Attackpoint - performance and training tools for orienteering athletes

Training Log Archive: murraystraining

In the 28 days ending Feb 28, 2013:

activity	#	time	miles		km		+m
Running	35	29:52:25	252.68	(7:06)	406.65	(4:24)	120
Orienteering	6	4:52:30	26.66	(10:58)	42.9	(6:49)	1300
Urban Orienteering	1	22:00	3.42	(6:26)	5.5	(4:00)
Terrain Running	1	10:00	0.93	(10:44)	1.5	(6:40)	300
Total	40	35:16:55	283.69	(7:28)	456.55	(4:38)	1720

2:02

0:00

» now

Thursday Feb 28, 2013 #

7 AM

Running (AZ) 1:22:00 [3] 19.0 km (4:19 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

21 minutes. Straight out of bed but felt a bit rough. Had to have a cereal bar too. Felt ok once I got going though - definitly benefitted from taking yesterday evening off. Corstorphine-Cramond-Davidsons Mains
Streets visited: 4 - Dovecot Road, Dowies Mill Cotts., Dowies Mill Lane & Downfield Place.
AZ Stat: Projected completion date - 23/10/2017

Wednesday Feb 27, 2013 #

7 AM

Running (AZ) 56:00 [3] 10.9 km (5:08 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

12 minutes. Getting worse. Chilly run once out, freezing fog. Along the canal & up the WoL and back.
Streets visited: 3 - Dovecot Grove, Dovecot Loan & Dovecot Park.
AZ Stat: Percentage complete - 23.98%

Tuesday Feb 26, 2013 #

7 AM

Running (AZ) 32:30 [3] 11.0 km (2:57 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Having taken an hour and three quarters from alarm going off to getting out the door yesterday (a new PW) a timely tweet from Houston last night inspired me to pull my finger out this morning. 11 minutes is still in the "must do better" bracket according to him though, so I'll have to have another go tomorrow.
The streets of Haymarket and the West End are somewhat quieter at 7:xx than 8:xx or 9:xx it seems!
Streets visited: 5 - Douglas Crescent, Douglas Gardens, Douglas Gardens Mews, Douglas Terrace & Doune Terrace.
AZ Stat: Total AZ running distance - 2081 miles

C • Dreghorn Park 2

6 PM

Running 26:00 [3] 5.5 km (4:44 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Good length warm up+strides.

Running intervals 37:00 [3] 9.0 km (4:07 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

8x1km at 10km pace off 1 min easy jog recovery with Dougie Selman, Ross Matheson and Patryk Gjertaakjslfhasdfkjh. Running without GPS (left it turned on all day so turned satellites off to make sure the battery would last the session and I'd at least get splits) so very much going by feeling. I aimed for "comfortably fast" without getting into the red zone. For the first 7 that meant 3:04-07. On the 8th I got dropped by the others while maintaining my intensity. I decided that if my split stayed level then I would carry on and do the 9th & 10th, but if I'd dropped then it was time to stop. The clock stopped at 3:11 so time to go home.

Running warm up/down 25:00 [3] 4.9 km (5:06 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Lap and a half with Chepls then home.

Monday Feb 25, 2013 #

8 AM

Running warm up/down (AZ) 51:00 [3] 11.0 km (4:38 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Slow leg stretcher over to Liberton.
Streets visited: 2 - Double Hedges Park & Double Hedges Road.
AZ Stat: Number of AZ runs - 301

5 PM

Running hills 1:08:00 [3] 11.0 km (6:11 / km)
shoes: Adidas Swoop #10

A race against the setting sun to get a MASH in before it got dark. Stunning evening to be up a hill.

Sunday Feb 24, 2013 #

9 AM

Running warm up/down 1:54:00 [3] 26.5 km (4:18 / km)
shoes: Asics Hyper LD#2

Harrison Park. 14 mile loop in the snow. Good company, good chat catching up on the action from yesterday. Stitch with 3 miles to go so cruised in rather than picking the pace up.

Saturday Feb 23, 2013 #

9 AM

Running warm up/down (AZ) 27:00 [3] 6.0 km (4:30 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Shake-out trot - Dorset Place in Polwarth then a lap of the meadows.
Streets visited: 1 - Dorset Place.
AZ Stat: Projected completion date - 5/11/2017

1 PM

Running warm up/down 20:00 [3] 4.0 km (5:00 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Jogging, watching girls race (Tessa 17th) more jogging and strides.

