Met Tenke and after some hilarity with the toilet that refused to close
the door unless you paid 50 centimes we set off for our workout which
was:
7x (2min on with 1min recovery), but along the airport hill route.
That
meant hammering some of the steepest sections and trying to hold the
effort for 2mins. While the times were slow, the effort was high!
Felt like my head was going to explode a couple of times.
Endured a few circles of encouragement as Tenke put 20 then 30 meters between us over the 2 mins.
Tough session, need a rest tomorrow.
Garmin - can anyone spot the down hill 2 minutes?
Wednesday 30 November 2011
Tuesday 29 November 2011
6.1m Airport hill full monty
No-one to run with, not even the slow female runners could be tempted out on a bright, but chilly day.
So I set off round the bottom of the botanic gardens and round the bottom field.
On the airport hill there were 5 ahead. A bloke with a gal, and three blokes.
Red rag to a bull, easy run forgotten and before I know it I go past the old guy leading the three blokes and the lady, leaving the guy flapping looking for his lady as I go through with half the pesky hill still to climb. By the top of the Penthes domain I risk a glance back and its a 200m gap and I can relax again.
Before I knew it I was on the trail to the woods, so I changed my plan and ran the that part in reverse to my custom. Guessed Rue des Ruches (beehive road) and was bang on as it took me right to the path I normally pop out of the woods on.
Stunning watery views over the lake to le mont blanc in all its splendour.
Garmin
So I set off round the bottom of the botanic gardens and round the bottom field.
On the airport hill there were 5 ahead. A bloke with a gal, and three blokes.
Red rag to a bull, easy run forgotten and before I know it I go past the old guy leading the three blokes and the lady, leaving the guy flapping looking for his lady as I go through with half the pesky hill still to climb. By the top of the Penthes domain I risk a glance back and its a 200m gap and I can relax again.
Before I knew it I was on the trail to the woods, so I changed my plan and ran the that part in reverse to my custom. Guessed Rue des Ruches (beehive road) and was bang on as it took me right to the path I normally pop out of the woods on.
Stunning watery views over the lake to le mont blanc in all its splendour.
Garmin
Monday 28 November 2011
8.2m Rhone trails
Had some hair brain scheme to somehow find Tenke today, but it was never going to work.
I ran straight to the lake today and then into narrows of the lake and down the Rhone to the trails. I used to come here more when based in the old office. I had forgotten how nice the tails were in places and also how technical they are. Tough climbs followed by decents too steep to run. Stairs to go up, then stairs to come down.
I crossed the far bridge for the first time in ages and was rewarded on the far side by loads of land art in the forest, not just a few flat stones piled up, but some more ambitious arrangements that adorned the tree stumps and merged out from the nature so it was not always clear where they began and ended. Very cool.
Also at the corner of the far away field I ran around there used to be a big construction site which has vanished, the stream re-routed and the land repaired. Just a patch of mud where the grass should be gives away the industry that had been here.
Tried to go a shade faster on the way back and just about managed that, although the 8.2m felt ok it certainly was not easy.
Oh yeah, it was freezing too.
Garmin
I ran straight to the lake today and then into narrows of the lake and down the Rhone to the trails. I used to come here more when based in the old office. I had forgotten how nice the tails were in places and also how technical they are. Tough climbs followed by decents too steep to run. Stairs to go up, then stairs to come down.
I crossed the far bridge for the first time in ages and was rewarded on the far side by loads of land art in the forest, not just a few flat stones piled up, but some more ambitious arrangements that adorned the tree stumps and merged out from the nature so it was not always clear where they began and ended. Very cool.
Also at the corner of the far away field I ran around there used to be a big construction site which has vanished, the stream re-routed and the land repaired. Just a patch of mud where the grass should be gives away the industry that had been here.
Tried to go a shade faster on the way back and just about managed that, although the 8.2m felt ok it certainly was not easy.
Oh yeah, it was freezing too.
