Training Log Archive: Dooby

Along road and up track. Hung around finish for a bit feeling cold. Then jogged up to the start but was stuck in the call-up box for a few minutes before the start.

Shamrock O-Ringen, Day 3
Rosskerrig

Had Seamus starting 44 seconds after me so I started with the expectation of having company farily quickly, but he was a no-show! Didn't stop me looking over my shoulder at numerous times during the race to check for chasers, if not him, his CNOC colleagues. Did think I saw a CNOC top or 2 heading towards 6 as I was going to 10 so reckoned I was doing ok at that point. But going up the hill I really thought I was going to be caught. It was only in the last loop that I reckoned it was just going to be me and Ken.

Was happy with the 1st control but it was a small re-entrant, 2 was ok and 3 was straightforward. At 3 the Belgian (Ken Peeters) came in from below it to punch ahead of me. That left me with a smile on my face if he'd taken the opportunity to look in my direction. Was careful to 4, picking off features as I went because it looked like a control that could be missed, hit it cleanly. Then downhill to 5 for a loop around a flatish area but with rough running in places. Ended up a bit left of 9 but these few were ok. I was doing the running out in front, so was concentrating on my race, not what Ken was doing. Got a small gap to 10 and held it up the hill. I think I may have lost a couple of second on 1 or 2 of the uphill controls from 9-16, but nothing serious. Ken gained a bit on the last uphill to 16. 17 was downhill.

On the way down again to 18 I stopped short trying to figure out where on the hill I was. Ken went past and kept going in the same direction. If he'd changed direction then I knew he'd got 18. Realised then that the control was further down as I spotted the obvious craggy hills, a few of them. To 19 Ken was ahead and I though that it was going to be a difficult control. I also took out my gel to have, looked at my watch and saw we'd been running 37mins so felt a boost would be handy later. Kept on running and saw a control below, nice. Back to 20 up and over a few ridges. Wasn't sure how far we'd gone but then the boulders and control appeared below. From 22 to 23 I regained the lead, I think, definitely punched 20 behind but 21 and 22 I can't really recall too well. Got 23 ok and then back up to 24. Before back across to 25.

On the way to 26 I recalled Toni's presentation from the night before, remarkable features, but that didn't help as I missed the control. Hit a re-entrant with a control in it, Code 240. Ken punched it but I knew it was the wrong code. If Ken went for 27 I wasn't going to call him back! Kept on running and spotted the bush on the drain to the W of 26, so back uphill to the control. Took a big tumble on the way to 27 but didn't let Ken past. Across a few more ridges to 28 and then it was back uphill to 29. I used the flat area and the transition to the slightly steeper area to figure out where I was going. Ken ran a slightly different line and got the control just ahead of me. Then I pushed up over the hill and saw a track across the marsh below, dove down the hill and got onto the track before him. Felt one of my hamstrings at this point wanting to cramp but feeling went immediately. Ken gave a shout so either I cut him off badly or he tripped on something, I don't know, wasn't stopping to ask. Then up the hill to the last control hitting the finish tapes then turned uphill to the control. At this point I felt that Ken had given up but I still tore down the hill to punch the finish. Didn't cover myself in glory at the finish as I missed the box, fell onto my back, and then managed to punch, but still 4 seconds ahead of Ken which were all gained between 29 to the finish.

Looking at my HR for the race it was only at 186 for the sprint, was never too high during the race, only 1 beat higher than my avg HR for yesterday. So running at a steady pace and not making too many mistakes worked. I felt I knew what I was doing during the race and lead Ken for most of the controls we were together. Felt confident in the pace of my running and orienteering.

Driving back to Kerry afterwards it really only dawned on me that i'd won a Shamrock. Definitley a good weekend on the Sheeps Head, one to remember.

Routegadget:
http://orienteering.ie/gadget/cgi-bin/reitti.cgi?a...

C • Lucky bugger 3

Rosskerrig

I went out to collect controls after the prizegiving. Lost time on 2 of these ended up high but was better to be high than low since legs were tired.

Didn't bother with the HR strap.

Day 3 M21E - Splits

Jog uphill to the start, didn't leave myself a massive amount of time but was under control.

Shamrock O-Ringen, Day 2
Maulnakehy and Gouldane

My 5min man missed his start so I didn't really have a target to chase!

