Training Log Archive: JoshuaDudley

Easy run with new shoes to shake the legs up a bit. Reflect on what to focus on tonight.

First big race of the season. Wanted to use this race as a benchmark for how I have improved over the last few months, recovered from injury and how I compared with other British athletes.

First thoughts after race were I was disappointed. I knew after the finish I had much greater potential but I made several costly mistakes. From further analysis from the race there was also lots of positive things to take from it and that if I continue with my training and ethic and positivity there will be good outcomes.

1 started fast and steady along path and in. Knew what to find appeared as expected. 2 essentially straight enjoying a bit of path knowing it wouldn’t be this easy all the way, eased along spur into control. Trying to get fully into map. 3 fixed a strong bearing and head up ended up drifting a little right path stopped me so swung into control. Forget mistake big open to 4 head up and out. Got myself a little misorientated in open drifting left to path but wanted to run straight to forest. Refigured and eased into control. 5 quick map check bearing see ridge along and in.6tricky but forced a good bearing and keep line. When on rocky steep section kept head up and follow contour line saw control ahead left in. 7 classic deeside bearing leg kept checking compass knew what to look for, confident on line was 5m left of boulder. 8 also another bearing and stick, was feeling good pace was working well focus also. Nearing into control I don’t know why but I followed along the stream and pulled left onto path then zigzagged into control. Perhaps loss of confidence in but should have been straight. 9 was frustrating it started with a crap exit direction I immediately exited west up the hill realized and rotated north so was slightly off line so after the renetrant before the control I assumed I was on line, reached the top of the hill and it wasn’t there, I was in the hill south west of control. I stood stunned and realized. 10 I’m annoyed about, I should have stayed on the ridge but I went straight and lost control of my height

Tbc

Felt pretty good and focused. A little tired in the legs

Night before boc wanted to refamiliarise myself with deeside terrain. A wee night course. Felt good before starting.

Overall was disappointed following the run. I felt strong in the terrain but was not hitting controls as I wanted to. Had some excellent compass control. But also some poor map reading and bearings. One mistake to 2 was due to reading the wrong leg. And drifting. Other mistakes were usually the last 10% of the leg I would swing out left mostly or right. Got a little annoyed with myself but used this to direct my attention for tomorrow. After seeing my gps after I was happy to see my bearing control was strong. Nice straight lines, just need to be more aware into control circle.

Summary
-stay positive
-bearings are solid, plan not so
-be careful to read the map correctly

A wee blast. Time to pack for the weekend

Was feeling quite mentally tired so skipped training today. Leg also feeling like needing a rest.

C • Sneaky taper... 5

Bike needs a good fix, annoying me.

Short night o rfom the club house. Overall quite dissapointed in my performance. I did feel a bit stressed and tired from work and having issues with my bike. Head maybe wasnt in the game.

Started out sloppy just running the wrong line, not really checking the map and having no plan. result was I took a while to find the control, just sloppy and lazy. It got better tho, I really forced my self to focus and be positive. The course didnt have much flow to it so it was a little stop/start. Along a path, into very detailed hill, along path again. Think i need to rest my head for the weekend and be fresh.

Summary:
- rest and recover, reflect on things that have gone well and not well
- stay positive
- look up, ahead, bearing and plan

Easy run, legs felt quite good from weekend.

Local event, used as a chance to work on a bit of race technique. Nailing the control circle and pushing when possible. Overall felt quite tired from the start and wasn’t able to run very quick. Was disappointed in my technical also as was sloppy into some controls. Second half had some good head to head racing with Joakim which showed positive signs for relay races.

https://www.livelox.com/Viewer/Vintercupen-Etapp-6...

Overall the start of the course was a bit grotty, the quality of control and map was poor for 1,2,3 and my routes a little off, but ok. 4 decided i wanted to practice my compass and line, so went straight. Almost died coming down the hill leg got stuck in a hole. ROunded it off quite well just didnt feel very springy. Oskar ran a quite leg, staying on paths. 5 was disapointing as I had a clear plan and it was a nice easy leg. My bearing was shit so i came right thinking I was on the left hill. Luckily the powerline saved me. 6 Also decided to practice my straight technqiue. It was sloppy near the end, but actually turned out to be a nice entry into the control. Seeing other routes many went left on the path. In my head i was not really considering path options and wanted to just nail my bearing. The big hill climb was very slow which would have been avoided on the path. 7 was just rubbish for me. Spotted the path above the control on the map and thought it was crags, so took a rough bearing and head up for crags, knowing control will be just under them.obviously they were not crags so i was pushed down where I relocated and lost a lot of time. Joakim cought me here and we had some good head to head. This spurred me on to keep trying and push some different route choices. 8 and 9 went well. Felt like my enthusiasm to do well was higher, was more foucssed when I needed to be and running a bit harder. 10 an intersting leg. decided to go low, and tolled between path or straight. Decided straight, as more direct route in, and better practice. Joakim took me going high. Also oskar was quite alot faster on the road. Next few legs were fast paced and little paths on and off, good fun to end the course.

Summary:
-Stay positive and spur yourself on
-put past controls behind you until the race is over
-bearing out critical, bearing in critical
- make a plan that is clear enough to describe to someone else, or you dont know it