Garmin
Saturday 26 November 2011
13.3m Prangins, Airport, Pont Farbel, La Serine and back on the usual route
The lad had a chess match against Geneva in Nyon today and so I had about 2 hours to kill - so seemed rude not to get some miles in.
Decide on slow and long today and certainly achieved the slow. I was feeling rubbish, tired (late night at the Gym Rolle show last night) and a hint of a cold coming on.
On the way to Prangins it seemed everyone was blowing leaves. Public foot paths and private roads all had at least one bloke with a leaf blower strapped on doing the needful. Right at the start of the run the first leaf blower incident was nearly rather nasty. I spotted the guy and decide to go behind him, which would have been fine except he moved back just as I came around him so I had to leap like a gazelle to avoid being squidged between his engine and the wall. In mid gazelle leap I took the blower's jet in the side and landed about a metre further along than I had expect to and surrounded by a swirling vortex of leaves. The hearty apology was well received, but to be fair he had no way of knowing I was right behind him.
The second observation was that certain people appear to be blowing leaves off their property into the property next door. Or up the road in a neat line so there a no leaves out side your place, but then by definition they must now be out side someone else's place. I imagined the poor leaves being blown endlessly between properties. Probably at a cost of 100 Swiss francs each time!
Anyway, it was time to explore new trails and see what happens if you turn left instead of right at the castle in Prangins.
Nice enough foot path through Prangins and then along right next to the grass airport. Spitfires from ww2 would not look out of place here and in the sky above a light aircraft was doing loop the loops and twists and turns that I would have said were impossible. As I got closer I realised the petrol engine was tiny and the plane was actually being remote controlled by two blokes on the airfield.
Next was the section down towards my usual Nyon/Rolle route which was an unexplored part of the toblerone defences between Vich and Gland. Really enjoyed that bit as lots of gun emplacements and the toblerones are in very good condition here. Through a river tunnel that warns you can't go through if the river is in torrent, but the trickle of water was no risk and this would be a very nice section to walk.
Had to duck back in the golf course to avoid a drive that would have taken my head of had I not obeyed the sign and checked for golfers!
At the end I was not happy with only 10 miles so extended the route out to the back of Nyon and found a new foot path down to the beach I was pleased with. To the port and back to the car got me over 13 miles - finally it was a slog of Ken style low heart rate plodding.
Of note at the beach were the naked Germans making full use of the sauna installed at the water's edge. The bloke bearing all shouted at me in English "you should try it, it's great". Perhaps I will, a run, sauna massage combo might work rather well one day!
Garmin
Decide on slow and long today and certainly achieved the slow. I was feeling rubbish, tired (late night at the Gym Rolle show last night) and a hint of a cold coming on.
On the way to Prangins it seemed everyone was blowing leaves. Public foot paths and private roads all had at least one bloke with a leaf blower strapped on doing the needful. Right at the start of the run the first leaf blower incident was nearly rather nasty. I spotted the guy and decide to go behind him, which would have been fine except he moved back just as I came around him so I had to leap like a gazelle to avoid being squidged between his engine and the wall. In mid gazelle leap I took the blower's jet in the side and landed about a metre further along than I had expect to and surrounded by a swirling vortex of leaves. The hearty apology was well received, but to be fair he had no way of knowing I was right behind him.
The second observation was that certain people appear to be blowing leaves off their property into the property next door. Or up the road in a neat line so there a no leaves out side your place, but then by definition they must now be out side someone else's place. I imagined the poor leaves being blown endlessly between properties. Probably at a cost of 100 Swiss francs each time!
Anyway, it was time to explore new trails and see what happens if you turn left instead of right at the castle in Prangins.
Nice enough foot path through Prangins and then along right next to the grass airport. Spitfires from ww2 would not look out of place here and in the sky above a light aircraft was doing loop the loops and twists and turns that I would have said were impossible. As I got closer I realised the petrol engine was tiny and the plane was actually being remote controlled by two blokes on the airfield.
