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Training Log Archive: Jon X

In the 31 days ending Mar 31, 2012:

activity # timemileskm+mload
  Running20 9:56:28 51.82(11:31) 83.39(7:09) 14101706.9
  Orienteering12 7:59:38 42.27(11:21) 68.02(7:03) 16073481.1
  Pilates4 2:30:00265.0
  Circuits4 1:50:00275.0
  Intervals4 1:39:36 9.2(10:50) 14.8(6:44) 320523.0
  Climbing1 45:0045.0
  Total25 24:40:42 103.28 166.21 33386296.1
averages - weight:77.4kg

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Wednesday Mar 28, 2012 #

5 PM

Orienteering 1:10:00 [3] 6.77 km (10:20 / km) +200m 9:01 / km
shoes: VJ Falcon 2011

Cheeky run round Sauchie with Jase sharing a map and doing alternate controls, checking for windblow. Forest a bit rough in places but can't really blame that for going headlong over a fence! Found it pretty tough - I could swear putting a map in Jase's hand makes him run more quickly....

Windblow not too bad except across the path at the end - had to climb the crags to get back to the cars!

Then off to the uni to listen to Graeme Obree lecture followed by film about Leadville 100 MTB race. Busy evening!

Tuesday Mar 27, 2012 #

6 PM

Running 1:21:23 [3] 11.33 km (7:11 / km) +670m 5:33 / km
shoes: Brooks Ghost 2011

Seemed a shame not to be out in the hills in the glorious weather so time for a visit to Dumyat. Supposed to be doing hill reps but persuaded myself that my achilles was okay for a hilly run but not for reps, hmm.

Up Dumyat from the uni, down to the track junction by Lossburn Reservoir then straight back up again (the Ochil 2000s ascent route). Just about managed to run all the way back up.

Then gently back down and to the uni, legs suffering a bit more than I thought they should be.

Monday Mar 26, 2012 #

6 PM

Pilates 40:00 [2]

Sitting back on the ankles even more painful than usual....

Circuits 30:00 [1]

Achilles sore. Although legs surprisingly not too heavy after weekend. Still took it easy.

Sunday Mar 25, 2012 #

12 PM

Orienteering race 32:19 [5] 6.09 km (5:18 / km) +30m 5:11 / km
shoes: VJ Falcon 2011

British Middle Distance Championships, M45A, 5th place.
Strensall Common, 5.4km.

Very well looked after by the Farnworths for our stay in York but was feeling a little jaded this morning! Luckily had a late start time...

Expecting a fast and furious race with lots of vague features and quite possibly controls hidden in holes. Important to keep looking up and ahead to pick out features including other people punching controls!

Lost a few seconds at each of #1 (bang on line but didn't see flag and turned away briefly when ten yards away), #2 (confused when the white by the flag was a lot more like open than I had expected) and #5 (ran left of the line so up then down the ridge). Thought I did the longer leg to #8 okay except for a few secs in the circle but now see I could have run straighter initially which probably cost 15-20secs.

Felt like I was going pretty well though....and then made a proper mistake at #10, misread the contours and ran too far south. 45-50 secs lost.

Back over the fence and two short legs from the stile through some woodland, got the knoll okay at #11 but was worried about missing the small depression at #12 so carefully looked for and ran to the left of the green immediately before it. It would have been better to run to the left of the mapped green not the unmapped green. GPS shows I was bang on line until I angled left to use the vegetation. Should have trusted the compass! 60secs for a 35sec leg and caught 2mins by Martin W.

Still ahead of Martin for #13 but was passed just as #14 came into sight, then gradually left behind. Wasn't helped by heading for the line of people on the long(er) leg to #16 only to find too late that they were all thrashing along a tussocky marshy elephant track rather than along the path, so made slower progress than I would have liked. Easy and fast from there to the end.

5th place behind an SYO podium lock of Charlie (29:22), Martin (29:55) and Chappers (30:34) plus Kenny Leitch (32:08). Enjoyed the intensity of the race, not sure when I last ran sub 6mins per km on a non park/urban event!

Running warm up/down 25:00 [2] 3.0 km (8:20 / km)
shoes: VJ Falcon 2011

Most of the sample controls and found some unpleasant tussocks too. Then run to the start and some token drills. Quick shuffle up and down the field after.

