Attackpoint - performance and training tools for orienteering athletes

Training Log Archive: Magic

In the 31 days ending Oct 31, 2017:

	activity	#	time	miles		km		+m
	Bike - Road	28	15:13:46	220.53	(4:09)	354.9	(2:34)	1191
	Run - Trail	10	11:29:40	49.63	(13:54)	79.87	(8:38)	2438
	Run - Orienteering	7	6:10:46	34.33	(10:48)	55.24	(6:43)	1381
	Run - Terrain	3	3:26:09	16.03	(12:52)	25.79	(8:00)	822
	Bike - Mountain	1	2:00:00	16.47	(7:17)	26.5	(4:32)	500
	Run - Fell race	1	1:32:16	8.33	(11:04)	13.41	(6:53)	1026
	Climbing	2	1:10:00
	Strength exercises	2	35:00
	Walk	1	10:00
	Total	54	41:47:37	345.31		555.72		7358
averages - weight:65.9kg

6:00

0:00

» now

Tuesday Oct 31, 2017 #

7 AM

Bike - Road 30:46 [3] 12.9 km (2:23 / km) +34m 2:21 / km

IW. Hard work on the mountain bike, but made me try harder. Got lucky wit the lights, no much with a truck driver who half passed me approaching a roundabout and then ran me into the kerb, luckily had assumed he was going to be a tit and was ready.

5 PM

Bike - Road 31:00 [3] 12.91 km (2:24 / km) +54m 2:21 / km

HFW. More hard work. Forgot to start my watch yet again - it's just about every day at the moment. Old age sucks!

6 PM

Run - Trail 57:37 7.24 km (7:57 / km) +329m 6:29 / km
shoes: Salomon Fellraiser 2017 (blue)

Halloween special MDC run from HQ, including a game of zombies in the woods on the way up the Garth. Good fun and lovely evening.

Monday Oct 30, 2017 #

7 AM

Bike - Road 32:35 [2] 12.88 km (2:32 / km) +36m 2:30 / km

IW. Light and sunny (but very cold, frost even), the only positive to the clocks going back. Bike was ill though, the bottom bracket giving up on life, resulting in very wobble cranks and many loud and painful sounding noises. Hope it gets me home.

5 PM

Bike - Road 35:07 [2] 12.9 km (2:43 / km) +65m 2:39 / km

HFW. Cold again, better gloves needed for tomorrow. Bike wobble and groaned all the way home, but make it, it did. Going to have to be the mountain bike for the rest of the week - fingers crossed it stays dry.

Sunday Oct 29, 2017 #

Event: 2017 Welsh League Event

12 PM

Run - Orienteering 1:16:08 9.72 km (7:50 / km) +341m 6:40 / km
weight:65.9kg shoes: Adidas Kanadia TR4

Checking control sites at Castell Coch - it's nice to be able to run to the area that you're planning on from home. Legs surprisingly heavy and never really got going, although it was very stop/start having to tape the sites. New map nice to run on.

Good news when I weighed myself, having taken the battery out of my new scales and let it reset itself, that I'm now 7kg lighter than last week... Means that I'm lighter than expected, despite being greedy over the past few months (no incentive to stop that then!).

Saturday Oct 28, 2017 #

Event: Western Night League

6 PM

Run - Trail 20:35 [2] 3.36 km (6:08 / km) +62m 5:37 / km
shoes: VJ Falcons 14

Decent warm up waiting for it to get dark. Appears that most others didn't wait as everyone else was well gone by the time I got tot he start.

Run - Orienteering race 57:51 [3] 7.51 km (7:42 / km) +165m 6:56 / km
shoes: VJ Falcons 14

Western Night League, Trellech Common, 1 hour Score.
Hope the rest of the season doesn't go like this, a complete disaster! Started before I even started when I realised that I'd forgotten my head strap for my light. Tape and another headlight was the fix, but it was a very bad one. Light required constant adjustment and holding meaning that I coudldn't do more than one thing at a time.

