17m Aubonne two loops signal and Yens (30m this week)

It was really awful. I think this is the worst run I have done since moving to Switzerland.

Excuses:

1. Tired: Hard 11m run yesterday, plus not much sleep last night
2. Badly fuelled: Not enough water (then too much) and a bad lunch, fired egg bread with mouldy maple syrup.
3. Sunstroke: No cap and super sunny day - in the woods it was ok, but in the vines the light concrete reflects the heat and I was sunburnt and too hot
4. Terrain: Some of the toughest hills in the area all on the same run, click the gamin link and check the hill profile and put the terrain on the map.

Went out going the low route to signal planning to turn up at Fechy, but missed the turn and ended up at Bougy Villars which is bad because - well just look at the hill at mile three. That was the first of many walking sections in this run.

Round signal was fine if busy then over the back as I usually do on this route through the woods to the Arboretum. Again it was odd to see people enjoying the place as normally it is too early and I am alone. At this point I was looking at a 2 hour wait if I followed the river down to the car so I went for the Yens route and thought I could see an alternate route back. Checked on the map after and what I did was the best I could have (other than out and back, which is what I did last time). Followed a road that became a path and it climbed and climbed. I wanted it to turn left back to the pylons heading to Aubonne, but no it kept going right following the woods. Finally I came through a farm and could hear the Aubonne River so knew I was ok, only question was where exactly was I? I ran quickly here, down the steep hill to the valley and I was right at the top of the Arboretum. I figured I could get back to Aubonne in 30mins form here and the sign said 1h 10m walking and I normally go 3 times faster. I could hardly walk up the climb out of the Arboretum as the chaffing on the left armpit kick in from nowhere and my head was hurting. I ran for a km or so with my left thumb jamming the top away from the sore bit. My usual kick for home failed to turn up and I shuffled back to find Paul had finished scouts a bit early and was sitting with his mates waiting for me.

We walked together up to the fountain where I made the first of several recovery mistakes. I drank gallons of water. It was ice cold and lovely and I took far too much too quickly.

Next stop was the super market and I got a big can of Red Bull which again was cold and tasty - I felt I needed an energy drink - but seriously Niall a fizzy drink? I tried not to down it in one go, but it was gone all too quickly.

By the time I was at the flat I felt like death warmed up. Stinking headache and felt like being sick - I was - lunch and a can of red bull on the big white telephone. 

Oh well, lessons learnt. I think there was a personal worst half marathon in there too.

Garmin

10.5m lake side

I dashed down to the boat stop and got there just as it pulled out. I thought about jumping the gap between the pier and the boat, but the driver was shaking his head and I had visions of falling in the water or breaking something if I fell onto the boat so I had to change plans.
I decided to go out around the lake anyway. It was hot, sunny, but la Bise was blowing hard. So I tried to just hold 8 min miles to save my effort for the far side of the lake when the wind against. I worked that reasonably well and was inside my 8 min miles at the turn. I felt a little niggle in the left calf that put any ideas of tanking it back with the wind behind out of my plans.
There was a guy out on the lake on a windsurf and he was getting some amazing speed going. Ran past a couple of other guys setting up their boards. Over took a lady at the far end who seemed surprised and then on the way back she was stretching in the sun and gave me a friendly smile. Only the decent runners make it out beyond the yacht club!
The niggle eased off and I just settled down to a pace that was less perceived effort than the outbound leg. Turned out that it returned a pace of 7:30 min miles.
The clue that Geneva says it is officially spring is in all the tables and chairs out on the lake side for the cafe dwellers and the dumb tourist trap train is back. Had to doge it on the way back.
Crossed the bridge and into the wind, had to do a wee loop around the bottom field to make certain I would burst 10 miles and if you count the failed bid for the boat it was more like 11. Even into the wind holding TRP was no problem. Happy days!

Garmin

6.5m le Rhone

One the way out I decided to see how far down the old Rhone tails I could get. Not far was the answer!

I set of slow, trying not to overtake the guy in front of me. I could not go that slow for long. I cracked after a mile an a half and speeded up to TRP.

Super sun shine and light breeze made for perfect conditions. After 3m I turned for the way back having only just got past the quai de sujet where the barrier of the le Rhone is. I came back behind the old hydro electric plant and through the restaurant on the island. Both bridges are finished and the trams now have their own private bridge - very nice indeed to see how my taxes are spent.

Behind the old hydro plant I noticed that in the light wind the jet d'eau is perfectly aligned with the back wall of the factory.

Tried to hold back a bit on the return and keep the pace nearer TRP.

Ave. pace 7:58 - that'll do!

Garmin

6.25m Aiport Hill (this is the route)

Super hot day, shorts, shades and drenched by the time I got back.

On the way out, I saw a lady come of her bike, I did not see what happend but I think another cyclist cut her up and she hit the kerb and went flying. He was very embarrressed, but it seemed no damage was done.

With the kink in the route on the way out and the dent in the woods this gives me enough distance to clear 10km without doing the Varembe thing at the end of the run which I dont like.

On the way back through Pregny there is a bus stop and I caught a glipse of what I thought was a fit looking bloke in rather cool shades closing in me. Then I noticed he had the same top, shorts and trainers as me. Actually it was a double reflection on the side of the bus shelter. Opps. Glad I did not kick to shake him!

Out side the russian mission there were loads of kids speaking spanish taking pictures of the entrance doors. I had to run through them and did that quickly incase the ruskis objected and I got caught up in the cross fire.

Slow on the climbs today, but the flat and down were no problems to get it all back and some. Well inside the TRP at 7:47 min miles average.

Garmin

10.3m lazy days (37m week)

I woke up today thinking about a massive run, but the snivels and legs and brain all agreed don't do it.

So I listened to the advice of my advisors, but by the time I was up and eating the need to do something was there. I had to be back by 10:30 so I figured an easy 10 miles would fit the bill and it was shorts and shades weather so of I went.

Took the new Perroy route out and forgot I did not need to come into Perroy, but as I like bridges and tunnels I was not that fussed about that.

On the section above Perroy that Steve showed me the recycling place was going mental and this section had lots of traffic. Normally when I go through here there is no one.

Wood peckers were making a racket in the woods and the river is fully flowing which makes it look much more impressive than usual. The tree that went down a few weeks ago looks like it has always been there.

The lake authorities dropped the level of the lake a while back and it means you have an odd lake side feature where the newly exposed rocks are clean (ie white) and the exposed ones are black. So the old level and new level are obvious. Noticed this at both Allaman and Perroy beaches.

On the way through the campsite I saw our old neighbours pitching their tent so stopped for a chat. They'd driven their new caravan all the way back from Denmark (16 hour drive) and will live at the campsite rather than our building for the summer before returning home. They've got a brilliant pitch and are 10m from the edge of the lake. On a sunny calm day it looks like they've made a great decision!

Picked up the last three miles looking for TRP and found it!

Garmin

6.6m Gland

Easy evening run, no pressure and much more comfortable with the route now having done this loop a few times I know for sure it is not going to be more than one hour.
At mile one, a guy came out of a farm with a big circular bit of material stretched out over a wooden hoop and jumped in the field calling a weird cry up to the sky. I tried to follow what he was doing. Then I saw the bird of prey, a small eagle swooping and spinning and circling in and down in response to the guy's shouts. Very impressive.
All the fountains in Gland seem to be working now which is great and on the hot evening I took advantage several times.
Looped down to the Plage at Gland to break the horrible long straight route Swiss section. That plus the general slowness meant I had to push a bit and get the last mile done in under TRP which was uphill but ok.
Got back just in time as Paul's group had finished and with stretching off.

Garmin

8.1m lake side

Lovely day lakeside today. The changing rooms were packed with management making a good showing downstairs and many of the usual suspects out.

Was with Aurelien and he was pushing the pace the whole way. I just held his shoulder and went with the flow. There were losts of serious runners out today.

We saw Pierro tanking out 3:20 min kms for his 12 km set. Impressive indeed.

Aurelien really pushed the speed and got us sub seven minute miles a couple of times as he was going for a 10km time, we did the 10km in 43 minutes!

After Aurelien took the shorter route home I eased of a bit and jogged back, but still managed to finish in an average of 7:20 minute miles.

Garmin

6.1m Airport Hill

Noticed the water is on in the bottom field again, which is another sure sign spring is in the air as more and more fountains are running again. None up the hill yet though.

9 mins for mile one and another 9 to get up the hill was a pretty depressing start. But somehow I picked it up. Found the rue de joli-bois which connects into the airport woods nicely and again uneventful back to Pregny were the action always seems to start. Some appeared from the field behind me and closed. I let them catch me on the hill then before they could overtake I pushed a shade harder and drifted away from them. Did that a couple of times before they gave up. By this time I had caught a lady in a black out fit and then another footballer provided the downhill target I needed.

