Training Log Archive: rcro

Event: NGOC League 2
 

Event: HOC - Western Night League (WNL)
 

Second go around Lydney. Wanted to set a time in good conditions. The ice rink wasn't out today, but enough water across Tarmac that did think boat might have been useful!

Started out in 2nd, occasionally talking with the leader. Third close behind but dropped back off the Tarmac. Annoyingly for me was quicker on descent from canal and in the deep mud - but no chance to pass so bad to slow down.

Both kicked twice into the finish - quick but didn't get ahead. Pleased to hold on the whole way, and 2nd is best finishing position yet. Probably would have been slower without someone to run with - 3rd was 2.5 mins behind.

Good to get another sub 20 - and the muddy section was incredibly muddy. 30s+ slower than should expect in dry summer so pretty good time

https://www.strava.com/activities/486921977

Was in Birdlip when found NGOC cancelled (got caught out by a surprisingly deep flood half way up a hill by Newnham... Shouldn't floods be in dips?) went over to see if needed help collecting controls but not needed. Intentions of a short run but fairly miserable so wimped out and popped up to see mum in the warm before night o (if it happens...)

WNL around Shit Wood and No-Hope End. Battled through flooding and biblical rain for the last few miles down from Cradley but it was worth all the effort to run on such a nice area, with great map and perfect control placing.

Aim to start in Hope End and clear those, then see what time I had for Frith as its pretty shitty. Timing worked quite well that I ended up heading straight back to finish without going into the woods.

S-41-42-57-67-65-61-68-63-58-69-64-59-60-56-66-62-48-F. 380 points and 3rd/17 - worst result of the day.

57 - got caught in massive patch of unmapped inpenetrable bramble and had to go around. 67 didn't seem right but GPS appears to show it in right place. 65 - did a few laps of correct tree and wondered why I couldn't see it, found tag easily before eventually seeing control on a different tree.

Good to see the new fence at last year's event still isn't on the map at 68. Doglegged 63 to avoid the crap. Same for 69. Weather pretty nasty from here on.

At least will get me closer to enough counting scores to be at top end of results.

https://www.strava.com/activities/487546603

Trip home ended up going through biggest flood to date, excluding when on the bus - half a mile at Much Marcle where was well over 1ft deep at times - got a bit scary. Very pleased to have a car in front to lead me through and lonely when they turned off! Full credit to Herefordshire Council for putting lots of signs out to warn for a large puddle just outside Ross but clearly must have forgotten (as I did) the propensity for deep floods by the Walwyn Arms...

Polar site apparently not working for sync this evening, yet appears fine so back up upload for tonight again.

C • Distance 2

I have shoes - so the weekend is back on again! (3 runs + "planning" instead of backup very long road run). Blossom's really come out a lot during the day here - first weekend of spring

Lliswerry efforts of SDR as far as Transporter. 6x800 and the 1 mile back to finish.

Windy enough to notice - and was against for all of the first three efforts, but ok for the rest. Legs tired from yesterday but went with Group 1 and just about held on (the "up hill" onto the bridge saved me...)

800s:
2:52 (hill)
2:46
2:45
2:43 (hill)
2:50 (hill)
2:47

Took mile less hard - 5:51

Not bad really - and given last time (October) was 4 800s at 2:47-2:50 - some improvement.

https://www.strava.com/activities/485253236/laps

Polar site not syncing so did strava by the "home made" approach - just need to remember to delete duplicate when it does sync!

C • Gps 1

Lliswerry High Cross loop.

Legs tired still from weekend but tried to push reasonably hard all the way around so that I'd had more clear air in case I wanted to put in a good effort on the hill back up. Downside of this approach is that less people to chase down, and more tired from running hard!

Definitely put in 100% effort - which is unusual for me - and just about made it back up. Two KOMs, a 2nd and a 3rd a pretty good reward. Taken another 21(!) seconds off the main Bassaleg Rd segment - or 34s versus my best time just three weeks ago! Not sure I could shave off any more time now :-)

https://www.strava.com/activities/484438513

Watch off in a different direction to normal tonight - surprised how it does sort itself out so quickly

NGOC training day at Blakeney Hill.

Got there and found that a shoe upper had ripped apart a bit during night-o last night. As don't have a second pair no choice but to go out with it.

Did 3 exercises

1. Platforms control pick with no control numbers given. Did this ok but bits of map I didn't quite agree with - but when you are having legs <50m your always going to notice the odd funny. My bearings seemed consistently off
https://www.strava.com/activities/482861254

2. More platorms in same area, but targetted for TD3/TD4 - much easier!
https://www.strava.com/activities/482861333

3. Part of the route choice exercise. Didn't see much point coming back to start between them (nor in doing the far away one), so picked the two that looked most interesting and then got the third in between via a route I wouldn't normally take. Poor bearing on first one meant had a bit of extra contouring to do, but woods were nice.
https://www.strava.com/activities/482861439

Then went round the course on offer a 9.1k, 400m climb "short" brown - with paths on the map. Had just been to 1 and 2 on previous exercise so ok.

Longwinded route to 3 to avoid river crossing and recall that over the bridge was quite rough. Long walk up hill towards four, mostly on the veg boundary but sticking in green as ground was firmer. Didn't quite go right after crossing the track and lucky to find control without too much time loss.

Paths to 6, and paths right around on 7-8. Useful to see 8 and 9 as seems lots had trouble here in night o. 8 was quite obvious in daylight, approaching from west, but had to be careful with 9 - knew I was in the right place but took a lot of looking to find the depression! 10 was a bit rough.

Straight for next few controls, then back into platform picking area, and then nasty brash towards the end. Had hoped to break 80 mins but couldn't do it with the mess between 18 and 19.

Nice to get out and do a long course, and for the woods to be quiet. The wet and mud and brash (along with climb) actually did make this very physcial and tough - especially after doing a few exercises beforehand.

https://www.strava.com/activities/482861814

Shoe has torn even more and looks terminal - at just 6 months' use, and only 511 miles logged am a bit disappointed. Ordered a new pair already to replace them (only options were "precision fit" - which I hope "fits") so fingers crossed I will have something to run in next weekend!