Training Log Archive: KatIn the 30 days ending Jun 30, 2006:
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Friday Jun 30, 2006 #
Running 26:30 [2]
shoes: The Purple Ones
Easy running to/from/around Stadsskogen. My left calf feels almost fine now, but the knees hurt constantly.
Strength Training 15:00 [3]
Stretching 8:00 [1]
Note
I went to see a Swedish napraprath today. I'd met him before when Boris had an appointment with him, but this time I was actually the patient. I was quite impressed with how quickly and efficiently he checked my knees. I told him that both of my knees hurt, but that the right one has been an ongoing problem for over six months, whereas the left one just hurts every now and then (like the last few weeks). He had me lie down and prodded and moved my knees for a while. He concluded that there is nothing wrong with my joints or bones - nothing major - but I have some tendonitis in my left knee, which should clear up soon. Then he made me stand, and made me lock my knees. I never noticed this before, but apparently my knees are more elastic/flexible than is normal, especially the right one. He said that in the long run, strengthening the quadriceps (by doing curls, for example) should help. He also spent several minutes doing electric therapy on my left knee (just sending small pulses, helping the blood circulate there) to help with the tendonitis inflammation.
I've had knee problems for as long as I've been running, so it is hard to imagine not having them. But I am enthusiastic and hopeful once again. :)
I've had knee problems for as long as I've been running, so it is hard to imagine not having them. But I am enthusiastic and hopeful once again. :)
Running 33:00 [2]
Running to and from the start of the course, mostly on big paths.
Orienteering 1:00:00 [2]
shoes: Orange O-Shoes
I did half of a short control-picking course in Nasten, got up to #9 before I was out of time and had to head back to meet Boris. I was amazed by how off-the-line I was sometimes when trying to following a bearing! I didn't have too much trouble with this in England because even if there was crap underfoot, I could usually go straight through it, but here rocks/cliffs and other such features force me to go around. If I go slowly enough that I can pick off features as I move, then this is less of a problem, but hopefully with time I will get better at correcting direction if I'm forced off the straight line.
Map-hiking 25:00 [1]
After I met up with Boris, he had me walk a few short and really technical legs. He told me to walk ahead and identify every feature that I saw and anticipated seeing. Some of the areas were quite vague and it was hard to tell what was mapped as a dot knoll or a hill and what wasn't, but it was cool nonetheless.
Thursday Jun 29, 2006 #
Biking 2:00:00 [1]
shoes: Shoes w/ Holes
Biking with Boris around Uto and Ålo. It was warm and sunny. And beautiful.
Note
After several days of being extremely tight and sore (reasons unknown), my left calf is getting better. If it feels good tomorrow, I may even try running on it.
Wednesday Jun 28, 2006 #
Kayaking 1:30:00 [3]
shoes: Shoes w/ Holes
Kayaking with Boris around the Stockholm archipelago. There were waves and we explored an island.
Strength Training 10:00 [1]
Some hip/ankle exercises next to the tent, while Boris was out running.
Tuesday Jun 27, 2006 #
Strength Training 15:00 [3]
Stretching 5:00 [1]
Monday Jun 26, 2006 #
Orienteering 51:17 [1] * 5.1 mi (10:03 / mi)
ahr:124 max:139 shoes: Orange Asics
Very easy line-O with Boris around Stadsskogen, with me navigating. My left calf has felt really tight since yesterday afternoon and although it loosened up somewhat by the end of the run, it wasn't enough to allow me to run at my usual easy pace...
Strength Training 5:00 [3]
Stretching 5:00 [1]
Spinning 45:00 [4]
shoes: Shoes w/ Holes
Spinning session at Ekeby gym. Allison was there today! Nice to have some company :)
Stretching 5:00 [1]
Sunday Jun 25, 2006 #
Orienteering 1:25:00 [1]
Control-picking exercise with Boris at Lunsen.
Running 20:00 [2]
Trail running - I did about 5 minutes before we started and 15 minutes afterward, when we were heading back to the start.
Strength Training 5:00 [3]
Stretching 5:00 [1]
Saturday Jun 24, 2006 #
Aquajogging 30:00 [1]
Did water-running with Boris at the Fyrishov pool. Really, I spent about an hour in the pool, but besides water-running, this included a few laps of swimming to warm up and also some alternative recreation, such as diving. I did a few simple dives off the regular diving board, then did a few jumps off the 7-meter and finally the 10-meter. I can not believe that Swedes just let kids jump off those high diving boards! I was a bit apprehensive about trying it myself and I am a certified lifeguard, water-safety instructor, and experienced swimmer. The pool was deep enough for such jumps and there was lifeguard supervision, but there is still so much risk involved when kids get a running start and jump from the 3 or 5-meter board. Honestly, I was amazed no one got hurt!
Friday Jun 23, 2006 #
Orienteering 1:35:23 [2] 11.5 km (8:18 / km)
shoes: Orange O-Shoes
A nice line-O in Nåsten with Boris. I tried to take it real easy because of my ankle. I felt it a few times during the run, but didn't twist it at all, which is good. The woods were pretty again and although it rained once in the middle of our run, it was sunny the rest of the time.
