Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Cleeve Loop

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Cleeve Loop

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One big hill

At last I managed to get out with the Harriers on a Tuesday although it only consisted of Dave and myself. Despite a string of excuses (flu, long bike ride the day before, being out of form etc) Dave took us on a 'challenging' run up and over Cleeve Hill (see elevation chart below). I was suffering after only 3 miles and still had the monster climb up the hill to come. But anyway, I didn't do very well and had to let Dave go on his own for the final mile or so while I plodded back. So I know there's work to do to get back to some kind of form - it's going to be painful!

Here's the output:

Hmmm...

So this is turning out to be a tough year. Injuries, dislocations, illness all seem to be following each other and putting my running regime to pieces. I've only raced once (May Hill) and have cancelled quite a few others due to the above. The latest casualty is the Cheltenham Circular Challenge (26.2 miles) which I did last year and really wanted to have another crack at this. But, a recurring Achilles problem and a bout of flu has seen my training limited to a minimum. I should be tapering by now, I'm nowhere near running around about 20 miles off-road, something I should be able to do fairly easily. So, I need to get all healed and then build up fitness and speed a bit more gently than before. My last run was a bit of a speed test last Sunday around a local 4 mile route, my pace was ok (about 6.35 / mile) but I don't have much in the way of long distance at the moment so I need to work on that!

Back on it!

So the shoulder is almost there, probably about 85% recovered and the last few areas of movement should return in time...hopefully. It might help if I actually attended physio!

Running wise, I'm getting there. Gradually getting some miles back in the legs and trying to get 30 miles/week logged. Managed 25 last week but was a bit jetlagged and under the weather.

Had a really good run yesterday that was a combination of road, hill (Bushcombe Lane), off road and finally a bit of fartlek on the way back home. Ave pace of 7.45 which considering 2 miles were near vertical, not bad.

As for racing, not much on the cards. I have a 10k coming up in May, with the Cheltenham Circular Challenge (26.2) and Cotswold Relay in June. I'm learning not to register for too many races as I'm throwing good money after bad when I pull out due to injury, illness, El Neno etc etc.

Still here

It's been far too long since my last post but I'm still here, alive and sort of 'well'. Since the last blog, I've dislocated my shoulder and had yet another enforced lay-off. I started getting back into things only to get tonsillitis so that put paid to yet another week.

So today I thought to hell with it, I'm going out for a reasonable length run so I shuffled around for 11.3 miles only to discover that it was the longest run I had done since Sept! I was quite amazed by that! Anyway, one race to report on - May Hill Massacre last month. Despite a lack of quality training I finished in 1 hr 4 mins (8.5 miles) and 17th overall out of 500. A really sapping course of long hills, mud, sticky single track, mud, woodland and quite a bit of mud. All off -road hence the time but really staggered by my finishing position. More details at:

http://www.mayhillmassacre.co.uk/index.cfm?page=About

Almost Ready

Almost ready to resume training with the Harriers. I don't think I've run with them since October-time after my calf tear and subsequent other injuries due to running with said tear. I was going to run tonight but my daughter's first birthday trumped that plan.

So, with ice & snow on the ground tomorrow's run to work should be fun. Not quite as entertaining as cycling to work over the last couple of days - I've had many 'moments' but amazingly I've stayed upright despite cycling over sheet ice at times. I'll probably slip and break my head whilst running tomorrow!

Since the cold snap arrived a week or so ago, I've taken advantage of what I claim to be 'perfect conditions' to get off-road. Frozen fields, frosty hedgerows, cows & bulls too cold to bother chasing me - all adds-up to ideal running!