Training Log Archive: Kat

Run to the start with Chris Wroe and Benjamin. (Includes some terrain running because we got off-track.)

EVENT: OUOC Varsity Selection Race
COURSE: Women's, 6.7km, 16 controls
MAP: Merthyr Mawr, 1:10,000, 2.5m contours
TERRAIN: Technical, grassed sand dunes with some (wet) marshes and frequent blocks of trees (significantly fewer on the map than in reality). Some areas of the dunes were covered by brambles, others were completely open sand. So runnability varied, but was in general quite good.
MY RUN: This was a very difficult course because the terrain was highly technical and there were just small training kites with SI lying on the ground at each control. Thus, it occasionally took me fifteen seconds just to find the flag once I was at the right feature! And of course the terrain felt quite physical because of the frequent brambles, constant ups and downs, and sandy areas. I made one big (stupid) mistake to #3, which cost me about 5 minutes, but other than that my orienteering went quite well (if hesitations to find the flag at almost every single control are allowed). All in all, it was a very good technical training and a beautiful place to orienteer! I was really happy that I could run today.
RESULTS: Technically, I mispunched (because the men's and women's controls were gaffled, with the flags very near each other), but since this type of situation would never come up in a normal race (even a relay race), I'm not too bothered. My time was good enough for 2nd place, about four minutes behind Helen. She's good with this type of terrain!

My tailbone is still not healed, but there's hope for the future, and specifically for next weekend. I think I was able to run this weekend because the sandy ground was really soft, but I'll have to take it easy now in Oxford and not do anything too jarring. At least my plans will not be altered all that much, because this coming week was always intended to be easy.

Easy jog (with some breaks to walk) along the beach, followed by a rest and then jog to the start.

EVENT: Welsh Short Open Championships
COURSE: 3.7 km, 17 controls
MAP: Oxwich Burrows, 1:7500, 5m contours
TERRAIN: Technical, steep grassed sand-dunes.
MY RUN: Reasonably good through the first 12 controls, but then fell apart a bit at the end and lost a few minutes on the last few. Tailbone hurt and the pain got worse towards the end, but it felt tolerable and did not distract me too much. I just had to avoid jumping or sprinting and be extra careful when running downhill. The course was really fun and more tiring than I expected (lots of short, steep climbs).
RESULTS: Here. 38th/117 overall, 4th woman.
NOTE: According to Garmin, I ran 4.62 km.

After finishing, I did controls #12-17 again, very slowly (lots of walking and looking around) so that I understand where I went wrong. Everything made sense this time!

Run back to the parking lot.

C • car park 7

My tailbone still hurts slightly when I walk, and running is out of the question. :(

C • oh no! 5

Run to the track.

Drills and easy jogging around the track. The last thing I did was backwards running, and although I have never fallen while doing this before, I did today. This drill requires a lot of concentration and today my mind was wandering, resulting in first my tailbone, then my palms, elbows and shoulders hitting the ground. The fall was not actually all that bad and I got up immediately and finished the drills, but after a brief break to stretch, I tried to run again, but had to stop because of the pain in my tailbone. So no intervals today. Too bad, because I felt really good while doing the drills. My hope now is that this pain goes away by the weekend, because it would be really sad to miss out on Welsh orienteering!

I could do almost all of my usual exercises.

Easy run up along the river to Port Meadow, then short break to stretch before heading back. Oxford looks very pretty today - sunny weather, green grass, birds everywhere. Even the old people were smiling.

Tired legs, so couldn't jump very fast today.

Short loop around Christ Church meadow, then off to the gym.

Run home.

Two more weeks till the Leith Hill half-marathon. The plan is to train as usual this week, spend the weekend orienteering in Wales, then rest next week in order to feel strong and fast on race day!