Strength Training 10:00 [3]
Stretching 5:00 [1]
Thursday Jun 22, 2006 #
Orienteering 1:04:38 [2] ***
spiked:10/12c shoes: Orange O-Shoes
OK Linne club training at Lunsen. (Time includes running to the start, walking to the first control, and then jogging the rest of the course.) I did the medium course, 4.470 km. Since I haven't orienteered in scandinavian terrain for a while and Lunsen is especially tough, Boris suggested that I go really slowly to the first control. So I did and was happily surprised that I could read all of the detail on the map along the way! I knew exactly where I was and where I was going on this complicated map!
After the first control, I ran the rest of the course. I took it easy, because I twisted my left ankle again yesterday and it still hurt a bit. I spiked most of the controls, with only two controls that I messed up. Both of these cases were due to misinterpretation of the features around me rather than lack of concentration. I tried very hard to read ahead and not be surprised by features and for the most part, I stayed in contact with the map really well.
I had an awesome time running around today. It was so pretty - green, mossy, and marshy. Also, the Lunsen map is really excellent (or at least the part we were running on today).
After the first control, I ran the rest of the course. I took it easy, because I twisted my left ankle again yesterday and it still hurt a bit. I spiked most of the controls, with only two controls that I messed up. Both of these cases were due to misinterpretation of the features around me rather than lack of concentration. I tried very hard to read ahead and not be surprised by features and for the most part, I stayed in contact with the map really well.
I had an awesome time running around today. It was so pretty - green, mossy, and marshy. Also, the Lunsen map is really excellent (or at least the part we were running on today).
Monday Jun 19, 2006 #
Note
(rest day)
The next three days are basically going to be rest days because I have 12 hours of exams Monday and Tuesday and then I fly to Sweden on Wednesday.
My knees and shins have been hurting recently (probably from the steep downhill running I had to do last Tuesday at Whiteleaf) so a few days off might be a good idea for more than one reason.
My knees and shins have been hurting recently (probably from the steep downhill running I had to do last Tuesday at Whiteleaf) so a few days off might be a good idea for more than one reason.
C • Ice 2
Sunday Jun 18, 2006 #
Running 48:07 [2] 6.21 mi (7:45 / mi)
ahr:154 shoes: Orange Asics
An easy run by myself to Port Meadow and back. Average pace on the way there was 7:52/mile, average pace on the way back was 7:37/mile. While running, I kept wondering how long I could keep going at this pace. Going about 7:40/mile is definitely comfortable for 6 miles and reasonably comfortable for 13 miles. But what about about 26 miles? I wonder...
Strength Training 9:00 [3]
Stretching 5:00 [1]
Saturday Jun 17, 2006 #
Running warm up/down 18:30 [2] 2.24 mi (8:16 / mi)
ahr:144 max:177 shoes: Orange Asics
The usual warm-up - once around Christ Church meadow and then over to the track.
Running 17:30 [5] 3.8 km (4:36 / km)
shoes: Orange Asics
Track workout:
4x400 (with 200 meter jog in between, 600 after last one)
2x400 (with 200 meter jog in between)
(1) 96 max HR 175 avg HR 160
(63 seconds rest)
(2) 93 max HR 176 avg HR 171
(67 seconds rest)
(3) 93 max HR 179 avg HR 175
(71 seconds rest)
(4) 90 max HR 181 avg HR 176
(3:30 rest)
(5) 93 max HR 179 avg HR 176
(75 seconds rest)
(6) 95 max HR 181 avg HR 177
The aim was to do two sets of 4x400 (with a longer break in between) at 95 seconds. I ended up just doing two on the second set though because it was really hot and windy. I made sure to drink water before I went running and brought some with me as well, but the heat was still increasingly unbearable as time went on. I was surprised by how much better I felt when I left the sunny track and jogged home in the shade...
4x400 (with 200 meter jog in between, 600 after last one)
2x400 (with 200 meter jog in between)
(1) 96 max HR 175 avg HR 160
(63 seconds rest)
(2) 93 max HR 176 avg HR 171
(67 seconds rest)
(3) 93 max HR 179 avg HR 175
(71 seconds rest)
(4) 90 max HR 181 avg HR 176
(3:30 rest)
(5) 93 max HR 179 avg HR 176
(75 seconds rest)
(6) 95 max HR 181 avg HR 177
The aim was to do two sets of 4x400 (with a longer break in between) at 95 seconds. I ended up just doing two on the second set though because it was really hot and windy. I made sure to drink water before I went running and brought some with me as well, but the heat was still increasingly unbearable as time went on. I was surprised by how much better I felt when I left the sunny track and jogged home in the shade...
Running warm up/down 8:13 [3] 0.91 mi (9:02 / mi)
ahr:155 shoes: Orange Asics
Running home from the track.
