Training Log Archive: Thraws

As I've been planning at Charlton the past few days I had my planner's head on a bit whilst running at PP. It seemed to me that MV must have used about 200 controls. There were flags everywhere! And in some places they were in quite large clusters. Looking back over my brown course I reckon I could have comfortably lost about eight of the controls, possibly to the benefit of some of the legs; and Jan's green might have been improved by the removal of four or five flags. There was nothing wrong with Pippingford Park. I would have just preferred the opportunity to run a bit more and search (rather than navigate) a bit less.

Mole Valley level B brown course. Hadn't run at Pippingford Park for a while, and hadn't run up either. In the circumstances, I think I was carrying some fatigue from yesterday as found the going quite tough and got frustrated by the unrelenting technicality of the course and terrain. Botched a fairly easy 6 after getting two paths confused. The anticipated long leg was 7 to 8, 2km-plus through the lakes then over the heathery open hill. I opted to run along the east side of the lakes then follow the fence, but was slowed a lot by the numerous slippy descents into and climbs out of the feeder streams. Was much better through 9 to 11 but lost another minute or so at 12 by being too low and running to two (of the many!) wrong flags. Felt tired for most of the rest of the course and took uphills easy, but spiked everything bar 19 (awkward stream crossing) and 22 (the quarry where I always go wrong). Splits don't look too bad, but result at download was unremarkable. Even so, fairly pleased with technical competence on a testing course. Five mins of mistakes ain't bad. Was very windy, but mercifully dry (not underfoot!).

Event: British Night Championships / MV Regional SE League (UKOL)
 

Recce run for leg 8 of the South Downs Way Relay, Adur crossing to Washington. With map and occasional stops to check route details. Took it steady on the long climb up Annington Hill, planning to step up a bit on the flatter section. Only it never arrived, and I only really got going once in sight of Chanctonbury. Oh well, I'll know for next time. Had hoped for a time around 45 mins but traffic, wind and mud meant I was never going to be near.

Run from Jan's. Loosener for the Corporate Challenge next week. Felt fine. Now looking at a harder 6 miles on Saturday, recceing leg 8 of the SDW relay in June.

Spent 4 hours at Charlton Forest checking control sites and legs for May Day bank holiday level B event. Still a lot of work to do, and it would be a lot easier if I had a) a map, and b) a clue about where the start's going to be. Left the car in Graffham so had a stiff climb up and down the hill.