Amazingly after the 2x 9 min miles at the start we were done the ave. pace for the run was 8 min miles.

Garmin

6m Airport hill

No garmin so running free today, sunny but windy. Bottom field still a little muddy. Felt slow and sluggish out and up the hill.

Nothing much happened until Pregny where someone showed up in front of me so I could not help chasing them back. Overtook at the fountain and then found someone else to chase down the hill to the protests at Nations.

The easy run remains elusive.

9.34m (15km) Kerzers Race (35.5 this week)

First race in a long time and I've never done this one before.
On the way up with Steve, we discussed the course and made a note of the hill after the lake. It looked pretty steep.
We got there seriously early, as the motorway was empty and were parked up efficiently by a multitude of officials in yellow vests with walkie talkies. Took around 20 seconds to swap our letters for the dossards with micro chip so we then had nearly 2 hours to kill in Kerzers. So we checked out where to leave the bags, where to shower, the start and finish and so on. The we dumped the bags and split up. I went for a run then found a warm up party with a bloke gobbing off on microphone in German with two girls behind him on the stage trying to lead a basket ball pitch full of people in a warm up routine. It was entertaining enough and ran down the time to race start.
I made my way to the start and was pleasantly surprised to find my section (section F) had magically moved from half way down the road to nearly at the start. I jumped the barrier and made my home in the middle of the section. The guy holding the giant F checked that I did indeed have an F on my dossard.
12 minutes to go to my start time and it went quickly as every few minutes they set another section off and we shuffled nearer and near to the start until it was our turn.
The gun fired and we were off. Too slow - I knew it was too slow straight away. I weaved my way through the field but even with the staggered start it was a pain. Then a slight hill and the lady next to me groaned in frustration at the "runners" slowing down for the incline - they should not have been in section F.
Picked it up and moved through more and more and then it was finally a bit more strung out after the 2nd km. At km 3 my race changed. I heard a guy puffing behind me and then he overtook strongly. Bald head and orange Lausanne 2011 finisher top on. He became my pace maker. We ran side by side all the way to the hill at 9km. Over taking together, sometimes me slightly ahead sometimes him. I noticed it was a pace much faster than I intended, but I felt fine and was enjoying the race so went with it.
It got harder to overtake by the lake, but it was very pretty if narrow and he went low and I nipped past people by going off piste between the trees.
I spoke to him when a photographer took a snap of us side by side, but he didn’t speak French, so that was that. I gelled up as we hit the big hill.
I felt the perceived effort sky rocket and decided almost immediately that this hill was one for walking up. So I did. I over took many people attempting to run up as I could walk faster than they could run. My pacer pulled away as he could run up the hill properly.
At the top he was some 200m ahead and I figured I had time to get him. Went though 10km in 43:10. Started picking people off and noticed that my pacer was no longer overtaking people, but I was. Took it steady and controlled and let the gel work its way into my system.
At the 13km sign we drew level. I loved the look on his face. Side by side until the 14km marker. Neither of us made a move and then I did. Ratchet one. Less than four minutes to the line I'm thinking I can do this km very quickly. He matched and adds his own ratchet I match and hold his pace. Now I think twice around the track, go! I kick hard and he does not follow. I see a 500m sign next and kick again. I'm running on air and way past the red line. 200m and the crowd is massive and noisy and I can see the finish. I'm going as fast as I can and I feel like I am floating in the air as I fly past whole groups of runners. Over the line and I look back, my pacer finisher about 20 places behind me.
Collected my bag which contained a rather nice towel. I added apples, carrots (yes carrots) and bananas. The Rivella was very welcome too. Got quickly back to the sports hall for a shower (only waited a couple of minutes) and then went outside to jog and stretch.
Checked the splits on the Garmin and was very pleased. I'd been hoping for 1h 10m and to come in with a time of 1h 3mins was just brilliant. I averaged 6:47 min miles so all in all, super pleased.
Found Steve and was glad to hear his leg had held up and so we treated ourselves to some cakes. I had an amazing heavy sponge with custard icing.

Garmin

6.39m Gland

Better timed route tonight, running into the sunset then remembering I had my not sunglasses in my pocket was a result.

Better judged in distance tonight as only back a few minutes before Paul's group.

Only managed one mile at the end at TRP, but at the end of the day I'm never going to be particularly fast. Took a full 20 minutes for the HRT to drop at the start.

Garmin

6.15m Airport hill

Another superb day to be out running. Shorts and shades were the order of the day.

