Today I had thought about another easy run to easy back into the groove
as I am still pretty far from 100%. Even better new runner Robert was up
for providing me with the friction. He even arranged for another slower
guy, Laurent to come too.
Just as we were leaving the changing
rooms Pierro rushed past, saying he'd be out in minutes and wait for him
at the garage door. He need us to make sure he did a slow one.
Garmin
610 took seconds to find satellites and then out popped Pierro looking
like the elite dude he is. Slow looked unlikely now.
Pierro lead and
by the first block Robert and laurent were well and truly dropped. We
did the new airport loop in reverse, which means you get the hill done
in mile one. Garmin had me deep in zone 4 and I could feel it and trying
to make Pierro talk failed to have any impact on the speed. He bounced
along chatting away dreaming of a top 30 finish at Morat Fribourg. He
eased of somewhere and I recovered and enjoyed the down through Penthaz
and the field loop. But by the clip back from the Botanic Gardens to the
office I was feeling it. Then we spotted the boys ahead and they took
the fenced off detour around the blocked of road, but we just took the
blocked off road and over took them which was great as with only two
showers in the changing rooms I had clearly earned my shower first!
Garmin
Thursday 29 September 2011
Wednesday 28 September 2011
5.7m New Airport Hill
The 610 is so much more like a proper watch, I wore it today to work which meant one less thing to change when I got ready to go out.
It found the satellites super quick compared to the 305 so that was another upside.
I was still feeling hot and bothered and coughing muck out of my lungs (but clear rather than green now) and the pain in the chest seems to be getting better.
So I decided on a super easy airport hill run and did pretty much just that. A new personal worst time for the loop and so what.
The 610 "effort" index was good as you get on screen real time zone data as you work out. I must figure out how to inject the "correct" zones.
Increase from shuffle to jog and the 7.2 min mile pace on the last downhill half mile felt like race speed. Oh dear, what a dose of man-flu can do to you!
Garmin
It found the satellites super quick compared to the 305 so that was another upside.
I was still feeling hot and bothered and coughing muck out of my lungs (but clear rather than green now) and the pain in the chest seems to be getting better.
So I decided on a super easy airport hill run and did pretty much just that. A new personal worst time for the loop and so what.
The 610 "effort" index was good as you get on screen real time zone data as you work out. I must figure out how to inject the "correct" zones.
Increase from shuffle to jog and the 7.2 min mile pace on the last downhill half mile felt like race speed. Oh dear, what a dose of man-flu can do to you!
Garmin
Saturday 24 September 2011
12.5m Rolle to Nyon for the Men's breakfast
I've been ill for over 10 days and done zero exercise since the dreaded man flu hit last week.
So in spite of a business trip to London meaning I only got home at gone 10pm last night I was determined to run to the Westlake church's men's breakfast this morning. I had even arranged access to a flat in Nyon where Jason and I had stashed our kit so we could rock up, shower and get down to the event in no time.
But working the timings back it meant head torches at dawn and Jason and I started running at 5:50am.
Stefan cycled over and when he set out at 7am thinking it was too early, he remembered we'd been going for over an hour!
First time in long pants and long sleeves since the summer suddenly became autumn. Super slow was the order of the day. Jason saving himself for Morat Fribourg next week and me just hoping I did not die half way there.
I was fine except for some coughing in the woods.
My light was so bright that when we ran side by side and I spoke to Jason I blinded him each time I looked at him. We decided to turn it off unless we really needed it. He had a big hand torch and that was useful in the pitch dark of the woods.
I noticed at one point he did not have it any more. "That's what I was doing in the middle of the roundabout." I must admit I wondered what he was up to going straight over the roundabout....
My estimations were uncannily accurate. I said 20km and it was spot on and 2 hours and it was spot on too. Super fast showers and zoomed down to the Men's breakfast where 50 blokes had the most amazing breakfast and a good talk on finding your real job description.
The new Garmin 610 I got in London is working well and I am getting my head around the touch, tap and swipe GUI. Just installed the ANT device and first try it found, paired and uploaded my data. Nice one Garmin. I'm loving it!
