Training Log Archive: gg

Morning jog in Ambleside

BOC Relay, Summerhouse Knott.
Cracking area, good map etc etc

Shminty had a really bad day on 1st leg, 7 minutes behind. Mark ran a bit better on 2nd, to send me out in 6th place, 8 minutes behind the leaders, but definitely in with a shout of a medal (especially with people going AWOL all over the place).

Ran well in the beginning, passing FVO second team (Lewis) at the 4th control. Caught AROS (Eddie) and EUOC 2 (Tim) at number 8 despite losing a few seconds at 6, so was up to 3rd place, with Peter a couple of minutes in front, and Shuoc well ahead.

Proceeded to miss 2 minutes at number 9 - got very confused looking for a crag below an open area on a steep slope covered in crags and small open areas - dropped well too low. Seems AROS and EUOC missed as well, as I never saw them, but Lewis got back ahead, and I caught him again at 11.

Was feeling really tired at this point, and it felt unlikely that I was going to either catch the guys in front or get caught, so I definitely dropped down a gear in the last part.

The last loop was quite simple and easy running, and quite open - couldn't see anybody in front or behind, so I assuming I was cruising in for a bronze medal - only to be announce as silver on the run in!

Cue seeing distraught Shuoc people around (dsq on leg 2 - faulty box maybe?), and then surprisingly distraught NOC people as well, as Peter had just downloaded and been told he had missed the spectator control.

Then I downloaded, and was told that I had also missed the spectator control.

This was strange as the control was at the end of a marked route through the arena, right next to a gate which was less than 1m wide. It would be physically impossible to go further than about 40cm from the control and still get through the gate, and with the touch free punching you would pretty much have to TRY to not punch the control as you went past to fail to register.

However, it didn't register for me or Peter, and as I honestly can't remember punching the control, the most obvious answer is that I didn't punch it (and neither did Peter). The less likely answer is that there was a problem with the technology, but that control worked for everybody else.

If I had worn the SI card on the other hand it wouldn't have been a problem.

Anyway, roller-coaster day - well behind early on, up to the medal fight, 3rd team over the line, but all top 3 dsq (I'm not getting into the debate about the Shuoc mispunch - many other teams had issues with that same control).

The great news was that this meant our 2nd team took a silver medal, and Ed Bloody Nicholas got a bronze medal! His first ever British Champs medal, and possibly the most unexpected but pleasant event since Lillomarka came 6th at 10mila.

Physically very tired today, never got my HR into zone 5 at all - time for an easy week.

Morning jog - Laigh Hills and along the Allan

BOC Long distance, High Dam.
Great weather, terrain, course and map.
Good run, lost 30s at 5, 15s at 15, 15s at 20 and 60s at 27 - took the track east rather than going high which was quite a big error!
Otherwise I won all the longer legs, and didn't lose more than a few seconds on any control, so I was really happy with the technical performance.
Physically, not my best day, a bit tired from the last month, but good enough to take the win again.

Results https://www.mdoc.org.uk/results-archive/boc2017/in...

Routegadget
http://www.boc.routegadget.co.uk/rg2/#24&course=1&...

Very easy from home - GC and Kippenross

Easy from home. Legs not feeling too bad.

Trot around Polmaise and Sauchie (loads of felling :( ) with Lewis and Jon

Dumyat Hill Race. First time despite living very close and having run up it about 100 times.
Not optimal prep post 10mila and surveying etc, but gave it everything. Tom Martyn took out the usual early pace as expected, with me and Sasha tucked in. Got to the front when we left the road into the woods and powered up the hill, getting a gap already. Loads of Ochils and FVO support out on the hill, and was well clear at the top (19.54). Probably pushed a little hard through the woods, and was treading water a little bit at the top.
The descent was challenging, with 400 ish people heading back up the hill. Very dry, but quite slippy down through the woods, and my back really tightened up (as hasn't happened for several years!) in the last 500m.
32:56 across the line, for 3rd (?) best time ever, 33s behind Murray's record.

Annoyingly both up and down I was directed over the style near the top, rather than being allowed to cross the fence - worth at least 17s each way I reckon ;)

C • Great run 2

Steady run from home.

Easy round Dunblane.