Next was the section down towards my usual Nyon/Rolle route which was an unexplored part of the toblerone defences between Vich and Gland. Really enjoyed that bit as lots of gun emplacements and the toblerones are in very good condition here. Through a river tunnel that warns you can't go through if the river is in torrent, but the trickle of water was no risk and this would be a very nice section to walk.
Had to duck back in the golf course to avoid a drive that would have taken my head of had I not obeyed the sign and checked for golfers!
At the end I was not happy with only 10 miles so extended the route out to the back of Nyon and found a new foot path down to the beach I was pleased with. To the port and back to the car got me over 13 miles - finally it was a slog of Ken style low heart rate plodding.
Of note at the beach were the naked Germans making full use of the sauna installed at the water's edge. The bloke bearing all shouted at me in English "you should try it, it's great". Perhaps I will, a run, sauna massage combo might work rather well one day!
Garmin
Friday 25 November 2011
5m Easy Roller
Easy five on the classic route.
No drama, relax, easy, focused on not drifting faster and not drifting slower.
Just under 8 min miles, so ok.
Garmin no hrt today, strap in locker at work!
No drama, relax, easy, focused on not drifting faster and not drifting slower.
Just under 8 min miles, so ok.
Garmin no hrt today, strap in locker at work!
Wednesday 23 November 2011
5m bad bottom field reps
Met Tenke at the boat, got their early so looped around the park a bit which was fun.
Garmin to the reps
Plan was running around the bottom field with 4m on and 1m recovery and do it all 4 times.
Something wrong with how I set up the activity as the 4 only fired on the first rep and i manually stopped the others. Tenke made a call on the phone during the rest after rep one:
How long we got?
That's 4, 3, 2, 1 away
Sorry, gotta go bye!
She was also wearing a back pack.
Neither of us felt great and my rubbish garmin set up made it clear. Bad reps so we gave up.
Ran steady instead. 4 mins around the bottom field is too much. It makes 1.2 loops, which means the hill twice. Should have done 3 mins or 4 somewhere else.
Did not clear a km during the 4mins on, but to be fair the hill is steep, the bottom is narrow ducking in and out of trees and the sun was low and it was pretty close to zero and the fountain is off, so no water in the bottom field.
Garmin bad reps
Garmin to the reps
Plan was running around the bottom field with 4m on and 1m recovery and do it all 4 times.
Something wrong with how I set up the activity as the 4 only fired on the first rep and i manually stopped the others. Tenke made a call on the phone during the rest after rep one:
How long we got?
That's 4, 3, 2, 1 away
Sorry, gotta go bye!
She was also wearing a back pack.
Neither of us felt great and my rubbish garmin set up made it clear. Bad reps so we gave up.
Ran steady instead. 4 mins around the bottom field is too much. It makes 1.2 loops, which means the hill twice. Should have done 3 mins or 4 somewhere else.
Did not clear a km during the 4mins on, but to be fair the hill is steep, the bottom is narrow ducking in and out of trees and the sun was low and it was pretty close to zero and the fountain is off, so no water in the bottom field.
Garmin bad reps
Tuesday 22 November 2011
7.35m lake side with Tenke
Set off with plenty of time to met Tenke on the far side of the lake.
Got to the meet point 15 mins too soon and so went beyond for 7 mins. That took me to the biggest pile of leaves I have ever seen, filling the large part of the promenade that jutes out into the lake, just at the point where I turned.
Got back with 2 mins to spare and 500m away, running on the grass (nursing her injured leg, bless) was Tenke.
She agreed to drag me back to perle du lac and suddenly I was no longer cold as the effort was high.
Did not feel to good today. Tired, bloated, snively.
Garmin
Got to the meet point 15 mins too soon and so went beyond for 7 mins. That took me to the biggest pile of leaves I have ever seen, filling the large part of the promenade that jutes out into the lake, just at the point where I turned.
Got back with 2 mins to spare and 500m away, running on the grass (nursing her injured leg, bless) was Tenke.
She agreed to drag me back to perle du lac and suddenly I was no longer cold as the effort was high.