Bit of stand up paddle this afternoon testing out several boards. Great fun and gave the upper body something to do as well. Could be the last lake based activity of the year.
Garmin
So in spite of a business trip to London meaning I only got home at gone 10pm last night I was determined to run to the Westlake church's men's breakfast this morning. I had even arranged access to a flat in Nyon where Jason and I had stashed our kit so we could rock up, shower and get down to the event in no time.
But working the timings back it meant head torches at dawn and Jason and I started running at 5:50am.
Stefan cycled over and when he set out at 7am thinking it was too early, he remembered we'd been going for over an hour!
First time in long pants and long sleeves since the summer suddenly became autumn. Super slow was the order of the day. Jason saving himself for Morat Fribourg next week and me just hoping I did not die half way there.
I was fine except for some coughing in the woods.
My light was so bright that when we ran side by side and I spoke to Jason I blinded him each time I looked at him. We decided to turn it off unless we really needed it. He had a big hand torch and that was useful in the pitch dark of the woods.
I noticed at one point he did not have it any more. "That's what I was doing in the middle of the roundabout." I must admit I wondered what he was up to going straight over the roundabout....
My estimations were uncannily accurate. I said 20km and it was spot on and 2 hours and it was spot on too. Super fast showers and zoomed down to the Men's breakfast where 50 blokes had the most amazing breakfast and a good talk on finding your real job description.
The new Garmin 610 I got in London is working well and I am getting my head around the touch, tap and swipe GUI. Just installed the ANT device and first try it found, paired and uploaded my data. Nice one Garmin. I'm loving it!
Bit of stand up paddle this afternoon testing out several boards. Great fun and gave the upper body something to do as well. Could be the last lake based activity of the year.
Garmin
Thursday 15 September 2011
8.6km St. Prex TPV
Today there were no complicated pick ups in Morges or traffic jams to contend with, just the ticket machines that refused to sell us a ticket Geneva - St. Prex, you need a Morges mobilis or something once you get there.
The transfer was at Allaman and we had thought of changing into race kit there. However, we found the worst toilet in Switzerland and gave it a serious swerve. Stefan noticed the train had arrived so we got on and got changed. My number is 644 - how amazing is it that the two guys next to me in the train have numbers 645 and 646?
We jogged down to drop our bags and had 46 minutes to kill before the start. Amazing not to be rushing straight to the start line. Warmed up and bumped into Katja and the kids who had come to watch. They told us the other boys were here.
I got into the start where I thought 200 people were in front of me, giving me only around 50 to get past before I would be at race pace.
Suddenly the boys were all there, Jason and Richard had rocked up and seemed to be in high spirits. My retro casio took some abuse, but it does have a light.
The starter warned us the gun would be super loud, but it was more like a damp squib. I tried to use the width of the road and the fact it was up hill though km 1 to make a statement and get to 4min kms as quickly as I could. I saw the family and Sefan's family so cheered and waved at them so they could see me in the sea of yellow TPV vests.
Made it though km 1 in 4:11. There was some pushing and shoving in front of me so I gave the two guys involved a wide berth. Up next to the forest was lovely, especially not going though the forest and skipping the supper narrow part that was also very steep. Went though km 2 in 8:10 or something so decided to try to just hold my position and not go any faster.
That seemed to work well and the race went fine. Nothing much to blog until km 6 where I started to feel hungry and ill. I could feel the energy draining away from me quickly and I need a gel (but did not have one). So the only thing to do was slow up, which I did. That had an instant effect and I felt fine and slotted in at my new pace to try and hold it together for the last 2.6 kms.
The downhill to the lake was super steep, but nice and wide so I hopped and skipped on the way down picking up a few places for the last tight lakeside path section. This last km or so along the lake is one of my favourite long run routes, so I know it well and I love it. It has a series of right angle turns which the race organisers had put a person on each to stop us running into the lake. I was able to use my local knowledge to accelerate out of the bends and pull myself around on the barriers to sneak past runners trying to figure out where they were going.
