Time to Focus

Yes I know this is meant to be a running blog but since the alps got hit with a load of new snow last week it was definitely going to be skiing on my days off. Tuesday we headed over to Italy and skied amazing deep powder in a very quiet Courmayeur , easily for me the best days skiing of the season with fresh tracks all day and some ridiculously deep powder. Wednesday was then a road trip to the tiny Swiss resort of Bruson , only 4 lifts but amazing tree skiing and even quieter than Italy the day before.

Fleur enjoying awesome Italian Pow

On the training side of things the time has come to leave the crazy nights out aside for this winter except of course for the final Chambre Neuf Party. I love partying here and with my friends but there comes a time every season it has to stop and its super difficult to get back into training regime but once the first week is out the way then my focus on the summer is back on.

Me in Italy skiing down to Dolonne

 

I have been out running on lunches and in the evenings. I don’t tend to follow my training stats and view Heart rates etc... but thought I would stick on my Suunto M5 and see how I was looking. This is a watch that I don't actually rate very highly , I am thinking of investing in a Garmin now so I can track distance which would be very good for me as judging distance when training on trails is very difficult. So yesterday on lunch I went for a short 40 mins run up the zigzags behind my house as far as I could go before too much snowed blocked the way , then it was a fast descent and a cruise along the balcon sud trail and down through Chamonix and back up to my house. According to my watch that was a good 617 calories burned , and average HR of 162 and a peak of 184(current resting is at 52). Tonight I went for another short 40 mins but this time a loop through and around Cham centre burning 550 cals , Average HR 154 and a max of 179. As I said I am not really that into checking calories burned and all that guff but having a glance now and then at the HR cant be any harm and it seems to be going fine bearing in mind this is the start of running season for me.

Looks like there is going to be a little trip down to Italy on the 15^th of April for a couple days climbing and trail running near the Med so I hope to squeeze in a 30km trail run which would be perfect training as a month later I have the 54km Kintyre Way Ultra in Scotland.


Running will be getting a lot more regular now and I will be heading out twice a day soon so I will keep posting how things are going. Apologies for lack of running pictures as I mistakenly left my camera at home.

Need Your Help Please

So things have been going rather well at moment. The trail shoes have been out after being locked away for a few months and I managed to get in a couple of 10ks on lunch breaks which was great. I was just plodding along the roads as the trails are still way too snowy for running. I hate road running but its all I can do at the moment so I will have to make do with it. A few minor niggles in my knee and my shins appeared but all to be expected. Nothing spectacular on the runs just a couple of 50 mins 10ks , will have them back down to nearer the 40 mins mark pretty easily by the end of the month but no point rushing anything just need to get the miles back in my legs.

The Cascadias are back out

I also managed a quick Cosmiques Arete lap on another lunch with Laurent. We skied over to the start and climbed the route back up to the station. Great conditions on it at the moment with the most snow on it I have ever seen. Was good to be back up high(3600m - 3800m) doing some cardio work and even though we were really only up for a total of 2 hours including waiting time on the lift I felt absolutely fine on the ridge with regards to the altitude.

Lunbreaks! Laurent at the first abseil

Now back to work

On another note , I have decided I am going to run Leadville for a Charity. It is something I always get asked when I enter races. People always ask if I am running for a charity and to be honest normally I don’t. Now I am all for Charities and everything they do but I used to feel that running under a charity would be another pressure to deal with and I would not like to fail them but since this is such a big event for me then I thought I will try make some money for a good cause. I have chosen to run for Chest , Heart and Stroke Scotland. My Gran passed away after suffering a Stroke and a very close friend of mines Father died a few years back from a Heart Attack so I feel this is the best Charity to support. The link to my sponsorship page is on this blog , just click the Chest , Heart and Stroke logo and you will be directed straight to my page. Any pennies you have spare would be very much appreciated.

I will soon be getting a little section in the Scottish Running Guide magazine to promote my run courtesy of CHSS who have a column in the magazine and are happy to use it up just for me very soon. Also the kind people of Inverclyde National Sports Centre particularly Jamie who I have been in contact with are going to help me out by also promoting me on their website which is great and also offered me use of facilities if need be. I grew up my whole life using the sports centre which is only a few minutes from my parents house in Largs. I went there to play Football , Basketball and use the gym. I also worked a fair bit up there coaching Basketball for North Ayrshire Leisure a few years back so its great that Inverclyde can help me out a little bit.

It has been rather mild lately in Chamonix so I will be getting out for another few runs this week before the snow arrives back and it will be back to ski touring for my fitness.

Finally as of the moment I do not have many races this year set up before Leadville. I am back in Scotland for 10 days in May and I will be running the Kintyre Way Ultra with my work collegue Laurent. There are 2 races , one of 107km and one of 54km. We have chosen to just run the 54km , I would have loved to run the full 107 but feel its just too close to the end of winter season to go for it. Really looking forward to it. I have also entered the Chamonix Vertical KM which is the end of June , it is pretty much a race from Chamonix Town Centre to the top of the Planpraz bubble so straight up 1000m(running straight up a munro) as fast as possible not really Leadville training but more a bit of fun. Last Years winner the awesome Killian Jornet won it in an incredible 34 mins! If I can get sub 50mins I will be happy. I would like to fit in another 50-60km at some point over the summer and will have a look around although most races here are on weekends when I work which is a problem but I am pretty confident my training days will be nice a long in this awesome playground that is Chamonix.