Training Log Archive: Magic

2km from the car park up to the start/finish area. Everyone had left by the time it got to my 2 o'clock start. Don't like waiting. Nicer day once the morning hail had cleared, which was the advantge.

Back down with Boyzone who finished a few minutes before me after bonking at the penultimate control.

IOC Classic; Tawnawully (or "Town of willy" as the locals called it). A proper tough classic course, long legs, lots of climb and hardly a step on a hard surface. Again slightly let down by average planning as quite a few control sites were easier than they needed to be and the long legs certainly didn't make the most of the excellent terrain available.

Started steady but not too aggressively so surprised to catch Andrew at about a 1/3 of the way, tried to push harder on the second half but the constant wet and slippery footing was talking its toll and I had to walk a bit of the final climb. Navigated cleanly though and the only real time I lost was due to not picking the optimum route.

Looks like I had a comfortable victory but Nick would have been quite close had he not miss-punched and Colm H wasn't far behind him. It's going to be hard to keep these boys behind next year, but as I now haven't been beaten at IOC by an Irish runner for 4 consecutive years in both the Middle and Classic I wouldn't begrudge someone else winning. Not going to give the titles away lightly though...

http://orienteering.ie/builder.php3?MoreResults-12...

Course 1 - Splits

Event: Irish Orienteering Championships
 

2km from the car park up to the start/finish area. Ran up with Andrew, did a decent warm-up and then got back as quick as I could in the pouring rain once finished.

IOC Middle; Benson's Hill. Started as hard as I could but discovered straight away that the running was super tough as it was wet and slippery absolutely everywhere and that it was going to be about strength and rhythm rather than speed. Lost about 30 seconds on #2 (as did quite a few others) and a bit more on #4 (lots going on that wasn?t on the map) and then gave myself a talking to. Clean from then on. Not very inspirational planning with all the legs being much the same length and quite a few of the controls situated next to a massive beacon of an attack point. Still a little chesty but don't think it affected me more than about 30 seconds. Fun and happy with the run, but the young boys are getting closer.

Major mess with results as the two starting units and the two finish units weren't synchronised giving four different combinations of start/finish times. According to Winsplits I lost 50 seconds on #1 (I didn't) and had a negative split at the end (which I obviously did). Great area though and the map, although not brilliant was sufficient once I got into the fact that it was mostly photogrammetry. The weather wasn't as kind to me as it started raining from #1 until I was back in the village hall.

http://orienteering.ie/builder.php3?MoreResults-12...

Feeling pretty good toady, walked to work with no pain in my shin and my throat is only a little rough now. Bring on the weekend :-)

Taking no chances; resting shin and cold.

Prance around the woods to warm up!

Tankersley Spring Cup. No spring or strength in my running so settled into a steady but smooth pace and enjoyed being out on a beautiful evening. Only missed one control which was the 4th time out of 4 that I have missed in that area (No 2) and went in with the assumption that I'd miss it. I sure can be stupid sometimes. Tried to break in my new VJ's again but they're still not up to a proper race; was getting quite sore heals by the end of this. Also forgot to bring a sweat band and had stinging eyes for much of the run; why doesn't this affect me in normal running and why doesn't it affect others orienteering???

C • sweat face 3

Slow and easy warm down with OJ and the ShUOC boys. Shin still a bit sore but I don't think any worse.

With the remnants of my cold and my left shin still sore I thought it better not to train today. Saw the hill crew somewhere in the middle of their session running past the Dram Shop, wanted to join in so just as well that I was late as rest in what both my lungs and shin need.

C • Cold and phlegm 2

Felt utter pants, knew that I didn't have a lot of energy due to the dregs of my cold but was expecting to feel a bit better than I did. More rest needed I think. Even though I took the session very easy and skipped half the cardio exercises I was still struggling. Guess it also doesn't help that I haven't done any strength work in some time.