End of a busy week.

Running to and from work today bumped my weekly mileage up to 35, so a good week from a quantity perspective! Definitely a rest day tomorrow and then a short speed session on Sunday.

Rest Day? Not!

Following a fairly tough 11 miler yesterday, I was hoping for a gentle plod with the Harriers on Tuesday. Nope. My heart sank when Dave announced we were going to do a loop of the Devils Chimney, which included a fairly significant assault of Leckhampton Hill. MB is below.

The outward part was ok although I was deep in thought knowing what lay ahead. The hill was tough but the final 2-3 miles back to the start were hopeless and the others left me far behind. Still, 23 miles in 24 hours - a bit of tiredness is ok ;)

Bank Holiday

After a 25+ mile week last week, I've started this week with a 11 mile cross country route that I constructed on 'map my run'. A good course across farmers fields, across the Winchcombe Steam railway, up a rather sodding hill, through many stinging nettles and my new pet hate, cob corn fields. Despite there being a footpath marked, some farmers will plant their seeds right up against the hedge so the choice is either think stinging nettles or 7 ft high corn. My shoulders are scratched and my lower legs are zinging!

It is amazing the things one sees when one ventures off road. I never thought that today I'd see, in the middle of a field, a yellow Labrador having poo removed from its behind. I didn't say everything I see was great, but quite amazing. I think the owner was rather surprised to see me, a bit embarrassed too ;)

Right, now that my legs are toasted, I can get ready for the Harriers run tomorrow evening.

Here's today's route:

New Technique

A fairly quiet week this week. With most of the Tuesday night folk away on hols, there was no run this week. Still I ran to work on Wed and will do again tomorrow, probably daring the cross-country route so watch out bulls & buzzards (and any other wildlife who wants to have a go at me), I'm coming your way in the morning.

On the way home on Wednesday I tried out some Pose Running. This is about trying to shorten the stride length, landing on the ball of the foot and underneath the hip, not in front. Overall it's supposed to lessen injuries and increase speed. I tried it for a mile or so and immediately felt like I was mincing. And my muscles hurt today.

So I'll report back on any brushes with death with any runner-eating rabbits I see or blood-thirsty horses etc. I'll also be on the lookout for flesh-tearing squirrels.

Cranham Chase

Tough start, tough finish - very wet! Atrocious weather on the lead-up to the start but thankfully the heavens held and the race itself was fairly dry. The route itself, described as one with a sting in the tail did indeed have a lung-busting finish. The start was uphill, the middle sections undulating but the last 1/2 mile was a hard slog up a steep hill to the finish.

Motion Based output is below, a couple of downhill assisted sub 6min miles ;)

Overall I finished 15th - more than happy with that.

Good week

Mileage wise, I'm up to 27 with a possible 6 more on Saturday if I race at Cranham. Undecided on that at the moment. Can't say I feel like I'm in the best form at the moment, can't quite put my finger on it but my 'edge' isn't there - it's not a very sharp edge at the best of times, more like curve, or a marble.

Anyhoo, I'm sure a short, sharp race would sort that out although Cranham is a hilly route which would preclude much speed. We'll see.

It's been quite hard going this week, mainly due to the humidity which has been really high but at least it hasn't been too hot. Humidity was 88% during Tuesday evening's run and a whopping 93% on the way to work this morning!

I was right

Yep, it was muddy! Ankle deep mud in places, nicely churned-up by horses etc and no alternative but to wade through. Needless to say, I had to hose Rusty down when we got home. Good run though, took just over an hour and beside a couple of interesting Bovine challenges, a nice ramble through the countryside. It's a shame most gates etc don't have a 'dog gate' as I ended up having to cart Rusty over about a dozen of them - reasonable upper body workout though :)

One field of cows threw down the challenge to us. But being a hardened veteran of charging, man-eating bulls I had no problem dealing with these (definite udder check before we entered the field though). They encircled us but it was more of a 'get out of our field' move rather than my previous encounters which was more like 'we are going to tear you to shreds and eat you'.

Note to farmers;
1. don't take down footpath markers
2. don't put rabid, very fast bulls in fields where the public are granted passage
3. please keep pathways accessible

Thanks!

Sunday Run

Below is the run I'm going on in the morning, probably with the hound in tow. It's a fairly flat route, possibly lots of mud though ;)

Tough week

Since Sunday (the hot run) I haven't been feeling very well so I missed out on my normal Tuesday night run so Dave & I ran on Thursday instead. Despite having jelly legs due to the illness, we ran fairly well over a route that had everything. Started off with a run across Pitville Park, then some road work followed by a couple of 'nice' hills including Aggs which must be 1:4 at least. That led us along some of the Cotswold Way which was really nice. A nice downhill drop through the woods on a rocky track and then back to the finish across the Racecourse. 8 miles in all, very up & down! Here's the route: