Training Log Archive: Rosco

BOC Relays Leg 1 for FVO Flyers, Cragg Estate and Chesterhope Common

Even though Will had kicked my ass yesterday, he'd talked himself out of selection for the top team. He would still be going up against me this morning though. With GG on last leg, Daniel and I had to keep us in the mix - and importantly in touch with Interlopers - for us to have a chance. A chance at the British title and a chance at the UK Relay League.

A fast open area, with intricate mine workings, it should play to my strengths. A fairly small field, but there is still hope for our sport - I was second-oldest to toe the line. (How did it come to this!?!)

So, to summarise; an old boy who's done virtually no training, weary from a major physical test the day before, who mispunched only last week for the fourth time this year, lines up against a field of strong runners (including his teammate whose place he took), the majority 10-15 years younger, several resting up specifically for this race, before handing over to the British and former World Champion. No pressure!

The pace was hard up the hill from the off, but with the short gaffle at one, I was right at the sharp end with Ben Stevens and some others through the early part of the course. Peter Bray passed a few times, looking sprightly.

We wavered slightly in the technical far end, stopping early for 10 particularly not helpful, the others, with a shorter gaffle here, hovered us up. Back up to 12, we were stringing out, the pace taking its toll, lungs burning, Alex, INT dammit, got past here, looking lighter than I felt. He was shifting, catching the guys up ahead, they missed at the spectator, bit careless that, allowing me to close on the train up the hill. Even better, to sneak in the shorter gaffle at 17, unfortunately Alex had that one too. Adam Potter shot past me along the track to 18 before Callum Roberts cheekily got me on the run in and I handed over to Daniel and collapsed.

So, back in 6th, but only 10 seconds down on 3rd, unfortunately 45 down on Interlopers, leaving the others just too much to do.

3rd a good result though and probably the maximum we could have expected against well-rested NOC and the dominant relay force of our time INT. Great fun now I've finished and know I didn't mispunch...

wu reasonable including drills

Event: British Orienteering Championships
 

BOC, Thrunton and Callaly, M35.

This was an epically rough slogfest, but I enjoyed the physicality of the challenge. I'm never going to excel when it is so, but I endeavoured to embrace that challenge and I battled on, manfully. I am, after all, a man.

I overcompensated though; too focused on running hard, too little care to execute sensible routes. Major scrappiness, losing time on: 1 (overly cautious), 2 (aiming off far too much), 5 (wrong way round house - too busy trying to get away from Jase to pause and look properly at map), 6 (unable to identify gap in green, went up too early), 7 (missed ride junction), 9 (wavering in circle), 12 (far too high), 16 (bad line), 17 (poor compass). So that's 9 small misses already.

And then I was knackered, so when it made no sense at 18 I just stood around for 2 minutes. And then for 19 I could no longer be arsed with the terrain so went down to the track and then fannyed around in the green looking for a rootstock with no great purpose. So those two misses dropped me down to 3rd on M35, behind Geoff and of course Will, who was always going to cuff me on this sort of terrain.

A proper long champs, but if orienteering was always like this I'm not sure I'd be hard enough for it.

wu to start
wd Jon dragged me round the field

Quick blast round the FVO WEE at Dunblane. No troubles, but felt really bad. Obviously not worse than anyone else though...

wu and wd with Jon.