Training Log Archive: philm64

GWR Towpath Race 1. 10km. good conditions.

Felt ready for this, & hips / back less painful than yesterday. Road racers on.

Start felt OK & stuck roughly to 3:55 / km plan - tho 1st 2 were both 3:51. Joined by friend & arch rival Vet50 Paul Deaton, & we slowly carved through those who'd gone off too fast, to reach 4km together & running neck & neck (and well). Here is where I dropped him with a surge last time. This time we were together til the turn (5km in 19:35 official; 19:26 on my garmin ), & I put in a little surge to catch a GWR runner. Paul didn't come with me.

Passed GWR chap, & pressed on, startled by a 3:49 km. Committed now, but catching others, and passing/ dropping them. Caught 1st lady, Annabel Granger, B&W Vet45, well chuffed, she's ace & did 2:48 at London & I've never "beaten" her before. Ran with her for a bit then edged ahead. Dropped her. What's going on? A crap 4:06km, I must be dying. So why am I still passing people?

Passed 2 others then dying from 8km (31:30?), and dead from 9km. A bit miffed to lose a place on the run in and also miss 2017's 39:17. whatever. Paul on 40:25. I won Vet50. Wine. I also won the raffle. I gave that wine to Paul.....

Owain has done 31:20 on this course & Ifor did 32:30-ish back in the day, Mark Burley has done c.37:30, so this is all rather slow. I did 37:47 here in 2016. Oh well. Getting older!

http://www.greatwesternrunners.org.uk/index.php/re...

https://www.strava.com/activities/2412484313

C • Well done. 7

Steady run with Tim up Frome valley. Felt sluggish & hips / lower back horrible. (sick of this). Tim also felt rough - he's not had a day off since before SINS....

https://www.strava.com/activities/2409642948

Indoor bouldering at Bloc, climbing training. Felt utterly trashed.

I did make it up a load of reds. Orange now harder than reds, it seems. I say i was up a load of 5c problems, but definitely no 6as. Technique good, finger strength good. Arms very stringy / veiny, & effective. But felt worn out.

One of the latest stars of UK climbing was there, & IMO will be dead within a few months/ years ,as she's the most emaciated human I've seen this century. Eating disorders in young female sport can be a really, really serious issue. What to do?

I came home & ate a pie.

C • I laughed 2

BOK urban - Pomphrey, shadowing Finlay Anderson. on Green course. he did quite well, a bit slow through controls, no big mistakes. To easy for him really!

Vandalism of no 3 on Blue was a shame but lukcily it was found in a pond nearby & the unit retrieved. Record turnout tonight , & more maps will need to be ordered for next week's event at Bradley Stoke.

Collecting controls - at first on foot, then later in the dark in car - until after 9:30pm. Got home 10:20pm.....!

https://www.bristolorienteering.org.uk/sites/defau...

Much needed. Knackered.. But intact. Watched the 5km fast race...

SINS day 3 - Middle, wrekin, great fun, very steep, luckily later start so tracked up / brambles had been penetrated by earlier runners.

3.3km, 230m, M55, 3rd 39:29 (Clive sub 35, Tim 38:41)

Long walk up to no 1, no 2 was tricky, then just trying not to get injured, crazy steep descents & contouring (ankle taped....), had a tow from David Bunn somewhat (Nigel started 4 mins after me but messed up no 2), Clive's time very quick, he must be a fearless machine! Lost about 1 min at no 13 due to getting stuck in brambles when too high. But Nigel & Tim on the lower route also lost time due to (apparently) dodgy veg boundary mapping.

On a couple of legs, eg. no 11/12, I was able to run very fast & won/joint won these splits.

Great w/e, was 2nd overall to Tim. Clive put me in my place, but he didn't do Urban so no overall result for him.

http://sins.org.uk/Results2019/20190527_Wrekin_Res...

