Training Log Archive: Spur

"Rest day" sprint at Lossiemouth. Good run, only minor necessary hesitations, and went slightly wide on one route in the quarry. 53rd out of 192. 1195 BOF ranking points (just in my top 6).

Day 3 Culbin Forest. Got it right today, really pleased. 4th place. Maybe one minute of small mistakes at #5 and #6 but not enough to catch Ben. Today is my best result at a 6 days since my first event in 1985! Hope to keep some consistency for the rest of the week. (Postscript- 1193 BOF ranking points, not quite good enough to get into my top 6 for the year of mainly sprint prologues which is a bit ridiculous really)

Day 2, Carse of Ardersier. Felt a bit heavy legged after yesterday, and more cautious with path options. Lost a couple of minutes circling for a well hidden depression, but otherwise only a couple of minor wobbles. Better...9th place. (and a 17s run-in)

S6D - Day 1 at Lossie on M40S. Very wet. Was flying early on (2nd place to #8), got to #9 in 15 mins and it felt quite easy. But then got totally confused by a long, straight, wide unmapped ride on the long leg and blew 5 minutes and the whole race. Unsettled and lost another minute at the next, composed myself to find the tricky control in the green ok, then came out of it the wrong way and wasted another 2 minutes. 19 second sprint finish. Very disappointed. 15th.

Control collecting at Lossie, scenic north west section of the map. Got lost another 3 times, couldn't make any sense of the map at all with all the extra unmapped paths. Relieved to find them and get out the carpark!

6 day training area at Phorp. A few nice bits but lots of high bracken.

Route choice training round Mosshead followed by pizza, ice cream and 6-day chat.

Pollok park-run 5k. Pretty hot, but avoided getting Tom McKean'd at the start. Flagging a bit in the middle but rallied for my best time in 3 years. Half a minute off my PB, not bad for a hot day.

Queens Park perimeter, taking it fairly easy.

Walk up steep hill to the start of orienteering race at Harrop Tarn in the Lake District.

Blue course at Harrop Tarn. Wonderful area but another really hot day for running! Spiked 1 to 6 on open fell and running well but lost a few minutes on #7 struggling to make sense of small rocks on the edge of spurs and marshes. Long leg to 9 traversing uphill across various crags, toiling in the heat, overtaken by Ali Wood then went a bit too high and lost a couple of minutes, although saw #10 from above en route, so spiked it and re-overtook Ali. Off the fell and into woodland, instantly messed up a short woodland leg by drifting too low too fast and lost 3 minutes. Got lucky on #14, from my attackpoint saw the kite first time, buried behind some fallen trees (and overtook Ali again). At the last control (#15, crag foot) entertained by someone else shouting "where is this crag" right above me as I punched it. Scenic run-in by the side of the tarn. Surprised and pleased to finish 2nd, only about a minute off the M16 winner (though he made a hash of #2). If I can cut out mistakes like #12, I might have a chance to 'do something' at the 6 days (where I am targeting an improvement on last time's 11th place).

Post race cool-down swim in the tarn.

Sprint prologue round Haworth. Avoided being distracted by the Bronte sisters and recorded an almost perfect run. Unbelievably hot for running though. 6th mens vet out of 16, 44s off Charlie Adams. 1205 BOF ranking points gathered, into my top 3 ;-)

C • Looking goood for Moray! 3

Chasing sprint at Penistone Country Park above Haworth. Even hotter with no shade and hard work through the heather. Kept my 6th place overall; lost ground on the guy ahead of me on #6, when in hindsight a longer path route looked quicker, but kept it clean and kept a reasonable gap over 7th man.

Leisurely evening cycle. Queens Park, Cathkin Park, Newlands Park and the Orchard Park.

Overtoun Estate. Felt very sluggish tonight, too hot and hayfever playing up. Great views, must be a nice place to work!

C • Overtoun Estate 1

Evening cycle through Pollok Park, Cardonald, Bellahouston, Ibrox, along the River Clyde and back via Pollokshields and the chinese takeaway.

Glorious evening so walked up the hill from Saturday's race to see where I got lost and to take photos!

Clyde coaching at Mugdock, putting out and collecting controls for star exercise planned by Kenny; thanks to Andy and Dave for assistance today. Good turnout.

Luss Highland Games Hill Race. Could be struck off as an orienteering coach after this shambles! Started steadily with a lap round the Highland Games showground, then passed under the A82 and gradually up the hill. Started to get very steep fairly early and 'hit the wall' only half way up, walking a fair bit through thick bracken and boggy tussock. Hard to see the cleanest route but the leader knew where he was going. Made it to the top in 6th, right behind 4th and 5th and was descending well and managed to edge into 3rd half way down, then got excited, lost the optimum path in amongst the bracken, went way left and got totally lost!!! Meandered through a few fields and over fences I'd not seen on the way up, relocated off a river, stopped to tie my shoe-lace and did a lap of honour in the arena finishing 7th! Did beat a guy on his stag-do whose pals appeared to have also entered him into every track and field event! A good fun event and I'll take a compass next year.

C • out of how many?? 3

First run up Queens View & Whangie. Great views of Loch Lomond.