Training Log Archive: Psuba

The Solgar nutrient capsules I have won in the Running Heroes draw has arrived.

Will see in a month if it transformed me into a superhero. But hey, it was free!

Event: SOC Wessex Night League Event
 

SOC Eastleigh Wessex Night League.

Quite a good turnout and a nice pub as a base with open log fire. Which was needed as it was cold outside and although it did not rain, the whole are is now soaked - so shoes and socks followed suit.



Managed the strategy slightly better than I usually do (that's not saying much), although it was a straight score with a double sided map which predetermined much of the strategy anyway. Did still manage to waste about 4-5 minutes worth of distance with suboptimal route choice.
As a SOC event expected a few speedy youngsters and Rob F did a remarkably good time which is beyond what I could have achieved nowadays even if everything went well.

Nevetheless, running was mixed - felt quite sliggish in the middle (and it was slower than I should be able to do), came back towards the end. Should be doing long warmups for events that really count.

The headlamp was behaving badly at the beginning, it seems its button has a problem or maybe it was just the cold. Once it was properly turned on it was OK all the way, but could not change intensity. Connections were taped this time so thankfully no time wasted with trying to make it come back to life all the time like in the Poole event.

Event: Military League South event Pyestock
 

Orienteering Military League South Pyestock - Brown Course

Map slightly wrong on controls 1&2 so duly lost time there as well as 14. Then I messed up on 18 which was totally my fault, so by that time out of contention. It was a good session for compass training/bearing as many of the legs needed running on bearing which I have executed mostly OK.

Ran this as a lunchtime break.

Orienteering Military League South Pyestock - Long Orange Course

Ran this Non-comp after doing the Brown, just to get the training distance in. Pretty tired by this point but managed to get around before they closed everything off.

Nice if cold weather, though.

Wessex training, got there late so did 3 1k reps only.

3:46, :44, :57, the rest are warm up/down and mulling about with the team between reps. Should really do twice as much and then I would be happy about this pace for now.

10x 270m high intensity intervals, 1:15 and 1:30 off (alternating) + warm up / cool down.

Interval average pace was:
3:08s, 20, 14, 19, 12, 20, 27, 25, 33, 14

Short session of the week with the expectation of what is coming up.

Usual - balance ball, core exercises

Event: GO SE League event
 

Level B - Blackheath & Farley Heath Orienteering event, Black course

First time I ever ran Black, so only wanted to see how I am handling physically. Technically, I have made about 3:10 worth of errors throughout which is not that bad, but this was really a runners course. (Note after reviewing splits: clearly there were more errors in there than I have initially estimated. Probably some of them was route choice where I would have been faster running around on paths - even with adjusting for speed difference, the time loss due to errors could have been above 5 min) About half of that error was near the end (so obviously fatigue caused me to make some errors). I felt like I was OK from a stamina perspective, but clearly not fast enough. Probably could have pushed and gained another 5 minutes or so, but still about 24 minutes behind Nick B. who won (black course and all) so it would not have made a huge difference. Looking at age class results probably should aim to complete a course like this in about 70 minutes realistically, and it feels like doing proper training can get me there. I suspect a lot of the time was lost not on roads but just learning how to run fast over rough terrain (no news there).

Not a hugely challenging area navigationally, although there were a few interesting bits at the edges, and the area allowed for selecting different techniques on different legs, which I think means good planning.

Got myself a VJ iRock in the end so run with that as well, no problems like I have with the 212 or the Falcon, so looks like a keeper.

Garmin told me after the finish that it detected a new Lactate Threshold and adjusted my speed to 4:29 with 166BPM, which is funny because clearly the speed was much lower here on terrain - so real LTHR is clearly a much faster pace and it could have adjusted in the opposite direction.

Took the opportunity of a break in the rain and ran what Garmin's new Forerunner says is its Lactate Threshold determining test.

Probably wasn't a very good time to do it, seems like yesterdays junk food made me weak, the whole run was a bit of a drag. Also had headwind for much of it. Also not dressed in "proper" running gear, felt a bit warm too. Nevertheless - weak all around. Not that surprised then that the LT test gave a bit low reading, but pretty surprised that it bailed on the first interval already, when I was actually running purposely slowly, or at least kept my HR decently down.
The watch recons my LTHR is 4:27m at 166BPM. Seems reasonable but today was definitely worse, my HR was at that height with much lower pace.

Looking at the VO2Max numbers they do come down this week too, from 53 Tuesday to 51 today. Will keep watching, it reflects my personal feel about the exercise but it is not what it should be. I am however now considering that I should hold back from running Black tomorrow and revert back to Brown. Will see how I feel tomorrow.

Planks, balance ball, push-ups, sit-ups, stretch ribbon