Training Log Archive: ColmM

Irish Championships Review

Quite a dramatic weekend for me all in all.
Last summer I had my main goal for this year was to win an individual IOC title. And then also to win the IOC Relay. A success? Mostly. Even if it doesn't feel like it.

I won the sprint by 2secs overtaking Darren on the run-in, probably just on determination, but mainly beating him due to his mistakes. Regardless, I'm Irish Champion, which crossed 1 goal off the list, even if it wasn't the title I was actually going for.

The Middle was a mess (mainly because of the map - the results speak for themselves), and I still need a lot of work there on my technique, I don't think I'm good enough to have won it anyway. But mentally that race just should have been better too.

The Long. In reality, this is what I wanted to win. With crazy mist set down, I had the perfect setting for what was an epic IOC Long, that I for one will never forget. Plenty of mistakes, but that was almost unavoidable (although those silly early ones were a waste). But physically I let myself down more than technically because I should have been fit enough for this course except for the last 2 months being a bit too chilled, and not necessarily always working hard enough over the winter.
Still, to lose by 3 seconds in this was a real bummer. Over 2hrs out there and I was 3secs from winning the coolest long I'll maybe ever run. Shiittt.

Ah well. I guess it evened out after the sprint...

And the relay. I was pretty up for this. I wasn't going to lose by a couple of seconds today. Unfortunately Ger had a disaster on 1st leg, and we were out of the running before it got to Eoin, never mind me. I ran a good race, maybe 2mins lost max, and was slightly quicker than the others, so got the fastest leg time. That was cool. Pulled a few places and we finished 3rd, but again, that definitely wasn't what I was hoping for.
That was out of my hands though, and shit happens.

For me next year anyway, mainly I don't want to leave the long distance down to chance, those 3secs basically made it a 50:50 at the end. Next year I'd like to be fit enough to know coming into the finish that the others couldn't have run that time.

IOC Relay - 3rd.
Had high hopes we could battle this one out with CorkO and Cnoc, but unfortunately Ger had a really bad 1st leg, and we were 20mins down, shame. Eoin wasn't happy, but did alright and came back in 44mins, so I was starting out in 6th(?) I was told.
Not too much pressure as we were so far back, but I was feeling good, so I was up for running hard enough to try and pull back a couple of teams.
Started fine, hit my gaffle, small miss on 2, hit the other control, but dropped to mine quickly (15s).
Ran strongly enough on the uphill to 4 in the open, and then back across to 5. Was in control to 5, but I saw a trio of boulders like mine up above, and people gathering there, I knew it was too high, and off my line, but had committed and went and checked, sure enough, it wasn't right, but I corrected immediately (1:30mins?).
Grand through the rest of the open, and when I entered the forest again I saw Frazer of LVO, who had gone out in 3rd, so at least I knew we had that back, fluid through the forest and really enjoyed it, clean but quick.

So we came back in 3rd. That's my 3rd time finishing 3rd on the Men's Open at IOC. I had the fastest time of any of the legs, but had a little less climb than one of the other gaffles.
Next year...?

IOC Long distance - 2nd

Well, what a day and what a race.
Unreal mist really set this up as a Long distance which will be remembered. Finished 3secs behind Magic, which is killer, but ah well I guess. Lost 6mins on 1 and 2, which weren't overly tricky, and I guess that is probably where I lost the race.
But it is the fact that I wasn't fit enough for the last 2km, that's the part that is most disappointing, and it feels like that is where it is lost.
I should have no issue with this distance. So, back to more training I guess, when I know I have the fitness for a 20km long distance, I'll know I have the fitness for this one.

More detail to come.
For now, look here, and imagine fog so you can see 15m, at 1:15,000.

Long 1 - Splits

IOC Middle - 6th
Camaderry, new map.
Was looking forward to this, I've always lacked middle distance technique, but I was feeling up for a controlled race going into this.

Started quite well, and picked off the features to number 1, not legging it, but controlled. Hit it, and down to 2, it was obvious. Again, not running too fast, and trying to keep good control. A little worried I wasn't running quick enough, but I figured it should be fine (in retrospect I was in 2nd here).
Easy up to 3, definitely lacked some of the hill strength, but also didn't want to burn myself early on. Planned 4, 5 and 6. Planned to contour along for 5 and go above the rocks and then come down into the control, as I went I found the running alright, and stayed slightly lower, going under the first set of rocks and then going up and dropping slightly. I was a little unsure of the control, and came down a bit off, and then searched all the rocks when I got there, so definitely an unnecessary 20-30s lost there.
Again, chilled down to 5 to make sure I picked the control well, took a bit of a fall between two rocks which slowed me, and then circled the actual boulders a bit, but got it anyway. Straight contour to 6, no worries, stopped a bit early but realised, maybe a little lazy on this leg. Good start so far and in 2nd place now.

So, here the mistakes began. Up to 7, was struggling up the hill too much and lost focus on my bearing. Was maybe a bit left, saw a boulder and tried to use it, no luck. Tried to relocate amongst the marshes, but they didn't work out too well either, I think I was in some marshes too far left which weren't on the map. Got it eventually (3mins).
Continued on, but after that mistake my heart wasn't in it as much and my technique wavered. Sloppy to 8, bit low had to come back up, and generally slow to it.
To 9, hell broke loose. Didn't concentrate enough and knew I was out of control. Stopped too early, without really climbing at all. Was way too low. Wandered trying to relocate, and after 17mins of unsuccessful relocation I headed up to the very top, not seeing how it would help much, but I stumbled across the control, with Darren now in tow.
Ran through the rest of the course without too much effort, but better technique again, two 30s misses, but my control was better and a bit chilled.

I never like blaming maps, I would definitely question todays. I felt 9 was too high, but I also forgot to climb, so I definitely can't criticise the map there with any certainty.
What I can say is that the area around 9 was definitely under-mapped, with some gullies and other features not included on the map, which can (and did) cause a lot of confusion. Contrastingly, the detail atop the hill was around 11 and 12, was quite over-mapped. A lot of detail included, and not drawn to fit, so it was very hard to read.

Still, with a better technique and plan, getting these controls without mistakes would have been possible, as I don't actually know if any were in the wrong place. A lot of work on my Middle distances to be done. I'd rather not leaving winning IOC to chance in future, which is what I did in the 2nd half today.

Middle 1 - Splits

Event: Irish Orienteering Championships (4 days)
 

IOC Sprint - 1st place
NUI Maynooth mapped by Jonny, and planned by Jonny and Laurence.
Very nice map, easy to read, and pretty. Not the most technical area, but the course did a very good job of the area, lots of short fast controls, and tricky routes as well made the short winning times into an intense sprint.
I really enjoyed the course, particularly as I wasn't expecting much.
I lost very little time, as did most of the others, so maybe it was a bit easy.

I tried to push hard from pretty early on, as I knew the short course would mean everyone would be fast. Some brief indecision on the earlier routechoices, but generally in control. 2-3s lost on 19 when I had to stop and check the description of the hedge when leaving 18, but got it alright then. Also a bad routechoice on 20 probably cost another 3-4s I reckon, but otherwise clean. I came out of 19 to the North-west, then went south of the first building, and north of the last one, you can see in my routechoice. I think this route could work if you went North of the first building, but I was too busy trying to run hard.
Obviously a good race, but didn't feel the best physically out there, and clearly still speed work needed as Darren was quicker, but I knew that.

Felt like I could be close to some others. at the finish, so really pushed on the run-in and it paid dividends, as I overtook Darren on the run-in to take the win. Really happy with the result, but work to be done.

Sprint 1 - Splits

C • IOC Friday 6

Easy jog + a few 200s.
Got home and Mum and Clo were heading for a run so I followed them down to Bushy.
Ankle has been improving the last couple of days, and I guess a run is the ultimate test. Felt fine the whole way through, but I was still concious of it, and I know it wouldn't be fine in terrain just yet.
But more single leg squats and some tape and hopefully it won't be noticed.
Post-IOC and exams I would like to get back on training which has been pretty lacking for the last 2 months.