Saturday Mar 24, 2012 #

11 AM

Running warm up/down 25:00 [2] 2.5 km (10:00 / km)
shoes: Inov8 Mudroc 2012

Initial jog and a few drills, then jog to start paying close attention to model map. A few more strides and drills pre-start.

Orienteering race 14:19 [5] 3.03 km (4:43 / km)
shoes: Inov8 Mudroc 2012

British Sprints qualifier, Heat A.

Looking for good pace but keeping good control, knew I should qualify okay if I did so. Largely managed it and safely into final in 2nd place, 7 secs behind Clive H.

Running warm up/down 10:00 [2] 1.2 km (8:20 / km)
shoes: Inov8 Mudroc 2012

Warm down jog with Graeme.
3 PM

Orienteering race 14:24 [5] 3.14 km (4:35 / km) +28m 4:23 / km
shoes: Asics Hyperspeed

British Sprints M45, A final, 6th place.

Off the start, short leg, sight the bushes the control is between, leg it across the grass towards it whilst looking ahead on the map - oops ornamental pond in the way, never saw it on the map and I have almost run into it....round to the left but 5secs or so lost and rushing a bit now.......short legs to #2 and #3 but round to the right to #4 and immediately know that is wrong and I should have dog-legged, 10 more secs gone.

Still rushing and quick to #5 and #6 then again go right on the longer to #7....but immediately see there is no gap where I thought there was and I have to go much further round to the right. Push hard and get up the high-but-crossable wall in front of the control instead of going round, but that is another 15secs lost. Starting to think Chappers from 1 min back might get me in sight. Don't look back!

Hesitate to pick a route round to the bridge crossing but don't fall into the no-way-through trap, but still rushing, 5+ more secs by almost going wrong side of uncrossable wall at #12 but check description just in time, then confused by map en route to #13, unexpected grassy bank all along to my right. Eventually work out that it is mapped as white but now I have lost track of the buildings and tracks to my left. Head in but it is too soon, cut through one block then have to stand still and work out where I am. Still too soon and have to go on. It is only 10-15secs lost but feels like ages.

Calm down and take my time to check the route leaving #13, left and right look similar and choose right. Pretty good back from here but not quite on line to the last control and have to go over an extra knoll, means I am 1 second down when I finish. Not for long though as Martin W has caught Mark and they are both already on the run-in.

Martin won in a very impressive 12:46 with Mark third in 13:50. John Duckworth second in 13:25. Then Clive Hallett 14:15 and Kenny Leitch 14:23.

A bit disappointed with time loss and felt like I should have got fourth. Could find the time to have got up to third but it would have needed a pretty clean run...Martin's time was well out of reach.


Running warm up/down 30:00 [2] 3.5 km (8:34 / km)
shoes: Asics Hyperspeed

Run to the start and then drills and jogging in the handy field. Posse warm down after.

Friday Mar 23, 2012 #

Note
(rest day)

Travelling to York after work.

Thursday Mar 22, 2012 #

6 PM

Climbing 45:00 [1]

FVO jaunt for an introductory climbing session at Ratho. Not as bad at it as I thought I might be. Although not exactly a natural either. In general it isn't scary unless you look down. Or is that just a lack of imagination?

Wednesday Mar 21, 2012 #

6 PM

Orienteering race 44:00 intensity: (25:00 @2) + (19:00 @4) 5.2 km (8:28 / km) +100m 7:43 / km
shoes: VJ Falcon 2011

FVO night race, Bantaskine.

Still having troubles with calf/achilles but it loosened off okay in the warmup so started off quite quickly. Torch went off leaving #1 but there was still residue daylight and luckily it came back on near #2.

Took the high route to #3 which (it turned out) meant a steep slippery scary descent down into the feature. Helen B braved it behind me and descended the second part very quickly (!) but Fraser and Fi decided it was not for them and went even further round. All of us lost a lot of time to the low route.

Still going okay into the gaffles but torch gave up again at #8. Knew where I was going to find #9 but had to wait for Fraser to help me with #10. Got a quick look at the map and found #11 and #12 (reflective canes with no flag not very easy to find in the dark even when you find the feature!). Knew the way back to the central control at #13 and could see enough to simplify #14 and get near #15 - met Vicki there and sneaked a look at her torch. Found flag and then detoured to a streetlight which let me work out how to get to #16 and #17 (took a while to find #16 concealed in the bush!).

Had to hang around leaving #17 for someone with a torch (thanks Fraser) and so binned the last four and headed back.

