Attackpoint - performance and training tools for orienteering athletes

Training Log Archive: Focus

In the 31 days ending May 31, 2009:

	activity	#	time	miles		km		+m
	Road biking	10	15:50:15	168.16		270.63
	Grass / road	14	9:20:55	46.59		74.98			14 /	18c	77%
	Orienteering	6	6:14:20	22.05		35.48		210	32 /	39c	82%
	Grass / road / terrain	2	3:35:00	21.9	(9:49)	35.25	(6:06)
	Tag rugby	2	1:04:00	1.9		3.05
	Swimming	1	50:00
	S & C	1	12:00
	Stretching	1	10:00
	Total	23	37:16:30	260.6		419.39		210	46 /	57c	80%
	[1-5]	23	36:54:30
averages - sleep:6.1

2:50

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Sunday May 31, 2009 #

Note

Shamrock Oringen day 2 splits.

Orienteering warm up/down 19:00 [2]

I did a short 10minute warm up on the trail with Marcus. And a cool down much later after my race on the road.

Orienteering race 1:31:04 [4] **** 9.85 km (9:15 / km)
shoes: Olway

I guessed the first control feature from the start box map! :) I've being trying that for years.

I started off grand, had to stop at the fence before number 4 to refix my nutrigrain bar. I had some fear from the IOC long bonk so i packed tonnes of jelly babies into my pants and a nutrigrain bar down my sock. In the end i gave my bar to Nick after the race, and also had a little celebration on the course when i saw my watch hit 80mins (i bonked on 73 in IOC).

control 5 was too much rough grass and marsh for me. I suffered on the uphill too until number 8. The long leg was good for me (apart from being much too slow on it), i kept revising my plan to cut the messing out and go straighter. I also checked myself coming down off the big hill in case i made an easy parallel error. I got to number 12 and saw Chris FF who started 3mins after me. Not only did he manage to pass me on the long leg but he was sauntering to number 13. Alas, he turned back towards number 10 which he had made a mistake on. So i ran alright half way to number 14 and made the biggest miss of the day by going a little off course. Finished the last two legs fast simply because they felt so enjoyable in through the semi open and rivers etc.
Not a terrible run but nothing special. Legs aren't strong enough this year for it, people like Gus and Justin May would still be able to take me on places like Carnawaddy.

Saturday May 30, 2009 #

Event: Shamrock O-Ringen

Note

Shamrock Oringen day 1 splits.

Orienteering warm up/down 10:00 [2]

Didn't do much of a warmup, didn't do any cool down.

Orienteering race 54:49 [4] **** 6.1 km (8:59 / km)
shoes: Olway

I couldn't say i pushed it hard today. The marshes just took the zip out from under me and I ran to minimise time lost in the 'open mountain qualifier races' for the Shamrock chasing start.. With the exception of a silly miss on number 13 my navigation was decent enough. I had the awful feeling of having to relocate all the way back to the previous control.
Of course i also missed the finish like everyone else.

Friday May 29, 2009 #

Note

Irish Sprint championships splits.

Grass / road 31:55 [2] *** 3.24 km (9:51 / km)
spiked:14/18c shoes: Olway

This event was just a means to get a light jog in to loosen out the muscles for Shamrock. I was the first one out in the terrain turning on all the boxes. Maybe once or twice i forgot that i wasn't supposed to be pushing but mostly i was just prancing along.

Thursday May 28, 2009 #

Note
slept:11.0 (rest day)

slleeeeeeepppp
reeeessssstttttttttt
I have my life back. But just can't get it out of bed right now.

C • sleep 4

Note

The best brunch in Dublin.

C • Disappointing. . . 2

Wednesday May 27, 2009 #

Road biking 38:00 [2] 15.35 km (2:29 / km)
ahr:129 max:149 slept:4.0 shoes: Specialised

5am spin from home to DCU.
Final exam ever today, Supply chain management.

Road biking 53:00 [1] 15.65 km (3:23 / km)
shoes: Specialised

DCU to home

Grass / road 34:00 [2] * 5.52 km (6:10 / km)
ahr:144 max:164 shoes: Asics 2

Run down the N11 with a Black lakes map.

