Today's Run

[sean_iow]

Only doing a shorter one today to save my legs for Wednesday's run comutte, planned a route at about 7 miles.

When I stated it occurred to me I could go a bit harder as it was shorter than a normal Monday.

According to the Coros App I spent 33% of the run at threshold and 62% in the anaerobic range, hr over 156 on the app. So I took it easy for all of 5% of the time

9.96 miles, 53 mins, 758 feet, 7:42 min/mile

Actually quite enjoyed going harder, afterwards

[sean_iow]

Run commute day, I started doing it every other Wednesday as I think doing it every week was wearing me out, plus I missed riding the bike. I missed the last one due to having to go on a site visit on the mainland so not done the run to work for 4 weeks.

When the alarm went off I wasn't very keen on the idea of running to work, even less keen when I pulled the curtains and saw the frost. I added arm warmers under my windproof and my gloves before setting off. I started the run commute 5 months ago so this is my first spring doing it. Leaving home when it's already light just doesn't feel as adventurous as when I was starting in the pitch black in the winter, and you don't get to see the sunrise, but I'm not getting up at 5am just to see the sun come up

Decided to take it steady, which I thought I was, but a glance at my watch at the first road crossing showed I was under 8 min/mile pace. Tried to keep a steady pace all the way there and manged to go under an hour, only the 3rd time I've done that. My second quickest run to work (and it's my official quickest as my PB didn't save) and it didn't feel as if I was really having to push that hard so pleased with that. Having a fixed route as a way to gauge progress will be a good benchmark. Also got 2 PBs on segments which were also 3rd and 4th overall - out of 8 and 6 respectively so a top 10 was nailed on

7.36 miles 56 min 87 feet 7:42 min/mile

[GregMay]

I had snow for my ride yesterday, that was unexpected!

Ran with a workmate and her dog today. 2 hours very easy. Talking about the restructuring that is planned. Agreeing that it's time to jump ship. Enjoying the sunshine. Watching a dog run around without a care in the world. It was a good run. Not fast. Not far. But a good run.

[sean_iow]

I had snow for my ride yesterday, that was unexpected!

The current weather here seems to be totally random and not influenced by the seasons any more. 8 degrees and sunny at 8am one day, -2 and snow flurries the next, back to clear but 2 degrees the next, then 4 degrees and hail

I have to take extra layers and my waterproof on every run just in case, luckily I have just the right size pack to put them in

Did you go on the big run Tuesday?

[GregMay]

Didn't go big on Tuesday, 3cm of snow put me off :)

It's nearly all gone, trails are drying, Saturday is sort of pencilled in now.

[sean_iow]

Return leg of the run commute, which is slightly longer as I go past my mum's to collect her shopping list. She still has a confused look when I say I've come from work as she can't quite get her head round running as a way to go to and from work.

Picked the flatter option for the route which still has a 16% hill at the end but thankfully it's short as I was done by then.

9.37 miles 1 hr 19 min 554 feet, nearly all of which was in the last 2 miles

[GregMay]

I’ve had a route in my head for a year now. I did it today.

62 and a bit Km - 2,066m of vertical - 10hours 23mins.

No road, all fell, visit 20 crags and do a minimum of 20 routes/problems at 10 venues.

I had a glorious day (bit too warm) did. 25 problems, saw few people, ate much food. Will do a proper write up at some stage tomorrow.

[PaulB2]

At the opposite end of the spectrum , I tested out the ankle with a gentle paved 3k in 20 minutes. 4m of climbing in that!

[ScotRoutes]

Again trying to stretch the distance and control the HR a bit. 15km up at Loch Morlich with a sub-zero start.

1h33m so happy with that. Looking at 21km next week. Fingers crossed.

[PaulB2]

Only had time for a quick outing so 3.4k in 21 minutes. After 3 weeks off with a dodgy ankle, I can't believe how quickly my stamina has drained away. That and my ankle is now complaining at me a lot.

[GregMay]

5KM out and back on a usual Thursday home from work trail to break up the drive. Fastest time. Maybe my legs are ok after the weekend? Not sure. Easy run tomorrow, then a short orienteering race on Saturday to find out.

[GregMay]

Easy 30mins fell run last night - managed to set a PB on it somehow, not sure . THought I was going slow.

Local, very local, orienteering event. 75 people, nearly half of them new to the sport, or first time out. For us "experienced" lot we had 30 controls in 2.5km in a tiny park with a 1:2,500 map. Basically a sprint event. I am baaaad at sprint events. Came 11th, made some massive mistakes, but there was ice-cream :)

[GregMay]

Testing my legs to see if I can start running long again after last weekend. 15km at a steady pace, 600m ish of up, 1hr 38mins. looks like I can start running properly again.

