Training Log Archive: Nathan

BUCS Relay, 1st leg.

Again, really looking forward to it and the prospect of 1st leg was something new to me so I was aiming to stick with the pack. Started well, felt very relaxed to the first control, then binned a bit of time on 2, maybe 20 seconds or so allowing the front pack to nip ahead. Pushed on through to 5 but the gaffling left me a bit in no mans land for the net couple. Chased Barbie down by 7 and then was chasing Ben Mitchell and Ali down for the next section. Feeling really tired at the turn around and maybe lost some time on a route to 15. Then everything was just a massive grind up and down hills with what felt like some unnecessarily cruel legs. Came in around 1:30 on the lead pack in 6th, but did my job of staying ahead of EUOC's 2/3 teams. Bit annoyed again at the lack of drive today, need to knuckle down on some high end efforts but overall happy with nav, just need that next gear. Good runs from Joe and Adam secured us 3rd place too with the other boys nipping in second, good days work.

Event: BUCS Individual/Relay Championships
 

Easy stuff before and after the individual

BUCS individual, men's A.

Pretty excited for this one with it being my first time but was also wary that I hadn't done a huge amount of long training. Plan was to try and stick to a steady pace throughout and nail the nav which worked in part as I was clean throughout other than some circle slips, but my legs just weren't with it today and found it nigh impossible to push in to top gear.
Began pretty well, taking safe and obvious routes through the first 4. First bingo control was 5 where I stood above it and lost maybe 20 seconds. Absolute monster of a leg to 6 where I decided to go for the forest paths and only really saw the road option when it was slightly too late. Faffed a lot bashing through some green and nearly got ran in to by some boar but I was pretty good at executing the route, it was just a bit crap and my legs were very heavy on the flat running. Annoyingly Andy caught me up here and so we flowed through the next 3/4 together with some slightly different routes and attacks making it a fairly good race, It became clear that he was running well and I just wasn't at the races so he started pulling ahead over to 10 but I kept him in my sights through the course and recaught at 15. Tried to mount a late surge but legs weren't having it and felt really sluggish through to about 20 but remained clean through these controls and on to the finish.
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed with this as I felt with the base I'd had I could perform reasonably well over this distance but it just wasn't meant to be. This was never really a season aim though and just getting a BUCS under my belt is nice, focus definitely will be moving on to speed now though.

Very easy running pre-BUCs. Gorgeous frosty morning up Porter to Forge Dam and back with a few strides, feeling good.

Easy pre weekend stuff with joe, then steam and sauna.

Very easy shake out when I got back to Sheff. Trying out new shoes, really nice cushioned trail ones, similar ride to a Brooks Puregrit. Easy until BUCs now, not overdoing anything, rest tomorrow and then another short run friday. All feeling good tonight though, no niggles or outstanding issues.

Tough course on Newtyle, middle course, little tired in the snow and heather naturally but enjoyed it, few slips.

Easy

Yogging through the day

Sprint course in Perth, not top speed but good nav, couple of errors, one stupid.

Hard 2/3 leg training on Kinnoull, led the pack I was in from the word go then lost it at the last control, damn.