Training Log Archive: Magic

MDC run from the Wenallt. Good size group out tonight but a nice easy pace. Tried pushing a bit harder on a hill or so and actually felt quite good in the legs, though I was getting this freaky thing when I was inhaling moisture from my throat into my lungs when I was breathing hard, not very enjoyable and has never happened before. Hopefully won't again. Dark for the second half and after discovering that the battery for my big headlight has separated itself from its cable I was using my wee spare, which wasn't being at all cooperative and kept going out. Lovely diner at the Aggleton's after.

IW. Nae feeling too bad at all, left abductor twinged once bit otherwise grand. Well mild.

HFW. Longer than I was planning, but it was a lovely evening and there aren't that many light evenings left to take advantage of, also couldn't resist the hill up to Penarth when I got to the end of the barrage. Still feeling surprisingly tired and my left abductor was aggravated by the hill and has been irritating me since.

Still lazy. I'm telling myself that it's beneficial to rest both my ankle and abductor but I don't really believe myself.

Lazy.

Away day in London, no time for running.

Run with a few on the MDC gang from Ty Nant up the Garth. Nice and easy at the start and had fun exploring a few new paths. Still feeling tired on the steep bits and not moving very quickly - left abductor also starting to hurt a bit from about half way. Mist in the air, the first time in weeks I've seen water while running.

Out on site for over 12 hours but had no intention of running anyway so not a problem.

Computer still won't talk to my Garmin so have had to upload the GPS routes for the MMM at work. battery died half way around day 2 so will have to get that off Boyzone when (if) he eventually gets around to uploading his training.

MDC run from Tintern Abbey. Another lovely evening and was feeling grand running along the river bank, not so hot once we started to climb. Bit dark thereafter (never thought to pack a headlight) and struggled with keeping up a decent pace and trying not to damage my ankle at all. Succeeded on the latter and wasn't too bother about the former. Great meal after.

No intention of doing anything other than a bit of walking. Not actually all that sore and can certainly move quite freely, which is unusual after a MM - must have been taking it very easy!

NB Computer won't talk to my Garmin so no GPS to upload from the weekend yet.

Mourne Mountain Marathon, Day 2, 23.0kn, 1130m, Elite.

To win it, first you have to finish...

Feeling great when out of the tent (once the wet socks were on), no aches and just some bruising on my lower back and lover-handles from the backpack. Also a truly specular morning with clear skies and cloud inversions in the bottom of the valleys below.

Mass start and a 3 control cluster right off. Opted for the left control first at this gave us an option to go around the back of Eagle mountain to #4 and therefore avoid any steep climb. Brendon and Chris were the only other leading team to do the same and were some minutes ahead already by #1. However they went faffing above too high and we sneaked in front. They'd nearly caught us by #4 but we appeared to have pulled away to #5 and we never saw them again.

Coming into #4 there was a stream of people approaching from the left, which were a mixture of B and elite runners, but had no idea who was who so didn't know if our route was the best or not. It was confirmed at #5 as the marshal said we were the first elite team through. That felt good and gave us a boost!

We chose to stay on the forest road for as longer as possible before divining into the semi-open for the tight cluster of 4 (#6 - #9). This was well rough with waist-high grass covering ditches. Fell in one of these and whacked my ankle on a rock - not that Boyzone was worried! Has been passed by the third place team going into this loop but had sneaked passed again when we nipped through a bit of forest and didn't see them again until the dogleg to #11.

They were running much faster than us so were expecting them to close us down quite quickly, however they didn't do so until just before #16 (part of another cluster but one with only one logical option). However as soon as they passed us we saw them below us on the steep hill heading to #17. We had already decided that this was a tricky control site and had chosen to stay high and find the terrace above the control site to lead us it. This proved to be an excellent decision, not only because the hillside was brutally steep and covered in gorse, but because we'd both marked the control a bit low and passed the actually location on out route choice...

Just the steep decent to the last control to do, and part way along here we saw the boys below us in the gorse... Found a nice sheep trod to the woods and then decided to use the forest path that we'd used yesterday to do the final decent rather then staying in the open. Very lucky again as when we hit the bottom I saw a control to the left, we had both expected the control to be in the same place as the first one was yesterday - fortunately I went to check, just to be sure!

Knew we'd have a good day and that we'd pull back a good bit of time on Brendon and Chris, but not the 27 minutes that we needed. However they somehow managed to draw down the controls wrong/numbers rubber off or something and they ended going from #10 to #12 and packing up #11 after #15 (which was about a km shorter with no extra climb) - so easy to do when you have to mark controls from grid references.

