Training Log Archive: Nathan

Just and easy shake out from home, reminiscing and annoyed.

JK Relay Men's short Leg 2

Turns out Andy had mispunched on the first leg but I didn't know. Set off just after H Butt and got ahead to number 1, moving well over the march and up the valley just behind the crag. Good through 2 and then round the hill to 3, and straight to 4. Easy to 5 and the longer leg where I went low and H was high and then got there a little ahead of him. Pushed hard on 7 and pulled ahead but a slip in the circle on 8 meant I lost a little time. Pulled ahead again on 9 and 10 then got the wrong control on specatator and th slip cost me. Pushed hard up the hill to 12, before dropping off to 13 and 14 and finish. Ran in with Harry with a 3 minute lead but they didn't announce me so I found that odd. Won my leg and was only 2 secs off Harry due to the finish punch on first leg so we basically drew.

Better run but pissed at the weekend.

Minimal.

Jogging and ran the model event, drills at the end.

JK Long 10.5km 475m 22c 36th M18e

Pretty embarrassed to even log this to be honest. I started 2 mins off Ali and so thought about that more than I should. Also, the last two days had just put me in a bad place, not angry but just a bit defeated really. Despite losing 8 minutes on one, and perhaps more if Sasha hadn't shown me in to it. Moved well on the path but rolled my bad ankle so was grumpy. Lost contact in the circle and so just ran up and down the hill for a bit, must have been within 2m of it at some point. Ran with Sasha then for the next 4, taking different lines but arriving largely at the same time. Then he went low on 6 and I went high which I really struggled with (sign of things to come) and so lost pace and flow over it. Got to 6 but saw Sasha a way off and realised I'd dropped even more time. Harry Butt caught be to 7 and we ran together through 7 and 8 then I pulled away on 9. Next mistake and maybe the final hammer blow came, ran straight to the road crossing and across and forgot 10, so lost my time on Harry going back to it, I think to here I'd lost 12 mins or so. I knew this I think and I think, in hindsight I gave up. The point for me of the JK was a stepping stone to selection and by not getting that I didn't see the point. Got 11 and a slip in the circle in 12 where I had my gel, but as soon as I did I had nothing in me at all. My legs were gone and my stomach felt empty, pretty dehydrated too. My head went as well and so I stopped orienteering completely and made some more mistakes. Open route to 13 but the physicality nearly killed me. Easy to 14 and 15 but I was moving so slowly it was pointless. Navigated well to 16 but slipped in the circle a lot. Raced Adam to 17 but the died on 18. Hit the road on 19 for some reason, didn't orienteer then had to keep sitting down, stopping and walking, told Matt E to keep going because he was having a good weekend. Really bad, wasn't thinking straight at all at this point, I was just wandering about. Fine to 20 then cocked up 21 again before moving to 22 and finish.

Completely out of it at the end, took me half an hour or so to think straight thanks to Ali's parents. I just don't know what happened, I prepared the same way as any other race but I just bonked, and bonked hard. I gave up now that I think of it and it was a write off. Just epitomizes my weekend.

Jog to the start with the boys then drills, I didn't wee.

JK Middle 5.3km 170m 21c 8th M18e

At the start I was a little apprehensive because of a poor race yesterday and the close start gaps, but despite this I was looking forward to it. Took the first 3 quite easy, just getting in to the map and the area that they stuck on the botttom of the real map. Caught Josh Dudley at number 4 and then took a different route to 5 but dropped in at the same time. Hit the open and he went high whilst I stuck low and he nipped ahead. Then flew down the hill witht he aim of catching Matt (4mins). Moving well and got to 8 just behind Josh and then had the nagging feeling that if I had stuck with him people would accuse me of following. I then tried to move off him and took a different route to 10 but dropped time on 11 because my approach was different because of this. Across the valley then straight instead of the taking the ride and moving quite well in terrain but for some reason felt like I was having a slow run, despite actually leading by a minute at 10. Over 12 and then dropped off but bananned in to 13 losing a little time. Only real mistake was 14, went straight when I should have gone to the path and smashed the running but ended up 50m too far left. Lost my head because before this I was just getting them, so bombed back to another control I'd seen and didn't stop to think, would have lost 30secs-1min but instead lost 3-3:30. Andrew caught me as I got to the control then we ran 15 and walked 16 together. Top path then along to 17 but I overshot a little so ran ahrder to catch up but cut the corner and recaught the time on Andy. The flew down to 18 and 19, before hitting the path on 20. Then across the field and home.

Another disappointment. Ran really well on the first half then I jut got it in my head that I was having a bad race and would have said I'd followed Josh if I stuck with him. This made me lose focus and not think about my race but others. Lost about 5 mins which again would have been podiuming but I can say this about every run so there isn't much point, I need to sort it and stop complaining about it.

With Tim and Ali

Event: Jan Kjellstrom International Festival of Orienteering 2015
 

Jogging to the start and back a bit for inhaler. The drills when I got there.

JK Sprint 4.1km best route 20m climb 26c 13th M18e

First race of the weekend and to be honest a disappointment. Worked out where number one was in the start box so nailed that, then moved well to 2 taking the top route. Felt a little hesitant to 3 but splits show it was actually decent running so don't think I lost time. First big mistake on 4, misread the buildings and lost contact so thought the low building was the one with the control, ended up dropping to the start road, where for some reason the people walking up wouldn't move out the way, bit rude. Couldn't cut through where I thought so had to go all the way round, wasting time and energy. Dropped 40secs or so, so apparently was still in the race but thought I'd chucked it already, the mistake felt bigger than it really was. 5, 6 and 7 all went smoothly, planning ahead a bit but still feeling rushed and frustrated, slowed a little on 8, having not planned and saw Harri (-5min) going to 2 so that was depressing. Moved fine through 9/10/11/12, easiest bit of the course just short sharp in the open. Dropped a little time on 13 couldn't decide if the route was ok but turned out it was, then the small buildings didn't make sense but got it fine and a quick run through 14 fine. Lost 15-20secs on 15 because my map had stuck together with the rain directly over the line. Good through 16, took the cut through route and smashed the running. 17 was easy but after it cut up the steps losing 10 secs. Then down the ramp dropping time by not crossing the fence. Fine to 19 but hadn't planned then the alley to 20. Not sure what happened on 21. Route was well planned out, but for some reason the cut through was blocked by a door, so thought I couldn't go through, turns out they were automatic. So then lost my head and bashed back the way I came and had to go the 'long way' in my opinion. Lost a minute, so knew I was out of it. Fine through the next couple, were a little tricky then pretty much put my map away after 24 and tried to claw back some time for the finish.

I'm massively disappointed. My plan for weeks had been simply to sit in and orienteer, I knew I'd done the leg work to be fast enough to do this. However, I simply didn't do this, I tried to run it too hard, so stopped orienteering. Lost 2 to 2 and a half minutes so really annoyed, should have medalled. This and the middle were my aims and so by not having a good run, I was in a foul mood. Such a waste having ran well in my urban training, but still 2 races to do.

Jog with Ali, Matt and someone else to get Ali's jacket

Easy out on the roads, felt a little ill but perked up quickly. Threw in a couple of efforts. Then stretches and rolling when home.

Very easy jog, started too quickly so slowed down and when I did my calves were a bit tight. Feeling pretty good.