Training Log Archive: RHF

Chiltern Challenge Black retired 2/3 way round
Slept alright overnight but probably didn't fuel properly (burger and a pitta, then big bowl of cereal with maybe dodgey milk). Didn't take any food, forgot to run with any. Felt pretty tired and achey on my token warm up and knew to just settle in. First couple of controls okay, but was already feeling tired pretty early on. Tried to pace myself but after 6 controls at times I was struggling to run even on flat paths. Navigation was okay but not exactly sharp. The hill to 9 was horrendous, barely felt able to walk up it. At 10 Michael caught me and ran through me with another guy, saw him again at 11 then struggled on in the rain. The course went pretty close to the finish at 14 so my plan was to get to there and see how it was going. I was feeling knackered, not enjoying it and couldn't see it improving so bailed to the finish. My first retired/DNF for a while! Had thought beforehand that doing both nights and day in 14 hours or so may have been a lot. Definitely could have fuelled better overnight and carried some energy. Think it is still related to my fatigue though. Felt like I had been in a fight on Monday!
Fun trip into Henley after for lunch with a good group. The highlight of the day!

British Night Champs Hambleden - 15th out of 20 on Long
Started 4 mins behind GG and 4 ahead of Matt, knew which one of them I was more likely to see in the Forest. The plan was to be disciplined and be boring, basically wanted to avoid big mistakes. Had got annoyed about that at the Denny Wood event with hunting for flags, so wanted good safe plans and to execute them. This plan broadly worked and am happy with how I did. Would've liked to have been a bit faster and have felt recently I'm not reading the map so well on the move? Particularly harder at night with reflection off the map.

Very safe to 1, almost too safe, could've cut across the wood. A bit hesitant to 2, couldn't easily work out where I was on the path (with the open/wood). 9 could have run a bit straighter to the path as the green was quite a big catching feature. 12 should've contoured a bit more, ran straight ish to the fence corner which meant a bit extra climb, happy with my safe attack point. 13 found it very hard to tell how long the path I had gone, so was pretty hesitant, eventually got to the pit and attacked. 15 couldn't see the ride. 16 and 18 both a bit hesitant near the control, wasn't 100% sure I was in the right place. 22 tried to follow the top of the slope through the green but got a bit stuck and had to just find a way through, would've been better to have stuck lower on the path and then across.

In the middle section was running with another guy, felt a bit like he was following me rather than the other way round! Finished pretty happy with my performance, Matt then crossed the line just after. With todays tactics and my fitness levels don't think I could have done much better. Happy with that and it was enough for 500 WNL points on minutes per km (even if everyone else was on shorter couurses!)

MapRun Winchester with Tim
Introducing Tim to MapRun/orienteering. Quite hard to chat, discuss routes and concentrate where you are going! Thanks to Mark for planning and organising, it was a great area for it. Up onto the hillside first then a technical bit in Badgers Farm, would be decent for sprint orienteering (quite undulating with lots of small cut throughs). Well planned with a few tricky controls to fit in and a couple of route choice legs with mutliple options. We were progressing better than I expected so we then headed onto Olivers Battery, more simple nav but good to get a few more points. Didn't start my watch so was unsure of time towards the end (found that a bit weird not knowing how much time left).

Run Talk Run on the Common
Slightly misjudged the timing again, would like to get there for nearer 6. Pretty grim weather on the drive and run over and I told myself it was going to be a perfect run. Had been planning on asking the group about their experiences of how the mental affects the physical. Didn't get chance but had a good chat with Mark after and so will try to discuss it next time. Found myself in the middle and nomans land a couple of times. Eventually elected to drop back myself to reset so will try to do that in future. The pace is slow and I try not to be the guy at the front driving the pace.