Training Log Archive: Duncan

B-course due to the Kite Festival, Matt W showed up (and my mum). Didn't think I liked the alternative route but actually enjoyed it this time. Set off just trying to keep in the front pack of five, on the end of a nice echelon going on. Wasn't too far behind at the (first) top (3rd) but got overtaken on the downhill and lost a more time on the flatter part around the turn; almost getting caught by the guy behind. Didn't want that to happen and turned out I was actually feeling okay and reckoned I could get the two infront by the finish. Was getting close as we reached the top and then overtook them on the down to my disbelief, the first time ever that's happened. Pushed on to the finish for a 18.14 +24s on my normal PB. Maybe the B-course isn't as slow as I thought, or I was faster than I felt, or it wasn't 5k.

Dallowgill, Thorpe Lodge, Lofthouse, How Stean Gorge, Middlesmoor, Middle Moor, Scar House Resv., railway road, HSG, Ramsgill, Bouthwaite, Dallowgill.

2nd to Hector.

4th behind two 'crossers and a hybrid.

Yeah, over 10 minute Ks...

From home home to the top of Wormald Green and back.

Probably shouldn't have gone hard after doing a session and a race in the last two days but hadn't done this run in years and needed to make sure I beat my PB from 4+ years ago...

In my training diary in 2009 (after a 28.20 time) I wrote "sub-28 target by tour". The tour being Halden. Four and a bit years later I have finally hit that target! But still only equaled my pb for the way up (14.20) from later that year...

Everyone bailed on me but there was good BOK crowd there as well as Ben G and lots of Bristol & West guys.

Really could do with some more organisation this race. I just managed to find the start but at least one guy didn't (which isn't surprising in the slightest).

Started off up the gentle hill, Ben and the fast looking guy in a hat were in a line with me but gradually pulled away to the top of the first. Neil M directed us down through the crag off the top. Steady down and along the ridge. The person coughing behind was getting further away so was fairly relaxed until the climb up Wavering Down when it turned out there was actually a guy between the coughing and me who'd sneaked up behind. Upped the pace to keep ahead but then started descending from one peak too soon, luckily got shouted back on course by Ben but had to cut through the long grass and overtook on a little descent.

Got to the final hill and managed to find the finish after being pointed back on course again. Was another one of those races where you had to shout your number out as you crossed the line which was written upside down on the back of your hand...

+2min on the record. Such a great course for smashing if you're fit. Bristol & West guy second.

C • Maps at registration 2

5*(800m [2mins jog] 400m [90s]) round the full field.

6k so quite a long session. Started of keeping it steady well then nicely ramped up to racing Torran at the end. Lacking a bit of speed for the finish.

Raced Steve Francis (on his bike) up Blackboy Hill street then bit of an effort across the Downs. Steady down and steady up the climb taking the woods route back.

Relaxed jog. Deptford Bridge, Brookmill Park, just Lewisham, Brookbank Road, a lap/figure-of-8 round Hilly Fields with a hill, then back via St. John's.

Event: Trail Challenge 3: Richmond Park
 

SLOW Trail Challenge

Started from the south end so wasted loads of money on stupid tickets. Nice run out though, didn't feel like 10k but seemed to get a good tour of the park. Andy L and Lowri were there which was nice.

Bit sketchy at the start w/out a compass but managed to get to no.1 first. Stretched about a bit with the NTUI guy (Michal Bialozyt) then on the way to 3 some adventure racer (Jonathan Albon)(who messed up the first) came pounding past and wasn't hanging about. Sort of got into a stupid race to 5 but let him go so i could do my own thing (while hoping he screwed up 7). Started pushing on and couldn't see him on the way to 8 but then saw him (60s) ahead at 9. Almost managed to match his time to 9 but then had issues on the way to 10 so never spied him again and the guys behind caught up but I stayed ahead.

Long - Splits

Hadn't planned on being out for long but got a bit carried away. From James' through Greenwich, through the Park, round Blackheath, full explore of the Park, Maritime Greenwich, under the Thames and back.

From James' to Herne Hill Velodrome. Down to New Cross Gate and then a bit further and along the 'A2214' to Peckham Rye Common then a mistaken wiggle through Dulwich at the end.

Paid my money and borrowed a bike. A good amount of track time being lead by some coaches. Managed to somehow get near the front which was quite cool. Steep! Definitely want another go.

