Training Log Archive: ndobbs

Vilnius 2008
Day 2
After a 10th place yesterday, the Lithuanians put me firmly in my place today... 10th place was 72:51 today, winner 64:49. I couldn't have run 72, but 15 minutes faster was probably possible.

I ran well to the 4th, small mistake at the fifth, big en route to 6, huge (over 3 mins) at 7... 8 was slow but I read myself back into the map... ok 9, 10, 11... 12 I blame the map in part. 17 big mistake again

room for improvement :(

lithuanians are damn good at lithuanian orienteering :)

Vilnius 2008
Day 1 (Sprint)
1:5000 map.
Flew to Vilnius as buses/trains didn't suit... bus in to Tomas' office and he drove me out in the rain to the event.

Wasn't particularly happy with my run, but idd well, which may be a good sign.

Spiked controls 1 through 5 at high speed, after 4 leader 2:01, me 2:14, dropped another 5 secs to leader on the 5th, then started losing a few more seconds.... 4:18 v 5:13 at the 9th... still no mistakes, just a few hesitations... slightly off line on the 11th, first mistake at the 12th losing 20 seconds maybe incl slower running? ... another 10 on 13... 7:25 v 9:16
then picked it up again - 55 v 58 on the 14th despite being uphill in green!
12:05 v 14:20 at 16
then i started losing time a bit more consistently? after the 17th, got all the remaining controls cleanly, but lost time on the long leg by a dodgy route to 19... 19:50 v 23:39, 3:49 down... only lost 26 seconds in the next 4.5 minutes... it got easier :)

it was quite a technical course, so by only missing two controls (12,13) and not by much... and by not makinga complete haims of the longer legs, I got a pretty good result.
Tenth place in Lithuania when all the top guys are there is not so bad... it was medal standard for Irish champs...

guh

another semi-typical day:
don't sleep particularly well, and don't feel 100% so don't feel guitly about sttaying in bed till after 10 am... breakfast finishes at 11 and straight to polish class...
which finishes at 2... back to the ranch, decide not time to run, eat, shower and get to the institute in time for GS' colloquim talk, so I go to the institute, eat half a banana and a couple of biscuits before the talk in the hope of running not too long after...
only get home several hours later... collapse on the couhc for another 40 minutes before going for a gentle gentle jog... started feeling better halfway through...
eating lunch/dinner at 10pm

I need to get a routine, or out of warsaw, or something...

Vilnius this weekend

C • If you are going to Vilnius... 2

warsaw.
garmin battery died 10 mins in, so don't kno if it ws exactly 15 mintes I ran fast in two blocks of two with a big slow patch in between

Vague plans are starting to form for the summer... possibly skipping WC/Oringen to run OOcup in Slovenia... which would lead on nicely to the French 6days (with a possible trip to Aydat in between?)

Decided my orienteering last weekend at the Irish Champs (I know, reports to follow...) wasn't really any much better than three or four years ago, which is pretty shameful. I think I am now capable of orienteering much better, attacking a course... but I need practice, a little more fitness and some mental training/head rewiring...

I'm not sure where hill training is going to come from in the next month or two, nor in the next year in Sweden... but I should learn to O at speed.

Short term, there are three-day events two weekends in a row which is a good start, first in/near Vilnius, then at the Baltic Cup in the North of Poland. I should be getting public transport out to local maps here midweek, but motivation is middling...

C • Can you tame "The Monster"! 2

north along river. easy...
did a little core strength beforehand

lots of people on bikes again. only two other runners... maybe runners get up early :)

again, not unpleasant place to run but compared to ireland it's depressing. Maybe I need training partners...