Training Log Archive: IanW

Back from France, back to vague normality (and typical British summer weather, by the looks of things). An interesting couple of weeks of orienteering (which shows my technique is still crap) but not the greatest of tours I've ever been on - I don't think two weeks camping and significant faff really agrees with me any more... must be getting old :-O

Aveyron 6-day Day 6. Favoured an extra 90 minutes in bed so wound up 30 mins late for the start (hence the time in the results), but was far more relaxed and just intending to go out and enjoy the run.

A bit vaguer terrain-wise today, couple of legs were approached with the "run vaguely round/through the green into a big open bit and then work out where you are" technique... and of course time was lost, but was failing to keep contact/ simplify in those areas (#3 & 4). Needed to be more forceful in the green at times too. Missed slightly in the circle at #2, lost contact to #8 and was lucky, was careless towards #11, almost missed out #17 completely as #16 was code 217, and took a poor route to the final control as had switched off by then.

Running felt pretty good, except when went over on right ankle fairly badly about halfway around the course. time was reasonable and would have been mid-30s again, 3 fairly solid runs to round off the week.

Garmin distance 9.9km, my route

Aveyron 6-day Day 5. Perhaps the most detailed area so far, on a 1:5000 map. Some silly bigger mistakes again meant time wasn't so good, hit #18 before 17 and #20 before 19. Was ahead of everyone in JOK/SLOW again but well beaten by Matt (67 mins) who had a flyer. Going fairly well towards the end though.

Garmin distance: 9.75km My route

Rest day. I had a rest and then a wander while the others went canoeing.

Aveyron 6-day Day 4. A decent run finally appeared, one silly big mistake and a couple of other smaller ones, lost 5 mins or so on route choice. Somehow managed to beat everyone else in OUOC and JOK/SLOW.

HRM died today by the looks of things. Garmin distance: 10.3km

Orient-show after Day 4 - bit like ultrasprint, but no control codes and map simply blown up to 1:1500 - quite confusing in terms of rock symbols, and thought a distinct tree was a circular hedge and undergrowth a thicket... Got 2 of the 27 controls wrong, #8 and the boulder at #25. Good fun, could have done with a more specific map I reckon. Hard work in the early afternoon sun.

Garmin distance: 2.0km My route

Aveyron 6-day Day 3. More difficult but really quite fun terrain, silly mistakes and hesitation/lack of confidence costing far too much time. No control flow really, didn't help. Running OK again today though.

Garmin distance: 11.6km

Aveyron 6-day Day 2. Not so tricky, fewer mistakes, but couldn't run (6 mins/k along tracks...) - legs just felt asleep. No speed, little mistakes...

Garmin distance: 10.35km

Aveyron 6-day Day 1. Tricky, but far too many mistakes (30 mins+) mainly caused by blindly plunging into an area without a real plan/sufficient map contact.

Garmin distance: 11.4km

Event: 6 Days of Aveyron, France
 

Auvergne 3-day Middle (Legend's Race) - Aydat. Even more of an epic... especially as was half-asleep. Narrowly avoided OCCO membership.

Garmin distance: 11km

Run to assembly and back to start, which was right by the campsite entrance we'd just driven round from - grrr... Slightly late for my start, the time lost here didn't really matter given the course to come...