Training Log Archive: BrandNewMe

Warm up, then 5 x 4mins with 1 min recovery. Despite feeling a bit stiff, this went well and I felt good during the reps. Managed about 1k - 1.1 depending on headwind / hills / tiredness etc. Not out and back but longer canal loop as an odd number of reps.

I plan to go to Jim Jarvis's haries sessions on Tuesdays to get someone to run against, but haven't made it yet. Logistics.

Pushing hard but tired and a bit stiff.

I am interested to hear views about thumb compass v base plate. Which do you use and why? Have you tried the other? Thanks

C • I use a baseplate, but I us... 6

The logistical farce that dictates my life all blew up a bit today. So nice long pentlands run home in the sun was shortened to home via corstorphine hill and roseburn cycle path. Not quite the same.

So I added a bit later at Aberdour. Started doing some bearings in silver sands playing fields then run along the costal path, and back over hawkcraig point and the harbour. Aberdour was looking glorious today.

SOL 6 Alvie

I've been practicing simplification and not dithering. Not looking at the map too much. The problem is when you are taking a bearing with a thumb compass you need to look at the map all the time to see the bearing, and I can't look at the map without having a little check, so I got a baseplate so I could practice not looking at the map too much.

I haven't used a baseplate for about 20 years, but I know how to take a bearing with one, so it was going to be interesting. Spent the jog to the start trying to get the string on my wrist correctly.

Start to 1, bearing to pass the big boulders on my right, and then on a bit and down the slope. Fine. Seemed a bit far though. Stopped a bit soon. 2 was a bearing, 3 was a bearing, and judging myself on the slope. It was an odd control. Could have done with seeing the feature a bit more clearly, but without a magnifier you don't really bother - bad.

4 was a bearing to the fence, then another bearing to the control. The second bearing was clearly offline though, so I didn't follow it. Bearing to 5 too, a bit left. Bearing out of 5 was poor too. My problem was that I generally keep my map in a bit of a ball - foldingvis not my thing) so it is hard to get it flat enough to find some north lines and make sure the bearing is done properly. 6 in off the green, fine. 7 was a bearing to the first hill, over, up, hit the little open marsh, got confused into thinking that it was at the end of this little marsh that I was looking for the green bits with he control beyond. V bad visualisation, map memory all wrong. 2 mins.

8 easy, 9 bearing to fence then off the white trees. 10 bearing, pick up the green and in. Gel going up the hill. 11 not the best line. Kept getting stuck behind fallen trees. 12 straight ish. The heather was nothing compared to loch ordie, but quite tough.

13 the plan was top of hill, bearing, lochan, bearing to control. I missed the lochan though, and the boulder, and thought the marshy bit I saw might have been the lochan, but was not sure, so when I got up and couldn't see the control where I thought I was I didn't like if I was too far left or right. Bummer. 2 mins.

14 easy. Bearing. 15 was bang on but didn't see the crag, ran above it and on down 30secs. 16 fine. 17 good simplification. 18 ok bearing but the stream seemed to be mapped oddly. 19 bearing. Good. 20 easy. 21 easy. 22 good, though I think this is one of the few parts that would have sped up later (I had first start) 23 fine. Good bearing. 24 was just under the trees, but the area of trees was not actually trees, but a bit where the yellow had rubbed off. 30secs. 25, 26, 27 easy.

So about 5mins of mistakes, but I am just trying things out. My bearings were so so much better with a baseplate, when I took the time to do it properly. And it takes time just now. It's not at all natural. Like going to 18. It's a short leg so a lot of that time is spent doing a bearing, ditto 22. I really liked the ability to be able to run on a needle without having the map distracting you (I did compass left hand, map right). Mind you it worked well just now when I am practicing simplifying, but maybe on some controls (like 7 and 15) I should have used the map more. It felt like I had a v tangible extra tool in my armour, when holding the compass. So baseplate for future big races? Hmmmm. Next year I'd feel confident, but Balmoral maybe not. It felt quite unnatural today, and that distracted me such that I didn't really have the adrenaline, or the feel of a race, so not much of the buzz I usually rely on.

