Training Log Archive: Old Daniel

Another cold day -ground frozen but wind chill not to bad. Ran in multiple layers. Standard route from Swineford to golf course, Round Hill and back. Whilst foot did hurt and pace was glacial I did keep going on the hill and complete the route

BAOC Event at Greenham Common. Very cold day and frozen rock hard. Foot was a bit a painful, particularly in the forest section and breathing not great but really enjoyed the orienteering. So not going fast especially in forest section where long splits were despite being clean. Long time was really due to lack of concentration through the 31 controls.
(1) ran to 152 not 132 -thought I had passed square thicket -disconcerting.
(Not into map, not sure what was a frozen pond or frozen flooding.
(2) Ran 5,7,6,7......not really intentional, nor a good way of saving time
(3) Big hesitation going to 13 first leg into trading estate - scale stays at 1:10000 not a usual Urban scale and needlessly lost confidence and went to relocate
(4) 16 a pit. ran down hill crossed stream, no control assumed vegetation had pushed me off line went left to fence, then back and right to dam, then back and up to pit, which was at least one contour higher than mapped but no excuse for lack of confidence and losing so much time.
(5) Did not initially see crossing point - you had to go under using stream but did find pit which was a bit higher and further round hill
(6) 28 did not go to AP rather cut into flag where MBO competitor was punching -shame it was not mine
(7) 31 -ran to wrong last control with other runners, what was that about learning

Slow potter on Purdown to see if foot was bearable -which it was

The idea was to use January to build on the early training and transition to some faster running and then competition. Instead with the injuries and gap in training not only can I not run properly or quickly nor can I run in any kind of even light rough terrain but I am now losing general fitness. So new idea is just to focus on what I can do and reverse this trend

Another day with just a walk

Was very much in two minds about going to Stock Hill but did. This proved to be a mistake as foot hurt almost from outset. Not only could I not run but concentration was not existent and I got quite cold. Looks like anything that looks like orienteering in a proper forest is going to be challenging

I have not run since Wednesday but managed a short walk on the last few days
Ash said 'that I had gone from not orienteering but running to protect foot to orienteering and not running'

BAOC at Hankley North. Started steady and basically kept going. Yes made a couple of small errors and probably got too of the longer route choices wrong but compared with Blakney much better in the flat, soft easy terrain. Quite slow and the splits seem not to have worked, so not sure where time lost other than everywhere.
Hamstring was not much of an issue but (and there seems to be always a but these days) for no obvious reason foot started to hurt in the last km. Did not think much of it at the time but next day more uncomfortable than for the last couple of months. B****R -hope this will not become an issue

Ran round some cycle paths in Bradley Stoke - just very steady but could just feel hamstring at start. Seem to ease off later on

Square one ? Had intended to run today but could feel hamstring so just went for a walk - all a bit frustrating

Warm up -feeling quite loose and good

NGOC Galloppen at Blakney -ran ok through 1 and 2 then on route to 3 (uphill) a slight tweak to hamstring and reduced to limping on (again) for the rest of the course. Very slow through the steep areas -all a bit disappointing.

Not run this week but walked everyday. Only occasionally feeling hamstring which seems to be less troublesome

Does my foot hurt? -yes. Is my hamstring sore? -yes, Is it a good idea to run......

Jog along road to and from car park and race

Burley - forest was in superb condition and although some might say course was not difficult as the route was basically the red line it is a delightful venue for orienteering. My hamstring was painful before I went but I had the entry and was committed to giving lifts. So started with the premise of not racing at all just staying steady and cutting it short if/when anything got too painful or I had been out too long. The New Forest is however very flat and soft and probably one of the few areas that did not do any damage. So only downside was that I was very slow and a string of Services runners ran passed. I did have some confusion with the classic jumping a leg on the map with several controls in a straight line but not too much time lost. On a couple of legs a path option might have been better but hey.....