Running race 39:15 [3] 12.0 km (3:16 / km)
shoes: Asics Hyper LD#2

Scottish National XC Champs - Calendar Park, Falkirk

A wasted opportunity. With the absence of new marathon wunderkind Derek Hawkins there was no one in this race to be scared of. With the exception of Scott McDonald (who returned from a break to make the Euro U23 GB team and who I haven't raced recently) I've beaten everyone in this race over the last year or so. However I've been in a bit of a training malaise since NZ, mileage down, big sessions down and forest time up. Compound that with the return of a cold on Thursday (I had it two weeks ago, thought I'd got rid of it to Tessa - she kindly gave it back!) and I knew I would have my work cut out to get to the top of the podium.
That said, the only days I've missed running since the East of Scotland Champs in December were the days travelling to/from NZ, and I have been keeping a bit of speedwork going - surely you don't lose fitness by running every day?!?
The start felt fine but after the first half a lap, on the descent after the biggest climb that feeling of "it shouldn't be this hard to run at this pace already" started to creep in. I was still in touch with the leaders (Wegame and Robbie S) after the first of three laps but on the second lap they drifted away and a clear gap opened between 3rd and 4th (Joe S just off the back of the leading pair). I was running ok on the climbs and flats but taking longer than usual to recover after each climb which negated any benefits I could get elsewhere. After spending most of the final lap in 6-7th I managed to close the gap and get into 4th with a mile to go. I made a few surges to try and break free of the small group but it wasn't enough and with 400m to go Scott M and Sean Fontana broke free for a long sprint for home. I gave it my all down the last straight to try adn reel them in and at least match my 5th from 2 years ago but it wasn't happening - all I achieved was holding off former champ Ali Hay to clinch 6th.

I always said XC wasn't the priority this winter but I wonder, if I'd known how this race would have gone, would I have made the same decisions for the last few weeks? I don't think it would have taken too many changes to my training to get my pre-xmas form back and maybe, just maybe, I could have achieved something special. Who knows, it's done now. WOC starts in 19 weeks!

C • Scots Nats 3

Running warm up/down 25:00 [3] 5.0 km (5:00 / km)
shoes: Asics Hyper LD#2

Warming down with HH, Stevie & Izzie, Ross & Al. Half a lap forwards then half a lap backwards. Also cheering on HBT's Nixon, officially the slowest man in Scotland.

Friday Feb 22, 2013 #

12 PM

Running warm up/down (AZ) 47:00 [3] 12.0 km (3:55 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Good wee trot down to Leith. I think I was chasing HH back up the Warriston Path but he turned off before I could catch him. Delibarately holding back on the climbs on the way home - feeling fresh.
Streets visited: 2 - Dock Place & Dock Street..

Thursday Feb 21, 2013 #

6 PM

Running warm up/down (AZ) 1:05:00 [3] 15.2 km (4:17 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Listening to Kurt Fernley (sp?) interview on MT. "It's OK to suffer. If you've made the choice, if you've decided to dedicate your life to being the best, it's OK that sometimes that means hard work and your life is miserable. It's OK to suffer".
Steady out to Drumbrae, 2 miles tempo home from Corstorphine to Murrayfield just to keep the legs sharp.
Streets visited: 1 - Dochart Drive.

Wednesday Feb 20, 2013 #

6 PM

Running warm up/down (AZ) 58:00 [3] 13.0 km (4:28 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Easy leg stretch.
Streets visited: 2 - Dinmont Drive & Distillery Lane.

Tuesday Feb 19, 2013 #

8 AM

Running (AZ) 39:00 [3] 9.0 km (4:20 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Three "Places" between home and work then another loop out to the Grange for a fourth.
Streets visited: 4 - Devon Place, Dewar Place, Dewar Place Lane & Dick Place.

C • Dick Place 5

7 PM

Running warm up/down (AZ) 32:00 [3] 7.0 km (4:34 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Long session warm up to Leith Walk, a couple of streets and then down to the Great Junction St railway bridge.
Streets visited: 2 - Dicksonfield & Dickson Street.

Running intervals 23:30 [3] 6.5 km (3:37 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Pyramid session on the N. Edinburgh Railway line - very gentle uphill all the way. 1-2-3-4-3-2-1 minute efforts. Felt fast and smooth at the start of each rep but struggled to hold the pace, particularly in the middle of the longer reps. 50% recoveries.FALSE

Running warm up/down 10:00 [3] 2.0 km (5:00 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Back home.FALSE

Monday Feb 18, 2013 #

7 PM

Running (AZ) 53:00 [3] 11.7 km (4:32 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Leg loosener. Easy week this week to sharpen up for the National, so not pushing the pace. Started shuffling but got into it.
Streets visited: 4 - Denham Green Avenue, Denham Green Place, Denham Green Terrace & Derby Street.