Strength Training 10:00 [3]
Stretching 5:00 [1]
Strength Training 15:00 [3]
Carried my fridge over to Holywell Street, where I'll be living next term. Grant held one end and I held the other. For the most part, I was walking backward, trying not to fall on the cobbles and not drop my end of the fridge. I wouldn't normally put down such stuff in my training log, because it is not structured exercise, but this took serious effort.
Friday Jun 16, 2006 #
Running warm up/down 30:00 [2]
Did a Christ Church meadow loop, then headed over to the track and did a bit of warm-up there. I didn't do much cool-down. Just the 6 minutes or so it took to get me home. Didn't feel like doing more.
Running 6:25 [5] 1.0 mi (6:25 / mi)
shoes: Orange Asics
The athletics club organized several informal mile races today. First the normal track mile and afterward a beer mile and a trifle mile (off the track, thankfully). Few people showed up and I was the only girl running the regular mile. I decided to do the first 800 fast, then jog the rest because there was nobody to pace me this time, neither by running with me nor by yelling out my splits.
Today wasn't a great running day for me. I felt really sluggish from the heat and not very enthusiastic about having to run fast by myself. Also, I didn't feel properly warmed up for racing because once I got to the track, I ended up waiting over 20 minutes for others to show up and for us to start.
There was a staggered start for this mile, so that the slowest person starts first and the fastest starts last. Whoever crosses the finish line first wins. So I was started 45 seconds before anybody else and this time at the 1-mile mark (9 meters before the start line). I felt slow on the first lap, but the people who timed me claimed I did an 81 for the first 400, and 93 on the second 400. Then I jogged 409 meters (in about 2:02), moving into the second lane to let the guys pass, and sped up again on the last 400 in about 89 seconds, still not going full-blast.
Basically, I didn't really feel like racing. There was absolutely no competition, there was no goal, and the heat was distorting what little sense of pace I have. I didn't feel like I was going that fast on the first lap, nor did I feel like I was going that slow on the second, and yet there is a pretty big gap there. I actually tried to speed up on the second lap (since I was trying to go fast for the first 800) but couldn't seem to do it. It's not that I felt that tired, I just couldn't push myself to go faster because there was no motivation. Perhaps someday I should enter a real track competition so that I can have people running around me. But before I do that, I think I need to have more practice pacing, because I seem to have very little conception of how fast or slow I'm actually going.
Today wasn't a great running day for me. I felt really sluggish from the heat and not very enthusiastic about having to run fast by myself. Also, I didn't feel properly warmed up for racing because once I got to the track, I ended up waiting over 20 minutes for others to show up and for us to start.
There was a staggered start for this mile, so that the slowest person starts first and the fastest starts last. Whoever crosses the finish line first wins. So I was started 45 seconds before anybody else and this time at the 1-mile mark (9 meters before the start line). I felt slow on the first lap, but the people who timed me claimed I did an 81 for the first 400, and 93 on the second 400. Then I jogged 409 meters (in about 2:02), moving into the second lane to let the guys pass, and sped up again on the last 400 in about 89 seconds, still not going full-blast.
Basically, I didn't really feel like racing. There was absolutely no competition, there was no goal, and the heat was distorting what little sense of pace I have. I didn't feel like I was going that fast on the first lap, nor did I feel like I was going that slow on the second, and yet there is a pretty big gap there. I actually tried to speed up on the second lap (since I was trying to go fast for the first 800) but couldn't seem to do it. It's not that I felt that tired, I just couldn't push myself to go faster because there was no motivation. Perhaps someday I should enter a real track competition so that I can have people running around me. But before I do that, I think I need to have more practice pacing, because I seem to have very little conception of how fast or slow I'm actually going.
Strength Training 10:00 [3]
Stretching 5:00 [1]
Thursday Jun 15, 2006 #
Strength Training (hip/ankle exercises) 5:00 [3]
Stretching 5:00 [1]
Note
(rest day)
Wednesday Jun 14, 2006 #
Note
(rest day)
Tuesday Jun 13, 2006 #
Orienteering 58:58 [3] 5.23 km (11:16 / km)
shoes: Orange O-Shoes
EVENT: TVOC Summer Series event at Whiteleaf
COURSE: A, order ZXY
TERRAIN: All loops were mainly in the northwestern section of the map, which was very hilly (with big spurs and reentrants) and mostly light green, with a few areas of white and some dark green.
MY RUN: I wasn't in the mood to race today, so I didn't bother warming up and just started off relatively easy. Jon Marsden got ahead of me on the first loop because I was slow and careful going downhill (it was wet and slippery and I didn't want to twist my ankles). I did go decently fast on the trails and had a sense of flow in and out of the controls, but I also made a few silly mistakes, one on each course. None were disastrous, but they could have been avoided.
RESULTS: 11th on the A course
COURSE: A, order ZXY
TERRAIN: All loops were mainly in the northwestern section of the map, which was very hilly (with big spurs and reentrants) and mostly light green, with a few areas of white and some dark green.