Lots of stopping to read the map, couldn't plan ahead (as I couldn't look at my map without my light falling down), couldn't run on roads (as light was too loose and needed holding), couldn't run n the woods (as light moving too much), couldn't read the map (as light at the wrong angle). So a very frustrating experience which was made worse by my battery dying at about 50 minutes. On the back up to get to the finish (which I had to hold in my hand, so even more stopping) and had to skip as couple of controls as I couldn't see anything.

Nevertheless, it was a lovely evening to be running, considering all the issues my navigation wasn't too bad (#19 was my biggest problem, but the contours were wrong as the control was much higher than they indicated). Green was printed too light though and I only ever saw the undergrowth symbol once I was already stuck in brambles! Would have been easy to clear on a normal evening!

Friday Oct 27, 2017 #

2 PM

Bike - Mountain 2:00:00 [1] 26.5 km (4:32 / km) +500m 4:08 / km

Nice easy ride on a lovely day from Merthyr with Nicky. Up to Pontsticll and across to Merthyr Common. Tracks were muddy and the open was very slippery, but fun. Nice to do something different and to be on the mountain bike.

Thursday Oct 26, 2017 #

7 AM

Bike - Road 32:14 [2] 12.98 km (2:29 / km) +26m 2:28 / km

IW. Very damp and wet without any actual rain. Very soggy and mucky by the time I got to work.

6 PM

Bike - Road 33:49 [2] 12.94 km (2:37 / km) +57m 2:33 / km

HFW. Late as had a seminar in the afternoon. Dark but still surprisingly busy on the trail. Thankfully drier than this morning but everything still covered in muck.

Wednesday Oct 25, 2017 #

7 PM

Climbing 40:00 [1]

Quite a short session at Spot with Mark. Not feeling like I'd made any progress this week but good to be out again.

Tuesday Oct 24, 2017 #

7 AM

Bike - Road 32:42 [2] 12.98 km (2:31 / km) +23m 2:30 / km

IW. Wetter than expecting. Super slushy. Dark. Moving slowly. New weighing scales don't like me.

5 PM

Bike - Road 32:00 [2] 12.84 km (2:30 / km) +47m 2:27 / km

HFW. Bit of a head wind, so tough going, especially as not feeling motivated.

6 PM

Run - Terrain 1:04:57 9.23 km (7:02 / km) +172m 6:26 / km
shoes: Salomon Fellraiser 2017 (blue)

Traditional end of summer MDC run around Merthyr Mawr in the dark. Few out tonight so only one group, so lots of stopping. Didn't mind, wasn't feeling very energetic. Nice and mild and sand was firm. Great pizza after.

Monday Oct 23, 2017 #

7 AM

Bike - Road 33:34 [2] 13.11 km (2:34 / km) +26m 2:32 / km

IW. Woke to the sound of rain but it had eased nicely by the time I left. Body very sleepy this morning.

7 PM

Bike - Road 32:30 [2] 13.07 km (2:29 / km) +71m 2:25 / km

HFW. Trail covered in that horrible muck that wet and mushy leaves turn into after rain. Sore muscles in my back and arms, presumably from flailing about on the steep slopes yesterday.

Sunday Oct 22, 2017 #

Event: CompassSport Cup Final

12 PM

Run - Trail 12:00 2.34 km (5:08 / km) +2m 5:06 / km
shoes: VJ Supra 14

Quite a quick run to the start - didn't leave myself as time as I thought I had (plus had to turn around as I'd forgotten my SI card).

1 PM

Run - Orienteering race 57:36 9.89 km (5:49 / km) +357m 4:56 / km
shoes: VJ Supra 14

CompassSport Cup Final, Virtuous Lady, Short Brown. 8.1km, 345m
Started well but wishing I'd worm my new shoes on the super slippery contouring legs. Made a mess of #14 and #15 where I didn't understand the gorse mapping and was a little scrappy in a few places thereafter. Lost about 2:15 altogether, so not bad but enough to be third overall, but less than 30 seconds off Nick in the lead.

A good performance from an under-strength and relatively small team (although still very impressive to have nearly 50 runners this far from home) saw FVO finish second to a strong BOK team.

Saturday Oct 21, 2017 #

2 PM

Run - Orienteering 57:19 8.32 km (6:53 / km) +216m 6:06 / km
shoes: VJ Supra 14

A bit of O warm p for tomorrow at Burrator Reservoir, a lovely bit of scattered woodland and mine workings. Map was very '80's in style but sufficient. Lucky to avoid the worst of the wind and rain from Storm Brian.

