Training Log Archive: ColmM

C • IOC Friday 6

Easy jog + a few 200s.
Got home and Mum and Clo were heading for a run so I followed them down to Bushy.
Ankle has been improving the last couple of days, and I guess a run is the ultimate test. Felt fine the whole way through, but I was still concious of it, and I know it wouldn't be fine in terrain just yet.
But more single leg squats and some tape and hopefully it won't be noticed.
Post-IOC and exams I would like to get back on training which has been pretty lacking for the last 2 months.

Family Relay - Malahide Castle
Went out on last leg, Mum had done well and came back with a brief lead over Ruth, but there was no way we were going to beat the Shorts. The matter wasn't helped however by Clodagh having a shocker. Mentions of a 25min mistake. Map wasn't exactly great around there, but she clearly hit self-destruct.
So I got going with no worries anyway, still started quick enough, but as it went on it really began to drag on and I was less and less up for it. Pretty boring, just routechoices around the forest, particularly as I was lacking long socks. Was grand, but in the latter stages I stopped paying a bit of attention, and couldn't find a few controls hidden away, and slowed the running down a bit.
Unfortunately also twisted my ankle between 19 and 20. Walked for a short bit, hobbled a little, but was still able to run the finish then.
It's sore now, but I've iced it a lot and been wearing compression socks almost all day, so with a good few exercises hopefully it won't be an issue for IOC.
Not the best of timing though.

Easy jog.
Nice chilled one with Clo from Dad's over to the back gate of the High School, through Dodder park.
On the way back did 5 * 200m strides or so.

Bray Head hill race
Wasn't racing this, just out for a run after the tough weekend and IOC only around the corner.
Had forgotten my gear too, accidentally taking my college bag instead, nice one. Borrowed shoes from Ruairí, and shorts from Mike and ran in my t-shirt and stuff, cheers lads.
Felt pretty good, but it's easier to feel good when you're holding back.
Good runs from Kev and Conor, would have been nice to give them a run for their money maybe.

JK Relay - 3rd leg for 3ROC.
Results
Came 12th on the leg, with the team finishing 12th also.
Ger said he was tired, but got round 1st leg alright to keep us in contention with the other Irish just under 4mins down on Darren (CorkO) and Conor (CNOC).
Eoin then ran a stormer with 5th fastest leg time to pull back a bit over a minute of that defecit on CNOC, and put me out just in front of CorkO.
So, I knew c.hill had at least 2mins on me, and Shane Lynch would be just behind me.

Started out pretty hard to number 1 taking the right hand route with and felt good. Just as I got up to the path I saw Peter Bray fly past on it, so he'd clearly just past me. Would have been nice to have sat in behind but he was moving too well for me. Got the next few fine but was really feeling yesterday in my legs on these uphills. Got up near the higher end, and saw Marcus coming up just behind me, he'd taken a minute out of me already. He got the better of me when I took a bad line out of 5 and had to cut back to 6.

Different routes on the longer one to 8 seemed to even out as I went right, the whole way around, and he went left, maybe gained a small bit, but had a different gaffle too. He made a brief error though and I got to go in front again, with him and another FVO man behind me. Grand for these easy ones, but when we hit the tough heather, Marcus pulled out some fresh legs that I didn't have and cruised away from me. Down through the marsh out of 11 I was gaining but hit a small swamp and lost all momentum. When I hit the track again my legs and trousers were heavy with water and I couldn't keep up with them.
Battled through the last 2km, and unfortunately no sight of c.hill, but thankfully no news from Shane Lynch either. Was able to cruise the last few a little.
Passed 1 guy without realising, and lost 1 spot to Peter Bray so evened out and lost no spots over the leg (Marcus was running 120+ and the other FVO lad had a team-mate MP).

Solid performance from the team, but always a disappointment to lose to CNOC. Little things to look into, looks like today swapping Eoin and Ger might have made the difference. But we'll re-evaluate and tactic up before IOC.
Still, despite tiredness, ended up only 2 and a small bit mins down on the Irish first leg runners (and I think it makes a difference?), and managed to pull back 25s on c.hill, and get a few mins on boyzone. So maybe with fresher legs we could have something good for IOC.
For me though a trickier area would be nice.

C • Losing to CNOC 8

Jog down to the start with Conor and Darren, then a jog around the warm-up area.

JK Long - 12th (+18:42, 120%)
Results
Good race.

Well, much better than my last Long distance performance (MCO). Finally feel like most of my winter training has paid off, clearly was still weak today over the last 3-5km, but in general the endurance was there.

Started smoothly, and caught #1 thanks to the rocky ground surrounding it. Got on my way, and was clean through #2 and #3 to get me going. Suddenly looked up and saw Conor (6mins) on his way to 4, nice for me anyway. 4 was clearly one of the trickier controls, so I didn't see any need to try and push on and catch him, he could just lead me into it. Came down though, in control, and hit the marsh just before it, Conor was faffing, dropped to a control, wrong code. Shite, that was going so well! Back up and around 45s - 1min lost there.

