Training Log Archive: philm64

Back - sore all day yesterday finally gave up the ghost and seized up 100% this morning.

Completely incapacitated, lying down all day flat out & on max painkillers. Luckily Liz is off work so came round & did shopping, made sandwiches etc.

There you go. that's the end of my 6 races in 6 days quest.

Tamar Triple day 3 - my 2nd day, Mt Edgcumbe, hot day, great views of Plymouth, Clive running M21 (why?), middle distance race, 4.6km/ 255m (steep!)

** WOKE UP IN PAIN IN MY LOWER BACK AS AIRBED Wasn't PROPERLY INFLATED - T\HIS IS NO GOOD PHILIP **

Another trying journey there. sigh.

Hot - very fast start on grass (though splits would show later than Megan Carter-Davies was a lot quicker - how? I was legging it like mad)

no 4 - huge problem here - missed it, overshot, back in off fence corner, STILL no flag - WTF? turned round in despair - another run ruined? - and there it was "tucked away" Not best pleased. That meant I did not win today's course. 90 seconds lost..... at least.

small misses later eg. no 10 as I had lost my sense of direction on an easy leg & could not get head around terrain in circle, for about 30 seconds.

From there on in, running as hard as I could considering I was knackered in the heat & on the steep hills by now, and some good legs, some a bit shoddy. Very fast open land later saw me push myself hard & win these legs in the main - but it hurt. It has to!

Dead at finish - can I race 6 days in a row? (answer: no, but not cos of this race)

Pleased to be SW Middle M50 champ, but victory somewhat hollowed by a) Clive running m21 (where he was stuffed out of sight), b) Pete Ward reasserting himself 90 seconds quicker than me, and I was going to say c) Lucy Butt appeared to finish in a quicker time but results reveal she was actually 30 seconds slower, so I narrowly take her out 2 days in a row. She clearly enjoys her life more than I do, though, which is more important. Megan CD (great to see her back running proper fast!!!) would easily have had me had she not made a couple of too-big errors on her run - one being the route choice 11-12 - a no brainer to a runner like me - go down to huge track/ road, & leg it "hell for leather" to the open ground then stagger up to control. This worked! :-)

back very sore on (deeply trying) drive home (traffic good; weather hot; very tired; needed a nap)

Garmin: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1191317...

Routegadget: http://www.devonoc.routegadget.co.uk/rg2/#111&...

RESULT - M50
http://www.cornwallorienteering.org.uk/tamar_tripl...

M45: (Pete Ward's revenge) http://www.cornwallorienteering.org.uk/tamar_tripl...

W20 (Megan)
http://www.cornwallorienteering.org.uk/tamar_tripl...

W21 (Lucy Butt) http://www.cornwallorienteering.org.uk/tamar_tripl...

Tamar triple day 2 - my 1st day. Davidstow aerodrome, and north tip of bodmin moor. A new place to visit! Hot, windy-ish and very open & sunny - sun cream on balding head.

after a rather long drive which was, at times, somewhat trying....

Brown. 11.9km. very fast going at first.

Achilles hurt for 1st 20 mins, but then settled down, I was a very happy camper running / cruising the golf-course like flat grass in the open, I do love easy-O. sub-5minute kms here, I suspect.

then into woods, again, no issues, and out, up hill, going very well, til no 11, nailed it.

sadly I then face planted into a marsh, a complete bath, and had to "swim" out, backwards losing 30 seconds, but then somehw missed no 12 (Garmin shows I missed it by metres...) - running a good minute up the gully then back again - 2.5 ins lost on this leg.

lost 45 secns on no 15 due to laziness not checking ditch on 1:15000 map. then fine, really, lovely open O, accurate compass, tiring near end as sunshine hot, but enjoying it very very much.

71:49, 3rd, Ben Chesters 66, Phil Winskill 67. Pete Ward made some ginormous errors & announced he'd have done 64 with a perfect run. Nah!

http://www.cornwallorienteering.org.uk/tamar_tripl...

Garmin: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1191317...

Routegadget - lost 2:15 at least, missing control my metres, no 12: http://www.devonoc.routegadget.co.uk/rg2/#110&...

Then off to idyllic campsite in Tavistock where I sadly decided to inflate an air bed, but not until it was very very hard. oh god...... beers & meal, & early night (gig til 12:15am last nite)

Event: Tamar Triple
 

Insomnia, woke early, so Ashton Court Parkrun as sort of club "gathering" etc.

Aim was 7min/ miles ie. 21:30, but trundled up hill seemed OK apart from sore stiff "wooden" heel, and felt up for a reasonable bumble.

