Back t'Track

After trying but failing to get to the track every Tuesday since Christmas, this evening finally saw me and The Reverend back at Greenhead and, whilst not raring, at least willing to go.  Sadly Lily's indoor athletics finals were cancelled today because of snow, but things had "warmed" up by this evening so apart from an arctic wind all was well.

Hinsley was keen to do 6x1k, but as this is my first time on the track since September (where does the time go?) I suggested 6x800m.  Hinsley was looking worryingly slim compared to the blob that we cycled with last September, and sure enough he was well up on our first rep, even though I was almost bang on the agreed pace of 1:35 per lap.

He did slow down a bit, but even though I was ahead on reps 4 and 5 by the time the last one came he was ahead and in the last 100m left me for dead.  I clearly have work to do...

He did confess to having lost a stone and a half since last September, which explains his sprightliness, but even so he's doing really well to be running just about as fast as he did when we were running a lot.  I, meanwhile, am running about 8 or 9 seconds a lap slower than at my fittest - but then again I suppose I'm a stone and a bit heavier than that - still, the weight's still coming off and I reckon I'll be at fighting weight by the end of March.

On looking at the watch, we did pretty well considering the target was 3:10 per rep - 3:06, 3:07, 3:08, 3:08, 3:11, 3:08 - all off 200m recoveries of c75seconds.  My heart rate wasn't right up, so I suspect there's more speed to come if we keep it up regularly - plan is every Tuesday as long as work doesn't intervene.

Back in the saddle

After the snow went I've had a decent week - although with travelling I was limited to three midweek runs.  getting quicker though, with sub-8 min miling feeling pretty comfortable.

Herb, Izzy and i went out for our "long" run yesterday - we debated how long all the way, and ended up turning just short of the Tesco road as Herb had to get back for a luncheon appointment.  Izzy was exceptionally well behaved - she seems to have grown up all of a sudden - you never know, perhaps K will like her soon!

We got back to the car with a small amount of time to spare and only quarter of a mile to make it a ten miler, so we jogged down the road and back to the car, much to Izzy's bemusement.  Anyway - 10 miles in a tad under 85 minutes - slower than last week's snowy effort, but a much pleasanter experience with Herb to chat to.

Then today was pencilled in for a return to cycling.  We'd decided our leggy weggies would be tired after yesterday, so dispensed with the Skipton CC 50 miler, wise in light of the weather.  We just did a bimble up Wharfedale to Linton then back via Rylstone - very hard work in the wind, and felt to be an effort all out of proportion to a fairly gentle 18 miles.  Still, the bike's out of the shed.

Difficult to believe it's February.  Weight loss os going ok - still no beer outside the Alps, and I've discovered turkey mince as an alternative to beef, so my red meat consumption is way down.  I think I've lost 9lbs or so in just over 4 weeks, so the 2lbs a week formula still holds good.  Just got to keep it up for another 10 weeks or so!

Snow gone

Sunday dawned warm and windy - all the snow gone overnight, as if it'd never been there.

I was supposed to be getting out on my bike, but the wind and rain made me decide that maybe I'd earned a day off - so January ends with just the two bike rides but plenty of running.

This week I've been travelling a couple of days, so just a couple of steady lunchtime four milers so far, but the pace seems to be improving all the time - I seem to have gone from 8:30 being the comfortable pace-of-choice to just under 8's - which is pretty reasonable.

February's objective is to keep the 4 runs a week pattern going, with a regular 10-12 miler at the weekend, but to try to get some decent bike miles in.  This won't be easy with half term and a trip to the Portes du Soleil involved, but as we're not in the Fred then maybe 200 miles a month isn't quite so essential.

I'm still doing ok on the beer/food front - last Monday's weigh-in had me 8lbs down on new year's day, so my 2lbs a week plan seems to be working.

Another steady lunchtime one tomorrow hopefully, then Herb (and hopefully Izzy) will be out Saturday for a longish run - the canal awaits...

Still snowy, still running...

Two years after buying a pair of 4WD vehicles after we'd struggled to get to work for a fortnight we've finally had a reasonably protracted period of snow (during most of which I went to the Alps...).

However my other purchase from that previous mini-ice age has come in handy today - a set of Kahtoola Microspikes.  I bought them because I was running a lot on the canal, and once a few people have been along the towpath it gets very slippy - as it was in places today.

K decided that the snow might be a bit tiring for Izzy (she's about 98% border collie - I'm sure she'd be fine, but hey ho...), and Herb's away, so I was on my own today.

I ran in trail shoes, and I wasn't really aware of slipping a lot for the first 3 miles, but once I'd put my spikes on I made better progress.  In fact looking back at my stats I speeded up by a good 15-20 secs a mile after I put them on.

I turned at the Tesco road near Crossflatts with 5 mile and a tad over 40 minutes on the watch, then running back was slightly harder work - hardly surprising when I look back I haven't run 10m since May 2011 - and explains why I'm so unfit!

I started feeling like I was getting a bit of rubbing on the ball of my left foot after 8 miles or so, so I stopped a couple of times - I think it's my shoe/sock combination rather than the spikes though.

Anyway - 10m in the bank in just under 82 minutes.  I'm thinking if I can keep getting a 10-14 miler in most weekends, along with a selection of midweek runs I should be in decent shape to maybe do some racing later in the spring.