MY RUN: I wasn't in the mood to race today, so I didn't bother warming up and just started off relatively easy. Jon Marsden got ahead of me on the first loop because I was slow and careful going downhill (it was wet and slippery and I didn't want to twist my ankles). I did go decently fast on the trails and had a sense of flow in and out of the controls, but I also made a few silly mistakes, one on each course. None were disastrous, but they could have been avoided.
RESULTS: 11th on the A course
Running 5:00 [2]
shoes: Orange O-Shoes
Cool-down after the event.
Stretching 5:00 [1]
Monday Jun 12, 2006 #
Running warm up/down 36:00 [2]
shoes: Orange Asics
This includes doing a loop around Christ Church meadow, running to and from the track, and doing several laps around the track before/between/after the race tests.
Running 6:00 [5] 1.6 km (3:45 / km)
shoes: Orange Asics
Boris announced that I should race the mile today, just so I could finally know what I'm capable of. So we did a warm-up loop around the meadows, then headed over to the track. Boris was planning to pace me by running right in front of me, but while I was doing some strides, he did a test 400 by himself and said his hamstring hurt too much. So then I was ready to back out because the idea of doing a mile by myself had no appeal. And in fact I told Boris I didn't want to do it at least ten times, but he ignored me.
So I ran a mile on the track, with Boris jogging back and forth between the 200 and 400 marks to tell me how I was doing. The result was 1 mile in 6:00.08.
SPLITS: 89.10, 91.33, 93.04, 86.61
THOUGHTS: Doing this test race felt much more tough mentally than physically. I was serious when I told Boris I didn't want to do it. I wanted my first mile race to be under good conditions, and today wasn't exactly the best day: first, it's a Monday so my legs are tired from the weekend and my left knee hurts. Second, I do better with actual competition - I've never been good at "racing the clock" - and today I was forced to go fast by myself. Third, I didn't know how fast to go or what it was supposed to feel like (although this would be true on any day.) But at least all of this means that if I do run the mile in good conditions, I'm certain to break 6 minutes.
So I ran a mile on the track, with Boris jogging back and forth between the 200 and 400 marks to tell me how I was doing. The result was 1 mile in 6:00.08.
SPLITS: 89.10, 91.33, 93.04, 86.61
THOUGHTS: Doing this test race felt much more tough mentally than physically. I was serious when I told Boris I didn't want to do it. I wanted my first mile race to be under good conditions, and today wasn't exactly the best day: first, it's a Monday so my legs are tired from the weekend and my left knee hurts. Second, I do better with actual competition - I've never been good at "racing the clock" - and today I was forced to go fast by myself. Third, I didn't know how fast to go or what it was supposed to feel like (although this would be true on any day.) But at least all of this means that if I do run the mile in good conditions, I'm certain to break 6 minutes.
Running 1:19 [5] 0.4 km (3:17 / km)
shoes: Orange Asics
After doing 1-2 easy laps around the track following the mile, I told Boris I still wanted to try out a 400 just to see that I could go faster than 87 seconds on this track. I think I did the first 100 well and the last 100 well, but the middle was a bit crap. I didn't know how fast I should be going there and I think I erred on the side of caution. Experience makes a big difference in sprints! So my time was 79.72. Boris thinks that if I tried to race a 400 when well-rested (not after just having done a fast mile), I could probably do it in about 74-75 seconds.
C • Wow. 4
Sunday Jun 11, 2006 #
Running warm up/down 5:00 [2]
shoes: Orange O-Shoes
Orienteering 1:06:01 [4] 4.8 km (13:45 / km) +75m 12:45 / km
shoes: Orange O-Shoes
EVENT: BADO district event at Blackwood
COURSE: Green, 4.8 km, 75 meters climb, 13 controls
TERRAIN: Very fast woods, but also extremely vague. Almost impossible to relocate once lost. Few features.
MY RUN: Boris thought I should do the green course (which is the same technical difficulty as blue/brown, but less distance) so I could run it once and then rerun parts of it to see what I did wrong. This area turned out to be even more vague than typical British terrain so I had some pretty big mistakes. When I got lost on #6, it took me 23 minutes to find the control because I kept trying to relocate off of things like distinct trees and a big depression and then winding up even more lost. The woods were really fast as well, so it was tough to judge distance. I kept going twice the distance I was supposed to, then turning back. Still, it was a nice day and I got a chance to run fast through some open woods. That was good.
RESULTS: Pretty crap, 30th on the green. That's probably the worst result I've ever had at a district event. A lot of old people got me this time....Boris did too. He was second.
COURSE: Green, 4.8 km, 75 meters climb, 13 controls
TERRAIN: Very fast woods, but also extremely vague. Almost impossible to relocate once lost. Few features.
MY RUN: Boris thought I should do the green course (which is the same technical difficulty as blue/brown, but less distance) so I could run it once and then rerun parts of it to see what I did wrong. This area turned out to be even more vague than typical British terrain so I had some pretty big mistakes. When I got lost on #6, it took me 23 minutes to find the control because I kept trying to relocate off of things like distinct trees and a big depression and then winding up even more lost. The woods were really fast as well, so it was tough to judge distance. I kept going twice the distance I was supposed to, then turning back. Still, it was a nice day and I got a chance to run fast through some open woods. That was good.