Went across the slope to 1 but was too low and hit a control below it but then saw my 1 above. The ponds on the way to 2 didn't seem too obvious to me, so was uncertain for a bit, but then saw them before dropping down to 2. Went to the top of the hill on the way to 3, wasn't avoiding climb. To 4 I wnet along the ridge and then dropped down from the linear N/S marsh. After I started descending things didn't make too much sense. Kept on going and then I reckoned I knew where I was, turns out I was right and got the control. 5 and 6 were short before realising that 7 was on the far side of the hill. So struggled up and over the hill. Met Colm coming across me on the way up. Getting back across to 8 was also tough, not an easy slope to traverse. Ended up on top of the uncrossable crag in the re-entrant on the S side of the hill, great. Then went onto the ridge to get 8. Was a bit hesitant and then saw Cillín with his camera so reckoned the control was close-by and it was just below me. Not great orienteering. 9 was short and then the long leg to 10. Kept left for a good bit then struggled up the hill. Dropped down from the top trying to use the marsh below. Reckoned I knew where I was but uncrossable marsh wasn't what I thought it was so ended up beyond the control but saw it 50-100m behind me. 11 and 12 were ok but hill again to 13 was tough.

The next few controls went ok along the lower slopes of the N side of the ridge. On the way to 7 I got a chance to look ahead and knew I was in for some climb at the end. At 19 I was a bit unsure. Ended up at the hill just to the E of the control and it had a lot of rock on it so was surprised when there was no control there. Saw more rock jutting up further on so ran on and got the control, but wasn't too sure. 21 to 22 was up the hill and over. Ended up too far to the right of the control but knew where I was. Then the long run-in.

Was happier with my orienteering today. Felt I got the controls better. I was also competitive in the results, again 5/6 mins off Marcus but happy with that. Lost time to the Belgian and Seamus gained back time. Colm also finished ahead of me but not by much. Meant I was going to be chasing tomorrow but not too far back.

Routegadget:
http://orienteering.ie/gadget/cgi-bin/reitti.cgi?a...

Day 2 M21E - Splits

Event: Shamrock O-Ringen 2011
 

Long walk from the car-park uphill to the start. Got there with time to spare but didn't do any thing when I got there, just prepared myself mentally for the climb to the 1st control!

Saying this is trail running but 1st part was road and then second part was track, then mountain.

Shamrock O-Ringen, Day 1
Seefin

Had an idea where 1st control was based on where i'd seen people heading off and from map in -2 box. Went left to 2 but missed the control near the end. Wasn't sure where I was when I hit the re-entrant before it so missing the control wasn't a surprise. Could have lost more there I reckon but came back and saw it above me as someone else punched it. Caught my 4min man here so he must have had more problems. 3 was easy and then followed a track through the grass towards 4 but ended up low so a tough uphill to the control. 5 was a nice downhill leg and hill was easy to spot with the boulder.

6 and 7 were fine, used sheeps head way marker as an AP for 7. Then back across the hill to 8. Ended up high and saw a control below me, took the decision to go down since it was going to be one of my controls since i'd a few on this slope and it was 8. 9 and 10 were fine but found it tough uphill to 11. Next couple of controls were straight forward too. Back across the slope to 15 and saw 9 and 8 above me so used them as APs. Then downhill to 16 before heading back to 17 which I overshot slightly to the left. Then 18 was close before the run-in.

Wasn't too happy when I finished as I reckoned i'd lost too much time making mistakes. But it turns out that my time was the fastest (by 7 seconds from a Belgian visitor). Marcus was around 5mins faster than me but was N/C due to him making the map.

Routegadget:
http://orienteering.ie/gadget/cgi-bin/reitti.cgi?a...

Walk down the road from the download to the car-park. Feet were starting to hurt near the end. Shoes are not meant for the road.

Day 1 M21E - Splits

Bartregaum looked stunning this morning driving to work, framed with blue skies behind it and a small tiny cloud just near the top. It was screaming out to be visited (run up) but sadly my car was taking me to work, and i've got to rest today before the Shamrock. I suppose I don't have to rest but it's probably a good idea.

Tralee-Castleisland-Farranfore-Castlemaine-Tralee
Avg Cadence = 79rpm

Lovely evening to be out doing something, warm and sunny:-) At least talk of the weather this evening was positive.

