Training Log Archive: ColmM

Home.
Walked down from tibradden with Mum, as Clo & Niamh ran ahead.

Post-WOC.

Great experience, great atmosphere, and was very enjoyable.
Personally, very disappointed with my performance in the middle distance.
Not crazy-disappointed with the result, because I think a good performance actually wouldn't have made a huge difference to my result.

But, I was confident my training had been good, and my orienteering was good, and I think rightly so.
But I made some bad mistakes out in the forest, and my head didn't really feel in the right place, even when the race was going alright, I didn't feel quite with it.
The mistakes I made mostly felt like I wasn't caring enough about the orienteering.
I had tried to prepare for a bunch of the various situations that might arise during the race, but although many of them did arise, I didn't put my plans into action at all.
That's okay, it's the first race that I have tried to introduce more mental training for, so it's not a surprise to see it needs more work.

While disappointed with the performance, I'm glad of the experience, because I hope to have learnt a lot from it.
I think a variety of things would help a lot for next time: more big race experience, a bit more proper mental preparation, and more.

All that said, I'm mainly disappointed because I wanted to get more out of myself, but the race wasn't crazy-bad, and it could have been a lot worse.

On a positive note, the quality of my bad races is definitely improving. I'm not to worried about this year.

It was also a pretty cool experience leading at the finish even if only briefly, and getting interviewed.
Really glad I got to run in Scotland, because the atmosphere, and having all the Irish there made it really exciting, although I would have enjoyed a spectator run-through on my course :)

Next year I'm mostly focused on improving the standard of my results now I think, a good WUOC over each of the disciplines would be great.
I haven't made any decision yet regarding WOC.

Scottish 6 days, day 4 M21E - Darnaway

Arrived at start 40mins early, woops. Had rushed, and couldn't find o-gear, so used spare SI, spare compass, no descriptions, so wasn't checking any codes - risky.

Had that long stride, easy moving, fast running feel at the start, so orienteering was nice. Was a little more careful on 5, as it got trickier.
Caught Ivan at 6, and Jack at 7. Tucked in, and planned 9.
Picked it up & dropped the guys to 9, on semi-different route. Wasn't much of a drop though and Jack was back with me after different routes on 10.
Distracted by extra track on 12, and had a bit of a shocker, lost 30-45s.
Ivan caught up then, but he messed up 13, so I ran solo from here on.
More agrressive orienteering through to 18 or so, and running well, but more cautious back to 19 and there onwards as I got a little more tired. This maybe cost me a minute or so, but maybe worth it.

Good performance, good result, Ola Martner did ~51 I think.

Hit a control on the spur beside number 1 though, mispunch, bad result. Still mostly pleasing.

Scottish 6 days, Day 3 M21E - Darnaway

Started scrappy, but was moving pretty well. Strong & clean through the second half.
Satisfying performance, alright result, but mistakes were unneccessary, and should be looking at 2mins quicker.

S6D - Day 3 Darnaway - C41 - Splits

warm up

Training been good.
Eeek, race time.

warm up

Tempo, pretty tough, but to plan

Strides + some short hills

warm down

warm up with Kev & Conor

Darnaway Middle Model

Tempo for most of it, technique good.
Confident with orienteering right now.

Event: WOC 2015 & Scottish 6 days
 

Craig Leach - Middle training

Tempo for first half, technique pretty solid, missed going into the light green (I was off-line and hadn't actually entered the light green), got it back together, but more chilled from then on.
Enjoyable area.

warm up

Loch Vaa - Middle training

Tempo mostly.
Got lucky, 6days training was on here today, so we got proper maps, with controls out there.
Technique mostly very good, very enjoyable area, as always.