Sunday Feb 17, 2013 #

11 AM

Running warm up/down 13:00 [3] 3.0 km (4:20 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #3 (winter colour

Good length warm up in Aboyne

Running tempo 8:00 [3] 2.0 km (4:00 / km)
shoes: VJ Intergrator #2

And then a quick shoe change and tempo to the start - arrived to the start a minute and a half after call up. Why do we need a 4 minute call up for what was essentially a colour coded event with 3-4 people starting each minute?

Orienteering race 52:30 [3] 7.8 km (6:44 / km) +400m 5:21 / km
shoes: VJ Intergrator #2

Birsemore, my first time on this cracking area. Slightly "unusual" planning but I made the most of it. With 23 controls in 7.1km it was ideal as a "long middle" training. A few hesitations in the circle (at 1, 6 & 10) but other than that nothing to complain about. Took 2 minutes out of JT_1 on the (uphill) first half then we were moreorless level from there to the end.

Running warm up/down 10:00 [3] 2.0 km (5:00 / km)
shoes: VJ Intergrator #2

Back to Aboyne with (JT)^2.

1 PM

Orienteering 29:00 [3] 4.2 km (6:54 / km)
shoes: VJ Intergrator #2

Exploring Bell Wood on the eastern edge of Aboyne, checking control sites for a permanent course JT_2 is planning. Lovely wee bit of forest but it felt like Big Jon hadn't spent a huge length of time on the map ;)

C • map 2

Saturday Feb 16, 2013 #

11 AM

Running warm up/down 25:00 [3] 5.5 km (4:33 / km)
shoes: Adidas Swoop #10

Jogging and drills in Tentsmuir while Tessa ran the course (we only had one map).

Orienteering tempo 28:00 [3] 5.3 km (5:17 / km)
shoes: Adidas Swoop #10

Green course from 11-person relay a few years ago. Tricky to know you were in the right place without flags out but I think I was mostly right.

4 PM

Running warm up/down 12:00 [3] 2.0 km (6:00 / km)
shoes: inov8 f-lite 230 #2

Jogging to and from Langlands.

Urban Orienteering tempo 22:00 [3] 5.5 km (4:00 / km)
shoes: inov8 f-lite 230 #2

Two sprint exercises at St Andrews uni planned by Tessa. First one a super intense pick around Langlands - 23 controls in 8 minutes - where I got in a really good flow. The second had longer legs and less obvious routes where I got caught out a couple of times.
Langlands map
North Haugh map

Friday Feb 15, 2013 #

7 AM

Running (AZ) 52:30 [3] 11.6 km (4:32 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #2

Beautiful morning run through Colinton Dell to Dell Road. Saw Helen B on the aquaduct on the way back. Hello!

Thursday Feb 14, 2013 #

6 PM

Running intervals (AZ) 1:04:00 [3] 15.4 km (4:09 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #2

A more successful evening's work tonight. 6x5min on, 1min off tempo intervals out to Dechmont Road and back via Delhaig (3:25-30 pace) then polished off with 4x30s on, 1min off at full pace back along Gorgie Rd.

Wednesday Feb 13, 2013 #

8 AM

Running 33:00 [3] 6.5 km (5:05 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #2

Snowy trip through Craiglochart Hill. Legs heavy.

7 PM

Running warm up/down 20:00 [3] 4.3 km (4:39 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #2

Running tempo 7:20 [3] 2.2 km (3:20 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #2

My not-very-well-thought-out plan was to do my standard "pre-nationals" session of 3x2km, 6x1km. Now this is a big old tough session at the best of times but I tried to do it on my own, on a dark cold windy night, after a long day at work, on heavy legs.

I managed 1x2km. Ho hum.

I need a new plan.

C • 8 days to go 5

Tuesday Feb 12, 2013 #

8 AM

Running (AZ) 52:00 [3] 11.6 km (4:29 / km) +120m 4:16 / km
shoes: Asics GT2170 #2

Over the Seat and down to Deanery Close (locked gate meant I could only peer in) in Restalrig. Back to work up the Royal Mile.

5 PM

Running (AZ) 38:00 [3] 8.0 km (4:45 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #2

Politburo evening so session postponed in favour of a short but productive sweep of the Dean's: Deanhaugh Lane, Deanhaugh Street, Dean Park Crescent, Dean Park Mews, Dean Park Street, Dean Path, Dean Path Buildings, Dean Street, Dean Terrace. Not bad for an easy half hours work.

Monday Feb 11, 2013 #

7 AM

Running (AZ) 46:00 [3] 10.5 km (4:23 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #2

Davie's Row - Corstorphine.