I took the bottom field and nearly bumped into a guy going the opposite way. Saw him again at half way around and we made a much better job of missing each other at the second time of asking.

On the airport hill there were plenty of people. A fat lady walking overtook two blokes jogging up the hill.

Then I noticed a race up ahead. A guy quite far ahead was pushing hard around top of the hill at the chateaux de Penthes and a lady in a blue top with black hair was trying to catch him. Suddenly she came off the path and went all out across the grass to get to the castle before the guy made it around the top. I thought that was very funny and it lifted the spirits.

Did the old way into the woods and found the 2nd path in the far woods I'd noticed last time I was up there.

Increased the speed at the top and came down letting the hill pull me but not going for it.

Varembe loop had to be added to the end to get me up to the 10km.


Garmin

7.25m Lake side with Aurelien

Several guys in the changing rooms that seemed to be hanging around wait for us. I told them to go and we'd catch them.

Pierro appeared just as Aurelien and I left.

Caught the guys at mile one. Alex came with us to the mont blanc bridge then ditched us to wait for his buddy. Went as far as the yacht club.

Aurelien pushed the pace, faster each mile until mile 6 was 7:03 then he took the short route home and I relaxed through the last mile back the way we'd come.

Garmin

6.35m airport hill

Tried to go for an easy run, was feeling tired after the half, ski, ministry meeting before church, sunday school teaching, followed by a sunday school teachers meal in the eve. Phew that was a long day.

Felt like I was going reasonably well when Garmin beeped out a couple of Ken style 9 minute miles. The hill took it's toll and even the bright sun and downhill bit failed to get me going properly.

At the far corner where the woods start there has been alot of digging and at the entrance to the woods there was a crew working on laying the tarmac on the top of the dug out section. I narrowly avoided a scoop full of tarmac as I jumped the whole to get from the road into the woods, they just did not expect me to come around the far side of the truck.

On the way back mile 5 to 6 was 7:21 as on the way down a guy who looked like a foot baller (football shorts and a yellow wind proof) showed up in front of me going reasonably quickly so I decided to get in front of him. He blazed a trail past the ruskis doing u-turns out side their mission and I caught him just after then. Timed the lights nicely going over the place des nations and then I heard him breathing behind me so had to kick again to drop him and did not look back until I was done.

Garmin

13.1 half marathon test run 1h43m (39.7m this week)

Ok so fast Friday, followed by rest Sat, meant time for a half marathon time trial with the aim of being better than TRP, that's 8 min miles.

So the excuses were as follows: as I needed to get back by 8am (to get to La Dole by 9am to make sure we got the full half day skiing in) I had to set of at 6:15am; to get some food in me I was up at 5:45; so not enough time to digest before running; it was pitch black for the first few miles; it was bitterly cold for the first few miles; it was very very windy, especially on the first few dark uphill miles, the Bise was blowing at me like it wanted to push me home.

Still I kept going and fought my way back to TRP after the depressing 8:30 mile one. I saw the dawn which is always a great way to lift the spirits and pushed on knowing at mile 4 when I turned down it would indeed be down and I'd get the wind behind on from the bottom of the Aubonne back to Rolle.

Managed Steve's lake side route into Rolle correctly adding Perroy plage to the route.

Got to the port about 3 miles too early so added on the extra by looping round the Rosey, should have just gone for the pre-vert but thought that might take me over and I was time pressured.

Took one gel after one hour and did not need a second. Half cleared in 1:43 so in theory same again gets me home just inside the 3h30m time I am shooting for. However, half way is really mile twenty.

Garmin

7m fast lake side with a killer Pierro one mile sprint

Set off a shade worried about the speed Pierro might generate lakeside. But he was 'tranquil' as we jogged down to the lake going through mile one in a chatty 8 mins.

Once on the flat the pace drifted up to 7:20s but I figured I could handle that. The wind was super strong today and it felt like we had to swim through the air from the Jardin Anglais all the way to Geneve plage. Here Pierro suggested it would be fun to run back a little faster to the Jardin Anglais since the wind would assist.

So that's what we did. I lapped the Garim and Pierro set off like a bullet. Suddenly the heat of the sun on the back and the wind behind made going much more quickly feel rather pleasant.

I glanced at the pace, 6:35. I tried not to think about that and just focused on keeping on Pierro's heels. Some where I thought he might have kicked, so could not resist another glance at Garmin who showed 6:20 at which point I decided not one inch beyond the bridge at this pace.