Almost, almost tops off weather today on the "big" climb. But I didn't want to blend in with the lambs.

[sean_iow]

Usual post work on Monday stomping ground, decided to go clockwise this week for a change which also meant I got to run up the chalky climb from Bowcombe Road, the strara segment says it climbs 344 feet in 0.51 miles, the second half is much flatter so the start is much steeper than that.

Made the effort to keep my cadence up all the way to the top (even if my stride length got shorter and shorter to compensate on the steep bit) and was rewarded with a 4th overall and more importantly I took 16 seconds off my PB to knock it down from 6:12 to 5:56.

Glorious 16 degrees and sunshine, but I don't think I have the legs (speed) or body to take my top off, I'll leave that to the real fell runners.

6.05 miles 719 feet 53 minutes

[ScotRoutes]

Well, it was a bit dreich but not hosing down so I got dropped off to run back home (always an incentive not to just turn back at the start). Managed my planned 1/2 marathon distance in a rather frustrating 2:00:28. That's my fastest time for the distance (though it was mostly downhill) and the first I've run that far in almost 3 years. I'm intentionally not looking at time or pace, just concentrating on HR and trying not to stray out of Z3. I'm not completely broken but I suspect I'll pay for it later.

Edit: meant to add - I was "relieved" to get back home as I thought I might have to do a Paula Radcliffe at one point. First time I've had that urge when running.

[sean_iow]

Greg, thought I'd commented on your big round but can't see it. Cracking run that I like the idea of combining it with the climbing problems, gives it a purpose other than just running for running's sake.

5KM out and back on a usual Thursday home from work trail to break up the drive. Fastest time. Maybe my legs are ok after the weekend? Not sure. Easy run tomorrow, then a short orienteering race on Saturday to find out.

Weirdly, I've found after a big ride (100 miles+) or a multi-day trip, when I next go on a short run after a few days rest I'm quicker than normal I'd expect to still be recovering but I'm fine with the running. Maybe because it's running after a big ride, or maybe it's because I'm using my fast muscles and it's my slow muscles I wore out on the ride? This may be complete nonsense though as it's not my field of expertise.

Colin, I prefer running to somewhere as well rather than in a loop. The feeling of traveling through the landscape and also it seems like you are going further. If you run a 10 mile loop in a circle you are only ever 1.6 miles from the centre so it doesn't seem like you're going anywhere. Run a 10 mile line and the start soon disappears into the distance.

I did the run commute this morning. First time I've run it when Jane has been cycling. I go a different way to her for the first 3 miles to avoid the road and then our routes converge. I had a 25 minute head start on Jane as she leaves at 7:00 to meet her friend on the way and I left at 6:35 so I'd get to work about 7:30 to allow time to cool off and get changed before I started at 8:00.

Despite the frost the last few days it was warmer this morning which was nice. Once off road I saw a tractor and trailer with the farm workers ahead. There was only 5 of them in the trailer, at first I thought it was Brexit related as they are eastern European but then I realised it's covid, they need to space out in the back, normally there's be 10 to 15 of them in there. They were driving along the field parallel to the track I was on and despite their track being quite smooth they were crawling along. I pulled level and then passed them, spurred on by the knowledge they were watching me. I pulled out a lead and as I turned a 90 right on my track I saw they had cut the corner by some margin and came out on to my track now with 50m lead over me. I reeled them in again and caught them just before we parted ways, with thumbs up and clapping from my audience ahead A cheery start to both our our days.

I was soon at the point where Jane meets her friend. It was 7:00 and they meet at 7:15, so I had a 15 minute lead with just over 4 miles to go. From here it's all on good tracks and quite a bit is tarmac so they'd have the speed advantage but by the time they got here I'd be nearly 2 miles further on. They'd have about 16 minutes to cover 4 miles and I have 2 left to go so if they averaged 15mph they'd catch me. I was confident they wouldn't be able to manage that as they'd be too busy chatting but on the other hand Jane might have left early so it wasn't nailed on yet.