Plage des hommes was where the support team had pitched up and so it was another boost to see them and hear them cheer me through. Paul shouted 100th, so I that focused me on picking up a few more places. From the pre-race recci I knew that there was a V shaped finish with 150m of running almost parallel to the finish with 3 side roads offering a glimpse of the home straight - I counted them off and fought the instinct to kick for home too soon. Just I a rounded the corner to see the home straight I let rip and ran wide, blocking the challenge from the guy on the out side of me with the car I remembered was parked on our right.
Took about 3 or 4 people on the home straight and was elated to have held that fast a pace for so long. Met up with the families then recovered my stuff from the changing rooms and was the first person to get the meal as I skipped the shower.
An old couple next to us wanted to know what language we were speaking. They didn't believe it was English, well I suppose I was speaking Scottish.
Katja and Rodene had brought cakes for my birthday (including one with a candle and Smarties) and the highlight of the night was everyone singing Happy Birthday to me in French.
Overall this year I was 23/135 in my age group, Bob had already that on my facebook by the time I got home!
Monday 12 September 2011
4.5m field reps
Here is the lower field. It is .83 km or .52 miles.
Either way I did 4 of them and decided to give myself 2 minutes off, which seemed like too much so after the first one so I changed it to be go after five minutes, so I think I did them in 3:50, 3:48, 3:18, 4:10. The fast third one was due to the three blokes jogging through the park in my recovery. They had a 25 second start on me, which mean I caught the slow at the top of the hill and the other 2 on the way down the far side of the field. I was in full TPV mode and creamed down the hill and held the pace as much as I could though the trees and back just to set a record!
MapMyRun click here.
Either way I did 4 of them and decided to give myself 2 minutes off, which seemed like too much so after the first one so I changed it to be go after five minutes, so I think I did them in 3:50, 3:48, 3:18, 4:10. The fast third one was due to the three blokes jogging through the park in my recovery. They had a 25 second start on me, which mean I caught the slow at the top of the hill and the other 2 on the way down the far side of the field. I was in full TPV mode and creamed down the hill and held the pace as much as I could though the trees and back just to set a record!
MapMyRun click here.
Sunday 11 September 2011
10m? Over the Aubonne
Two laps with the kids around the block as warm up nearly brought breakfast back to visit as I sprinted the hill to catch Paul who cunningly let me go past then too a short cut and was lying down in front of the door to the building as I came around the top pretending to be asleep.
Set off up to Perroy and thought that I'd just go for 45 then return. Made it all the way over the Aubonne and on the way back went right to the mouth and some guys had camped out there and had a massive fire going with a 2m high tripod supporting the biggest frying pan I have ever seen!
Came back pretty much as the way out except took the normal way I return from Perroy, down the main hill. I caught a guy there and we chatted through the decent until he cut away through the vines with a similar route to me planned, except he was intending the Aubonne climb. Good luck in that heat!
I had 10 mins to get to the 90 so cruised through the beach and camp-site looping in the castle. Got to the garden on 92. Not badly judged. Estimate at least 10 if not more miles cleared.
Set off up to Perroy and thought that I'd just go for 45 then return. Made it all the way over the Aubonne and on the way back went right to the mouth and some guys had camped out there and had a massive fire going with a 2m high tripod supporting the biggest frying pan I have ever seen!
Came back pretty much as the way out except took the normal way I return from Perroy, down the main hill. I caught a guy there and we chatted through the decent until he cut away through the vines with a similar route to me planned, except he was intending the Aubonne climb. Good luck in that heat!
I had 10 mins to get to the 90 so cruised through the beach and camp-site looping in the castle. Got to the garden on 92. Not badly judged. Estimate at least 10 if not more miles cleared.
Thursday 8 September 2011
6.13m recovery run
Easy six and a bit recovery, extending the classic Rolle/Perroy loop with the Pre Verte
Windy and tried hard to keep the effort low. Bad pair of shorts caused some chaffing....
Since no Garmin, Mapmyrun is back, click here.
Windy and tried hard to keep the effort low. Bad pair of shorts caused some chaffing....
Since no Garmin, Mapmyrun is back, click here.