RESULTS: Pretty crap, 30th on the green. That's probably the worst result I've ever had at a district event. A lot of old people got me this time....Boris did too. He was second.
Orienteering 40:00 [3]
shoes: Orange O-Shoes
After taking a short break at the finish, Boris and I reran the second half of the green course, starting with #6. He taught me how to do pace-counting and had me practice that while going to several of the controls. I was ready to bonk him over the head when he told me to count my steps outloud, but it did help me concentrate better. It's tough to go on a bearing, keep a look-out for the control, not trip over brashings, and keep count all at the same time, but in a vague area such as Blackwood, pace-counting and precise bearings can mean all the difference.
Saturday Jun 10, 2006 #
Running 1:11:10 [3] 8.85 mi (8:02 / mi)
ahr:152 max:164 shoes: Orange Asics
Run with Boris up along the river, across Port Meadow, a loop around the Nature Reserve, and back home along the same route. Boris made me try out his camelback thing, which actually ended up being a good idea because it was really sunny and hot, so I felt tired. The heat really gets to me. My left knee was hurting quite a bit towards the end of the run as well. It was nice to be running with Boris again though.
Stretching 5:00 [1]
Tennis 30:00 [1]
shoes: Shoes w/ Holes
Playing tennis with Boris. It was still hot outside, but it was late afternoon so there was less sunshine. It was a nice, lazy game. Two balls went over the fence...
Thursday Jun 8, 2006 #
Running 1:01:16 [3] 7.37 mi (8:19 / mi)
ahr:142 max:163 shoes: Orange O-Shoes
A strange type of outing today. It started off being a Club Run going south along the river, but the guys were way ahead of the girls (me and Helen). I was feeling very full from eating lunch in hall (was rice and beef curry today) and could not move faster than 8:30/mile. I felt pretty crappy and slow for the first half hour, then things got a bit better. The guys came back around once to say hi to us, then disappeared off again. Once we crossed the bridge over the river, I knew we had to go back in the direction we'd come from following the roads, but I'd only done this particular loop once so I didn't really remember which roads to take. So Helen and I wound up running around in circles around "tree lane", "iffley turn", "henley avenue", through some random grass field, and finally over a mile down whatever road turns into Iffley Road, after asking for directions to the city center. Normally I wouldn't mind getting lost - it forces you to explore new routes - but today I wasn't really in the mood for it and my knees hurt from all the road running.
I stopped by the track on the way back because I wanted to test how well my foot pod measures distance. I only did one easy 400, because Helen didn't want to stay. Distance calculated by my watch - 0.25 miles. Cool! I'm not sure just how accurate this foot pod is when running up and down steep hills or running through tall grass, but it's certainly accurate on a track and I'm sure it's accurate within hundredths of a mile on flat roads.
I stopped by the track on the way back because I wanted to test how well my foot pod measures distance. I only did one easy 400, because Helen didn't want to stay. Distance calculated by my watch - 0.25 miles. Cool! I'm not sure just how accurate this foot pod is when running up and down steep hills or running through tall grass, but it's certainly accurate on a track and I'm sure it's accurate within hundredths of a mile on flat roads.
Strength Training 10:00 [3]
Stretching 5:00 [1]
Wednesday Jun 7, 2006 #
Note
I played some tennis this afternoon, after which I felt tired (more from being out in the sun than from physical exertion). My friends and I are absolute incompetent amateurs, but we actually managed to have a few rallies today.
Biking 15:00 [3]
Biking to Shotover. My legs felt a bit sore, but I tried to keep a consistent pace and not slow down on the steeper parts of the way up.
Running 53:00 [3] 5.85 mi (9:04 / mi)
ahr:160 max:184 shoes: Orange Asics
An "easy" run with two Merton friends. Neither of them are serious runners, but both go out on runs several times a week just to keep in shape. I took them to Shotover and we ran around, choosing paths at random. After about half an hour, we stopped for a few minutes to drink some water, then ran some more (going all the way up and all the way down at least twice).
It was a nice run because even though the hills felt tough (and we went up and down many, *many* times) my calves didn't seize up and my legs felt quite good (although quads are a bit sore). Also, I did not stop to walk a single time! Even though I wasn't going fast up some of the longer hills, I was jogging rather than walking. And I felt strong on the smaller hills. So this is definite progress!
I took a few random splits throughout the run by accident when I brought my watch close to my HR chest strap (it automatically takes a split then). I wasn't planning on taking splits, but now I'm glad I have them because I can see at what point in the run my HR went up to 184!!
Lap 1 0.16 miles max HR 162 avg HR 155 10:20/mile (uphill)
Lap 2 1.04 miles max HR 184 avg HR 170 8:27/mile
Lap 3 3.20 miles max HR 179 avg HR 160 9:02/mile
Lap 4 0.68 miles max HR 172 avg HR 155 9:39/mile
Lap 5 0.30 miles max HR 169 avg HR 155 11:06/mile
Lap 6 0.46 miles max HR 169 avg HR 161 7:46/mile (downhill)
So basically, my heart rate was low for the first few minutes because I was just getting started. Then it spiked because my "warmup" was doing steep hills and downhills. Then it sort of settled around 160, going up close to 170 on the uphills.
