Training Log Archive: slow-twitch

Score event at the Redwoods (Vegas), 1 hour time limit, collected 17/22 controls. Was underambitious and would have finished in a little over 45 mins if I hadn't gone back to get one I'd abandoned early on. So could have taken in the southern group of 3 or 4 controls if I'd backed myself. Or hadn't lost a bit of time trying to pick up the minor tracks on the Redwood side of the map (should've used tracks less and compass more, would have been slower running but many of the minor tracks seemed much easier to pick up when you hit/crossed them in the forest, rather than at junctions). Out of the Redwoods (2.8 km) at about 32 minutes, then 12-14 minutes to clean up the 7 in the Scion park (1.6 km), very happy with that bit, all spiked, then a mad rush of <10 minutes back into the forest to pick up naughty #7 (had missed both tracks that could have lead to it on my first pass). It was really hot.

As you can probably guess, my motivation and energy levels had taken a bit of a dive this week just gone(heat and busy-ness and generally in a bit of a bad headspace for a while). But had a bit of a chat with Darren after today's run, and feeling a bit more "into it" now. Won't throw away my Oceania goals just yet...

Supposed to be first proper interval session for ages, but don't know if it deserves that title, as I was reduced to 4 x 3 minutes and barely managed that. And my ankle did not like it. For various reasons all my other good intentions for this week have gone missing. Busy, stressful week...

Warm up, down and recovery during interval session

Along the Huka walkway from Spa Park to the falls then about a third? of the way to Aratiatia and back again. Didn't bring my stopwatch so probably haven't subtracted enough time for stopping to stretch or admire the scenery (the falls, not the scenery at the hot springs which I did not notice at all). Despite another sleepless or close to night, seemed to be keeping up a nice pace fairly easily, and while coming back was harder didn't start falling apart til right at the end.

C • intensity 4 ??? 2

Intended to be a rest day but would have become one anyway, after a sleepless night. Two possible reasons for that, hopefully it'll turn out to be the one I can do something about. Have just come back from the slowest walk ever, putting tracking tunnels out on a new grid we marked up yesterday.

Tried a new route this evening - if I can ever do THAT climb (Tutu Road to the NW highpoint of Dennis) without catching walkitis on the way up, watch out Jonno Wyatt! Assuming I ever try it again. Ouch. Then along the Dennis boundary to drop down into the usual valley and back home in more familiar surroundings (though in the opposite direction to usual).

Had hoped to clock up an hour but that was never going to happen, although I did do pretty much the loop I had in mind which means either I'm crap at estimating how long a new route will take, or I'm covering the ground a bit quicker than I give myself credit for. Former seems much more likely, though futher evidence for the latter theory came when I found myself very suddenly flat on my back after trying to brush through a stem of supplejack that WAS attached at both ends after all. May have a very interesting linear bruise across the midriff tomorrow.

Maybe not entirely sensible, but have decided that if running is the one thing my foot doesn't feel sore (MOST of the time) while I'm doing it, then I might as well do some running. Not exactly speedy heading straight up hill but otherwise went better than I expected. Longer tomorrow, I promise (famous last words...)

Foot a bit sore on and off all day. In a way might not be a bad thing to come down with whatever it is the flatmate brought back from Brisbane because otherwise I'm getting very close, out of frustration, to getting the hours back up, living on a diet of strapping tape and antiflam, and to hell with the consequences...

Taupo club event at Waihora at 1:10 000. Excellent course with half the distance being 14 controls in amongst all the little wriggly lines, then some long stretch-out legs that looked simple but needed the brain to keep operating. Only change I'd have made would be to have thrown us back in the basin for a bit more madness at the end.

Happy with time, but don't think I earned it. Lacked focus and didn't have much of a flow happening. Had to keep checking where I was (especially on longer legs) and was using the Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld approach of not thinking up any exit strategy for each control until I'd punched it. Still was finding the controls ok, lost up to a couple of minutes total in the technical section by just not quite spiking the odd one. And a minute or two on each of 15 and 19 with the "losing track of how far through the leg I was" thing. Could maybe find another 5 minutes on physical factors - trying to look after my ankle, and started to really feel the lack of running hours over the last 3 weeks towards the end. To break the hour would have been nice....

A thought I'll probably have a fair bit over the next couple of years, while Waihora, Wharepapa and Piopio are the closest maps to my front door - it's a shame orienteering never became the sport of choice for the NZ rural population, would be nice to be presented with a technical course like that nearly every week....

C • Waitangi there? 3

Another trial to see how I'm going. A lot braver about getting off the tracks and into the terrain this time. Actually the foot feels more comfortable most of the time running than it has walking around in the bush all day this week (which possibly just means my running shoes are a better fit than my boots) - just certain rotations that would be good to avoid. If only I could predict those ones!

Didn't go out til 7 to let things cool down a bit, and still had a good sweat torrent going on by the end. I think this time last week I was lighting the fire?

Hmmm, right calf has been a bit sore and/or tight all day today. Hopefully haven't done something to that as well...

C • Training at Bennydale 2

Playing in the rocks at Wharepapa, with a fenced map (so 3, not 4 stars). Collected 14 out of 20 controls (not among the best today), using precisely the allotted 60 minutes (not bad for someone not carrying a watch, eh?) though that meant missing the 2 nearest the event centre I'd left to get at the end. Started out really sluggish like I'd expected to in yesterday's run (maybe being up to/past 1 in the morning wasn't helpful) but then was OK until the ankle started grumbling a bit (think it was happy with everything but contouring- which there was a bit of) so gradually got slower over the 2nd half. Also started to forget to orienteer a bit in the last 20 or so minutes and started doing some odd stuff - could probably find enough time to have got those close 2 but not any more. Oh yeah, also lost a few minutes getting tangled in fences :-P

If I'd been in better form (and got there a bit earlier...) might have forgotten the time limit and just seen what time I could get the lot in.

There must be something wrong with my ears as Addison clearly heard my offer to collect some controls yet I didn't hear me at all! Was going to jog until I had too much to carry, but after 5-10 minutes the foot decided it had had enough so just walking. Some of the cattle had had enough of people in their paddocks so it was still a good cardio workout for a moment or two.

Just a bit of a blat to see if the ankle's up to tomorrow's intended visit to Wharepapa, and getting back to programme. Prognosis: hmmm? should be ok though wasn't getting too much encouragement to get off the tracks into the terrain. Will proceed with (attempted) caution. On the plus side, didn't feel like I've forgotten how to run, unlike after similar time off in the past. Not exactly top-notch fitness though!

Now must go and make my futile attempt to stop the winds of change from blowing in the opposite direction that they have elsewhere this week....

Was contemplating going out to work with no strapping on the foot today, but given how generally slippery things will be today, and some of the places we have to go to, think I'd better play it safe.

Brisk walk with light strapping on the Huka walkway. Maybe a bit too much too soon, cause I was feeling a bit sore by the end, and again this morning. Or that might have been rolling the foot in a mini-ditch in the track almost as soon I started...

We had a giggle at a 50 something mountain biker who was wearing all the right gear... and brown argyle socks. Though courtesy of one of the discussion threads running hot right now, I now learn that he's on the cutting edge of fitness fashion.