11:13 at the turn - Jarlath going for it in the lead.... record? 16:00

4th km mostly down was fast - 3:33 - then last one, a bit of game playing with some guy in headphones, he was clealy going to "beat" me, and 3:27 for last km - too fast, but whatever.

20:10 a bit quick, but 18:47 best ever on here, and 19:52 in Novmeber, so it's fine. I think. See how heel reacts.

kms: 4:19 (not bad)
4:47 (the worst - hmmm)
4:04 should be sub-4:00, oh dear
3:33 - silly (downhill)
3:27 - stupid (downhill "sprinting").

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1187641...

result http://www.parkrun.org.uk/ashton-court/results/lat...

Blimey, very tired & stiff today!

Need to remind myself to ease back gently following a layoff. Feet sore, too.

Last night's Blue course, with some pre-knowledge to be fair.
5.5km, 28 controls, a good well planned and interesting course, fast going.
34:37 on my watch.

Quite hot, and one 30 second mistake (no 5). but generally good, which makes Ben & Eddie's times all the more impressive

I do not believe the FInish SI was accurate, as the 160m run in took me over 40 seconds and Ben did 27! So I reckon I was about equal 4th but barely ahead of Nick G. - fair play.

http://www.bristolorienteering.org.uk/sites/defaul...

Garmin https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1185047...

Stoke Gifford Green course 4.3 km 25 controls.

Vast pre-knowledge meant I was 10 mins faster than last night's winner, but annoyingly a few seconds slower than Ben Mitch. on the Blue course!

Legs had stiffened up and I struggled to get going again, after a break after the Blue. The heat was really getting to me too. I need to remember I'm nearly 52, not 22! Or 17! (eddie N.)

Possibly a mistake doing this too, but 2 days off now, so we'll see.

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1185047...

Results: nb. Jane Baldock / Forrest did 29:44 so only a minute down on me - her controls hadn't quite been put out yet. when she started at 6:10pm. Impressive run from her!
http://www.bristolorienteering.org.uk/sites/defaul...

C • Ahem - she set off at 6! Th... 1

spent 8 hours at the Stoke Gifford urban event, a lot of time on my feet mostly.

I arrived at least an hour too early, its fair to say, but I believe in "contingency" for these events.

jogged in jeans to collect all Orange controls.

Hadn't cleared the start until 7:55pm so to try to race the blue having been on the go since 2pm would have been a bit silly.

Heel didn't seem to complain. but it was only a short effort.

Off the boil again today - feel virally & too tired - am not sleeping well - dunno why - step backwards so give up again.

Whatever.

Unticking ill now. Seem intact, though still tired.

Heel sore. from 4 days rest - do the math? (I can't)

Felt OK, just a bit feeble.

Do I even WANT to run at the moment? not sure I do.

Possibility of revenge on one particular clubmate who took me out during my hellish 10k on sunday is quite tempting tho.

See how I feel tomorrow.

On the mend. Thankfully. Jaw "issue" easing. What was that????

Lie down in afternoon, tho. Reading not sleeping.

Burping less.

Got out in the evening - photo taking at Tyntesfield 10k, then collected (walking / driving) controls from BOK urban at Nailsea - nice evening, but quite tired by the end. A hassle getting stuff back into my house. Hate living here. Wish I'd not bought this house.

No better - in fact my jaw locked up last nite driving home late & exhausted from band practice, leaving me unable to chew & barely able to talk. Eh? What's this? Weird - wasn't doing anything to make this happen

Innards still giving me jip - feel washed out, burping constantly, getting "full" too quickly, feeling a bit nauseous, and .... (stuff I'm not sharing)

Horrible DOMS in left calf (from compensating for RH injured heel on Sunday?), both thighs, and injured Achilles heel/ankle, so really the writing's on the wall , & this week is a rest week. Or the season's over?

Apart from urban O tomorrow nite - but I will probably not compete. Just amble. Collecting gear for BOK anyway, & I like Nailsea.

Gladly fell into bed & slept all afternoon.

Something, people, ain't right.

Week off, for sure. All plans cancelled. That includes non-sport ones.

Nausea & upset stomach much improved (only one mouthful of sick came up this morning).

Legs sore, esp. thighs - oh well. Knackered.

I think I run badly in heat?

I'll leave "ill" box ticked til I'm sure I'm through this.

Heel absolutely no worse at all than it was yesterday morning. No further damage done.... weird, but I'll take it!

rest rest rest rest rest

Note: 7:00am, up, onto toilet.


The world falls out and I'm clearly not well., at all.

Repeat 30 mins later.

