Training Log Archive: graeme

Jukola. The best event on the planet. The return of the flying O'Kelly brothers, 7 M21s in 1996, the same seven guys with more paunch and less hair. JonX, Rob, Steve, Seamus, JonE, Pat and me. 727th, somewhat down from 258th.

Went out on the mass start last leg from the furthest corner of the field, got royally stuck in traffic for the first half. The elephant tracks offered the best going, but were super-crowded, and I failed to have enough patience. Lost about 5 mins at 6 when I took my own route along a nice ridge, but descended too late and overshot in the green, having to struggle back against the flow to the flag. Then, getting tired, joined a massive pack-error
at 10, another 10-mins lost.

Towards the end, cleared up and ran much of the last section "alone" - with apparently meant I was pulling a train from 13-18, then missed by 2 mins in the circle at 18 (didn't know that was possible at Jukola) and the train came rolling through.

Straight in the car and back to Edinburgh via Schiphol (one hour transfer, no bother nor even stress: why can't EWR and LHR be like that).

Some, ultimately it wasn't a particularly enjoyable or pleasant run. The comparison with the "mad cross country" race of '96 (lose 8mins at 1, finish 6 mins down) was the inability to run up the line, or off the line. Plus the errors born mainly of impatience and expecting the pack to do the work.

Event: Jukola 2014
 

Obstacle race at LHR carrying everything as handluggage with an 1hr 30 transfer time, just slid into the gate as the barrier was coming down.

7:30 am soggy joggy

Morning run around Princeton

Rutgers EP. Trying a bit harder in the rain. Then drive to Penn, but no time for a River Drive loop. Shame.

Run around Rutgers Environment Preserve. Very nice indeed, a few big trees went down in 2012 hurrcane, but generally even nicer than I remember it.