RG. https://www.hoc.routegadget.co.uk/rg2/#59&rout...

https://www.strava.com/activities/2403623606

C • Wrekin 6

Midland champs, day 2 of SINS, 8.3km, 240m. Ankle taped.
BROWN CLEE

Slow to no 2 then things started working. Found it easier than BOC 2016, also where i lost 8 minutes there, I had a hard leg today and nailed it - recognised it ! Lost about 1min at no 8 as the re-entrant seemed to point the wrong way - compass work lax? Nigel Bunn started 8 mins before me & pounced at no 11 so i was gobsmacked, assumed we'd ding dong to the finish, but no, he was puffing & heaving & I took a less full-on route to no 16 & got a small but crucial gap which I built on. Pressed on, caught Mike Johnson 4mins, and also Heather Roome, and then found I was lacking as they really ran hard down the long hill to finish. I fell heavily over a wire fence but picked myself up to stagger in for 3rd trying to close on Mike J & Heather..... but Clive 2 mins up, Tim 30 secs up (Tim hungover & said "should have been won in well under an hour" - Chas?) .

PLeased. Was 2nd in M50 in 2016 but this is OK.

http://sins.org.uk/Results2019/20190526_BrownClee_...

RG https://www.hoc.routegadget.co.uk/rg2/#57&rout...

https://www.strava.com/activities/2403621420

Event: Spring time in Shropshire
 

SINS day 1 - Shrewbury urban - 5.4km (straight line)

Idiotic start - read map from start, not start triangle YOU IDIOT, immediately found myself in deep stinging nettles & a ravine with rocks, yobboes (yes really - stoned / drunk? yelling abuse) and a river. 45 - 60 seconds binned to no 1; then no 3, ran to the correct tree ,and shades of Winchester urban - what do i do now??????? "luckily" this time i saw a track into a tree on the WRONG side of the path. Dibbed, ran off.

By now I was over a minute down on Mike pedley..... even worse, overshot 7 so found no 8 first - comically bad.

Carried on with a bit more competence, tho route choice wrong to no 16. Also trying not to run too hard or try 100% as "mindful" of Midlands tomorrow. Also quite warm. Overheating a bit.

Ended up 4th on course, they took out no 3 (wrong tree, for sure), only 1 minute behind Nigel & Tim; that's OK but honestly need to address my concentration issues. My head was still on the cliffs of Upper Pen Trywn, Llandudno. With good reason.

result http://sins.org.uk/Results2019/20190525_Shrewsbury...

RG: - comedy of errors. https://www.hoc.routegadget.co.uk/rg2/#56&cour...

https://www.strava.com/activities/2403617772

Climbing near Llandudno - the famous Upper Pen Trwyn. With Lynne & Matt Thompson.

6 routes, from 6a to E1 5b, plus tried to second an old Fawcett E3 6a - now bolted at "6b+" - no chance. Lowered off in disgrace.

Led a wonderful new HVS 5a Bauxed, onsight, felt brill. https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=6225

Held Matt's ropes on E3 & E4. Another world. Can't even second at that level.

V tired later - we all crashed out! Energy left for SINS???? Urm......

Wonderful run up the Long Mynd, from Carding Mill valley

Incredible views - felling very positive about my exciting weekend away. Sadly, RH calf decided to have stabbing pains on the long grassy descents, and ball of foot also tore slightly. Not enough padding in terraclas, and ground v hard & dry. Got lost near end, the OS printout wasn't great & nor was my sense of direction.... 90 mins too far, had intended 70 mins, but heh.

Attacked by a sheep in the NT car park. Only just survived.

Then drove up to Cheshire & a rural idyll ...... life's good.

https://www.strava.com/activities/2390828202

Avon Gorge trad rock climbing, with some bloake off the internet. used his gear. His gear dated from 1995 i reckon. Yikes!

3-pitch classic "VS 4c" Giants cave buttress - used to do laps on this, now felt hard! Top pitch used to be 4b. now - help!
[plus a new soft touch VS 4b at the bottom).

Hot & fun, and as the other guy kept falling off, I was able to dominate proceedings & get all the juicy leads in :-)

Cycled around a bit (errands but also to frenchay as sunny day); but felt really tired .

Audition later so saved energy for that.

Outdoor trad rock climbing with Tim Tett, in Goblin Combe. Stunning afternoon / evening, we were there 4 hours.

