Wednesday 11 February 2009

Snow up Pitfichie














Long time no blog, but races tend to go up on the Portobello website and long runs tend to blur one into another and shorter runs are too fast. Settling at the moment around 50 miles a week with a 20 miler every week. Its no more than I'd be doing for marathon training but the ultimate goal of the Highland Fling on 25th April is still a fair way off so I'm not too bothered yet. More worrying is the Draycote Water 35 mile race which is just next weekend and for which I am largely unprepared. I had planned to try out some things like eating tablet while running as apparently anything over a marathom you really need to start eating as well as taking energy drinks. But is this really true? I wonder what ironmen do. I doubt they eat. I tried eating for my only previous ultra event which was a 50k and I found the process slow and unrewarding. Anyway, goodness knows. Last weekend we were up at my mum's and so thought we'd have a run up Pitfichie and Cairn William as usual but we were to find the going too slow due to deep snow. It was picturesque but frustrating to the truly obsessed as I needed to get some miles in! As it was we were running for over 2 hours and managed just under 8 miles, 2 of which were round the artificial pond in the Paradise woods which was at least flat. There may have been some benefit in terms of strength training; even running down hill was hard, dragging reluctant limbs through deep snow. Tonight will tell. Its club training night...

2 comments:

Gnarls said...

wow, knee deep snow, that will certainly make you stronger. sounds like your training is going well, 20 miler every week, I couldn't handle that. I'm doing 14 this weekend and that's my longest run since VT 50 in Sept. Can't wait to hear about your 35 miler.

Yak Hunter said...

Thanks Gnarls, that makes my 35 miler seem more exciting. At the moment I can't figure out what to eat or drink or how to run it or what to have for breakfast before it or how to get home after it. Well me and Richard from club are driving back home but he's insisting we go in his automatic. What if I have to brake in a hurry and put the accelerator on? Legs will enjoy a long drive after hours of running. NOT! Tad nervous maybe...