Training Log Archive: ColmM

IOC Long - 3rd

Hadn't read the final details, crossed a wall on the way to 29 not at the crossing point, so maybe I should have been DSQ again. Yeah, I guess probably I should have been.
I said it to Andrew, and he played it down, but I think partly he just didn't want to have to deal with a repeat of Friday.

Ideally it would be marked with a purple line on the wall, it's hard to break the line for the crossing point in this case as there were 2 options. Or ideally too it would be mentioned at the start in a note.
But there's no doubt about it, I should have read the final details.

I often don't read details or look at old maps etc because I like the "challenge on the day" type thing - but it's just careless when you consider situations like this.

Anyway, started quickly to get into it, and was fluid through the first three. Holy shit Conor crushed these legs and I can't get my head around those times. I was good there, and quick.
Miss on 4 as it was very hard to read, but when I stopped I made sense of it and corrected for a 15s loss.
Good line to 5 and hit it bang on, but to 6 lost a bit of concentration trying to keep the pace high and was down near the river when I got close - 20s.

Up to 8 I struggled to figure it all out and lost 20-30s. Struggled a small bit on the hill to 9, but not too bad (eeek good bit behind on it).
Alright to 10, and went for a low route to 11 to keep speed, which seems to have paid off.

For 12, I decided to basically climb a bit early, straight line it, and come over the ridge around the pillars. I read the far side of the ridge as all being rocky, but in reality some was very rocky and some was stony ground. Coming through the rocky part was very slow, and gave my first major time loss of about 2mins, including some hesitance coming down into it. Which was a shame because I had gone very fast along the first 3/4 of the leg.

Kept a little high to 13 and no problems, dropped down to 14 fine, the marshy walled area was obvious from above, but lost a little confidence when it went out of sight.
Went high above the green to 15 and seems everyone else went straighter, was alright on the climb, but straighter may have been better.

Felt I was moving well to 16, but lost time to others, maybe was in the circle a little.
Moved alright up to 18, but had to walk bits. Nailed 19, but not flying.

After the river crossing I was starting to struggle physically, was too alpha-male for a gel and started paying the price here. clean through 23-25, but hit the nearby control on 26, lost 30s, and was generally slow climbing.

Slow climbing & hesitant again on 27, lost confidence half way to 28 and turned back (15s).
Went around to 29, aiming for the crossing point, was on target for it, but when I saw it, I decided a slightly higher line might be nice. this was quite nice for the control, but also lead me onto the path of others and stopped briefly to help someone.

Easy controls remaining, tried to move strongly enough but clearly losing time to Marcus and Eoin.

Disappointing to struggle so much at the end. Was supposed to be strong enough. Technically, much better today, and mostly alright, but a lot of work to do to be as fluid as Conor was early on, and disappointed to lose so much on 12 - that suffocated my race a little.
Still, know now that a lot of the good stuff is still there for long distance.

mostly disappointed to have died at the end though.

C • Hills 4

C • Final details 10

Long Course1 - Splits