Wednesday 7 September 2011
8.53km Penthaz, the new etape for TPV
This was a new race for the TPV this year. Max had done a super job in his pre-race prep and for some great photos of the route, check out the following link Max's pre-race prep.
One thing we were all certain of was that it was likely to be a fast one due to the lack of hills. This was something that the camera lens failed to convey, but the attentive reader would note in the last chapter of Max's blog it does warn you about the last hill and the hill profile shows it is not flat.
However, it is fast!
We got there super late due to traffic on the motorway and Richard and Jason only made it to the pick up point in Morges with minutes to spare, especially with Richard needing to sign in to pay for his extra etape.
We dropped Richard at first sight of the depart and he shot off across a farmer's field to get to the sign in place. The traffic controlling people forced us to do a tour of Penthaz before making us park on the other side of the round about they'd closed where we dropped Richard. Very annoying, as there was now only 10 minutes left until the start. Our warm up consisted of essentials in a bush then hammering it over to the start line. We found each other and discovered they'd delayed the start by 5 mins.
I was reasonably happy with where we were placed at the start, but was concerned about the to women in front of me and at the gun I was shouted at for pushing through. So sorry for that, but it is a RACE. If you want to hang around at the start don't stand 10 paces away from the elite, get back a bit. Anyway, the first km was not fast enough, it felt super slow as I weaved my way through the field trying to find some one else going a 4m km. First km I hit in 4:11 and was annoyed as it was downhill. Next km I made it back finally catching the 4m km brigade. hit km 2 in 7:38 which meant that 2nd km was much too fast. Forced myself to ease off and just try and enjoy it.
The hills were rolling and not too big, but you felt them all right. Around 3rd or 4th km there is a sharp left turn and a steep down hill. A guy who had caught me was not happy about that and we exchanged grunts. I took the hill hard down and had to skip and jump a bit to avoid falling, made some places back. And so the pattern was set. I lost a little on the hills, but saved myself for the flat and the downhill. As the race wore on I started overtaking on the up hill as well as the down hill, but oddly was caught a few times on the flat. At 6km a guy overtook me and held his pace, which I just could not match.
Lost the plot a bit after that and forgot if I had passed the 7km marker or not and when I did get to the next one and it said 8km I was euphoric. 500m to go and one hill. You could see the hill up ahead which was about 200m and steep. I held my faster downhill pace on the decent beforehand and became aware of two more runners, one on each side had joined me. The road flattened out and snaked so we could not see the hill any more and all three of us suddenly looked at each other and no-one wanted to lead into the hill so we came up it all together waiting, waiting for one of us to crack and race to the finish. I saw the top of the hill and pulled away, I saw the cranes that had marked the start so held it at 90% then I caught a glimpse of the finish line and let rip - the guy who got me at six km was 20m ahead and I was closing fast. The crowd started cheering and with only 10m left to the line he looks around to see what the crowd is on about and sees me coming at him like a steam train so he accelerates and I just don't make it over the line before him. Found him at the end and shook hands.
Here is a picture (courtesy of Max) showing the hill, which does not look to bad, but after 8.2 km of hard running....
Some sports drink and water in me I went back to cheer the boys home.
Richard looked great again tonight, coming in hard like he had been red-lining for a while and squeezing out the last seconds and places in the sprint to the line.
Stefan was cool calm and collected as he cruised home.
Jason was not far behind and responded to the cheer by singling out the target he wanted in the sprint and then going for it at 100 miles an hour.
Soup looked great but had run out. Great cakes and priced very reasonably too. Food ran out and Richard gave the people next to us some of our cheese as they and been twice to try and get food and come back with only bread.
Scores on the doors here:
I was pleased and disappointed at the same time. I was 4.08s average (and I thought I could get closer to 4.00 dead) but the improvement is there and the course was not as flat as I thought it was going to be. Arriving minutes before the start was probably not ideal either. Nor was my start position. I need to start nearer the front, although I do like overtaking so not too much closer!
All to run for now as we prepare for the final, double counting etape in St. Prex next week.
One thing we were all certain of was that it was likely to be a fast one due to the lack of hills. This was something that the camera lens failed to convey, but the attentive reader would note in the last chapter of Max's blog it does warn you about the last hill and the hill profile shows it is not flat.
