Training Log Archive: jonny crickmore

So as well as a sore knee my elbow managed to get infected and was like a red sausage dog from sat to wed. So I just did the classic summer school and ate and drank a lot. By todayI was pretty bored of studying bacteria so snuck out for the compulsory chariots of fire run. Unfortunately knee quite sore and rest of me a fat lump.

The run caused more problems so tried bike today but that hurt left knee too.

With next week in St Andrews for work and little free time it may be I take 2 weeks fully off.

C • Don't just stop 1

Little run with Laura to AS then watched her and Tess do some hills while I picked some blackberries.

Toe very sore today under nail but eased off whereas left knee got slightly worse.

C • Class. Epic. Well done. 6

Managed about an hour walk with Mum. Left knee sore to bend and some general aches. Short run tomorrow evening is the plan.

My knees are wrecked. Otherwise feeling okay.

Ultra Tour of the Peak District (Trace part 1) 60miles - 1st

Been interested in doing an ultra for a while now. Mostly out of curiosity to see what would happen. I wanted a hilly trail one but without much hands on knees types climbs and this seemed perfect and was very happy to be going back to the peaks.

I was semi-confident coming in after a couple of long runs and the hiking without major problems. I knew this would be different game distance wise.

Start at 6:00am and pootled off very slowly at the front and after 1k it was already myself and Graham Watson (ex fairly elite orienteer). My plan was to run all the way to A57 at maybe just a bit slower than long run pace and see what happens.

I had a rough schedule to finish in 10:20 which was roughly previous winning times. I knew I would be up on this to begin with then possibly drop. At checkpoint 1 at Burbage bridge was already 15min ahead after 50min. Oops. Then it was wet and windy along stanage but I started to get a gap then just seemed to cruise the long downhill road/big tracks from Stanage pole to A57 (21min 5k was probably a bit too quick and could feel the quads a bit).

Then on way to Moscar got my coat on as the rain came and it stayed on for the next 6 hours. Coming down to aid station at Moscar I saw Dave Taylor pull up and start throwing drop bags out as I arrive. No control yet but grabbed a banana and set off up to Derwent edge feeling good.
Nice to see Laura on top and got to Marshall for lost lad about 1km from it as I was too early. Then down to Derwent water and no Marshall there yet so carried on. Still feeling really good and managed to run all the way back up the edge and back down to aid station again to grab a bit more food.

The next section I saw as a get to bottom of Win Hill to restart and do the next hilly part of the race. With a cheeky grin after I completed my first marathon in a solid 3:36. Unfortunately it became very wet and windy and started getting cold on Stanage and struggling to eat the food I had. Getting worried how tough Win to Kinder would be with a headwind and realising things were hurting and I wasn't quite halfway. Found Laura with an orange which went down nicely then got to bottom of Parkin and refilled water bottles and set off up the hill. Loved Parkin's clough as it was sheltered and I got to walk and was with loads of the 30milers.

Unfortunately everyone else turned down to Twitchill and onwards to Kinder I went alone. The downhills were now hurting my knees and quads quite a lot. I was paying the price for the fast start. The section on Kinder was grim in the weather and I still wasn't eating well and just was a bit miserable. This was one of the lowest points as still had 35k to go and struggling to keep moving.

Really hurt coming off Kinder down to the main road and was shuffling along. I hit the climb and actually felt okay. I managed to run most of it pain free even getting through a gel with no stomach problems. Laughing to myself as I shuffled from Hollins Cross to Castleton as I know this descent from smashing it down doing Castleton and here I am practically walking down.

Then Laura and fam was in Castleton and I was feeling better and managed to run most of Cave Dale (Garmin change here) and looking forward to getting to final station at Bradwell and join the 30milers again. A painful road descent but got there okay but disappointed that there was pretty much no 30 milers left. I also realised looking at the massive spread of food that I was starving. Stuffed my face as thought I needed it and set off after a 4min break.

What happened next wasn't great. In hindsight I ate too much. I was feeling a bit sick but mostly I got food coma combined with exhaustion meant I was struggling to stay awake let alone run. Another gruelling road descent and then we had a nice flat 5km along the river I was looking forward to. Unfortunately by this point I was stumbling along like a drunkard and purely focussed on just making it to the end of that section.

Perked up slightly over Burbage as sun came out and managed to run all the hills and then knew it was the home stretch and finally back into Limb Valley and over the line.

A wave of exhaustion hit me and I just sat down and just enjoyed sitting. Finally went inside got some food and some Abbeydale Moonshine which just topped it all off.

All in all an interesting adventure and very glad I did it. I think more will happen in the future but back to sprint-o for 2018 after plenty of R&R

UTPD Trace part 2

Laura wanted to go for a morning run!!
Easy round Blackford

Easy B&B with Peter

Playing with Laura on AS

Somedays some exercise and fresh air can help a hangover. This was not one of those days. Sweaty and humid made it horrid.