Conor lead 5 and 6, and 7 despite varying lines. He went off on a weird bearing to 8 though so I thought I was going to be alone. Feeling good through the soft terrain though, and checking off a lot of bigger features, came over the small hill with the cairn, and down into 8, only to see Conor coming along from the other side.

I took over then and due to some nice ground picked it up a small bit on the easy #9, was feeling nice, and the orienteering was good. Looked up and saw the big marsh below 10, so came into that very nicely. Leaving this the thunder and lightning began and Conor and I briefly discussed catching Darren (who had actually messed up 3 as well really badly and was in fact behind us). We went off our route (or at least my route) to 11 though, and we were a bit right, still it was nice running, and I was happy to lead out, so not really anything lost from it. I went over to 12, he went around, he was slightly quicker, but I catch him in the circle regardless.

To #13 I decided to go around, basically as far around as you could, and Conor was going to half-ass it, drop and climb a bit, but not the full thing.
I ploughed on, feeling solid and knew where I was, but went a little off my line and missed 2 of the indistinct paths I wanted to hit. Subsequently I ended up in a big re-entrant with rough running, and then also misread the contours to go further off my line. Conor came up from behind me again and we went into the control together.

I left 13 strongly, and decided on an easy-ish but high route for a relatively vague #14, executed it pretty well, and picked up the pace a notch to start to pull away from Conor as I was still feeling fresh and the running allowed. Little uncertainty but got it okay in the end.
Up to 15 the uncertainty became full blown "I'm just following my bearing", and I couldn't pick off anything, slightly overshot and found another control, as I turned back I saw Conor heading downhill having hit it. Balls.
In I went, and down to the quarry. Started to feel the distance a bit in the quarry and began to hit up my gel, lost a little on slowness and routes on the first two in there, and generally felt tired around the whole quarry chasing down Conor.

Leaving it he was beginning to tire and my gel was kicking in so I picked it up knowing we were nearly home, and overtook him as we neared 22. Navigation still good, and picked everything pretty cleanly, but couldn't find much other than crossing a few small paths to 24, saw the marshy gully, but I was too low and had to climb back up, another 30-45s wasted. Straight down to the road, and across for the final few controls. Up the hill, then across the hill, took pretty safe routes for the last few as I began to tire, but continued to push on.
Reached the finish. Woop, good stuff.

Happy with my race for sure, much stronger and better endurance than before. A tough oul race, and I know I'm much more able for long distances now.
Still a lot of work to be done. Primarily I need more strength which I hope to build on with more consistent gym sessions next Autumn, and more running in the hills. Also primarily a bit more endurance, no worries, just need to do a few more of the tough long runs, not the easier ones. But also clearly my speed improvements will be crucial too. I can't keep with the good guys. All of this together and I expect next year will be a lot better too.
This is a good beginning though.

Stretch dem legs. Feeling decent.

JK Middle - 28th (+10:27, 135.7%)
Results
Poor race.
Very nice area. Technical navigation, and hard to keep control, but I made mistakes, and I paid a lot for it.
Small miss to number 1 (15s), but I got into it to 2 and was feeling good. Number 3 however I missed slightly to the left and ended up overshooting, another 40s gone.
#5, a short leg, and I just couldn't hit it. Saw the crag below me, searched in many pits, and eventually found my pit. Killer, 2mins lost.
#6, the worst of the lot, little off line to it, but I corrected and hit the water pit and depression 50m before the control, came down, slightly right. Nothing there, began to doubt myself, headed back up the hill, relocated and found it this time, 2:30mins gone. Shocking really.
Was hesitant to 7, but from here on in I started to get in control of the race, and had to try and pick the pace up to make up for the blatant time-loss. Ran a good remainder of the race, with only a few minor errors, but it was too little too late, and I finished 4th Irish, and way back on Hector Haines.
c.hill 2mins in front of me too, not so cool.

Event: JK 2014
 

Very easy jog around the caravans with Clo to make sure my legs were feeling alright.

JK Sprint - 15th (+1:56)
Results
Decent race really. I'm probably slightly over 2mins slower than Pete for 5km, and I guess today basically reflected that.
Nice course for an alright area. Enjoyable forest area, and then some buildings, and easier parkland.
Questionable routes by myself, went around for both 4 and 5.
Very enjoyable sprint, and a good result for me. Just behind Josh, but Darren cruising well out ahead of me.

M21E - Splits

Short hillreps on hellfire.
4 of them before the JK, stretch the legs well.
0.44, 0.46, 0.45, 0.43

Event: Intervaristy Athletics Outdoors
 

3000m SC - Intervarsity outdoors
Tough oul race, hurdled a couple before the start so felt confident enough with the height, but as the race went on and I got more tired it only got tougher.
Still managed through and didn't do the worst. Hard to say how good it was because I don't really know what times are decent.