I decided it's "nerves" (ah! the stupid power of positive thinking) & head off to Bristol 10k anyway (with heel niggling)

Bristol 10km, 2016, warm & sunny day, a bit too much in sun, but cool in shade.

167th, 4th Vet50, 38:48 (chip/official) 38:32 (my Garmin) 38:30 (Strava best 10km in this run)

Heel too niggly during warm up so sprayed it with Freeze stuff & got on with it.

Jog the start, cruise behind Paul Deaton etc feeling fine, this is easy! Heel seemed to settle enough. Yeah! 1km - oops- 3:37, how did that happen? I'm finding this really comfortable. Adrenaline?

Which meant 3:46 at km 2 was a ... slowing. But no worries.

km 3 - 3:50 - still, not bad, eh? Doubts creeping in & I'm letting clubmates drop me, seemingly unable to do anything, but not really caring. Odd.

4km - 3:47, but something's going wrong here, I don't feel like me, I don't feel like "Phil".

5km (18:49) WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME? I feel ill, I want to throw up, energy is all draining out of me. I really want to stop. I want to quit. I'm HATING every step, this is a nightmare - what????? Clearly the shits this morning were more than just "nerves" (NO SHIT SHERLOCK) (sic) Grab a water bottle, pour some on my head, try to swallow some - now I really NEED To be sick - But I don't barf. A huge pack flies past this jogging ruin of a thin man.

* positive thinking can be utter bollocks and we all know it.

at 6km, I determine to carry on, despite runners filing past me now, through dreadful & highly painful splits of 4:00, 4:01, 3:59, I arrive , in pieces at 8km (5 mile) in 30:50.

* clubmate Bryan, who never beats me, passes me and & i say, I'm shot away mate, I'm gone! to which he replies, you're strong! you got this Phil! !!!! urm..................................... he then jogs off to record a great PB, but .... this +ve talk is.... bollocks! :)

Some sort of stubbornness kicks in on the new, extra "hill" at this point (8.5km), it's nothing, I run hard up it & start re-catching runners who'd got me earlier. OK, I will race to the end now, so I do, a totally acceptable 3:42 taking me on my Garmin to 10km in 38:32, rubbish, but still another 16 seconds of running to go, a little sprint finish with two lovely women , I pass one but she beats me on chip timing - splendid!!! 38:48, awful, but I would have taken 37:45 so I lost a minute to my schedule on those awful, awful kms 5-9.

Shivery, washed out, tried to put on brave face - need to rest now, and will do, heel hopefully survived, re-match (me vs 10km) Friday night maybe?


I'm glad I started and I'm glad I tried; I'm glad I pushed thru the misery & unwanted / unexpected nausea even though there is no point in killing yourself for no good reason at all. First world problems & challenges. Rest time.



https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1169464...
Garmin can't cope with the Clifton Suspension Bridge.... as usual :)

Tried a gentle jog to test out health & heel.

Health - not great - a bit achey still. But acceptable.

Heel - shit. Really NOT in a decent way. Is it ever? 3 months of no progress.... :-(

If I race tomorrow, which I will , I won't really be able to push off on my right foot.

oh dear.

C • Hypocrite 10

Heel painful today.

Wiped out & aching, had to go back to bed twice. I've either over cooked the bike riding / running this week / since last w/e, or I may have picked up a mild flu bug on the plane on Monday.

Rested up like crazy, anyway. Hmm.

BOK dinner tonight. I'll be on fine form, wont' I? No.

Note: heel vastly less painful today than yesterday - even tho it hurt at times on O race last nite & I ran hard on the fast bits..... & hadn't run for 3 days up til yesterday..... just so random .

mountain bike up gorge - muddy - (after feeding cats en route) - got splattered. Ddn't fancy the return trip so went out from Pill to A370 & suffered on the A road (sometimes on pavements) (cycle/walker share), to Ashton court, spun down hills there, Southville, home. A bit longer than usual, good. Now taper.

http://www.mapometer.com/mountain_biking/route_431...

Heel not happy today. stiff, painful & "blocked up". Cant' walk up stairs pushing off on it.

I really shouldn't go to the BOK evening event later, but I will - it's world O day, for a start

Sigh. At some point, I'm gonna have to throw the towel in.

No news on my requested ultrasound scan yet :(

BOK Wednesday event, Penpole

Blue, 5.4km, 180m, 36:20, Ben Mitchell 31...

Nice to wear Terraclaws for a change, the perfect shoe for this ! Low slung, and gave my heel jip on the bumpy wet grassy bits, but otherwise, phew I got away with it yet again. (the heel/Achilles)

Good run, up to no 16, & 17, where not staying in contact cost me 1min & 30 secs respectively, allowing NIck Gracie to re-catch me. Silly me.