Second half of my run was an interesting exercise in map memory and simplification - actually really enjoyed it. Disappointed not to get to play with the whole race though - fun area and Rog's course made good use of it.

Running warm up/down 12:00 [3] 1.5 km (8:00 / km)
shoes: VJ Falcon 2011

Tuesday Mar 20, 2012 #

7 PM

Intervals intervals 22:33 intensity: (13:08 @1) + (9:25 @5) 3.54 km (6:22 / km)
shoes: Brooks Ghost 2011

6 x 400 with 1min recovery
Tried not to do the first too hard, did it too slow!
89, 85, 84, 82, 81, 80

then 4x100with stroll back recovery
16sec each

Running warm up/down 29:36 [3] 4.31 km (6:52 / km) +50m 6:29 / km
shoes: Brooks Ghost 2011

Lap of the loch then drills, couple of laps and jog back afterwards.

Monday Mar 19, 2012 #

6 PM

Pilates 35:00 [1]
weight:76.4kg

Legs had felt great all day. However once we got to the exercises my muscles felt like I had been in terrain at the weekend...

Circuits 25:00 [1]

20/5 twice, still taking a bit of care of right achilles (it was not as bad as last week though).

Skipped the jog afterwards this week and went straight for the pizza!

Sunday Mar 18, 2012 #

12 PM

Running warm up/down 25:00 [2] 3.5 km (7:09 / km)
shoes: VJ Falcon 2011

Half-decent warm up along the road and back and then up to the start. Some stretching too.

Orienteering race 1:10:01 [5] 8.69 km (8:03 / km) +350m 6:42 / km
shoes: VJ Falcon 2011

SOL1 Torinturk. Get to do the Short Brown these days. 1st M45 but behind Messrs Orr and Longhurst on M50!

Good fun and running hard at times, too many legs without a proper plan though and paid for it with 1 min gone several times plus 3 mins gone at 14 where the spur I used as attack point was actually one spur further on with control adjacent.....

Saturday Mar 17, 2012 #

2 PM

Orienteering race 49:28 [4] 6.4 km (7:44 / km) +300m 6:16 / km
shoes: VJ Falcon 2011

Clyde middle distance at Collie Nathais, Black course.

Won by Jegor in 37. Marcus 40, Jase 42, Rog 44. Marcus and Jase both passed me out there.

Great area although very soggy and hence very physical. Never lost very long at any one control (a minute at 6 was biggest) but just frittered away time by not being accurate enough in selection or in the circle.

Didn't run hard enough at the end and let Rosco disappear into the distance across the open to the final control. This was careless as I let a 25second lead over Prof Ackland at the penultimate turn into a 2second deficit at the finish!

Running warm up/down 20:00 [2] 2.5 km (8:00 / km)
shoes: VJ Falcon 2011

To start/finish and back.

Friday Mar 16, 2012 #

Note
(rest day)

Achilles still tight, took another day off. Went to see The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel instead - great fun but top film. Didn't recognise Jaipur though!

Thursday Mar 15, 2012 #

Note
(rest day)

Tried to persuade myself that my achilles needed a rest plus some stretching. Found myself easily persuaded.

Wednesday Mar 14, 2012 #

6 PM

Running 1:01:00 [1] 7.2 km (8:28 / km)
shoes: Brooks Ghost 2011

FVO torch run (mostly - torch died near the end) up the Allan Water. Achilles very tight so took it very easy. New map helpful in identifying where we could and couldn't go......

Tuesday Mar 13, 2012 #

7 PM

Intervals intervals 14:00 [5] 2.8 km (5:00 / km)
shoes: Brooks Adrenaline Aug 2009

Limited time but nipped up to the uni for short session on the track.

Did 6x400m starting every 2 mins (in 84, 84, 85, 85, 86, 86).

Not sure that was the best session - might have been better to go for longer recoveries and focus more on speed. Did at least finish off with 4 x comedy sprints. Although they weren't very speedy either.

Running warm up/down 20:00 [2] 3.0 km (6:40 / km)
shoes: Brooks Adrenaline Aug 2009

Bit of a token warm up on the pitches and a few drills on the track. Had to head straight off afterwards.

Monday Mar 12, 2012 #

6 PM

Pilates 40:00 [2]
weight:77.9kg

Circuits 25:00 [3]
shoes: Brooks Adrenaline Aug 2009

20/10 then 20/5
Right achilles still dodgy.