Did not feel to good today. Tired, bloated, snively.
Garmin
Saturday 19 November 2011
14.0m Nyon Rolle, TRP?
Daughter had a saxophone exam in Nyon and son has chess plus my lovely wife and daughter have pricess at westlake today, so another idea opportunity to run the Nyon Rolle route. This time, start was the far side of Nyon hence the longer distance, which suited me perfectly.
I wanted to bench mark my pace today for the marathon, so long, faster than normal, but not race pace was the plan. Disappointing 8:30 mins for the first mile was a let down, but the rest was good. I made 7:30s where I could and even on the tricky or uphill miles I was getting through them in just over 8. At mile 10 I went for it and was very chuffed to clear mile 13 in 6:45 to get a half marathon cleared in 1h 42m.
So I think I found my Target Race Pace (TRP). 3h 25m for the marathon. I'll run that by Pierro to see what he thinks as I can hear Tenke sneering at my lack of ambition!
Oh, and it was another stunning sunny autumn morning.
That takes me to 38 miles this week.
Garmin
I wanted to bench mark my pace today for the marathon, so long, faster than normal, but not race pace was the plan. Disappointing 8:30 mins for the first mile was a let down, but the rest was good. I made 7:30s where I could and even on the tricky or uphill miles I was getting through them in just over 8. At mile 10 I went for it and was very chuffed to clear mile 13 in 6:45 to get a half marathon cleared in 1h 42m.
So I think I found my Target Race Pace (TRP). 3h 25m for the marathon. I'll run that by Pierro to see what he thinks as I can hear Tenke sneering at my lack of ambition!
Oh, and it was another stunning sunny autumn morning.
That takes me to 38 miles this week.
Garmin
Thursday 17 November 2011
7m with Tenke and Aurelien Lake and Rhone trails
First run with Tenke in ages.
Took the boat with Aurelien and met up with Tenke on the Geneve Plage side, we saw her doing circles of encouragement as the boat pulled in.
Rhone trails. Fast back holding Tenke's 7:15 min mile pace on the last clip back to the office.
Garmin
Took the boat with Aurelien and met up with Tenke on the Geneve Plage side, we saw her doing circles of encouragement as the boat pulled in.
Rhone trails. Fast back holding Tenke's 7:15 min mile pace on the last clip back to the office.
Garmin
Wednesday 16 November 2011
5m short airport hill via lake side
Met a guy in the changing rooms and he challenged me to catch him.
His route is down to the lake and up the hill (no lower field loop) then through the Penthez domain and home. I caught him at the top of the park and talked him into coming with me to the far woods beyond the place where you can do 100m reps.
By the lake I saw 10 blokes swimming. Sunny it was, but the thought of swimming in the near ice cold lake does not inspire me.
Became super slow with the buddy, but Tenke tomorrow, so probably a good thing.
Garmin
His route is down to the lake and up the hill (no lower field loop) then through the Penthez domain and home. I caught him at the top of the park and talked him into coming with me to the far woods beyond the place where you can do 100m reps.
By the lake I saw 10 blokes swimming. Sunny it was, but the thought of swimming in the near ice cold lake does not inspire me.
Became super slow with the buddy, but Tenke tomorrow, so probably a good thing.
Garmin
Tuesday 15 November 2011
Monday 14 November 2011
Saturday 12 November 2011
13.4m Nyon Rolle and Novartis protests
Zoomed back and forwards to drop the ladies in Gland to catch a train to Nyon to get there in time for Princess which was starting at the same time the lad needed to be in Aubonne for scouts.
I got home and took the rails off the roof of the car and then whipped over to Nyon to drop the car at the designated spot so the missus could find it. No way into Perdtemps as the police had blocked the ave de la gare and the roads up from the lac to the carpark. Zut Alors, finally found a spot outside Generali and the parco meter refused to eat my cash. Phone died - so no way to tell Katja where the car was to started running to Westlake to tell her where the car was. As I got to the barrier a police man jumped down from a bike and removed the barrier. The protesting workers at Novartis has made their point and gone for lunch. Great, put the car where it was suppossed to be. As I started running I realised I had no Garmin. So the bench mark half was off. Bother.