Found a big hill and some awesome single track. Very successful run. Very hot.

IW

Feeling surprisingly okay. One tight hamstring and some fatigue.

Meadows with James, Peter and Laura. Struggling. Happy to get big miles last 2 days as off to Barcelona for weekend with non runners.

Tapering now anyways.

Easy to Decathlon to pick up a couple of things

Ran to Hillend from Uni. Wearing my new racing vest. Big fan of it. Taking it nice and easy and feeling okay. Stopped to look at descent on the way down.

Caerketton Hill race.

Not overly looking forward to this as knew it was going to hurt bad as it is so short. Saw Espie (Won last year) and Tom Martyn so knew was going to be fast. Those two set off in the lead and I tried to hang on. Then Liam came past and was like gotta hang on here. Bit of a better line and got back into 3rd. Managed to run all the climb and actually felt okay. About 15/20sec down at top. This stayed the same from Hillend to Caerketton. Got a bit back from Caerketton to Hillend then it got steep. In that 1 minute I caught Tom and went straight past him and got within 5m of Espie.

Turns out he is also a very good descender so I was just hanging on through the gorse bushes. I knew there was a steep grassy bit just before finish so I got there and went horribly fast (avg 2:25min/km for last 500m). Nearly decked it bad but stayed on my feet and was all out sprinting for the line. Had got the gap though and my jelly legs managed to make it there.

Felt really good to feel good racing and do some exciting head to head racing.

I also managed to get the course record which was awesome.

Strava analyis says I wa 30sec down on record pace at the top. Then got 45sec back on the descent. On the steep bit I ran same pace as the downhill only record. Lost fair bit of time on the flat bit though as was tired. Might be a record I will have to go for though.

C • very cool 5

Run home

AS en route to shop. Hot hot hot

Tried to get up AS and back to meet Peter at Meadows pavillion as quickly as possible. 11:15 from my house to summit. Garmin hadn't located properly so no strava segments :(

Well the initial plan was Ben Nevis from the south via CMD arete. Except we definitely were not going to be doing that very easily so decided on an easy route down the Glen.

Shoulders ridiculously tight as the heavy bag was taking it's toll.

Got to Fort William as it started tipping it down and then spent 2 hours in Spoons eating a lot of food.


In hindsight we maybe tried to do too much for our first trip. Still in general good fun but quite a lot of low points at times. Mostly due to weather.

Still cold but slept well.

The first bit down lost valley was so cool. Massive boulders scattered in a dry valley. Just clambered our way down. Then a long way along road/marshy path to Devils staircase.
More fast paths going along West highland way to Kinlochleven. Here we stopped for some hot food at the ice factor. Food was pretty awful but it was at least hot and we got to be indoors for a bit.

Then long climb up to Stob Coire a Chairn began. By now it was raining pretty hard and wind had picked up and had become rather unenjoyable. At the top of the valley Laura was struggling and we were considering turning back to Kinlochleven but in the end I just took her bag and we kept going. Weather never let up but Laura started feeling good at the saddle and we motored up the last climb. Definitely felt like hard work.

Nice to get wind behind us on ridge to An Gearanach. Then so many zig zags down to Glen Nevis. Weather just permanent drizzle so got a nice tent spot on the river bed and settled in.

A horrid nights sleep. I got cold and very frustrated. Turns out my mat and sleeping bag aren't very warm.

Set off at 7:40 up Sgorr Nam Fiannaidh for the first Munro of the trip. For the first half of the walk the cloud kept coming and going so kept seeing different views which was nice.

We were quite worried about Aonach Eagach as neither of us have any real climbing experience and are pretty scared of heights so were prepared to turn round if need be.
Turned out okay and was great fun. It took a long time as lots of bits we couldn't do with out bags on so had to keep taking them on and off. Made it up Meall Dearg (Munro 2) with a speedy 60min/km. Then the rain came in for climb up Am Bodach. Happy we did it W-E as this looks tough to downclimb.

Long descent off Am Bodach. Laura's knees not too happy but sun was out so happy taking some time. Then stopped for some lunch down in the valley (and to recharge garmin that had died).

Then began the long climb (1000m) up Bidean Nam Bian (Munro 3) which we got sun for!! Then across for Stob Coire Sgreamhach before dropping into lost valley. Laura still struggling with downhills so took her bag for a bit here as we both wanted to get down ASAP.

Unfortunately it had now started raining again and quite hard and we were getting a little chilly. Had dinner under a big rock before getting into the tent.

Just a short one before heading up north.

Hiking with Laura.

From Glencoe up to a flat bit 200m below the summit of Sgorr Nam Fiannaidh. Raining for most of it then stopped as we got the tent up.

No wind so midgy but nice views of loch beyond Glencoe.

IW

Nice easy one with Peter for the first time since WOC. Vaguely feeling like an athlete today.