Training Log Archive: ColmM

Event: Leinster League, Clarabeg
 

Mournes day 2

Missed our alarm, but woke up around 7:45, not the end of the world. Mark started cooking, I started packing up stuff. 1 complain and some museli + water later we were fairly ready to go. I squeezed in a ham sandwich and some leftover chocolate.

We wandered up to the start just after Paul & Phil, but they looked to be sorting out last details so we just started. They must have started only a minute after us, but as we only marked in 3 controls again, on the walk, we didn’t see them early on.

People were faffing on 1, but the contours made sense to me and we cruised it, a bit more sceptical what line we should be on for 2, but as we got closer it became more obvious.
Grand through the next one, and seemed only one option for the cluster, up the fence round into the one on the path, and then over to the lake.

Coming down to the road Paul & Phil caught us, not ideal but sure. We stayed ahead a little of the way contouring to the next cluster on Hen mtn, but they were moving better and eventually went away from us.
We took a different route on the cluster, and went for the south most control first. I could feel we were going a little far on the first, but mark was being pulled by some C or B classers who were convinced the control was round the other side of the tor. This involved faffing and we lost 3-4mins no doubt on this. But we got it and moved through the next couple cleanly with me directing and mark running as he hadn’t marked these on his map.

Got the last one and down to the mourne way. We’d been moving fairly well so far, but I could feel a little tired on the track. It was a little uphill, and we took the opportunity to mark in the final controls & fill up on water.
We slogged up to it and got it grand. Different route to the rest on the next as we went straight through the valley, up the re-entrant far side and onto windy gap. The climb was a little rough but really not too bad and we were very happy with this route.

Finally, we couldn’t see any good option other than summitting eagle mtn for the last long leg, then flying the long boggy, peat-hag downhill.
We talked about going straight up the mountain, but when we saw Mahon & O’sullivan Coming back to the wall to climb, I figured if We came back to them they’d be a good aim for the climb, and maybe make the running easier above if we could follow lines. This was a mental boost, and we had almost caught them by the top, but not quite. We all hopped the wall to avoid the final climb into the summit and the running was good.

I knew in my head that this was the most important section if we were to make sure Colm & Shea didn’t beat us (11mins down day 1), it was basically the run home with a few short controls after.
So as we hit the peat hags we started pushing hard. We could see a couple teams ahead which acted as nice targets. We flew through the first half, and taking my gel I retched a few times, starting to struggle. But we had just caught Davy Hicks & partner which was a boost, and suddenly we realised the pair we were gaining on was Paul & Phil, so I knew we were flying along here.
Coming into the control we'd pretty much caught them, but relied too much on them finding the control and the 3 teams messed up with Paul & phil fixing best (as they were probably reading the map the most...). We got moving on the next leg and were still going strong and set our sights on the two in front. As we started going uphill w spotted Colm & Shea coming round into the one we'd just punched. Delirah, we knew we had 2nd now. We were gaining on the others in front, but I wasn't very happy with how wide we were going, so we started climbing higher, this worked out in the end as we contoured into the control and punched it with Paul. Still, I'd have liked to have come from a bit higher and nicer running but sure.
We were moving well on the next downhill and into a bit of rough stuff with the two teams racing each other. They got a little ahead and must have punched a little ahead on the crag. They had a little gap and Mark's shins / knee were at him on the descent so we just left them be, and took it easy. Wasn't like we had hopes of beating them anyway - they were very consistent over the two days, congrats to them, the better team.

Overall a good weekend, grim 1st day, stronger 2nd day. A shame to ship so much on a couple of controls, but in reality I just didn't train enough for this.

Mournes Day 1

Buses were very late, so we missed our start by a good bit, as did everyone else in the last hour. Colm & Shea rocked up to the start practically with us, but kindly agreed to give us 10-15min head start. So, off we set.

