Training Log Archive: rcro

Aberedw Rocks. Never orienteered here before so wanted to see what it was like. Early start so had nobody to follow - and quite along in the hills.

1 - stopped early as the vegetation changed thinking I was in the right place. Wondered why the massive crag further along wasn't mapped before determining it was.

After that, played quite safe with terrain, so went low to 2 mostly on paths. Quickly dying in heat, and on hills. Straightish to 3, bracken slow to start, hill slow in middle, then seemed to descend down lines of crags on the far side - but at least knew where I was - felt this leg had potential to go wrong.

A bit off on 5. Started out from 4 on a poor bearing to regain the path so had extra bracken bashing. Then landed at a crag but thought it was different to the one it was - so ended up too high, and had to overshoot to be able to see boulder beneath me. Too tired to run to 6. A lot of around the paths to 8, and ok from there.

Enjoyed this, and hanging around in the sun after. By the top of the big climb after 2, was questioning if I was physically capable of completing the course, but moving oksh on flat and better on downhill. Pleased it was a net downhill course (although less the walk climb to start).

https://www.strava.com/activities/7146573751

At Clare's suggestion, went to find the cannon at the top of Twyn y Garth. Had memorised a route coming along track at bottom and then turning uphill in the access land. Looked, and was, pretty steep - but unfortunately no path up from this track so more bracken/nettle bashing and crawling under trees until hitting the footpath half way up. Weather had turned to being grey and windy, but very humid and this physically felt harder than the orienteering.

Came out at the top to avoid the horrors from which I'd just escaped. Seemed to miss the footpath that would have cut the corner so all road until the zig-zags.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7146994939

Sugar Loaf orienteering. Very warm day and nightmare traffic getting here, so once up was determined to make a nice day of it

1 - cut fairly aggressively through the bracken, joining tracks for a bit, managed to run a lot of it too.
2 - lost confidence half way through (and a stop for shoelaces) - took longer than I expected to come up.
4 - wasn't sure how to do this leg, but found a good trod leaving 3 heading in the right direction to path. Came off from the re-entrant where path drops down. Had no CDs, so a bit concerned I may mess up and find platform 9 control instead of 4's - but the first platform I found had no control, which I could then deduce wasn't on the map! Found 4 shortly beyond
5 - took what I thought was the obvious route, but half way round doubted myself as to if if I'd missed a better one. Slow to descend, and lacking the energy to climb well. Able to tick off the platforms well, and so take the mapped trod for easier running and attack from known nearby point. Still slight miss, as a bit overgrown so starting looking at the right level but about 20m too far E. Lost slightly to other people around me who had done more contouring.
6 - a struggle to walk
7 - around paths to avoid faff of slopes and bracken. Ran a lot, but struggled with anything uphill. Had people following me when I turned in but missed the control slightly as took to the re-entrant for better running.
8 - did down then up as my memory was that it wasn't so bad (even if map was wall of contours). In baking sunshine, it was as mapped. An inconsistent slow walk up, then uphill bracken bashing - should have contoured as less climb and better terrain.
9 - Took more established lines through bracken rather than where I wanted to go. But it got harder as descent steepened. Knew roughly where I was and seeing the unmapped platform from earlier confirmed.
11 - too much for me so walked the paths.

Very nice course, with route choices, and did some actual navigating. Afternoon picnic post-run good too.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7140011785

Interestingly, splits say I was 3rd on "long" leg to 7, and 4th on the walking leg to 11.

Llandaff Fields orienteering. Having felt quite good during the day, quickly felt rubbish and the whole run was a slow struggle. Seems lots of others were the same so result may not actually look so bad.

Mix of trying to keep distance short as possible, and taking interesting routes - e.g. 1-2 took the option that went down roads I’ve not run before. 12-13 took the long route as kept me out of the wind. Last section was long straight legs zig zagging across the sports pitches so much too fast for my current ability so far from strong running at the end. At least got out and did something with the evening - and back and neck feel better for it.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7126297984

MDC run from Margam. Whilst generally ok on flats, still a bit breathless going up (and did have to work hard to catch up to the ruin at the start), and legs and feet hurting a bit towards the top. Not used to running up hills clearly.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7120994384