Training Log: rcro

Event: R2T2 - event 2
 

Onto day 3 and now 3 breakdowns (well, one engine still working today...) and escalated complaint to First Bus. Same driver as yesterday got his papers out and then ran a red light at the Parkway tavern. If you can't go 5 mins without reading your timetable whilst driving, you probably shouldn't be driving an 18 tonne bus with 40 passengers...

4 breakdowns...

Turns out that most First Great Western trains were broken down this afternoon... It's fairly embarrassing that when half of the London-South Wales trains aren't running at all during the works that so many of the remainder are getting cancelled or delayed by 30 mins +... Fitting an 8 coach high speed train's worth of passengers into the following 2 car train didn't really work (surprising really!) - I just, and literally just, squeezed on at Filton, and we left 50+ behind, and another load at Patchway. Counted over 100 standing in my coach (one of the old trains with narrow aisle between seats) so probably around 400 on board. Still, 3 days down, 3 weeks and 4 days to go :-(

But the motorway was clear. Unable to get time off work to help, entered the bike course to run and prepared a combined Sallowvallets/Beechenhurst O map at 1:15,000 scale for me and rickyp to use. Legs tired so out for training, specifically to start getting used to the scale after over 3 years since JK2014.

Route 68-67-66-72-64-71-62-63-79-75-F. 2 mins late = 198 points (out of 400). Wanted to start with Sallowvallets as rare to run with O map. 68 came after the "right" distance, but every junction on track to 67 took about 3 times longer than I expected (not helped by 67's junction being in the wrong place on the O map). Big climb to 66, and again a very long way along the track.

As training, went down the slope and back up for 72. Distances seemed to go better here but was pretty slow on way down and both ankle and knee not 100% happy. Cut through terrain again for 64 - shorter route (but lost some time looking for the tape). Track to 71 took a while to get up, but distance about right.

Terrain to 62 - fine, then cutting across to 63 was less so. Came out on the track where I expected but again took at least twice as long to get to the control than I thought was reasonable - despite being all downhill.

Another terrain cut into Beechenhurst was a big mistake - fairly ok to the road (alright - brambly up bank onto road) then pretty shit once across it. Binned several minutes fighting my way through undergrowth when should have stuck with the boring and taken tracks due south and then east. 8 mins to go from Speculation so knew would be late. (Also lost my official map in grot so had no descriptions, or idea of penalty). Pulled my back a bit leaning over the gate at 75 but still managed a reasonably quick finish.

Quite nice - and good to do this with a proper orienteering map as on foot. Managed to beat rickyp - but I desperately need to spend more time getting used to the scale in the next fortnight.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1148729328

Second day of train works, now on 2 breakdowns and 1 bus driver who was paying more attention to reading his schedule than looking where he was going... After getting home 40 mins late yesterday, today was 20 min hold up outside the tunnel. 300 people in a 2 car sprinter doesn't go well.

30 min delay on motorway on top of this meant comfortably missed MDC group - so went the other way along the coast towards Llantwit. Very very very humid - sweated lots. Combined with the rush to get here and lack of time to prep, salt levels completely dropped and now can barely see.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1146847480

Recovery run from work to Patchway as the rail replacement bus is a bit crap. (The train broke down and 20 minutes late leaving London too...)

Lots of big cracks in the roads caused by tree roots. Wonder who the council will ask to pay to fix it?

Legs feeling pretty wrecked - surprising as I was only pushing hard for the last part of Saturday's race.

C • Be carefull what you ask for. 2

Event: Chairman's Challenge and Social
 

Third go at Four Fans. Weather better than previously - sunshine and showers, but underfoot conditions about as bad as last year (ie. pretty bad) after days of heavy rain. With injury, tiredness, still some element of illness and nobody to race - didn't take this seriously.

Ankle not really up to this so dropping lots of time on the early section - was down in 29th place (of 38) just after Fan Frynach. Doubled back and went traditional way to Fan Neds and found it very hard going. Think prefer last year's alternative road - maybe better to go down at the end though?

Managed a good route down to the roman road and finally got past Vanessa at base of climb up to Fan Nedd (first overtake). Got past 3 more and then Alan not long before the cairn. My line off must be the best yet - no trouble with the early tussocks by going well left. Young Avon Valley guy I'd past ln ascent flew by and said "I love running downhill" - and then slowed down a lot as he found the tussocks.

Good line up to Fan Llia. Past Alan again half way up and finally caught Andy Stott at the top. Passed 7 or so others who all went well to the right on ascent.

Right around again for Fan Fawr. Think it paid off despite not really running enough. Caught a lot of ground on a group ahead. Completely on my own for the descent so didn't have to rush - although still nearly snapped ankle at one point.

End position 19th and 2nd fastest time (5 mins slower than last year). Will analyse the splits later but assume I must have done the bit from the roman road before Fan Nedd onwards fairly well as had binned a huge amount of time on the rough and rocky first 8km.

Splits (and difference v 2016 and 2015 - mental arithmetic...)

S-1: 30:35 (+02:35) (+01:40)
1-2: 51:46 (+02:16) (+03:11)
2-3: 26:59 (+00:29) (-05:31)
3-4: 35:09 (+00:09) (-04:11)
4-F: 09:12 (-00:07) (+00:01)

Cumulative time
1: 0:30:35 (+02:35) (+01:40)
2: 1:22:21 (+04:51) (+04:51)
3: 1:49:20 (+05:20) (-00:40)
4: 2:24:29 (+05:29) (-04:51)
F: 2:33:41 (+05:22) (-04:50)

https://www.racetek-live.co.uk/website/public_resu...

Previous splits were estimates - and didn't include any stopping time at checkpoints for timing.