Cold Ashton loop with Dave and Celia. Going fine then made a small slip/ fall which tweaked the hamstring -ouch. Fortunately near end and others did not mind some walking on final hill. Did enjoy trip out

Ran with Mark, Alice and Chris from Rowborrow -up through the wood over the top down through Tynings Farm along and down to Nature reserve, Mendip muddle route to near masts over the top, down and across Beacon batch and back through the lower path in the wood. Did not go too well, out of breath on the hills, felt hamstring of flat sections and foot on downhill......other than that! Luckily the others seemed ok with frequent stops for me to catch up and shorter route back. Hopefully current capability will not be permanent . Really enjoyed the route and company

Although I was frustrated to do it a rest day yesterday was a good idea and I felt better to day. A slow run on Purdown really to check out hamstring, which whilst I could feel was no worse than Monday. Was running very stiffly and knee was not great but overall a pass. An easy variant but did include 2 hills

Enforced day off. Nice sunny day and had arranged to run with Mark -but I cried off - a bit disappointing

Ran on Downs but had to truncate session. Warmed up ok but breathing poor when I started so perhaps not running properly. LH hamstring started to hurt and 'on fire' during 2.5 mins so bailed out and returned to car. Clearly not ready for faster stuff yet but hopefully a little recovery time and can return to slower stuff

Blaise from the car park, started quite fast and struggled a bit on the hills. Felt I was slowing over last 30% so quite pleased with time. Weather has been much warmer in last few days but very grey with odd spot of rain.
Hamstring did not much like me pushing!

I had initially intended to go to the orienteering today but hamstring not really ok and still have remnants of a cold so racing perhaps not a great idea. Not sure what I should do but needed an easier option so ran in the lanes off the edge of the Downs through Henbury Golf course along the river to Sea Mills and back. Not truly a road run but ran in road shoes and higher percentage road than in normal off road.

C • Sounds like a good week! 2

The now customary New Year long run with Dave and a typical Kingham special. I am tempted to say I have no idea where we went but probably Sapperton, Wysis Way, Far Oak Ridge, Bourne's Green, Bisley, Miseden and Park, Edgeworth Manor and Sapperton. All places I don't think I had visited before. No shortage in variety of terrain nor ups and downs Ran well to about 20km, then a bit messy, poor way marking of paths and general tiredness caused end to be a bit frustrating and slow. But a really good and enjoyable outing on a frozen, grey day.

I could feel my hamstring a little from the start but no worse by the end

Good Turn out of chums (Fosters x2, Simmons x 2, Mark and Alice) for loop from Cold Ashton. Cold with remnant heavy frost where the bright low sun had not reached, picturesque countryside and some remarkable winter lighting effects. The pace was a bit quicker than sometimes, partly because it was hard rather than muddy but mostly because we were chasing Alice who disappeared off the front after about 300m and we only saw her when she paused to allow us to catch up. But we did catch her! (Even the best stop to get changed on their return...….)

Foot was fine until cow ruts in the bottom of St Catherine's valley. After this LH hamstring was a bit sore (running style issue?)…...Don't want issues! just need to re-establish Training drum beat.

Enjoyed this run

Although I really enjoyed yesterday I was probably a bit over optimistic yesterday so opted for an easier loop of Ashton Court. Breathing still not great but another crisp only a little above freezing day just as it should be at this time of year and much enjoyed

BAOC event at Ash on a cold crisp day. Felt pretty rubbish before I started so little warm up but start I did. Really well planned courses variety of legs -lots of choice and occasional clusters of short legs. Really struggled on straight route to no 1 and realised survival would the order of the day so ongoing pace was "steady". Some heather was quite tough early on but much faster later so tended to go round early and straight later. Really enjoyed the day. Downside was that foot was not great on the rougher ground …….but I guess that was not much of a surprise

Not particularly auspicious start to New Year not ready to be competitive today so just went for a steady run Purdown, Eastville Park and Frome valley. Shortest route back via Wren Close