Tuesday May 26, 2009 #

Grass / road warm up/down 24:00 [2] 3.96 km (6:04 / km)
ahr:134 max:150 shoes: Asics 2

Grass / road tempo 15:00 [4] 3.69 km (4:04 / km)
ahr:174 max:182 shoes: Asics 2

N11 down to Cabinteely.

C • Hillwood? 4

Monday May 25, 2009 #

Note
(rest day)

Sunday May 24, 2009 #

Orienteering 51:00 [3] 6.96 km (7:20 / km)
ahr:143 max:169 shoes: Asics 2

Run from Cruagh wood up to Glendoo mountain and down again. No point wasting a glorious sunny day on a run in a park.

Saturday May 23, 2009 #

Road biking 36:00 [2] 15.37 km (2:21 / km)
ahr:137 max:155 slept:4.5 shoes: Specialised

6am spin through the city.
Software Process Improvement exam this morning.

Road biking 17:00 [1] 5.52 km (3:05 / km)
ahr:109 max:146 shoes: Specialised

Dcu to town. Stopped for 50mins for coffee and was feeling a bit exhausted from this past week. But wanted badly to get a run in today. Will keep it short because i'm a bit shattered.

Road biking 35:00 [2] 9.98 km (3:30 / km)
ahr:129 max:160 shoes: Specialised

Town to home.

Grass / road 33:00 [3] 6.28 km (5:15 / km)
ahr:151 max:168 shoes: Asics 2

Ran up to the M50 at Leopardstown and found a gap in a fence. Ran alongside the M50 on some kinda short heather and broken ground for a little bit. It wasn't too close to the road which was useful.
Lay in the sun afterwards satisfied with my big exam this morning and a hectic week of final exams. One more on Wednesday.

I'm very tired. Need sleep and a fresher body for next weekend.

Friday May 22, 2009 #

Note
(rest day)

(study day)

I have my 3rd exam tomorrow morning. Anyone want to train on bull island after lunch tomorrow?

Thursday May 21, 2009 #

Road biking 40:00 [2] 15.85 km (2:31 / km)
ahr:127 max:158 slept:6.75 shoes: Specialised

5am cruise through the city.
Operations research exam this morning.

Road biking warm up/down 50:00 [2] 15.24 km (3:17 / km)
ahr:140 max:169 shoes: Specialised

DCU to the base of the Alp, at the M50.

Road biking hills 18:15 [5] 4.95 km (3:41 / km)
ahr:170 max:187 shoes: Specialised

Bike up the Alp d'Wicklow with an Auzzie mate and him on his "training bike". For the first time ever i could take him. But on the last few hundred meters my heart rate edged too close to the maxHR, and i decided that i would prefer to contain that final push for a proper race. Train don't strain mr.Lydiard says. Nice to know the legs feel good, but i would have prefered to run instead.

Road biking hills 21:00 [4] 5.27 km (3:59 / km)
ahr:157 max:176 shoes: Specialised

Free wheel back down the hill and then from another road started again and met the Alp after a few hundred meters. Back up the Alp but not too hard.

This time Chris and I had a chance to talk, made plans for doing an Alp D'Huez weekend camp in September. I'm going to tie that in with WOC2011 training in Grenoble and have myself a fun little week.

C • Think your man enough? 2

Road biking warm up/down 34:00 [2] 12.3 km (2:46 / km)
ahr:127 max:152 shoes: Specialised

cool down home via Pings for a well deserved thai green curry after such a manic day.

Note

I guess a 3:1 ratio of biking to running would mean i trained for an hour today roughly.

Wednesday May 20, 2009 #

Note
(rest day)

I could have cycled to college, but didn't have time to wake up to the idea since i had to rush in on a bus having overslept (10hours sleep). 4hours sleep the night before isn't good when there are more exams to be studied for.
I should have foreseen this week to be a failure for training and not taken a rest day on last Friday. Ah well, should have would have could have.

Tuesday May 19, 2009 #

Road biking 40:00 [2] 15.36 km (2:36 / km)
ahr:127 max:143 slept:4.0 shoes: Specialised

Lovely 6am ride through town to college with no traffic lights, well none that i had to stop for at this time in the morning.

