CTS Dorset "race" report

Well despite the east and north of the country being bashed my a big storm yesterday there had been no bad weather on the South Coast and so to Lulworth Cove we headed for the latest instalment from Endurance Life coastal trail series.

This event is marked as "extreme" largely due to the cliffs you climb up and roll down on the course. For a change for a CTS event the 10k was actually just short of 10k, coming in at 9.9k..... Unlike the "half marathon" which would be hard enough on these trails without throwing in an extra few miles... Coming in at 16miles, marathon something like 27 and the ultra too many miles to contemplate (33 and a bit I think!).

People evidently come from far and wide for this one as a evidenced by coach load of Dutch appeared just as we arrived for check-in! Now I haven't be training much due to the lurgy I had in November... But at least we have hills, although small ones... To train on... I'm not sure there are any really big hills in Holland and I don't think much in the way of cliffs... So I can see the appeal but how would you train for this (lots of incline 10 on the treadmill!?)

Anyway... To the race .... Given we were starting up a lovely hill (pictures to follow)... And gIven I've not trained much or run an awful lot recently I had already planned to walk the hills, come cliff faces, ... Although when it came to it this is what pretty much everyone did! The first 5k contained 4 significant climbs, of increasing length and steepness ... I had lots of fun on the down hills.... Arms out flying down was ace.... I hope I didn't annoy people... There were a couple of us really fast on the downs, with little holding back... I jogged on the flats and walked upwards.... And when my HR exceeded 170 (!!!!!) whilst walking up the hills I just stopped and took in the view and waited for me to recover a bit!

Having taken between 42 and 45 mins to do the first 5k we then turned inland and headed back... With a completely different aspect and with once again amazing views.. And at one point with no wind and the sun out it was hard to believe it was winter! The biggest danger in the first section of the return loop were cow-pats with one poor runner getting had by one of them... Slipping up, just lucky she didn't face plant in another on the way down! Travelling across the flat inland route was far more straight forward (thankfully) .... Until we got to the last and steepest descent back to the start/finish.... This one I decided not to run down like a demented dog, it just seemed too steep to risk... So I held back and put the brakes on a bit which frankly well and truly buggered my quads but that didn't matter because the finish was just around the corner! Yipppppeeeeee!

What a truly wonderful place for a run!

Given my last Endurance life event was, quite frankly, an awful experience (pushed too hard), I'm pleased to report the mixture of terrain and speed with rests meant for me it was far more enjoyable. I took the enjoyment of this event as essential to my "race" success and was the prime goal which I think I succeeded .... I'm now looking forward to a nice pint of ale with sausage and mash to celebrate!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Lulworth Cove

Err November

Well November was pretty much a complete write (or wrong) off.... Had a cold - that was fine but lost a couple of training days... got better... then got another cold/ lurgy/ virus/ thing which just wiped me out.... so the monthly stats are easy and short....

Run: Total 27.3km in 2hrs 54min (about half of October)
Bike: Total 134.3km in 5hrs 25mins (down from Oct - but this was only due to 2 long rides and no commuting)
Swim: Total 0.9km in 20mins (err... yes about the same)
Other Stuff (Yoga, stretching, core etc) 1hrs 37mins (at this rate I will be weak)

I think I had something like 16days just ill with the strength of a weak kitten.....

...Didn't do any of my planned events... understandably ... all in all a rubbish month to quickly forget!

My aim for December is just to get some consistency and routine back in my life!! All my work travelling is already done for the month and (fingers crossed) no sign of any cold on the horizon.

I wonder what the stats will be like for December... and will I do another 10 blogs and so surpass my 2010 blogging year?!? 

October Stats

Here they are:
Run: Total 54.0km in 5hrs 43min (down from Sept)
Bike: Total 161.2km in 6hrs 21mins (up from Sept)
Swim: Total 1.0km in 30mins (err... yes up from Sept)
Other Stuff (Yoga, stretching, core etc) 5hrs 04mins (up from Sept)

Overall about the same amount of time; less running (Boo!) but more biking (hurrah!)...

Here were my aims;

My other aims for October are;

1. To recover from the race well, regardless of what distance I end up covering (ie even if I DNF)... 

Worse then that - I didn't even start but at least I did recover well!

2. We've entered a 10k off road race in Suffolk at the end of the month; I've never been there so I'm looking forward to enjoying a relaxing run in a new part of the UK - it will be good to go explore it.

Errr.... well I didn't enjoy a relaxing run but did endure some self flagellation... but did enjoy the scenary and did enjoy the sausages, mash and gravy, and beer afterwards... some some success I guess.

3. Carry on with my Yoga, finding this a great start to my day, so getting in 1-2 sessions a week has been enjoyable

I did manage 1-2 sessions a week so well done me!! :D ... .although note I haven't done any yoga yet this month.... 

4. Find a solution to my "where am I going to swim" problem... given I've entered a half ironman next year I really ought to get back in a pool somewhere which is conveniently located but also not rammed so you can get a good workout in.

I think I have this worked out - combination of my local pool one evening a week and a pool quite close to work which I now need to join as a member in order to swim early.... once done I may even see my swimming go up from 1k a month to something more like that * 2 a week!!

November has started slowly - largely because I have a cold... yesterday I was a bit of a snot monster and just flopped around the place.. and today a cough monster... so depending on how I feel when I get home from work it'll either be an easy gentle run or just some yoga. Didn't swim yesterday as don't think it's fair to share my lurgy with a pool full of people! The only injury to note - well keeping an eye on - is I seemed to have twanked my knee last week - whilst squating down for something at the chemist I stood back up and YOUCHY!... screaming pain from my knee... not sure what has gone on there - did manage to jog a couple of miles on Friday (two days later) and bike on Saturday... knee is a little niggly from that so I think I must have strained something so maybe it is as well I have a slight cold as it's giving it some rest!

November aims to be blogged about next - and I'll let you in to a secret - Thanks to the wonders of Juneathon I am aiming to blog more this year then I did in 2010..... which means 5 more blogs Nov and Dec.... given my recent track record this could be a close one!