Training Log Archive: AC

Event: Critérium National des Équipes
 

Criterium National des Equipes, Les Gres de Cernay. Good race with one minor error costing 20 seconds and quickly corrected (was off course on compass through some green stuff, but spotted the terrain change and was able to correct without too much problem). Not very quick though and had to walk a couple of short steep hills and didn't really push it through the terrain as I could have. This showed up in the results where I didn't really have a good final time relative to others and should really have been a few minutes faster (around 40-41 mins would have been a more appropriate result for me). Maybe the race yesterday took the edge off, especially as I am not doing enough training these days to run hard two days in a row.

The payoff was a good safe mistake-free leg for the team which was the aim I guess. As from yesterday, clearly need to get stronger and faster. Solution is more intervals and more hill running. 4am wake up to get to the start by a bit after 5am. Took a while to find the team tent and our first leg runner. Good organisation and the map was very good. Courses were fairly straightforward, although people still made lots of errors in the flat terrain. Team finished up 17th out of 85 teams although we flirted with disqualification after Patrick forgot to clear his SI card (or only partially cleared it?) before starting.

Event: Middle Distance
 

Middle Distance race in Marly-le-Roi. 1st place by 2 and 1/2 minutes. Good run although not very strong on the hills and clearly need to do some more work on hill strength. Map scale (1:7500) was confusing for the first couple of legs before i sorted it out - was a bit lucky to not make a major blunder on first few controls. Major problem was the micro-choice around the controls where I just 'seemed to be coming in to several controls at awkward angles, through thick vegetation or fallen trees. frustrating and probably cost me around 1 minute over the course. Also made small errors in the circle of 3 controls - nothing too major, but lost around 20-30 secs each time with poor technique. Overall, an enjoyable run and a good course that made the best use of an ordinary area.

C • Nice race! 5

Would be nice to go out for a ride in this glorious spring weather, but will be sensible and take a day off in preparation for the weekend's racing. two races in two days, both short, but will be fast and furious. Hoping for a good showing in the middle distance tomorrow with quite a large field attending. Key things to focus on:

- make sure i spike the first control and get into the flow of the race
- follow the compass
- run the hills hard
- don't be influenced by other runners between controls

The Sunday relay race should be interesting. I am familiar with the area as i have raced there a few times. Good relay area with lots of control sites, varied terrain, mixed visibility. Weather for weekend looking good as a bonus.

Longchamp in perfect spring weather - first time in cycling knicks for the year. very quick group to start with and then i couldn't stay with them after the third lap - lost them up the hill. A new peleton formed and sped around with them for a while. Didn't go that far today due to tiredness and pressure of work.

Out to St Cloud and ran the hell hill. Easy 12 min jog to warm-up, then 7 times up the hill - not sprint, but tried to keep it strong and even pace. This hill is hard because it is steep and has a steeper patch in the middle third. Times for each interval varied a lot:

78
76
78
74
79
74
71 (up the other side of the hill)

10 min jog warm-down.

Felt okay. Knee and ankle seemed to be okay. Iced both afterwards.

Struggled on this run. May be a bit soon after the Slovenia weekend. Left knee a bit sore, but no problem with right ankle injury - can pronounce that one almost cured. Just tried to run at a steady pace around the jardin d'acclimitation and through the Bois. Ran a little extra loop near Russian embassy to get it up to 55+ mins. Plan to do some hills tomorrow and then cycle on Thu, rest on Friday, to get ready for the weekend.

easy ride around longchamp with Andrew. Glorious spring day and well worth the effort. legs feeling a bit tired after the weekend - may have been short courses, but i ran them very hard. left knee feeling a bit tender after the ride.