Training Log Archive: ColmM

IOC Middle
Joint 3rd in the course but joint silver in Irish champs, as Anton came 2nd.
Mixed race, some good patches, but a few little mistakes made it a bit scrappy.
Not good, not bad. Need to look into it a bit more, but gut instinct after race was 2mins would have needed a very good, so probably wasn’t beating Paul, so have to be fairly satisfied with the result. Still some work to do on the performance.

After further look:

Started alright up to 1, and got 2 nicely. Stayed right to 3, maybe not ideal as there was a lot of shite on the way in. In a decent rhythm mostly, small miss to 5. Clean to 6. Didn't feel all out gunning it, but I was getting the controls mostly cleanly and was backing my strength that the pace would be solid regardless, so I tried to put any thoughts of this to the side and focused on the map. Seemed mostly accurate so far. A fraction slower than Paul, but most of the time difference was my small time losses on 3 & 5.

Took a poor line out of 6 to the track and then cut through the open into 7, not sure which was the more costly error, but I nailed the control, so combined these routes cost me ~45s to the quicker guys. Taking the open was a poor decision, and maybe not quite reading enough leaving 6.

Didn't feel sprightly through the next section, but was still clean on 8, 9 and 10 and got to plan 11, and while again I was slightly off Anton & Paul's pace, I felt I was moving alright, so I'd just keep focused on the nav.

Couldn't see a route other than straight to 11, did veer to the crossing point in the 2nd half which was probably unnecessary but it was nice running, think this may partly explain being 30s down on the leg though. Had kind of picked out the next batch from 12 - 17 or so as the trickiest bit, particularly 12, so once again focused on trying to be clean. Got into 12 nicely which felt good, but maybe got a little carried away as I didn't check my compass enough and ended up left to 13 hitting the track bend, back in and got it (~20s), and then went around the green to 14 and a little sloppy in the circle (~15-20s), got 15 fine, stayed right on 16, but turned in a drain early and had to drop down and come back (~15-20s). I think I probably got a little tired in this section, and despite telling myself I just needed to be clean I was under-reading the map a little bit which was costly. Paul was probably similarly scrappy through here, but Anton was good through it.

it was fairly straightforward to the finish and I was struggling, but tried to keep grinding it out. I knew it wasn't as good a race as I'd hoped, but I knew it had still been solid and I wanted to make sure I kept giving it.

Overall, while I didn't feel absolutely brilliant out there physically, glad to see this wasn't the most relevant, and this will act as another race that confirms it is the navigation and the little details that are more important than the physical side.
The scrappines in the back end is a little disappointing, but I'm also relatively happy to be slightly disappointed with this performance, and think I am heading in the right direction. Looking forward to working on these little issues and building up into Norwegian terrain.

https://www.lvo.routegadget.co.uk/rg2/#380&route=5...

Nice warm down with Darren discussing the strength of M21 Irish orienteering at the moment, pretty good especially considering we're missing some good names. Ain't gonna get easier to win titles, and selection races should be highly competitive - great.

Middle Course 1 - Splits

Event: Irish Orienteering Championships
 

Irish Champs Sprint - 1st
Ran hard, was clean & the forest style sprint suited me. Came away with a nice win and good confidence booster.

I'd figured out which way to go if number 1 was in any of the buildings section from the map in the start box, so when I picked up the map and saw #1, I zig-zagged through the underpasses and got reading my map to plan ahead as I came up to the control. Saw Niall coming out as I came in (1min), so this was already a nice confidence boost.
Hoped to have Niall in front to 2, but he was out of sight. Despite a little confusion at the extra wall, I got 2 fine, and headed through the forest low to 3. Again saw Niall out of 3 as I went into it. Was pretty smooth and happy so far, trying to work hard and hopefully get more sight of Niall to make it a bit easier.

Nailed 4 and 5 was easy. Hopping the river to 6, I could see Niall a little ahead, pretty much ignored him as I wanted to plan ahead a bit and got 7 out the way and a glance at 8, and as I got to the steps to 6 Niall seemed a lot closer all of a sudden. Chased him up to 7, but when he came back out the same way I figured I could get onto the road so took this route and found a wild Conall coming onto the road. 8 was easy from my route and I'd gotten ahead of Niall, and took 8 & 9 to plan ahead a little. Worked up the hill behind Conall to 9, but he was going well so was sat behind him, but took a better line out of it to get ahead on 10. Had figured out the next few so was just trying to be very smooth and went well through 10-11-12-13, and took the right-hand route to 14. Seems this was a bit slower and was probably my only time loss technically on the course.

Knew it was easy from here, and I had been going well, so I worked hard through the next few and tried to give it all, clean through the rest, and then ran a bit too fast into the last control and missed the finish chute and went down another taped section (?) through some shite bushes but I was running hard and didn't have to turn as sharp as the other route so reckon it was grand. Flashed the Si air and knew I'd done about as much as I could in that race.
Got called back to punch the finish properly - which I'm pretty sure I didn't need to do, and the Si took my later punch so this added ~10s to my run-in. Coulda been gutting but fortunately my race had been good enough to have a clear lead anyway.


Very happy with the result. Sprint hasn't been my aim for this weekend, but I knew as it was somewhat forest, if it was good it could still suit me. I think the technical side of the sprint suited my style and I pulled off a really good race running hard, smoothly and cleanly through the controls.

As I said above a nice confidence boost as much as anything and chuffed to get another IOC title. These seem to be getting harder and harder to win I would say.

C • Congrats 2

Sprint Course 1 - Splits

Commute
Right groin / hips still there, but seems to react better to shorter strides, so went for that and it didn't really flare up.
Anyway, this niggle business has encouraged me into a nice taper, and the legs are feeling pretty fresh ahead of the weekend. Really looking forward to it.

Tagging.

Some short Donadea relay intervals.
Wanted to get some relay practice in for IOC, but more long term also for WOC.
Cruising round, trying to get the nav right, but still a bit distracted by the others. Good training and nice run out on the map.
Legs feeling fairly tapered.

hips - focus on the frog to try and aim at the adductors

Easy jog via the shop. Hips still niggling away.
Brought a norwegian map.

Ankle

Hips & mainly foam roller

Right hips / groin area tightened a good bit, little annoying.

Some good work done here

Didn't notice hips anyway

Mostly ankle

Bit of stretching & foam rolling, felt it was about time I revived this old activity.

Enjoyable saunter round Oakwood Leinster League.
Running relaxed but still strongly at times, so not just a jog.
First few I was struggling to get into really enjoying it, particularly across the rough open to 5, but after messing up 5 badly, I really enjoyed it and cruised round the rest with a smile on my face.
I was still orienteering very badly, mostly I didn’t give the area much respect because Irish maps are a lot easier than Slovenia, but my complacency coupled with maybe getting used to the 1:7500 of Slovenia had me missing all over the place. Most simply, I wasn’t reading the map enough.

Still, enjoyed it, and the forest on the way back was very nice. Good to get out of my system. Debating one more o session before IOC, will see.