Lovely in the woods, nearly came a cropper in the thick leaves as a tree root grabbed my left ankle and tried hard to send me flying.
It was so nice by the time I got to Rolle I had to go down to the lake and admire the view and enjoy the sun.
Got home and the clock in the car showed 1:42 and I started at 11:48 so 1 hour 56 minutes, but not sure on the distance, pretty close to a previous route that came out at 13.4.
I got home and took the rails off the roof of the car and then whipped over to Nyon to drop the car at the designated spot so the missus could find it. No way into Perdtemps as the police had blocked the ave de la gare and the roads up from the lac to the carpark. Zut Alors, finally found a spot outside Generali and the parco meter refused to eat my cash. Phone died - so no way to tell Katja where the car was to started running to Westlake to tell her where the car was. As I got to the barrier a police man jumped down from a bike and removed the barrier. The protesting workers at Novartis has made their point and gone for lunch. Great, put the car where it was suppossed to be. As I started running I realised I had no Garmin. So the bench mark half was off. Bother.
Lovely in the woods, nearly came a cropper in the thick leaves as a tree root grabbed my left ankle and tried hard to send me flying.
It was so nice by the time I got to Rolle I had to go down to the lake and admire the view and enjoy the sun.
Got home and the clock in the car showed 1:42 and I started at 11:48 so 1 hour 56 minutes, but not sure on the distance, pretty close to a previous route that came out at 13.4.
Wednesday 9 November 2011
6m Airport Hill in reverse with Pierro
Pierro was ready to go when I got to the changing rooms and he kindly offered to wait for me.
I forgot my Garmin, but he figured we were doing 4:20s so about a 43minute 10km which was faster than I was comfortable with - but I enjoyed. Especially as he started telling me training tips and effort ratios.
Now, I'm beging to feel like I might have found a running coach here....
On the last loop of the field we almost over took a group of 3 guys twice as they did the shorter inner loop of the field and ended up ahead of us.
As usual we did the loop backwards and the last climb was an effort, but not as much as last time.
I forgot my Garmin, but he figured we were doing 4:20s so about a 43minute 10km which was faster than I was comfortable with - but I enjoyed. Especially as he started telling me training tips and effort ratios.
Now, I'm beging to feel like I might have found a running coach here....
On the last loop of the field we almost over took a group of 3 guys twice as they did the shorter inner loop of the field and ended up ahead of us.
As usual we did the loop backwards and the last climb was an effort, but not as much as last time.
Tuesday 8 November 2011
5m with Jason
Rolle, classic five mile route.
Jason asked for 8 min miles and I manged to nail that on the head. Had to do the last one fast to make it but got back in exactly 40 minutes.
Felt easy and and relaxed.
Garmin
Jason asked for 8 min miles and I manged to nail that on the head. Had to do the last one fast to make it but got back in exactly 40 minutes.
Felt easy and and relaxed.
Garmin
Sunday 6 November 2011
12.6m long and slow with Richard
Up the hill today to see Richard for the first time since July! So long over due.
Bru (the mad dog) was out too and as ever she provided the entertainment zooming off into the fields and eventually coming back to us, she must have done double our miles at least! At one point she attempted to leap back on the the road failing to notice the wire fence and hit it in mid flight - caught her across her face, fortunately no damage appeared to have been done as she just kept going. That was about 30m ahead of us and the wire was still shaking when we went past the point she hit the fence.
She also disappeared into a vineyard above us and came out about 3m above us and really did for a moment look like she was considering the jump, but wisely thought better of it and joined the road safely ahead of us.
We were chased by a herd of cows at one point, the dog got them
The trees were stunning autumnal colours, reds, oranges, yellows. Awesome.
Just before we got back to Burtigny a car stopped in the road ahead. It was Jen and Howie Baggot, so nice to see them in the middle of nowhere, we declined their kind offer of a lift up the hill and pushed home.
