Training Log Archive: Leon

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)