Training Log Archive: rcro

Event: NGOC Galoppen
 

NGOC Galoppen at Danby Lodge. 9km Brown - planned by Pete.

Head just wasn't really in orienteering mood today so result was pretty hopeless - but did enjoy it. Map could do with a little bit of work in places but thought the course was good.

Felt lucky on 4, long leg 5-6 didn't seem to find one path and bashed through green, then pretty slow into and out of 6. Not sure if straight on 10-11 would have been quicker.

11-12 decided to take the 4th best route - including cutting some corners and going through brambles to make it even worse - was thinking about if Ben had actually been to 8 or followed to a different control rather than actually looking at options on map other than the one I was running. Lost a bit of time in circle at the end.

Went straightish on 18 but path around was quite a bit faster - fair bit of forest work at end, and undergrowth worsened at start. But straight on 19 was ok.

Couple of mins lost on 21 as turned off at the unmapped path junction rather than the mapped one. Once was clear I was in wrong place was easy to find but lots of crap to catch feet and slow down - and leaving control ankle took fair bit of punishment. Brambles had managed to undo triple knotted laces here too (stopped to do up after 22).

Bit of loss on 22 - can't have started from where I thought I was. OK on the down to finish - reasonably firm.

Fair to say that I won't be leading the Club Championship - but pleased that so many from the club turned up - and that in general was a high attendance, especially when compared to Cannop last week.

https://www.strava.com/activities/840835947

Warm up with Ben - to start via finish.

https://www.strava.com/activities/839451915

Third go at this winter race. Best time by over 2 mins according to Strava but bit disappointed.

Paced myself up the first hill and in hindsight was too slow as was completely stuck behind people walking up the single track second hill (would have recaught Martyn/Ben/Mark P otherwise).

Second descent was terrible - I've learned how to run the top part fast but every time I got up to speed I slid on the straight away - so completely lost confidence for the rest of the descent as suspect personal worst time on this bit - could reasonably expect to have been 45s or so quicker on a non-icy day.

Down in 32nd by the marshal half way down and lost a further place on Taf Trail - roughly maintaining gaps rather than gaining on the group I had to let past on the descent (they were a good 200-300m ahead).

Able to run all the way up to the top and as everyone else was walking very slowly passing wasn't too hard. Got Mark Buxton (again) half way up, and Mark Ponsford just before the top. 24th place at marshal near top and gained another place just before the top - but lost it on descent into finish.

A good result with some strong running, beaten Mark P, Mark Bux, Brecon buff guy (first time), John Aggleton, Mark Saunders... but could have been even better if the descent had gone well. Always next year...

Fair to say my legs still feeling Thursday's very hard run. Combined with being very overdressed in 2 layers (car park much colder than hill) rather than just vest - found short of breath. No idea on quantifying time loss due to this so will discount. Felt like a very hard run.

Enjoyable race as always - thanks Gary!

https://www.strava.com/activities/839350947

From the segment just created for the mile of the last climb - Ben Mitchell did 11:18, I did 11:44... Need more up and less down in these races

C • looks like a good results to me 2

Legs needed a bit of working after last night. Picked a route with elevation as still in with a shout of beating Ben on this month's strava climbing challenge- only about 100m back now

https://www.strava.com/activities/838372126

Fundamental equipment for a night race is a torch, so with mine in my living room (and not my hallway...) this was going to be interesting... Luckily was able to borrow a reasonably good light from Niki.

Hard quick start and worried about burning out. Stuck to tactic of trying to gain as many places as possible at 2k point and then hold everyone up of Wye Valley Walk. Struggling to see contrast in the mud so having to be very cautious - people behind were close, but making as much of a meal about it as me. Dropped them on climb out from the cave.

Then a few surprises up to the gate - caught and overtook first Mark Buxton, then Gavin, and on the long grass section caught and passed Tom Mollekin too. Just about holding up on second bit of WVW but making it hard to be passed. Dropped on the steps, overtook another and then was closing in on Phil Boorman and another guy so hard push all the way into the finish.

Pretty good run tonight - 18th overall, 3rd NGOC but 5th MDC. Pleased - and not as though had an easy few days training and ill. May struggle to get much faster than this.

https://www.strava.com/activities/837522310

Event: Street Event 4
 

Migraine didn't go away in the night (lack of painkillers in stock not helping) - just about made it in to work but not with it so spent all afternoon home in bed.

Quick test to see if recovered enough for street-o - very tentative pass.

SWOC street-o in Whitchurch. As per above - just pleased to be able make it.

Started and finished running behind Ben Doherty, but on my own for almost the whole time.

S-4-11-1-2-10-30-20-5-7-24-18-19-25-15-6-26-31-14-21-13-23-F. 310 points.

Running reasonably well - rarely hard and only pushing it chasing Ben into finish to avoid penalty.

Happy-ish with route, but think I should have looked at dropping 2 and 15 as think would then have had time for 22, 16 and 17 (extra 20 points). Remembered the paths by 15 were blocked off so planned around it - because of this was cautious into 18 and went long way round (but it was open).

Pub food took a long time to come so not home until 11. Important thing is that I still seem to have full vision - much better than last night, but not planning on continuing last night's frustrating exercises of uploading Gary's Fellsman GPX into OS maps (v. easy) and then save decent PDFs (*should* be v. easy...)

https://www.strava.com/activities/836441985

Taffs Well, Garth Quarry, Pentrych, Garth. Fairly steady pase group but feeling quite good. Eyes going bed on drive home suggest dehydration - pretty made still an hour after getting home and having been sat in dark. Took in salt on train home as rushed and maybe this was too early? Glad I've got "emergency" crisps at home at the moment. Or maybe today's BBC news article has come true in that 1 in 5 people in Wales dies from sepsis every day and I'm in today's unfortunate 20%?

Very nice orange soup post ran, and three fantastic puddings -and despite no Dallimore coming.

https://www.strava.com/activities/835319781