Training Log Archive: ColmM

easy canal from work with corbett

Easy one with clo
threw in 4 hill strides / reps type thing

easy

a very short beer mile - another victory though and starting to think I might be unbeatable

Easy one round the industrial estate post climb.
Exploring some dead-ends. \still feel the foot a bit, not sore, just there, still have work to get done on it, but enjoying my running.

Xmas score on ticknock.
Took 30sec at the start to suss it, and figured I could clear the area, so took a rogue-ish route getting the more isolated ones early to make it easy at the end to make decisions on time.
Got this wrong anyway, the time wasted on the early distant controls meant I missed some close by easy ones at the end, not helped by probably some poor decisions on time-management & going for higher pointers later on.
Wow, that was an over-analysis of a local score. Enjoyed it a lot though.

Collecting controls, but didn't realise I needed a gripple key and had gone quite a bit out to the first control before I realised so that added a good bit on.

Nice xmas day run with the fam. went for pine forest 10, but we were at fairy castle at same time as Mum & Niamh, so Clo and I did a little extra - essentially the summer imra tibradden route.
Very nice.

easy tester, pretty good.

Had originally planned to give the Wicklow round a go today, unfortunately not to be as foot injury has kept me sidelined the last 2 and a bit weeks.
Still, I think the prep will have done a lot of good, and I’ve little doubt that I’ll be back for it at some point down the line, but maybe not 2019, we’ll see.

Almost back running now, after some sound words from Toni I’ve taken it very easy the last week or so and just enjoyed the Xmas period, but really quite looking forward to getting serious again.
First races will be kicking off in Portugal late January. Fun.

bruised toe from last week back with a little bit of vengeance after last night. Not too bad, but not comfortable, so will be a day or two off to let it recover.
Seems to stem from running on the road sections in shoes not designed for it (last night dobs / last week in light overworn inov8 190s).

A good oul night explore. Was hoping to get some company, but didn't work out in the end.
Went out to check a few spots, and then get on top of the mountain and head over towards the Three Lakes and Table Mountain, time-permitting.
I faffed a lot at the bottom, walking about checking bits and pieces, and then eventually started climbing the hills. This line was nice, hard to decide between the two.

The further I went the more spooked I got. Eyes everywhere stayed at me, in the forest on the mountain, they could see me a mile away, and me just their eyes.
I got up on top of oakwood and veered off the ridge to cur the corner a bit towards the three lakes. I was willing to consider going all the way to Lough Firrib if it made the nav much easier but didn’t tonight anyway. I ticked off a big crag happily, then slightly steep uphill, a river, feeling good. But then it just got awfully vague, I was going up, then down, then up, this threw me a lot. I hit the next river not too long before. But still I could make shapes of hills out that were completely throwing me. I went on a little, now all doubts had taken over. I had stuck to the compass religiously so knew I couldn't be too bad, but it didn't make any sense, where could I be?
The situation was not helped by a furry tailed little animal running at me once I fell over. After I got up and said something, I was waiting fearfully in defence, and I reckon he saw the size and heard me cos he turned direction a metre or two short. Phew. The shrieks of scared deer added to the spooky suspense.

giving up completely on my location I tried to decide when I should turn around, and just then 2m to my right I saw water. Oh lord, it was the lakes. Delightful.
The mist set in then as I turned back in gleeful confidence. This didn't make a big difference i could just no longer see the deer 5-10m away.
Lost confidence again and got doubtful coming into Firrib, but found it alright, and the confidently set off and on the road back.

Back to the car for 23:30, oh this was an adventurous evening in the empty mountains. Good for the confidence I think.

Easy grassy ones in Bushy.
Legs feeling really rather nice, and wanting to go on, but all going to plan, I should get plenty this week, so no need.

commute

commute being chased by corbett

Some easy ones out in bushy after a long weekend. Nice out.

Easy one up knocknarea from the house with Mark.
Lovely afternoon for it, and greeted by some nice mist at the top.