Glad I took the trip though. Nice course, lovely terrain, felt ok in the end, and I managed to beat my nemesis (?) Graeme!

http://www.basoc.routegadget.co.uk/rg2/#25

http://obasen.orientering.se/winsplits/online/en/d...

Warm up. Bits and bobs. White course with Laurence after too.

Ridiculous reason for going for a run, as ever. I had survived Laurence's 7th birthday party without succumbing to alcohol (anyone that has ever done a kids birthday party will understand) even though the girls locked themselves in the loo to hide from the smelly boys they were playing kiss chase with.

So to take advantage of the unexpected sobriety I went for a run with Lozza. Up to the meadows and three laps with him on his new bike. Slow up there, then about 7:15 min miling round, then slow back. Too many people around when he is trying to cycle on the pavements. I have been feeling a bit illall day today, and everyone is ill at work with colds, so I am still not sure about Alvie. It's a long way to drive to have another Devilla / Purple Thistle day 1 experience.

Tired. Looking forward to finishing the crappy project I am working on just now which means I'll get to start at 8am instead of the current 7am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. An extra hour's sleep would be so sweet.

Spent the afternoon swimming with the kids. It'll I was Seamus I'd be adding this as training. Just saying...

Cycle commute into a strong headwind this morning. V competitive. Oh what fun! I overtook someone on Gilmore Place, and he sat in behind me. I was cycling hard to try to drop him, but into a headwind it is pretty tough. I managed to catch someone in front though, who then realised I was there and tried to pull away, but I stuck in, and the guy behind me dropped off. This sort of stuff is what makes cycle commuting such fun. The subtle competitiveness of the bored office worker. All the time I was trying to remember that I have 10 miles hard at lunchtime scheduled today. Well, sort of trying to be sensible and make myself remember, but actually conveniently forgetting, so that my fun wasn't spoiled.

C • Competitive cycling 3

Out in 36:50, back quicker but hipflexors tightened badly at the end and jogged the last 1.5miles. Probably due to my playing around this morning.

Alvie and catching features

Longer canal run. 16 years ago today was my hit and run, which makes me even more grateful for today's pain-free run.

Skype with Nick, looking at some races and techniques. Then more planning, gossiping etc etc which doesn't count.

Busy day with work and birthdays. Back into training tomorrow.

If I was a professional athlete I would have gone for a very pleasant 5 hours bike ride today, but I'm not and didn't have time for cross training, so a rest day it is.

My life is generally a little dull which is why I don't have a blog, but if I did I would not use it to criticise fellow athletes. The atmosphere at WOC this year was the best yet. What I like about the girl's team is that we all have very different talents, experiences and personalities. I learn so much from my fellow team mates, and have so much respect for them. I certainly don't think any of us put ourselves above each other.

Its hard to make WOC week a laugh. If you've trained all year for one race, its unnatural to be laidback about the outcome; and the pressure of wanting to give your best affects us all in different ways. Having said that I thought WOC 2014 was excellent. Personal space when you needed it, and life drawing classes (models supplied) to break the tension. It has certainly been a lot worse in the past.

Bad sleep. ray made me stay up to watch the a-team film woth him last night, then lucy started prodding me at 5:30 :-(

Sosol 1 loch ordie brown.

This was one if the last days of the 6 day 5 years ago. I remember it being tough, but I was 4 months pregnant then, so maybe doing it not pregnant it might be ok. Big mistake. That's the toughest I have been on in a long time. Deep deep heather, and hills, for 8k. The first half I was doing ok, doing the technique training I wanted and going v cleanly, then by the second half I was tiring badly, and getting sloppy, abd staggering around. it was just relentless. I thought 71 was ok as I didn't drop too much time (probably about 3 mins in all on nav, and really minced the 2nd half with achilles probs) but spongey won with 52, which takes the piss! Ray dropped no time and did 88. So ridiculously exhausted at the end, then I had to do the white. Laurence ran the 2k, 165m climb to the start, then was too tired to run the white, so we walked, and dropped time stopping for a 5min number 2 at number 4. Must train him to speed these things up! Tired and bad Achilles now. Maybe rest tomorrow.

http://www.scottish-orienteering.org/doma/show_map...

http://obasen.orientering.se/winsplits/online/en/d...

