Training Log Archive: brokenanklekit

I don't want to make excuses but had real trouble sleeping last night (maybe got 2-3 hours total). Slept through my alarms and woke at 10 panicking as I was marshalling early morning. Got out of bed and just got changed and packed and immediately cycled down to get there for 10:15, without breakfast.

Started off average to good hesiatating and taking sub optimum routes in the castle park but was definitely still in the race as I was only 1:20 down on Ben at contol #11.

Took poor route o #12 trying to find the way up to the bridge but failing and taking the long route round.

#18 might not have been my most time loss but it was by far my worst mistake. Ran straight past the control and had to come back only when I got half way under the bridge did i realise.

Pulled myself back together and was only 10secs down on Tom at #24. Then the controls just camee at me too fast and I wasn't planning ahead and had some really bad mistakes from running too fast and being disorientated.

Finished the course annoyed but happy it hadn't gone as badly as yesterday.

Reflection

Fantastic two days of racing on 2 amazing maps. BOK organized the event so well and I am thankful to the members of BOK that have been so kind to me at my time in Bristol. I feel this weekend is a fitting way of graduating!

Personally, I can't help feeling a bit down. I only really got back into serious orienteering in late January and since then have really enjoyed rediscovering why I love the sport, which culminated in a great BUCS. However, I've been avidly attending O events in the last couple months and my running is at a good level but this doesn't seem to be transating into the results I would hope for.

I was looking forward to this but I also had mixed feelings as this weekend had never been a focus but it was Bristol and urban so I stood a good chance of getting some decent results.

Started well and had a few minor errors but was going strong and caught sight of Matthew Pickering at 12 and caught him by 16. I tried to use him to plan ahead legs and it paid off as i got the fastest split to 18.

Then came the Cumberland Basin! At control #19 I was 30 secs down on Dobes and 1min on Richard Purkis. Matt was on my tail and it is not an exageration to say I messed up badly every single control in there. I would just get away from him then get confused and he would pass me again. I think the issue was less I was rushing but more I was panicking. For example 19-20 is an easy leg just cross the road but I thought it was uncrossable.

This section both frustrated and tired me so that I slogged round the last controls making sloppy mistakes and losing more time.

The cherry on the cake though was the final control I legged it just wanting to end the course and gain a bit of time on Matt who was behind me. Overshot it by miles and had no idea what I ahd done and had to come back. I lost 1.40 on the last control alone!!!

A poor run where I never challenged the top 2 but had I stayed on track could ahve managedd 3rd or 4th.

Pretty good start, maybe a bit hesitant but basically running well. Also I think my garmin has just been so useful. I would feel slow check my watch and be running sub 4min kms which in O is pretty good.

Got to the looping bit and was running well and caught Mark. Then overtook but he got ahead again at the bridge. 11-18 dropped Mark and was running well but then took a horrible route choice to 19 going all the way around.

Me and MArk battling it out in the last couple definitely helped, but my shoes were giving me really bad blisters as well.

Positive race off the back of less training. It's a classic example of how you don't need pace but to be hitting the controls well.

To and from Combe Dingle for O coaching
feeling so tired at the moment will get abck into training soon