Road biking 49:00 [2] 15.3 km (3:12 / km)
ahr:127 max:158 shoes: Specialised

Grass / road warm up/down 25:00 [1] 3.9 km (6:25 / km)
ahr:133 max:146 shoes: Olway

Grass / road intervals 15:00 [5] 5.0 km (3:00 / km)
ahr:179 max:186 shoes: Olway

I did intervals in Cabinteely. 10x90seconds, 90seconds walk recovery.
Databases exam finished this morning, and it went ok. I only got 4hours sleep however. It was pretty weird to be eating a second breakfast at 8am, the first being at 5am.

Monday May 18, 2009 #

Note
(rest day)

My final year exams start this week. 3 exams this week, 1 next week. I'm trying to run 9hours this week but just don't know how if it's going to be close to 9 at all.

Note

Forget 9 hours! College comes first this week.
I'm in super stressed out mode for my finals. I'll start tapering for the Shamrock and Finland tour. It won't really be a big deal. Might have to do my speed work tomorrow on teh bike though.

Sunday May 17, 2009 #

Grass / road / terrain long 2:05:00 [2] 20.09 km (6:13 / km)
ahr:146 max:167 shoes: Asics 2

Long run out to Killiney and back.
I did a few stretches, press ups, and sit ups afterwards. Not enough to log.

Saturday May 16, 2009 #

Grass / road warm up/down 18:00 [2] 2.7 km (6:40 / km)
ahr:137 shoes: Asics 2

6min warm up, 12min cool down

Grass / road 1:00:00 [3] 11.5 km (5:13 / km)
ahr:155 max:169 shoes: Asics 2

Cabinteely run.

Friday May 15, 2009 #

Note
(rest day)

Its a good sign when on your rest day you'd prefer to go out for 10-15km. I think next year i'll reduce my full rest days and do more slow recovery runs, bike rides, swims. But today i could use the free time for extra study.

Thursday May 14, 2009 #

Road biking warm up/down 21:00 [2] 7.0 km (3:00 / km)
ahr:129 max:146 shoes: Specialised

home to Blackrock rugby club for game, then home at the end.

Grass / road warm up/down 34:00 [1] 2.8 km (12:09 / km)
ahr:136 max:152 shoes: Adidas boots

20m warmup before and 15m cool down after. Running around those small rugby pitches is incredibly boring!

Tag rugby 26:00 [4] 3.05 km (8:31 / km)
ahr:148 max:186 shoes: Adidas boots

Played tag rugby with the Newtown Jets. I didn't get as much game time as I had hoped and the avHR was taken over a 44minute period. Still, it was a fun way to do fartlek type running.
Here is my gps tracks for the game.

Wednesday May 13, 2009 #

Grass / road / terrain long 1:30:00 [2] 15.16 km (5:56 / km)
ahr:144 max:163 shoes: Asics 2

Jog to Killiney and back.

S & C 12:00 [0]

Stretching 10:00 [0]

Tuesday May 12, 2009 #

Grass / road warm up/down 16:00 [1] 2.4 km (6:40 / km)
ahr:127 max:148 shoes: Asics 2

Warm up with Colm Moran.
The front of my right foot was a little sore here for some reason. But ceased when i started the course.

Orienteering race 35:27 [4] *** 7.37 km (4:49 / km)
ahr:178 max:185 spiked:18/23c shoes: Olway

The curragh CNOC evening series race planned by Colm Hill. Long course: 6.5km.
Course was a nice mix of short, medium and long legs with a crazy part near the end that had tonnes of short controls. Scale was unnecessarily put to 1:7500. I like this area the most in the Curragh. I was aiming to break 5mins per km but when i got out onto the course i wasn't prepared to increase the speed for it as i was happy enough running this as a tempo training. I probably lost 45seconds on slight misses. I found the trenches tough going, not the first 10 or so of them it was after going down and up 30ish when i started to notice it was better to minimise the trench running.
Good middle distance training with so many controls!

Here is the map.
Winsplits

Grass / road warm up/down 21:00 [1] 2.4 km (8:45 / km)
ahr:130 max:145 shoes: Olway

Cool down with Christian FF. My groins started to get sore now after the run.

Monday May 11, 2009 #

Road biking 40:00 [2] 15.5 km (2:35 / km)
ahr:120 max:152 (injured)

Recovery ride into DCU. Stopped for coffee and again to buy some shoes.
Still can't feel knee when cycling so that's good, still hurts though so i'm seeing a phsysio this afternoon.

