Training Log Archive: rcroIn the 31 days ending Aug 31, 2013:
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Saturday Aug 31, 2013 #
Orienteering race (Nine Wells score) 1:00:34 [3] 8.0 km (7:34 / km) +120m 7:03 / km
slept:5.5 weight:69kg shoes: inov8 Mudclaw300 Yellow1
Chairmans Challenge at Nine Wells.
S-31-32-40-33-52-46-42-41-57-53-58-55-54-48-43-47-49-51-45-34-50-F
Wanted to go in the triangle as not been there before. Was fairly quickly at the front of the pack with Neil Cameron and was loosing a lot of time in the circles trying to find the controls for everyone else.
We both lost about 4 mins on 42 - fence junction - but the fence had long gone. We were working off the veg boundary between white and green (mapped as along the fence) but eventually found the control some way from it.
Lost another 4 mins on 53 - vegetation not mapped right at all. Bearing seemed to take me far too far north, as it did for everyone else. Something strange happened with my heading north out of 55 as the path I came out on was the one to the east and had to back track.
Tricked onto a big unmapped ride for 48 so found myself back at 41 and had to go back. GPS lost its signal for a bit so missed that detour.
From 51 went down along the bottom and caught out by lots of brashings from felling and thinning, then the path wasn't up to much. Ended up completely wrapped up in brambles getting to and from 34 and then when leaving 35 couldn't find the path to the finish (mapped in wrong place) and got impaled on a tree for 15s trying to fight through.
Brambles not nearly as bad as I expected (apart from 34) but was the most I've been tree-ed since Voose - found them very aggressive. Another NGOC map that needs a lot of work to update and make it accurate.
Would have needed to clear the map in under 48 minutes to stand a chance of winning so was right to use the tactic of going where I wanted rather than going for maximum points.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/368191768
S-31-32-40-33-52-46-42-41-57-53-58-55-54-48-43-47-49-51-45-34-50-F
Wanted to go in the triangle as not been there before. Was fairly quickly at the front of the pack with Neil Cameron and was loosing a lot of time in the circles trying to find the controls for everyone else.
We both lost about 4 mins on 42 - fence junction - but the fence had long gone. We were working off the veg boundary between white and green (mapped as along the fence) but eventually found the control some way from it.
Lost another 4 mins on 53 - vegetation not mapped right at all. Bearing seemed to take me far too far north, as it did for everyone else. Something strange happened with my heading north out of 55 as the path I came out on was the one to the east and had to back track.
Tricked onto a big unmapped ride for 48 so found myself back at 41 and had to go back. GPS lost its signal for a bit so missed that detour.
From 51 went down along the bottom and caught out by lots of brashings from felling and thinning, then the path wasn't up to much. Ended up completely wrapped up in brambles getting to and from 34 and then when leaving 35 couldn't find the path to the finish (mapped in wrong place) and got impaled on a tree for 15s trying to fight through.
Brambles not nearly as bad as I expected (apart from 34) but was the most I've been tree-ed since Voose - found them very aggressive. Another NGOC map that needs a lot of work to update and make it accurate.
Would have needed to clear the map in under 48 minutes to stand a chance of winning so was right to use the tactic of going where I wanted rather than going for maximum points.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/368191768
Tuesday Aug 27, 2013 #
Running 51:36 [3] 9.17 km (5:38 / km) +30m 5:32 / km
slept:3.0 weight:68.5kg shoes: Saucony Powergrid Triumph 10 g
Training run from Iron Acton. Down along the river to Frampton Cottrell as per last time.
Felt pretty good but was putting in some effort at times. Not letting Michael get too far ahead just yet.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/366262489
Felt pretty good but was putting in some effort at times. Not letting Michael get too far ahead just yet.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/366262489
Monday Aug 26, 2013 #
11 AM
Orienteering - Urban race (RAL Sprint 1) 20:16 [5] 4.01 km (5:03 / km) +50m 4:45 / km
slept:6.0 weight:68.3kg shoes: Saucony Powergrid Triumph 10 g
Sprint Prologue at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. 2.9km on the straight line.
Generally did this ok - was a course where running speed mattered more than fine navigation. Probably should have gone back up over the hill after 6 rather than round.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/365662343
Generally did this ok - was a course where running speed mattered more than fine navigation. Probably should have gone back up over the hill after 6 rather than round.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/365662343
2 PM
Orienteering - Urban race (RAL Sprint 2) 22:48 [5] 4.71 km (4:50 / km) +30m 4:41 / km
shoes: Saucony Powergrid Triumph 10 g
Sprint final. 2.9km on the straight line.