Alex's Saturday morning session. It has been nearly 10 years since I did this regularly. The session is still going, Alex is still there but it has changes a fair bit. We did drills for instance, but only as Alex was helping someone do his endurance coaching awards and a dynamic warm up was needed. But the chat was so different from hbt it was hilarious. How much water to sip during the session to keep optimum hydration levels? When to start a taper for the east district XC relays? Another guy was telling me how he had had to cut out alcohol as beer and running don't mix at all - he was trying to get below a 3 hour marathon so was trying to be more professional. I told him that Ray found the optimum was 2 pints the night before, and this helped him to his sub 2:30. I think he assumed I was taking the piss. It was like an army of runners world drones.

Anyway, the session was 100m, jog 50m then 900m with 2:30 jog recovery x 4. It was painful, but consistent. About 3:20 for the long one, and the 100m sprint, I was so slow at that I just sort of kept running to get to the start of the 900 in time for the lads I was running with. My body does not do sprinting at all these days! There was a lot of titting around with warm ups etc.

C • drones 1

Geeking with Nick and catching features.

HW loop until I ran out of energy and turned around and ran back. Need to remember to eat dinner. Feeling suitably yuck today.

Catching features and looking at loch ordie.

Lucy was up all night but I managed to get a bit of a lie in this morning as the kids are off school for the voting.

8 mile tempo run to Ratho.

7:10, 7:08, 6:55, 7:04 28:17
6:53, 6:55, 6:51, 6:27 27:06

I was a bit worried that I hadn't been doing enough running this week. Feeling fresh is unusual for me, and I am not sure I like it. I needn't have worried all that much - I'm exhausted now. First time under 7min / miling for this run. The first and last 1.5 miles are asphalt, the rest gravel, and I was mighty glad to hit the asphalt today - much easier running.

Route to Christmas 2008 11-20, then some catching features, which I am getting better at. Feeling like such a good role model with all of my technical training.

Working in financial services in Edinburgh at the time of this referrendum is pretty stressful. Our contingency planning seems to involve leasing office premises in Dorking. But betfair have paid out on a No victory apparently. The continual chat is draining though, so made for a faster than planned lunchtime 'jog'.

Cycle to work. Achilles got worse over the last few days. It didn't like the hard surface of the falkirk wheel paths, didn't like getting crunched (heel met a rock, toe didn't, compressed achilles) twice at CaB and then a road run yesterday. Its supposed to be intervals today. Hmm.

10 mile cycle at lunch, to rest my achillies. Felt good. Its getting to be a bit quick this loop, as I have knocked off the fiddly bit through HW and the canal. Might have to extend it out in the Harlaw direction. Spoke to Kim. We're thinking its tibialis posterior tendon rather than achillies.

Local holiday so a day off with the kids. We went to Aberdour and as the kids played with our old toys I had a run along the Avenue to Dalgety Bay. Complete circuit inc st David's harbour.

Stopped garmin so guessing time and distance. Tight calf (from the road running) and tired lower back (from yesterday). I need to plan the next two week's training tonight.

Started another jigsaw last night. Oh dear - totally Addictive so got to bed way too late.

Craig a Barnes sol, brown.

I'm not much of a fan of the whistle rule, so was a bit embarrassed by being on whistle checking. Even more embarrassing was that the Swedish team were there. They had been forewarned, so had them, but Lillian told me they all found it totally hilarious.

So I was trying to stop at each control and decide on a plan before moving off, not looking ahead. It was really tough to force myself to do it. To 1 I took the path (Nick) route, cut to the marsh slightly. Took the long way around the rhodis so 15 secs here. Plan to 2 was to go over the tops of the spurs to try to avoid getting stuck in the shit under the crags. Went well. 3 ended up too far right, knew I must have been too far right, but dropped 45 secs prob. 4 I went up the track, to attack the open from above, crunching achillies. All the way around the green, and down.

Straightish to 5. Couldn't see it. Totally hidden. I was in the right place, it was just tucked away, at my feet. 30secs +.

To 6 I was going along well with the plan. The clearing was on a knoll though, and was marked as flat on the map. Kept coming up to it thinking it must be at the crags, until I came in from another direction and saw the flag. 2 mins. Bummer.

