Am so tired today - yesterdays cross country race and todays cycling have caught up with me.  Have been trying to do something everyday this month - and have succeeded so far 22 days in a row!  Has been a big challenge but fun - its hurting now though!

 

The cross country was murder yesterday - I was sooooo out of my depth and struggled from the off to be honest.  I was in a mess by the end of lap one,  was lapped by the winner half was around lap two, lap three was just a case of survival and avoiding being last!  Which I managed to avoid by the way. 

 

The club won the men's team prize and were second in the ladies race - so a good day for the club.  Well done Forres Harriers.

Not got any race plans for next few weeks / months – there are a few races locally that I’m half tempted by but am mainly looking to next year now.  Blimey the plans for next year already !!  Entries open for Inverness Half so will be getting entry in soon for that.  Am not sure about riding the Bealach next year – it has a feel of been there done that sort of thing.  Want to get more bike events done but not at the expense of the running – and vice versa.  Had the problem this year of the Tuesday League racing (bike) meaning I was knackered for next two days so need a serious think about that and how it fits with plans.  Don’t want to drop it as it is great fun and great training / race pace efforts but don’t want it to scupper everything else. Mmmm all a bit odd thinking about next summer as the October rain is lashing against the autumnal leaves on the trees outside. That get’s me thinking about which jacket to wear for Harriers tonight – ah well back to reality of life in Scotland eh?

this week I have mainly been having cold.  No runniing or cycling.  Nothing major just a sore throat and bad head.  Trying to resist temptation to train - hard though.  Seem over worst of it now.  Might get a few miles in tomorrow night and a run at weekend.

will add GNR stuff soon honest.

 

 

Yet again a catch up blog.  Went to Harriers on Tuesday night but didn’t finish the session of Police Station hills – intervals on the hill next to the Police Stn not some bizarre intervals name!  Had a really upset tum which made running almost impossible – and the jog home was not pleasant experience.  No more info reqd but not what you’re probably thinking.  Felt really low that night, like I had let myself down badly plus the not knowing what is causing this problem – not first time has happened lately.

 Managed a steady wee run of about 3 ½ miles on Wed and last night a nice steady 5.1 miler on my own – just nipped out in the setting sunshine – albeit it was ‘kin cold.  Felt okay actually – bit tired after Sunday and time off and back to work all added up.  Not got any plans for weekend nor any race plans for foreseeable future.  Gonna need to get something teed up otherwise I’ll drift off into complacency and aimless plodding. 

 Also need to get sorted about cycling to work soon.  That is a must.  I must make that part of my routine, its green, it saves me cash and it gets two one hour training sessions in one day – so what am I waiting for?  Dunno, just keep finding excuses or putting off until next week.  Get it sorted Croc! It might get you feeling a bit happier with life in general and get you out of this emotional rut that you’re stuck in.  Excuse me if I go into a self directed rant here but it always helps to brain dump some of this stuff now and again.   

very quick update - more blah soon.  Finished in a PB of 1:42:46, over a minute of best time. Position was 2994 out of 54000 entries so very very happy with that.  Holiday after it was well deserved and well enjoyed - full race blog on Fetch profile.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'd cooked dinner before I'd gone out so a nice plate (or two) of chicken plo washed down with a cheeky little glass of South African wine.  Okay so I'm supposed to be not drinking during the week - but hey we fancied a glass!  I'm off the beer after all. 

Brief note - Sundays run was a long one with some from club who are preparing for Dublin marathon.  2 hours 54 minutes at a very steady pace saw us cover a distance of 17 miles.  Very tired this morning and off to work in a mo, then have to set and run the hash tonight after work - gonna be very tired by I get home I thinks.

INtervals Tuesday - tough

short run Wed - okay

Long run with efforts in on Thursday - very hard

steady run Friday - hard but good.

Intervals this morning instead of a long run - 4 times 5 minute efforts - that was very hard session - plus laps of park to warm up and cool down - 4.5 total.

 

Long slow run tomorrow - only 3 weeks to GNR - oh boy - got two weeks of hard training then an easy week before race.

 

Catch up again soon

 

 

Well I felt a bit ropey last night before I went to Harriers and was in two minds whether to go or not.  Am quite often tired day after blood donation – even more after platelets as was the case this week.  Just felt like a bad hangover in the morning – despite lack of drink! Total!  And either way felt well ropey by end of session.

Harriers had a very good turn out for the first time in a while. 

 

P announced we were off to Honeysuckle.  WTF!  New one on me that.  So off we went across the park and up past the cemetery ( Up being operative word) a real conversation stopper of a climb.  Warm up – you bet.  Once re-grouped we had a steady lap of the circuit we’d be doing.  The idea was to pair up and do relays, one running one recovering.  Good stuff but it was a 2:30 lap and we did 30 minutes of this.  The start was vertical, levelled out, kicked up again, eased off, kicked up again into a short respite and then a final wee rise.  The descent took you back to the start – but was punctuated by a nasty wee drag that would sap the strength in later laps.  I felt quite good early on but was flagging in my attempt to maintain the pace in the middle laps.  Did have the ability to dig deep in later laps though.  30 minutes seemed a long session on this brutal quarter mile circuit.  And we didn’t simply jog back either – oh no we had to go the long way round and over the hill.

