Training Log Archive: Jon X

Not exactly perfectly prepared. Nice wine the night before. Nice breakfast finishing less than 90mins before the start. Luckily made good time to the event. Arrived in time to queue for the loos and then run straight to the start. Luckily got there with a couple of mins spare so did at least have time for some much needed stretching out of my back.

Northern Champs M40L, Ray Demesne, 10.1km. 3rd place, 1:15 behind Jase and 1:40 behind Steve Watkins.

Straightforward heathery moorland for the most part with some rocky detail at the end. Found it tough going but running okay, didn't have heart rate monitor which is a shame as would like to know if I was pushing hard enough.

Found the flags without much trouble (quite a few of them were waving from a distance anyway) but a little more map/compass attention might have saved me 10/15 secs here and there.

Biggest time loss was because some genius had printed the loose descriptions extra small and on paper that had absorbed/spread the ink. At #20 this meant code 125 was showing up as code 126 - I went straight there, saw it was 125 and went away. Came back having double checked position, only then checked map descriptions in case loose ones were wrong. Lost a minute or so - however this was less time than Jase who would have won if it wasn't for this.

Also almost got caught by the fact that uncrossable fences weren't marked with purple lines (even though I knew this) - en route to #5 I was heading directly for the control and had to divert to crossing point.

Good hard run in tough terrain including some brutal heather near the end, and a glorious sunny day. Topped off with a visit to quirky W.I. tea shop afterwards!

getting ready before, back up from the download to meet MC at the spectator point after.

Sprint race in Newcastle, at Leazes Park and (the covered walkways outside) St James's Park.

Good fun but a bit sloppy with the reading ahead, twice in Leazes Park not sure of the actual feature in the circle and lost time. Then didn't plan the maze (blown up at 1:2,000) properly and took the long way out. Not too bad though until we got into the walkways of the football stadium, would like to blame the fact it was a bit dark but mainly I was rushing, tried to navigate 22-23 when leaving #21, lost a minute by the time I got back to #22.

Running okay but a useful reminder that bad orienteering discipline is usuallly punished.....

Sometimes you have days when the sun is shining, the hills are inviting, and even just walking around your legs feel strong and powerful so you know your run will go really well. Sometimes but very rarely.

Today was one of those magic days. So it was a shame that I had no time to fit in a run :(

Got there just in time to stop Jase escaping before anyone else arrived to run with him. We waited a while as Ross had texted to say he was on his way. However we didn't realise he meant on his way to Ballengeich!

Headed part way up Dumyat but chose not to go to the top as it would have been very dark on the return without torches That was the only reason for our decision of course.,....

Both happy with a 'steady' pace rather than any of those nasty hill rep things, still in recovery mode after Sunday.

Putting out controls for the Barr Wood night event. Took two hours but lots of faffing finding the correct SI box each time etc. Tired legs which weren't helped by carrying 30 stakes/units. Perhaps not surprising that it seemed to get easier as time went on and the amount to carry reduced!

Lovely spring day, made it very enjoyable be out and about on my own somewhere so scenic and secluded.

Jog to the start hoping darkness would arrrive soon....

Collecting the first loop after a bit of spectating. The early pace set by Mark N and the EUOC boys seemed pretty brisk!

Collecting the final loop - worked out eventually that when Helen said she had collected #26 on her way back, she really meant she had collected #25....

Good to see so many people turning out including new faces and guests from down south - thanks everyone!

C • The first kilometer... 4

Ochils session on the pitches by the track, fortunately not too tough a session this week, but took it steady anyway.

1min15 between all reps/sets
5x400m (each faster than the last, from 3:54/km to 3:35/km)
1x1000m (3:47/km)
5x200m (each faster than the last, from 3:21/km to 3:08/km then final one 2:48/km i.e. 33secs)

Possibly didn't need to be that enthusiastic on the final 200m rep.

Left calf sore and tight all day but coped okay with session.

Back to proper late arriving so missed the main warmup (thanks Rosco for waiting). Warm down round the loch at the traditional sort of pace.

Lots of sore muscles to stretch. Bad. And at the same time good.

Relatively small turnout. About half the people had run Alloa. Not the most lively and energetic session we have ever had.

Looking forward to a run on the nice soft smooth spongey forgiving grass of the golf course.

Both Rosco and I had forgotten our head torches.

So it was the streets of Dunblane instead. Mmmm road running.