Training Log Archive: Lulu

Looong way to the start. Jog/walk with Alex and SammyG

JK long 2 - 5.3km, 110m
Weather was abysmal and I knew it was going to be misty on the top which would made it even harder.
First couple of controls in the quarries were simples. Took first one onto the moors pretty slowly. Bearing to #4 and hit it dead on. #5 I attempted to follow my compass north as that was what the leg did. I ended up drifting off though (I'm saying due to the mist) and I had no clue where I was. I tried not to panic though and just carried on heading north until I reached the path. Hit it but still didn't know where I'd hit it.... Carried on going and saw some open hills which were very near the control! STILL didn't know which was which... Saw a control which looked about right and ran to it but of course it wasn't mine! Then I saw another one which looked even more right and was so very relieved when it was mine!! So I didn't actually get lost, I just never knew where I was and lost loads of time in stopping/walking because of this reason!! (~3mins) Then #6... I'd somehow caught Chloe up at 5 as she'd made an even bigger mistake than I had! So we were together on this leg. I didn't let myself get distracted though and concentrated on where I was going but I got into the area of the control and just didn't have a clue where it was! (it was a pit in the middle of loads of pits with no obvious feature near it!) Me and Chloe and Roanne and Claire were just wandering around the area trying to figure out something that would help us find the control, but we couldn't. Somehow, eventually, we found the control and were on out way to the next, but I've still no clue what I did... (~8mins) #7 I was off to right because once again, I couldn't understand the map - frustrating-.- (~1min). No mistakes after this just very slowly plodded along, watching Chloe and Claire running away from me into the distance....
18 minutes down on the winner in the end - a simply awful run.

JK long 1 - W16a, Course 17, 5.6km, 135m
#1 was a nice easy control which helped get into it a bit. Then #2 I was quite hesitant and stopped short, too low down even though it was only a short leg! (~20s). #3 was the first long leg and I simplified it nicely by looking into the distance and spotting two very obvious open patches to navigate by which made it an easy leg for me! #5 wasn't great.... I tried to simplify it again but I juts couldn't work out what anything was! Ended up miles too far right although I realised this almost immediately. Then I was in the right area but still couldn't work anything out and eventually relied on seeing someone else punching it! (~2mins). Had caught up two other people on my course who were also looking for #5 and I stupidly got distracted by them and wandered off my bearing to #6 (~30s). Then wandered off again on #8 - such a small leg! (~20s). Lost all sense of direction on #11 and hit a 'black cross' which was miles of the line -.- (~1min). Last issue was the control in the pit before the spectator crossing, #14. I knew it was mine before I'd even started but I just couldn't find it when I got to it.... (~1min).
Overall a pretty average run. Could have been so much worse but equally should have been much better becauseI guess it wasn't as hard as I was expecting it to be! I was 11 minutes down on Pippa in the end but that should only have been about 5.... I'm just much slower than her and her very long legs across the terrain!!

JK sprint - W16, Course 8, 2.2km, 45m
Feeling pretty confident going into it. All the controls were fine apart from #19 (2nd to last) because I didn't know exactly where it was and I started heading up the stairs before realising it was at the bottom! Not sure how good my route was to #1 after discussing it with dad, but think I could've lost quite a but of time trying to decide on the best route, so glad I just chose one and stuck with it. Went off a bit too hard I think and slowed down quite a bit near the end... Good run just not got the stamina to keep up a fast pace to get a time near Emma or Fiona!

C • Hi 1

JK tomorrow oh my.....

Awesome training on JK terrain! Wasn't going fast and walked a chunk of it when I caught up with mum while we discussed routes! No major mistakes just a couple of <30s errors here and there, so all positive :D Beautiful hot, sunny weather as well :)

Hike with Mum, Dad, Michael and the Conways up Pen Y Fan and Cribyn. Such a nice day that I managed it to the top of Pen Y Fan in just a tshirt ;)