Training Log Archive: Bashman

WU
Quite a short one again, running a little bit late, round and up to the castle plus drills.
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Race the Castles - Stirling Castle - WRE Men's Elite - 4.3km opt. - 140m climb - 20th, 2:46 down

Brilliant start scene. Just outside Stirling Castle front entrance which had broken through the early morning mist. Hazy sunshine and awesome views of the clouds below and hills in the distance. Unfortunately I wasn't feeling anywhere near as good as the weather was after 4 hours of sleep and a 6:20 get up. Sort of assumed a bad race was coming up and relaxed a bit because of this.

Headed of the start line after slipping a good metre backwards trying to take my first step. Into the castle and I could hardly make out the map, eyes couldn't focus on it. So I headed up through the first two gates, looked left, ah first control - nice surprise. Nailed it and knew exactly where to go for 2. Unfortunately didn't see the cheeky ride the wall to three and instead blew 35s nearly running directly into a dead end, as many others did. Back round and I was raging, but cheered up a bit as I hit 4 well and saw Hector, obviously more than a minute behind (he started 1 min behind) going to 3 as I was heading to 5. Had seen the tunnel already so knew where I was going. Quick dip into 6, knowing that Ross was probably giving us such an easy leg just to prepare for the hardest control of the course: 7. The thing that threw most was the non-obvious multi level mayhem that wasn't too clear on the map. I was expecting a straightforward in and out but quickly realised when I saw the upper level. So ended up nailing it.

Out of the castle slipping about everywhere and through 2 easy controls, again, expecting something mean coming up. 11 was the result and I feel like I only did well on it because I planned ahead and was confident on my route. Even though I didn't take the quicker high way, I hardly lost any time by running along the bottom and up. Good to 12 and 13 and I was clearly catching my 1 and 2 minute men. Latvia and Ireland. Second long leg and again, confident with my route, even though it wasn't the fastest. Caught the two guys as we were heading into the graveyard and only 15s off the best on a 3.5minute running leg. Battled the two guys down to 15 but we all made the mistake of not seeing the multi levels again. Lost 15s fannying. Down to spectator, pretty much ice-skating and 17, racing the Irish. Began to drop them on the final few cool in-out controls and finally the run in. Small hesitation thinking the Si air hadn't registered the last control but made for it by diving across the line since there wasn't any punch and instead some sort of Si-Air gate.

Much happier with my performance today compared to yesterday. This is weird though since I felt much less focussed, very tired and a lot less physically prepared than yesterday. Another race which shows the direct relationship of relaxation and performance. Something to work on over winter I think, and think about a lot. Ended up beating a few good names including last year's WOC champ and Oleg by multiple minutes (don't think the night before was as nice on him as it was for me). It's a very tempting thought to think where I could have been if the ~minute of mistakes-I-don't-normally-make was taken off....

http://obasen.orientering.se/winsplits/online/en/d...

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Sunset Run
Was planning on a light match of tennis with a friend but that didn't happen. Got tempted by the crags when I saw the sunset slowly climbing them and ended up "racing" the sunset edge to the top with my phone as a camera. Spent a few minutes watching/taking photos and then headed down and back along Pleasance. Not too tired but think all I'll do tomorrow is some tennis.

C • we saw you 4

Event: Race the Castles
 

WU
Short one - to the start a drills. Running a bit late. Unfocused.
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Race the Castles - Edinburgh Castle - WRE Men's Elite - 4.5km optimum - 34th - 3.5 mins down

Off the start completely unfocused and excited at the same time. Bagpipes playing me out. Already a small hesitation at 1, certain that we can't possibly be going down that alley... Quickly realised we could, punched (it was actually SI air but I only started using the advantages of it at the end.....) and shot off in the wrong direction to 2. Binned a few hours searching for two and at this point, I knew I had cocked up. Annoyed, I trudged round 3 and 4, going the crap way to 4, and on to 5, 6 and 7 quite cleanly but slowly.

Already dead by 8, and we hadn't even climbed the vertical km of steps up from Grassmarket. Legs jellidified and I slid slowly down the slope to 9. Went round 10, 11 and 12 at an ok pace but I was feeling so spent. Back down the slope once again and began to catch Calum. Into spectator and a sudden moment of shear rage caused me to backslap the control firmly flat on the ground.https://picasaweb.google.com/108744356399445848928...

Overtook Calum and actually did some OK orienteering towards the end. Caught up with Andrew which I found hilarious and completely tanked the finish to beat him to the line. Was winning out of 6 when I finished so I had a nice seat in the winner's chair as the last 15 starters lined up in front of me for a presentation. Soon kicked off though and I spent the next 4 hours doing a spot of control setting, watching and collecting. Saw a few friends though and that cheered me up. Thank god it was a nice day.

