Training Log Archive: Bashman

Long Steady - Mass Start - Torsnes

Wasn't sure how I would cope after the last few days but my legs were responding well in the end. Quite snowy in the area and very cold to begin with, but the sun soon warmed things up.

Started at a prescribed easy pace with everyone which withing 5 seconds turned out to be my race pace. Played along until the front pack disappeared and I eased down the intensity a bit running with Fredrik and eventually Mats. Caught them up after taking my own route to 4 and took the lead going to 6. Immediately made a stupid mistake and felt guilty as Fredrik followed me in. After this, him and Mats took their round route to 7 leaving me on my own.

I was quite happy to spend some time buliding my own confidence, just like Friday night. What I didn't realised is that I was ahead of the other two, and so after some good legs on the east side going slowly at my own pace, I lost 2mins on 12 misreading the contours and let them slip by. Caught them at the road crossing very smoothly as they ran by while I was joining the road and then ran the last loop with Fredrik, first exchanging the lead several times but eventually bonking and drafting him for the rest of the course after 17.

Good training - navigation and confidence getting there but not sure I would have been able to run much faster in a race, let alone the 20mins faster Gaute managed to stomp round in. Skiing might have been in the legs but didn't feel too bad generally. Anyway, good to get a long orienteering session in before JK and hopefully more signs that things are continuously improving. Certainly enjoyed this very much; probably helped by the large group of people participating and the beautiful weather.

https://events.loggator.com/F6f9Eg
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Floorball
Great few matches with a good turnout, so full court. Scored a cheeky knock-in on the third game and a dreamer of a goal from distance just before the end of the fourth and final. Quite tired but not too bad, and very enjoyable as always. Might be the last week they do it unfortunately, but maybe for the best as the O season begins.
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Long Easy/Steady

Weather was too good to miss out on - clear blue sky all weekend. So booked another skibussen to Mylla Dam on Friday at work, woke up at 5:30am on Saturday and got out for [probably] one last shot this winter.

Started off struggling significantly. Seemed to have pulled a muscle in my hip yesterday, as well as my wrist growing increasingly swollen and a blister soon developing in my heal. Wasn't enjoying it all that much being very sleepy and sore but soon woke up as the sun rose higher and I began to consume vast quantities of snacks. Gave a few people some help with directions since I had been there last week, to which one of them humorously remarked about how funny it was to get help from a British person. Headed a different way after the initial 10km intro, and was met with a huge lake - Gjerdingen, a few km long, almost all to myself. Weird to think how many metres of ice and water were below my skis, felt quite isolated and vulnerable to any crevasses I was able to imagine at this stage so was happy to soon meet some people.

I got the waxing quite wrong to begin with. It was well below -10c in the shade and so very sticky snow. This made going quite frustrating, even more so down any hills where the snow felt like glue. It soon either warmed up, or the wax wore off though, and so going was a bit easier. Stopped for lunch at the top of a pretty long climb at about half way and had a good chat with someone I met there. The food and socialising woke me up a bit and from then on, with the help of a very cool downhill section, I began to enjoy it.

Cut the initial plan a bit shorter and opted for some long, flat lake sections. Skis and body grew faster and I began to get competitive with a few slightly more advanced skiers. Sun was blazing at this point and a tshirt was enough in the sunlight even if it was well below zero - quite a comfortable setup in terms of avoiding overheating. Put in a good shift across to Kikut and stopped for a few more snacks. Bailed most of the way down the infamous slope to the lake. Then a final very nice section of flat piste, informally racing even more this time, before perhaps the best track of the day. Some great downhills dispersed with a few tough climbs which were somewhat welcome as a chance to 'walk'. Had to bail at one point for a granny who was blocking the path - gave her a bit of a fright with my wipe out. Stopped at Ullevalseter hut and met an English couple; nice to talk to some people from back home for the first time in a while.

Final stretch to Songsvan was tough as I began to bonk. But took it fairly relaxed, except for the final long downhill where I raced what seemed to be a whole kindergarten class to the bottom (gravity was on my side and I very proudly took the win). Finished at the tram station, piled into BK in Oslo Centrum, train home, back in time for dinner, perfect day out.

