Add run notes for week 17 2025

Author: Sparrow0hawk

content/blog/2025-04-27-runnotes.md

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+Title: 21st-27th April Run notes
+Tags: running
+
+## Monday
+
+Bank holiday so no time to run during the day. I slip out for a short evening run helpfully taking in the driest 
+moment of the day. We spent the afternoon at the final of the international jousting tournament which was incredibly
+enjoyable. The woods are a quiet contrast and feel fresh and lush after a day of rain. I spot big flames in the wood
+as I pass my at the top of the ridge, I know I'll pass closer to it when I turnaround so decide if it's unattended I'll
+stop and ring the fire service. It so happens there are some people there and it isn't as big as it seemed so I 
+leave them to it.
+
+## Wednesday
+
+Wednesday day is the new Tuesday due to scheduling and I run a loop out from York station to Bishopthorpe and back. I 
+start at a comfortable higher-end-of-easy effort but get swept up into punchier pace interspersed with 30 second speed
+bursts. It's a lot of fun, but I'm also partly clock watching to get back in time for work. I hit 10k and decide to wind
+myself down a bit, don't need to be exhausted just as I start the day.
+
+## Thursday
+
+Wednesday evening I find there's a very slight discomfort in my right knee, it reminds me at the time of the knee issue
+I had in February and I start to worry. But it isn't quite the same, I don't have issues going up or down stairs, I can
+do a one-legged squat pain free, just occasionally there's something.
+
+I feel up for running on Thursday morning and head out for a steady state run. This feels great and I don't notice my knee
+and just find my flow and follow the trail. I do fall on my face at one point, tripping over some brambles, which certainly
+helps me forget about my knee. I make it all the way to Swithen's Farm before turning around to head home, everything feeling
+super and the worries from yesterday evening forgotten.
+
+## Friday
+
+Hills pay the bills and I head for my usual appointment in Middleton park. It's six reps of 3 minutes ascending and I take
+the first two slightly held back to find the pace before cranking it up for the remaining four. I manage to keep the level
+consistent which is great and have enough for another crank on the final rep. Maybe I was a little conservative this week
+and could have raised the levels evenly for all four I think as I head home. Regardless, it feels like a good day in the office
+and with three weeks to go till Eryri 25K I want to get all the hills practice I can without a mountain round the corner.
+
+## Sunday
+
+I'm very lucky usually when it comes to motivation and find getting out the door for a run easy. Today however was not 
+one of those days, I realised pretty early on things were going to be a slog and tried to embrace it. I was down for a 
+3-hour all-you-can-climb session following the well-worn pattern of heading to Sissons wood, South Leeds golf course, 
+Stank barn hall to take advantage of the ridge line. My last effort in this regard I'd managed to get over 1,000m of 
+elevation so in the days leading up to today I thought I'd manage a bit more and maybe hit the magic 1,085m 
+(equivalent to the height of Yr Wyddfa). But today wasn't that day, things were tired, I found myself doing alot more 
+power hiking on the sharp bits of climbs, my motivation slipped from thinking about chasing the ascent to just getting 
+3-hours time on feet under my belt. I did take the opportunity to practise some nutrition, particularly eating when climbing
+as I suspect I'll need to focus on taking on calories whilst ascending during the race. As maybe expected I found the 
+chews a lot easier to knock back than the bars. This might make me rethink what I'll do during the race, particularly 
+because I want to try and hit the right level of calorie intake to finish strong. I also tried the OTE Super carbs 
+performance drink this week which is 80g of carbs (more than the 50g of carbs in tailwind). I found this tricky to 
+prepare but fine to drink whilst out although given the general slog feeling of today I didn't really feel any kick 
+from my nutrition. I will try it again for another longer effort but I certainly felt good using tailwind last 
+week. It was also good practice just running whilst not feeling my best. Working on how to just get the job done when things
+don't feel so good, remembering to just walk bits, power hike some of those hills, and re-evaluate the goals of a session
+if you're not feeling it. Onwards to the next run!