Training Log Archive: ba-ba

Reverse bacon roll club: if I have a bacon roll every morning this week I'll let myself go for a run on Friday.

1st Jonathan Albon/Gudmund Viljo Arponen Snilstveit 05:36:37
2nd Alistair Masson/Tim Morgan 05:59:58
3rd Nicholas Barber/Jim Mann 06:01:58

Overall:
1st Jonathan Albon/Gudmund Viljo Arponen Snilstveit 12:12:19
2nd Nicholas Barber/Jim Mann 12:39:41
3rd Alistair Masson/Tim Morgan 12:54:58

Bit cold overnight - no pillow as waterproofs kept on as extra layer. I was generally fine but Jim was chilled.

2:01 down, but set off 3 mins behind in a reverse seeded start, Ali and Tim 3 mins behind (~12 in actuality). This made the game 'easier' for us - catch/be caught and sit if we needed to.

Caught sight of the targets on the ridge above 1, then tickled the base of Lord Hereford's Knob around to 2 and 3 with Lova and Yasha on A. Bold climbing line saw us close in on 1st (though I nearly undid the good work by overshooting 4) before another bold up'n'over line to 5 saw us punch just ahead of Jon and Gudmund. However the ~250m climb back out saw them pull a gap and though we closed a bit on the runnable section I think they had a better line through the tussocks to 6 and were gone.

I put a lot of food in me early on and was moving OK but maybe not as strong as I'd have liked. Small miss in circle at 11 and I got a bit stroppy with the terrain out of here (I mean the tussocks weren't even that bad, especially compared to Elan Valley 2009!). Dropped low from 12-13 along the fence-line which was a bad choice (looking back from 13 showed lovely contour grass when we anticipated bracken and rock hell). I also made a mistake, trying to climb a stream to early. Crashed out of the bracken to the path just as Ali and Tim came past which focussed the mind. They pulled a bit of a gap but we got to 14 just ahead and we ran almost together to 15, before we managed to pull a small gap over the last couple of controls (bit lucky spotting 16). Moving well enough at the end but need to be aware, again, of losing a bit of concentration.

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General feeling - despite another visit to the naughty step - upon finishing was that we both felt we couldn't have done much more. Upon reviewing the performance there was a bit of time left out there down to slightly poor decision making/execution when tired. Had it been claggy some of the controls could have been hell. General review is maybe a bit more terrain time was required in preparation - maybe we got a bit lucky with the generally runnable courses and handy sheep/pony trods?

All in all though, I really enjoyed it. I made sure to smile regularly and take in the surroundings - albeit briefly - which looked brilliant in the cool crisp air. I made a point of steering clear of any hype or build-up as last year I effectively psyched myself out before the event. It was good to be well matched and moving well.

Highlights included getting buzzed by gliders near the end of day 2 and Hannah winning the Women's prize on B with Rosie in their first OMM. However I think the favourite bit was putting the shitters up the leaders at the end of day 1/early on day 2 - though I couldn't really enjoy it at the time. I still run with the mentality of "I only run so I can eat and drink and not get fat", so take a bit of pride doing this to a professional Skyrunning world champion (and his mate)

Another 2nd is frustrating, but I think back to being so psyched with 5th on B in my first OMM in 2009, with Jim saying similar for him in 2010. It will only get harder to attain the top step with Ali and Tim only going to get better, along with the wealth of O/FR talent who *could* turn up and give us a real hiding. In my mind the top of the elite is populated by rare beasts like the Symonds brothers, Steve B, Jethro Lennox, OJ etc., not hackers made passable by getting a bit lucky and sneaking the odd good result when the clag comes in, MR are needed to take people off the hill or the proper athletes have better things to do.

C • Great effort 6

Event: The OMM
 

OMM Day1. 2nd, 2:01 behind Jonathan Albon/Gudmund Viljo Arponen Snilstveit.

Jim was in good form after 15th at UTMB. I'd had a good August and early September training block but holiday and house move made me think a bit less of the training in the 7 weeks from MT. Still, well rested and moving well in the week beforehand.

Bit disappointed when we picked up the map, a lot of controls and no obvious route choice. Snapped out of any complacency at 3, where bracken covered the control, but minimal time lost. Ali and Tim caught us to 6 but we managed to stay just ahead, though a slightly duff line to 10(?) saw them out of sight. However they were back in sight climbing to 13 with Ali obviously suffering and as the snow came in we pushed on through on the long contour northwards.Moving well here and dropping into controls but lost quite a bit to 16 where we dropped a bit too low early in the leg, and maybe a bit slow up the hill to the control. Then direct through the tussocks to the last control was where Jon and Gudmund took the 2 minutes out of us.

Initially quite pleased to hold an athlete of Jon's capabilities to 2 minutes, though looking back at the splits there is some frustration. Strong mental game from Ali and Tim to hold us to 17 minutes after Ali lost his lunch.

Generally good focus personally. Bit of a low at 3h but got going again.

Leeds with Han

Lower woods. Time flew by. Some fantastic light in the sky in both the east and west. Shame it'll be the last sunset run for a while.