Training Log Archive: Bashman

JK Long - M18E - 11.2km - 5th, 7 mins behind Simon.
The most extreme orienteering I have done. Compulsory cagoules, hats and whistles (for those who weren't there). Me and Oleg opted for rolling our cagoule into a sausage, taping it since we were never going to put it on, and tying it round our waists as belts. Slightly uncomfortable but it was compulsory. Buff as an emergency had around my wrist. A crack of lightning exploded above the assembly just as I left the tent. Something was telling me it wasn't going to be a good race.
Not sure why everyone swerved left at the start. I went straight and turned out fine. Absolutely nailed number 1. Then ticking off features well to 2 and 3. By here I was cheesing at how well it was going, which is probably why my mistake to 4 happened. Straight into the wind, and my compass looking like it was blowing in every direction. So it took me up the re-entrant, and it wasn't until I spotted the cairn that I realised I had done a 90 degree error. Gutted, I headed through 7 and got 4 spot on after that. Amazingly only lost me a minute but I was convinced that the Swede would be catching the 3 minutes on me for this mistake alone.
Legged it to 5 and hit it perfectly. Poor plan to 6, and I lost 3 minutes looking for that bingo pit, which I was almost on top of 3 minutes before I found it. This had blown it for sure. I slogged up to 7 considering calling it a day, but I looked at what was coming up and it looked fun. Hit 7 and Samuel the Swede was catching fast. He stuck to me going to 8, and again, I was right on top of it but couldn't see it. The (rude word) behind me spotted it, punched it, and ran off before I noticed. I spent 2 minutes chasing him, realising he had got it, and heading back..... We later made amends though.
I got some new motivation going to 10, kept almost perfectly on line and nailed it. Caught 2 others who I couldn't recognise at all but happy with that. The control pick in the quarry was mostly good, except I lost 30s on 13 going the wrong way round. 17 and 18 looked like traps waiting to happen so I took extra care and got them both. Across the road with Dane and Jackie shouting me on which was helpful for this last bit. Hit 20 bang on, just slowly, whilst so many others failed and overtook Nathan. Spotted Aidan chasing me down though and pushed hard through the last few to the finish with him. He may have beaten me by 12 minutes, but I hadn't done as badly as I thought.
On a day without a cold I'd like to think I could have run much better. Simon's time was definitely withing reach for me if I had only concentrated a little bit more. Thankfully everyone found today pretty tricky, and I ended up being 2nd Brit, 4th Brit u20 behind Alistair who had a solid run. Selection races done, now a long wait.
http://obasen.orientering.se/winsplits/online/en/d...
http://www.jk.routegadget.co.uk/rg2/#49

Big WU

WU/D

JK Middle - M18E - 6.5km - 4th, 4 mins behind Simon
Won't go too much into this because it's a race that I don't really enjoy remembering. There was a lot of bingo going on and I agree with Adam when he says the start intervals were way too short for an area like this. Anyway hopped aboard the Chris Galloway train at 1. Saying that I did all my own navigation and until right before the end where he sprinted off, I was mostly leading. It was nice of him too push the pace though, and I feel really sorry for his mess up at 1. Feel even worse for causing so many misses after it too. In terms of how I felt, we were running way too fast for me to make any fine navigation and my HR was probably life-threateningly high.
http://obasen.orientering.se/winsplits/online/en/d...
http://www.jk.routegadget.co.uk/rg2/#48

Event: JK 2014
 

JK Sprint - M18E - 3.0km, 65m climb - 2nd, 34s behind Simon
Waking up still feeling ill on the morning of the sprint gave me a clear picture of how the JK was going to be. A fight for some good spots but not going in to compare with Simon or such like.
Preparation was good though, and right until the WU I was feeling really explosive. But then I had an awful stitch and running around doing the breathing technique trying to get rid of it wasn't helping. Had to just ignore it and step up to the start line.
Most of us had already cunningly deduced where the first control was and what the best route was, thanks to the organisers who gave us a pretty much clear view. From looking at the map at the start, I could also pretty much figure out where number 2 was going to be, and what the best route would be. Right. I was hesitant with the hedges but battled through when I remembered the details. Spiked it but then a bit of a banana to 3. Got delirious going to 4, pushing hard, and tried to punch the traffic cone just before it (good training through). Also panicked upon exiting and was about to go the open way but then quickly corrected myself and took a short cut back. Straight still would have been quicker.
Straight to 6, but hesitant in the circle when I thought it was on a tree. Spectator, straightforward but exit was poor and route choice was poor when I saw the optimum route as being blocked by a high wall... Probably the wrong way round to 9 too.. Round the right to 10, just looking ahead, and nailed the next few short legs. However this left me dead climbing the hill to 15. Here my cold really hit my hard and I thought it was all over for me, literally felt like I was running half my normal speed. Round the right to 16 although upon analysis left could have been just as good. Glad to see Aidan and Dane leaving 17, gave me a bit of a boost.
So far in oxygen debt that I can't even remember going to 18. But chasing down Dane now and got it ok. Took a good route to 19 but then went round the gardens which were actually crossable losing time. Long route to 20 just not really thinking. Smashed out the hedge to 21, and picked up some final speed. Poor route to 21 though, and finished through the last few running legs feeling like I had blown it.
Very surprised to be 2nd behind Simon, and to beat all the 20s too. I was sure this would be the toughest race with my cold but it definitely wasn't. Splits looked normal but as I told everyone, the cold made today's race feel twice as hard.
http://obasen.orientering.se/winsplits/online/en/d...
http://www.jk.routegadget.co.uk/rg2/#47
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WU/D

Warm Up
Easy pre-breakfast run with Alfie. Slow through the slope and up the hill but moving well on the flat.

Feeling a good bit better today, went for a walk with Alfie, and ate a good spicy curry so hopefully on the mend.

Map from Sunday
http://www.scottish-orienteering.org/doma/show_map...

Steady
With Alfie onto the slope and down to the river. I was feeling pretty poor in my chest, looked at my watch and was surprised to see 3:30s feeling easier than normal. Slowed it down going along the river on the winding trail but then made it up to the railway line and increased the pace again. Put in a few efforts but nothing like I planned. I concluded that JK is going to be tough, because this sore chest from a slight cold isn't going to go away. However saying that, I was in exactly the same situation last year and ended up doing alright. Something just to ignore I think. My legs are great!

25 mins core - feeling strong
Then Stretching.

C • '"JK..alright" 3

Just shifting this. Went for a walk with Alfie and felt good. Might need to shift my fartleks to Wednesday morning but will see after a mega sleep.

C • fartlek 3