Training Log Archive: KingTim

With Mark S, John, Keith, Rhys and Gareth. North across Downs, through Badminton School, Stoke Bishop, Coombe Dingle, Blaise, around Blaise and along the ridge to Shirehampton Rd, back along the ridge bottom into Blaise, home via Hollybush Lane.

Legs felt surprisingly sprightly today after yesterday's efforts. Maybe I could have run a bit faster yesterday and needn't have used the elbow.

C • Your memory 1

Park Wood & Naphill Common. Final leg, the long daylight leg.

Started off in 4th place, a couple of mins behind Paul Courdridge. Had a fairly fast run to 1 and 2, then half way to 3 lost concentration and totally confused myself about which yellow clearing I was in. In the panic of my confusion I decided to revert to my recent form and ran like a blind idiot eastwards until I realised I was originally in the correct place after all, and had now run 400m too far along the track. Relocated from the pond eventually. Struggled with 7 as well, again losing concentration and not trusting my initial convictions. Bad route choice to 9, swinging past 10 on the way.

At 11 I was caught by (somebody) Goddard (I think) of FVO and neither of us could shake the other off for the rest of the race. Past Marcus on the double-back after 21, having not spotted the easy route through the fenced area. I then managed to miss the control at the map exchange and got reminded by someone in the crowd to punch it. Marcus caught up running very strongly up the hill to 25. I stuck with him to 27, then lost him as I decided I really ought to look at my map and had to slow down (I have no idea how anyone can map-read while running at the speed he, and obviously all the other top guys, run at. I can keep up but I can't read the map at the same time).

Had a very fast track run with Mr Goddard into the final control and proper sprint finish with him through the assembly field. Not sure what happened next, but 20m from the finish I felt him push me in my back which helped me just beat him, bringing us into 5th position behind Marcus.

C • Sprint finish 3

Event: Harvester Trophy Weekend
 

Event: JOK Chasing Sprint
 

Bloom Wood. A great run, probably the nearest-perfect run I've ever had. Navigated very cleanly on all except 6 on which I wobbled, having stopped too soon expecting to be on it, and 9 for which I was 100m too far south. Finished in 12 place, ahead of some top people which I was really surprised about.

I think it's my attitude that's the problem. Yeah I've got a lot quicker this year and my navigation can't keep up, but today I started with the attitude "I've already blown my UK Cup points for this year, and I'm still in a boo about orienteering", so I wasn't going hell-for-leather. Consequently I was more relaxed, had time to concentrate on the map detail, and at the end of the day got a far better result than I would have had I gone out at full pelt.

Faith in orienteering: restored.

Bloom Wood. Not so good from a personal orienteering point of view, but a great race. Started off 25 secs behind Tuomas Tala, with Ross McLennan 8 secs behind.

Got stuck in a wet brambly depression on the way to 1, and was soon caught up. Tuomas seemed to have had similar delays and I was on him as we came out of no1. We ran in a pack of about 6, all bar Tuomas had come from behind. Tuomas led into 2, I led into 3, and 4 and I think maybe 5 too. Everyone else then ran south from 5 down the track, presumably to the road and up the big track. I ran alone on the red line, quite slowly, I thought, but straight into and spiked 6, still on my own. The rest of my pack were nowhere in sight. I did 7 and 8 (spectator) on my own, then stupidly ran out of 8 due west for 150m. By the time I'd corrected this, the rest of my pack, now led by Marcus had caught up and were equidistant with me from 9. A mass scramble for the SI hole ensued and again at every control thereafter, with a pack now even larger with the addition of a very speedy Couldridge contingent. I used my brain on the way to 14 and branched away from the wayward pack to sneak in on a straighter line. Properly hanging out on the way to 15, I managed to keep in front of most of the pack, with only Rob Little, Paul and Matt Halliday in front. A full sprint to the finish kept me in 12th place.

Very pleased with today's efforts, but kicking myself over my spectator control cock-up.

Run on my own in the rain. Across Downs over suspender bridge, the Ashton Court loop round the quarry, Timberland Trail and back the way I came.

To add a bit of variety I introduced a bit of speed play along the quarry track and upped it to intensity 5 for a few minutes. Into the wind, 1.12km in 3.42 (AHR 169, Max 172) 3.18 min/km

1 hour after getting into work today, I was asked to go out on site in the city centre. So I cycled back home to get my camera, then cycled into town. I covered a total of 12 miles cycling around town. Not gonna log it though cos it was stop-start all the time and although I was in my cyling gear, I can't claim it as training. Even the ride back from town, which was potentially a good training ride, can't be logged cos my chain broke and I had to walk it back.

2 laps of the Downs on my own. Quite a strong wind from the NE, made it hard work in that direction.

Like a dream. Over the last week I have been cleaning my mtb, restoring it to factory settings. Cleaned the cables, reset the gears, and last night had the chain off and cleaned the last 2 years' gunk off it, the casette and the rear mech. Running beautifully and silently now, and it's shimmering in the morning sunlight too. Like a wet one almost.