well done folks to all racers over the weekend, not able to post sooner as I ahd to help france eliminate its wine lake yesterday!
What: Gym based execise to protect L knee
why: trying to keep CV fitness to allow knee max recovery oppty
last hard: sat X/C see below
last rest : sun/mon
Sat was my First X/C race for 20+ years, thought I'd share the experience since it did for my sunday Road 10k.
Loop1 – a quick 400m up a slope and round a nice playing field to spread the field (you can see these things at the back – taking it steady to get a rhythm
Loop2 – up the opening slope again, turn right through the trees, down/across the hill, dodge the branches, deep mud. Turn uphill to narrow stony, tree-rooted single file path (phew!), turn left 20m, long, long,long uphill (HR >95%), turn left and more uphill (dodge the rabbit holes). Hooray downhill, stretch legs , pace change is HUGE, handbrake turn Right into trees, S bend through the potholes, sidestep the trees across the hillside again and out onto the lower field, for more descent
Loop 3 repeat loop 2, only slower uphill and downhill
Loop 4 repeat loop 3, holding steady, got lapped on the downhill(!)
Loop 5 repeat loop 4, hope to increase pace at the end but ... disaster, knee feels a bit wobbly so ease off and avoid final sprint, 40mns and 5+ miles is up.
Breathless, maybe injured (later yes) but throughly enjoyable, glad I wore studs, probably finished in the last quarter. WHR avg 91%