Back from the snow to the snow

Oh deer, oh dear...

Well after last week's mileage high, I set off to Chamonix on Thursday quite regretting the lack of exercise I was heading for - little did I know...

A steady old day on Thursday up at Grands Montets (apart from a specular drop off an 8' cliff onto a road in completely flat light) led to some proper Brevent-Flegere mileage on Friday.  Saturday was going to be my Pas de Chevre adventure, but unfortunately my guide, Neil, decided that it was all a bit windy and avalanchy so we were off to Switzerland for some transceiver training and a bit of a day tour.

Me and Rob at Brevent with MB behind

The transceiver training was in a car park, accompanied by the bizarre spectacle of me setting up a crevasse rescue in the same car park, belayed to a ski stuck in a snow drift.  Still, useful...

However once we were up on the road to the Lac d'Emosson I was soon skinning up the road like a good 'un.  Slightly disconcerted by the lack of "lifts" though...  Two and a half hours later it had sunk in there weren't going to be any lifts, and I was utterly knackered.  Skiing uphill is hard work.  Skiing uphill with 800m of climbing is very hard work.  Still, I thought, you've "earned your turns" as they say!  Only I couldn't really do any turns - it was avalanchy, scary, deep and in places, steep.  And I was goosed.  So after a bit of gorgeous powder that I really couldn't take advantage off due to my feeble legs, we just skied back down the road on the whole.  Still - I had no qualms that I'd had a hard day, and that it would be paid back in fitness and weight loss (despite beer and chips).

Sunday saw us at a much tamer Les Houches - we went because the forecast said poor vis, but as we looked at the GM sparkling in the sun I was slightly regretting not dragging everyone up there.  However as Tim and Rob had decided it was my "birthday" I spent the morning dressed in a reindeer suit, much to the amusement of most of the lifties.   A nice day was had by all, and after an afternoon of introducing Rob to the joys of off piste bumps we headed off for my "birthday meal" at Maison Carrier.

Home again and back to running - in the snow!  Leeds airport was closed for large parts of Monday but we got home 4hrs delayed and then straight back into work and running yesterday.  Running's definitely getting easier, and the scales suggest I've dropped about half a stone since new year - which is a reasonable 2 or 3lbs a week.

We've not got into the Fred, so my spring challenge is yet to be decided - may try for a late entry, or possibly the Etape du Dales, which I know Bob's having a bash at.  Alternatively I might just make the White Rose long route the main event for the year.

Just a 5 and a 4 miler so far this week - but given the conditions I'm not unhappy with that.

Last one before the snow

Still snowy here actually - so that's a pretty dumb title.  Ho hm.

Anyway - we're gripped by the arctic here - -5º this morning and forecast for freezing fog tomorrow.  Hopefully Jet2 can get us to Geneva as conditions in Cham look A Bit Good.  Bag's packed, including new avi airbag just in case the Pas de Chevre decides to drop on my head on Saturday.

Whilst gripped by the arctic I decided to make up for last night's failure to do anything by going out at lunch.  The novelty of running home and just over half a mile along my normal Halton East route is still there, so I quite enjoyed it.  I enjoyed less the fact there's only one shower at work - a poor do compared with the luxuries of UKAR with 6 showers and Tomes' ubiquitous nob.

4 miles, a bit quicker than last time - 8:01 pace.  Getting better...

Sunday, Monday stuff

Out with the club on Sunday, in very cold conditions.  Plan was to again ride with the fast boys then cut off - our plan being to retire to the caff in Settle as the A-Team headed off to Feizor for long-tailed scampi and amazingly attractive waitresses.  In the event Tim, the strong man of the club, couldn't wait to show us all how feeble we are and sped off, taking two or three guys with him.

Herb and I, partly out of chivalry but more out of an inability to keep up, stayed with Fiona and Bob, as Skipton is starting to get a bit butch in its tendency to drop people.  I mentioned this a few rimes, as we'll have trouble attracting people to ride with us - I've been a new club member at both running and cycling clubs, and one of your worries is always "will I keep up?" - with Skipton CC of late the answer seems to be "you'd better, or you'll spend a lot of time on your own".

Anyway - our happy band made its way (via a "deflation incident" for Herb) along Littondale and up the climb from Halton Gill where we found Iain, who'd stayed with the fast lads until they announced "no cafe stop - haven't got time" - so he turned back and rode with us.

Up to five of us now, we wended our way to Settle where we had beans on toast and much tea.  The ride back through Wigglesworth and Gargrave was cold but those beans (and possibly some slight weight loss) made the ride home infinitely more pleasant than last week.  We stayed together pretty much all the way back to Embsay, as Fiona lives in the village too.

53m in the Bank of Fred (entries have closed but we don't know if we're in yet...).

Then yesterday I used my new psychological insight that running after work is much easier if you do it from work instead of when you get home - just 5m to carleton, but it's getting easier and I'm getting a tiny bit quicker.

I intended to get out after work tonight (track was a bit hopeless considering the snow), but I had several parcels arrive (including my new avalanche airbag - useful as it's going to hoss down in Chamonix this weekend) so needed to go home to play.

I'll try and get another lunchtime one in tomorrow then it's a few days off running, back on beer and hopefully knee deep in powder snow.  Chamonix awaits...

And I finally seem to have lost some weight - about 5lbs has gone - 23lbs to go...