Friday Oct 20, 2017 #

4 PM

Run - Terrain 1:21:12 [2] 10.4 km (7:48 / km) +317m 6:46 / km
shoes: Salomon Fellraiser 2017 (blue)

Early evening terrain run with Emma from the national park place. Quite a bit of bog and tussocks in the open but also enough animal tracks to avoid most of it. Nice easy pace, very enjoyable.

Thursday Oct 19, 2017 #

7 AM

Bike - Road 31:00 13.0 km (2:23 / km) +40m 2:21 / km

IW. Could not find my watch this morning, must have dropped it somewhere after downloading it last night. Going to have to go through all the bins etc.. when I get home. Otherwise a fairly normal morning although more cyclists than usual out.

6 PM

Bike - Road 20:00 [3] 8.0 km (2:30 / km) +40m 2:26 / km

Out to Marks from where he gave me a lift to climbing. Sooo many traffic lights. Also got lost taking the cycle path through Galbafa and almost headed back into town...

8 PM

Climbing 30:00 [1]

Climbing at Spot with Mark. He had to take it easy to protect a sore ankle. Not got a lot of strength but ticked of a good balance green route.

Wednesday Oct 18, 2017 #

Event: After Dark 1 and SWOC AGM

7 AM

Bike - Road 32:55 [2] 12.98 km (2:32 / km) +29m 2:30 / km

IW. A bit cooler but still a grand morning.

5 PM

Bike - Road 29:47 [2] 12.89 km (2:19 / km) +51m 2:16 / km

HFW. Full of treats! Friendly traffic lights, gutters on the Haley Park underpass now nice smooth tarmac and it was a nice cool evening with no wind.

6 PM

Run - Orienteering race 45:55 8.86 km (5:11 / km) +118m 4:52 / km
shoes: Asics GT 2000

SWOC Street O around Radyr. Still coughing a bit so took it steady. The 45 minute time limit made the area feel much bigger so went out expecting to miss some. Got all the 30 pointers but failed to see one of the 20's that I could have made. Otherwise good and back early, which turned out to be a good things as my light died just before the last control.

Tuesday Oct 17, 2017 #

7 AM

Bike - Road 32:36 [2] 12.95 km (2:31 / km) +33m 2:29 / km

IW. Nothing more than few leaves and twigs on the trail, the wind really didn't turn up here. Another super mild morning.

C • Swoc WNL event. 1

4 PM

Bike - Road 30:51 [3] 12.82 km (2:24 / km) +56m 2:21 / km

HFW. Exciting times on the trail - it looks like the council is fixing the gutters in the underpass at Haley Park (need to bunny hop these every day to avoid pinch punctures).

6 PM

Run - Trail 1:21:43 11.39 km (7:11 / km) +293m 6:22 / km
shoes: Salomon Fellraiser 2017 (blue)

Lovely relaxed MDC run from Merthyr up onto the common. Didn't run my planned route as I forgot how dark it is at this time of year and the trods required to avoid the tussocks and limestone pavement would have been impossible to find. Few out tonight but very enjoyable, easy route, mild evening and a lovely sunset.

Monday Oct 16, 2017 #

7 AM

Bike - Road 31:00 [2] 10.93 km (2:50 / km) +12m 2:49 / km

IW. Really mild morning, bit dark though - the red sun just showing itself. legs not too tired at all.

5 PM

Bike - Road 34:51 [2] 12.74 km (2:44 / km) +68m 2:40 / km

HFW. A bit blustery but not a whole lot of wind, looks like we've missed the storm in these parts. legs after getting sore and stiff during the day.

Sunday Oct 15, 2017 #

11 AM

Run - Trail warm up/down 10:45 [2] 1.4 km (7:42 / km) +20m 7:11 / km
shoes: VJ Supra 14

Short warm up to see where the nav leg boys were heading off to before jumping into the pen to wait for Will and David.

12 PM

Run - Fell race race 1:32:16 13.41 km (6:53 / km) +1026m 4:59 / km
shoes: VJ Supra 14

FRA Relays, Llanberis.