Event: European Orienteering Championships
 

Easy jog.
Bumped into Mike and Roisin coming home from training.
Legs felt pretty reasonable.

Easy recovery jog.
Legs feeling very nice actually this evening.
Quite a lot of stiff muscles at the moment, but I noticed almost nothing while running on the roads, still stretching to be done.
Nice evening.

Event: Leinster Orienteering Championships, Dysert
 

Orienteering - Leinster Champs, 1st.
Routegadget
Splitsbrowser
My garmin doesn't seem to have worked, so the distance is a guess until others get uploading.
Well, this result was a big surprise, at least after I finished.
I started out and fairly immediately feeling a bit rough. I knew today wasn't going to be my day. Struggled through the first while, and my legs were sluggish as hell, but a lot of it was mental, and I wasn't too up for the fight.
Messed up 6, went too high and ended in the green, then came back out and veered too far left (1min). 8, I just found scrappy and couldn't hit a line or get going, (1 min).
The next section 9 onwards for a while went pretty well technically but physically I was still battling, even along the track to 13. It does however seem today was a day to go around, and I've gained a lot of time in places based on my routechoices. I'm interested to see everyone else's routes though.
I hit the track on the way to 17, and despite mentally feeling out of the race, to my big surprise, I saw Kev up in front. This created a bit of drive, and even a small bit of believe, "it can't be that bad a race".
Still feeling pretty flat, but working a bit better, and still navigating well. Finally caught Kev on the way to 21, headed down near to it, but we'd been put a bit off line by the green and Kev corrected quicker. I realised and thought I'd nicked in front of him, but it turned out he had got it ahead, (45s).
We race the next while together, but me never managing to get in front. While I was still feeling empty, he was helping me with motivation, and helping me push more. To 23 I went straight and kev went right so I thought I had him, just to find the bastard pop out in front of me again. It continued like this, us working through the butterfly, and me just behind until 27. We were shoulder to shoulder here, and when we both went right, and hit the slow climbing track, Kev began to drop me. Again, I struggled on, and pulled it back quickly in the forest. To 28 we parted, I climbed high immediately and Kev went a bit lower, and I got a nice downhil patch down to the control, I was away. A few easier controls, and me still running through at a reasonable pace, I did well still on the last few splits to totally drop Kev, and basically secure the win.

Like I said, this was a big surprise for me, the terrain drained everyone I think, but definitely today I felt unfit. Beating Dooby was a big surprise. Mentally work to do, a lot of mental training lined up thanks to Aonghus for every day over the next 2 weeks. I didn't really get any more tired as the race went on, and it was strength in the back half that won me this race, the best I actually felt in the race was after 27 on to the finish, with a bit of momentum through some nicer forest.
A lot of tweaking to do physically before the JK, but positives to be taken from these last two weekends.

Course 1 - Splits

Possibly an unnecessary rest day, but it's good to get that knee back going. A lot of tight muscles after the race on thursday.
Also Leinster Champs tomorrow, I'm not really a title contender, just going to focus on each next control. It's definitely not a big goal for me, I'm more focussed on the JK actually right now, but with 2 of the provincial titles currently in my room, would be nice to have a good race.

C • Contender! 4

Easy jog.
Calves a bit tight after yesterday, feeling knotty.

Colours track and field - 5km.
Big PB, over a minute, and nice indicator of shape.
Wanted to use this race as a time-trial to get a time and see what my shape is like. I guess not ideal preparation, doing 400s last night followed by a friend's birthday party, so a bit low on sleep. Got a nap in my circuits 2 o'clock lecture though.
Biggest field of the day with a load of Trinity runners, and just 2 of us UCD ones. Had no real idea of their level, and no watch, so I was just going to race on feel, which is nice.
They started probably a little quick, but I felt fine, so I went to the back of the lead group of 4, and just chilled in at their pace for a while, I couldn't tell whether the pace was tough no not because it felt alright, but as we went through 1km, and they called out 3:07, I knew it was a bit quick.
Still stayed tucked in as it was obvious we had slowed a little, I was beginning to drop off them a little around the halfway mark, but good support from the others kept me on their shoulders. I did however soon fall back a bit and another trinity guy came by me, to stick with them.
From here, it was a bit of a battle, I wanted to go sub-17, I had no idea of time, and I was running alone, lapping the girls, and some of the lads too.
I battled through though and was able to pick it up for the last 200 only, no more. So, finished 5th in the end.
Nice to be back in spikes, it's been a long time.

Really happy with the time, big improvement speed-wise which I can put down to this year's training in general, and maybe in part the 400s. Probably going to need to be looking at sub-16 anyway for next year, but for now, this is good news. And I do feel like due to some hiccups, I could take the same amount out of my time again.

C • Sick! 2

Speed session - 4 * 400m.
Went with no watch for a change and it felt nice.
Felt the times might have been a little slow, but I'll never know, probably ~64 / 65s anyway.