I tried to manage my effort and keep at 8 min/mile but I had the odd glance over my shoulder, expecting them to appear any minute. I reached the outskirts of Newport and made it to the point where our routes split. I leaned against a bollard and tried not to look like I'd be trying too hard. I was just out of sight form their direction of travel so they wouldn't see me until the last minute when they turned the corner. It was like the end of a Top Gear Challenge where they race across Europe to get to a bar. I was only there 3 or 4 minutes when they appeared, claiming they'd not been trying to catch me they congratulated me but I did confess that with the 25 minute head start it would have been a big ask to make up the deficit. It added a new dimension to the run though, nothing like the feeling of being chased down to spur you on, I've not had so much fun on the run commute for ages

7.1 miles 68 feet 58 mimutes

[ScotRoutes]

f you run a 10 mile loop in a circle you are only ever 1.6 miles from the centre so it doesn't seem like you're going anywhere. Run a 10 mile line and the start soon disappears into the distance.

This is one of the reasons I'd really like to extend my distance (looks jealously at Greg). I'm wondering if I could do a Lairig Ghru run by the end of the summer. The Race distance is 43km but I can reduce that by starting at Linn of Dee and cutting out the tarmac sections at both ends.

[GregMay]

It's all about time Colin. More you do, the further you can go.

The sneaky tip about hill and fell running.... we walk a lot of the really steep bits

[ScotRoutes]

It's all about time Colin. More you do, the further you can go.

The sneaky tip about hill and fell running.... we walk a lot of the really steep bits

Yeah - I can slowly build up again.

Controlling my HR slows me on the ups anyway so reverting to a walking pace is already in the strategy bag!

[GregMay]

Power hiking with a low HR is my secret weapon. Works well and irritates people around me who have to run/jog to keep up :)

[PaulE]

First run in ages, as I've been having foot troubles. Also first run in Altra mountain king shoes. Wife and kids were busy so I took the rare opportunity for a guilt free long run.

Parked at Blackden barn on the snake pass road, ran up into kinder, along the north edge, across to sandy heys trig and then down past Harry hut to the old grouse Inn. Down past the shooting cabin to hayfield for flapjack and drinks. Back over kinderlow, along the south edge, across the plateau and back down. Feeling pretty tired and happy... and luckily the new shoes fit and didn't rub. 33km, plenty of up and down and a bit under 5 hours.

[ScotRoutes]

Another 10km during a break in today's snow showers.

My pacing is improving. I'm maintaining 150-158 bpm without having to constantly refer to my watch. Averaging 6 minutes per km which I'll be happy to maintain as I up the distance this month again.

[sean_iow]

I've been slack in posting mine. Did 16 miles on the way home last Thursday and struggled from mile 9 and it got worse and worse. Too tired when I got home to do anything but eat

Planned 10 yesterday but was struggling again so cut it short to 6.

Went out again tonight after work, only did 6 miles but seemed to have more energy. I did a 65 mile road ride on Monday and it obviously took it out of me more than I thought, I probably should have just rested yesterday.

[GregMay]

Sundays run technically. But first time on here since then.

First time in the mountains since September. I've realised how much I miss them nearly every day since then. Decided to go big ish, mildy big, the Diet Coke of big. So back on the Paddy Buckley Round it is.

Did car shuttle with my running mate from Natgwynant to Nantmor from two totally empty car parks (we saw three people on the hill in 7 hours - it was a bit windy). Plan was leg 4 of the PBR into the start of leg 5 with the first two tops. I wanted a lot of up and down, including a big down into a big up.

Ran well for the day first 4hours was bank on the pace I want to be for the round with a lot left in the tank and a full bag on my back. Dropping my mate on all the climbs, which was nice. HR never above 140bpm - solid endurance base now.

Crossed over onto Leg 5 after some farmer avoidance - apparently the concept of an OS map that displays open access land has yet to bed in at Beddgelert. 30 mins faster to the top of the next summit than last time I'd been up there. Bagged another one, then ran off the PBR and down towards the Watkins track and eventually the car.

That's when Alan realised he'd left his car key in my car....at the start. So we had an unnecessary 8km flat ish run back to the car. I came close to bonking as I'd planned food for 6 hours exactly (now 7 hours), ate his food, whinged a bit, then picked it up again when food found my legs.

Good day out, 33.5km on mostly pathless terrain. 3,300m of climbing (10,820 feet for you luddites), 3 gels, a granola bar, a 600ml bottle of electrolytes, and some water.

[sean_iow]

I'd like to have seen both your reactions when he realised he'd left the key in your car

I ran yesterday, the week before I was lifeless and really struggled, yesterday seemed easy despite being hillier and further either just on a good day or perhaps I just rested better over the weekend. I was also 3lb lighter at Sunday's weigh-in, maybe that was the difference.