Led 4 routes HS 4b - VS 4c. Had to give Tim a tight rope on the 4c moves! ;-)

then we top roped Disaster Area which was spicy! Even I slipped & nearly came off.

Chippy & then a local pub for real ale after. Doesn't get much better than this.....

Staedy recovery run (post-walk in Blaise looking at climbs there)

Was tired earlier but perked up a bit so a quick outing. Nice.

https://www.strava.com/activities/2381016286

Awesome day's sport climbing in South wales, SirHowy, 9 pitches! from 6a to 6b, really good day out with Steve, both buggered by the end.

Need to do more of this.

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=105...

Steady Pur Down / Stoke park grassy run with some exploring the other side of the road in the woods.

Felt ok, both direct injuries bearable.

Put in a bit of an effort up the huge hill to Pur Down summit at 10km. (strava says that was worth 4:12)

MUST stop wearing these old Brooks.

https://www.strava.com/activities/2375028254

Knee not too bad.

Ankle not too bad.

Cycled to town. And back.

Whatev's

Knee sore & swollen, I can walk tho.

Very tired today - yesterday's efforts & stress (falling , plus climbing stress both my own & Lynne's) have clearly taken their toll .I'm 54 not 34.

Scampered around a load of controls at Trowbridge Urban, waking them up etc, and then manned the start for 45 minutes.

Then went to pub as that seemed enough for one day, frankly.

Trad rock climbing in avon gorge - Suspension bridge buttress with Lynne.

Lynne was dive bombed by nesting Jackdaws and had to retreat from Suspense. I led Suspension Bridge arete (HVS 5a) which felt E1 5b due to shiny holds.

Quite epic, and I'm not used to this sort of thing. I need to do more. Stunning weather / day (which is why we went)

BOK run, North nibley, wonderful weather & v scenic route. Really enjoyable & was careful not to re-sprain my RH ankle.

Enjoyed the effort up the major hill above Wotton-u-Edge.

Sadly I fell heavily on the hard path at the top, did not spot a small tree "stump" in the path (these are the worst - witness Jukola run in last year). Completely wiped out before i knew what was happening, landing on my LH shoulder, RH knee badly hit, LH thigh bleeding, both hands grazed.

Not sure if two direct "injuries" in my last two runs is a sign, maybe it's time to lay off a bit?

https://www.strava.com/activities/2368067325

Lovely steady sunny run around my environs, ankle fine so long as I dont' re-sprain it. Tape will probably be needed through the summer big multi-day events.

A few hills.

Cold virus was clearly minor, and has gone (more or less).

https://www.strava.com/activities/2363948037

Sport climbing at Gilwern, above Abergavenney, managed to avoid the plane crash on the A40 in flames ...... (came up via Blaenavon)

8 routes, glorious sun, up to 6b, really fun day. With Steve, Rob & Sarah.

Ankle probably OK to run on now. Parked right next to my error in VHi's last autumn. (where I ran off the map).

Millions missing demo in Bristol, went well & met my MP. I spoke twice & performed 2 songs. Quite a few people were there & asked questions, & we raised about £200, but i would have preferred a MUCH bigger crowd :-(

2 BOK members came.

https://www.facebook.com/phil.murray.712/posts/101...

Cold not too bad, ankle improved; still tired tho.

Now focussed 100% on the global day of demos for #MillionsMissing tomorrow - health equality & DECENT research funding for people with ME/CFS. Have car load of shoes. Anyone free in Bristol. 1-3pm. please come down & support us, or earlier - if you can help set up, that would be great! From 11:30am. I'm co-organiser with two others including an ex-rock star, with whom I'll be performing a song or two. http://www.kimseviour.com/

https://millionsmissing.meaction.net/

https://www.facebook.com/events/388917984989679/

Cold grim, ankle improving, totally out of action & that's fine.

Spent 2 hours standing in the rain at the road crossing last night. Not best treatment for a cold :-( Urban was a success- well done Bath University students. https://www.bristolorienteering.org.uk/sites/defau...

Rankings - my 1289 points in the BOC moves me into 9th M55 and the top 200 in the UK. Be grateful for small mercies!