Road biking 45:00 [2] 16.7 km (2:42 / km)
ahr:134 max:156

DCU to the physio close to the canal, and then home. Physio said I could run since there is no pain when running. It seems to be some bruising or whatever of tissue or even of the bone, it's sore to touch but it's not going to stop me from training until it heals so i can get on with things. Great news!!

Grass / road 53:00 [3] 9.49 km (5:35 / km)
ahr:148 max:166 shoes: Asics 2

Ran down to and around Cabinteely and back. My groins were incredibly tight, i wonder if it's from the biking i've being doing.

Iced knee: 1 time.

Sunday May 10, 2009 #

Road biking 2:50:00 [3]
(injured)

Went out thinking i'd test the knee up until Kilternan and then just decided to keep going. Lovely warm day on the bike, seeing lots of good O areas to train in this winter and making lots of plans for O training with Dublin Orienteers.

Rode to Kilternan then up through Glencullen to Pine forest. Turned left passing by Cruagh wood and turned left at the junction towards the sally gap direction and went all the way to the top of the Glencree valley. Turned around at Lough Bray lower and came home. Never felt the knee once when cycling so i can keep this up until the knee heels. Hopefully i'll be running again by Wednesday i think.

Muscles ached alot less today but still a bit tender. No more tag for me this summer i think. I'll do fartlek in Killiney instead. Anyone want to join?

Saturday May 9, 2009 #

Note
(injured) (rest day)

My upper legs and waist, and to a lesser extent my upper body, ached the entire day. I woke up in the morning thinking I was smack in the middle of a flu, alas it was muscle ache from the jerking and sprinting I did in tag rugby. This is exactly why i didn't join my tag team before now. Might not rejoin them next week in case I feel like playing fast again.
I would have liked to have done some recovery training but wanted a full days rest for the right knee before I begin alternative training. I'll probably do biking tomorrow even though its not hurting me when running.

Iced: 1 time
Heat pack: 1 time

C • The Best Medical Equipment 1

Friday May 8, 2009 #

Note
(injured)

The right knee is alot better from after a sleep, but still some soreness.
After lunch time the soreness was same as after the game yesterday.

Iced: 3 times.

Road biking warm up/down 14:00 [1] 5.1 km (2:45 / km)
ahr:121 max:143

Just a recovery cycle around the block to loosen out my aching muscles after the tag game as i'm not used to that type of exercise. Knee wasn't affected by the ride.

Swimming 50:00 [3]

Swam down in Glenalbyn, avHR was (very) roughly 150bpm. Stretched out the legs afterwards. I found out they've just gotten rid of their sauna which was sad news.
Did my fair share of oooing and ahhing today from after that tag match yesterday.

Thursday May 7, 2009 #

Road biking 42:00 [2] 15.3 km (2:45 / km)
ahr:128 max:157

Home to DCU. Stopped for 15mins in town to drink a coffee and read a running book that Pat McCavana gave me.

Road biking 37:00 [3]
ahr:139 max:161

DCU to UCD

Grass / road warm up/down 15:00 [2]
ahr:147 max:162 shoes: Adidas boots

Straight off bike quick enough and did a run around the football pitches to warmup

Tag rugby 38:00 [5]
shoes: Adidas boots

I played tag rugby up in UCD for the Newtown Jets. This was more like a fartlek session, great workout. But i knocked my right knee off another guys knee and its sore. I'm icing it now and lucky enough i planned on swimming tomorrow and biking on Saturday anyway.
No interesting Garmin stats. The ref penalised me for wearing my watch on the pitch, in fairness it's a bloody refridgerator.

Road biking 19:00 [2] 5.09 km (3:44 / km)
ahr:133 max:150

Went to the pub for a coca cola and then maybe an hour later I got on my bike and did some sort of a cool down home from UCD. But my knee was a little sore and boy does my arse hurt from all the cycling that i'm not used to.

Note
(injured)

Iced knee twice. First time didn't really work so well.

Wednesday May 6, 2009 #

Road biking 43:00 [2] 15.3 km (2:49 / km)
ahr:133 max:170

Ride into college through the city centre. Stopped for double espresso yum. I realised I stupidly changed my diet for the week before IOC. STUPID! Time to eat what i normally eat and get back for Shamrockness.