Finished fast & felt quite fit throughout. Splendid.

Vastly better than last time at Penpole - one of the worst events in the history of O, according to some AttackPointers. (rcro?)

2nd place?! To Ben M. - well no chance there even with a perfect run, so pleased - nice sociable evening too, with a SRC member driving us, good to see new blood.

Beating Owain Jones at anything is to be celebrated, but he is "injured" & only beat me by 6 seconds on the last control then 5 seconds on the run in, ha ha!

Results: http://www.bristolorienteering.org.uk/sites/defaul...

Garmin: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1164329...

C • according to some attackpointers 6

Mixture of cycling to & from gym, plus 10km in 20 mins on exercise bike in gym at level 14/15. Very wet & rainy - vile.

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1162529...

Heel sore today.
Gym

15 mins on ascender, at level 3 & 2 (tough) - 2.1km
15 mins on cross trainer, at level 13. - 4.25km

Heel hurt on the latter.

Travel back from Geneva.

CA-ROSE H50 long race at Grolley, near Freiburg. 6.7km 220m 19 controls.

Good run; hot, green map, dry ground .Energy sapping. quite a lot of grot. Got stuck in one green ghastly patch due to poor compass work. 2 small misses. Slowed to a near-walk at no 4 as very vague & remembering British Long champs where I had no idea how to relocate. This paid off - just!

Good run & first in H50 by a lot - also faster than all H45s. 58:35.

Heel very iffy on the hard ground when going up hill - had to not use it - use thighs etc instead. Hmmm.

Result:
http://www.o-l.ch/cgi-bin/results?type=rang&ye...

H45 results - yay! http://www.o-l.ch/cgi-bin/results?type=rang&ye...

Garmin https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1160950...

C • Great result 2

Nice walk up to ridgeline where snow stopped us. Got to 1975m. Climbed about 1000m, then. Quite a lot!

5.5 hours.

Descent quite grim, but not for too long.

Jacuzzi as soon as we were down :)

Nice walk up to viewpoint hill above Chateau d'oex.

Snow quite thick still - could not walk along north slopes ... at only 1700m

descent tiring & both suffering in heat & on hard roads at end.

700m climb. Jacuzzi etc when we got down - two nice ex-pats joined us :)

Off to Geneva & the pre-Alps until Monday.

May go orienteering on Saturday, apparently.

Sister's apartment has use of pool, sauna etc so should be good break! :)

Nice day - cycle to Pill & back as 2 weeks ago.

Good session.

Hurting.

Heel / ankle / achilles definitely no worse than Friday, so the weekend was a success from an injury POV.

Happy with yesterday, annoyed that one control on Saturday ruined my BOC goal for the year.

BOC M50 relay, BOK team, 1st place (as in 2014 - same team, same order).

4.9km / 165m

1) new compass. £55. 2) had to hire dibber in last 15 minutes available as COULD NOT FIND MINE WHY?????? (still not turned up as I write this) stop press I found it - what a wally).

Mark S. on leg one, had a solid run in 5th, but I was off too far behind Charlie (SYO) & Roger Thetford to have any realistic chance of catching either (3½ mins) (Dave Peel back 1st in 31:50)

Ran down SO (Simon Errington) quite early on, but had to pass him twice due to my slightly tougher (not longer!) gaffle. Struggling up gentle hills in park - so unfit? Knackered? Lazy?

Entered last bit of white forest and running reasonably again, unaware that Chas was also in there, thrashing about unable to find his control (which luckily wasn't mine.....!). Passed him here, unawares.

Out onto the open, and off we go - saw no one, ran hard, nailed all but the weird gully end control, got burned off on final gaffle due to being old, scared, careful & slow. Ran all the way up the hill to find a) Andy Monro in the commentary box stating that we were leading, b) Tim T's head sticking up in the handover area, saying "What have you done with Charlie?" Eh? What? Roger had already finished - good for him, after I mercilessly ran him down in 2014.

Clive stormed round in 30:20 (OMG!!) for the win - surprise! Tim had no chance of catching 100 seconds , as he had "inadequate" eyewear in his eyes..... SYO were 3rd behind DEE in the end.

Heel niggly, but WHATEVER. used ibuprofen gel, & pills, tape, and freeze spray before race: nothing (I hope!) was going to stop me. My new £55 compass was lovely. Hired dibber less so. Anyone found my dibber? ==> ignore this.

http://siresults.co.uk/2016/boc/relay/g_-_m50_rela...

routegadget http://www.od.routegadget.co.uk/rg2/#38&course...