Training Log Archive: rcro

Finding fault with most things today - many being with the map. Add in a mispunch that I can't understand what happened it's a struggle to be very positive. Think I should be doing less orienteering and more running.

Reasonable club showing today so hope at least they all enjoyed themselves.

https://www.strava.com/activities/856008719

Not hugely fun, but definite highlight of the day. Felt cold so jacket and gloves.

From rugby club, over common into town, into "Lightning Tree Hill" and touch bottom of Wigpool before coming back via the soon-to-be Northern Quarter and Linear Park. Decent off-road for 90%. Saw 5 boar.

https://www.strava.com/activities/856126876

Break from pulling thorns out of arms and legs.

Latest attempt at going up May Hill. Finally managed it and come away with a KOM at first attempt.

Parled by Wilderness centre. Out via Mitcheldean, Boxbush then turned in Cliffords Mesne. Back throigh Newent Woods, Longhope and Flaxley Wood.

Very very wet and muddy. No grip at all for much of time and some fields really - actually trying to do more tarmax later on. Got shoes closer to the 1000km but don't think there's much left in them - definitely no grip.

Fantastic day to be out with clear skies and little wind - great ciews from top in every direction. Newent woods also look good for orienteering.

Will be tired for night-o...

https://www.strava.com/activities/854950585

Feeling a bit tired and not in right frame of mind for this. Also feeling the cold - low energy levels? - had to put extra layer on to run and fingers took many controls to warm up.

S-17-1-22-3-29-4-5-15-10-25-10-27-20-24-19-13-18-6-7-F.

Navigation showed the lack of enthusiasm/mind not set as all over the place. But very pleased that Charles has put reflective tape on all the NGOC canes as that saved me many times. Not a good debut for the "King of May Hill"... (incidentally, I've been usurped as King of the Col this evening so put back in my place)

First mess was 17. 45s - went in too early and didn't do well with the windblow.
22 went well as came in from top and avoided the steep (and got 1 on way) - caught a few up by doing this and so led a group to 3/29/4. Lucas alongside for last part of this - matching pace and sounding like it was effortless so think fitness must have stepped up.

On my own to 5 and balls up on 15. Following compass S but S always ended up to my right. Did well to relocate on nothing - and work out where control should be, moved some way and then saw it flash up right in front :-) Bang on for 10 but control was hidden from my approach but turned and saw.

Pretty good on the technical bit - but very slow. Too far N on 27 - claim it was being distracted by somebody else appearing. Pretty slow and careful descent. Too far N on 20 but knew that, just missed 24 as didn't see the "hill" and found fence beyond. Went on around and found a big depression with control just next to where I ran past.

Lost a lot of time so had to cut 30, 21, 23 as I'd planned. Generally cleaner rest of way but saved by reflectors on a few. Time was tight so had to push the tarmac to give me as much as possible for the final descent - which wasn't as hard as I expected.

Very well planned - enjoyed it.

https://www.strava.com/activities/855334259

Total strava elevation for 2017 > Total strava elevation for 2011...
"Only" 7,000m away from 2013 total!

Busier than on previous visits. And bigger group of us with Ben D and Antonio joining us. Definite signs of improvement. Think I might even enjoy it.

Car fixed and huge thanks to Mark2 for lift to garage to pick it up :-) Meant I arrived in Taffs Well far more prompt and keen than Marcus.

5x the hill we did for the first session in November. c. 460m with 50m climb. Much softer underfoot this time, and a noticeable (although not strong) headwind.

Legs tired - consecutive days of hill reps probably aren't ideal (same for last time we did this hill) - but despite everything times were pretty consistent: 2:49, 2:48, 2:48, 2:48, 2:46

By comparison, last time (hard ground, bit of frost and cold, and just 3 reps) - 2:34, 2:34, 2:33. Expect Marcus and Mark P's analysis to show similar slower pace this time as I was closer to them this week than back then!

Great to see John coming out to these sessions each week - although at the back of our group tonight, running the whole effort at a fair pace and good consistency despite a lot less recovery time than Marcus/Ake. Deserves to get stronger as has a good attitude to training.

https://www.strava.com/activities/853059752

Car broken so stuck at home. Shame as really lovely day. Hope to make it to May Hill one day - this was 5th attempt

Left pretty much straight after the car (I am incredibly impressed at recovery driver managing to reverse into drive entrance given how narrow it and road is, and other parked cars!) - and fairly frustrated at having lost much of the day - and all the nice sun shine, and all my running plans for next few weeks being messed up at losing today, and potentially Saturday too.

Hills on one of the new roads I'd scoped out a few weeks ago. 32m climb in 260m, but 20-25m of that comes in the middle 80m. 8 goes, an quite inconsistent. Didn't time first, but 3, 4, 5 and 8 all 1s slower than previous, but 6 and 7 did match 5. Really struggling - through lack of food and possibly trying to hard - as it's deceptively tough. HR never getting below 140 on recoveries, so think I needed more time for the effort I was putting in.

Wanted to get hills in today as had no idea how long it would take to get car fixed, and have no courtesy car this time. Garage says they've already ordered parts and *could* be fixed by tomorrow lunchtime - so might make MDC hills yet! :-)

RAC membership renews next Tuesday and they've already confirmed the price - so well timed failure if the call out history is about to be reset.

https://www.strava.com/activities/851619419

Having been sunny all morning, and overcast for run. Lightly pissing down for walk back up from big Tesco with all my shopping.

Eyes going a bit with the bright lights in shop but seemed better once I'd finally eaten lunch, and drank quite a bit on way home.

Raining, so expect train trouble

MDC run from Taffs Well. Pretty wet and muddy - and windy and foggy on the tops.

Going fairly well when I could see, but HR higher than I would have liked for the effort - so not fully recovered from Sunday's run yet.

Good food after as always from Marcus.

https://www.strava.com/activities/850997905/overvi...

Bramble cuts actually quite deep - no surprise they were hurting

Getting quite pissed off with a very vocal minority in NGOC who constantly moan and complain about things that are of no interest or relevance to them. Its orienteers killing orienteering again... today is yet another set of moans about promoting the club on facebook, creating work, wasting time... if the feedback keeps up like this I will downgrade club outlook to "lost cause".

Swansea Bay has nice kit ;-)


Tightness in right leg pulling knee a bit after yesterday. Need to do more rolling.