This time it was a test of eyesight and I failed - heading towards three looked specifically to see if there was a dead end and saw none. Then turn a corner just before the control to find a building in the way. The strip of building on the map was not even as thick as symbol for uncrossable fence! Cost me about a minute and I knew the race was over from then.
Apart from that was fine but should have gone back past 13 and 12 on 14-15 rather than the longer south route I took.
If I still cared about the ranking list might have been a bit more upset that the mistake at 3 cost me my best ranking score of the year so far - but as the system is complete rubbish (without the mistake it was still nowhere near one of my best runs...) I can at least be grateful for the nice weather and for beating John Embrey.
Fun day but think the map needs some work to make it more legible.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/365662321
This time it was a test of eyesight and I failed - heading towards three looked specifically to see if there was a dead end and saw none. Then turn a corner just before the control to find a building in the way. The strip of building on the map was not even as thick as symbol for uncrossable fence! Cost me about a minute and I knew the race was over from then.
Apart from that was fine but should have gone back past 13 and 12 on 14-15 rather than the longer south route I took.
If I still cared about the ranking list might have been a bit more upset that the mistake at 3 cost me my best ranking score of the year so far - but as the system is complete rubbish (without the mistake it was still nowhere near one of my best runs...) I can at least be grateful for the nice weather and for beating John Embrey.
Fun day but think the map needs some work to make it more legible.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/365662321
Saturday Aug 24, 2013 #
Orienteering (Cranham) 52:56 [3] 5.97 km (8:52 / km) +230m 7:26 / km
slept:6.0 shoes: inov8 Mudclaw300 Yellow1
NGOC informal at Cranham. 4.8km green.
Poor run. Really hesitant into 1 despite it being at the top of the only hillock around. Slow to 2. Really slow down the bank to 3 - been a lot of thinning with brashings left over to fight through. Marsh still very wet and deep, not really sure where I was going but I did find 4 eventually.
Straight route to 5 not good - path then up much quicker. Too many nettles and cut down trees in the way on the direct. Slow down hill afterwards then safe path route to 6. Not very quick crossing stream then managed to catch a tree route on the path after which lost me some confidence with my speed.
No idea where I went 7-8 but it wasn't along the path I thought I was on. Quite surprised to go through a bush and find the control next to me. Caught on a sinuous unmapped track 8-9 and stopped for a bit to work out where I wanted to actually go. Nice wood 9-10.
10-11 was a fairly big mistake - should have gone up and around the path as had first intended. Went around to the west and hit the stream - thought the path was further down than it was as mistook marsh for stream on the map. Caught in all sorts of felled stuff and other crap. Remainder of course was just uphill, not feeling into it so wasn't overly quick.
Nice course but the map could do with a bit of work to update vegetation.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/364187607
Poor run. Really hesitant into 1 despite it being at the top of the only hillock around. Slow to 2. Really slow down the bank to 3 - been a lot of thinning with brashings left over to fight through. Marsh still very wet and deep, not really sure where I was going but I did find 4 eventually.
Straight route to 5 not good - path then up much quicker. Too many nettles and cut down trees in the way on the direct. Slow down hill afterwards then safe path route to 6. Not very quick crossing stream then managed to catch a tree route on the path after which lost me some confidence with my speed.
No idea where I went 7-8 but it wasn't along the path I thought I was on. Quite surprised to go through a bush and find the control next to me. Caught on a sinuous unmapped track 8-9 and stopped for a bit to work out where I wanted to actually go. Nice wood 9-10.
10-11 was a fairly big mistake - should have gone up and around the path as had first intended. Went around to the west and hit the stream - thought the path was further down than it was as mistook marsh for stream on the map. Caught in all sorts of felled stuff and other crap. Remainder of course was just uphill, not feeling into it so wasn't overly quick.
Nice course but the map could do with a bit of work to update vegetation.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/364187607
Tuesday Aug 20, 2013 #
Running long (Blaise+KW Hill) 1:54:05 [4] 20.23 km (5:38 / km) +200m 5:22 / km
slept:5.0 weight:68kg shoes: Saucony Powergrid Triumph 10 g
Long steady run to take out my frustration from work. To Blaise, along Kings Weston Hill and across to Penpole.
Could have kept going for further if I wanted but knees still tight from Saturday and finding the ground a bit too hard for that sort of distance.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/362287185
Could have kept going for further if I wanted but knees still tight from Saturday and finding the ground a bit too hard for that sort of distance.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/362287185
Saturday Aug 17, 2013 #
Running - off road (Brockhampton/Bringsty) 1:10:15 [4] 11.43 km (6:09 / km) +320m 5:23 / km
slept:5.5 weight:68kg shoes: Saucony Powergrid Triumph 10 g
As no O another hilly run around Bringsty. Nowhere to park close by so had to go up to Brockhampton school and leave most of the hill until the end...
