Training Log Archive: Jon X

Tired tired legs after yesterday. Trying my best to get them loosened off before the mass start.

British Relays, Cannop Ponds
M40 relay, FVO second team
4th place, winners FVO1, second SYO and third SN

First leg and not a great performance. Started well but wobbles by Nick B and Rog ahead plus big gaffling meant I found myself alone even on the way to #1, Dave Peel not too far back but no-one else to be seen. Found that a bit disconcerting! A little miss (and possibly not best route anyway) at #2 cost 20-30s, plus heading towards it I could see the other gafffle all heading to #3 already.
Another long gaffle at #4 but could still see Dave ahead and knew I hadn't lost too long so needed to keep going even though the running was a struggle.

Then line 5-6 was broken for the circle at #2 (spotted this) but also for the circle at #8 (didn't spot this and headed towards #8 instead). Not too far off line and realised quickly (when I saw Nick B heading up to it), but dashed off and pinballed round the gaffle controls at #6 (-2mins probably).

With the lead women from there, interesting watching the different styles (one faster than the others but hesitant and making small errors, two steadier, one keeping up but sometimes slowing to a walk). no issues with the rest of the controls apart from the very strange one just after spectator, seemed too far and too close to track.

Felt like I should have a bit more speed and a bit more fight but struggling to summon it. Similar speed to Jase/Ben/Martin/etc back from #6 to the finish though.

Back in 5th well down on Nick and Rog (who had same gaffle and ran 37:20ish) but only 90s or so behind Rich Barrett in 3rd for SN.
Still hopeful of podium finish but Dixie had a few issues out there too and Dave Rollins and Laurence Townley ran well for SN, in the end despite a decent time from Ben on third leg we were 5-6mins off third.

Good strong win for the other FVO team though - still with SYO after two legs (not sure quite what seeding strategy gave the top two from last year identical gaffles throughout....), but Marcus lashed the final leg for a clear win.

C • seeding 10

Event: British Orienteering Championships 2015
 

Better/longer warmup than at either day of JK - enough time to do some running and drills plus to stretch and focus, rather than lots of thinking about relays/selection/etc and then just running to the start to arrive just before time.

British Championships, New Beechenhurst
M45L, =4th place of 69 (tied with Martin W)
Winner James Logue 68:45. ahead of Richard Barrett 71:26 and Jase 71:30

Always very up for it when it is the British Champs. And I always think the Forest of Dean suits me although I am not entirely sure results over the years bear that out in reality.
But today went pretty well after an early wobble, satisfied with the outcome after running so badly at JK.

#1 - cut through the blocks rather than using the path for the first part, got me moving through the terrain
#2 - confused by unmapped track (now realise was shown as veg change), bit unsure if I had miscounted blocks, seemed okay but hill/circle didn't really look like I expected and had to relocate (-90s)
#3 - round the road to the right to calm down and have a look at the next bit.
#4 - a bit right of the line in the middle section, should have realised this meant crossing many many more ditches than staying a bit further left, made it tough going (although got me to the forest road earlier which was good).
#6 - well aware that care needed in the detail for #6 and #7, potential for big time loss. Definite attackpoint and read my way in carefully. There was Paul Gebbett (6min man) and coming in as I left was Andy Thorpe (4min man).
#7 - muddy unmapped extraction lane along the top, down to the flat bit, along the re-entrants to the third one.
#8 - having made it through the complex hill safely, got a bit lazy, ran through the white but never in control of which ditch was which. Ran beyond it and came back just as Andy was punching (-25s).
#9 - ran out and could see Tim Must (2min man) stood still having overshot, shouted him back but then did wonder if that was a good move as a 2min gap is not that long to make back from early in the race! Andy running faster and on a more aggressive line, I pushed hard up the hill but was more cautious to make sure I had good feature to lead me in - knew the northern strip was tricky wth next few controls all in holes. Ticked off three earthwalls, found the line in, looked up - four people including Andy all speeding towards a fifth punching, very handy!
#10 - careful but still some seconds dropped, control seemed to be on a flat bit rather than distinct spur shown. Seem to have similar split to all around me though. Got away from Andy here.
#11 - used the earthwall as a handrail then dropped in, pleased to see it as well tucked away. Splits say this was good.
#12 - went left round the marsh and light green, probably no reason not to go straighter. (might have cost 10-15s?)
#13 - stayed high in the lovely white, round the veg change....turned left too soon down the ride and into the green in error dammit. Cut through and found an unmapped hole (actually now see it under the red line), knew flag was further on anyway, thought I would see flag or feature from the white, didn't. Knew it was supposed to be opposite the re-entrant so stopped, looked, found it. Messy (30-40secs dropped). Andy appeared behind as I was leaving.
#14 - a little to the left (-10s)
#15 - a little to the left (-10s). Andy close behind again now.
#16 - didn't want to go too far right and miss road, went too far left instead, turned right along the road and Andy appeared on it ahead. He was pulling away up the road but stayed on it and I cut through the green which got me back ahead. Different lines into the control and punched together.
#17 - Andy zoomed off ahead on the red line, I went left, deliberately this time, downhill through the white then diagonally uphill across the blocks. Along the big track, never saw the rides so cut in from the stream valley. Crossed lots of ditches, used the earthwall, pleased to find it cleanly. No sign of Andy ahead.
#18 - stopped two yards from it, almost didn't see it....
#19 - slightly right so I could run up the ditch. Slight hestitation to make sure correct ditch, suddenly Andy close behind again.
#20 - safely found
#21 - on compass but rushing a bit, stopped short but sorted out quickly (-20s)
#22 - tried very hard up the hill, not sure that I should really be getting the third fastest hill split against some of the others on this course though!
This got me ahead of Martin but a 5sec lead at the last control was not enough for my run-in speed versus his!

Thought the course was decent with a good mix of longer and shorter legs and route choice - looked better than M50 which was a similar shape but lacked short legs.

Really pushed hard through the race and think I did the max I could physically. Pleased in general despite 3-4mins lost, but there is always an element of 'what if', splits say I was faster from #8-Finish than everyone except James.....

Last 5 years, BOC Long results: 3rd, 5th, 3rd, 3rd, 4th.
Target race for next year maybe??
Or maybe not if I do the London Marathon and it falls one week beforehand ....

travel to BOC after work.

Little leg stretch from home, too nice not to go out.
4x30s strides towards the end.

Stealth-o at Torlum and Drummond Castle.
Hung the second loop then collected the first one.
Gorgeous terrain particularly in the east part.
Moving "steadily" but even at that feeling very sluggish, long day yesterday not helping and also still just the last bit of illness lingering on, time it went!

Long day travelling to Reading and back.

raining and lazy = no pre-cinema run