Training Log Archive: slowphil

Great fun on first leg in M40s as usual, this time racing with the Elite ladies rather than the Elite men as we had to at the JK. This is handy if they don't put enough punches at the common controls (see JK Relay report), but fortunately was not an issue this time. Made a great start off the line, leading to a moment of extremely short-lived glory:

http://www.walton-chasers.co.uk/boc2010/BOC2010/ta...

of course the main reason I like that pic is Jon X's bunny ears - how did he run almost two minutes quicker than me with those things slowing him down? :)

Martin Ward overtook me up the hill to the compulsory crossing point, and then a few others, including Jon, who in his case would turn out to have the same gaffle as me, as we headed up the hill on the uneven terrain to #1. Those of us heading to the pit, including Jon and Martin, found ourselves on a longer leg than those who could head almost due West from the crossing point, so I had the incentive of running hard to get back into the leading pack, including the leading ladies. Was beginning to catch Abi, the other SLOW leg 1 runner, when I saw that she seemed to have shorter legs around 2,3 and 4 too!!! I expect that they probably weren't all shorter, but it was hard to keep up the motivation rather than drop back to more familiar 'plodding' pace. Found myself in a group of four, with a runner from SYO (not Martin or Dave Peel by that time, of course), plus two leading ladies from WCOC and EUOC, from 5 to 8, though I probably should have made more of not having the farthest controls at either 6 or 7 - in retrospect heading straight down the line of the spur and then correcting from the road to 7 may have been a mistake, though at the time it seemed to offer better runnability. Went straight to 8 rather than taking the paths left and right, but again found, as with the runs to 1 and 2 that I wasn't being nearly aggressive enough whenever there were fallen bits on the forest floor. Would love to blame the sore toe and stiff achilles, but in truth I think it's something I need to address whether unfit or not. Had the furthest gaffle again at 8, which meant that the WCOC runner who had been at the back of the pack got away and we were down to three, but fortunately held the other two off around the short loop after the spectator control, to come in a 3:45 down on the leaders, and 1:50 down on Jon, who turned out to have the only faster split on our variation.

The results suggest that our course did have the longest winning time but was neither the longest nor longer than most of the rest by more than 25m, so perhaps the lesson is next time concentrate on hitting the controls and keeping the pace up rather than bemoaning why I never seem to get the short gaflle! :)

Pete and Don McK had solid runs, so we held the SLOW ladies off by 3-4 minutes, and could keep our heads held high in the club tent afterwards :)

Event: British Long Distance Orienteering Champs
 

OK run - was just glad to get to the start line, given first the achilles and then at the last minute a very painful toe injury (lesson about footie within 48 hours of a big race, me thinks!).

Steady rather than quick start, but soon realised that I was not running hard enough, especially throuhg terrain. Toe didn't help this (though it was most noticeable when descending and banging into the front of the shoe! - shame there was 400m of descent today!). Lost time with minor wobbles at each of the quarry controls, plus a bizarre route choice to stay high before descending into the valley in the south east corner before attacking the quarry section. Probably left about ten minutes out there overall, but glad to have made it there, made it round, and to be able to take part in the relay a day later.

Enjoyed the run around, with no reaction from the achilles, but picked up a knock on my big toe. V painful at the time. Iced for ten mins, hoping not too bad in the morning...

Played golf today, walking round (with a trolley for the golf bag) without discomfort from the achilles. Golf was up and down (only hit the fairways at 11, 14 and 18, so even hitting some good irons and holing a couple of long putts wasn't going to save me...)

Physio session working on right achilles. Will try a short game of six-a-side footie tomorrow, but still very hopeful for BOC and BRC. Lots more stretching between now and then...