Running 22:42 [3] 4.4 km (5:10 / km) +30m 4:59 / km
shoes: Brooks Adrenaline Aug 2009

Short road loop with Rosco.

Sunday Mar 11, 2012 #

10 AM

Running 1:17:05 [3] 13.29 km (5:48 / km) +466m 4:56 / km
shoes: Brooks Ghost 2011

Up Porter and back via Burbage Mines and Lady Cannings with Dave P and Martin W, gloriously warm sunny day. Not quite as comfortable a run as it should have been, the climb definitely dragged on a bit!

Saturday Mar 10, 2012 #

12 PM

Orienteering race 35:59 [5] 6.95 km (5:11 / km) +135m 4:43 / km
shoes: Asics Hyperspeed

SHAFF urban race up above the station in Sheffield. Good fun race with lots of thought involved!

Three notable bits of time loss. Tried to use a gap in wall to #1 that was actually a printing error (caused by the white outline of the control number), tried to go to a small circular feature next to the real control circle at #9, tried to go down some steps behind a locked unmarked gate maybe 15m before the gate that was on the map en route to #18.

With all that, still wouldn't have broken 34mins. Won by John Rocke in 27mins ahead of Kris Jones and RobB on 29mins.

After that, headed off to the film festival for a set of running films including a great documentary covering The Epic Tri (http://theepictri.com/), followed by an impressive talk by Charlie Spedding - some thought-provoking stuff about motivation, committment and decision making. Really interesting to have him talk through clips of his London Marathon win and Olympic bronze explaining what tactics etc were in play at each stage. Quite reassuring to realise that television marathon coverage and commentary was as bad then as it is now - or to put it another way, I can reveal that David Coleman and Brendan Foster are as good now as they ever were.....

Running warm up/down 12:00 [2] 1.5 km (8:00 / km)
shoes: Asics Hyperspeed

Friday Mar 9, 2012 #

Note
(rest day)

Travel to Sheffield after work.

Thursday Mar 8, 2012 #

7 PM

Intervals intervals 28:03 intensity: (18:25 @1) + (9:38 @5) 4.36 km (6:26 / km) +170m 5:23 / km
shoes: Brooks Ghost 2011

With Ross and Fi at Craigforth after an initial exploration of the campus.

3 times the Crag from bottom to top.
2:34, 2:43, 2:44.
Suffering!

4 short sprints in the car park (approx 135m)
each 24seconds (approx 3min/km).

Calf seems no worse...

Running 36:26 intensity: (7:46 @2) + (28:40 @3) 5.26 km (6:56 / km) +120m 6:13 / km
shoes: Brooks Ghost 2011

Checking out the whole campus beforehand, back up to the cars afterwards.

Wednesday Mar 7, 2012 #

6 PM

Orienteering race 1:21:38 [3] 8.29 km (9:51 / km) +259m 8:31 / km
shoes: Inov8 Mudroc 2012

FVO night race, Barr Wood. Forgot my compass but Lard kindly lent me his mini backup one.

Calf sore all day so planned to take it steady but that didn't stop me getting carried away in the posse dash off towards #1. Soon found myself alone as the gaffles kicked on, only Rosco on my gaffle and he disappeared into the distance heading to #2. Good excuse to take it a little easier!

Bad route to #3 and faffed in the circle, similar faffing in the open at 5,6,7 as I gradually discovered that I would need to stand still and let the compass slowly settle if I wanted it to show me the correct line. Might explain my bad line coming out of #2 as well. As I faffed at #5 it looked like Rosco was doing the same a control or two ahead!

Onto the second loop and wandered off line to #11, then couldn't find #13. Cruising along and could have done with people around to make me run a lot quicker to #14 and to #15 (also wandered off line again here and made the leg longer). Not entirely surprised to see Rosco on his last visit to the central control at #15 whilst I still had the short loop to go.

"Short" loop. Snowing hard now and could see nothing heading west across the open. Couldn't trust the compass across the vague open and getting cold so didn't want to stop. So of course I had to stop when I got nearer and didn't know exactly where I was. Eventually identified a crag and headed across to it. Very cold so wondered about stopping but instead wandered off on a "bearing" towards the next one. Wandered about some more but again identified where I was just when tempted to head back. Managed to complete from there although it might have been brighter to go round the path to last one rather than use the compass in mimimal visibility. Think the short loop may have been the one that took me the longest!

Mostly enjoyed it until I got cold at the end - might wear a thermal next time it snows!