Down to the Lawn Pool, along the brook until the green walk steps, up to the plough, detoured to the swamp to see if the huts were still there (they are, one has a permanent o-course control in it), then more up and across to Bringsty.
Around the bottom edge may have been a mistake as the climb up past Cider Mill Farm made worse by lots of brambles catching me and me being choked by smoke from a bonfire at the bottom of the hill. Had to have a go at doing my Strava segments on the way back but didn't have the energy to try too hard - equalled one, knocked 20s off the other... - the killer climb up to the trig-point killed me as per usual.
Then back to the Lawn Pool and then around the far side of the estate to finish. The long slog back up the hill really was a struggle so cut short by the NT car park and walked back from there.
Some cause for encouragement if I'm running this much better than I was last time I was out here, even if I didn't feel good at the time.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/360991948
Down to the Lawn Pool, along the brook until the green walk steps, up to the plough, detoured to the swamp to see if the huts were still there (they are, one has a permanent o-course control in it), then more up and across to Bringsty.
Around the bottom edge may have been a mistake as the climb up past Cider Mill Farm made worse by lots of brambles catching me and me being choked by smoke from a bonfire at the bottom of the hill. Had to have a go at doing my Strava segments on the way back but didn't have the energy to try too hard - equalled one, knocked 20s off the other... - the killer climb up to the trig-point killed me as per usual.
Then back to the Lawn Pool and then around the far side of the estate to finish. The long slog back up the hill really was a struggle so cut short by the NT car park and walked back from there.
Some cause for encouragement if I'm running this much better than I was last time I was out here, even if I didn't feel good at the time.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/360991948
Tuesday Aug 13, 2013 #
Running (BOK training run) 1:08:06 [3] 9.94 km (6:51 / km) +185m 6:16 / km
slept:4.5 shoes: Saucony Powergrid Triumph 10 g
BOK training run from Portishead. Reverse direction to last summer.
Really struggling for any energy again today. Made worse by being overdressed. Rather hoping that I would be running better again by now.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/358488059
Really struggling for any energy again today. Made worse by being overdressed. Rather hoping that I would be running better again by now.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/358488059
Saturday Aug 10, 2013 #
Event: Summer Series
Orienteering race (NGOC Painswick) 32:23 [3] 5.08 km (6:22 / km) +120m 5:42 / km
slept:5.0 weight:68.2kg shoes: inov8 Mudclaw300 Yellow1
4.3km green course.
Going in opposite direction to last time and missing out most of the dodgy bits.
Probably should have stayed on rough direct path to 1 rather than cut across to the wider flatter one. Played it safe on 2 - not bad. Stopped by golfers on way to 3 then went the wrong side - map needs work - and came in through a lot of brambles - was picking thorns out of my hands for the next few controls.
Went east of quarry on 4 but there's now a big earth wall between path on control so may have been better to go other way round. 5 in dodgy bit from last time but at top of huge hill so fairly straight forward.
Unsure on the map at 6 and 7 - lost a good minute on 6 trying to work out where the golf tee was on the map. Road to 8, wanted to go straight to 9 but couldn't find the path, nor could anyone else, but I cut in a good place to find a stream of people exiting.
Went in too early for 10 - should have waited for the mapped path to appear. No idea where I was going for 11, 12 and 13 but seemed to get them ok. Quite a sprint down to the finish! Beat Joe by about 3 minutes so can't complain.
Lots more people agreeing with me that it needs a remap to 1:5000 scale. It's a great little area but the current map really isn't acceptable anymore.
Then waited around for a very very long time for a tardy BOK to finish before collecting in the controls around the hill fort.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/356440347
Going in opposite direction to last time and missing out most of the dodgy bits.
Probably should have stayed on rough direct path to 1 rather than cut across to the wider flatter one. Played it safe on 2 - not bad. Stopped by golfers on way to 3 then went the wrong side - map needs work - and came in through a lot of brambles - was picking thorns out of my hands for the next few controls.
Went east of quarry on 4 but there's now a big earth wall between path on control so may have been better to go other way round. 5 in dodgy bit from last time but at top of huge hill so fairly straight forward.
Unsure on the map at 6 and 7 - lost a good minute on 6 trying to work out where the golf tee was on the map. Road to 8, wanted to go straight to 9 but couldn't find the path, nor could anyone else, but I cut in a good place to find a stream of people exiting.