Shame that the nav leg on this race was yet again overshadowed by map issues. But even more of a shame to see so many orienteers blatantly cheating when they at least should know better. Pre-race information, the organisers and the announcer in the arena all stated that walls and fences were not to be crossed and crossing points were marked on the map and to be used. The map wasn't great (OS) but it was also obvious where there were walls/fences that shouldn't have been climbed. Even more obvious if you for to one and then had to climb it I would have thought...

Ran with Matt Stott and things went surprisingly well, cough was much better than yesterday and didn't make much different to my running. First issue was #2 where the two teams ahead of us (Eyeri and Pennine II) climbed the fence rather than dropping the 2m to the marked crossing point. Angry shouting at them but the didn't turn around.

However, #3 was the big issue. Matt and I followed a bearing to the top of Moel Eilio with all other teams disappearing to the right. Dropped the 80m down to the control to find loads of teams contouring around the hill. All of them having crossed both a fence and a big wall. Really annoyed.

Had no problem dropping all these slow teams and eventually also caught the teams who had crossed the first fence, again moving a lot quicker. Following the rules must have cost us at least five minutes.

Talked the the organisers after, the only things that could be done was to void the course and they weren't going to do that - what's the point in having rules that you can't enforce or are not willing to try to?

Really annoyed that doing the right things cost us so much time and quite a few positions (haven't seen results so can't say how many yet) but even more surprised at how many people willing did the wrong thing. Not good for fell running and for getting permission to use these areas.

Otherwise, the team ran well and we finished in 16th, Ben in particular having a great last leg. Really fun weekend and a great team spirit.

C • Hang on... 10

Saturday Oct 14, 2017 #

Event: NGOC League 10

2 PM

Run - Terrain 1:00:00 [1] 6.15 km (9:45 / km) +333m 7:40 / km
shoes: VJ Supra 14

Reccy of some of the FRA area with Matt. Cough improving but still hacking up a lot and coughing while running. Terrain was nice and soft but tough to climb in.

Friday Oct 13, 2017 #

5 PM

Strength exercises 30:00 [1]
(sick)

About 90 minutes cutting brambles on one of the more used winter run paths (and GD44 will be happy as its on the Craig yr Allt winter race route). Still improving but another day recovery before Sunday would be better.

Thursday Oct 12, 2017 #

7 AM

Bike - Road 33:37 [1] 13.0 km (2:35 / km) +38m 2:33 / km
(sick)

IW. Very slow again, almost got passed by a girl but cut her up and held her off.

5 PM

Bike - Road 35:00 [1] 12.96 km (2:42 / km) +48m 2:39 / km
(sick)

HFW. Definite improvement, though still breathing like Darth Vader.

Wednesday Oct 11, 2017 #

7 AM

Bike - Road 38:00 [1] 12.82 km (2:58 / km) +23m 2:56 / km
(sick)

HFW. Lots more people about - everyone making the most of these last few mild and light evenings.

5 PM

Bike - Road 39:33 [1] 12.99 km (3:03 / km) +64m 2:58 / km
(sick)

IW. Strangely quiet. Not even a bad morning. Very, very slow pace, but still passing lots of people.

Tuesday Oct 10, 2017 #

3 PM

Walk 10:00 [1]
(sick)

A slow walk around the village, just to get out of the house really. Body really stiff and tired, but cold definitely moving through.

Monday Oct 9, 2017 #

7 AM

Bike - Road 32:52 12.96 km (2:32 / km) +26m 2:31 / km

IW. Lovely morning, why wasn't it like this in Sweden? Feeling very flat.

5 PM

Bike - Road 33:39 [1] 12.88 km (2:37 / km) +48m 2:34 / km
(sick)

HFW. Think I ran over a squirrels tail. Bushes around Iron Bridge cut back, what a difference. Cold developing all day, feeling crap by the time t go home.

C • Squirrel 4

Sunday Oct 8, 2017 #

8 AM

Run - Orienteering 51:27 6.59 km (7:49 / km) +142m 7:03 / km
shoes: VJ Falcons 14

Mixture of O and trails from Andrew's in the rain. Taking it very easy but enjoying the terrain. Surprisingly tired after 25 minutes of racing yesterday.