I seem to be getting a lurg/throat. Tim Tett reported similar on Sunday morning (and promptly won BOC), and I spent that afternoon / evening at his house, so makes sense.

Ankle less puffy but still clearly injured. This has "week off" written all over it - fine.

Bath urban later - time to give back to the sport.

Ankle big, puffy & bad. Racing yesterday clearly unwise.

Pain vastly reduced from Sunday, tho.

Other bits hurting, due to using legs differently to protect ankle. Proper rest now in progress, so I don't care.

Note: my hernia has got worse.

Not sure why, but I think the NHS need to operate on it. I'll leave it til after the summer now, though. I can actually feel stuff poking through my abdominal wound site from 2017. This is not good.

British Relay champs. M50, leg 1 (Clive has now decreed that I do leg 1 - cheers), 4.7km/120m, Middleton Park.

BOK team. Ankle strapped up, indecent amount of painkillers taken, Nigel Bunn in the start pen, me hobbling. Oh dear .

SOD THAT. Within 5 mins of starting , the pain was bearable, and I set off in pursuit of the leaders, Martin Ward & Duncan Harris (the latter possibly being a tad over-optimistic). Nigel was just ahead after we suffered a small but nearly costly slip at no 2. Across the field, Nigel was 15 secs up but Al Powell (AIRE) was ahead - I took him on the running, but luckily for me - having lost sight of Nigel - Al re-arrived just as I was cocking up no 5 (Martin & Nigel were not soo lucky). Together we got it within a minute. Phew! !!!

So i was nosing in front again by no 7, missed no 8 HOW??? - Martin *just* ahead again, then i decided to do my thing, and spiked 10, 11, and found myself in the lead approaching 12. I could sense Martin tiring, and I spiked 12, and 13 - Nigel was NOT catching me - I've got this! Bugger me I'm going to come back 1st!!!


Of course, being me, I threw it all away.


Instead of a safe big path/road route to no 14 (essentially the last control), I tried to find a vague path thru the green. Failed - 15 seconds. Got some sort-of "track"- not great - stuck in brambles - tore arm - 15 seconds . To my dismay Nigel had gone round & was now 10 seconds ahead, and I fought hard but by the time we got to the running track It was clear I would again (like the JK) be staggering in behind him.

2nd back, 4 seconds down, (Chris Smithard tore past me on the track - and he also passed Nigel!). 1 min up on Martin (SYO) but a below -par run from Ifor (sadly) meant Clive went out wayyyy too far behind Tim, and rather worrying far behind TVOC (Roger).

Run of the day? Jules B, who beat my time & Nigel's, & held off Bill. Roger Thetford's run was also below par so BOK scooped... silver. As 2017. OK.
that will do. Ankle swollen & bruised when I got home . REST.

Was it worth it? Of course it was. But I am "not there yet".

http://www.boc2019.org.uk/results/brc/index.html

Quite chuffed to be so close to Bill:
http://obasen.orientering.se/winsplits/online/en/d...

https://www.strava.com/activities/2346382694

Event: British Orienteering Championships
 

British "Long" O champs, Kilnsey/Armcliffe, 7.3km / 310m

Nearly late for start. wore shorts. Felt confident, and started OK, small (45sec ) miss at no 6 - annoying. Took me til the huge climb to 12 to catch Jules Birkinshaw 2 minutes, straight past, no messing. Flogging myself - TODAY IS THE DAY.

Of course, being me, I threw it all away. Despite lying 2nd at one point less than a minute down, I SPRAINED MY ANKLE (shades of 1984 when i did the same thing here in M19 Northern champs) - yet I won that split - no 14) - how? Agony to 15 then red mist descended & i went bonkers to 17 (won that split too - in 2nd place now). But .....

Being, me, I threw it all away - stupid S shaped route to 18, and my luck was out as I struggled horribly on the steep-ish descent, witha ballooning ankle , to stay sensible . lost time on all these splits, and so ended up.....

4th

Like the JK

4th.

Tim T won in 46, me less than 1:40 down, Graham Patten fulfuilled his wish to run well here, and Nigel was strong too. Clive messed the order, Charlie was unhappy with the course / terrain / his Achilles, & Quentin is unfit I assume, so there was my chance. & I blew it.