However, it is fast!
We got there super late due to traffic on the motorway and Richard and Jason only made it to the pick up point in Morges with minutes to spare, especially with Richard needing to sign in to pay for his extra etape.
We dropped Richard at first sight of the depart and he shot off across a farmer's field to get to the sign in place. The traffic controlling people forced us to do a tour of Penthaz before making us park on the other side of the round about they'd closed where we dropped Richard. Very annoying, as there was now only 10 minutes left until the start. Our warm up consisted of essentials in a bush then hammering it over to the start line. We found each other and discovered they'd delayed the start by 5 mins.
I was reasonably happy with where we were placed at the start, but was concerned about the to women in front of me and at the gun I was shouted at for pushing through. So sorry for that, but it is a RACE. If you want to hang around at the start don't stand 10 paces away from the elite, get back a bit. Anyway, the first km was not fast enough, it felt super slow as I weaved my way through the field trying to find some one else going a 4m km. First km I hit in 4:11 and was annoyed as it was downhill. Next km I made it back finally catching the 4m km brigade. hit km 2 in 7:38 which meant that 2nd km was much too fast. Forced myself to ease off and just try and enjoy it.
The hills were rolling and not too big, but you felt them all right. Around 3rd or 4th km there is a sharp left turn and a steep down hill. A guy who had caught me was not happy about that and we exchanged grunts. I took the hill hard down and had to skip and jump a bit to avoid falling, made some places back. And so the pattern was set. I lost a little on the hills, but saved myself for the flat and the downhill. As the race wore on I started overtaking on the up hill as well as the down hill, but oddly was caught a few times on the flat. At 6km a guy overtook me and held his pace, which I just could not match.
Lost the plot a bit after that and forgot if I had passed the 7km marker or not and when I did get to the next one and it said 8km I was euphoric. 500m to go and one hill. You could see the hill up ahead which was about 200m and steep. I held my faster downhill pace on the decent beforehand and became aware of two more runners, one on each side had joined me. The road flattened out and snaked so we could not see the hill any more and all three of us suddenly looked at each other and no-one wanted to lead into the hill so we came up it all together waiting, waiting for one of us to crack and race to the finish. I saw the top of the hill and pulled away, I saw the cranes that had marked the start so held it at 90% then I caught a glimpse of the finish line and let rip - the guy who got me at six km was 20m ahead and I was closing fast. The crowd started cheering and with only 10m left to the line he looks around to see what the crowd is on about and sees me coming at him like a steam train so he accelerates and I just don't make it over the line before him. Found him at the end and shook hands.
Here is a picture (courtesy of Max) showing the hill, which does not look to bad, but after 8.2 km of hard running....
Some sports drink and water in me I went back to cheer the boys home.
Richard looked great again tonight, coming in hard like he had been red-lining for a while and squeezing out the last seconds and places in the sprint to the line.
Stefan was cool calm and collected as he cruised home.
Jason was not far behind and responded to the cheer by singling out the target he wanted in the sprint and then going for it at 100 miles an hour.
Soup looked great but had run out. Great cakes and priced very reasonably too. Food ran out and Richard gave the people next to us some of our cheese as they and been twice to try and get food and come back with only bread.
Scores on the doors here:
I was pleased and disappointed at the same time. I was 4.08s average (and I thought I could get closer to 4.00 dead) but the improvement is there and the course was not as flat as I thought it was going to be. Arriving minutes before the start was probably not ideal either. Nor was my start position. I need to start nearer the front, although I do like overtaking so not too much closer!
All to run for now as we prepare for the final, double counting etape in St. Prex next week.
Monday 5 September 2011
5m Airport hill, sans le champ en bas
Short of time and motivation today.
Missed the Mouette I'd planed to get and had not enough time to get to the other side for the return boat and still make the next appointment so I cut the Airport Hill route short by not running around the bottom field.
That was odd, as normally that prepares me for for the Hill, but today the bitty approach though the Botanical Gardens did not really get the hrt to the right place for the Hill so it felt tougher than normal at the start, but by the gates into the Penthaz domain I was fine again. Tried to go faster on the down hills and cruise the flat and up sections so as not to tire myself out for racing on Weds.
