Training Log Archive: Thompass

SOL Dunalastair

A fairly physical job today, I did not particularly enjoy the marshes or the rocky footing. My ankles and achilles felt a little bit out of their depth, but got through it. The western half was much easier running, which was a nice change. Navigation was fine.

Good start up to 1, across to 2, down to 3. I got confused to 2 because I crossed a ruined fence and thought I had accidentally come to low, but was also much closer to the open above me than I would be if I had come below the green patch. Decided to just stay on the compass. My feet were pretty uncomfortable going to 3, have had some plantar complaints, going to do more calf raises and relevant stretched, as suggested by Boyan.

By the time 3 came around, had learned that the marshes were miserable, so went a bit wide to 4 to try and avoid them. Unfortunately, no such chance to 5. A mix of running, stumbling, and walking to get up the hill. Fitness will build a little more resilience for this type of physicality.

Things start to get a bit more runnable. Mandatory fence crossing to 7. I decided to stay to the right of the line to get more forest running, at the time going straight looked too marshy for my liking. Looking back now, I don't think it was so bad there, and I likely lost time not staying on the line. The marsh at the fence itself was much better than the previous ones.

Easy nav to 8 and 9, tied my laces because the lace tape immediately came off pretty much when I started. Lines aren't quite as straight as I would have liked, but they are acceptable. Easy control to 11. To 12, I wanted to stay high to avoid the big marsh. My original plan was to stay high until past 5, cross a tiny bit of marsh, and get a nice wooded entry into the control. Changed my plan, thought that I would only be crossing marshes, which might not be too bad, and the straight line distance would make up for the poor runnability. Don't know which is better. I ended up going along the contour a bit longer anyway to avoid that last marsh before the control. Route execution could have been better at several points.

We get a bit of a change of scenery here. Around the marsh again, not dealing with that. Get passed by GG and Boyan at this point, got to see them for a little bit. I took a bit of a right line compared to them to 13, That climb into 13 was massive for some reason. With my route, I shouldn't have rejoined them before going for the climb into the control. I should have continued to the right of the marsh and taken the gradual climb. Don't think it would have been too shabby.

As quickly as they had come, they start to pull away. Mantra recently has been full focus on myself. I don't want to get distracted by wondering if I can catch someone this week that I wasn't able to catch last week, and constantly assessing where I am compared to everyone else, and I have generally kept to that pretty well. I've been less distracted in the woods than pre-injury.

Last controls aren't too tricky. There was an extra fence crossing to 16. It is marked but difficult to see because of the fence ticks and the surrounding rocks, and I wasn't sure if it was the mandatory fence crossing so I went further along to where it was marked on the map. It did confuse me a bit though. Fortunately there was another crossing where I expected it.

Overall, physically better, navigationally not very tricky so not much to report there. Fun weekend, I was going to go to the gym on Monday but my legs feel like they've been whipped about so don't think lifting is the one today. Next up should be British Sprints and Middles in two weeks, assuming there isn't a Glen Dye squadron next weekend.