Training Log Archive: PaulT

Hotel Gym @ Cincy

Spain. Picked up hire bike and made short orientation ride around Mar Menar. Flat, windy, built-up but shorts, sunshine and a bonus display from Spanish Red Arrows. It makes such a difference not to have mudguards and three layers of thermals. Head for the hills tomorrow

CSC Slaley
Expectations of the area were low, but much of it was surprisingly pleasant. Had problems at two early controls where many others also had difficulty.
#1 - flag at bottom of deep pit with indistinct ditch leading away from it. In hindsight I was nowhere near disciplined enough .... but it was bingo.
#3 - flag appeared way right of where I and others had paced to ... not sure what to make of it or what to do differently.
Binned over three minutes at those two but fairly clean after that. Took conservative route on long leg to give an easy approach , after a start-line warning that the 'shallow re-entrant' was, er, flat. It was actually a strong feature so could have made a straighter approach. Had a couple of legs where I fleetingly felt some flow which was a buzz. Anyway not bad for a cyclist!

And we're in the final. First time since '96 apparently. Whilst it's a bit fortuitous (SYO and AIRE allocated separate heats), it makes up for all those years trailing around YH and NE being thrashed by SYO and narrowly beaten by AIRE. Roll on Forest of Dean.

Neasham then back to Danby.
Felt easy for first 2.5, after which it seemed alot harder - just ran out of fuel. Legs felt great though.
Stunning views of short eared owls near Danby.

Cleveland Tri at Prissick

Recovery loop to Butt Lane.... in the light.
Stretches.

Sportive advanced week 19 Weds session.
BCWU, 5 (on 4/6),10 (on 3/6),10(2),10(3),5(4), cd. Tough sweaty session .

Solo ride on the flat lands. Fairly steady as am uneasy about this shingles rash, although it is fading rapidly.
Trying to pace over the short climbs which is becoming more familiar now. Unpleasant coold, drizzly headwind for last 90 minutes.

BNC, Tankersley.

Having not started an O race since October, done no training, been away all week with a torrid return flight and jetlag, still with a shingles rash, it would have been easy to stay at home on the sofa for the remaining rugby. But I am so so glad to have gone to the event. Technical night orienteering on challenging but fair courses on a good map - what better challenge can UK orienteering offer? If I had started with any high expectations at all then I would be really disappointed in my own performance, but it was so enjoyable just to be there. Two caffeine stops required on the journey home though.

In view of all this, I tried to be really defensive until used to the map, taking linear features to strong attack points wherever possible.

#1,2,3,4 - no errors, just deliberate, long, slow routes.
#7 - aimed off to a fence, but was dragged way too far 'off' and had to battle back through grot
#9 - distracted mid leg, and gps shows I took a 90 left for some reason ...... (lack of) practice
#14 - Thought I chose sensible (flat, right, easy) route on longer leg
#24 - distracted by adjacent control. Amateur.
#26 (final control) - lamp went out half way! Luckily had pictured ahead and there was enough ambient light and other people to find the final control.

Other than that, generally safe and OK although ever really got to grips with the 45degree-ness of the map. I'd love to have another go running straighter, with more confidence. When I did that (10,14,15 etc), it generally went well. Felt like an old man running, and will have to do at least some speed and technique training before forthcoming 'A' events when there are stronger fields.

Fantastic time by Rachel on similar (same?) course shows what was possible.

C • 'Felt like an old man' 3

Travel

Gym bike. Minute intervals, working hard

Elliptical (or is it?) trainer in gym. Sweaty hilly 45min program, then stretch.

AS Level applied maths question (1 mark, 10 minutes):
One end of a horizontal rod length l is freely connected to the lowest point on the circumference of a freely rotating circle, radius r. The other end of the rod is connected to the lower end of a vertical pendulum length p which is free to pivot about its upper end.
l > p > r and l > (p + r )

Describe the locus of the midpoint of the rod as the pendulum oscillates.

Static bike in Hotel; no clips/straps.

CW Sunday run. Disjointed start with various mechanicals and faffing in the group. Sorted out towards the end. Felt fine. Should have the nerve to go with faster group next time out.

Another week coming up in US. Unlikely to get any daylight hours free but the hotel has a good gym. Only aim is to return no heavier, so plan to get an hour done in the gym each morning. Returning overnight Friday/Saturday is less than ideal prep for BNC but seeing as I last orienteered in October, that should make little difference. Lamp charged, gear packed and ready; really looking forward to Tankersley at night and not getting confused by those 45 degree North lines.

Lunchtime loop. So good to be out on dry roads wuth warm feet.
Steady effort up climbs. Spinning smoothly after all the turbo work, but not looking ahead much.