Training Log Archive: Dooby

Tired today. Legs and just generally tired, early start to get back to Kerry.

Fantastic day so a shame to be missing out on doing something but body wouldn't have thanked me if I did. Forecast good for tomorrow so will try and get out on the bike for a few minutes. Got an invite for a bacon & cabbage dinner tomorrow too, so will fit that in ahead of the car's 1st NCT.

Bit later than I thought i'd be running due to delayed starts, but no matter, still up for this run. Didn't manage much though in the end. Body very tired.

This race could go well or badly, but will need company out there in order to maximise performance.

JK 2015
The Colonel's Drive (Graythwaite)
Relay

Running Leg 3 today for a change, with Boyzone out 1st for babysitting reasons with Cillin on the slightly shorter leg 2. Good to run other legs though for practice.

Solid pack run from Boyzone with the other Irish on the 1st leg and Cillin also ran a good 2nd leg to come in not that far down on Shea. So that left me chasing Roar with Colm Moran running for UCDO behind me somewhere.

Was a bit uncertain going to 1 so didn't get an ideal route, but got there in the end. Struggled up the hill but knowing Roar was out in front of me to be caught helped a small bit. Moved ok where it wasn't steep.

Between 1 and 3 I caught and passed Roar so now I was the leading Irish runner, a position I wanted to hold.

Hill to 4 wasn't fun but got there in the end. Loads more climb to 5, went a right route here hitting the wall and then around the hill rather than over, had had enough of climbing by now.

Not really sure how I managed what i did to 6 but Routegadget outlines how badly I was off line for this control. Thought I was at the crossing point close to the fenced light green, I wasn't, crossed by the eastern edge of the marsh. And from there things were always going to be wrong. Passed close to 9, oops.

As I approached 6 Magic had appeared on the scene, I started before him. And then on the way to 7 I saw Roar ahead of me, my plan to keep the lead had taken a turn for the worse. Both Roar and Magic had a shorter gaffle on 7 but I punched 8 just behind Magic, so used him for direction to 9.

8-11 was really nice running, lovely forest.

Was behind Magic and other FVO lad to 11, right of the pond so saw 14 on the other side. Then i'd a longer gaffle on 12 and with 14 on the pond compared to the crag further west I was maybe 20 metres behind the FVO pair going to 15.

15 was barely afloat, sticky marsh only getting worse with everyone visiting this control. Don't think i'd gained much back getting to 15 but on the steep descent to 16 I just let it go, didn't have to orienteer as knew it was the spectator so just aimed to where the 2 FVO tops were going. This reckless descent actually worked out and I punched the spectator with Magic and his FVO team mate.

The race to the finish line was back on. Got past the other FVO going to 17, and then got ahead of Magic going to 19. Struggled a bit through these controls to keep map contact.

Once i'd punched 19 (last control) ahead of Magic I was confident that i'd have the pace to get me over the line, and that's how it worked out.

Enjoyable area, might have been even more enjoyable if it was flatter! But still a great way to end JK 2015.

Nice double from CorkO today too, top Irish team in Men's and Women's relay (the IJS team wasn't all Irish), so something to repeat at IOC relay in a few weeks.

Results
Routegadget

Really slow warm down which was interrupted with a few conversations, time might include some of them.

Home from JK. Feeling really bad this evening, wrecked, not looking forward to an early alarm tomorrow in order to get to work in Tralee.

Monday - Orienteering
Tuesday - Rest
Wednesday - Turbo/bike (NCT later)
Thursday - running (break in new shoes)
Friday - ?
Saturday - Cycling if weather ok
Sunday - O training

Up to the start. Tricky to find in the fog! Didn't leave myself enough time to go on the Model Map but probably wouldn't have bothered as it would've required running. Getting up the hill to the start was enough. Feeling ok and excited about running a long distance.

JK 2015
Bigland
Long Distance

My 3rd time running on Bigland, should go find my map from 1992, have my 2011 one.

I don't really want to spend too much time writing this up since it was a long race. Did enjoy it though.

Direction issues today. Was way off line going to 3 but worked out what i'd done when I hit the wall, so extra distance run here, also a bit of time lost in the circle at 2. Also got thrown a bit near the lake on the way to 15, fog didn't help here.

Was ok as far as the spectator but that was only half the course.

