Training Log Archive: Dooby

Made the decision to skip the classic distance. Had my gear on, but not my ankles taped, leaving the house, but walking towards the car was painful. So regrettably I made the call to not run. Was looking forward to Mahon Falls but correct decision.

Will make a trip down at another stage to run the course.

Up to the start. Right achilles definitely in pain this morning, as it was after the race last night. But there's a race to be run.

IOC Middle 2016

This was a surprise. 3rd!
Didn't think I would be able to orienteer well enough to get me onto the podium.

Went up the path to 1 and then could see the crag, nice start. Across the hillside then to 2, saw the control on the big boulders to my left, but needed to check where I was before getting the control. Slowish across the slope to 3, before downhill to 4. Ended up slightly too high when I slowed for 5, but was just above. Then uphill to 6. I didn't really see the spur so ended up right of the depression so had to drop back into it.

More uphill to 7, could see the boulders in front of me and the trees, but didn't see the crag to the right of it on the map. Saw Neil ahead of me here.

Based on the splits I ran well to 8, I stayed low to start and then climbed up from the stream to the control. In the distance I had seen Neil climb higher early in the leg but wasn't my plan to do that. Could see 9 leaving 8 but had sussed out that re-entrant on the climb up to 8.

10 I was lucky with Neil just in front of me. Wasn't 100% certain of how I thought the area would look. Then 11 was another good leg for me uphill. Easy control in the end. 12 and 13 were also easy before coming back across the technical area to 14. I was a small bit right of it in the end.

Then 15 was downhill. Not a leg I would normally enjoy as my downhill speed in orienteering isn't usually great, but today it didn't lose me much. Used 2 to guide me in. Bit hesitant then on 16, stopped sort trying to spot the stream junction, it was hiding behind a boulder from my angle.

To 17 it was along the fence, but got distracted by the control in the re-entrant where the fence turned, I did know it wasn't mine but still let it distract me.

Down to the forest then for 18. Climbed up from the turning circle, ticking off some of the other boulders on the map, then saw the control. Got 20 ok and ended up left of 21 on the descent. Caught Niall on the traverse to 22 before the final downhill to the last control. Lost a second leaving the last control as the track pulled me downhill. My finish split I wouldn't be happy with but legs not really in the shape for a fast finish.

Achilles could be felt throughout but I didn't let it affect my running speed or orienteering. On the way down to 15 I realised that the race had been going well, no major mishaps, so that made me concentrate more towards the end.

Never would have predicted a podium for myself today with so many of the younger (& older) lads running so well at the moment. It shows that when I can manage to orienteer well that it translates into a good result. Most of my races in the last year have been affected by silly mistakes so along with the podium I enjoyed actually having a good race.

Results!
Splitsbrowser
Routegadget

Course 1 - Splits

Event: Irish Orienteering Championships
 

IOC Sprint 2016


Not a great run although the splits said I started alright and did ok in other places too, but I felt like I didn't run well, not withstanding other issues with the course.

1 and the direction for 2 i'd sussed before I started. And the next few were fine. Did some checking to see what was crossable to 5, went around but had debated going through the crossable green that the control was on.

8 was a bad control, went the wrong side, like most, but control said west side of fence, it just was the west side of the solid fence with no tags, not the crossable fence that was close to the centre of the circle. I suppose correct description for crossable fence would have been west end of fence but still.

Got a bit confused going around to 9, left, but got the gaps right. Stayed up and right to 10 before dropping down the steps. I didn't cross the forbidden area, not because I realised it was forbidden, but chose to do what I didn't like the look of the bank. Was lucky with the decision not to cross rather than deciding not to.

I went out and left to 11, wrong choice, right was much better. Then went right to 12 and up the steps. Think left would have been faster.

14 was another bad control. Rather than running up the steps past 12 I went up the grass and ended up on the wrong side of a hedge. Got back out through the gap almost hidden by the number 15 on the map. Knew this was a mistake at the time.

I think I went left to 15 but can't remember!

Then knew about the gap in the hedge to get to 16. Turned over the map going to 16.

17 was a bit tricky, just finding the route in. 18 I messed up, went by the stairs as I expected the control to the building corner beyond, went back and checked my descriptions, then up the steps to get the control. Went right to 19 and down the steps again, before back up them for 20.

Checked the map at 20, the fence is crossable so through it I went. Again got caught by the stairs at 23. And to 26 I stayed right so had to come back around.

So overall a poor enough run. But considering how much orienteering i've done that's to be expected. Think legs might have been enough but brain just wasn't at the races. Disappointed with myself.

Don't see the point in controls at the tops of stairs for lots of reasons. It's obvious afterwards to see the forbidden bank but during the race at speed it wasn't.

But thought the course made the best use of the area.

Legs sore.

Sprint Course 1 - Splits

2nd day of planned pre IOC rest.

Was considering cutting the grass if the weather was right, it wasn't. But dropped my bike in for a service as planned.

Not really sure what to make of this weekend coming. Will take each race as it comes.

Pre IOC rest day.
Achilles starting to feel better but stretching it and foam rolling it.

Moved the grass i'd cut recently across the road to some commonage. My neighbour gave me a bag for it. So heavy bag times 3 across the road.

Glenflesk-Barraduff-Anablaha-Kilbrean-Woodlawn

Went for a hillyish spin this evening, wasn't sure what the distance would be but reckoned it would be around the 40 mark. Had thought about extending it but the longer the spin went on the further away that thought got. It was a horrible evening on the bike. Yes there was some sun in the sky, but it wasn't warm. Bitterly cold. A couple of showers too but the cold was the big problem. And there was a strong northerly wing that was bringing the cold. A lot of my cycle was in a northerly direction too so that didn't help matters.

They call it the Scarrabheen around here - cold wind at this time of year.

Hands and feet got very cold, along with my arms despite having 2 layers on them.

Legs felt ok for the spin.

Now can rest until Friday.

Picked my 'RUNNING SUCKS' tshirt to wear to work today, kind of the way I feel the way about running at the moment. Achilles feeling a small bit better this morning but foam rolling and massaging it last night wasn't fun, sore. Hopefully it gets better for the weekend. Will get some physio next week.

It doesn't help my feelings on running when I race on the bike yesterday for a similar length of time to the orienteering last week and body feels so much fresher this morning than it did last Monday morning. I appreciate they are very different but can feel like I can train today rather than recover.

My original thoughts for this week would have been a run this evening but with a sore achilles that's not going to happen.

Monday - Cycling
Tuesday - Cycling
Wednesday - Rest
Thursday - Rest
Friday - Orienteering (IOC - Sprint)
Saturday - Orienteering (IOC - Middle)
Sunday - Orienteering (IOC - Long)

C • Foam roller 3

Beaufort

So there was some tiredness in the legs which wasn't helped by a headwind all the way out to Beaufort. But I was looking forward to appreciating the tailwind on the way home.

They really should have lined the Port Road as parking rather than a cycle lane since that what it always seems to be used for when I cycle back in that way. In front of the cottages.

No parking either opposite the cathedral all the way up to the playground, coned off, wonder why's that.

Few bikes out and about on this fine evening.