Training Log Archive: IanW

Bit of a throaty cough today, so taking it easy. Nasty headwind cycling back home.

Event: LOK Holmbury Hill Regional Event
 

Before/after run

Fairly good run, but absolutely knackered from about half way round - most likely combined effect of last night's run and feeling crap recently... Every small hill felt a major effort, walked up a fair few of them (too many of them?); anything a bit rough underfoot also a struggle near the end. Really felt like a M21L course, thought I'd been out easily over 90 mins so very pleasantly surprised to see time when downloading. Complete contrast to last year's event, when felt like I was running quite strongly but made a couple of big mistakes and took 89'.

mistakes (total ~4')

#3 - hesitant, looked around for a bit and turned wrong way down re-entrant, turns out I was about 5-10m away from it first time. Grrr... 30"

#10 - again hesitant near end of leg, not knowing how big the gully would be, eventually see it off to right. 20"

and then the splitsbrowser line unsurprisingly starts to curve downwards... reckon 4 or 5 mins faster had I been able to keep up the early pace.

#16 - bit of a bingo control, very hesitant in vicinity - 30"

#17 - Starting to feel tired now, stupid stupid mistake, parallel error of sorts as thought spur was hill, but should never have happened as really shouldn't have gone into the forest where I did, but gone further down path to junction then in. 1'20"

#19 - poor exit direction from #18 cost 20". Then confused thickets coming down slope, bearing off wrong one, realised and corrected error. 1' total

#25 - really hesitant as to where to drop off path, splits suggest this cost 20".


Otherwise really quite happy with orienteering, route choices generally chosen and executed well where they were to be made. Compass work pretty sound too. Really enjoyed Holmbury the last two times I was here and still do - fantastically runnable forest throughout the vast majority of the area. Looking forward to Leith Hill at the JK now, and to see what's on the other spur :)

To the start - red and white tapes not really visible at night...

British Nights at New Beechenhurst. Not the most of inspiring of courses, and after feeling a bit rough over the past few days, I didn't really push it, or want to push it. Seemed to clear a lot out of the system though. Plus I'm still getting the hang of this night-O lark, and an intermittent connection in my headlamp meant only had one bulb operational (the 10W I think). The course, however, was set up so that you could run fast in places with little or no need for navigation, not really making the most of the area - certainly preferred my JK course earlier in the year.

Started off in day mode, straight to #1 and turned wrong way on ride on spur - 90 secs. Then didn't pay enough attention to #2, again turned wrong way along stream, 2.5 mins gone this time. #5 was poor distance judgement, went up far too early, then decided to contour along the slope and was lucky to see control when turned round - not sure that was the most obvious ditch/re-entrant on that slope but that's what was mapped... V. slow to the bingo hide control (#7), slow and high to #10 but knew what was going on. Slightly confused by unmapped re-entrant almost next to similar mapped feature with control at #13, unmapped patch of crap veg along earthbank to #14, slightly early up to #17, happy to hit #18 well but poor choice of route. Crap route to #21, poor compass and dragged along slope and a bit by vegetation, would've been faster to run up to and back in from path.

Could have been more aggressive in places, deliberately running to paths and along to a good safe attack point. Should have started off a little more cautiously, mistakes to 1 and 2 were schoolboy. Aiming off improved throughout the course, still need to work on distance judgement at night. Pleased to go under 2 hours but just over the magical 10 min/k mark. Certainly still a lot to learn about Night-O.

Still feeling a little off colour, hopefully will be good for tomorrow.

and feeling a bit rubbish too - some form of mild stomach bug perhaps...

Early morning run with Helen - not quite sure why I did this, a bit hungover from the night before and feeling generally rubbish, muscles tight and not wanting to go anywhere...

from lab to start of cuppers, then some stretching and more running around to stay warm

OUCCC Hilary Term Cuppers, Marston Ferry Route. Started at an OK-ish pace, perhaps felt a little fast, then stride felt much better once got out of Parks. Really felt like I was pushing in the final km, to dip under the 25 min target time, which I managed :)

Splits:

13:22 for 3.3k to Banbury Rd/Marston Ferry Jct (4:03 min/k)
5:31 for 1.4k to Banbury Rd/Parks Rd Jct - (3:56 min/k split, 4:01 min/k overall)
5:50 for 1.5k to Finish - (3:53 min/k split, 3:59 overall)

Jog with Ali, some stretching then jog/walk back to lab. Calves really really tight, trying to keep them moving.