Training Log Archive: Dooby

Not too pleased with my weekend of racing in the Lake District. Made too many mistakes and energy issues at times on Saturday followed by energy/effort issues again yesterday. Need to sort out a few things I reckon, hmmm.

Event: GBR WOC Selection Race/LOC NWOL (Long)
 

Jog to the start, some stretching and more jogging, light.

Holme Fell

Another poor race in my opinion. Was happy with how I started apart from leaving the start in the wrong direction.

The loop in the open was the start of the climb and then it was into the rough forest. I didn't mind it so much as I caught my 3min man. Was pleased with the start despite a few falls into big bogs. Then got to 9 and looked at my map to find 10 (note lack of planning ahead but controls were too close and rough to do so) and saw it was on the other side of the big mountain (Holme Fell). Decided on a route and headed off, the first part via a field and track to avoid and OOB area. Then I climbed the hill and just lost the will to fight. Once I got up high there was too much up and down, couldn't get into it.

At 12 I stopped short and then my 6 min caught me so tried to stay with him up and over the hill to 13 but didn't have the pace. Then my 3min man caught me and again I couldn't stay with him either to 14. Slipped on the way to 14 and felt my left hamstring want to cramp but thankfully it didn't happen. Ended up too high for 15 and then on the way to 17 I hit 22 by accident! Needed water on the way to 17 so that worked out nicely since it brought me passed the drinks station.

Fell flat on my face on the way to 20, and there was a witness who said afterwards she was highly amused by my fall. Missed 21 to the right. 24 had a nice bit of climb at the end of the leg. Then it was time to turn the map over for Part 2.

Off we went over the hill again and a loop around it. The leg to 28 was tough, lots of little hills to get over en route. Missed 29 to the right and then Boyzone caught me heading to the last control.

I've a few problems I need to solve in the next few months I think.

Event: GBR WOC Selection Race/LOC NWOL (Middle)
 

Jog to the start. Also a bit of stretching but not too much standing around.

Bigland

Wanted to do well today, didn't happen.

Got 1 fine, just a slight hesitation before it, but then the trouble started. Wanted to be careful since it was downhill but didn't really make much sense of the slope but was going in the right direction. Hit the green and the crag below it but no control so didn't really know what was going on. Started a bit of a search around including going to the road to see where I was on it. Headed back towards the crag again and my 2min had arrived on the scene and Toni. Was at the foot of the crag and checked my description and it said southern foot, damn. Fought through the green under the crag (not mapped) and found the control. Fantastic start.

Ran hard to 3 but overshot. Was a bit left at 4 at the other boulder. Probably climbed too early onto the track for 5. Got the next loop pretty much ok i'd say. 11 was fine too but 12 I overshot coming down the spur, thought i'd see the control but didn't, so had to climb back up. More time lost. 14 and 15 were tought uphill, as was 18. Followed an elephant track around the hill to 19 but took me too low so more time lost. Ended up too far left of 23 and then didn't like the last hill to 24.

All in all a piss poor run.

Bishops Wood

Short run with Magic. He said it was one of Boyzones favourite areas in the Lakes, I agree with Boyzone, very nice wood.

The knoll in the green was flat!

Also found a control.

Back to Cork tonight to be fed. Then up early for a 7am flight to Manchester before getting the train to Sheffield for a lift to the Lake District off Magic.

Looking forward to the weekend. Havn't been in the Lake District since 1992, where I raced on Bigland which is where the Middle Distance race is on Saturday. No memories of it apart from it might have been wet!

Avg Cadence = 81rpm

Better effort today I feel. Left quad could be felt after around 30mins pedalling, not sore, just there. So needs to be stretched a nice bit this evening. Would have liked to have done more but body is a bit on the tired side. Feel I need to be properly rested for the weekend but kinda finding it hard to do that. Focus doesn't seem to be there, think i'm still hungover from IOC.

Finished watching The Expendables and started watching Nacho Libre.

C • Rest 4

Just reading the final details for Sunday's Long race in the Lake district, 12.9km with 965m climb.
"Climb has been calculated in accordance with the BOF Rules, i.e. along the shortest sensible route, not necessarily either the shortest route or the optimum route. Appendix B advises ‘As a rule of thumb, if a competitor will go over it, count it in; if you're not sure whether they'll go over it, count it in – only discount it if you are certain that all the competitors will go around it’.
On a lot of courses, the climb figure far exceeds 5% of course length, and, indeed, sometimes exceeds 7%. However, by careful route choice you should be able to reduce the climb you actually have to make to well below 5% of your course length."

So can I stop when I've crossed 193 contours?

C • climb 5

Avg Cadence = 75rpm

Read a book for the hour, feeling a bit tired. Happy to have lasted this long though, bit boring doing this kinda training in the Summer months but can't risk the road until I get the rear wheel on the bike sorted. Will probably do that next Monday once the tire arrives. Other bits and pieces, including a new pump and gloves arrived today. Pump is nice and shiny.