Don't think I did 22 very well and also 23. Lost time going right at 24 so maybe 1 minute lost here.

Going to 29 I went very very left, not on purpose, was almost on the road north of 26. Then missed 29 in the circle a small bit but not as much as the 2 lads who had caught me so got away from them.

Bit uncertain at 30 but was close enough for it not to matter.

31 was tough up the hill.

Nearly cramped a couple of times out there, at the fences on the way to 26 and also on the track I hit for a bit going to 29. Just about kept it together though.

Overall I know I lost time in the 2nd half of the course but don't want to analyse it too much as this race wasn't one I was focusing on. Good training for races to come in May and June.

Some run by the King of Middle Distance!

Results
WRE (Points not up yet)
Routegadget (not put route up yet)

Token warm down on the flat by results. Hill up to the bag wasn't easy walking. TIRED.

Almost cramped afterwards but didn't :-)

Up to the start, some jogging and walking. Then more jogging up and down the start route. Nice morning for a run.

JK 2015
Ulpha Park and Barrow Fell
Middle Distance

Happy with my running speed but orienteering again left a lot to be desired.

Found 1 luckily, wasn't really sure what I was doing, but saw the knoll above the control.

Made a right balls of 3, stupid.

Also messed up 5. Looking back there were 2 safe route choices which I chose not to take, but could've lost more time.

Ran the open fast but was easy.

Nearly made a mistake on 10, was left of the control and nearly turned left off the track instead of right, but just corrected myself on time. Was a bit right of 12 before the road, not a mistake though.

Stayed right after crossing the bridge. Then came in via the marsh to 13. Was happy with these controls. Was running a bit with Toni here.

18 was horrific! Tough uphill. Used the climb to have more of a look at 19. Decided to climb early and go right via the wall. Worked out ok but ended up slightly high so had to drop down into the control.

Not sure what I did leaving 21 but messed it up. Think I contoured rather than lose climb. Mistake.

So overall I reckon at least 4 minutes lost due to mistakes. That's completely unacceptable for a middle distance.

Results
WRE results (not up yet)
link (haven't put my route up yet)

Jog with Ruairi, Eoin and ? (shit, can't remember) over to the priority field and back. Tired.

Event: Jan Kjellstrom International Festival of Orienteering 2015
 

Lancaster University

Weather got a bit worse after we arrived. Body feeling a bit iffy still, cold hasn't gone away, but chest doesn't have an infection, not breathing perfectly though. Not feeling the best for racing but what am I going to do, sit in the car!

JK 2015
Sprint
Lancaster University

Biggest problem I had was footwear, lost at least 20 seconds between controls 9 and 12 as a result of having no grip. Not convinced that Inov8s would've been better as there was serious mud.

Bit hesitant leaving 2. And think I lost a few seconds leaving 8.

Could have done 6 and 7 better, gone for the left routes with more path rather than taking the sloppy grass routes to the right.

Slipped and banged my knee off the path leaving 9 to the left. Then fell on my ass trying to stop to punch 10, SI Air might have helped! Then could barely read my muddy map going to 11 so stopped and tried to clean it on grass going to 12.

Took a wider route left to 14. The rough open to 16 was soft earth so not ideal but still better than right. Stayed upright, just, at the spectator control.

Lost some time going through one of the buildings to 21. Can't really remember leaving 21 on the way to 22.

Then got the rest ok.

Overall it was an ok run considering. My body got me through this when I had concerns that it wouldn't due to being ill the last few days, or at least under the weather. Happy with my WRE points.

Results
WRE Points
Routegadget (not done my route yet)

Didn't bother changing my runners since the ones i'd one were covered in mud. Slow jogging on the roads between the car and the arena.

Knee sore. Went to 1st aid to get it washed after checking if there was a tap nearby at enquiries. Mountain rescue lad (bit out of place on a University Campus) sprayed the knee with water so that got the mud off the graze.

New shoes, spent my half day in John Buckleys, mission accomplished. So will see what they feel like next week, they won't make the trip to the Lake District.

Waiting for the plane now.

Had a look at my IOF TUE, they've actually got some cop on, 3 years as opposed to the Irish 1 year which I dislike.

...and no it hasn't gone away. Now a bit of a cold thrown in. Unsure what my chest is doing, but can still breath. Fantastic timing.