I guess I should be a bit more positive though. I got a good workout from all the stairs and hills. It was nice having such a big event on home soil. And I made a few good decisions.

http://obasen.orientering.se/winsplits/online/en/d...
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WD/RageDown
Round the seat with Paul. We both wanted to get a bit more in today, the only difference is that he had already done a 60 mile cycle! Chatting the whole way, really easy run to get the speed up somehow. Felt better by the end.

C • After short races 3

WU
With Will and Mikey to the fun.
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Multi Level Mayhem - Edinburgh Edition - i.e Race the Castles Prologue - MOPEN - 2.1km - 14th

Was always going to be quite a relaxed race (physically). Out the start quite cleanly and was rewarded by taking Will and Jack by 1 and 2 mins by number 3. It was mayhem. A few easy legs, one messed up, and then Will caught up as his torch went out. He stuck to me like glue after this. We went pretty well until 18 where we binned 2 minutes by finding 2 dead ends and swearing a lot. Eventually nailed it back and he got me on the run in, ensuring me a 1s victory over Mikey. Lots of fun and a brilliant new little area. Respect to Purkylurky for beating multiple world class athletes.

http://obasen.orientering.se/winsplits/online/en/d...
http://www.soa.routegadget.co.uk/rg2/#41 - Course 1
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WD
Crawl back with Will and Mikey. Followed by a demon curry.
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Circuits
Quick WU: SL Squats, Agility Ladder and some jumps
3x8 DL - 45kg max
3x5 PU - using right arm more than left....
4x8 BS - 50kg max, building it up slowly, aim is body weight in 3 weeks which should be easy.
Plate Circuit - 4 sets of a circuit with a 15kg disc for row, squat, press and lunge and a 10kg disc for round the world, hip to hip, plank and lateral jumps. 30s work, 15 rest, 1:20 between sets, upping the work next week.
Then rolling and stretching WD.

I seem to be losing weight quite rapidly, from the 73kg I was before uni to the 69.2 now.... Should probably start eating more....

C • Food 3

C • Body weight squatting 3

Long
Out to braids to meet up with Matt for the first time in 5(!) months so out through the meadows and morningside. Took bus money assuming I'd probably get too tired to run home after a lap of Braids. Found him at the golf club and chatted the whole way on a big loop of the golf course. Talked the whole way and had a break at the top on the bench with a very romantic view. Back down to the club and decided I was fine to run back so did so. Had the cold sweats by the end but still felt pretty good. Popped into tesco to spend my bus money on curry ingredients and a congratulatory bag of donuts. Walked into the flat, lay on the floor, slept for 30mins, and felt fine again.
Was it a silly distance before RtC? Probably Yes
Will I be tired tomorrow? Probably Yes, but my estimate is I'll feel great on Saturday and Sunday.

Big write up of JEC long done.

Hilly Morning
Usual late morning training on Wednesday. Wanted to hit the hills this time, as I haven't done so for a while, so headed towards AS. Radical road from the north and then round the road to Dunsapie. Up to the top, and then cut through to the saddle. Up the crags the easy way from the south and then back through the parliament. Feeling a bit dead on the climbs, as expected.
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Flat Steady
Lap of the seat, but not the one most people probably think I mean. Down to the Innocent Railway, good speed down to the road. North past Duddingston and basically kept turning left on big roads until I hit Meadowbank. Back through parliament. Feeling fast so upped the pace to near tempo at times. Not looking forward to seeing how my legs feel during circuits tomorrow though....

Circuits
WU, Plyo, DL, small UB circuit, Stretching.
Harries later.

WU
Nice long one with Beth down to lower round-a-bout, up to the high one, and then to meadows with a lap of it with Haries. Freezing to begin with but warmed up soon enough.
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Strides
With the group.
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Haries Intervals - 3 x 1km, 5min recovery
Session was actually 5 but I just did 1, 3 and 5. In group A with Andrew, Paul and Hector. First one was surprisingly comfortable at 3:04 with some dangerous cornering + dodging and I was recovered pretty quickly. Just jogged round waiting for them to do rep 2. Next one was faster, and probably also my first sub-3min 1km rep, which is long overdue but also, again, on a dodgy loop. Last one was nice, Hector died a bit with a poor stomach and I ended up smashing the finish feeling great! Nice session except none of us actually did all 5 consecutively due to 3 sets of weird stomachs and me not doing the whole sesh... strange.... Happy with the splits nevertheless.

3:04, 2:59, 3:00
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WD
Back with Paul.

Could have gone out but decided to just have a rest instead. No pain coming from muscles but quite a few cuts and bruises from a dodgy water park yesterday.