Hopefully this Instagram post can reinforce my statement.

A post shared by Alexander Chepelin (@alex.chepelin) on Mar 17, 2018 at 12:50pm PDT

Somewhat upset that the winter is over on the XC skiing side of things. Then again, the incessant cold is getting quite annoying and I'm looking forward to some more exciting orienteering as the snow clears from the better terrains in Halden. Might still take a few more weeks though...!
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FSK Night Training - Mass start

Really decent experience, doesn't get much better than this in terms of quality. Out at the back of the pack to number one, getting my head into the map. Lost a fair bit of time by not pushing harder so was playing catch up a little bit on the first few, but orienteering cleanly (not doing too much work myself though). Then hit leg 7 and was confused why no one was heading straight. Wasted some time fumbling, should have just stuck at it.

Soon found myself on my own which was actually probably a good thing. Huge confidence built from orienteering cleanly for a few controls and going through people one by one. Hit the road sections with one other guy from FSK and dragged ourselves up a few more places. Took a few cheeky shortcuts in the final loop and when everyone got themselves lost on 17 I was proud to relocate first. Screwed up the next one but that's irrelevant.

Witnessed someone jumping down a crag way too high for a sane person to consider after this, and overtook him on the final long leg to the last control. Legs reacted well and delivered some good pace here. Heard him coming back behind me but turned out to be Emil, who nipped ahead just before the finish.

Very happy with how it went. About 4mins off the winner which is still a lot but the terrain was very tricky. Compared to the O of the last few weeks I've made some good improvements, mostly in technique but feeling much more chill physically too. Hopefully can continue this in the next few weeks.\

https://events.loggator.com/LundeH
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C • chilled 2

C • Terrain 2

Easy/Steady

Finally reached the "not sure if skiing or running" kind of pace, helped with some very icy tracks tonight. Sunny all day and the temperature plummeted at sunset so no surprise.

Enjoyed double poling almost all the way round the loop but didn't appreciate the hard impact when I fell once or twice. Hit a new PB round the lap by 2mins at about 10:25. Then had an great time descending the hill at the end but found it a bit tricky to get back up.
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ITW
Had to turn and head back home because I forgot my boxers.
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HFW
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WU
Down to intervals and a few laps.
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Rodsparken Intervals - 2*8, 2*6, 2*4 [2]

Much more interesting this week with a bigger lap taking in a real hill. Just about enjoyable, sticking in behind Emil for all the reps except he slightly pulled away in the last few where my stomach wasn't playing ball, and my top end intensity isn't quite there.

Strangely felt really relaxed on the climbs, and often was able to catch up with Emil a bit, not expected considering my HFs felt like they were tearing on the way down the hill (to the point I nearly pulled out the last rep).

Easy day with some skiing tomorrow before what should be another cool weekend. Blue skies forecasted till the end of the week!
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C • Climb 2

WD
Slog back up the hill with Hanna.
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Easy
Slightly less tired but still a bit sore going down to work. On the plus side, I believe once I am recovered from this it would take a chainsaw to injure my hip flexors. Few strides thrown in at the end med heavy bag.
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Sprintervals - Halden Centrum
No nighto on unfortunately, but with all the deep slush it would have probably been quite grim. Hit some snow free streets for the first time this year instead, and ran three longer intervals at a ploddy pace, saving for tomorrow. First one warming up, slightly steadier at times. Then did an interesting strides session on the second where the stride would involve entering, punching and exiting controls. Then a map memory exercise on the final one. Doing okay, just not very agile.
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WD
Via the shop. Realised probably 80% of my exercise these days involves some kind of weight on my back. Hopefully has the effect of taking the handbrake off when I get to racing...!
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ITW
Very painful. Snow melting into slush as well now, good but another cold spell round the corner...
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Easy
Slightly less destroyed but struggling on any kind of slope. Melting snow made for tough going. Big bag of shopping for the last few hundred metres. Bit of core once I got hope in place for spenst today, won't have survived any more.
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