45mins for the loop and felt like a decent clip on the way back.
Missed the Mouette I'd planed to get and had not enough time to get to the other side for the return boat and still make the next appointment so I cut the Airport Hill route short by not running around the bottom field.
That was odd, as normally that prepares me for for the Hill, but today the bitty approach though the Botanical Gardens did not really get the hrt to the right place for the Hill so it felt tougher than normal at the start, but by the gates into the Penthaz domain I was fine again. Tried to go faster on the down hills and cruise the flat and up sections so as not to tire myself out for racing on Weds.
45mins for the loop and felt like a decent clip on the way back.
Saturday 3 September 2011
10?m Mountainous forest trails above Aubonne
With the new scout leadership team dropped at the scout hut in Aubonne, I was all set for a 45min climb into the forest and looking forward to the downhill clip back.
Noticed that there has been a slight tweak to the footpath just after the first road crossing and there are some more brand new and even clearer footpath signs up.
Got to the dam at 30 mins on the clock, and ran around the Arboretum Lac and decided to try the hill behind for 15mins before heading back. It was steep, tough, but somehow being a new trail and in the cool (higher up here and in the shade of the forest) it was fine and dandy.
Just when I hit the 45 mins I came across a sign which perplexingly and intriguingly suggested that I could have a short cut back to Aubonne. I took the risk.
After a while the next sign was for "Signal" which is just above Rolle, this was slightly worrying as I have never run the trail completely from Signal to Aubonnne, but I know it exists so I push on.
Got to the Signal car park and was elated for some unknown reason, perhaps being back on territory I know well. On the way in the morning crew were furiously washing tables preparing the place for the mass influx which any decent summer's day will bring. There was even a guy with a big Salvidor Dali moustache and a motorised blower cleaning the dust and leaves off the path. He kindly cut the motor and waved me on.
Left Signal following the yellow signs for Aubonne and was guided out under the Acrobranche (high ropes in the trees) and I admit that I yanked a couple of trailing ropes to move things around....
Bought back memories of the Aubonne to Signal race I did, but the route was not the same. I was thankful for more downhill and the short cuts the footpath took that avoided the main road.
I really enjoyed the last section as I now have connected two previously distinct running areas with two brand new trails for me. Only thing is I've no idea how far it was and mapmyrun is does not have images with fine enough grain. But given the perceived effort, the tough terrain and the 1h 38mins time on feet I figure 10 miles at least.
Noticed that there has been a slight tweak to the footpath just after the first road crossing and there are some more brand new and even clearer footpath signs up.
Got to the dam at 30 mins on the clock, and ran around the Arboretum Lac and decided to try the hill behind for 15mins before heading back. It was steep, tough, but somehow being a new trail and in the cool (higher up here and in the shade of the forest) it was fine and dandy.
Just when I hit the 45 mins I came across a sign which perplexingly and intriguingly suggested that I could have a short cut back to Aubonne. I took the risk.
After a while the next sign was for "Signal" which is just above Rolle, this was slightly worrying as I have never run the trail completely from Signal to Aubonnne, but I know it exists so I push on.
Got to the Signal car park and was elated for some unknown reason, perhaps being back on territory I know well. On the way in the morning crew were furiously washing tables preparing the place for the mass influx which any decent summer's day will bring. There was even a guy with a big Salvidor Dali moustache and a motorised blower cleaning the dust and leaves off the path. He kindly cut the motor and waved me on.
Left Signal following the yellow signs for Aubonne and was guided out under the Acrobranche (high ropes in the trees) and I admit that I yanked a couple of trailing ropes to move things around....
Bought back memories of the Aubonne to Signal race I did, but the route was not the same. I was thankful for more downhill and the short cuts the footpath took that avoided the main road.
I really enjoyed the last section as I now have connected two previously distinct running areas with two brand new trails for me. Only thing is I've no idea how far it was and mapmyrun is does not have images with fine enough grain. But given the perceived effort, the tough terrain and the 1h 38mins time on feet I figure 10 miles at least.
