Training Log Archive: Jon X

We managed to find our way onto the map....

Tricky sprint course at Bughtlin, thanks GG for the quality planning!
A bit weary after the weekend. Lost a bit of time early on when it didn’t seem okay to get through where I should have been able to, then two controls later ran briefly through the wrong gap (and in any case could have crossed hedge not run around it). Not too bad at stopping when unsure though, and solid plans/flow/execution after that.

Slightly more efficient route back.

Token trot round the block, wanted to get into the start system (punching starts) in case it got even more crowded in town later on. Should have done more...

Morpeth urban race, part of Morpeth Fair Day.

Men V40, 2nd place.
Winner Martin W 53:10, third Ben 56:45. Women Open (same course) winner Kirsten Maxwell 55:15.

Good enjoyable varied course, some easy bits but still needing the best route, some fiddly bits, some good route choice including a long leg with lots of options. Not warmed up enough and took about 15mins to get running decently...

#1 - not a great start - picked a route with a cut through some white forest and was met by a wall of nettles (these were mapped further right). Backed out and went further round, did at least find a way into white forest instead of having to run right round like Martin did, I lost 30s and he lost 30s more than me.
#2 - dithered about the route and struggled to read the tracks in the woodland (the brown seemed very pale), should have just gone south on the road, or else it was obvious just to get to far side of river if going via the woodland. Then took the (longer and more wiggly) valley path, and finally stopped one block too early in the circle and checked out the wrong trees. (-1min)
#4 - started heading to #5 for some reason, realized just in time
#8 - long leg (approx. 2.5km). Took time at the control to try and pick a route but as I set off realized my choice had a small section blocked with red Xs. Had to stop again (had to commit to a decision almost immediately. Chosen route over the eastern bridge was okay except maybe quicker to go right round to the right after the bridge and run hard: simpler straight running rather than weaving through. There is possibly even an option even further east over the bridge by the start and north through town, but the busy streets because of Fair Day would likely have made that slower today. Had the fastest V40 split but significantly slower than jayh on V55 - he runs faster and took the different options after the bridge, but even so looks like too long choosing a route. Also turns out there was maybe not much to pick between the options, took my time choosing as assumed it would be more necessary/decisive to get a good one!
#16 - went the long way round the building leaving 15 (west not east). (-20s)
#16-end - fiddly section through the town including timed out crossing of the parade. Tricky but very very crowded and in one place had to backtrack where a stall (stall-holder) was blocking the entire pavement, needed to get into road and join the vehicle parade for a moment. Didn't bother taking any time at the timed out crossing to study the last legs (can see from the splits that one or two on various courses did this to good effect).

Enjoyed a good course on a sunny day - felt like I was moving quite well once I finally got going at about #5. Would like to have been a bit quicker on the long leg....

Event: British Mixed Sprint Relay / Morpeth Fair Day urban (UKOL)
 

British Mixed Sprint Relay
Open with Laura Hindle, Paul Hammond and MC
2nd (!) behind FVO first team
Nice controlled run, a few hesitations and stuck to the tracks in the park, but not much else.

Easy round Watson House and Gargunnock Estate

Back to the urban training, joined by gaz-elle this time as well as Roger and Ross.

Three shortish (intricate in places) loops at Coxet Hill (6:27, 8:37, 8:28) starting at 30s intervals to help keep the pace up.
Generally okay but caught a couple of times not taking best route by not checking exact control location/description until part way through the leg.

Then a longer course back through Torbrex and Kings Park. Getting a bit tired and not moving as well, not sure I handled the transitions into different wooded/bushy terrain that well either. Skipped the final two mins once I found myself on a path that led to the finish :)

Yateley 10km, 63rd of 815 and 6th V50.
Not even the first Jon Cross in the race, almost three mins behind my namesake (who won V60...).

Not very lively at the start but warmed up into it and had the unusual-for-me experience of passing people most of the way after 2km rather than vice versa. Even gained two places in the finish field which is definitely not usual for me!!

This is ten seconds slower than I ran here in 2015, when I was not exactly at my fittest...paced it better today than that day too.
Maybe due a rest day....maybe also due some short sharp reps. Running out of time to get faster...

Short jog round the field straight afterwards. Not too painful.

Easy round Crystal Palace Park.