Training Log Archive: Focus

I just got home from three days of O around the West Cork type mountains at the Shamrock Oringen. I managed to run all courses to the end. When i entered i thought i'd be bringing out a packed lunch. I only entered M21E because i wanted the hardest course on offer for technical enjoyment. My body performed way better than i thought it would. I've been doing swing dancing pretty intensively since January. I'd say since February i've been doing it 10-15 hours a week. It explains some core strength and endurance at the Shamrock. But i figure the reason i feel like a runner even though i've done under 30mins a week of running for a year now is that the dancing is like skipping. That must be why. I still have my back problem every few weeks coming up to say hello. But even when i dance i never get pain. It actually takes pain away. When i hit up the club with a stiff back i leave feeling much looser. It's been great having a substitute for O and running but i'm hoping with more gym work i can very slowly bring back more running and perhaps cycling. I miss real exercise and the highs from it. But the big high was Crohane mountain this weekend. Love that place and map.

Crohane Lake.
The first half in the open mountain was great and i didn't miss. The second half in the forest was crap as anticipated. The white and light green were about the same runability. Maybe not visibility but that white was crap visibility anyway. My two mistakes near the end took about 6mins in total misses. Perhaps it was tiredness. I don't know or care. I still enjoyed thrashing around a shitty forest again pretending to be an orienteer once more. And in the last few controls i was a bit amazed at the strength i still had in my leg muscles. It's just crazy because i'm doing practically no running. But i actually feel like a runner this weekend.
A pretty good weekend of orienteering.

Course 1 - Splits