Training Log Archive: ColmMIn the 1 days ending Sep 15, 2018:
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Saturday Sep 15, 2018 #
10 AM
Running 5:30 [1] 0.82 km (6:41 / km) +2m 6:36 / km
Orienteering 5:42:18 30.34 km (11:17 / km) +2384m 8:06 / km
Mournes Day 1
Buses were very late, so we missed our start by a good bit, as did everyone else in the last hour. Colm & Shea rocked up to the start practically with us, but kindly agreed to give us 10-15min head start. So, off we set.
Barely had to mark on number 1 as the description told us it was on top of the first hill. Set off up this and as we slogged it out a bit we marked in the next 3 or 4. We knew we wanted to keep to trails where possible as the going can be really rough. We stayed along the wall and then trail to 2 and this worked nicely.
Up to 3 we started looking ahead and I marked in the whole cluster which slowed us a little on the climb, but we came down into the control nicely enough. We were moving at a nice pace but the effort felt very managed, aware of the length.
We stayed a bit left on 4 to save climb, and the going wasn't too bad so we were happy out, all considered. The control was higher than we expected and we lost a minute or two, but Paul & Phil must have moved well across here cos they put a fair bit into us on this leg. While Mark punched I looked ahead and decided on the cluster, and we had already committed to the brandy pad left for the foot of Comedagh. We were working well though the rough and then on the brandy pad, and caught a sheep trail into the control, a nice fastest split, and we still had a few mins lead.
Took the route everyone took on the cluster essentially. Lost a bit of time going over the top of comedagh rather than around to the first, but we were still going alright. Back down to the brandy pad and then over a few hill tops on the longish one back to Lamagan. Cut a few hilltops out along the way, and got it nicely enough but I was starting to struggle a little. At this point we were 3hrs in and about 90sec down on Paul & Phil, but as it went on I was getting worse. Struggling to get food in, and generally slowing down.
After the reservoir, I was slow climbing, I kept it together, but Mark was pushing the pace, and I was not holding too well. We got up to that next tor eventually and I knew that was most the rough stuff. Got onto the trail to go around to Bearnagh, I could keep running and we were passing C & B class teams, but it wasn't much more than that. We followed the wall up Bearnagh and this was essentially it. I had been struggling to get food in and this climb was too steep, Mark bounced up and waited for me at the top for a few mins. The slowing was made worse as we couldn't find the control on top, the co-ordinates were vague and we just faffed atop the summit for ages with a heap of other teams until we eventually found it. It didn't help that I didn't have the energy to stop and try figure out which boulder it would be on. 15mins later we finally got it. Woo.
I was very slow back down off bearnagh, and we decided we had to just get it done and climb Meelmore which I soon regretted. Was struggling to put feet in front of each other and getting vaguely dizzy. Lovely feeling. Made it up, and stumbled down the ridge through the heather just following Mark. It wasn't beautiful orienteering, but we got it.
We had debated which crag the last control would be on, and agreed on the wrong one, but half-assed the route so we could watch others and didn't lose too much.
Mustered something and finished.
Really wasn't seeing how I would get up and go again the next day, but the worst part was we were in 2nd so I knew I couldn't give up despite searching for excuses for an hour or so, Mark was having none of it anyway.
We were 40mins down (ish), and considering we'd lost 30 of those on 2 at the end we knew we'd been moving well. I just convinced myself everyone else would be tired, and once we had the tent up and food cooking things started to get a bit better.
Sleep came and went pretty quickly. Daddy long legs attacks were a little annoying but not a big deal. The wind blowing the outer down on the inner and the rain soaking through the tent, also deemed not urgent - I just put my survival bag around the tent. Not having enough pegs and the outer blowing up halfway through the night was an issue, and then the wind ripped the inner off the outer and our tent had just become a sheet - this was when I felt maybe I should do something. Did what I could with the guy ropes, and found my ankle tape and taped the inner to the poles to try keep it just above face level. Remarkably Mark stirred a little but never actually woke.
Buses were very late, so we missed our start by a good bit, as did everyone else in the last hour. Colm & Shea rocked up to the start practically with us, but kindly agreed to give us 10-15min head start. So, off we set.
Barely had to mark on number 1 as the description told us it was on top of the first hill. Set off up this and as we slogged it out a bit we marked in the next 3 or 4. We knew we wanted to keep to trails where possible as the going can be really rough. We stayed along the wall and then trail to 2 and this worked nicely.
Up to 3 we started looking ahead and I marked in the whole cluster which slowed us a little on the climb, but we came down into the control nicely enough. We were moving at a nice pace but the effort felt very managed, aware of the length.
We stayed a bit left on 4 to save climb, and the going wasn't too bad so we were happy out, all considered. The control was higher than we expected and we lost a minute or two, but Paul & Phil must have moved well across here cos they put a fair bit into us on this leg. While Mark punched I looked ahead and decided on the cluster, and we had already committed to the brandy pad left for the foot of Comedagh. We were working well though the rough and then on the brandy pad, and caught a sheep trail into the control, a nice fastest split, and we still had a few mins lead.
Took the route everyone took on the cluster essentially. Lost a bit of time going over the top of comedagh rather than around to the first, but we were still going alright. Back down to the brandy pad and then over a few hill tops on the longish one back to Lamagan. Cut a few hilltops out along the way, and got it nicely enough but I was starting to struggle a little. At this point we were 3hrs in and about 90sec down on Paul & Phil, but as it went on I was getting worse. Struggling to get food in, and generally slowing down.
After the reservoir, I was slow climbing, I kept it together, but Mark was pushing the pace, and I was not holding too well. We got up to that next tor eventually and I knew that was most the rough stuff. Got onto the trail to go around to Bearnagh, I could keep running and we were passing C & B class teams, but it wasn't much more than that. We followed the wall up Bearnagh and this was essentially it. I had been struggling to get food in and this climb was too steep, Mark bounced up and waited for me at the top for a few mins. The slowing was made worse as we couldn't find the control on top, the co-ordinates were vague and we just faffed atop the summit for ages with a heap of other teams until we eventually found it. It didn't help that I didn't have the energy to stop and try figure out which boulder it would be on. 15mins later we finally got it. Woo.
I was very slow back down off bearnagh, and we decided we had to just get it done and climb Meelmore which I soon regretted. Was struggling to put feet in front of each other and getting vaguely dizzy. Lovely feeling. Made it up, and stumbled down the ridge through the heather just following Mark. It wasn't beautiful orienteering, but we got it.
We had debated which crag the last control would be on, and agreed on the wrong one, but half-assed the route so we could watch others and didn't lose too much.
Mustered something and finished.
Really wasn't seeing how I would get up and go again the next day, but the worst part was we were in 2nd so I knew I couldn't give up despite searching for excuses for an hour or so, Mark was having none of it anyway.
We were 40mins down (ish), and considering we'd lost 30 of those on 2 at the end we knew we'd been moving well. I just convinced myself everyone else would be tired, and once we had the tent up and food cooking things started to get a bit better.
Sleep came and went pretty quickly. Daddy long legs attacks were a little annoying but not a big deal. The wind blowing the outer down on the inner and the rain soaking through the tent, also deemed not urgent - I just put my survival bag around the tent. Not having enough pegs and the outer blowing up halfway through the night was an issue, and then the wind ripped the inner off the outer and our tent had just become a sheet - this was when I felt maybe I should do something. Did what I could with the guy ropes, and found my ankle tape and taped the inner to the poles to try keep it just above face level. Remarkably Mark stirred a little but never actually woke.