Training Log Archive: Nathan

Event: British Night Championships (UKOL)
 

20 minutes jogging drills and strides before then 10 minutes easy jog after.

British Night Champs M18L-2nd.

Felt ok before hand for this one, had a friends 18th last night but made sure I got a decent nights sleep and didn't drink a stupid amount. Still, felt a little ill before hand, not directly because of last night as it's been coming for a few days but I don't think it helped. Having said this, I actually felt good on the start line. Plan for this was to set off steadily for the first half and then try to ramp it up for the rest of the course. Was all going fine, until I left number 5 (having got a 1min lead by here) where I went over on my ankle again, pretty badly, enough for me to lose 2 minutes on number 6, not through navigation but because I couldn't put my foot down for the whole leg. Knew I was in a poor way and so pace dropped massively over the next 2/3 legs. Got back on track a little on the way to 10 but lost my momentum by here so it was just a case of finishing the course for me. Went pretty well, but crap mapping around number 12 meant I binned 2 minutes on this. Then after that I remained a little scrappy for the rest, but pace was my main issue. Few time losses after this but just moving was a struggle because the adverse conditions and wariness with my ankle just meant I couldn't get going. Still, Harri had a good run to win but can't help feeling I could have challenged without some mishaps. Nice enough but work to be done.
Felt worse illness wise afterwards too so I'll see how tomorrow goes.

Had a couple of friends round because we were out in the evening, so left them at mine and went for a quick one. Felt pretty good, just going through the motions however breathing was a bit tough. Enjoyed it and got away with shorts and T-shirts.

2 sets of 10 minutes.

Easy cruising around the village before and after.

Intervals on the road, normal set would be 20x200m but I was having foot/ankle problems so cut it down to 10 with 30 secs recovery. Felt pretty rubbish as well, a bit ill.

Easy. Long wednesday is now no longer going to be more than 12k pre JK. Felt awful, worst in ages, completely flat, hungyr, quite ill. Just not a nice run, still, got it done.

Decided against Harriers tonight because I had a sneaking suspicion that they were doing some longer efforts which don't really fit with pre-JK training. Timed it beautifully to do my work and finish as soon as it got properly dark so risked it without my headtorch. Essentially 15x +30m climbs. Quite enjoyed myself, looping up and down the hill before heading along the escarpment above the quarry. Then back for a couple more efforts. Feeling better on the hills than last time I did this and a good session for a Tuesday night.

Planned to run with dad, but set off a little after him because I faffed a little getting ready. Had to set off swiftly so the first 4 and a bit kms were tempo at around 3:45's. Once I caught dad on the straight slowed to a conversational (for me) pace before notching it up a little on the last couple of k. Nice run out if a little quick for today.

10 minutes rolling then 10 core.

Easy jogging with a couple of drills.

EMOA League at Harlow. Brown course 8.8km 155m 30 controls.

Began the course well, taking a lot of what I talked and thought about last week and trying to put it in to practice. Flowed nicely through the first 3/4 without really thinking about them too much. Then went over on my ankle on the way to 4 or 5 and debated sacking it in then and there, lost big time on that leg, maybe a minute or so debate. Decided to carry on and the pain abated after a while but then did it again on the way to the next control. From then on in I changed my focus to simply navigating which worked much better. Still lost time in places, but that's down to the odd poor route choice and then the actual terrain and undergrowth meaning some bits were tougher to get through. Despite some poor routes and the odd circle slip navigated well and forgot about trying to run and just orienteered. Despite not running hard throughout, still finished 2nd, only 15 secs off JD so pleased with that, a little worried about my ankle though. Nice enough course, pretty much just a training exercise.

Jogging and drills/strides.

Was supposed to be a progress check before the JK, aiming for under 17. Felt fine the first lap, leading with another guy. Then had real issues with like sort of a cramp down either side of my trunk, meant running was pretty unbearable. Stopped my run there, furious as I don't know what it is. Ran the rest with Harriet because I've never not finished a race. Pretty pissed!
Splits indicate I was on course for the time hit around 16:45-16:50 so not all negative.

Very short. Heading out later to test shoes.

Went for an easy one to test shoes out. Felt quite ill throughout, not sure why to be fair and a bit of a scare when I went over on my ankle again. Not a problem though, didn't go fully over. Just a bit of a rubbish run.

Giving my ankle another day before park run tomorrow (progress check)

Few foot exercises and then some core. Might venture out tomorrow.

Nightmare travel home, 12 hours in total. Foot much better but a bit uncomfortable.

Stayed at the hostel all day, analysing and updating. Foot a little better.

Up to the start then warming up there.

Rubbish first course. Spiked one then got ahead of myself and ballsed up 2 and 3. Then decided as it was training is try alternative routes to smashed the path to 4 which worked well. Stuck with that theme so after careful compass work in 1/2 on course 2 decided to crash down to the path and then in, worked well but the felled area made it a slower route, then up the hill to 4. Tough area but good training.

