Training Log Archive: ColmM

A nice long one in the Reeks with Mark.
Bit of a recce of the Reeks skyline route as there are some lines I know I messed up on a previous similar run with Corbett. Improved those lines and got some new knowledge which should also serve useful - if the race even goes ahead, no idea what the story is, but should be useful in future regardless.
But also generally just a fun day out enjoying the freedom - ticking off some decent summits and racking up some solid climb & hours on feet.
Should serve well for Mournes too.

Big gun was the one I really wanted to improve, and we got through solidly enough staying slightly right mostly and as high as possible. Climbing when we hit a grassy gully was ideal and we actually stayed left when we hit the first pillar we couldn’t climb, that was okay, but slow, suspect right could be better. Descent is alright on the slightly left side of the ridge.
Also got up beenkerragh which was a tad tricky, but rounded out all the 1000m+ tops for the day.
Good day out.

C • Skyline 4

Nice little run in Silvermines with mark to break up the journey.
Really surprisingly nice spot. MMRA have a race here.

Few more ks in the eve on Valentia. Lovely evening.

Supposed to test run a course for DM coming up, but was too tired so just jogged it.
Mixed bag technically really, but a nice area.

Nice relay training with Bækkelagets SK
Mass start & loops. Got in a nice group behind Matt Speake & roar to #1, with Brad just behind me. I had no compass so was fairly trusting with our line, but we were a decent bit left. As we got towards the end of the hill everyone slowed and it made sense to me we had to be left, so went back and got it just ahead of the other 3.
Again not very confident in my line to #2 but after I crossed the re-entrant there were enough contours to navigate off. Quite surprised to not have the others punching this around me as I’d assumed we’d either be on the same gaffle or more likely this would be common - but it was a wild gaffling setup.
Regardless, I got it okay, and moved off to 3. Ended up too far left on a hill shortly after 3 and crossed the wrong stream, it matched up for a bit but I figured out how wrong I was pretty quickly but lost a good bit of time.
Scrappy on 4, and with another fellow to 5 but he didn’t find it and I went away.
Slowed down a bit after 3 in general and took it pretty easy which made the navigation much simpler.
Some not so nice sections at the end of the first loop and in the middle of the last loop, but overall this was by far the nicest forest I’ve been in recently and really quite runnable. But vaguer hillsides were probably not ideal for my compass, and it would have been enjoyable to take it a bit quicker and keep up with the group.
Good fun though and felt much better about my running in terrain at least, even if it was still slow & easy.

Relay training with the Danes.
Got up the first hill okay and got my gaffle, was a slightly long gaffle and was a little out the back already so only had Brad & Emil going to 2. We joined lines, felt a little early to me, but about the right sort of area but turned out it was a different gaffle. Checked the code but wasn’t certain whether the descriptions on the map matched the codes so had doubts but in the end did go out and find my gaffle.

Could still see brad a little up, and got ahead on #4 but messed it up in the circle and so found myself closing down Brad at a slow pace on 5 & 6. We separated for a while but rejoined at 11 until the spectator at 14, I was tired now in the heat for sure.
Out on the second loop I crashed up the hill in the heat and ended up walking most the last loop.
Oi, that was tough. Still, happy enough I was able to keep the motivation which lacked yesterday.

This was the map we ran the 2 x middle races at the May training camp (Dælane), which I felt great in and had a really good race. Today seems incomparable. Little energy at the start and no energy at all after half an hour or so. It’s likely that the terrain (in particular bilberry) has grown up a bit in the last 2 months, but The difference is far too drastic for that to be it. I am quite certain it’s the heat - it feels so hot out there right now in the forest, but I’m probably a bit dehydrated too. I have never performed very well in the heat. I will try to get more water in and see what that does. I am hopeful there’s not any other reason for my lethargy in the terrain, cos I can’t think of any. Maybe I am just waiting for my good day.

Anyway, whatever it is, I’m almost glad I don’t have to run woc if I’ll feel like this, and kind of optimistic the spectator middles will be shorter than the woc middles. Hopeful.

4x 4min hillreps [jog down recovery]
Reps ended up being slightly shorter. Good session, found it tough out there after the last couple of days but pretty happy with the efforts.
Wanted to get some leg work done and this worked quite well. Fairly cooked by by the end.

Middle race with danish team.

Started alright, but kept making direction errors leaving controls and not moving as well as I’d like through the terrain early on. Compass was annoying the hell out of me with it’s spinning, so I pocketed it and went on, took it easier and didn’t read the map much. Brad then caught me on a big mistake, and I ran with him for a bit before calling it on the spectator loop.
A nice enough area & session but will probably not be using a compass for the remaining trainings here.

Easy jog down the road from the clubhouse to stretch the legs.