Training Log Archive: Dooby

Body is thanking me today for doing nothing. It is fairly tired. At least the knee pain that I was suffering from last night has gone away. Other aches aren't too bad either, it was a physical race yesterday. And it needs to do nothing. Been a solid 11 days of training in a row, which is a lot for me. No sessions in that block though. Scared of fast stuff with the way the calves have behaved recently. Still did what I planned to do with a nice mix of activity types.

Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Cycling
Wednesday - Running
Thursday - Cycling
Friday - Running
Saturday - Cycling
Sunday - Orienteering (KerryO event, don't know where!)

Will keep up with the cycling/running every other day. Will get some physio next week.

Event: Leinster Orienteering Championships, Lough Firrib
 

Easy jog to the start. Legs feeling ok.

Since Hellsac was a no show at 1300 for his start time I asked at around 1302, after jogging down the road a bit to see if he was coming, to take his start time. No point in waiting.

Leinster Champs 2015
Lough Firrib & Oakwood

1. Choice, left or right, went right so dropped down, followed the ride and cut back up from the boulders. Lost a minute to Boyzone. I suppose I was a bit hesitant trying to stay on the ride.

2. Up up up. Tough leg. Tried to find the best running (and walking) going up, and got there faster than the others. Could see the boulder crossing the fence but not climbing. Did some planning for later in the course too, wasn't looking forward to 14.

3. Messed this up and lost at least 1 minute. Came just below it and didn't see it. Reckoned I'd gone far enough so climbed to the top to relocate, so only had to drop back down again. Went for the relocation option as needed to, to be safe, and could with the top.

4. Ran this ok, took a bearing.

5. Missed this control too, ended up very high for it. Saw a control below me so ran down to it, and it was the one I was looking for. Being honest I didn't expect it to be my control so have to admit to being lucky. Another minute lost.

6. More time loss here. Hit the saddle but was to the right. Stopped to try and make sense of things. Could see the lake but no sign of the marsh next to the control. Should have probably looked for the crag before the control. Ran on a bearing for this leg too. Definitely felt I lost more time than the splits would suggest.

7. Longest leg on the course but also an easy one with the boulder covered hill behind the control. Went right I think of the uncrossable marsh en route before climbing. Could then get a better picture of the hill where 7 was. Could also see Turlough Hill. Looked like Eoin in front of me too so i'd a target to aim for.

8. Ran hard for this leg trying to gain on Eoin. Hit it ok.

9. Still chasing Eoin but running a different line.

10. Shouldn't have missed this one but did. Near 7 so was hoping to see it as I approached 10 but didn't. Stopped to try and work things out, didn't expect the control to be on the steeper part of the slope since the control was on a marsh. Could see the V shaped crag too above me so losing time wasn't sensible.

11. Was happy with my line down but took longer than I expected to work out what hill I was heading for below me.

12. Kept a high line behind Eoin but lost track of the crags/re-entrants. Had a look around a high hill before dropping down and getting the control. So at least 1.30 lost.

13. Nothing of note here but no sign of Eoin after my time loss going to 12.

14. Knew this leg was going to be a toughy. Saw Eoin again a bit in front of me going low beneath the boulders. Didn't look like he was making much progress so I headed higher. Found a nice line too so made good ground. As a result I was surprised not to see Eoin in front of me as I approached 14.

15. Eoin was now behind me, so definitely had a nice line to 14. Saw a boulder in front of me, on a bearing, so ran towards that. As I got closer I was hoping to see a crag, slope was very barren, and did.

16. Now back down the hill. Aimed for where I'd planned to go earlier and executed it fine. Eoin caught back up on the descent, I didn't hammer it. Eoin crossed the fence in front of me but I decided to cross further left when I saw him sink up to his knees in mud. Then into the forest from the open, aimed for the clearing, and from there aimed for the next open area and into the control. Got ahead of Eoin again as he went further right once in the forest.

17. I climbed up to try and find the top ride through the white. Didn't find it.

18. I went right on this leg, Eoin went left, and not much difference in it, my option likely to have been the slower one.

19. I cut down to the open and along the power lines before popping back in at the control. Eoin went more direct and might have been a couple of seconds faster.

20. Straight line to this one and clearing with the control was a bit windblown so hard to spot. Not much lost.

21. Easy leg, out into the open and then went off the veg change.

22. Another straight option once into the light green.

23. Tough last leg to the final control with a few bits of green to cross, but got ahead of Eoin here.

Finish. Uphill so not pleasant.

Boyzone should have won handily but decided to skip 13? And Conor lost it on 21. Wasn't planning to win this race but nice to have done so nonetheless, my Leinster Champs record is going ok the last few years. Took 1 gel out there after around 40 minutes, had planned on a 2nd but didn't bother. Tough course but enjoyed the area this time. Nice to be able to see the hills, makes life much easier when navigating.

My plan was to try and orienteer properly today and not make the mistakes i've been making recently, particularly when it comes to direction. Got direction ok today, just lost time in the circle, but was orienteering by luck for some controls as I wasn't too confident interpreting the map.

Results
Splitsbrowser
Winsplits
Routegadget

Easy jog up to download, chatted for a bit, jogged some more, chatted with Roar, and then back to the car. Legs tired but not in pain.

1 - Splits

Tour de Ballyfinnane 2015

Out to Annascaul on the south side of the peninsula and then back the north side.

Got a bit stuck in traffic at the start along with others. Worked hard to Castlemaine to catch the front group and just caught them after the village. Really needed to do that as it'd have been game over if I hadn't caught them then based on pace to Annascaul. There was a tail wind out so that kept the pace high. Group of around 20 or so. I spent a lot of the time at the back. Pace yo-yoed a bit too, between fast and very fast, depended on who was out the front. Saw Ken make a break at one stage but nothing stuck. I was sticking to the back no matter what.

