Training Log Archive: ColmM

Event: Leinster Orienteering Championships, Dysert
 

Orienteering - Leinster Champs, 1st.
Routegadget
Splitsbrowser
My garmin doesn't seem to have worked, so the distance is a guess until others get uploading.
Well, this result was a big surprise, at least after I finished.
I started out and fairly immediately feeling a bit rough. I knew today wasn't going to be my day. Struggled through the first while, and my legs were sluggish as hell, but a lot of it was mental, and I wasn't too up for the fight.
Messed up 6, went too high and ended in the green, then came back out and veered too far left (1min). 8, I just found scrappy and couldn't hit a line or get going, (1 min).
The next section 9 onwards for a while went pretty well technically but physically I was still battling, even along the track to 13. It does however seem today was a day to go around, and I've gained a lot of time in places based on my routechoices. I'm interested to see everyone else's routes though.
I hit the track on the way to 17, and despite mentally feeling out of the race, to my big surprise, I saw Kev up in front. This created a bit of drive, and even a small bit of believe, "it can't be that bad a race".
Still feeling pretty flat, but working a bit better, and still navigating well. Finally caught Kev on the way to 21, headed down near to it, but we'd been put a bit off line by the green and Kev corrected quicker. I realised and thought I'd nicked in front of him, but it turned out he had got it ahead, (45s).
We race the next while together, but me never managing to get in front. While I was still feeling empty, he was helping me with motivation, and helping me push more. To 23 I went straight and kev went right so I thought I had him, just to find the bastard pop out in front of me again. It continued like this, us working through the butterfly, and me just behind until 27. We were shoulder to shoulder here, and when we both went right, and hit the slow climbing track, Kev began to drop me. Again, I struggled on, and pulled it back quickly in the forest. To 28 we parted, I climbed high immediately and Kev went a bit lower, and I got a nice downhil patch down to the control, I was away. A few easier controls, and me still running through at a reasonable pace, I did well still on the last few splits to totally drop Kev, and basically secure the win.

Like I said, this was a big surprise for me, the terrain drained everyone I think, but definitely today I felt unfit. Beating Dooby was a big surprise. Mentally work to do, a lot of mental training lined up thanks to Aonghus for every day over the next 2 weeks. I didn't really get any more tired as the race went on, and it was strength in the back half that won me this race, the best I actually felt in the race was after 27 on to the finish, with a bit of momentum through some nicer forest.
A lot of tweaking to do physically before the JK, but positives to be taken from these last two weekends.

Course 1 - Splits

Possibly an unnecessary rest day, but it's good to get that knee back going. A lot of tight muscles after the race on thursday.
Also Leinster Champs tomorrow, I'm not really a title contender, just going to focus on each next control. It's definitely not a big goal for me, I'm more focussed on the JK actually right now, but with 2 of the provincial titles currently in my room, would be nice to have a good race.

C • Contender! 4

Easy jog.
Calves a bit tight after yesterday, feeling knotty.

Colours track and field - 5km.
Big PB, over a minute, and nice indicator of shape.
Wanted to use this race as a time-trial to get a time and see what my shape is like. I guess not ideal preparation, doing 400s last night followed by a friend's birthday party, so a bit low on sleep. Got a nap in my circuits 2 o'clock lecture though.
Biggest field of the day with a load of Trinity runners, and just 2 of us UCD ones. Had no real idea of their level, and no watch, so I was just going to race on feel, which is nice.
They started probably a little quick, but I felt fine, so I went to the back of the lead group of 4, and just chilled in at their pace for a while, I couldn't tell whether the pace was tough no not because it felt alright, but as we went through 1km, and they called out 3:07, I knew it was a bit quick.
Still stayed tucked in as it was obvious we had slowed a little, I was beginning to drop off them a little around the halfway mark, but good support from the others kept me on their shoulders. I did however soon fall back a bit and another trinity guy came by me, to stick with them.
From here, it was a bit of a battle, I wanted to go sub-17, I had no idea of time, and I was running alone, lapping the girls, and some of the lads too.
I battled through though and was able to pick it up for the last 200 only, no more. So, finished 5th in the end.
Nice to be back in spikes, it's been a long time.

Really happy with the time, big improvement speed-wise which I can put down to this year's training in general, and maybe in part the 400s. Probably going to need to be looking at sub-16 anyway for next year, but for now, this is good news. And I do feel like due to some hiccups, I could take the same amount out of my time again.

C • Sick! 2

Speed session - 4 * 400m.
Went with no watch for a change and it felt nice.
Felt the times might have been a little slow, but I'll never know, probably ~64 / 65s anyway.

Easy recovery.
Pre-breakfast.

C • here 8