7 not great direction out of the control (bearings in green need more respect than I give them) but got onto a track. Felt ok up the hill. Easy. To 8 I backtracked towards 3, then over and along a ridge near a marsh, crunching Achilles again. Damn. Not definitely the best line, but I hit some lovely terrain, so who cares! I could have been a good 30secs at least herewith a better line at the end, and another 30secs with a better line at the beginning. Control was on the west more than the south of the thicket, which is annoying as for once I had actually checked the description. Down to 9 trying to pick a good visual line, as the map is a bit unreliable here anyway. Was a bit too far offline, 30secs. To 10 I get stuck in shit coming out of 9 and lose another 20-ish secs.

Nice to have so few controls. Great planning, the type of which we see too little of in GB.

A bit too scrappy to be a 100% great run, but always fun to be in such a classic scottish area.

The geeking was really useful. I had decided that in the area around 6 it was essential to stick carefully to bearings, and I didn't do this, but otherwise I was careful in the bits I needed to be, and fast in the bits I needed to be, and had a good plan made at the start of each leg. Execution needs to be stuck to more.

http://www.scottish-orienteering.org/doma/show_map...

http://obasen.orientering.se/winsplits/online/en/d...

Jog up the hill to the start.

C • Mike Stewart 3

8 man relay. Last leg. Good lead, but with Alex Carcas setting off sometime after me I couldn't!5 hang around. It was brambly and heathery and hot and humid. Low vis. Map not the best in places. So I was scrappy, and felt like a mother of two in her late 30's ought to feel - pretty crap.

Tomorrow will be more fun. Definitely going to take it as training rather than racing though, and practice some of Nick's stuff. The technique is not there just now to want to push it.

http://www.scottish-orienteering.org/doma/show_map...

http://www.scottish-orienteering.org/documents/res...

C • Alex 5

W/up with Helen Bridle. Great to see her. Dragged off to the play park directly after.

Insomnia. Just got up and went to work in the end. Must remember to sort my bike lights. Nicked the kids light again today, and they are v feeble.

Planned rest day today. Sciatica playing up a bit. Need to get back on the drills.

Catching features and looking at the course Nick did for me and looking at the Falkirk wheel map

I was not feeling inspired so was pleased with the pace.

7:29, 7:09, 7:10, 7:04, 7:09 36:01
7:00, 7:06, 7:10, 7:04, 7:09 35:29

I didn't look at my watch, so went out faster than I would usually, and had to push home to ensure the quicker second half I wanted. Felt good except for a tight top of R hamstring, that has been the same for the past few days without getting worse, slightly painful right lower fibula on the outside, and chafing - our scales are broken so I don't know, but chafing is God's subtle way of telling you that you are getting too fat.

C • chafing 5

Catching features, then studying the Craig a Barnes maps. Interesting. I am doing so much Craig a Barnes prep as I am practicing geeking techniques. Maybe I need to look at the Falkirk wheel map too, as we have a bit if an esoc dream team and the pressure will be on...

Early start. Need to sort out bike lights soon. Nice fresh morning and feeling strong.

HW loop. I was going to do some compass practice tonight instead, but logisitcs got in the way. Hot today.

Looking at SPAS and running wild, and looking at the first half of route to christmas 2008

Ray was busy last night, so I went to bed after the kids at 8. Nice. Did me lots of good. Nice cycle this morning too.

10 x 2mins w 45secs. 10mins warm up, 10 mins warm down. Intervals are a bit like making pancakes. The first few are crap, and then they get better and better until you run out. Feeling so much better today. I think I need to factor in an 8pm bed time every week.

Did some route choice stuff with Ray on Craig a Barnes. I'm not sure he's as up for it as I am. 'I remember that bit of forest - it's shit. But so's that bit. And that bit. And that bit...'. I don't recall any shit bits at all. Then some catching features, taking no bearings on purpose.

Tired. Run home over the Pentlands, less hilly route. Nice weather. Feeling a bit shit (tired, inexplicably miserable, sore stomach, irritating x talons). But the run went some way to cheering me up, i have an early night planned, and I am about to bin my x talons. Revenge.

Nice first week of training. Rather frustrated to have missed BSBM but at the time entries were closing it was the right decision to miss it. Having seen route gadget the courses didn't look too inspiring. woc middle this year was 16 controls in 5k. middle planning doesn't mean control pick.