Saturday Oct 7, 2017 #

Event: 25manna

9 AM

Run - Trail warm up/down 25:00 3.59 km (6:58 / km) +18m 6:48 / km
shoes: VJ Falcons 2017

Long queue to get into the car park so abandoned Andrew in the car and ran on. Quite a bit of warm up but no quality stuff.

11 AM

Run - Orienteering race 24:30 [5] 4.36 km (5:37 / km) +42m 5:21 / km
shoes: VJ Falcons 14

25manna, Leg 3.
Very different experience running leg 3 rather than leg 7 that I've done for the past couple of years. It meant that just about everyone in the forest was on the same leg, which as we got sent out in third, wasn't actually all that many people.

Didn't see my team mates after the first (Pasi off in the distance and the other two behind) but had about half a dozen for company - a mix of M40's and M16's (who could run faster than me). One 10 second miss, but caught the pack back up easily, so happy with the race.

Pasi was over 2 minutes quicker and Tero and the other guy (must learn names!) were less than 2 minutes down on me, meaning that we were second overall at the end of the leg.

Unfortunately that was as good as it got for the team. The M14 who took my place on leg 7 lost 13 minutes to the faster leg time... Despite that it was looking good for a top 5 until Daniel lost 7 minutes on the 24th leg (yes, Daniel Hubmann), and our last leg lady (reserve as Mironova was a little injured) also lost about the same amount. So all things considered, finishing 12th and 15 minutes down was a pretty decent result.

12 PM

Run - Trail warm up/down 14:08 [1] 1.65 km (8:35 / km) +22m 8:02 / km
shoes: VJ Falcons 14

Easy warm down trot with Tero and my team mates from the third leg.

Friday Oct 6, 2017 #

10 PM

Strength exercises 5:00 [1]

Travel and no time for anything more.

Thursday Oct 5, 2017 #

7 AM

Bike - Road 33:17 [2] 12.9 km (2:35 / km) +24m 2:33 / km

IW. Cool again but a helpful wind. Quite a nice morning actually but must have just missed the rain.

5 PM

Bike - Road 33:09 [2] 12.91 km (2:34 / km) +64m 2:30 / km

HFW. In the mood to take it easy, so did. Still a bit windy and mostly the wrong way.

Wednesday Oct 4, 2017 #

7 AM

Bike - Road 32:57 [2] 12.94 km (2:33 / km) +30m 2:31 / km

IW. Lovely morning but a bit dark.

5 PM

Bike - Road 32:25 [2] 12.72 km (2:33 / km) +58m 2:30 / km

HFW. Head wind all the way and much darker that it should be for 5:30.

Tuesday Oct 3, 2017 #

6 PM

Run - Trail 1:05:00 9.69 km (6:43 / km) +395m 5:34 / km
shoes: Salomon Fellraiser 2017 (blue)

MDC run from Tintern. Bit of a gamble on the route as I hadn't recced much of it, but it was actually really nice. Next to no brambles or nettles but there were some excitable bullocks. Lovely mild evening and really it. Big crowd out as well and excellent food after (though not enough of it).

Monday Oct 2, 2017 #

2 PM

Run - Trail 42:52 8.89 km (4:49 / km) +129m 4:30 / km
shoes: Salomon Fellraiser 2017 (blue)

Along the coast from Padstow. A bit faster than planned as had to be back as 3 in order to avoid a parking ticket. Missed the boat that I was hoping to get but the next one gave enough time. Just. Another enjoyable run although quite a bit of this was on hard trails.

Sunday Oct 1, 2017 #

10 AM

Run - Trail 6:00:00 30.34 km (11:52 / km) +1168m 9:57 / km
shoes: Salomon Fellraiser 2017 (blue)

Long run along the SW Coast Path from Polzeath to Boscastle with Nicky, carrying a bag with enough stuff for the night. Not the nicest of days but it wasn't anywhere as wet as forecast either. Stopped for lunch in Tintagel and walked the last bit from there. Some lovely views, even in the gloom, and plenty of still hills. Would be nice to do it again in the sun!

« Earlier | Later »