Garim beeped through the fast mile at 6:19. That must be some kind of record. The 7:20s home into the wind actually felt slow after that.

Once again, great to hear Pierro's elite stories and I appreciate the privilege to be able to run with such a super talented bloke.

Made up for last night and some.

Garmin

5.6m rubbish in Gland

Dropped Paul at the sports centre for the mini foulee glandoise and set off via the parcours vita and out of the woods and back to Gland via citi west and the concrete factory. Found the sentier des toblerones and should have followed it down and made a bigger loop but headed back and was there miles too soon.

Was cold and hungry. Thin top no gloves and as the Bise wind blew hard and as the light faded my body temperature plummeted and the hands were freezing.

Saw Paul's group finish, guess who was leading the group home? That's my boy!

Garmin

8m lake side

Aurelien wanted something easy and not to long, then he suggested the yatch club and back - I guess he forgot with taking the tunnel that would be 4 out and another 4 back so an 8 miler. I said nothing.

Aurelien called no gloves and I called no wind breaker. Both shouts we realised were wrong as no sooner had the garage door whipped open than we were hit with a blast of frozen wind! Opps.

On the way out we spotted some guys high in the trees roped up with chain saws cutting the branches. Brave job, then one enormous branch crashed down in the fenced off area. Impressive stuff.

On the way back the wind was with us to the city then against on the last quarter to the office. Aurelien was hurting from a trip to the gym yesterday so cut for home at the president wilson hotel. I took the tunnel home and saw a guy from support and then a high five from the great Pierro just before the tunnel.

Slow start, but improved to better than TRP and last miles against the wind were pretty good.

Garmin

6m traditional aiport hill

Running free of all electronics today I decided on easy airport hill the traditional route. Bottom field, ice free and dry for the first time this year, up and through the woods at the back and round the long way.

No drama, no bother, no idea on time, perceived effort was easy enough, noticed my top was dry at the end so did not even break sweat today.

Most interesting event was the Tamil protest I setting up at place des nations. 

10.5m Allaman loop (34 mile week, 3 active rest days)

I decided another easy run was in order today and blessed with a warm morning and Steve's new route I headed out pretty much the same way as I had with Steve. However, rather than turn down I kept going to reach the outlet Aubonne and crossed the railway at the metal bridge connecting Denner to Cornaz cement.

Then picked up the same route as before. There were more cars parked at the start of the Aubonne footpath than I have ever seen before and there were mountain bikers, walkers, dog walkers, but the most numerous were the fishermen. Every tree or bit of land jutting out into the water had at least one fisherman on it. I came across a group that looked like they might be on their permit to fish course.

I forgot to mention the tree yesterday: the river is in full spate and has erroded around one of the trees that used to be next to the river and felled it in such a way that the river now goes around the root ball and on the far side the tree was tall enough to get jammed onto the far bank - creating a natural bridge over the Aubonne!

The birds must think it is spring as they were churping away very cheerily in the woods and that took my mind of the slow miles (yes it's ok it's an easy run, no you are not going to slip in a couple of mile reps to make things more interesting.......)

Steve had mentioned that the bottom vine route takes you to Perroy plage and from there it is possible to get back to Rolle with out coming onto the route suisse (except to cross it). So I tried that and made one error, which was not to go back down towards the lake at the end and so ran one block on the route suisse, but now I know where the road goes I'll be fine next time. Thanks for the tip Steve.

Garmin

10m Perroy, Grande Gordanne, Aubonne river, Allaman Plage

With both Steve and I back from various ski outings and the weather being perfect the stars were aligned for out first meet up.

Dawn was another spectacular affair with a bright orange ball creeping over the mountains and flooding the lake with a multitude of colour -  framed magestically by the pastel cloulds and watery hues of the hills and mountains. If any motivation were needed for getting out there, that was it!

I did not want to be late and so was all set a shade too early, but set off anyway thinking a couple of loops around Perroy would not matter. However, as I approached the town I guy came down the road towards me and sure enough it was Steve. Great to finally meet up having been only communicating online until now. He saw me from his balcony coming through the vines!

Steve offered to take me on an alternative route to Allaman, staying high and that was great as it now means many more options on the out and back legs for the St. Prex route.

At my mile four Steve hurt his calf crossing the road which brought on some cramp, but thankfully it seems to be minor. However, it did mean we came close to the Ken school of easy running!

Back up to Perroy and Steve headed home.

I picked back up to TRP for the last 3 miles. No problem. And thanks Steve for the company and the new route!

Garmin