Training Log Archive: Dooby

Event: Munster Orienteering Championships, Toureen Wood
 

Slow jog up to the start. Was wondering what my HR will have been doing as I wasn't sure what sort of shape I was in. Decided to not mention on AP how exactly i'd been feeling the last couple of days, didn't want the oppostion to see that there might be a weakness in my armour. Had a slight cold on Thursday/Friday, improved yesterday, and my chest felt funny. I think the chest was in my head rather than in my chest. Anyway I woke up this morning feeling a bit better, slept last night when I didn't really on Friday.

Bit chilly this morning.

Munster Orienteering Championships 2013 - Toureen Wood, Tipperary

Goal before the race was to win a 5th MOC title in a row, did I achieve that goal, yes I did:-)

Plan was simple today, give it everything.

To 1 I went up the first track and along the edge of the forest/open and then got the control, wasn't sure when I was in the rougher stuff if it was a good idea but splits say I was nearly 1 minute faster than everyone else. It was a good start.

2 was straightforward and to 3 I went up and along the edge of the open/forest again before using the rides and wall below me. 5 was the first control I lost time on, had the fastest splits to the first 4, good start. Lost about 70 seconds to Josh on this control. Plan was to go up, follow the ride, then cut back down on the 3rd ride. Runnability in the green was good so I stayed in the forest on a compass bearing. Went past the semi-open area and hit a ride, thought it was the N-S ride, but in fact it was the E-W ride, realised this after relocating off the clearing in the green. Then lost a few seconds getting the control too. Happy to take a minute here as it could have been worse, but didn't feel overly concerned at the time.

Spotted Roar leaving 6, so i'd gained 6 minutes on him. He ran 7 hard, and we took slightly different routes. Lost 30 seconds to Colm here. His was more direct and I got stuck in some wet stuff. 8 and 9 were straightforward.

Hesitated at 10, ended up slightly west of it, so a few seconds lost, 30 seconds to Laurence on this one, hmmm. 11 was grand. Then a steep climb to 12 where I lost 20 seconds to Eoin. Thought I was looking for the odd tree as opposed to a depression. So the hill plus maybe a very slight hesitation of a couple of seconds cost me here. Did feel like the hill was tough. Fastest splits again now untl no. 19. Passed Laurence at no. 15. Slight hesitation again before it. Also thought i'd lost time getting onto the road from 14 but not too bad it seems. The forest running from 15 to 16 was nice, enjoyed that.

Had planned ahead a small bit for 17-19, was going to take track routes to avoid gullies. Met Willie Fitzgerald collecting controls on my way to 17 from his car so I was wondering if 17 was going to be there. Was visible from above so easy. Then dropped down to the track and around to 18. Lost 20 seconds to Colm on 19. Was hesitant again as I approached the control.

I lost 20 seconds to Josh on no. 20. The climb wasn't fun, wasn't enjoying it. Hit the track but after following it for a small bit I didn't see the path I wanted so just headed up. Noticed the control was next to the drain so went up and turned left, after having a glance to my right first. Control came up after I passed the path. Climb plus being a small bit off direction wise caught me here. Another nice forest leg, rough in places, to 21, back to running fast again. Then downhill to 22 and 23 before the finish. Lost a second to Laurence on 22 but can explain that with a big fall leaving 21. Had to check arm for damage and also GPS, took a bang.

So a cleanish race apart from 5, which could have been worse. I think I proved today that I'm not scared of the young lads who are nipping at my heels. Looking at Splitsbrowser, i'd a lot of fastest splits and was never headed.

Body has got a few bruises and a blood blister on my right foot, only noticed it in the shower afterwards! Worth it though.

KerryO are organising MOC next year and there's rumours of a new map which might be nice. 6 in a row and 8 MOC titles is the goal, something to train for next Autumn.

Results
Splitsbrowser
Routegadget

Jog back up the hill from the finish to the car. Can't believe it was less than 1km, left a lot longer. Legs were quite sore, calves in particular are tight, bt there were some steep climbs today and haven't done much in the hills recently. But I did have an extra pep in my step from seeing the results after I finished.

Course 1 - Splits

Quiet day today, did some work on my winter project, sorting out the base map which is nearly right , just need to scale it.

Big day tomorrow...

Feeling lethargic.

Cooking a ham for dinner so that'll sort things out.

Hamstring still feeling sore. Not sure if i'll run this evening as a result. Might be safer to leave it another day.
Can't understand why it reacted so badly after Monday.

Avg Cadence = 89rpm

Felt much better on the bike this evening, not as tired and hamstring felt ok, better pedalling than walking! Thinking of heat followed by wine bottle on it after, sounds painful.

