Training Log Archive: miclaraia

Been getting really stressed lately because of planning my future and I decided to take some time today to try out meditation.

C • meditation 3

Middle distance race in Venice. This race was an incredible sprint experience, definitely don't have anything remotely like this at home. The first half of the race went really well: I was planning ahead, executing legs well, and had good flow in and out of controls. I was identifying sections of legs I could use to run and plan upcoming sections of the course, and choosing spots where I had to zone back into the current leg.

This all fell apart between 9 and 12. I didn't have a plan for 10 when I reached 9, and just kept running. This added an extra little loop to the leg, not a big deal but could have been easily avoided. 11 was even worse, I had a vague plan, but hadn't worked out the details leaving 10. I had run most of the leg on the way to 4 so it should've been easy to see the optimal route, but I somehow couldn't keep focus. I would be planning the finer details of the leg then reach a bridge and suddenly have absolutely no idea where I was. This happened at least twice, and at one instance I relocated wrong and took a wrong turn, adding a solid chunk of extra distance to the leg. I had a plan for 12, but then that plan overlooked a bridge that was at least 100m shorter, and a lot less zig-zagging.

I still somehow won the race, all the good runners in my age group were running elite, so the competition was garbage. I'll take a win any day though!

1. Easy, I started off a bit slow to not mess up the first few turns, but picked up the pace before crossing the canal. Used the long corridor to plan 2 and half of three.

2. There was a gate blocking the walkway towards 2. It wasn't locked, but lost a few seconds hesitating before trying it.

3. I didn't have the entire leg planned, but the first half of the leg was straight so I had time to plan everything out. I took the wrong corridor from the wide walkway toward the canal which added a bit of extra distance, should have taken the one with the fountains. By the time I got to the area around 11, I had the leg planned out and started planning my exit and general plan for 4.

4. Solid plan and good execution. Some dog started barking at me when I was running the last long corridor to 4. I was planning 5, lost focus, and then missed the turn to the control.

5. I went north, but going south was also viable, might even have been better. There weren't too many tourists in the Piazza San Marco so that was nice.

6. My GPS was really inaccurate leaving 5, and I'm not sure anymore (2 days later) what exactly I did. What I drew is my best guess from what I remember and what I can glean from my watch. I planned 7, 8, and part of 9 when I was running down the long wide path.

7. I think this went well, I can't remember anything significant.

8. easy

9. this one went well, but I didn't spend any time planning 10.

10. Left 9 the wrong way, didn't plan enough of 11

11. rubbish.

12. Should've been easy, but I didn't see a bridge, maybe I saw the complicated building system in the area and just really wanted to solve the puzzle.

C • Venice 1

Lars let me borrow a pair of poles and the Ski-O team let me borrow a pair of rollers, and with that I was set to join a volley of intervals. We did intervals on the university's track, something I never even considered doing before. I always associated roller skis with roads, but the track is pretty much perfect for them (except when it's wet).

The intervals were a pyramid layout (1-2-3-4-3-2-1). I wasn't as out of practice as I had expected as never fell down, but I lost my balance a few times and came close.

All in all was a good sesh and it felt really good to cross train. I'm not sure how often I'll be able to join these ski sessions because they coincide with the weekly map training from the NLZ, but I think I'll try and make a few more before the year is up.

C • woo! 1

Wooooh finally starting strength training again! I was a little more excited than I probably should have been, and it was good fun. I met Martin Hubmann today, which was awesome, and I think I met one of the Kyburz brothers last Friday without even realizing it. Small world.

I think I now know what the secret to Switzerland's success in orienteering. After warming up and a quick core session we spent a good 10 minutes doing a hip-hop routine. So, TIL that the way to becoming a good orienteer is to bust out the ol' moves.

Otherwise rather uneventful session. We did more of the 'laufschule', basically running, bounding, hopping, and skipping in various ways on pads to train good running form. These exercises seem to be pretty universal here in Switzerland, I'm surprised I've never encountered them in track or cross country back home.

FitNotes Workout - Tuesday 10th November 2015

** Standing SL Calf Raises **
- 20 reps
- 20 reps
- 20 reps

** Banded Toe Pulls **
- 20 reps
- 20 reps
- 20 reps

** Sypoba Toe Heel **
- 20 reps
- 20 reps
- 20 reps

** Standing SL Glute Extension **
- 35.0 kgs x 20 reps
- 35.0 kgs x 20 reps
- 35.0 kgs x 20 reps

** Glute-Ham Raise **
- 20 reps
- 20 reps
- 20 reps

** SL Balance Pad Squats **
- 20 reps
- 20 reps
- 20 reps

** Back Squat **
- 50.0 kgs x 20 reps
- 50.0 kgs x 20 reps
- 50.0 kgs x 20 reps

** Weighted Glute Bridge **
- 10.0 kgs x 20 reps
- 10.0 kgs x 20 reps
- 10.0 kgs x 20 reps

** Sypoba Squats **
- 20 reps
- 20 reps
- 20 reps

** Lunge Squats **
- 40.0 kgs x 19 reps
- 40.0 kgs x 15 reps
- 40.0 kgs x 15 reps

** Sypoba Fore-Aft **
- 20 reps
- 20 reps

Last week I was told I should try and focus on having less contact with the ground while running, something about it being more efficient. I tried doing that today, pushing off quickly and forcefully, and increasing my 'flight time'. Interesting exercise