Sunday Update

Short run today. Had planned just to do some speed work round Langdon Hill, but it was way too popular with walkers, etc. Had a job finding a parking space. So decided on a hilly loop up Golden Cap, down the other side and back along the road. Lane was a bit icy, but managed to stay upright. Right wrist still hurts a bit from the fall I had on the ice a month ago. No idea what I did, but it only seems to be getting better very slowly. Ligaments or something I suppose.

Found it hard work again, particularly on the calf muscles. Then again I did do 350m of climb in a 5k run.

Five weeks to Southbourne 10k. Looking forward to running on the flat!

When Will I See You Again?

Yes that’s right, it was Three Degrees this morning! I could have used “Giving Up, Giving In” but that didn’t seem appropriate somehow.

As it was cold I togged up in two shirts, leggings and gloves, but that was overkill as there was no wind and I ended up getting too hot. Note to self, check windspeed on BBC weather as well as temperature.

This was the long awaited, oft postponed, comparison run with the Orbana energy drink that I promised Annabel I would do. 9km including two climbs. As it was so cold the mud was part frozen, so this usually makes times quicker, but it didn’t really work out.

I drank the Orbana before setting off. The recommended time is 30 mins before exercise, but I probably took it about 15 mins before. I was quicker this time over the first km, but that was mostly due to not having to skirt round a really muddy patch. The next 6km were basically the same as the previous non-Orbana run, but I just died up the hill over the last two km, both of which were 30 seconds slower than before.

I actually felt energised over that first 7km, and was convinced I was faster, but the data shows that not to be the case. So it seems to give you a buzz and mentally do you good, but it didn’t give me the physical boost I was looking for. Not a terribly scientific test, but I was in a good frame of mind and up for the run today, so not sure what happened. On the plus side, it does taste nice  🙂

Sorry Annabel, not really what you were hoping for.

9km, 1hr 04m 35s, 528m of climb.

The best laid plans of mice and men . . .

. . . oft go awry.

Or in other words things didn’t quite go to plan today. I was supposed to be repeating Monday’s run, but this time taking the Orbana energy drink before I set off to see if it improved performance.

Unfortunately, it had been raining all night and all morning. It eased off slightly around 10:30 so decided to knock back the drink and head out, suitably attired for the weather of course. By the time I got to the far end of Stonebarrow car park it was so misty that I could only see about 30 yards! What the heck. Set off anyway, but after about 10 yards of the first field I was up to my ankles in water . . . and this is at the top of the hill. So there was no way I could do any sort of normal route. The comparison run will have to wait for next week. Sorry Annabel.

Decided to just run back down the length of the car park, down Stonebarrow Lane, then turn round and come back. 5km in all, so a short run with a big hill. Total run took 32m 10s, but the important kilometer up Stonebarrow Lane took 8m 58s with 123m of climb. On the last occasion that I tried that climb it took 9m 55s. So am I getting better, or was it the Orbana. Impossible to say when I’m comparing two runs that are three months apart. And that’s why I need to do a repeat of Monday’s 9km route as soon as possible. Looks like maybe next Tuesday or Wednesday.

Just over six weeks to Southbourne 10k.

Monday

Sorry, feeling tired and couldn’t think of a suitably witty and elegant title for today’s blog post. However, I feel that ‘Monday’ is suitably minimalist, truthful and to the point. I’ll try and do better next time.

Planning to run Monday and Friday this week as will be out all next weekend. Will try and do identical courses on the two runs; the first without the Orbana drink that I’m supposed to be trying, and the second run with it.

So today did exactly 9km (did a little extra near the end to make it up to an exact figure) in 63m 55s, for an average of 7m 5s per kilometer. Did Golden Cap and Stonebarrow, so total amount of ascent was 537m. Tried to pick a drier route, but very sloppy and sticky in places, especially around some of the stiles and the narrow paths between some fields. Managed to jog up GC again without grinding to a halt which is good, but have realised that my current ‘winter’ route involves a more gradual climb and a flat bit to recover as I run through the woods on Langdon Hill. So that’s why I’ve still got something in the tank when I get near the top.