2nd episode of GOT, series 3.

I remembered earlier that I passed about 100 people out jogging in Tralee Tuesday evening on my way home from the physio, couch to 42k group for Tralee next March.

Avg Cadence = 90rpm

Took a half day from work so a lazy afternoon in Killarney, had a look in some of the shops, e.g Penneys and Dunnes. Just bought food.

Came home and got on the bike after doing a bit of searchin for my Toureen map.

Didn't feel too energetic this evening and that's reflected in the time I spent pedalling. Feeling a bit tired and hamstring still sore but not as bad today.

Right hamstring is sore today, not too comfortable walking, so slightly concerned. Left calf also feeling tight. Suffering after 2 races this weekend. Luckily i've got physio this evening. Hoping hamstring is just tight after the last couple of days.

Knew this wasn't going to be a fun hour and boy was I right. Right hamstring is suffering from running yesterday after the 'cramp' on Sunday. So some moist heat and plenty of stretching and it'll be grand. Was planning on some intervals on the track Thursday, but won't do them now, just will run normally.

Calves were tight, expected that. And then the quad work was tough. Owww.

This week is sort of meant to be easyish, plenty scheduled but main aim is to be fresh for the Munster Champs:

Monday - Orienteering (Rossbeigh)
Tuesday - Physio/Rest
Wednesday - Running/Orienteering/Turbo, not really decided
Thursday - Running (intervals)
Friday - Turbo
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - Orienteering (Munster Champs)

Resurrected my old HR strap. Legs felt alright warming up. Weather was alright between the showers. Did take shelter in the car before warming up, seriously heavy shower. Decided to race in a jacket as I expected more rain.

Rossbeigh Sand Dunes

No HR data, had the strap on early in the race but took it off as it was slipping, annoying me.

Had a great start, lost around 4 minutes on the 1st control. Error after error, not smart. Navigated from the finish rather than the start triangle, should really have copped on. Did end up in the depression where the control was but didn't spot it due to it being hidden, before going away again. Ahhhh.

Messed up 2 a bit aswell, cut in too early and was looking on the wrong set of hills. Good god what was I doing.

Then going to 3 and 4 it was a nightmare, rough, rough, rough. Falling all over the place too. Should I go home? At least I was orienteering better. Another miss at 5 though, was looking too high for the control.

Got 6 and 7 fine, and 8 was where I expected it to be. Again the running was tough. 9 was straightforward but the running to 10 was really rough again. Going to 11 I used a path on the western side of the high dunes where 5 was. Then cut across. 12 was ok, and so were 13, 14 and 15. Went right to 16 and it was where I expected it to be. Went right again to 17, using the path i'd used going to 11 in the opposite direction now.

18 was easy. Passed 2 girls walking dogs coming against me. Jumped in and got the control so had to pass the girls again. The wind was into my face so they didn't hear me coming. I certainly heard them scream as I ran passed, I grinned:-)

Going into 19 I felt the legs starting to tire. Turns out my brain had tired as well. What was I doing for 20. Did laps of a hill with the control being on top of it. Knew exactly where I was, but didn't think the control was on top for some reason, got deceived by its width. Not happy with that mistake.

Next loop of controls to finish off went ok, but ended up right of 24. And then to 25 I lost time. Had found this control earlier on my way to no. 1. If i'd realised then that it was my last control I could have saved some time looking for the 1st control. Somehow managed to look in the wrong part of the depression.

Bad mistakes in this run. The map is shite but mistakes can't be blamed totally on the map. The map is pretty much illegible. Just run in the right direction and hope to find the control, impossible to know where the hills or depressions are.

Lost 4 minutes to no. 1. At least 1 minute to 2. Maybe 2 minutes to 5. Probably another 4 minutes to no. 20. So over 10 minutes of mistakes. There was a reason I ran today, to remember how to orienteer. Failed that on a number of occasions but that's ok, next week is what's important. Also the descriptions in my holder which I took out beforehand were WOC middle qualifier. That reminds me i've still to write that race up and the relay for AP.

And something amazing, KerryO must have synched the SI units, splitsbrowser works!!!

Results
Splitsbrowser

C • Ahhh 11

Joshosh reminded me that I cramped getting out of the car yesterday. It's true! Was a very painful ride back from Limerick. Knees were killing me all the way, so quads must have been suffering. Then when I turned to get out of the car I think I caught my leg on something and I blame it for the cramp! Was a short one but painful. Hamstring wasn't right all night but the other one (left) which also cramped a small bit was ok.

Going to be a tough hour at the physio tomorrow, she's a lot to do. All major leg muscles need work. And that will be after she sees the state of my legs after Rossbeigh today, lot of damage done by the Marram Grass.