 

I was well and truly knackered by end but in that “I’ve had a good workout” kind of way.  Very unlike Sunday’s bad run.  Felt much better in myself to be honest.  Wasn’t really up to doing much by the time had got home bathed and fed.  Very much a lazy night on the sofa – cannot even remember what was on tv. 

Mrs OC said that a parcel has arrived at home – new fetch vest – so will have to test drive that tonight or tomorrow night.  Trying to up the miles for a couple of weeks before taper week for GNR. 

 

Have booked a fitness assessment at local sports centre on Fri afternoon.  Weight, skin callipers, endurance tests, flex test etc.  Could prove interesting – wish had done one a year or so back, to be able to compare how I’m doing.  If it is any good will book a follow up in a few months time – one either side of Christmas might be an idea – well a few weeks either side to make it worth doing.  Failing that one of the dieticians at work apparently does that sort of stuff so may seek her out for regular checks.  Maybe I’m not as bad as I thought I was – or then again could be worse off – that’d be a shock to system.

 

 

 

Well a mixed weekend to be honest.  A steady run of 3.6 miles on Friday night was a steady recovery after the efforts of Wednesday evening.  A good pace of 8:07 gave a time of 29:19 and a good feeling.

Saturday was written off with a day in Aberdeen shopping – groceries and nothing more exciting.  Sunday morning saw a longer steady run and I managed a good 8.5 miles in 1:10:42 although was very tired by the latter stages. 8:17 pace. That was a bit of catch up from Wednesdays efforts.  A 23 mile week – with 30 miles on bike too – probably why I was flagging by end of Sundays run.  Felt good otherwise. 

GNR number arrived on Saturday morning – in the 1800s and pen C – so shouldn’t have any problems being held up at the start.  Gonna be weird running in a crowd that big again. When I did the Gate to Gate half in Feb there were about 100 runners! Bit of a contrast between that and the GNR then.

Got my eye on a couple of races over next few weekends – just got to do some planning and decision making I s’pose.  Choices include a 5k and a 10 miler - probably do both of those.

 

 

Well finally got my bum in gear and managed to cycle to work this morning !! Must must must get into that habit before the end of summer otherwise it’ll never happen in the winter.   Have to admit the idea of switching the cycle to work day to Monday seems to be the best way of doing it.  Might say different by end of week though.  Legs didn’t even feel any after effects from yesterday’s run. 

Things didn’t go according to plan at all over weekend.  The planned run to Findhorn and a chippy tea was curtailed due to rain.  I went for a run in the rain a quick 4.4  miler in 35:55, wet and miserable - to be honest I didn’t enjoy it.  Had a chippy tea still just it was at home and not the coast.  A couple of beers and some wine.  Saturday was a rest day – shopping and lunch out.  A quiet night in but way way to much wine consumed.  Sunday I went out for a LSR with the best intentions of doing 8+.  I felt okay early on but just blew a bit after 4 miles – that did coincide with the steep bit of the hill so not too worried.  The lack of a dinner and excess alcohol form last night kicked in big style.  Managed just over 7 in 1hr 1 minute so was happy enough.  Felt okay by end – just had that bad patch going up the climb by the Dava Way.

Spent rest Sunday tidying up the garage – not an easy task.  Got rid of a lot of crap and rearranged the rest of the crap into a neater pile.  Loads of space now – must resist temptation to fill that space with more crap!  All ready for winter usage as a gym – or at least home for the turbo / rollers and exercise ball.  Gym makes it sound a bit grander than it is.

Ride to work today was fab.  A bright, if slightly cool, morning with no breeze to speak of.  Once off the main road the traffic was non-existent – think I only passed one car in 4 miles – great. Legs were good, just twiddled a medium gear most of way – resisted temptation to go any harder except on the climb up to Spynie. Didn’t really have a massive hunger when I got in either!

Well that’s my July break over.  A fab weekend in Cumbria at the Steam Rally.  Loads of eating and drinking.  Have had a week off running and cycling as well so its back to training as well as back to work.  The camping was great fun, weather generally behaved – only rained a couple of times on the Friday and the Sunday – Saturday was a scorcher though!

Need to work out a programme for build up to GNR – and make some decisions on some races in that build up – but without overdoing it in the build up.  Going to have to make sure that GNR remains the focus and everything else is pointing towards that and not in addition to it.  Really want to do well in this race and am keen for a good performance – even if not a PB as cannot remember if it is a PB kind of course – and race.  Think the numbers on the course might either block a good run or drag me along too quickly and see me blow up big stylie!

Right – today is day to start training, cut back on drink and get that weight down a tad.  Positive attitude plugged in and ready to go.