There’s also an element of willpower involved. It would be very easy to walk the steep bits, but I get a bit stubborn sometimes and refuse to do so. The gadget helps, unless I’ve exceeded my max heart rate why should I walk? If my body has something left, use it. I don’t want to get the end of the Challenge and feel that I didn’t give it everything, so that’s how I want to train.

The Return of the Mud

Too warm for the forecast snow, temperatures here now around three degrees so we just had a bit of drizzle most of the night. The rising temperatures have thawed out most of the mud, so pretty mucky today especially near the end of my run. Still a bit of ice here and there, so mud is likely to get worse before it gets better.

6.96 km, 47m 50s, 6m 52s per k average, 312m of climb. All pretty average, but glad to have got out. Basically just did a loop from Stonebarrow, will do much the same at the weekend but include the loop round Langdon Hill and the climb up Golden Cap.

Would have been fun to have had some snow, but being right on the coast in West Dorset we’re pretty sheltered so it’s unusual to get more than a dusting, although to be fair we did get a few inches last March. It did get cold enough for the river Char to freeze over this time, there’s some photos of it on Facebook on the Charmouth Appreciation Society page if you’re interested.

Snowy Sunday Slog

Decided that I ought to get out, snow or not. Fortunately we’ve only had half an inch of the stuff so it wasn’t that bad. Main problem is all the icy side roads and pavements. Only practical place to run today was round the woods at Langdon Hill again, although getting up the lane to it was a bit of fun in our little Yaris. One of those days where you’re really glad that there’s nothing coming the other way.

The track round the woods wasn’t too bad, mostly running on packed snow so grip was reasonable. Wore beanie hat and gloves today and was perfectly warm enough. Did three laps, 6.54km, 36m 52s, 5m 36s per k average. Can’t afford not to run as I’m still hoping to set a PB in the Southbourne 10k in less than two months time.

Not sure if I’ll get out again this week, more snow forecast for Tuesday or Wednesday.

Short Run

Decided to squeeze in a quick run this morning after seeing the dire weather forecast for tonight and tomorrow. So far we have escaped all snow down here, it’s just been icy with clear blue skies. However, if you believe the Met Office then tonight and tomorrow morning we are due for an ‘extreme weather event’. Yeah right, believe that when I see it. Chances are that being on the coast we’ll get next to nothing. We’ll just have to wait and see. As long as I can get to and from Poker tonight at The Clock in Chideock I don’t care.

Anyway, did a couple of laps around Langdon Hill. Short run, but worked hard and felt it was definitely worth doing. Still determined to keep running twice a week if possible from now on.

Sent off my entry form today for the Southbourne 10k on March 7th.

New Year Run

Decided on a short run today, the first run since before Xmas. Temperature was zero degrees, so tracksters and gloves definitely called for.

The drive up Stonebarrow Lane to the National Trust car park at the top was very icy. Nearly decided to turn round but pushed on anyway. Worry about the trip back down later.

Having not been out for a while, I decided to take it easy today. Still suffering from slight tightness in my right hamstring, and my lower back has been sore from all the recent house painting. It might have been cold, but once again the sun was out. This meant the best of both worlds, the mud was frozen, but the sun on my face was warm. Not looking forward to the mud thawing in the Spring, gonna be a right mess.

And then the fun began. Halfway back down Stonebarrow Lane came across some ejit who had not been so careful coming up on the ice and was now sideways blocking the road. So I stopped and with a few others helped get him straight. By now there’s three cars behind me trying to come down, and three behind him trying to come up. And then I fell over on the ice! Cut and bruised the heal of my left hand, sprained my right wrist. Great. Anyway, the uphill cars chickened out and rolled slowly back down the hill except for one 4×4, so to let him up the downhill cars had to slither into gateways and passing points. Once he was gone we were free. All in all, suck for about 30 minutes.

So my new New Year’s resolution; no driving up Stonebarrow Lane unless its greater than five degrees!

Happy New Year.