Friday 2 September 2011
5m Rolle Perroy Classic
Hot five miles in the mid day sun. Tried to run in shade when I could.
Entire village of Perroy seemed closed for lunch. The view from the park as you leave Perroy is special, from this vantage point you get to see the lake front of Rolle laid out below you, the castle, the Isle de l'Harpe and the port jutting out and thinking right - I'll be there in 15 mins and to that point it is all downhill then flat.
Great stuff. Picked it up a shade on the downhill and the was more focused along the front.
Not much happening at the beach, a few mums sunbathing and a couple of bums drinking whisky stuck out.
On the return from the port an old guy was watching me and he pursed his lips and raised his fist punching the air in a gesture of encouragement. Funny how little things like that keep you going!
40 mins and 30seconds.
Entire village of Perroy seemed closed for lunch. The view from the park as you leave Perroy is special, from this vantage point you get to see the lake front of Rolle laid out below you, the castle, the Isle de l'Harpe and the port jutting out and thinking right - I'll be there in 15 mins and to that point it is all downhill then flat.
Great stuff. Picked it up a shade on the downhill and the was more focused along the front.
Not much happening at the beach, a few mums sunbathing and a couple of bums drinking whisky stuck out.
On the return from the port an old guy was watching me and he pursed his lips and raised his fist punching the air in a gesture of encouragement. Funny how little things like that keep you going!
40 mins and 30seconds.
Thursday 1 September 2011
5.5m Chavornay: TPV etape 4
My train was delayed in Nyon waiting for the St. Cergue connection, 4 minutes lost. Running a shade late were Jason and Richard who were stuck in traffic, so we updated the RZ to be the round-about under the motorway and that shaved a couple of minutes off the time.
On the way up we were so late Richard, driving, asked me to pin the numbers on his running vest, which he was wearing, he passed the top back and completed the rest of the journey topless. We overtook a cop car and I was surprised to learn there was no instant fine for driving topless in Switzerland. That sparked some great stories, which you can ask Mr. Leakey about yourselves.
Not much of a warm up, but the pre-race entertainment was provided by some nut job guy with pitch fork who was not happy about the runners on the grass embankment up to his garden and very upset with the people who dared touch the metal fence. Red rag to a bull and loads of pumped up young blokes all started messing with fence. The guy shuffled away and when he returned the crowd went ballistic cheering and booing him all at once, I joined in and nearly missed the gun I was so captivated by the national stereotype playing itself out in front of me.
The tannoy man made much of the 700m shortened course, a great move to try and make this race "count" as one of the 4 for the classment overall.
I took both the suddenly re-functional Garmin and stopwatch as I did not trust the Garmin.
I was well placed at start, close enough to get up to speed quickly and far enough back not to have any elite pushing though. Richard and I started together and he was ahead for at least one and a bit kms.
I think I went past him around the second km and gave an encouraging pat on the shoulder and appropriate comment.
I hit the hill and held on until the super steep section in the woods. My fast walking beat many who attempted to run all the way up. At the top picked up a steady pace which felt controlled.
It is narrow at the plateau at the top and the path was well marked and had been freshly wood chipped which made running on it a joy.
A guy tried to push through so I aggressively held my ground and calmly voiced discontent in an assured and slightly clipped manner - grovelling apology received - and the debt repaid as no sooner does it widen out than I started to make places and first up was my overtaking buddy!
Apart form that one incident I felt perfectly placed up and over the top of the hill. Going at just the right speed and feeling neither over extended nor held up.
Everyone was on edge waiting for the down hill push. At every slight downhill you think - is this it? Is it time to fly. Then you spot a running in front going slightly up.
Then you hit the downhill proper and it is game one. Everyone around goes for it. I held my place on the fast decent and was struggling to overtake like I recalled from the year before, but do manage a few places. One guy comes close behind me so I push hard and shake him off. Over the motorway and now it is clear just two sides of a field to go and there is a crowd lining the finish.
The new finish is over a field which means the last 200m are on rough ground and I sprint for home but so does everyone else around me so no change to the placings.
