Training Log Archive: Mark Two

Monday night run with the usual crew plus Alice. From Keith's, across the Downs, down Goat Gully, along the Avon, up thru' Shirehampton golf course to Blaise, down the Trym and back via Stoke Lodge fields ( shocked to see they had been fenced off - https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/fe... ) and Hollybush lane.

Very enjoyable run.

C • The gates are open 1

Warm up jog to start. Actually left things a bit tight, and only just got there in time for my start. Perhaps contributed to my error on 1 - not mentally properly set ?

Short Brown on Hampsfell. A much better performance. Nice smooth route gadget line.

Biggest error was no 1. Very short leg , and I was caught out by the fact that you almost needed to turn back on yourself from the map pick up /start kite. On reflection presumably why the maps were placed right by the start kite after a short run out - to make sure everyone did go to the start kite and not cut off. Fortunately there was a field corner which caught me, but even then , I didn't want to believe I was so far off, and turned wrong way, before convincing myself that had to be what I was looking at and I turned the right way. My comment when I got to the control at the same time as Hazel Dean ( who started 1 min ahead of me) , was that they had the start kite in the wrong place. In fact of course it was me - as my GPS trace showed. Should have stopped to set myself properly as soon as I picked up the map and realised I needed a sharp turn rather than just charging on. Planner 1, Mark 0.

After that good. A bit of a hesiation on the trickiest control on the course - 17, where I needed to remind myself that the marked cairn, was likely to be significantly larger than the 2 foot ones we had last week.

Rare victory over Clive and Chloe. Clive still suffering with a cold, tho he was well ahead of me until he made a large error on 17.

Jog up to the start.

Long middle ( I ran Brown ) at Haverthwaite heights. Such a great area. Shame I wasn't particulalry great. Not precise enough with direction on some controls ditto height judgement. Having said that, biggest time loss was one where they hadn't cut the circle and obscured a hill next to the one with my control leaving me quite confused.

Twmbarlwm with Alice

Swansea Intervals. Trying to get these going again. Got Oscar, William, Iestyn, Catrin and Megan S along this week as well as us old gits. So a good start. Hope they maintain their enthusiasm. Should be easier when the clocks change and we get to run by Three Cliffs Bay.

For this week, Mumbles hill and relatively short - dark by the end, and a session like this a novelty for many of them - 4 * 2.10 - in terms of hard efforts. They all seemed to enjoy it.

SWOC street O from Canton. Made a bit of a fundamental error in forgetting to bring my headlight. It made reading the map, and clue sheet somewhat tricky.