Training Log Archive: HWW

Run to work: the Orient / Vicky Park / Bethnal Green option.

Event: Park Race 4: Ravenscourt Park
 

Cycle from More London to Ravenscourt Park for Park Race orienteering

Park Race orienteering: #4 - Ravenscourt Park (29 controls, 3.8km)
Awful, truly awful (my performance that is, not the event)
Pretty much fell into every trap going on this high control concentration course, from the dead-end in the way of 4 (in retrospect the impassible fence is obvious but I must have simply sought to broadly follow the direction of the joining line) to the hiding-just-behind-the-wall 29.

Admittedly my worst mistake (I assume worst in percentage time lost / leg position, though not yet seen splits results) didn't involve any controls tight to narrow but impassible fences; glancing at 27 - 28 I initially thought I'd seen a way through just south of the centre of the map. I made an about turn off 27 and headed south east, only to see the route was blocked and then headed north to exit the park near 21. I then further screwed up by fumbling my way in to 28. In retrospect going south to the path by the tube line would've been best but I just didn't spot this at the time.

I guess overall I didn't react well to there being so many "wrong side of the fence" controls; your standard urban race will have a few of these but one has the time to identify these on dead run legs and plan accordingly. In this case there was hardly any dead run (ok, a few 1 - 1.5 min legs which I could've made more use of) and when I made a mistake I tended to get annoyed and then compound the error. Guess I just need to read the control descriptions and be a bit more careful in future.

Cycle back to Leytonstone from Park Race orienteering in Ravenscourt Park. Seemed as though every traffic light from Hammersmith to Aldgate was against me (thankfully not too bad from Whitechapel at least until Stratford).

Long Full - Splits

Cycle to work via the gym

Kettlebells class

City Runners' standard Sunday run (out and back to red crane)
Just glad to have made it out for something, rather than risk losing the day to the after-effects of a friend's birthday drinks the night before (still not entirely sure how it took me over 2 hours to get home, although I know that it involved donner meat, chips and cheese, a nightbus and a 0400 return).

I momentarily considered doing the Greenwich foot tunnel / half marathon option. However, legs were feeling a little tired, besides the general sense of groggy-ness, such that I found it something of an effort to hold off the other guys. Twice the distance wouldn't have been fun, given my condition.

Event: Nopesport and South of England Orienteering Urban Event
 

Cycle over to Jayne's for a lift down to Poundbury.

Poundbury Urban event (Nopesport & South of England Orienteering urban event): 24 controls, 7.6km
Only really decided to do this event a few days ago but worth the long drive. Setting out as virtually the last starter, it took me a few legs to get in to the map and the course in general. In addition I wasn't running at full pelt - still feeling a slight twinge / tightness in my left foot - but perhaps this helped me to focus a little more on the map.

There were times, particularly coming off 3 and 4, where I had slight pauses to reorientate but on whole I had no major errors - I am feeling more comfortable with alleyway orienteering. There were also instances where I changed my mind about route just at the start of legs, while a bout of hesitation on route to 14 definitely cost me at least 5-10 seconds (paused for a few seconds to peer at the map and check whether one could get through just south of the out of bounds area).

From the outset I'd had it in my head that the time to beat was 36-ish - thought I'd read this on the live results before setting out - so as I started the final loop from 15, 27 mins in, I made an effort to raise my pace. Had I had more speed work over the past few weeks, less hesitation and less leg niggle-age I think that sub 37 would definitely have been possible. As it was, I was fortunately mistaken, taking the lead by 8 seconds. Pleasing to get a win after the last couple of Park Races and also to take time out of both Adam Potter and Geoff Ellis after losing out to the latter at St Albans and Dorking.

Cycle back from Jayne's to Leytonstone.

Event: Park Race 3: Grovelands Park
 

Run to work, via Stratford High St, Bow Roundabout, Whitechapel Road, etc. Legs still aching from Sunday, consequently probably my slowest ever time for this run.

Cycle from 1MLP to Grovelands Park, Southgate for Park Race orienteering

Park Race orienteering #3, Grovelands Park: 5.1km, 18 controls
Not being able to run as quickly as usual should have meant I could think more and make fewer mistakes. Then again, having about half of the controls in woodland meant there was more scope for type-Harold errors.
2 wasn't pretty - probably should have bashed through as there seemed to be the beginnings of a path but I decided to "play it safe" and follow the ditch in. I undershot and then stumbled around for perhaps 20-30 seconds until I and a group found it. With 4 I opted for the bash through option - bad idea, skirting round would've been so much better.
Otherwise relatively clean, although I couldn't really make out what the map was trying to show around 6 and 7. Slightly hesitant to 8, 11 and 17 and a little slow on the run in.

Cycle back to Leytonstone from Park Race orienteering. Fine with the route while cycling with Ollie until Tottenham Hale and a bit beyond, then inadvertently explored a few bits of central Walthamstow. Ended up coming back along the Lea Bridge Road, via McDonalds in Leytonstone.

Long - Splits