It was a nice run because even though the hills felt tough (and we went up and down many, *many* times) my calves didn't seize up and my legs felt quite good (although quads are a bit sore). Also, I did not stop to walk a single time! Even though I wasn't going fast up some of the longer hills, I was jogging rather than walking. And I felt strong on the smaller hills. So this is definite progress!
I took a few random splits throughout the run by accident when I brought my watch close to my HR chest strap (it automatically takes a split then). I wasn't planning on taking splits, but now I'm glad I have them because I can see at what point in the run my HR went up to 184!!
Lap 1 0.16 miles max HR 162 avg HR 155 10:20/mile (uphill)
Lap 2 1.04 miles max HR 184 avg HR 170 8:27/mile
Lap 3 3.20 miles max HR 179 avg HR 160 9:02/mile
Lap 4 0.68 miles max HR 172 avg HR 155 9:39/mile
Lap 5 0.30 miles max HR 169 avg HR 155 11:06/mile
Lap 6 0.46 miles max HR 169 avg HR 161 7:46/mile (downhill)
So basically, my heart rate was low for the first few minutes because I was just getting started. Then it spiked because my "warmup" was doing steep hills and downhills. Then it sort of settled around 160, going up close to 170 on the uphills.
Strength Training 10:00 [3]
Stretching 5:00 [1]
Tuesday Jun 6, 2006 #
Running 6:30 [2]
shoes: Orange O-Shoes
Warm-up jogging with Ollie Hughes.
Orienteering 1:09:00 [4] 7.82 km (8:49 / km) +205m 7:48 / km
shoes: Shoes w/ Holes
EVENT: TVOC Summer Series sprint event at Hughenden and Downley
COURSE: XY (one long loop instead of two short ones), Z
TERRAIN: The east side of the map is all fields and open area, while the western half has some woods (white with blocks of green). Not too many nettles, although one section has quite a bit of brambles. Overall fun, fast area.
MY RUN: I did the first (long) loop quite well and was with Jon Marsden at the beginning of the second short/easy loop. But then I spent a long time trying to find #2 (which was a gigantic depression). I'm still not sure how I kept missing it. What's more, is while I was looking for it, I kept running through the brambles and since I was wearing an ancient pair of trainers instead of my O-shoes (to let my blisters heal), the thorns actually went through the bottoms and into my feet! So I had to stop three times, take off shoes, and pull the thorns out. Pretty nasty. Anyway, after this control, I was a bit discouraged and felt like everyone was ahead so even though I finished the course cleanly, I wasn't really excited anymore. I also didn't realize that the first loop was actually both X and Y combined into one long course, so when I got back, I asked for another map, was given one, and took about 5 steps before (1) I looked at the map and realized I'd already run this course (2) they yelled at me to stop because I'd already finished all the courses. Hehe.
RESULTS: 15th on the A course.
THOUGHTS: I was having a lot of fun with the first long loop and I had some good flow there and virtually no mistakes. Once I went to the wrong control (the courses were gaffled), but I realized this and found the right one just seconds later, so it wasn't a big deal. In general, I knew which control and feature I was heading to and where I was going. So that felt good. And if it wasn't for that #2 on the second course and the thorns surrounding it, I would have had a very respectable result.
COURSE: XY (one long loop instead of two short ones), Z
TERRAIN: The east side of the map is all fields and open area, while the western half has some woods (white with blocks of green). Not too many nettles, although one section has quite a bit of brambles. Overall fun, fast area.
MY RUN: I did the first (long) loop quite well and was with Jon Marsden at the beginning of the second short/easy loop. But then I spent a long time trying to find #2 (which was a gigantic depression). I'm still not sure how I kept missing it. What's more, is while I was looking for it, I kept running through the brambles and since I was wearing an ancient pair of trainers instead of my O-shoes (to let my blisters heal), the thorns actually went through the bottoms and into my feet! So I had to stop three times, take off shoes, and pull the thorns out. Pretty nasty. Anyway, after this control, I was a bit discouraged and felt like everyone was ahead so even though I finished the course cleanly, I wasn't really excited anymore. I also didn't realize that the first loop was actually both X and Y combined into one long course, so when I got back, I asked for another map, was given one, and took about 5 steps before (1) I looked at the map and realized I'd already run this course (2) they yelled at me to stop because I'd already finished all the courses. Hehe.
RESULTS: 15th on the A course.
THOUGHTS: I was having a lot of fun with the first long loop and I had some good flow there and virtually no mistakes. Once I went to the wrong control (the courses were gaffled), but I realized this and found the right one just seconds later, so it wasn't a big deal. In general, I knew which control and feature I was heading to and where I was going. So that felt good. And if it wasn't for that #2 on the second course and the thorns surrounding it, I would have had a very respectable result.
