It’s been quite a tough week running wise, lots of miles and as much climb as I can manage given the topography of my local running networks. The last fortnight has seen a steady rise in the weekly mileage, the legs, body and head seem to be in the right place to make the concerted effort to begin to make an idea actually happen. As ever, and indeed this will continue to be a heavy issue, time is always a factor. I am driven by routine though although I am a woman so naturally that is subject to change! The last fortnights routine has been going well and it’s allowed me to start building the miles in earnest, I’m confident given the nature of family life and the season that is almost upon us this will all too soon be working against me. It’s now where it really matters to get out when I can, regardless of painful legs, lashing rain and howling wind because if I even momentarily think I’ll have a night off the likelihood of being able to make up for it the next day is practically impossible.
With that in mind and given I raced yesterday and have climbed in excess of 1200 steps at work today (yes I counted!), Mondays long run is still on the agenda. This does mean however the weekly shop will see me setting off for the supermarket at 10pm tonight, I think this will certainly be treated as a mental aptitude test all from a training perspective obviously!
As I said I raced yesterday, in the loose sense of the word that is. I felt heavy legged from the start but then that is due to the amount of miles in them so only natural really. I didn’t want 2 days off prior to the run as the only agenda was to beat last year’s time and treat it as mileage and climb towards that weekly total. With such a demanding long term goal in mind my training has to be specific and that doesn’t mean 20 miles a week and lots of rest in order to fly round shorter distance race courses.
The Roaches is 15.7 miles for the pedants among us but is billed at 15, either way long enough in all the mud! There’s about 4000ft of climb although I have to admit to not realising that until this morning when looking at Marks blog as it actually didn’t feel like it. I've certainly taken a posotive from this as was felt I am clearly getting better at the ups - surely?!
From the off I managed to do nothing better than the usual shuffle and got a bit peeved at getting stuck in all the traffic on the way up to the roaches trig as there was no way of passing people along the single track path and I’d already fallen behind with having to wait in the queues for the various stiles. I had the bit between my teeth though by the time the descent through the woods came managed to dodge by a dozen or so people all tip toeing on the rocks, I really love those technical rocky descents and decided tactically from the off to really try to use my best bit to my advantage and take no prisoners! I always find people that pass me on the way up relatively easily but rarely stay ahead on the way back down, I’m just buggered at the next climb and the same people pass me again and it then becomes the proverbial cat and mouse race with those around me!
The clock was ticking on this one though and with a time to beat the glances at the watch were frequent. I knew I was up on last year certainly in the first half as I’d got a lot further on the route before the front runners were coming back the way. I like these out and back races as it gives you a chance to see the leaders and familiar faces, of course the downside is every lovely decent you zip down you now know you have to climb on the way back!
I started to bonk in the woods on the way back and although had had 2 gels by this point realised the legs didn’t want to respond. Mentally rather than think ‘oh sod it’ which a few months ago I certainly would have done and no doubt would have stopped to ‘admire the scenery’ I now compare every climb to Yewbarrow on a scorching hot day, nothing does compare therefore nothing can be so bad. My methodology is to concentrate on continuing to climb regardless. Each step is one step nearer the top, each step should be as strong as the last and each step will not get more painful than it currently is. It worked, although aching and tired I did NOT stop on the climbs I climbed as strong as I could and no, not as fast as others around but then it may have been more efficient? I kept the breathing controlled and the heart rate as low as I could all with the view these climbing weeks will get tougher and tougher and this is all early days training wise and that is the perspective I am taking and the way I need to approach it in respect of that 2010 goal.
All that aside I pushed where I could and enjoyed the run, well when it was over! I managed a pb and DID beat last year’s time by a whole 20 minutes, can’t ask for more than that, over a minute a mile faster on the back of 2 long and heavy weeks and with faulty asthmatic lungs! I must be doing something right??
the booze ride
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rain didn't stop play, just altered plans. no 'street' ride this evening.
instead, all singletrack leads to the pub. a birthday pint for simon. some
muddy ...
7 hours ago


