Training Log Archive: ndobbs

IOC Classic Distance
Tawnawully, Lough Eske, Co. Donegal

Wow this was a race. The first leg was short, then a long wild leg across the open mountain to let us know it would be tough. No easy route, so close to straight, a little contouring, a visit to the 9th control to get me in good spirits and the control wasn't too hard.

We had 16 controls in 11km, and maybe 9 of those averaged a kilometre each. With wet marsh and bog and spongy uphills it was going to be tough. Jumping across the peat hags was the toughest.

I made a balls of the fourth, lost over three minutes. In general, I was really bad up until that point. Afterwards I somehow got my ass more or less in gear. Rather strangely, it was on the longer legs (10, 11, 12, 14) later in the course that I was losing the least time (on Marcus, he was flying). I enjoy bog-trotting too much. Surprisingly, I overtook Colm Rothery jogging up the marsh to the 12th. That felt good - he came third last year. On the other hand, he's 49 :)

I messed up the 12th in the circle, Colm too (my fault?), hesitant on the short leg to thirteen, sped up again to a jog to fourteen, fifteen was flat/down so running again... spectacularly lost 10 or 20 seconds on the last control... brain rot...

Marcus won in a very impressive 84 minutes. Colm Hill took 95(!). Ruairi was a minute down on me, then there was a big gap to fifth.

Routegadget

This was the most physically draining race I've run in a long time. We had a 2km walk/jog back to the car afterwards. I arrived at the car wasted. Ate a banana. Ate a banana. Ate a banana. Got changed, went to the community centre... found out my time wasn't (relatively) as bad as I had expected. Strange but good. Ate a big plate of rice and beef stroganoff. Ate a big plate of pasta and mashed potato. Started feeling like my stomach wasn't empty.

Cold for several hours, despite Colm O'Halloran's donation of an extra fleece. Missed prize-giving due to shopping-duties... didn't get to shake hands with the tánaiste :(
Attended the rest of the AGM -
Ivan Millar is the new Director of High Performance Orienteering, which is a good thing.

Lost the table quiz.
Got home 11.30... brain-dead.

C • Congrats 4

to and from start/finish. Probably 40 minutes total...

Course 1 - Splits

Event: Irish Orienteering Championships
 

IOC Middle Distance

Made a right balls of this. Tried a little mental preparation the night before and the morning of, tried to imagine myself orienteering well, finding controls with flow, running with good rhythm, nothing. Mind was blank. Nothing.
Marcus ran 35, top class. Nick S second, Darren did well to come third in 40xx. Then Andrew, Shea, me in four seconds, in that order :(

On the course, I got around, but made mistakes, bad mistakes, had little or no flow. Depressing. But it was lovely.

Knee sore. Long walk/jog back to the car park.



The Icebugs were magical!
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What colour is the other sock? Bog is great :)

Murvagh beach, Co. Donegal, with Andrew.

Lovely, except that my knee was well sore.

Killiney run with Andrew

Lovely out.

7 warm up,
4*2mins recovery, 8 warmdown

5*4 intervals, Arsta. Some wee hills on the trail.

felt the knee a bit, the foot a little, but not the chest. Progress, even if I'll feel the knee more tomorrow...