Training Log Archive: rcro

Event: Night Street Event
 

NGOC Street-O in Charlton Kings. Wasn't feeling too well after the SWOC on Wednesday and had no time to prep as the new trains were all breaking down meaning I got home from work 40 minutes late and only had 5 mins between arriving in Cheltenham and starting :-( Eyesight was a bit funny through the whole run and by the time came to goin home was pretty bad - made worse by the two cars following from Gloucester to Lydney having full beam headlights on leaving me pretty much blind.

S-10-5-25-18-20-30-19-17-9-16-29-8-28-27-26-13-7-11-F. 370 points (3rd place).

Not planning on trying hard but got stuck with a particularly crap route from the start and not much I could do. When it became apparent there wasn't any time left and still 2k from finish had no choice but head straight back. Missed some better route choices on the map - given I could barely see could have done a lot worse.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1322323613

Event: After Dark 3
 

SWOC street-o in Whitchurch.

Spotted the best route straight away but not running fast as legs still recovering.

S-27-13-23-7-10-16-12-22-9-30-28-21-8-20-1-11-25-18-17-19-24-F. 450 points I think.

Marcus went same way as me so was ahead until 23 then disappeared. Gather that I was actually ahead of him for a lot of the loop since I didn't get hopelessly lost.

I did, however, get hopelessly stuck the wrong side of an unmapped 8-9ft high metal fence that ended up completely encircling the estate I'd got into after 30. Helped Marcus by telling him it was a dead end - but only after I'd lost 5 mins.

At 25 made the decision to drop going to 15 and 5, and as time was short went for only the high pointers without detour. Had 2 mins left at the end so could have got one of 3 or 6 as well. Without the fence would have definitely managed 15/5/3 if not 6 as well.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1321239523

MDC run around the top by Parc Cwm Darran. Reasonably nice route but fairly shitty in the literal sense.

Fairly slow pace tonight, but being careful with foot still a bit swollen from Sunday.

Food took all night to turn up so made up for it by eating a lot.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1319980950

If hadn’t run Skirrid could have been a very good race for me - out at the front without even having to try. But moment hit gradient of any sort and could feel it in legs - particularly down.

Dropped a lot of time and places due to this but interestingly found the ups less trouble - generally tiring as went on. Bashed foot on a tree trunk in the muddy bit at 3k - which hurt a lot for a while so slowed down quite a bit for the next k to assess whether i should continue running. Pain worth off but got to the end of there is some swelling and pain if I prod it. Annoying.

Expecting to burn out on the last climb given heavy legs but turns out to have been steady, not spectacular, getting a few places back and more from the dogs race.

End time just 7s slower than my best from 2 years ago - and I was pretty quick through winter 15/16. Surprisingly conditions weren’t any slower than normal - so on fresher legs maybe could have taken out another 2 mins?

Now in bed with foot raised and iced. Has not been a great second half to 2017 really.

Event: Saturday Score and SWOC training
 

A bit more climb done. Stuck to my plan of not pushing hard up, or back down - in the expectation that I will be running tomorrow. Plenty of energy left at the saddle.

The technical bit was still reasonably snowy so I didn't put any effort into it and mostly took my time - still overtook one. Fairly good climb up to the top - need to segment it.

Back down the longer safer way as the track up was ok. Definitely slower, but more enjoyable. Lost 30s to Vanessa (together at the top) - but apparently she went the wrong way a bit. She did do the rocky section faster than I did and I could have taken the track much quicker if I wanted :-)

Probably the most effort put in was down the fields to the finish - as knew Vanessa would be a sitting duck. Got her on the line. With snow and very waterlogged ground conditions were the worst of any year I've run it.

Kit becomes the latest orienteer to win this. Very few MDC running - I think NGOC were better represented (and definitely so if including non-running helpers). Think the MDC captain needs to up his game a bit ;-)

https://www.strava.com/activities/1316009367

Note - never thought I would have trouble getting foot caught in an actual, upright, tree. Had it happen twice today!

Now 6 consecutive week days of using the new trains one way... average delay 24 minutes (for a 21 minute journey). Going home on the old ones not been more than 5 mins late this week. Such is progress...