Pace was handy until we got to Castlemaine, cruising at a nice speed. So felt fine doing that, taking my turn on the front. Group of about 9 so that helped push things along.

Through Castlemaine 2 lads went off the front, got about 200m on the rest of us but no one was prepared to do anything. Myself and John were on the front as we hit the straight stretch before the climb and John suggested that I string the chase out in order to catche the escapees. So hammer went down and I headed off in pursuit, on my own, bastards let me off. Or else I pushed too fast too soon. So I ended up catching the 2 lads solo.

Then the climb started and after maybe 1 turn on the front, took a breather to catch my breath first Sean dropped off, leaving myself and Donnacha on our own maybe 200m ahead of the rest. We covered around 1.5km and then I saw the 4km to the summit marker on the road. That killed my enthusiasm so let Donnacha on his own and I eased up. Covered another km before the lads chasing (3) caught me but Sean wasn't with them. I joined up with this group and Donnacha was coming back at this stage. Was much easier with the group than as 2. I did the 1km-500m stretch on the front but no one seemed too eager to take the last 500m.

Over the top and onto the descent where the pace upped nicely, you have to make use of gravity. I want to push the descents as it's something I need to improve on, sick of lads sailing past doing downhill. Pace was still high when we hit the low straight.

Donnacha (there are 2) sprinted for the line just passed the Tralee town sign and I gave chase but other 2 lads didn't, so 2nd! Need to get more race aware.

Tralee-Camp-Tralee
Avg Cadence = 77rpm

Only decided on this spin just before I left work, was promised a bacon & cabbage dinner in Killarney so couldn't cycle all night with that waiting for me, so this I knew would take just over the hour.

Nice evening, sun out, but there was a bit of a headwind all the way to Camp, strong at times. But I pushed on in the knowledge that it was going to take me home at a nice clip.

The hill up from the low to high roads in Camp was short and sweet, attacked the first part nicely and then around half way up it started to hurt, but wasn't under too much pressure.

I enjoyed the spin back to Tralee then with the wind behind me although the hill at Curraheen (Keanes) did hurt more than I thought it would, other hills were fine. In reality all these hills are short drags apart from the Camp one!


I'm a bit annoyed with the new cycle lanes on the Ardfert Road. I only realised yesterday that there is a yield triangle painted in the lane at all the junctions off the road. Why would cyclists have to yield to cars entering the main road, they surely have right of way??? Will talk to the Town Manager about this, he happens to be my big boss too.

Came across a flyer for the Rás na Ríochta at lunchtime, it's on July 16th. I've never done something like this before but want to.
http://www.adventureracingkerry.com/rnr/the_course...
Now how do I practice mountainbiking when I don't have one, might take a trip to Ballyhouras next week some evening.

http://www.adventureracingkerry.com/rnr/the_course...
It's 47km in lenght, 23 on MTB, 17 on mountain, 3.5 in a canoe and 0.5 run to finish.

Very tempted...

Also might consider www.sea2summit.ie in November too.

Glanageenty
2 laps, first clockwise and second anti-clockwise

Felt relaxed enough starting off, though i'd be more tired, especially my left quad but it behaved itself for most of it. Was pleased with how I managed the hill after the river on the first lap, got pace back faster on the flat bit above it. Did feel the quad then on the long descent so I think I could have pushed harder here if I wanted. Back down through the forest to the car and it was slippy in places there.

Turned at the car and headed back up the way i'd just descended. Never done it from this direction before so that gave everything a different perspecitve. The hill in the open would make for good hill reps, an idea for another day. On the way back off the open I went over on my left ankle so that slowed the next bit of the descent down to the river considerably. Once back on the flatter stuff the ankle felt a bit better so kept going.

On the second descent along the river I met a runner coming against me, recognised him, James Doran, lad who won the race in February. So head decided that it needed to beat this guy back to the car, but that thought didn't last long. The second hill up from the river across the road wasn't so bad. But the bit in the forest was a bit tougher, nice gap between them though. Got back down the hill and onto the path back by the river. Was looking at my watch a lot, wanted to get the 2 laps close time wise. Hit the open area with a couple of minutes left and I ran hard up the hill here and then eased off for the last bit downhill.

Lap 1 - 32.17
Lap 2 - 32.42

So would have probably gone faster on 2nd lap without the ankle issue. Avg HR was higher on second lap though.