Warm up before the middle.

Going steadily for the first half, dropped time on number 3, 11,12,13 very annoyingly. Caught Andrew early but poor routes meant he got ahead. Couldn't really bring myself to fully push either. Out of 14 cocked my ankle pretty bad which resulted in dipping out to the road with Sasha (thanks again) and a painful walk back to the buses. Bit gutted because it was a good course, wasn't having the best of runs though. Pretty sure it's just sprained but pretty painful non the less.

Middle training at the top of Craig a' Barns. Orienteering well for the most part, concentrated on control circle and flow out of it. 2 exercises out of 3 in anticipation of the relay.

Warm up for the middle, going through actually race preparation so did my full normal one I would for a big race. Easy jogging both on the track and in terrain, then drills and strides. Moving alright despite a rough morning.

Good really training mass start. Went out well, spiked one then raced on my own through my first loop, aware of others on it behind me but my paying attention to them. Went through the transition with apparently a minute lead but didn't actaully know. Lost time on 11 and 12 after the change then worked hard to catch back up with some of the guys. After that just settled back in, feeling comfortable but lacking the extra gear. Dan and Alex nipped in ahead saying they were pretty knackered and it wasn't like I was fresh but felt I could have kept that pace up for a good while longer. Really good session.

All before and after exercises.

Long-o training on Linn of Tummel. Started a bit cautious as I'm not used to this kind of technical area. Then got a bit more in to it and flowed nicely for the most part. Still, work to do in some height jugement but overall quite successful. Worked out a solid plan before each leg and for the most part stuck to it well.

Travel to Pitlochry.

Standard and what is now my regular Thursday session. 20x200m on the road outside, feeling pretty good, not much else to say.

Around the village.

Through the day

Spent the day finishing off my coursework for history, which is still pretty bad and has work to do but got what I needed to get done for tomorrow. Went out for an easy one, down to stenburgh then up to dunton on the nice path, back down the field and up through the meadow. Then headed up to the the creepy house and the sandpits, which got weird when a herd of black cows chased me out of their field, including rather a hairy dash across a cattle grid. The rest of the run proceeded to be sticky crappy fields to Ashby then home on the road. Felt alright, a little tired towards the end. Short session tomorrow before Scotland.

Through the day.

Easy jogging to aspects.

HHAC Intervals down at Aspects.
8 continuous loops of up the hill hard, along the hill recovery and then down hard with the bottom recovery. Each lap roughly 950m.
First ascent=260m roughly 45-50 seconds. Distance recovery=220m
Descent=210m 35seconds average distance recovery=1:15=1:20
Felt pretty good, did this session last as I was just coming out of injury last summer, I was a way behind Mark and Karl then. Now I was leading each rep at a good pace, feeling comfortable if a little ill on the last few. Mark but no Karl today. Good session.

Jogging back to leisure centre.

Through the day, letting my legs recover from yesterday although would have liked to go out for a run. decided against it because I don't want to do too much before the weekend.

Easy jogging, up to the start with ali, then other bits and bobs.

Southern Champs MVOC course 3 11.9km 310m.

Bit annoyed to start with, got to the start with what I thought was 10 minutes to spare so normal race prep, but turned out I was 10 minutes eaelier than expected so literally went straight to the front box and had 20 seconds to spare. Rushed off to 1, finding another control and binning maybe 30 seconds straight off through not settling in Good bearing to 2, deciding against the path as it was a southern forest so should be nice, moving quite well. Dropped to the path after attempting straight for 3 and finding it fine. Bearing from the first junction on 4 and stayed on it well with a slight hesitation in the circle. Another good bearing to 5, taking in the big depression, but was maybe a little far right, not an issue though. Cut out some of the climb to 6, looping around then up instead of dropping down the valley and again finding a control before but then correcting fine. Tried to drive up the hill for 7 but t was pretty steep and struggled but still managed to gain ground on Charlie who was just ahead. Then through the green and across the path nicely to 7. Wasn't too sure on 8 but decided that the forest was actually pretty nice so headed straight up through the light green then maybe could have gotten a better path but headed for the east junction. Forest around the control was pretty vague and it would have been easy to lose a bit of time so played it safe and used the pond well as an attackpoint. Moved off and hit the path around the field rather than drop through the green, good entry as it turned out, then bananad in to 10. Off up the steep back and around the fence, then a bearing to 11 and fine. Hesitant in the circle for 12 but stayed on my bearing better than expected. Nice route to 13, trusting my navigation on the green before getting the paths right for the control. This is where what was turning in to a really good run fell apart. Nailed my bearing to 14 but hit a knoll with a control on it just before which threw me completely. From my analysis, I realised that maybe I wasn't paying enough attention to the map because of the altered scale (1:15000). As a result, my head went completely and from concentrating well on each leg I panicked and didn't think. Therefore binned 6 minutes or so messing around when I should have readjusted and maybe lost 20-30seconds. A bit all over the place to 15, so dropped too low and had to climb back up, losing a little more time. Back together a bit to 16, but still had it in the back of my mind that I'd cocked up. Straight through the fenced green and then around the rhododendrons to the control. Realised that 17 was on the bridge but not before I'd gone too far right to the path maybe losing 15 secs or so. Good in to 18, dropping straight to the road and across to find the earth bank. Then my biggest mistake of the day followed, at first, it was a poor route choice as I should have played it safe and dropped back to the road and across there. However, much of the road had purple crosses on it, yet the crossing points weren't marked which in my opinion was a pretty poor bit of planning. However, having bashed my way over the hill, I crossed the road and then headed straight up the hill. Vague hillside filled with paths and as I headed to the top, I noticed a clear sky with no trees on the skyline. There was an open field to the west on the map and so I assumed I was near it meaning that my head went again, From there it was a case of me faffing in the forest again just not getting my head sorted and navigating from there. At least 10minutes droppped and Ali caught me here. Knew my race was f****d from here so was pretty down heartened. Dropped the path on 20 to try a straighter line and found it fine. Then along the hillside to 21 which was fine, Ali dropped to the path but I stayed straight. Pulled ahead of Ali on 22, indicating that I was still moving well at this late stage, but messed up in the circle dropping another 30 seconds or so by being too low. Then dropped down the hill to 23 and a poor bearing to the last control mean Ali nipped ahead but I got him on the finish.