Richard gave me the finish, no sprint to the house.
Super slow, but time on feet in good company and check out the hill profile captured.
Garmin
Bru (the mad dog) was out too and as ever she provided the entertainment zooming off into the fields and eventually coming back to us, she must have done double our miles at least! At one point she attempted to leap back on the the road failing to notice the wire fence and hit it in mid flight - caught her across her face, fortunately no damage appeared to have been done as she just kept going. That was about 30m ahead of us and the wire was still shaking when we went past the point she hit the fence.
She also disappeared into a vineyard above us and came out about 3m above us and really did for a moment look like she was considering the jump, but wisely thought better of it and joined the road safely ahead of us.
We were chased by a herd of cows at one point, the dog got them
The trees were stunning autumnal colours, reds, oranges, yellows. Awesome.
Just before we got back to Burtigny a car stopped in the road ahead. It was Jen and Howie Baggot, so nice to see them in the middle of nowhere, we declined their kind offer of a lift up the hill and pushed home.
Richard gave me the finish, no sprint to the house.
Super slow, but time on feet in good company and check out the hill profile captured.
Garmin
Thursday 3 November 2011
6m Final Airport Hill route
Today I was with elite Pierro who was out for a super easy run after
coming 30th in the Venice Marathon. 2:39 or 3:46 min kms ave pace for
marathon, so even his cruising pace was probably going to kill me.
Mile one 8mins, ok so far but that was all reversing my normal fast downhill finish.
Went out the long way and followed the path at the woods on our side of the motorway.
Then it just got faster and faster with the last uphill mile being under 7 mins.
Ave was 7:15 min miles and I felt good, except for the last up hill where I admit I struggled with the pace.
Still a very long way away from a 1h 30m half.
Garmin
Mile one 8mins, ok so far but that was all reversing my normal fast downhill finish.
Went out the long way and followed the path at the woods on our side of the motorway.
Then it just got faster and faster with the last uphill mile being under 7 mins.
Ave was 7:15 min miles and I felt good, except for the last up hill where I admit I struggled with the pace.
Still a very long way away from a 1h 30m half.
Garmin
Wednesday 2 November 2011
5.75 on the far side of the motorway
Took Aurelien on the expanded loop and beyond. Crossed the motoryway and hugged the edge of the airport then back to the usual loop.
Not so good on the 2nd half of the far side of the motorway, will stick to the bottom field loop and then the woods on the same side of the motorway as the lake.
Mile 3 was good....
Garmin
Not so good on the 2nd half of the far side of the motorway, will stick to the bottom field loop and then the woods on the same side of the motorway as the lake.
Mile 3 was good....
Garmin
Tuesday 1 November 2011
6m expanded airport hill
Airport hill, expanding the upper loop.
I noticed the cycle route map gave an option to extend the new airport hill so I decided that today would be an exploring run.
Skipped the lower field and huffed and puffed up the hill.
At the top stayed on the road instead of cutting in at the Sentier des Ecruvises? and connected that extension to the normal loop.
Crossed the motorway, but a private keep out sign and no obvious way back explains the U turn.
But the woods were better, a sign showed the way and I could run the edge of the woods and reconnect to the usual route much further along than normal.
Down the hill the last two miles were faster than expected as I had a guy in a white shirt 500m ahead of me and could not resist catching him!
Garmin
I noticed the cycle route map gave an option to extend the new airport hill so I decided that today would be an exploring run.
Skipped the lower field and huffed and puffed up the hill.
At the top stayed on the road instead of cutting in at the Sentier des Ecruvises? and connected that extension to the normal loop.
Crossed the motorway, but a private keep out sign and no obvious way back explains the U turn.
But the woods were better, a sign showed the way and I could run the edge of the woods and reconnect to the usual route much further along than normal.
Down the hill the last two miles were faster than expected as I had a guy in a white shirt 500m ahead of me and could not resist catching him!
Garmin
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