The race wasn't good enough as a Long championships, I agree. From my POV, however, once i had hurt my ankle, I just needed it to end a.s.a.p., so I could get to First Aid, but that's only my own personal view. Had I not hurt myself, another 2km on undulating terrain after the "finish" could have got me back in the medals. Sigh.

Back to Tim's for ice, ice , drugs, alcohol , and ice, and nightmares about the relays with no ankle tape. (no shit)

http://www.boc2019.org.uk/results/boc/index.html#m...

https://www.boc.routegadget.co.uk/rg2/#38&cour...

https://www.strava.com/activities/2344436049

C • It looks a lot like 2

My first British mixed (!) sprint champs, with Alice & Clive. Super vets. 2.7km optimum. Bradford campus.

1st leg, with Bilbo, and very fast start, i was dropped immediately - not just Blibo, but Keith Tonkin was away! I was about 6th. shit!

Slowly reeled them in despite some small early slip ups, then at the far end Bilbo had the controls in reverse order to me, somehow I came out in front, so put foot down & got a large-ish lead (25 seconds), by the spectator.

Obviously, being me, I threw it all & more away by making a huge error immediately (which Clive & Graham Patten also made!). Bilbo ahead again. Passed him for the 3rd time, cursing as I did, and made sure to come back 1st by a few seconds. (nb. Bilbo doesn't do this sort of race....!)

Super fun little race, Alice won it for us, Clive just chugged round & had a quick moan about the error he said I should have warned him about! Gold. Bok also bronze when Mark caught Graham after G made "that" error - the run-in was a right scrap, so I'm told !

result: https://boc2019.org.uk/results/bmsr/index.html

https://www.boc.routegadget.co.uk/rg2/#37

https://www.strava.com/activities/2341470610

Indoor bouldering/ climbing at TCA, with Liz, Lynne & Jude.

OK, a bit hurty in the elbow. Did a load of hard-ish problems (nothing more than 5b/c), but was not on great form unlike Liz who is storming it post-Fontainbleau.

Fingertips all got skinned. Heh ho! Good for flexibility with BOC races coming up now.

Much needed "rest" day (12 hour day, door to door, in London)

Great to see i got some of my lowest Ranking points in history from running as hard as I could, with few errors and being closer to the winners in the JK (% wise) than ever before (closer than when i was 2nd to Clive in 2017), one of my scores isn't even in my top 6, and I've dropped to 10th M55, and 201st in the UK.

Just as well no one gives a t0ss about the rankings, eh........... New M55 no 1 G.P. hasn't exactly been ahead of me in many races this year (yet?) . (like Chas: nothing personal!).

Cheat the system - find a Black course (preferably a middle) & have a good run, or a Long Black, and have a steady, no errors run. Tis my advice.

Army Blue course, Old Windmill Hill, as 11 days (!) ago, scene of my best ever Middle run (at the JK), delighted to be back (despite being beaten to a pulp from the 5km last night).

Blue (sorry - not running Brown today!), 6.6km/200m, 46:32, 1st

Lovely jaunt into the woods, less hot & less stressed, easier course, a couple of small slips, nothing major, and really spiking the control pick section early on. Not flat out, 80% effort today thanks, mindful of BOC this w/e.

OK on looking at splits i made a silly error on no 12, wrong crossing point, 1 minute+ lost - twit! Also lost 30secs leaving no 10 en route for no 13 (d'oh!)

2 legs were the same as the jk: Jk 2-3 (1:00 at JK, 1:01 today) & JK 9-10 (46secs at JK, 1:01 today - but circle not visible, lost 10-15 secs). Definitely more leisurely today!

http://www.baoc.info/sites/default/files/2019/05/0...

Splits: http://www.baoc.info/sites/default/files/2019/05/0...

https://www.strava.com/activities/2333133258

Warmdown. including the last 4 controls from the JK - the blue tape is still there! I ran this last bit smiling constantly, really felt I'd earned that. Took me 4:15 today (running easily), and 4:01 flat out in the JK, the power of knowledge!

https://www.strava.com/activities/2333134092