Stretching 5:00 [1]
Monday Jun 5, 2006 #
Running 48:35 [3] 6.37 mi (7:38 / mi)
ahr:144 max:165 shoes: Orange Asics
A late-morning run by myself. I did the usual route - around Christ Church meadow and up the river to the Port Meadow bridge and back. I started off feeling really empty (hungry?), but felt progressively better throughout the run. I felt like I was cruising during the middle. I was going fast, but it felt effortless. Such a wonderful feeling! I tried to slow down during the second half to have a proper cool-down, but failed miserably. The speed would just creep back and before I knew it I was going 7 min/mile again.
Some data:
Lap 1 23:15 Distance 2.87 miles Avg HR 132 Avg pace 8:05/mile
Lap 2 7:42 Distance 1.10 miles Avg HR 152 Avg pace 7:00/mile
Lap 3 9:14 Distance 1.25 miles Avg HR 155 Avg pace 7:23/mile
Lap 4 8:23 Distance 1.15 miles Avg HR 157 Avg pace 7:17/mile
Some data:
Lap 1 23:15 Distance 2.87 miles Avg HR 132 Avg pace 8:05/mile
Lap 2 7:42 Distance 1.10 miles Avg HR 152 Avg pace 7:00/mile
Lap 3 9:14 Distance 1.25 miles Avg HR 155 Avg pace 7:23/mile
Lap 4 8:23 Distance 1.15 miles Avg HR 157 Avg pace 7:17/mile
Strength Training 10:00 [3]
Stretching 5:00 [1]
Note
Every time I've asked Boris for running advice, he asks me what I want to accomplish and I never really have a good answer. So I've decided to note down a list of goals here, just so I have them written down once and for all. Really, it's more a list of random things I want to do rather than concrete goals, but it's the best I can come up with right now.
GOALS
1. 6:00 minute mile (Everybody but me seems to think I can do this one already...)
2. 20 minute 5 km
3. 40 minute 10 km
4. Maintain sub-7min/mile pace for a long run (10 miles or more)
5. Finish a marathon-distance race (can be road or trail)
6. Be top female in the Billygoat (I fell in love with this event the first time I did it. It's different each year and I feel like I discover something new about myself every time.)
7. Be able to run uphill for an hour without stopping/walking
8. Beat all of the US women on at least one occassion other than the Billygoat. This is tough, because Pavlina is extremely accurate, Sam is amazingly fast, and Sandra does excellent training. But I think it's doable.
So, I don't really have any concrete orienteering goals. I'm competitive when out in the woods - those M55s are tough to beat - but I don't have specific race goals. I just have small goals for each O-event such as focusing on good flow and trying to minimize mistakes (at this point, I would be happy with less than 1 min/km of mistakes, although 1.5 is perhaps a bit more realistic). At smaller events, I try to beat the fast guys on a few splits and beat up on a few M55s. That's always fun. =)
GOALS
1. 6:00 minute mile (Everybody but me seems to think I can do this one already...)
2. 20 minute 5 km
3. 40 minute 10 km
4. Maintain sub-7min/mile pace for a long run (10 miles or more)
5. Finish a marathon-distance race (can be road or trail)
6. Be top female in the Billygoat (I fell in love with this event the first time I did it. It's different each year and I feel like I discover something new about myself every time.)
7. Be able to run uphill for an hour without stopping/walking
8. Beat all of the US women on at least one occassion other than the Billygoat. This is tough, because Pavlina is extremely accurate, Sam is amazingly fast, and Sandra does excellent training. But I think it's doable.
So, I don't really have any concrete orienteering goals. I'm competitive when out in the woods - those M55s are tough to beat - but I don't have specific race goals. I just have small goals for each O-event such as focusing on good flow and trying to minimize mistakes (at this point, I would be happy with less than 1 min/km of mistakes, although 1.5 is perhaps a bit more realistic). At smaller events, I try to beat the fast guys on a few splits and beat up on a few M55s. That's always fun. =)
Sunday Jun 4, 2006 #
Running warm up/down 13:00 [1]
Orienteering race 1:28:02 [4] 8.67 km (10:09 / km) +180m 9:12 / km
shoes: Orange O-Shoes
EVENT: TVOC district event at Coombe Hill, Wendover
COURSE: Brown, 8.67 km, 180 m climb, 20 controls
TERRAIN: Mostly typical terrain with a network of trails, some fences, and almost as much green as white on the map. The usual assortment of pits, depressions, and earthwalls. Some parts of the woods were very nice and runnable, but others had brambles and nettles and thin trees growing close together which were particularly nasty to run through.
