Training Log Archive: ba-ba

Sitch Lane, Lantern Pike, Matley Moor, Chunal, Mill Hill, along Kinder, Three Knolls (actual path this time!), Tunstead, back along the trail. Feeling a bit leggy but keeping it going and stayed out longer than originally planned - well needed to make the most of the hills, now less than 12 weeks until The Ben! Wound now fine on downs, presume the damp and O socks on Friday broke up the scab.

Jukola was ace, will upload everything when I get back to Teesshite tomorrow.

Jukola. Really excited after the last couple of days and watching Venla - so much so I was in the pen with an hour to go. Saw Lyssel and Prochaza set off at ridiculous speeds. A bit in awe. Rachael set off about 5mins ahead.
Anyway, time to select the right elephant tracks. Nice easy control to start with, popped out on the road to #2 not knowing exactly where I was. in race mode so just set a bearing, hit a track and followed it. Train of SNO, Linne and Tera leg 6 runners flew by. Keep going. Oh, here's my catching feature. Wrong elephant. Relocate on a knoll and head back in. (1min)
Focus. Good bearing to 3, passing my AP this time! Small train to 4 (only 17s off fastest split, win!..) Trying to keep pace up to 5 so rubbish bearing, no plan. Get confused by mapping of green/white, 2 attempts to find control before I actually do. (1.30)
6,7,8 nice and easy. Leg up the hill to 9. Nopesport come past. Hit small bridge over marsh. probably wring one in hindsight. On elephant track way left, pass through control on open boulder (vaguely recognise it from Venla TV control) but think i'm in another small open patch closer to my control. Find Nope standing on another control, relocate (incorrectly) and head 'into' control. Find my AP for #10. Oops. now I know where I am after visiting 3 other controls. Back to mine, passing Rach (me going in the wrong direction) (2.30)
Despite finding AP to #10 easily (already been there) I'm rushing and short bearing to #10 goes badly wrong, but backtrack before making it even worse (1.30)
OK down hill to 11 and 12. Have a half-decent looking bloke to try and stay with, a Taby lass to try and get away from and Rach to try and catch! Wrong elephant track to #13, but catch it this time - but still end up too right! Quite a long way into control (20s).
#14 - I know this as it was where Halden and Pan Arhus were dicking about earlier - now don't see how as I go up the hill. No pressure on me though, and lots of people about! Bearing to 15, again wrong elephant! Hit path way right, rush bearing from AP and banana round to ride. Back in we go (1min)
Then pretty good and fast on the run for home, really getting into my stride and the whole experience is over much sooner than expected!


Splits. Despite losing about 5-6min, I gained 68 places.

C • Nice write up 4

Event: English Fell Champs - Buckden Pike (Short)
 

Event: Jämsä-Jukola 2013
 

Out on the area just south of the event centre. Trains with the Brizzle team less Alex and Mark2. Going OK on bearings to start with, got thrown a bit when going into LG and trying push the pace a little bit. Bearings then went a bit awry, but relocating well

In a large hostel room with a load of middle-aged Chinese. Was hoping for more kip but was up at 8. Didn't have to leave until 11 so fitted in a drizzly run round the Olympic Stadium and Toolonlahti.

Training on the farther away area, forest sodden but rain had mainly abated. Generally pretty good with plans, compass and in the circle, weird to get all 3 right! Was finding myself not knowing where I was mid-leg but then falling into the feature. Nice, but potentially dangerous. All good until trying a straighter line to #11 and getting thrown about - eventually relocated but should have just set a bearing and bailed to a big feature earlier. Then made a daft parallel error to #12, before mucking up the control along with Bex. Found out that the Pylons are mapped, and decided that I wasn't going to use indestinct veg changes.

Event: CLOK Summer Series Event 3 Marske Stray
 

Tour of Helsinki. With Anwen and Emily for the first an last bits, on my own in the middle. Lots of stopping to check the map and take photos. Covered most of the sights, including sneaking into the '52 Olympic stadium, Sibellius monument (forgot how Finlandia went), the Parliament and a few Cathedrals. Reminded me of a slightly more open, cleaner and newer Manchester.

Had planned on heading up to Lantern Pike once I got home, but became obvious running down the hill that my wound wasn't impressed with downhill. Had little time to squeeze a run and dinner in before meeting Shaun and his new missus for a drink, so kept up a fair pace out to Spinnerbottom on the road, back on the trail and Salem Mill.

this whole 'big June' plan isn't quite going to plan. Need to get back on it.

everything's feeling pretty good and loose again. Probably should have done some more but got stuff to sort out.