Training 23rd - 29th January 2012

23rd Jan: 1 mile swim, feeling good but coughing between lengths
24th Jan: Track session, 4 sets of 700m (90s jog) 300m, with 3 min recovery between sets. Really misty tonight - looked like freezing fog coming off the track. Tried not to get too out of breath, was coughing badly between sets and chest getting really tight - not sure how much was due to the cold air! Enjoyed the 300ms, hitting 55-56.
25th Jan: Spinning class. Worked really hard to compensate for lack of run this morning. Still coughing
26th Jan: 5miles at lunch on the treadmill. I hate running on treadmills, not only is it dull and I bang my arms, knees etc on the sides but I also get really dizzy when I step off. Felt a lot better, apart from the dizzyness. No coughing, indicating it's the cold air giving me problems.
27th Jan: Rest
28th Jan: Midlands XC Champs, Nottingham: 50th, 3rd Team! Good run, tough course - see more in race report. Long warm down, 10miles in total.
29th Jan: Attempted long run on the Wrekin, couldn't breathe in freezing fog, coughing. 7 miles as had to turn back.
(week = 28miles)

Training 1st - 22nd January 2012

1st Jan: 72 mins in pouring rain - 9 miles
2nd Jan: Rest Day - had planned on attending Altrincham session but hip was sore after yesterday's run
3rd Jan: Tempo session, very windy & hilly route: 2miles (14.38), 2min jog, 2miles (15.08), 2min jog, 1mile (~7.30, stopwatch on the blink) - 8 miles total
4th Jan: am 38min run round Hale Barns - 5miles, pm Spinning session
5th Jan: am 39min run round Hale Barns - 5miles, pm S&C session at Altrincham inc. 8x100m strides - 4miles
6th Jan: Rest
7th Jan: Shropshire County XC Champs, 8th - 8 miles
8th Jan: Long easy run from Shifnal with Nellie & Johnny - 10.5 miles
(week = 40.5 miles)

9th Jan: 1 mile swim
10th Jan: Altrincham grass session: 1x2km, 1x1500m, 2x1km, 2x500m - super hard session! 6miles
11th Jan: am 38min run round Hale Barns - 5miles, pm Spinning session - worked really hard
12th Jan: 12x300m off 1min recovery, great session 58-61 seconds, finishing in 55. 5miles
13th Jan: 55min run from work, legs tired 8miles
14th Jan: Rest Day
15th Jan: Manchester XC League, Stockport - running well in 14th feeling good when had to stop with stomach cramps
(week = 32 miles)

16th Jan: 1 mile swim - felt much better than last week, more comfortable in the water
17th Jan: Aborted Altrincham session, struggled with stomach ache again and jogged for ages - 6miles
18th Jan: Spinning - worked hard to make up for last night, coughing during the day but no ill effects on bike
19th Jan: am 3mile run - attempted 5mile run failed when stomach ache kicked in again
20th Jan: Rest due to cough - lost my voice
21st Jan: Rest due to cough - lost my voice
22nd Jan: Easy 45min run to test legs out and not push heart rate high. Followed up with 150 sit ups and 50 press ups - 5miles.
(week = 14 miles)

2 excellent weeks of solid training before stomach cramps / cough curtailed week 3 of 2012.

Depsite the illness, the new training regime seems to be working well - I was surprised to manage such an excellent session on 12th Jan, feeling really strong and legs moving well despite struggling to walk up the stairs that morning. I was feeling really fit for the Manchester XC League and was absolutely gutted to have to stop - I was walking for a while hoping it would ease off, but no luck! Ah well, plenty more races this year and hopefully having taken a couple of days off with a cough I've recovered enough to attack the next week of training and race well at the Midlands XC Champs next Saturday.

Shropshire XC Champs 2012

The 2012 racing schedule kicked off on 7th January with the Shropshire XC Champs at Lilleshall.
This course is deceptively tough as it gets very boggy when wet and the steep hill just before the end of each lap is through energy sapping long grass and uneven ground - it's a very Shropshire course, with a lovely view of the Wrekin from the start field.
2012 saw possibly the largest ever field for a Shropshire Champs - certainly the largest I can remember with over 70 women on the start list. This race has suffered in recent years from being held in December, usually clashing with a North Staffs XC League Race. This year it clashed with nothing, and everyone from Shropshire was here, giving us a full Telford AC team:

Photos courtesy of Johnny Sanders

I was a bit annoyed to find the race was longer than I remembered - 1 small lap and 3 large laps making it close to 7km. Having missed what felt lot of training over Christmas with a nasty cold, and having completely overindulged on Christmas Cake and Christmas Pudding, I was definitely not as fit as I wanted to be. I was definitely looking forward to the TAC night out afterwards more than the race!
I set off just behind a group of 7 - all of them top athletes who would usually be quite a distance in front of me - the race panned out as I'd predicted! On reflection I think I should have at least tried to hang on to this group to test my fitness a bit more. Next time I'll have more confidence in my abilities and at least give it a go!
So I set off in 8th place, and finished in 8th place. Results available here

It was quite an enjoyable race, and a good confidence boost at the start of the year - unflattering photo here:

It reminded me how much I miss running with the fantastic group of girls at Telford AC, and how awesome we are! We took Team Gold and Team Silver today, as well as individual Gold and Silver medals. A fantastic start to the season, and I hope everyone continues with equally amazing results and enthusiasm for racing!

Nellie Sanders(9th), Sarah Mackness(8th), Claire Martin(1st)