Much easier running today with a much lighter pack, and had so much for breakfast that I hardly had to eat while running (so way to much food left over).

A very enjoyable event, good fun and company and made all the more enjoyable by amazing weather, £250 (cash) each for the effort didn't do any harm either!

Orienteers also cleaned up; winning the B; ConorS and Kevein O'B with roar and Eoin second. The C course; Ivan and James with Regina and Ruth winning the women's and Violet and Greg winning the MIXV on elite.

C • mmm 7

Event: Mourne Mountain Marathon
 

Mourne Mountain Marathon, Day 1, 28km, 1600m, Elite.
Last start of the event so a nice easy morning driving up from Boyzone's to the Mourne's. Warm and sunny so not a problem that I forgot my 3/4 lengths to run in. Packs a bit heavier than ideal but all the extra weight was food so happy enough to carry that! Ended up with 6.1km for me and I think just over a kilo less fro Boyzone - reckon we could have dropped about a kilo with different food.

Easy pace at the start as we were marking he route as we went along - second and third controls were a cluster but there wasn't really much choice in which order to take them. Up through the trees to #2 and found a bike track that started out promisingly only to double back on itself and deposit us in the 'open'. The 'open' was horrid, waste high brambles, gorse and bracken so we had to battle back down and retreat into the dense woods. Eventually managed to find the mtb track (marked in the wrong place) and get going again, but probably lost 10 minutes on the going round the path option.

Bust discussing the rest of the course on the way to #3 and promptly overshoot that by about a minute as well. Not a good clean start then. Better from there on I think, with clean navigation on the vague control sites at #7 and #8 and an excellent route to #9 (helped by Boyzone's experience of taking the other option last year!).

Opted to do the cluster of #11, #12 and #13 anti clockwise as the first control looked very difficult coming down to it (and we could already see it from #10) and it looked easier to do the climb in a steep block as we were going to have to walk it anyway - and this gave us a nice easy run back down the hill at the end of the loop. Worked as we were the fastest around the loop.

Probably dropped about 3 minutes on #15 - I don't believe it was in the right place, it was in the size of re-entrant that you would map for a control site on an O map, whereas there was a much wider one 15m away... I'm guessing there was a little bit of distortion in the map and it was placed with a GPS...

Boyzone really picked the pace up from here whereas I was really struggling, especially going down hill (which it just about all was). Opted for the further but physically easier option on the last cluster, which again I think was the right option (at least for us). Fell in this section and twinged my abductor, which is not complaining a bit - not that Boyzone was going to slow down for me!

Very happy to finish the first day in second place and less than 30 minutes behind Brendon and Chris, after all, I've only really done two training runs for this event and Boyzone hasn't run in the last month due to a calf problem (which wasn't turning out to be a problem).

No feasible time.

No time.

No time.

No time.

IW. Not feeling at all bad, took me quite by surprise. Can still feel the ankle while walking but it's not too bad either.

Here's my thought for the day; if Scotland do vote for independence, I, and millions like me, will have to find a new BOF club....

C • Club 2

A somewhat premature warm up with JonX discussing PooBoy. There was nothing much to say.

VHI Relay, Mallards Pike East, 3rd leg with Pat and Mary, 4.7km, 230m, 15 controls. Neither of my team mates had particularly good runs, leaving me in the start pen with Mr Jones to race. Fortunately it was Mr Jones senior. Nobody else left in the forest by the time I got out so I was in no rush and spent more time worrying about my ankle than I did concentrating on my navigation.

No real problems aside from a few minor wobbles and definitely chose the wrong line into #6 along the steep hill side. As per yesterday the vegetation was pants on the map but the contour features were much easier to read (I'm guessing that they were under size for 10k?).

Realised afterwards that I'd visited/hung controls on just about all of the controls sites in the past but didn't even realise that I'd been in the forest before (aside from the loop to #7 and 8), Had I realised that I wouldn't have taken the route I took to #6 as I've been caught by that messy green before!
Map

Event: Caddihoe Chase, SW Championships, VHI Individual/Relays
 

Warm up with Roger, who tried to convince me that he was ill and tried to make me miss my start...

VHI, Blakeney Hill, Brown, M40, 8.6km, 395m, 22 controls. Very scrappy run, lost 5-6 minutes in 5 mistakes, though most of the time loss was due to dodgy mapping or hidden controls - the map really could do with a complete overhaul.

Enjoyed it though and was quite happy with the way I was running when I could get up to speed, which wasn't all that often as I was struggling on the hills (probably from the last weeks training) and I was being very careful with my ankle. Happily no problems with it and quite happy to take the time penalty today.

