Training Log Archive: Jon X

up to the start at Swindale, got there just in time for last start....

BL Regional event at Swindale, for some reason I had thought it would be a good idea to enter M21L the morning after the JOK dinner.

Nice to catch up with everyone over a few glasses on Saturday night.....running M21L did not feel like a good idea on Sunday morning! Still not 100% either which was not helping me feel keen, however decided I did want to run.

Thought I would just cruise round, make sure I kept jogging at least, and just tick off the controls smoothly. Hmm, found myself walking up a few hills, didn't really look at the map enough, ended up not quite where planned a few times!

However starting last meant I had the whole area to myself, didn't see anyone at all anywhere on the area after control 6 - great views too so glad I decided to get out there, definitely worth it.

C • Welcome to the big boys class... 2

Jog to start of JOK Club Champs at Loughrigg, nice trot alongside the lake then not-so-nice steep climb up though the bracken to the start.

JOK Club Champs at Loughrigg, a long time since I have run a race with this much bracken.

Still a bit of a sore throat but started off feeling quite sprightly and pushing quite hard (expecting a winning time around 55/60 mins......).

Went okay until the second long leg (to #9) where I went out of bounds, then took the wrong track, then went up the wrong hill, then mis-relocated, then found myself at #11 not #9 (where I also met Dave Currie who was looking for #3!). Shambles, 10mins lost and caught by Graeme.

Found it hard work after that and Graeme ran away too easily, got badly caught in bracken near #14, then found the last few very brackeny and rough, probably down to AP intensity 2 by then!

Finished to find that Graeme had run 98mins but was dq'd for not finding #7 (all controls mini-kites on the ground - tricky to spot in bracken!). Everyone else as bad as me or worse, but Nigel kept it together off last start and ran 106 to win. Iain Embrey as a guest showed what a proper orienteer could do by running 80mins.

Pretty wrecked afterwards but at least with a raging thirst ready for the JOK dinner in the evening.....

no sign of any sunshine yet again today
plus ça change
miserable country

no sign of any sunshine again today.

no surprise there then.

miserable country.

C • It could be worse.... 8

Wee jaunt before going to see Val McDermid (Wire in the Blood author) at Stirling Book Festival.

Short of time so not out for long, plus still a bit under the weather and now I have a sore left achilles too, been niggling for a while and worse today.

It rained the whole time I was running. Miserable country.

Still feeling a bit ropey so cried off the FVO jaunt to Comrie, but decided a gentle jog round Leckie might shift some of the stiffness from my legs and some of the grot from my lungs.

It seems to have done that although it didn't feel quite as gentle as the time suggests, did have to go slowly in the woods though as it was too dark to see properly by the time I got out.

Not sure it has helped the sore throat but shall see tomorrow!

last night seems to have been closer to kill than cure, no intervals in the rain for me tonight :(

C • O dear 2

Inaugural FVO core session led by Lard, decent turn out with 13 people there. Good fun and banter including team weigh-in on Elle's "weigh heavy" scales - successfully defeated all comers to take the title.

Time includes Pilates session and jogging/stretching warm up/down for circuits.

And after Pilates, some circuits! Could have been worse as we did 30sec on and 15sec off, can foresee less of the session being rest in the future....

As expected I could do some of the exercises and was hopeless at others!