From what I could work out on the train home, I think I dropped 18:30 overall on noticeable mistakes, with 16 of those on just two controls. Without this I would have been challenging Tim but as a result I was about 15 minutes down. Very disappointing, however a major positive for me was that I trusted myself to go straight on many legs and was very accurate with bearings so hopefully next weekend I'll be able to work on and consolidate that further. Nice area and a good course, physically felt fine even if leg speed was lacking at time. 2 poor mistakes let me down today so I need to crack down on this concentration and fine detail around the circle to prevent it happening again and hesitations in this area. Good running by Tim for the win.

Easy some with Ali, then a bit on my own.

MV Forest Sprint at the Nower.
Never really done a forest sprint before so was a little unsure how this would go. Decent run overall, moving pretty well keeping it steady. Slips on 6, small one on 7 and a bit on 14 meant time loss but pretty pleased overall.

The legendary Box Hill run with Ali. Lovely place to run and decent company. Kept it steady throughout with tomorrow in mind.

Jogging through the fields to the meadow for some reps.

6x800m laps around the meadow. Felt ok again if a little slow on the climb. Times:
2:52, 49, 50, 50, 53, 49

Head's been banging all day so a long run would have been detrimental to training. I'll update yesterday later.

Through the day, bits and bobs.

Lap of the village before and after.

20x200m in the village then standing recovery that varied. Felt alright but form was a bit crap. All times around 25-30 secs.

Day off after last week, got rejected by Durham today, which I'm actually more upset than I thought I'd be about it. Sheffield or Edinburgh (offer depending) then.

There's method in the madness this last week.

Jogging and drills, cold.

EMOA League at Bagworth

Still feeling pretty fresh as I started but started too far after dad to catch him and harrison was too far behind to realistically be caught. Cocked up number 1 annoyingly, hitting the ride when I thought I was on the path, confusing me before crossing with 24 and readjusting, still a minute, maybe a minute and a half lost. Nice in to 2 then tough getting to 3 because I couldn't stay on my bearing through the crappy woods. Had to readjust my route to 4 because it was impossible to cross the fence, but found still lost some time because I banananed in to it. 5 was fine just following the powerline. Wrong side of the hedge for 6 but readjusted after losing time. Moving nicely through the open through 7 and 8. Pathed to 9 found it well then off to 10 where entry was an issue. Couldn't get through some woods on to 11 so lost a bit of time there, then off the path to 12. Straight up the hill to 13 actually found I was moving really well on it, hopefully working helps. Got the entry wrong for 14 losing maybe 20-30 secs. Flew down to 15 but just ran past it losing a couple of seconds. Missed the bloody stones to 16 so looped back losing time again then getting the wrong gate and adjusting route accordingly. Still, found it well once I was there. Nice up the rides to 17 but then crap route to 18 losing like 30-45sec trying to get to the path. Found it fine but crappy route. Across the road to 19 then straight up the hill, off to 20 but got confused a little by the mapping, hesitant but fine. Flew down the path to 21 and through the hedge to 22. On to the path and ride for 23 before cutting off. Nice through 24/5 then straight to the finish, 5 seconds behind dad.

Nice enough run out, legs feeling the last week towards the last k but never really pushed myself to nail it. Early mistake annoyed me and cut to bits but still quite hesitant on the whole which I need to address, more planning ahead and flow exercises needed. Moving well at the minute and execution is fairly good but need to stamp out some silly mistakes. 30secs~ off Harrison

Back with dad