Ended up 4th, 3 minutes behind Roger-I'm not well-Goddard and Richard Barrett, but well done on Nick's sub 60 time. Pleased though, as I could have got close to that with no distractions (although he lost time as well). Fitness definitely improving.
Map Part 1
Map Part 2

C • Map 2

Short warm down will Toni.

Can just about walk without noticing my ankle now, it's not going to be ideal for the weekend and I'll have to take bits steady, but I should make it round.

Hilly run with a few of the guys (and Clare) from MDC. Taking it nice and easy as wanting to save some energy for the weekend and also not wanting to upset my ankle further - it's still sore to walk on but was grand once warmed up running. Explored a few new paths - have to take advantage of these lovely mild and light evenings.

Event: SWOC Summer Event 5
 

Warm up with Seamus, both of us hobbling!

SWOC evening event, Porthkerry Country Park, 45 min score. Started very slow being very careful with my pretty sore ankle, didn't like the off road bits or twisty trails so ran them very slowly. Once warmed up and into the open fields I was able to run a bit more freely but was still very cautious. Picked quite a good route (partly dictated by my ankle) and managed to get up to speed in a few places so just about managed to get a training session out of it. Thankfully didn't aggravate my ankle at all, and though still sore, it's moving much more freely now.

Warm down with Seamus, both of us still hobbling!

Sugarloaf with MDC. Up the new race route, which was steep and narrow at the start before a lovely ridge run to the peak, bit steep to the top. Beautiful evening to be out in the hills and no one else around. Having a bit of fun running down the grassy path at the end when I knackered my ankle while slowing down. Now sore but moving, though I can't walk without limping. Hopefully a bit of strapping should see it through.

IW. Smashing morning, took the longer option (which I've not done in a while).

HFW. What a lovely evening, shame to be running around a city but that's what was on offer this evening. Made it as interesting as possible by looping through Roath Park and The Heath (nicest park in Cardiff?). legs a bit reluctant starting out but moving okay for the last few kilometres.

Event: British Middle Champs (UKOL)
 

Nearly missed my start as I was bust talking to Dr Bown.

BEOC Middle Brereton Spurs, M21E, 5.0km, 285m, 34 controls. A nice wee area and an enjoyable course, just it wasn't big enough for this event and it shouldn't have been used at this time of year; so fun but a bit unfair - glad it wasn't a race that I was wanting to do well in.

Navigation was well rusty and I lost time in way too many places by being untidy (#6 and #25), however I lost as much time by not being able to see features hidden by bracken (#7 and #15). Probably lost an average of a minute on each of the four above controls and also made quite a few other wobbles, so not a good day at the office from a technical point of view. Never felt strong running but think that overall I was moving okay, so happy to see that improving.

Would have been happy being 5 minutes quicker but could never have got near to Kris' winning time of sub 30.
Map

Spectating at BEOC Sprint; lovely day and a good assembly area, though not set up for spectators/spectating and a notable lack of any atmosphere, mostly due to any informative commentary being replaced by strict announcements.

Walked in and out of town but that's about it. Another vaccination.

IW. Usual route completely off limits so had to run around the roads instead. More police around than there are usually cars (and very few of them around as all the roads are barricaded). All seems way OTT for just one dinner party.

HFW. Banned area appears to have doubled in size since this morning. Lots of detours needed before I could make it to the park. Must have seen close to 1000 police, 100 police vehicles, helicopters flying everywhere and up to 6 protesters...

C • Next Wednesday 7

SBOC evening event at Gnoll Estate, 45 minute Score. A nice wee area, not such a great map but another gorgeous evening. Planned by a lovely old guy who had next to no clue about orienteering (placed one control on a feature on the wrong side of a path), also somewhat underplanned.

Didn't stick to my planned route after failing to find a control (which was on the wrong path junction) and bumbled around thereafter - also failing to visit a control which I had not noticed over my map fold. Still back in 25 minutes after very little hard work.

Got lucky when crossing a stream when what looked to be a perfect stepping-log to stand on turned out to be floating in several feet of water. Managed to stay on my feet but others weren't so lucky...

Collected most of the controls after - to make my run up to decent time as much as anything.

MDC run in Cwmcarn. Cracking evening and a fun route - gentle slog to the top, a lovely grassy path around the back of the valley and then straight down the downhill mtb track (only unset one biker - who wasn't even on the track). Legs were tired but not feeling too bad. HRM appears to be running a bit flat (or else I was seriously chilled for much of this run!).

C • Running MTB trails 2

In and out of work and to and from the doctors (for holiday vaccinations, only the nurses computer wouldn't work). Barriers, police and helicopters all over the shop.