MY RUN: I was aiming to (a) practice control flow (b) beat Joe Mercer on one split. I only half-succeeded with the first goal, but I did quite well with the second! I had decent route choices to all of the first three controls, but wasted time in the control circle finding each, although I would only call #3 a real mistake. Then I saw that M55 from TVOC (who I had just beat on Wednesday at the last TVOC summer series event). We kept switching positions for the next few controls, all the way almost to #10. We took different route choices (some I did better, some he did) but we would always meet up again. So while I was racing with him, I had really good control flow and I was going fast and concentrating well. But then I screwed up #10 by 9 minutes and lost him completely. (#10 was a "distinct rough open" which wasn't so distinct). Afterward, I felt really tired from all that extra exertion and frustrated at having run around in circles. Despite trying to keep focusing, I messed up the next three controls really badly, and then was feeling so dehrydated climbing up the hill to number 14 that I just began walking along the hillside (in the wrong direction). I was panicking a bit because I really needed water and the car park (where the water was) was a long way away. Finally, I got myself together, managed to climb up the hill, and find the next several controls. I slowed down when I was about 10 meters away from #16 in anticipation of punching it and then nailing #17. I decided that even though my overall time would be pretty bad, at least I could have one fast split. I spiked #17 - that felt good. Then I jogged the rest of the course very slowly.
RESULTS: I was 18th out of 29 on the brown course. Joe Mercer won in 56:51 and Helen was fifth with a time of 69:44. I had almost 20 minutes of mistakes, but on the bright side, I beat Joe on 4 splits (#6,#8,#9, and #17). =)
THOUGHTS: I have to force myself to drink more water on a regular basis or else I will sooner or later end up fainting on some hillside. It was really hot and sunny today and I should have prepared better for running a physically tough course under such conditions.
COURSE: Brown, 8.67 km, 180 m climb, 20 controls
TERRAIN: Mostly typical terrain with a network of trails, some fences, and almost as much green as white on the map. The usual assortment of pits, depressions, and earthwalls. Some parts of the woods were very nice and runnable, but others had brambles and nettles and thin trees growing close together which were particularly nasty to run through.
MY RUN: I was aiming to (a) practice control flow (b) beat Joe Mercer on one split. I only half-succeeded with the first goal, but I did quite well with the second! I had decent route choices to all of the first three controls, but wasted time in the control circle finding each, although I would only call #3 a real mistake. Then I saw that M55 from TVOC (who I had just beat on Wednesday at the last TVOC summer series event). We kept switching positions for the next few controls, all the way almost to #10. We took different route choices (some I did better, some he did) but we would always meet up again. So while I was racing with him, I had really good control flow and I was going fast and concentrating well. But then I screwed up #10 by 9 minutes and lost him completely. (#10 was a "distinct rough open" which wasn't so distinct). Afterward, I felt really tired from all that extra exertion and frustrated at having run around in circles. Despite trying to keep focusing, I messed up the next three controls really badly, and then was feeling so dehrydated climbing up the hill to number 14 that I just began walking along the hillside (in the wrong direction). I was panicking a bit because I really needed water and the car park (where the water was) was a long way away. Finally, I got myself together, managed to climb up the hill, and find the next several controls. I slowed down when I was about 10 meters away from #16 in anticipation of punching it and then nailing #17. I decided that even though my overall time would be pretty bad, at least I could have one fast split. I spiked #17 - that felt good. Then I jogged the rest of the course very slowly.
RESULTS: I was 18th out of 29 on the brown course. Joe Mercer won in 56:51 and Helen was fifth with a time of 69:44. I had almost 20 minutes of mistakes, but on the bright side, I beat Joe on 4 splits (#6,#8,#9, and #17). =)
THOUGHTS: I have to force myself to drink more water on a regular basis or else I will sooner or later end up fainting on some hillside. It was really hot and sunny today and I should have prepared better for running a physically tough course under such conditions.
C • Heat 3
Saturday Jun 3, 2006 #
Running 54:33 [2] 6.38 mi (8:33 / mi)
ahr:139 max:149 shoes: Orange Asics
Easy run by myself. I went extremely slowly because I felt very full from lunch (which today was a pint of Ben and Jerry's followed by numerous cherries). At first it felt strange to be moving so slowly, but then I got used to it and quite enjoyed the outing. The easy pace gave me lots of time to observe the cows, geese, rabbits, and other animals along the path.
Strength Training 10:00 [3]
Stretching 5:00 [1]
Friday Jun 2, 2006 #
Note
(rest day)
I'm taking a day off because various parts of my legs hurt (shins and knees mostly). On the bright side, I got a lot of work done today. 7 hours of maths and counting...
Thursday Jun 1, 2006 #
Running 1:24:26 [3] 10.3 mi (8:12 / mi)
ahr:146 max:166 shoes: Orange Asics
Club Run. It was just Joe, Matt Spencer, Una, and me today. After about 20+ minutes, Una left as well, and it was just me and the two guys. We ran up along the river, across Port Meadow, did a loop around the Nature Reserve, and then came back the same way. A nice easy run. We started out quite slowly, but gradually sped up. I think we averaged slower than 8:30 per mile for the first 2-3 miles, then did 8:14/mile for 5 miles, then 8 min/mile for 2 miles, then I averaged under 7:30/mile for the last 3/4 of a mile.
Strength Training 10:00 [3]
Stretching 5:00 [1]
Note
My knees and shins hurt a bit, probably from all of the pounding yesterday. I will take it easy tomorrow and Saturday.