Training Log Archive: Leon

Barrow parkrun - 1st, 17.12

Quite pleased after an afternoon in the sun and an evening drinking.
Hilly course, which was a surprise. Had company for the first 1200m.

Knaresmire, then river. Picked it up. Felt good.

Today is Summer, so tried to stay in the shade on the loop line but didn't really help. Nice though

Up from Headingley station

Becketts Park O
Warm and fast, pretty clean and legs felt fairly good
Lost maybe 20s to #8 as hole in the ground was tiny and wavered slightly to #9 and could easily have seen myself going off the map as several others did, but alarm bells rang and I slowed to hit the right path.

Capped this at ten minutes due to heat

Trafford 3000m - 9.22

Stifling heat, dry and croaky from half way
Felt good, certainly a lot better than last time, but only 3s quicker?
Heat may have taken a few seconds off looking at times in A race, but not as windy as last time.
Think what happened is as I was moving through between 1800 & 2600m this lured me into thinking I was doing well, when pace was slowing, just others slowing more. Think I could and should have pushed on to closer to 9.15 which is where the Scottish lad I was following for first 2k finished.
Splits of 3.05/3.07/3.10

Again, not much point working myself into a big sweat for a second time

Rothwell CP/Canal/Woodlesford loop with Tom and Dom
Had to run for train and felt awful, but was OK after had got moving in first mile
Delightful weather but had an allergic reaction on legs to some of the undergrowth

+ easy circuits

Race the Train - 4th, 1.07.30

Bury to Rawtenstall
Train set off at 11, but headed to Heywood (opposite direction) first, so was always going to beat it, just a race for the mid-pack runners really.
Lovely route, mix of trails, fields, roads and (a fair amount of) cobbles.
Some chap shot off, thought he must be good. Overtook him at 6 miles.
Worked way through to be 5th after 3 miles, then took 4th and had visions of catching 3rd (who finished 2nd). But after 4 miles started to feel hard work, on a good day it shouldn't have but it was very humid under tree cover for the most part and my legs weren't fresh.
On the basis it was 12 miles thought I better be careful, and there was a hellish cobbled climb that really disturbed my rhythm, plus several stiles and gates, that meant I had to focus to get back up to speed.
Just as I caught the early leader, the guy I had took for 4th caught me, and he pulled out a big gap on me on a downhill section, and eventually finished 40s clear.
I was just focused on staying in 4th as I knew there was a Clayton man not too far behind (in the end 20s). Having said that the race only ended up being 10.25m and I was pacing on the basis of the advertised 12m so had a bit, but not much in reserve.
Was gasping for liquid at the end.
Enjoyed it though, would do it again, and should probably seek out some more of these trail races to do.