Road biking 1:28:00 [3] 44.5 km (1:59 / km)
ahr:137 max:163

Rode from DCU to Bull island to Howth and then home. Bit windy on way back and was eating lots of jelly babies.

Tuesday May 5, 2009 #

Grass / road 1:25:00 [3]
shoes: Asics 2

Oh my god I ran over 70minutes today! Need to finish college now, 4 weeks left! I had considered stopping training but Colm Moran pulled me up on my own rule that you don't need to stop training during big academic years and exams. But i might be subbing runs for bike rides to college and back or swims and tag rugby. I'll aim for no less than 5 trainings a week.

Found a new training route to Killiney on trails and rockface/grass land. Went all the way to the top of Killiney. Jogged back, hit the bike shop for some powerbars and finished feeling good.

Also the plans have begun for next years IOC. Can't expect to be a good orienteer with 5-6 sesssions on a map a month. For the rest of this season i'm just going to have fun being fit and get ready for hard training this winter like i did when i was 20, but without the injuries.

Monday May 4, 2009 #

Note
(rest day)

IOC relays were on today but I needed to work on an assignement due in this evening that wasn't going well. Even leaving the community center at 1/2pmish i was a nervous wreck thinking i'd never get it done. Finally in the car ride home the pieces came together, and in the last few hours I did some speed waffle.

Sunday May 3, 2009 #

Orienteering race 1:10:00 [4] ****
shoes: Olway

Who bonks after 70minutes?! Apparently I do. I ate a normal breakfast and even topped up on bread. Maybe i lacked the fats and other stuff? I don't know, i'm going to have to reread my nutrition books and sort my diet out.

I only made one 60second mistake on the course but other than that I was doing fine. I didn't have the strength I was hoping for but kept plodding along and just trying to orienteer on instinct without thinking too much about what i'm doing. Navigation wasn't a problem, speed was too slow and i couldn't do anything about it. Seemed to work, until on my way to number 10 my speed dropped fast and I was at granny pace. Then after the control on the way to 11 it happened very quickly that I just couldn't go on running. I think even the stopping induced more fatigue, but so would more running so either way i was at the end of my steam. I went to the 11th control just to finish the leg and then turn back. I was thinking of going on as a walk, but the climb up to 12 was literally impossible for me to do. It might have taken me 45minutes to finish the course i though so feck that i came home. Long walk out of the terrain and nearly got hypothermic with the cold chilly wind. From now on i'll try to start bringing some food with me for a race.

Winsplits for the race - http://85.89.72.58/winsplits/online/en/default.asp...

C • Winsplits? 11

Grass / road warm up/down 25:00 [3] 4.0 km (6:15 / km)
shoes: Olway

After Marlena Healy gave me chocolate and jelly babies at the finish i was able to run again, only real motivation to start running again was to not get hypothermia so jogged down to car, stuffed my face with food and a protein bar and fell asleep for some time. Woke up and my feet were frozen solid almost. After getting dressed and trying not to agrivate my left thigh from cramping in the car while changing i went up to download and wasn't welcomed in by Frank and Deirdre Ryan who literally just printed out the results list for the prize giving. But I MP'd so didn't affect there stuff.

Saturday May 2, 2009 #

Event: Irish Orienteering Championships

Grass / road warm up/down 34:00 [2] 4.5 km (7:33 / km)
ahr:150 max:160 shoes: Olway

Orienteering race 43:00 [4] *** 5.2 km (8:16 / km) +210m 6:53 / km
ahr:181 max:191 spiked:14/16c shoes: Olway

IOC middle distance in Donegal.
Ran: 6.18km

Started fine for first leg. Missed number 2 to the left but i think it was placed further down in the reentrant. Lost 10secs. 3 was fine. 4 was a massive mistake. Took wrong route choice, should have gone up and over. But i missed the control in the circle aswell. lost 3.5 to 4mins. Not sure of my official race time. Rest of controls were just training for the long but decided to keep the race pace. Last few controls were dead easy and there was no hope of gaining any lost time back.

Winsplits - http://85.89.72.58/winsplits/online/en/default.asp...

Friday May 1, 2009 #

Grass / road 22:00 [1] * 3.6 km (6:07 / km)
ahr:132 max:147 shoes: Asics 2

Took an easy jog from the BnB, in Donegal, down the road and back.

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