-start?) and lost touch with everyone which was fairly dispiriting but I still enjoy things at my own pace. Only big issue was with #7 where I couldn't see a gap between holly bushes and so scrambled around for a bit and #12 where I went a bit too far away from my bearing.
Once past the spectator control I was (for me) fairly solid, though my choice to avoid the contours and go round the top to #16 would have been good had I executed it properly.

Ride down to Dorking post Relays with Dave A. Actually going at a fair speed, but couldn't have faced any more than 10miles at this pace. Considered going up Box Hill but then we decided to have an ice cream instead and train back to Guildford

To/from parkrun

Guildford parkrun - 2nd - 17:59

37th different parkrun.
Deceptively tough 2 lap course, always up or down, 50/50 grass/road, also quite strong winds.
Usual clowns going off like their life depended on it, was 8th after 500m. Moved through but knew quite early on I was not feeling anywhere near as good as last week (Pennington Flash, 16:59). Leader was away and gone too so just decided to work hard until the end of the first lap and see what happened. Moved through to 4th, just behind my friend Nathan who used to live in Leeds and now lives in Guildford and looks to be getting in good shape. The guy in 2nd then slowed down to take his jacket off and we both went past as we started lap 2. I tucked in behind Nathan to escape the wind for a bit, then personal pride took over and I edged away on the first hill and kept working hard until the end, was quite concerned wouldn't break 18 but just managed to do it. Certainly blew some cobwebs away for the day.

Course toughness rating - 7/10, finds your legs out for sure
Course scenic rating 5/10 Just a plain big park, nothing special but could be worse.

Very easy ride from Guildford, but thought it would be rude not to go up hill #120, Barhatch Lane, seeing as it went to Peaslake.
Book says it is a 9/10 and statistically the hardest climb in the South East. Southern softies! Not a patch on the two from Thurs which were both rated 7. Starts sedately despite the 21per cent sign, true, it gets very steep at the top but with a big effort it is manageable due to relatively short length.

Hill #120 - Barhatch Lane - 8:49 (Guide time 10:00)

Freewheeled to assembly area!

Went quite well, certainly one of my better terrain runs. Really enjoyable, runnable forest. Certainly improving navigation wise, picking out features, still missing some route choices and struggling to read the contours but overall I got a lot more right than wrong, and clearly entered the right race.
Slowed down when thinking rather than running about. Slight errors on #3 and #6 and hit the road going to #7 which wasn't ideal. Big problem with #14, all the mountain bike tracks threw me, and despite knowing I needed to drop from #13, hadn't dropped far enough and carried on east for a bit. Was absolutely knackered 17 to 18 and my ankle had had enough by 18 to 19 but was very clean last 4.
Just got to keep making tiny improvements each time if I can and learn from mistakes.

Course 5 - Splits

Actually did almost 10 miles cycling, out to the 5 a side pitch for some post work football and back, and then Euston to Waterloo later on, but nothing of substance really.

Home to Horsforth station easy ride

Out and back on the Ouse. Lovely weather

Cycle from work to do hills #54 and #56 as part of Etape training.
First 10 miles flat as a pancake out of York, which was a bit of a faff as you'd expect. After Easingwold became gently rolling. Then hit the first climb, White Horse Bank, steep straight away, hurt straight away, but dug in, couple of easier bits en route, but kicks up again on each occasion. Stayed wide round the ridiculous hairpin. Reached top suitably tired. Down Sutton Bank and then through some fairly hilly lanes to Boltby Bank, which I thought began through the village, but no, the first steep rise led to a left hander and it then appeared in front of me, looking steeper than a staircase and straight too. Dried up ford at the bottom of the hill leading to it meant I couldn't get enough speed up, and I was in lowest gear straight away.In my book this is tougher than white horse as might be shorter but is unrelentingly steep, I try not to weave (is this sensible) but almost ground to a halt. A sharp right and up we go again but the summit thankfully arrived and I collapsed over the handlebars.
Almost all worth it for the view on the rid back to Thirsk station though, majestic.

#56 - White Horse Bank - 8:44 (Guide time, 9 mins)
#54 - Boltby Bank - 6:34 (Guide time, 6:30)

A pleasant lunchtime run down the Ouse to the south, out and back

To/from Guiseley

One of the things I like about orienteering is that you never really know how well you have done until the final results, obviously you have an idea but that uncertainty of how well or how badly is quite interesting.
This being a case in point, thought I was doing really well when I was only doing moderately well, looking at the map after I'd missed a couple of gaps in hedges and made 1 route choice error. Came 3rd. Was running hard but have felt better running wise.
Good course from Dave, made a nice change from criss-crossing the park.