Training Log Archive: Kat

Running to the backbana.

Backbana tempo run, with Boris. This was fun! I started out a bit tentatively, but fell into step after about fifteen minutes. Ran up most of the hills, but walked in a few places when I sensed it would be faster. I think I could drop 30 seconds off my time just by wearing more appropriate shoes and knowing the route.

Running back to the MIC.

OK Linné club relay practice. This was a really fun activity for people of all ages - from little kids to H21s. Unfortunately I felt dead tired and completely bonked at the end. Will try take it easy the next few days.

Janne's backbana in Uppsala - Splits

Random stuff to warm up.

A run with Andrew, Patrick, and Boris.

Did a short course around Stadsskogen with Patrick. This was really fun! I have a bunch of new bruises now, though. One close to my knee, when I tripped over a branch trying to out-sprint Patrick to a control, and one on my left shoulder. The second one actually hurts quite a bit, but I don't remember how it happened.

Jogging home.

EVENT: Uppland District Relay Champs
COURSE: 1st leg of D21 relay, 6.4 km, course BA, 13 controls
MAP: Sigtuna, 1:10,000, 2.5m contours
TERRAIN: Lovely runnable forest with some intricate sections, hillier than the typical Uppland terrain. Overall, fast and enjoyable woods.
MY RUN: This was a learning experience. I've never run first leg before at a relatively big relay and I made a few mistakes today. The only one I will describe in detail here is the mistake to the first control, because it set the stage for the rest of the race, so to speak.

We picked up our maps and I quickly figured out my route to the first control and the control number. Meanwhile, the pack of girls was moving at a speed more appropriate for racing 1500 meters on the track rather than running 6.4 km through the woods. The first control was a rock off a trail, so all I had to do was take the right trails and not get confused. This was harder than it seemed. There were girls in front of me, so I couldn't see what was up ahead. There were girls behind me, so I couldn't really stop or slow down unless I moved off to the side. At one trail junction, I hesitated, looked at my map, and decided I needed to go right. This turned out to be the wrong trail, as I quickly realized. I cut through the woods and managed to relocate once on the right path and find my control, but I'd lost about 1.5 minutes, enough to lose the faster girls. If I had just followed the others instead of navigating on my own, this wouldn't have happened. But I've gotten to the point where I am no longer interested in following other people. I made a lot of mistakes today, but at least they were my mistakes, and not somebody else's. But running first leg requires paying attention to other people. I think that if I had to do it over again, I would think harder before breaking away from the other girls to take my own route to the first control.

Despite my extremely poor result, I enjoyed myself out there. And I think that with some practice running first leg, I can become quite good at it. I like running with other people and I like running fast.

Started to do a cool-down with Boris, but both of us were pretty tired.

Running to the start, reasonably quickly because it was raining and I was cold.

EVENT: Uppland District Champs, middle distance.
COURSE: D21, 4.0 km, 17 controls
MAP: Eksunda, 1:10,000, 2.5m contours
TERRAIN: Typical technical Swedish forest. The course went through mostly white woods, with lots of small dot knolls and rocks.
MY RACE: I started off very tentatively, since I haven't seen Swedish terrain since mid-May. Despite trying to be careful, I lost time on three out of the four first controls.(Not that this is an excuse, but a lot of people lost time on these controls. They were tricky.) After that I started getting into the map and doing well. I saw a few Swedes out there, including Becka, and at first I thought I'd end up just running in a pack the rest of the way. But then, just like in Latvia, I started to gain confidence after running with others for a couple of controls and then took off on my own. My best split on the course was to #14, where I navigated entirely on my own and actually had Swedes following me! By the end of the race I was flying. I wish there were a few more km to go. I might have picked up a few more places.
MISTAKES: 6.5 minutes lost on #1, #3, #4
RESULTS: 13th out of 36 in D21. Winner was Annika Billstam, 30:41.

Jogging after the finish, before quickly changing to dry clothes. It was raining all morning!

Still feel a bit jetlagged and also on the verge of a cold. Stayed home with Boris, Thai food, and a movie.

A long line-O on trails in Nåsten, with a few stops to drop off/pick up some stuff (water, gloves, keys) and look at the map. At least 2/3 of the run was on gravel or wide horse trails, but I also put in a few sections on narrow, partly indistinct paths. There were a few unmapped trails in these areas, so I got lost a few times and even had to cut through the woods twice, but I always got back on the right trail eventually. I went up the hill on the east edge of Nåsten three times, but it felt very short. After this summer, I am never going to look at a hill in the same way again. I did start feeling sort of tired at the end, but after I had some water for the second time, after 2hrs, I was feeling good and the last ten minutes were at a very nice pace. Gorgeous weather, too. Didn't need the gloves.

I went to bed somewhere around 11-12 last night. This morning, by the time I finally decided to open my eyes and get out of bed, it was 12:22, early afternoon!!! I don't remember the last time I woke up this late. Just goes to show how completely messed up my body is right now....Hopefully a few more days will fix the jetlag and I can have a regular sleep cycle again.

C • Nice sleep 1

Easy run in Stadsskogen with Patrick. Nice weather, although chilly enough for me to wear my thermal gloves. I am still very jet-lagged, but I felt good running. I am ready to start being fast again!

Core and some leg strength after the run.