Was a bit tedious early on as I didn't have a map so missed one of the places I wanted to go. HHV, Dulwich Park, eventually Peckham Rye Park, not Nunhead Cemetry, Nunhead Cemetry, Telegraph Hill Park (Upper & Lower), New Cross Road.

Run round in the dark collecting in already collected controls. Little tricky with just a phone for lighting. Good fun though and felt okay. Nice chatting in the pub after. (Lots of M/W21s).

Wanted a nice steady run. Round the Downs viewpoint, through Bishop's Knoll to the Portway, then the fun started. Including; up the side of the northern most cliffs, a nice terraced private garden. Back down and along. A little play on the bottom of some other Main Area routes. Up Easy Route which is now actually easy (need to do the more exposed line next time). Down the new zig-zags and along to the Amphitheater (just to the north of the Suspension Bridge) for a first (and last) ascent up to the Observatory - very spiky, very loose, and very slippy in the very wet rain. Down the Zig-Zag path to check out some secret steps but today wasn't the day for it, back home via Clifton.

Ride out round the countryside from home home. Tried not to push but did for some bits.

What a race!!! Most fun orienteering in a long time (up with Wentwood and JK Long this year) would have been even more so without a few mistakes!

Got on the wrong hill to 1 but my minute man Erik lost even more so I pushed on to catch him by 3. He was actually a pretty solid Scandi so just managed to tail him across to 5 (where we caught Malley) and round to 7 where he made a mistake and so me then Malley got away. Jonny reeled me in and picked off 8-9-10 beautifully. Was thinking he'd be a stronger runner across the marshy heather to #11 so all I could do was dig in behind. Picked off François, Bown and Pinker on the way with no sign of anything behind (but didn't really have the energy to to turn around).

We were both feeling good into the control, giving each other a bit of encouragement and pausing for sweeties and sort of knew we were doing well. Got John Rocke on the way to twelve after which the pace dropped yo-yo'ed a bit and things started to go wrong.

I messed up 13, re-caught John (and another two) to 14, Jonny messed up 15, I messed up 17. Finally got settled down again on the way to 18 after a bit of chat. Good up the hill to 19 catching Simon Gardner. I knew I wasn't too comfortable with the group situation so pushed on to no. 20 to try and get some breathing room. Didn't stop at the road crossing and Jonny wasn't coming with me. Picked off Rob K to 23. Tripped on the TV wire to the spectator and struggled up the hill towards 25, was thinking here I didn't have enough to finish the job, still nothing behind though.

Kept going though seeing a nice train to 26 including James Hargreaves. Poor to 27 not knowing where I'd come up the hill, stopping at the first green veg and so loosing prob 30s+ in hesitations. Got Keith and Ed Nicholas at 28 and sped down to 29 for Barber and Rhys. Iffy to 30 most of the way but got into the re-entrant feature but then went waaay to high and poked around for ages (5 minutes) seeing lots of people pass below me but still not trusting them. Eventually did drop back down to punch behind James Tullie.

Was being a bit stupid and rushing in front of him and then slowing but got to 31 in the end behind Sander who I passed on the hill up to 32 (after half falling down a hidden crag on the way down). Managed to get John and Jonny and a few other back before the finish but Cherry, Aidan and Kalle (and Baptiste) had snuck past.

Very glad I had Erik and Jonny for the first half. Should have pushed on harder through John to we could settle down again after. Need to get used to eating and drinking at the right times. Should have trusted the tracks to 30. [47th / 1.53.39 / +19.36].

Such an awesome way to end the week :-D.

Was itching for a jog on the way back so stopped at Faskally for a nice tour of the lake and the woods.

Most interesting course of the week so far the Euro boys missed out. A good number of controls this time (but not enough green) so maybe got a bit repetitive. Went down the beach to 4 and didn't have a clue where I'd entered the wood. Got back on it a bit but was lost a lot of time in a few circles, esp 15, 18 and 27. Tried to push it on on the way back but my body didn't seem to be having it. [21st / 56.52 / +12.03].

Yeah pretty awful. Good to the first couple. Wrong route to No.3. Lost time on 6 after clearly telling myself not to be stupid, and then more on 7 an 8. Appalling compass errors on 11, 14 and 15 to the magnitude of about 60°. Soooo much time lost. [92nd / 41.00 / +9.53].