By now fork my must have exploded. There are 100s of people milling around in his garden walking though it to get to the field to line the route to the finish. I join them to spot the guys come in. My Garmin dies just after the finish.
I see Richard come in looking good and already red lining as he pushes for the line.
Jason kicked in response to the call, but the inflatable finish arch deflated and Jason had to duck under it. He went back to help hold it up and suddenly the power came back and it re-inflated.
Final weird incident was walking back to the food place after getting the kit from the car, Jason picks up something I've dropped. It's the fascia from my Garmin that just fell off, leaving the base on my wrist. I guess it the two parts have come way from each other that would explain why it just turns itself off sometimes. Must try and find if there is a Garmin service centre in Switzerland.....
The Adj col. takes the time from last year and scales it to the same distance, to give a fairer view of the delta.
Richard's amazing transformation continues and if I had done the same speed last year he would have been faster than me this year!
Garmin
On the way up we were so late Richard, driving, asked me to pin the numbers on his running vest, which he was wearing, he passed the top back and completed the rest of the journey topless. We overtook a cop car and I was surprised to learn there was no instant fine for driving topless in Switzerland. That sparked some great stories, which you can ask Mr. Leakey about yourselves.
Not much of a warm up, but the pre-race entertainment was provided by some nut job guy with pitch fork who was not happy about the runners on the grass embankment up to his garden and very upset with the people who dared touch the metal fence. Red rag to a bull and loads of pumped up young blokes all started messing with fence. The guy shuffled away and when he returned the crowd went ballistic cheering and booing him all at once, I joined in and nearly missed the gun I was so captivated by the national stereotype playing itself out in front of me.
The tannoy man made much of the 700m shortened course, a great move to try and make this race "count" as one of the 4 for the classment overall.
I took both the suddenly re-functional Garmin and stopwatch as I did not trust the Garmin.
I was well placed at start, close enough to get up to speed quickly and far enough back not to have any elite pushing though. Richard and I started together and he was ahead for at least one and a bit kms.
I think I went past him around the second km and gave an encouraging pat on the shoulder and appropriate comment.
I hit the hill and held on until the super steep section in the woods. My fast walking beat many who attempted to run all the way up. At the top picked up a steady pace which felt controlled.
It is narrow at the plateau at the top and the path was well marked and had been freshly wood chipped which made running on it a joy.
A guy tried to push through so I aggressively held my ground and calmly voiced discontent in an assured and slightly clipped manner - grovelling apology received - and the debt repaid as no sooner does it widen out than I started to make places and first up was my overtaking buddy!
Apart form that one incident I felt perfectly placed up and over the top of the hill. Going at just the right speed and feeling neither over extended nor held up.
Everyone was on edge waiting for the down hill push. At every slight downhill you think - is this it? Is it time to fly. Then you spot a running in front going slightly up.
Then you hit the downhill proper and it is game one. Everyone around goes for it. I held my place on the fast decent and was struggling to overtake like I recalled from the year before, but do manage a few places. One guy comes close behind me so I push hard and shake him off. Over the motorway and now it is clear just two sides of a field to go and there is a crowd lining the finish.
The new finish is over a field which means the last 200m are on rough ground and I sprint for home but so does everyone else around me so no change to the placings.
By now fork my must have exploded. There are 100s of people milling around in his garden walking though it to get to the field to line the route to the finish. I join them to spot the guys come in. My Garmin dies just after the finish.
I see Richard come in looking good and already red lining as he pushes for the line.
Jason kicked in response to the call, but the inflatable finish arch deflated and Jason had to duck under it. He went back to help hold it up and suddenly the power came back and it re-inflated.
Final weird incident was walking back to the food place after getting the kit from the car, Jason picks up something I've dropped. It's the fascia from my Garmin that just fell off, leaving the base on my wrist. I guess it the two parts have come way from each other that would explain why it just turns itself off sometimes. Must try and find if there is a Garmin service centre in Switzerland.....
The Adj col. takes the time from last year and scales it to the same distance, to give a fairer view of the delta.
Richard's amazing transformation continues and if I had done the same speed last year he would have been faster than me this year!
Garmin
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