Running quite niggle free.

Warm up / down. Met megan M and ran with her for a bit. More chat. Great.

Liberton training. Thanks graeme. Some steps practice too. I think I am a two at a time person, rather than three at a time. I have no elasticity in my left hip joint, so my jumping is poor, and always has been since my accident. Down steps aren't great as I find it very difficult indeed to absorb landing and control my legs on landing. I managed to prevent injuring myself.

Some kb stuff to finish. Feeling stronger and fitter for a while. Not running particularly quickly, I don't think, but it's hard to tell. It's always hard to feel fast when I'm not in racing shoes. Anyway, I was running at my navigational limit, so couldn't have gone faster.

Catching features, and route to Christmas 11-25, 2007. Interesting to see Jon D taking a load of time out of some Norwegians with a track route. Not counting the catching features this morning, where Lucy was having a go which meant running into oblivion and asking me to help her out.

Sula 6:30am run on the seat.

Specifically through pollock, down to Holyrood, round the perimeter of the park, up to dunsapie hill via the wall, round the road and down to holyrood, then up radical road, sailsbury crags, whinny hill. Nice morning, nice company, good chat - brutal pace and brutally early start as ever with sula.

C • Decided against the BSBM? O... 6

Cat hong features, and a look at JK2012 Craig a Barnes courses.

Oh dear, stayed up all night chatting to Ray, doing a jigsaw together. Totally addictive. I'll be tired and grupmy later.

C • Chatting... to your spouse? 3

I am trying to work out how much time I spend geeking, so am adding this to my training diary. I like the description 'armchair training'. Makes you think there is benefit to be gained from slobbing about.

So today was 30mins catching features, practicing planning fast and easy and confident execution.

Lots of nice sleep. Feeling more human again.

8 miles hard.

Long tempo run is the session I like least, but does the most for me I think. Straight out of the Ray Ward get-fit-quick rulebook. I started off a bit hard, so thought the negative split was going to be tough, but I managed to make even the flat miles in the second half quicker.

7:18, 7:13, 7:05, 7:11 - 28:46
7:02, 7:08, 7:09, 6:36 - 28:00

Good. This must be near PB pace.

C • session 1

Legs a bit tight this morning. My fault for racing someone home along the canal last night. I wasn't going to, I was going to take it easy as my legs were a bit tired, but when I approached him he was doing that cycling with arms folded 'look no hands' thing, so a) he was going slowly and b) he was clearly a total ... (its ok to do this if you are under approx 15, not if you are older). So I went past, and he accelerated to stick behind me, and I had to put in an effort to get away lead and keep it. Oh what fun!

No such fun this morning as it was too early. I had to dig some bike lights out - in early September. That's when you know you are starting work too early.

to HW and back

Warm up / down at HW

HW sprint training course, planned for tonight's edinburgh sprint training session.

Ian Pyrah sent me the course last night, so I could run it this lunchtime. Legs were tired. Nice course though. Good sprint planning should have big traps for those not paying any attention at all, short cuts for those that are paying attention, and take the mickey seconds-saving bits for the sprint afficiandos, and this had a variety of all of the above.

Musing Scottish Independence on my run today. If we run for Scotland at this year's shi's, does that in any way impact on us being able to compete for Britain at woc next year (and following years) if Scotland gets independence? Do IOF rules in any way recognise competing in the shi's as competing for a nation? Lets hope, come October, that it is not an issue...

C • Its not an issue 1

My body craves more sleep. It isn't going to get it anytime soon. Felt stong on the bike though.

6 x 3mins with 1 min. I didn't start in the usual place, so I couldn't tell quite how unfit I am. I didn't feel sprightly, but not as terrible as I feared. Stomach better today.

Gyle training from last week while on my run home. It's easy to forget just how good the gyle is. I had a great time, though the Venice bits got a bit annoying. Good training. Felt v slow indeed.

Run home from work after O training. My legs just did not want to do it at all. I was forcing them to 7:30miling half of the way, then got to roseburn and they refused to keep the pace going. Felt terrible. I've had a bad stomach the past couple of days and haven't eaten enough. Went home and had a big, healthy lunch. Hopefully I'll feel better tomorrow.