Training Log Archive: Rosco

bit late

bit tired

-4

BOC Relay, Beaulieu Estate and Heath, Men's Premier, 1st Leg for Team Pru

With a less than amazing field, this was a real opportunity for Team Pru to get a result with our solid team of Rosco, Roger and Forest. Others were obviously looking on us as a factor - a few were trying to psyche us out. I love relays though and am generally pretty solid on first leg. A bit too solid at the start though: everyone hared off and I was left floundering behind slower runners. Or faster runners, like Rob Little, who would put on a spurt whenever I tried to sneak past. Caught up a bit of time by going straight through the man-eating marsh (obviously I can't be a real man) and then my shorter gaffle in the woods meant that I was into 2nd, behind a distant Joe Mercer, as we headed out onto the heath. Not for long though: first Supersaint, then Rob Little and Nick Barrable went past. I clung onto these guys as best I could, but they were shifting. Even allowing for their circuitous route to 6 they were getting away. I came straight into 6, which was a surprise as I thought I'd aimed off, but my exit from 7 was terrible and playing chicken with a wild horse (I won) lost me some time. Out into the open and I was catching Joe, who seemed to have slowed.

Next in line was Tim Britton and my direct route into 11 allowed me to sneak in front. Bad tactics - we'd just got to the tricky section in the rhodis. I slowed down but no one else seemed to know where we were either.... In fact, I did actually know where I was and really should have been a lot more decisive: a minute lost for no particular reason. Chose the longer, but much simpler route to 14 and pegged it, suddenly all alone. Up to the finish and 4th place. Pretty much as well as I could have gone on the day so fairly pleased. And loads of fun:)!

Roger "Footballing Dad Injury" G struggled a bit on such a fast area but Forest had another excellent run. Git. Although he was on the short gaffle. 5th in the end for Team Pru: fully fit, we should be in the mix at the JK.

wu Quite a good warm up, getting in the zone, quite excited.
wd round the National Motor Museum. Museums are so boring. And what a rip-off this one is. Even for a car geek like me. I'd rather go to a motor race any day. Think my favourite car was the Ferrari F40. They came out when I was a wee nipper you see: I used to really want one. Now I'm thinking about getting a diesel. What a disappointment I would be to that young lad.

Event: British Champs
 

UKCup1 at Hampton Ridge.

Superficially, this type of orienteering is easy. Open, fast, high visibility. Unfortunately I am unable to execute the required techniques well. I can't quite put my finger on what it is I am not good at. But since the skills required are probably running confidently, attacking, on an accurate bearing and visualisation of the control circle, it must be them. Mind you some of my route choices also sucked.

After a good warm up, during which it became clear that my new ankle supports were far too cumbersome and frankly unnecessary (For Sale: 1 left neoprene adjustable ankle support, size medium, 1 careful owner. All offers considered. 1 right neoprene adjustable ankle support, size medium, 1 careful owner. All offers considered.) I set off to 1. Everything went well until the confusing gorse around the control and the similar looking other control. Found without too much trouble though. I chose a very slow route to 4, through the marsh, but it was 6 I made a complete pig's ear of. I expected the control to be on the steep slope so ran up this and was then confused when it was not there. Puntered about, waiting for Speaky who got it easily and raced off. No tow for me. Since Scotia wasn't there, it was then a very lonely race.

The wood was lovely at 7 and 8, would have been a lot more fun in there. Faffed about in the gorse to 9 then took a terrible bearing to 11. 15 was the real problem though. Just didn't spot the control and ran into the next reentrant having spied one there. Then really bad management of the problem cost me dearly.

A mediocre performance and if this is what orienteering was about - a cross country race without the excitement of head-to-head racing - I would not be an orienteer for much longer.

good wu to start and running around and strides and things.
couldn't be arsed to wd.

-3

Travelling dahn saff.

-1

The New York Marathon is quite pricey. $242 pricey in fact. This is £166.88 at today's exchange rate. Eek! But it is a once in a lifetime experience...so I've decided to fund it by reducing my beer consumption. If an average pint is £2.50 then I need to drink 67 fewer pints than normal, before November 1, to fund my entry. That is 1.914 fewer pints each week.

I was going to start last night, but they'd already ordered my pint by the time I got there...

C • Pricey 2

Very easy run with the posse round hermitage, up to the reservoir, over the golf course and back through Bridge of Allan. Fraser wasn't quite so keen to go quite so easy. Freezing wind.

Had decided that I wasn't doing hill intervals today as they would be silly with tight calves from the cross country. Lard was keen though - he'd come all the way from the Canaries for this session. So I agreed, but decided to take the first killer hill easy. Felt pretty good in parts, muscles pretty tight now but.

Glad to get it done, thighs burning on the second set.

2.41 (1.53)
1.22 (1.23)
0.47 (4.31)

2.25 (2.37)
1.31 (1.37)
0.47

wu round loch and one lap
wd round hermitage and uni

flat to uni. Working from home the savo:)

a good stretch

C • ? 1