Training Log Archive: W

I didn't actually realize this was a WRE until I was three minutes from starting and they were asking people if they were wearing GPS'. I definitely was. No idea. Whoops.

Anyway, easiest race of the weekend, technically. I think if there were more controls in the first area, it would have been more difficult, but possibly riskier for the controls disappearing, people running into each other, and logistically we need to be on the other side of the map eventually, so we couldn't spend too much time over there. Several control legs were just straight up running legs with not too much difficulty, which is why I probably had my worst result of the weekend. While I ran two whole blocks in a dead straight line, I could really feel the abscence of pop in my legs.

Only a month until WOC, not too late to turn something around though! Off to the track!

http://www.soa.routegadget.co.uk/rg2/#57

Race #1 of Sprint Scotland. In... Scotland. More specifically, Falkirk, Scotland.

Super fun race, generally what I expected from this race, based on what I saw from Google earth. A typical tricky housing estate with lots of passages, but complicated by being on the side of a hill, so lots of stairs and climb, which complicated all the route choices.

I can think of a few places where I could have clawed back a few seconds, but when Mr. Crickmore caught me, having started a minute behind, I could tell that the key differentiator was running speed. I simply don't have the fitness to get a result that I want, and based on the WRE scores, it was just below my lowest counting score at the moment. Which is encouraging from a technical standpoint, since it was virtually flawless, just slow.

Again, super fun area, though, the bulletin said there may be artificial barriers, so I had a small amount of fear there would be a random one somewhere, but it so didn't need it.

http://www.soa.routegadget.co.uk/rg2/#55

Thank goodness the morning race was the WRE. Not for any particular reason, but it was more orienteering-y, this was slightly more runner-y. Still a modestly complex area, but not as difficult in the morning and requiring less navigation and more running speed. Still, for a second race of the day, I felt pretty smooth for a while until I had to do a long run back into the headwind. I realized I should have taken a different route that may have avoided that problem, but clearly I don't spend too much time making route decisions based on wind. Another variable to consider.

My biggest mistake came when I took the right route instead of the left route to one control,which took me through a narrow passage and I had to jump over what appeared to be a giant bag of poop. Like, an entire grocery bag full. I try to not get distracted by things, but, the small and the sight was just too much. Too much. *shudder*.

A ton of rain and a bunch of driving means that all I got to do was a slow jog in the lakes district before driving north to near Stirling. We got in quite late so I only had time for a short jog before going back to find somewhere to eat.

My achilles is feeling at least a bit better, so aside from the pain of being out of shape, there shouldn't be too much pain.

Short run in Branston-Upon-Trent before going to my second meeting up somewhere north of Branston. Which is most of England. I'm so dying to brag about the places I'm visiting, but I *think* that would be inappropriate. Needless to say, they're pretty dang awesome.

Light jog around the usual loop as a achilles test run around. Not going too overboard, but keeping up running regularly again. Sort of.

Wednesday will probably not be a running day because of travel to UK and meeting then more travel.

Saturday & Sunday are those SprintScotland races near Stirling, which will be fun, three races in two days! Its 4-days, but I don't think I can make the training on thursday and friday, but at least I get in the races. YAY racing.