Training Log Archive: Gswede

Check out the great map next to my house. The trails were removed from this map. All the better!

It's enormous! So much space to run.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7uljt73i6hh4lnx/cab%20me...

Hill repeats on Cab Med next to my house. I alternated between a dirt road with a slow uphill to a single track trail with very, very steep uphill. Trying to work on perfecting orienteering climbing. Also it made the workout seem to go a lot faster.

Workout was 5x3 minutes of uphill with 5 minute jogs down. I think I have an idea of how to do a hill workout with shorter rests. YES!

A Night-O in Boadilla del Monte. I always run crappy here. Partly because the map is from 2000 and there have been some major changes in vegetation, even contours in some places. The training was 4 loops bringing us to 6.2k, I only did 2 loops. Like I said, Boadilla at night, ugh.

I did pick up the controls afterwards though.

Run back home from school. My calves felt destroyed from the past weekend. So it was kinda slow. Also running into a 20-30kph headwind with freezing rain for almost two hours is like running on a uphill the whole way home. Ugh. But good training.

A 5.1k race for the school. I ran 18 minutes. I certainly don't have the same footspeed for flat road races as I used to, but not bad. As I'm just starting back up with workouts I'm pretty happy. A good workout too. Long cooldown to make up for missing the run Wednesday.

A pretty decent race in Los Cerros near Alcala. I finished in 3rd. Juanma beat me by 11 minutes, but I beat some old Madrid rivals. Yay for progress! Also playing around with quickroute. I couldn't get a copy of my map, but this one is pretty close. Now how to link to it.... This is good enough for now. https://www.dropbox.com/s/ydi2gtqtdld2i98/loscerro...

A mix of running and what I will call orienteering focus intervals. I will try to focus only orienteering during these short sessions and then slowly build up the time/distance and repetitions.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8qrsaked85phcml/CabMedSu...

Easy run around Moral with 10x20/40s and some map reading.

Long run around the Silla del Diablo (Devil's Seat). It was certainly hilly enough to be an appropriate seat for him.

30 minute warm-up, 20 minute tempo, 10 minute cool-down around Moral. Good workout.

A very fast and wide open race in Valdemoro. The major factor that slowed me down was that I still have a cough, but I got in a good higher effort race. Good middle distance practice. There were some very muddy fields that got my shoes about as heavy as bricks. Fun! 35:56 for 6.3k.

Ladera de Matarrubia today. My legs were feeling good today. And a short steep uphill followed by a long slow downhill.

Random abs Routine

2 sets
10xdouble crunch
18xcrunch
12xoblique v-up
9xV-up
15xside lifts
30 push ups
20 curls of 8kg

Night-O in Casa de Campo. We started with a 20 minute corridor. I did this pretty well, but CC is pretty easy. Then we had 6 controls. I didn't go too fast. I just simply didn't feel motivated.

Easy jog around Moral with 10x20/40's.

I couldn't resist doing my long run today. I'm feeling better and needed to get out of the house. I also explored the southern sierra. I'm climbed about 350-400 meters to the top and saw the skyline of Madrid and surroundings. Oh and really big mountains too. That was really nice. Now I'm tired.

2 sets

1 minute Plank

30 Push-ups

20 Curls of 8kg (10 Each arm)

20 Lunges (10 Each Leg)

Getting back into it.

Still a bad cough.

Good news though. I got named to the US Development team. So I will be able to run for the States in the World Cup in Murcia in April.

Over the past year, and especially the past few months I've been able to really identify two of the errors that make me lose lots of time in orienteering.

1. Fumbling when I am within 50 meters of the control. I still struggle to spike the control perfectly. I can do the section between the circles almost perfectly, then I lose 20+ seconds as I putz around looking for the flag. This happens more often than I would like to admit.

2. Losing contact with the map (not focusing). This is a problem, especially on long legs. It's interesting that when someone else is with me I get very competitive and extremely focused. Then I run the courses very quickly. When I am alone it's very easy to stop focusing and go along at a comfortable pace, start thinking about other things, etc. Now how to work on this...


Some ideas for number 2, Alberto recommended doing a normal run with one or two long legs incorporated. During the long legs I would try to focus completely and during the breaks I could let my mind wander. Over time I could increase the amount of legs I would do, or maybe combine them to work on time I spend focused.

Number 1, I'm not completely sure. People have recommended control picking exercises. Paying more attention to control descriptions will certainly help also.

I am very open to any suggestions my readers might have.

Still got a bad cough. If I feel better tonight I may go for a short run.

Decided to go out for a run since I was feeling significantly better and a little stir crazy. Soooo nice to get out, see the mountains, and breath fresh air.

Still very sick. I hate not being able to run.

A bad case of the flu kept me from going to work. I wanted to run, but walking was pretty tough. So I suppose another rest day.

Easy morning run around Moral. Nice to be back home.

Early morning in Perpignan. Lots of gypsies.

Exploring Arles. Nothing special.

2014 seconds jogging around Moralzarzal. Distance isn't important in this New Year's Tradition. I am tired. Rest day tomorrow!