Barely had to mark on number 1 as the description told us it was on top of the first hill. Set off up this and as we slogged it out a bit we marked in the next 3 or 4. We knew we wanted to keep to trails where possible as the going can be really rough. We stayed along the wall and then trail to 2 and this worked nicely.
Up to 3 we started looking ahead and I marked in the whole cluster which slowed us a little on the climb, but we came down into the control nicely enough. We were moving at a nice pace but the effort felt very managed, aware of the length.
We stayed a bit left on 4 to save climb, and the going wasn't too bad so we were happy out, all considered. The control was higher than we expected and we lost a minute or two, but Paul & Phil must have moved well across here cos they put a fair bit into us on this leg. While Mark punched I looked ahead and decided on the cluster, and we had already committed to the brandy pad left for the foot of Comedagh. We were working well though the rough and then on the brandy pad, and caught a sheep trail into the control, a nice fastest split, and we still had a few mins lead.

Took the route everyone took on the cluster essentially. Lost a bit of time going over the top of comedagh rather than around to the first, but we were still going alright. Back down to the brandy pad and then over a few hill tops on the longish one back to Lamagan. Cut a few hilltops out along the way, and got it nicely enough but I was starting to struggle a little. At this point we were 3hrs in and about 90sec down on Paul & Phil, but as it went on I was getting worse. Struggling to get food in, and generally slowing down.

After the reservoir, I was slow climbing, I kept it together, but Mark was pushing the pace, and I was not holding too well. We got up to that next tor eventually and I knew that was most the rough stuff. Got onto the trail to go around to Bearnagh, I could keep running and we were passing C & B class teams, but it wasn't much more than that. We followed the wall up Bearnagh and this was essentially it. I had been struggling to get food in and this climb was too steep, Mark bounced up and waited for me at the top for a few mins. The slowing was made worse as we couldn't find the control on top, the co-ordinates were vague and we just faffed atop the summit for ages with a heap of other teams until we eventually found it. It didn't help that I didn't have the energy to stop and try figure out which boulder it would be on. 15mins later we finally got it. Woo.

I was very slow back down off bearnagh, and we decided we had to just get it done and climb Meelmore which I soon regretted. Was struggling to put feet in front of each other and getting vaguely dizzy. Lovely feeling. Made it up, and stumbled down the ridge through the heather just following Mark. It wasn't beautiful orienteering, but we got it.
We had debated which crag the last control would be on, and agreed on the wrong one, but half-assed the route so we could watch others and didn't lose too much.
Mustered something and finished.

Really wasn't seeing how I would get up and go again the next day, but the worst part was we were in 2nd so I knew I couldn't give up despite searching for excuses for an hour or so, Mark was having none of it anyway.
We were 40mins down (ish), and considering we'd lost 30 of those on 2 at the end we knew we'd been moving well. I just convinced myself everyone else would be tired, and once we had the tent up and food cooking things started to get a bit better.

Sleep came and went pretty quickly. Daddy long legs attacks were a little annoying but not a big deal. The wind blowing the outer down on the inner and the rain soaking through the tent, also deemed not urgent - I just put my survival bag around the tent. Not having enough pegs and the outer blowing up halfway through the night was an issue, and then the wind ripped the inner off the outer and our tent had just become a sheet - this was when I felt maybe I should do something. Did what I could with the guy ropes, and found my ankle tape and taped the inner to the poles to try keep it just above face level. Remarkably Mark stirred a little but never actually woke.

Mournes:

Pack weight - 5.1kg
Food: 155g carbonara, 1 x apple dessert 88g, could cous 200g (between 2), 3 x complan, 1 x cup-a-soup, 3 x snickers, 1 x Twix, 1 x Rice Krispie bar, 2 x ham sandwich (4 slices bread & 4 ham), 4 x jelly bags, 1x bag raisins, 1 x bag muesli, 4 x gels.

Commute

Señor wiggins. Snuck in 3 x 1km. Not fast, not slow. Heavy wind.

Easy grassy bushy