Running warm up/down 10:00 [2] 1.5 km (6:40 / km)
shoes: Inov8 Mudroc 2012

Tuesday Mar 6, 2012 #

6 PM

Intervals hills 35:00 intensity: (21:00 @1) + (14:00 @5) 4.1 km (8:32 / km) +150m 7:13 / km
shoes: Brooks Ghost 2011

Manslaughter Hills at the Uni. A bit slippery in trainers on the shorter/higher one. A bit dubious about doing them with tight achilles/calf but think I survived. A bit weak in sets 4 and 5.
1:41, 1:05
1:42, 1:05
1:42, 1:05
1:46, 1:03
1:47, 1:04

Running warm up/down 25:04 intensity: (13:12 @2) + (11:52 @3) 3.43 km (7:18 / km)
shoes: Brooks Ghost 2011

Warm up jog up The Beast. Luckily barred by a massive fallen tree to remove any possible thoughts of including it in my reps.
Standard warm down round the wood and back to the car over the bridge, slowly and gently.

Monday Mar 5, 2012 #

6 PM

Pilates 35:00 [2]
weight:77.9kg

Good.

Circuits 30:00 [3]

45/5 then 20/5. Tried pretty hard.
7 PM

Running 24:12 [3] 4.47 km (5:25 / km) +75m 5:00 / km
shoes: Brooks Ghost

Easy round the roads.

Sunday Mar 4, 2012 #

12 PM

Orienteering race 36:55 [5] 7.46 km (4:57 / km) +83m 4:41 / km
shoes: Brooks Ghost 2011

St Andrews urban race.

Only a token error (5-10secs) on the way to #1 today so things still improving! Although to make up for it I threw in a 30sec error en route to #2 by inexplicably running up the wrong road.

Going okay after that despite the tendency for controls to be unnecessarily hidden, just not quite on top of things so 5 secs at #9 (tried wrong alley first), #11 (didn't see gap on map initially), #13 (hesitated and tried both of two equal options).

Not a great route on the longish leg to #14 (could have been shorter) and lost about 20-30secs to others, and then lost another 20-30secs at #16 when I found the right alley, decided it was wrong and then had to come back to it.

3rd in M40+ (winner Martin W 36:00) and 4th on the course (winner Helen B 35:!7). Still feel lacking in speed but not so alarmingly off the pace as last weekend. Achilles niggling quite badly though...

Running warm up/down 20:00 [2] 2.0 km (10:00 / km)
shoes: Brooks Ghost 2011

Saturday Mar 3, 2012 #

11 AM

Orienteering race 14:39 [5] 2.93 km (5:00 / km) +75m 4:26 / km
shoes: Inov8 Mudroc 2012

Scottish Sprints race 1.

Read descriptions carefully at #1 and went unerringly to the place where I thought the flag was. Which was the other side of the building from where it really was. About 30secs lost.

Scrappy after that, lost time leaving #3 in the wrong direction then lost 5-10secs at all of 9,10,11,12. Almost went the wrong side of the hedge at the penultimate which was another 5 seconds gone.

Not travelling at anything like the pace of Graeme who won M50 with 13:18 including a significant error. 3rd M45, 23secs behind Martin W and 10secs behnd DaveR. Behind Dixie too :( But I did punch all the controls successfully :)

Running warm up/down 15:00 [2] 2.0 km (7:30 / km)
shoes: Inov8 Mudroc 2012

1 PM

Orienteering race 15:56 [5] 3.07 km (5:11 / km) +48m 4:49 / km
shoes: Inov8 Mudroc 2012

Scottish Sprints race 2 (overall is on cumulative time). Reverse start order with 30sec intervals.

Gradually my time loss at #1 is coming down, only 15-20secs this time which is the best of my last four races....

Got caught by Dave at #7 and took an iffy route to #11 trying to go a different way (needed to get away by 40secs to beat him). Caught him again and got a gap when he was confused at #15, but he ran me down easily over the last bit.

Fast and furious and good fun. Speedwork definitely needed.

Running warm up/down 15:00 [2] 2.0 km (7:30 / km)
shoes: Inov8 Mudroc 2012

Friday Mar 2, 2012 #

Note
(rest day)

Work still in the way. Not a great start to March's training.

Thursday Mar 1, 2012 #

Note
(rest day)

Work in the way. Could have squeezed in a run if I had really wanted to though.

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