Went in too early for 10 - should have waited for the mapped path to appear. No idea where I was going for 11, 12 and 13 but seemed to get them ok. Quite a sprint down to the finish! Beat Joe by about 3 minutes so can't complain.
Lots more people agreeing with me that it needs a remap to 1:5000 scale. It's a great little area but the current map really isn't acceptable anymore.
Then waited around for a very very long time for a tardy BOK to finish before collecting in the controls around the hill fort.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/356440347
Tuesday Aug 6, 2013 #
Running (BOK training run) 1:16:11 [3] 11.45 km (6:39 / km) +100m 6:23 / km
slept:5.0 weight:68kg shoes: Saucony Powergrid Triumph 10 g
BOK training run from Chipping Sodbury.
Really not feeling great and struggling for energy so taking it very slowly. As got more downhill towards the end pace picked up to be a bit more respectable.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/354641038
Really not feeling great and struggling for energy so taking it very slowly. As got more downhill towards the end pace picked up to be a bit more respectable.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/354641038
Saturday Aug 3, 2013 #
Orienteering race (S6D - Coulmony) 1:05:38 [3] 7.85 km (8:22 / km) +200m 7:25 / km
slept:4.5 weight:66.7kg shoes: inov8 Mudclaw300 Yellow1
Last day in Scotland. 6.8km with 370m climb M21S course.
Start was very messy as was at least 15 starting on my minute and nowhere near enough space. Played it safe around paths to 1 - the veg on the hillock was not at all like it was mapped but I saw no alternative hillock nearby so went for it. Straight to 2 fine but short leg to three was well off.
Really unsure of myself after the road crossing. Hesitant on 9, big balls up of 10. Ok on 11 and 12 and found a nice track across the marsh toward 13. Then disaster. Hill was covered in 8ft deep bracken and there was nothing at all to help get to the control. Found a rock, it had no control, went on a bit further and found a re-entrant like the one next to the control - but it wasn't the mapped one. Spent another few minutes hashing about through green veg and marsh before relocating on a control half way between 13 and 14, decided I didn't want to go back in the crap so went on - GPS says that I must have been within 30 yards of the control when I thought I was about right.
Basically all of 13-16 was battling through marsh and I probably would have had more fun and got less wet by standing in a puddle instead. Went towards 17 but saw no point doing the last loop so headed on into the finish.
Thought the bottom half of the map was alright even if I wasn't - would have preferred it if the courses were planned to keep us in the nicer bits.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/353255355
Start was very messy as was at least 15 starting on my minute and nowhere near enough space. Played it safe around paths to 1 - the veg on the hillock was not at all like it was mapped but I saw no alternative hillock nearby so went for it. Straight to 2 fine but short leg to three was well off.
Really unsure of myself after the road crossing. Hesitant on 9, big balls up of 10. Ok on 11 and 12 and found a nice track across the marsh toward 13. Then disaster. Hill was covered in 8ft deep bracken and there was nothing at all to help get to the control. Found a rock, it had no control, went on a bit further and found a re-entrant like the one next to the control - but it wasn't the mapped one. Spent another few minutes hashing about through green veg and marsh before relocating on a control half way between 13 and 14, decided I didn't want to go back in the crap so went on - GPS says that I must have been within 30 yards of the control when I thought I was about right.
Basically all of 13-16 was battling through marsh and I probably would have had more fun and got less wet by standing in a puddle instead. Went towards 17 but saw no point doing the last loop so headed on into the finish.
Thought the bottom half of the map was alright even if I wasn't - would have preferred it if the courses were planned to keep us in the nicer bits.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/353255355
Friday Aug 2, 2013 #
Orienteering race (S6D - Roseisle) 59:33 [4] 7.9 km (7:32 / km) +265m 6:27 / km
slept:4.5 weight:66.9kg shoes: inov8 Mudclaw300 Yellow1
Scottish Day 5 at Roseisle. 6.8km M21S course.
Hesistant start as first control only about 100m from the start kite. Then went straight line to 2 and 3. Beach to 4, turned in at the right place. Back on the beach for 5, nearly overshot but turns out I was about right - sadly thought I'd gone too far so lost 45s or so looking on the wrong side for it. Okish on the short legs at the top.
Made a mess of 12. I think it was in the depression where the circle was broken and not the mapped one as it was at the end of the open - I'd gone into the grot too early to find it. Lost another 90s or so on 13 as was too close to 3 and thought it was top of hill not bottom.
