Training Log Archive: rcro

No training recently because (a) worcester makes me unwell, (b) my right leg seems to have been playing up for the last month - probably because mum's house isn't geared up for people over 5ft 4... (c) every time I think of going outside the sun comes out very strong to the point that I would guarantee heatstroke if I tried.

However, went to the Clee Hills today with the intention of trying to jog around if I felt like it when I got there. But, looked like something had just happened on the top before I arrived - the air ambulance was circling, 3 police cars, 4 ambulances, 2 first responders, mountain rescue and 2 fire engines all went rushing up, with a third fire engine stuck halfway up the hill having taken a wrong turn. Don't know what had happened, but they weren't going to any of the old quarry faces.

Decided it probably wasn't the best day to be up there so went back home.

Nice course but organisation wasn't brilliant - registration and start both assigning start times, without talking to eachother... registration said maps weren't waterproof, start said they were... 10 of my 28 controls had a different number to that given on my control descriptions...

Ballsed up 1 as my attention was given to putting the waterproof map into the map bag I was told I would need - lost a minute. Didn't fall for trick at 6. Knew best route 9-10 was along river and over the Welsh Bridge, but went by the west route for variety as didn't think it was going to be a good performance today...

Caught out after 15 trying to get to the toll bridge and finding the gate locked at the top of the steps, so had to go a long way round. River route 21-22 looked better than taking the roads. Mis-interpreted control description for 25 - thought it was building rather than paved area, hence went to wrong side of uncrossable feature - lost another 30s.

Muscle in right leg felt quite tight after control 6, and didn't have much feeling in my right foot from 10-18. Quite pleased with my performance with this in mind.

http://connect.garmin.com/player/99796587

Went along to the HOC evening event to see if there is anything good that BOK can learn/copy from it. If this was my first go at orienteering there wouldn't have been a second - looking for tiny little training kites hidden among the brambles, control features poorly defined, if at all, and the course printed on the map was an unreadable jumble of lines - needed to be put on at least 2 maps.

Then we get to the terrain... Kidnalls-esque would be the polite way to describe the wood. The paths were a fight through shoulder high brambles, and twice I had to turn back because they were over head height - off the paths was worse! Undergrowth meant that the optimum route choice in the middle part of the course would have been to use a narrow, overgrown, straight 500m long path no less than 3 times!

Best thing about the whole thing was that the map and course were printed on the back of a surplus map of the top half of the Malvern Hills, which should give me something to do for the rest of the time I've got up here.

http://connect.garmin.com/player/99143950

Was persuaded to have a go at Mark Bown's small memory-o exercise. Didn't get lost. Didn't rush either.

Thought I liked Kingswood School but soon remembered I didn't - had no energy at all after the first 6 controls. Messed up 13 because the path on the ground obviously wasn't the path on the map. Tried to approach 14 from NW of the crags but couldn't find a way through, should have gone in from the SE end.

Was more of a walk in the plantation area so tried to take the shortest route where possible.

http://connect.garmin.com/player/98967461

Went to kill some time before the informal by parking just south of the Tormarton interchange and walking along the Cotswold Way. Lots of strange men following me - tested them by making abrupt changes of direction and u-turns and they still followed so I decided to retreat. Counted at least 10 lurking behind tree trunks as I went back to the car... never going down there again!

Decided to follow everybody else's lead and have a go at a park run, given that one has just started in Nunnery Wood in worcester and it's quite flat.

Thought I'd be able to get into the top 10 with a bit of effort and training, given previous times posted but very pleased with my time - was expecting around 25 mins/5min ks given my recent lack of training.

Was a little concerned with the weather - don't know about this rain in Bristol, was 18C and bright sunshine during my race up here and I was quite concerned of getting dehydrated again.

Wouldn't necessarily have called it a 5k but given that the second lap seemed considerably longer than the first I'm not going to complain!

http://connect.garmin.com/player/97809350

Not the best weather today, but Oldbury Court has a history for rain...

Very nice course and quite like the area. Little seemed very new to me but because I don't know the area that well I found it good fun.

Started same time as Duncan and finished a couple of minutes ahead - suspect he wasn't trying too hard.

http://connect.garmin.com/player/97329170

Out of boredom went for a walk on the Malverns. Seemed to turn increasingly into a jog to get my legs used to going up hills again and get some practice of getting down slippery stony paths without sliding.

Out and back route from the bus stop in Malvern to Worcester Beacon, then along the ridge to British Camp Hotel, then adding British Camp/Herefordshire Beacon as an extra as I had time to kill.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=4619041

Made good progress but my legs didn't feel happy. Had a good go at jogging up the hills but didn't have much left in the tank for the last few climbs, nor could I keep up any pace for British Camp since it seems to have been fortified rather effectively...

Can conclude that it is probably still too hot for me to try doing some "proper" running at the moment.