Once on the N86 turning back for Tralee you could immediately feel the wind. That really impacted on pace as the group really didn't make any effort, even up Glenn na Gealt. Pace was steady leaving Annascaul and i was feeling ok. No one stopped to refuel, but it was only a 70km spin.

A few lads sprinted for the top of Gleannagealt when we got there with around 200m to go, the point of it I didn't see. As a result the group split a bit on the descent so I'd to work pretty hard to regain the back of it by Camp. Felt that if I didn't get back on i'd be on my own coming home.

Again the pace wasn't great back from Camp. Didn't feel like any effort wss required. We then turned off before Blennerville to skirt around Tralee before the final climb of the day, and what would be the toughest one, Farmers Bridge.

Actually got chatting to Ken before we crossed the Killorglin Road. Fecker wound me up, and I made it easy for him. As a result I started to move towards the front and bridged to 3 lads who'd made a tiny dig off the front which was quickly ended. Then I was on the front of the group for a while, wind wasn't too bad. Pulled over then for a bit before the lads made a dig again before Farmers Bridge.

I went with them and was 3rd/4th at the corner. Quickly made my way forwards as another lad came through. So stuck with him to the top in the big ring which i'm happy with. The climb is steep. We'd a nice gap quickly which we maintained. Had a few bpm that I didn't use, and the legs didn't really have it to use though, they were fairly shot at the summit. Did summit a few metres behind and lost more ground on the descent but a very comfortable 2nd.

Then it was a very fast descent home.

Sun shone for the morning but windiest day in a while.

Old Kenmare Road north from Derrycunnihy

Can't believe it's probably over 10 years since last time I ran north from here! But will definitely return again sooner rather than later. Definitely want to explore the oak forest.

From the looks of things this area barely survived what would have been a natural disaster last Friday. Some burning inside the tree line from the fires but didn't spread in too far. Mountain was burned as far as the river. Also some burning on the right of the tarred road in from the church before I turned onto the Kerry Way. That fire had to have been started separately than the one on the Old Kenmare Road.

Wasn't sure how far I was going to run this evening, was thinking of turning after 20 to start with but with the start all climb I decided to run further to compensate on the return journey. Only issue was there was a descent after the climb so got hit by that climb on the return. Wasn't pushing too hard, comfortable pace.

Lovely evening for a run again.

Learnt to avoid some of the path on the way back as it got fairly rocky which wasn't runnable, but was able to run in the burnt grass area to the side so that made for easier running.

A lot of sleepers in places. A few of them showing serious signs of the fire.

Tourists asked me the way to Kenmare when I was getting read to run, think they saw a sign for Old Kenmare Road, they'd have had fun in their Qashqai if they followed the sign!!!

This was a good way to finish a days work where i'd been in the car since around 11.15, basically drove the Ring of Kerry with a bit extra taking in Valentia, lovely views.

Was humming and hawing a bit about training this evening, felt like a bit of a sniffle this morning so was thinking that might be a sign that i'm a bit run down. Will treat it and train anyways. Was too nice an evening not to do something, and sure if i'm in trouble there's not much I can do about it at this stage, if i'm going down might as well enjoy myself on the way!

Warm evening too so was definitely worth going out as planned. Garmin is saying 19 degrees. Felt cold in the share around Dinis on the way home.

19 seconds faster on Ladies View this evening than Sunday, so fast improvement. Time is around average for when i'm proper bike fit. Felt grand on the bike too.

Coming up with a bit of a plan for training tomorrow too, some sort of run up around Derrycunnihy. Will bring map to work and sort it out. Tough day in the office tomorrow to look forward to, got a good part of the ring of kerry to drive to collect some signs.

Bit of a spannish themed ham & cabbage type dinner. Had a tortilla in the fridge so got some kale and serrano ham to go with it. Worked out ok as an experiment.

Been nice weather recently, another good evening to be out and about. Bit warm too it felt. Face also looked like the windshield of a car after a drive in the summer, covered in flies! Pretty.

Legs were a bit sore starting off, right calf, but better once warmed up. Also felt tired starting off up the road, but again once warmed up running was easier.

Quiet in the forest this evening, had it to myself.

Went over a bit on my left ankle after the hairpin on the descent. A popular spot for hurting my ankles. Wasn't painful, but think what I did weakened the ankle and lost confidence in it as a result. So rest of the descent down to the road wasn't comfortable but once on the flatter stuff running style improved again. Although the track home was mostly ok apart from some sections.

Struggling to come up with a route for Friday's planned run, how hard can it be considering what's around me???

Looks like a similar time to last week but would've gained time in some places and lost it in others due to different wind conditions. Nice evening so actually ventured out in short sleeves, had a few layers on my torso though. I did have arm warmers in the pocket just in case.

Easy to cycle knowing that there was bacon & cabbage on the menu for dinner. Although the smell of cooking food in Barraduff was a bit distracting.

A few other cyclists out and about, going against me rather than in the same direction.

Weather forecast looking alright for Saturday so will likely cycle, also Thursday spin should be fine too. Likely to be cooler than this evening though. A balmy 16 degrees this evening.

Went the Lough Guitane direction into Killarney afterwards for dinner, some sirens coming up the hill as I got home, few fire vehicles, van, jeep, and engine. So wanted to see where they were going, being nosey. No sign of smoke up towards Mangerton so was wondering where they were going, but they were on the private road up to the right, Coolies, been up there for work before, fire close to the road, and lots of houses around there too across the road.

Nose not running as much this evening.