Good for start of second part of map. Via the beach again. In the rough open, first control good, second control was near enough inpenetrable gorse and I was about 30 yards off but took forever to get through to it. No idea where I was going on 22 and guessed where the rides were but hadn't found them. Overshot 23 by some margin. Had to speed up towards the end to break the hour. Was looking out for the ride before 24, think there was a gap in the trees of 6 inches or so.
Better run than I had expected. Nice area. Ankle behaving too. Still lacking energy but seem to be taking well to the speed advantage of weighing so little.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/352309789
Hesistant start as first control only about 100m from the start kite. Then went straight line to 2 and 3. Beach to 4, turned in at the right place. Back on the beach for 5, nearly overshot but turns out I was about right - sadly thought I'd gone too far so lost 45s or so looking on the wrong side for it. Okish on the short legs at the top.
Made a mess of 12. I think it was in the depression where the circle was broken and not the mapped one as it was at the end of the open - I'd gone into the grot too early to find it. Lost another 90s or so on 13 as was too close to 3 and thought it was top of hill not bottom.
Good for start of second part of map. Via the beach again. In the rough open, first control good, second control was near enough inpenetrable gorse and I was about 30 yards off but took forever to get through to it. No idea where I was going on 22 and guessed where the rides were but hadn't found them. Overshot 23 by some margin. Had to speed up towards the end to break the hour. Was looking out for the ride before 24, think there was a gap in the trees of 6 inches or so.
Better run than I had expected. Nice area. Ankle behaving too. Still lacking energy but seem to be taking well to the speed advantage of weighing so little.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/352309789
Thursday Aug 1, 2013 #
Orienteering race (S6D - Loch of Boath) 54:38 [3] 7.23 km (7:33 / km) +215m 6:35 / km
slept:5.0 weight:67.7kg shoes: inov8 Mudclaw300 Yellow1
Scottish day 4 at Loch of Boath. 6.3km M21S course.
After feeling faint for the last two days made sure to have eaten even more and wasn't going to push too hard.
From the start, led everybody down the ride and across the stream. Clean to 1 and 2 - for 3 went down to the path and along as thought it was quickest for me. On 6 went path in, straight out.
Straight on 7-8, skirted the marsh by going over the lumpy bit. The stream crossing was very deep and muddy - ankle tape didn't survive so I knew to be careful from there on in. Small mistake on 8 - went to a smaller, unmapped, adjacent hillock first, must be used to the 2.5m contours rather than today's 5m. 20-30s lost.
Knocked off course of 10-11 so in the green. Found it easier to cross the stream and go along to the north side of it as far as the road. Got foot trapped under the end of a fallen branch and tripped quite badly - hurt left wrist and cut the hand such that there'll be yet another new scar - still all swollen from pre-Harvester so unsure what damage has been done.
12-13 went onto the path to the east, didn't expect the elevation change to be so much but still think it was best route for me. Right foot landed awkwardly on a bit of wood and jarred a bit. Hurts a bit still this evening but maybe lack of painkillers to suppress. Then onto 14 and the finish - very rough underfoot so quite slow.
Ran much better than I had expected. Maybe 2-3 mins of errors compared against a perfect day. Still lacking energy somewhat so left pretty soon after finishing. Didn't really notice the climb - much easier going than the Forest of Dean but much more like what I'm used to than the previous days.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/351826540
After feeling faint for the last two days made sure to have eaten even more and wasn't going to push too hard.
From the start, led everybody down the ride and across the stream. Clean to 1 and 2 - for 3 went down to the path and along as thought it was quickest for me. On 6 went path in, straight out.
Straight on 7-8, skirted the marsh by going over the lumpy bit. The stream crossing was very deep and muddy - ankle tape didn't survive so I knew to be careful from there on in. Small mistake on 8 - went to a smaller, unmapped, adjacent hillock first, must be used to the 2.5m contours rather than today's 5m. 20-30s lost.
Knocked off course of 10-11 so in the green. Found it easier to cross the stream and go along to the north side of it as far as the road. Got foot trapped under the end of a fallen branch and tripped quite badly - hurt left wrist and cut the hand such that there'll be yet another new scar - still all swollen from pre-Harvester so unsure what damage has been done.
12-13 went onto the path to the east, didn't expect the elevation change to be so much but still think it was best route for me. Right foot landed awkwardly on a bit of wood and jarred a bit. Hurts a bit still this evening but maybe lack of painkillers to suppress. Then onto 14 and the finish - very rough underfoot so quite slow.
Ran much better than I had expected. Maybe 2-3 mins of errors compared against a perfect day. Still lacking energy somewhat so left pretty soon after finishing. Didn't really notice the climb - much easier going than the Forest of Dean but much more like what I'm used to than the previous days.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/351826540