6 PM

Running (AZ) 29:00 [3] 7.7 km (3:46 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #2

Quick blast around the city centre. Davie Street at the back of Tesco Metro then right through the middle of town to Dean Bank Lane and Dean Bridge. Moving well.

Sunday Feb 10, 2013 #

10 AM

Orienteering 1:30:00 [3] 11.7 km (7:42 / km) +450m 6:27 / km
shoes: VJ Integrators

Sondagsbanen corridor exercise in a snowy Glen Tanar. Nice area, some very cold sections of snowy heather. Running with Tullie at a fairly relaxed pace.

1 PM

Orienteering 32:00 [3] 4.9 km (6:32 / km) +150m 5:40 / km
shoes: VJ Integrators

DNC course on Coull - middle distance training. Cool!

Saturday Feb 9, 2013 #

11 AM

Terrain Running hills 10:00 [3] 1.5 km (6:40 / km) +300m 3:20 / km
shoes: Adidas Swoop #9

Spectating at the Devil's Burdens. Ran up the hill from the leg 2/3 changeover (Kinnesswood) to watch the leading teams come in, and also cheer on the Trottette teams who had gone in the early mass start. Carnage in the mist - teams going everywhere. Hill runners can't/won't/don't navigate! Good climb though, one to remember.

3 PM

Orienteering hills 1:01:00 [3] 9.0 km (6:47 / km) +300m 5:49 / km
shoes: VJ Integrators

Four loops in Shooting Greens. Trying to attack at race pace.

Friday Feb 8, 2013 #

5 PM

Running warm up/down (AZ) 1:05:00 [3] 13.0 km (5:00 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #2

All request Friday run to Davidsons Gardens at the west end of Ferry Rd, then along to Davidsons Place and Road at the back of the Western General.

Thursday Feb 7, 2013 #

7 PM

Running warm up/down (TT) 12:20 [3] 2.8 km (4:24 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #2

Running intervals (TT) 30:00 [3] 8.0 km (3:45 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #2

Roll the dice fartlek session - interval lengths determined randomly. We got something like 2 - 4 - 3 - 6 - 2 - 5. Took it pretty easy as it was first increased effort running since catching a cold last week, relaxing with the MPC (mid pack cack) at around 3:30 pace.

Running warm up/down (TT) 17:00 [3] 3.5 km (4:51 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #2

Wednesday Feb 6, 2013 #

12 PM

Running (AZ) 52:00 [3] 12.25 km (4:15 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #2

Too nice a day to sit in the office. Out and about at lunchtime to Danube Street in Stockbridge (posh) and Darnaway Street in New Town (nice, but I'd rather be in Darnaway itself) then out to Darnell Road in Trinity and back up to Darroch Court on the Pleasance, once home to a very freshfaced Chepls.

C • I hope not... 1

Tuesday Feb 5, 2013 #

5 PM

Running (AZ) 48:00 [3] 11.5 km (4:10 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #2

Sniffle sniffle snort snort. I'm looking forward to the time when my head isn't full of snot. Looped HFW via Damside in Dean Village then after a bit of procrastination went back out to Dania Court in Sauchton.

Monday Feb 4, 2013 #

5 PM

Running (AZ) 43:00 [3] 10.0 km (4:18 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #2

Cold is still all above my neck so fine for running but just easing off the volume and intensity to give my body more chance to battle the bugs. An easy cruise over to Dalziel Place in Meadowbank and back into the driving sleet. Lovely stuff. Reassuringly my legs felt pretty good - as you would hope after three easy days.

Sunday Feb 3, 2013 #

4 PM

Running (AZ) 40:00 [3] 8.0 km (5:00 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #2

Urg. I've only left the flat this weekend to go jogging. Felt mildly better for a jog to Dalrymple Crescent, home of the high and mighty of Edinburgh. And the Mowbrays. Dalry Place and Road on the less posh side of town too.

Saturday Feb 2, 2013 #

12 PM

Running (AZ) 50:00 [3] 11.5 km (4:21 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #2

Feeling pretty rough - head cold, woozy, bunged up - but it was too nice a day not to go out. Down to Leith for two Dalmeny's - Road and Street. Back home picking up Dalry Gait on the way.

Friday Feb 1, 2013 #

8 AM

Running hills (AZ) 44:00 [3] 10.1 km (4:21 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #2

Morning bacon roll earner to Meadowbank - Dalgety Ave, Road and Street being the reason for the trip.

5 PM

Running (AZ) 51:00 [3] 11.5 km (4:26 / km)
shoes: Asics GT2170 #2

Finish the working week with a steady cruise through the southside. Up to Dalhousie Road in Morningside then round the bottom of Blackford Hill to Dalkeith Road & Mews. Back home through the Meadows.

« Earlier | Later »