Training Log Archive: conör

Well this was fun. IMRA up Slieve Foye, Foxes' Rock back to Slieve Foye and home. Started out slow and chilled just at the front of the group. I usually go off way too fast so I tried to keep it chilled. They'd said the first bit of the route would be marked so I didn't bother getting a map with that bit on it. Turns out it wasn't marked so didn't really know where I was going and didn't want to go too far ahead anyway. Ended up missing a nice little shortcut but didn't make too much of a difference.

Split from everyone going up, I took a nice sort of ridge up the side. Most people hit the main ridge I think. Was alone then pretty much the whole race. I had an O map of the whole area and I was really glad I had it trying to find the top. The mist was down (when isn't it up there?) and I don't really know the area that well so it was handy to find the cairn. Followed the vaguish track for a bit along the top then cut to the left towards the big boggy place. Contour across and follow the fence up. The marshall there said I was first to the top there which was nice as I hadn't seen anyone and had no clue how I was doing.

Going back I hit the big bog again but followed it along further as it was nice running. Looked behind and saw some one not too far back. Cut up then from some big cliffs. Bearing went a bit off then, but the mist was sort of lifting and I didn't veer too far. The legs were feeling it though. Lost sight of the guy behind so I was worried he'd had a better line. Eventually got to the top and started the big descent which I'd been looking forward to. Something felt wrong though and I look down to see my heel sticking out of my shoe. Tried running with it but my toes kept hitting the end, so I had to take it off. The ground was mostly grassy stuff which was very slippy with no shoe, but pleasantly soft. Step slip step slip. Flashback to the MMM, just across the bay. Hit the rockiest and spikiest track in existence having slid down half the hill. Hobbled along and got some weird looks from some walkers. Couldn't see any other runners and I assumed I'd lost the lead but kept going anyway, but jogged down the road at the end, just to make sure I didn't damage anything. Of course I hear I steps behind me with about 400m too go so had to do a singly shod sprint to the end. Won it in the end.

C • Nice 3

Control pick in Vale of Clara. Very high veg underfoot which made it tough going so I skipped out a bit and made sure I did the last ~10 quick and efficient. Happy enough with my O, some hesitations and some mistakes due to bad map, both of which should be avoided.

Hills on the side of Sorrel. Warm but a nice breeze. Got slow in the middle, forgot to set up my watch to have lap pace so didn't know my times.

MTB in Donadea. Very dry which meant very fast. Good fun, was a bit wary of getting a stupid injury though.

IMRA Trooperstown. Nice, very warm. Strong field today, wasn't feeling fantastic but still fine. Very tracky and hard underfoot. Great to have the river at the end cos I was overheating a bit.

Cough still not gone, will give it another day. Booked Woc training from the 9th to the 15th, woo!

Wed - IMRA Trooperstown
Thurs AM : Easy run
Thurs PM : MTB in Donadea
Fri: Hills
Sat: O-Training w/ Roar, Vale of Clara
Sun - IMRA Carlingford
Mon AM- Easy run
Mon PM - Climbing
Tue - Something
Wed - IMRA
Thurs - Rest, flying to Scotland

Just back from Romania. The cold remained until the ~Friday and I was feeling alright on Sat so I gave the WRE middle a go. Really fun but I made a big mistake on the long leg (map and stuff to come). Ran the M18 sprint on the Sun just to see. Still a bit sniffly today so I won't run and just hopefully will be better on Tue or Wed.

Coaching the juniors was interesting. I hadn't really done it before so it was definitely a learning experience for me. It was cool to try and work out what they needed to do before the race and how they psyche themselves up in different ways. There are things I could improve on but I think I did ok! The juniors did really well I think (no doubt due to my fantastic coaching).

C • Coaching 1

Climbing. Stayed for 3 hours, was pretty wrecked by the end.