Training Log Archive: ColmM

SHI Relay - 7th on 1st leg

Had a slightly long 1st gaffle, and combined with being scrappy through it, I was quite far out the back of the group.
Dane & Kris were up ahead on the track to 3, and I was in between Paul and Andrew Barr.

Moving alright, hoping to try and claw some back, but fecked the route to 4 cutting up too early and climbing into green shite before having to bail back with Andrew.

Worked alright through the next section to pick Paul back up, and see Eoin at some stage, but hopes of catching others had faded.

Navigated well through my gaffle in the tricky area to get away from Paul and Andrew and then was solo for most of the remainder, before catching Will around 21 while he was in some shite, and then seeing him a bit over the next bit until he beat me with the straight route to 23 and I could mostly just see his back on/off for the last two controls.

Alright for the majority, but didn't give myself much chance after the poor start which is a shame.

Time compared quite well to other legs though. It also isn't every day you beat the British fell running champion.

Results

C • Results 1

Event: Senior Home Internationals & Welsh League Event 2016
 

SHI individual - 10th of 24

Scrappyish at the start, bit stuck in green to 2 (as did most), bad exit from 2 as well, and had a cracking mistake on 4, incl. crossing a wrong track and having to go back (~2mins).
This lead to me getting on the Kris Jones train (3mins) a few stops earlier than planned.
Got a nice 2 short control pull in behind Sasha & Kris till 6, and on the track route to 7 I had to hop off that train.
Subsequently, the GG train arrived punching 7 just after me, and I got 2 more short controls, till 9.

Then starting the long leg to 10, I went wide right & ran alone for the remaining 80mins. However I settled into a better rhythm, and handled the tricky stuff okay. Some losses, but nothing too major.
Never able to force the pace as I haven't quite done enough long stuff recently, but moving along.

The Spongey train never materialised, due to long leg routes, though I did catch up with him while he was being carried out of the forest...

Nice area, some grotty spots, but some lovely orienteering.

Was top Irish, and beat 4 of the English, so at least there's that.

Results

Short from the accommodation - legs feeling relatively good ahead of the weekend

FWTN #2 - Blackford

Andrew kindly lent me a decent torch. Was going fine early, made a small mess of the route to 6, and ended up dropping too low. And a mess of the route to 8, coming out the right way and then ending up on the path that turned back the wrong way.
Minor issues incl. avoiding bridges because the river is fun, and running past many turn offs, but mostly alright.
I quite enjoyed the area actually, had been built up as very scrappy, but mostly nice running where we were, and a decent section of forest. Nice course.

Was in the last loop starting feeling pretty positive, reckoning I was cruising in to go quicker than what I'd heard boys who mass-started had been, and inevitably then spent minutes looking for no. 20.
My night-o is awfully rusty.

round Celtic park & some on the warm up track

Fresher's indoor Meet Glasgow - 3000m

Nothing impressive, but along the right track.
Entered it to get a 3km time. Result was roughly about what I expected. Only real goal was to get sub 9:30, and hope for the best.
With minimal prep for this & at this stage of training there's room for improvement in future, but good to have a benchmark, I'm pretty happy with it.

Asked around briefly at the start what people were hoping for, and around 9:30 seemed a minor consensus.
We started, and I was in 2nd, a few guys went by then and I was at the back of a 5-man group. Spent the first 1k wondering how I felt, in my head I didn't think great, but was fine really I guess. Went through in 3:07 which was pretty much perfect pace.

I waited a couple of laps and felt it might be slowing slightly, so with about 1200 to go I decided to move, rounded them all and got going.
Through 2k in 6:17.

Could tell I was on track but couldn't let the pace slip, had a small gap on the others, but didn't know how much. Basically just kept bashing out laps & doing some mental maths every time I passed 200.
Worked out I was on track, but wasn't taking it for granted & was more worried than I should have been, so kept trying to lift it.

One of the lads came through with a strong finish and passed me at about 100 to go, and I couldn't hold him off, comfortable enough ahead of the others to take 2nd place in 9:21.55.

Kms: 3:07, 3:10, 3:04. (ish)

C • Another one 4

jog down + drills
garmin was battery dead

EUOC session
2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 3, 2mins, 1min float recoveries.
I took it a bit easier, and skipped the 4 & 5min reps, just kept a steady pace for that 15min period instead, then went a little harder on the last 2 reps to get the legs moving.

Probably a slightly lighter week this week with races & that

Easy around the meadows.