Training Log Archive: helehan

SHI Relays, Forvie - 3rd leg with Heather H and Fay (CYM-2).

So tired after yesterday's exertions!!

People were coming back off legs 1 & 2 and everyone was saying how tough it was, especially for sanddunes. It was hard going, but not quite as much as everyone was making out to it, and despite feeling awful when warming up, felt much fresher than I expected once I got out onto the course. Didn't see anyone at all for most of the course, until I caught Kirsten at 14 who was really struggling. Was just behind/ahead until I lost a few seconds at 17 and came in shortly after Sco 3. Weird running a relay and hardly seeing anyone, but the teams were so dispersed by then that I wasn't likely to. This is why I much prefer 1st leg!! Still, pleased with the time/result. The Welsh girls did their job and wiped the floor with the Irish - Wales 2 weren't far behind Ireland 1 in the end. But let down by incomplete teams and a lack of depth in the men's classes. Next time.

Race the Castles WRE & SHI Individual, Balmoral.

So much for nice forest! Really tough going - I've always struggled to move well through this kind of terrain without falling over. Downhills were a nighmare, felt like I could break an ankle at any minute. Much of the course can be described as stumbling/tiptoeing over rocks and plodding up steep hills - very little actual running!

Still, this is the longest I've ever been out without making any major mistakes, a few small RC errors but fine in the circles. And I didn't get bored/lose the will to live as usually happens in long races, except for the leg straight up the hill to 14. In spite of all the above moans I did really enjoy it, but this is not the kind of terrain I've ever really done well on, or certainly not at this level! More bravery required!

So tired by the finish!!

Event: JOK Chasing Sprint
 

Hilly, windy loop from home - LlanfairPG, Four Crosses, Ceint, Pentre Berw, home.

very slight sore throat - come on body, keep fighting!

Performance gym session and a few bits of core and weights on my own afterwards.

Great session, until I ran out of steam towards the end. Worked and completed two 6a+s = good session.

Tired after long weekend. Knees aching, and some discomfort in feet - like I've slightly bruised the pads of my heels? Shouldn't be anything major though.

Run to start

Race the Castles - Stirling.

I don't like running this early. Had breakfast 2h before but could still feel it when running, particularly first 10 min of race.

Nailed the navigation in the castle, only error was on 2 where I missed the optimal route, but made a very quick decision on a safe one, so probably didn't lose too much time.

Had a slight tip off as saw people standing around scratching their heads looking for 6 as I was running 3-4. Planned control ahead and saw steps in straight away. For me there was no confusion at all - I knew to look for steps coming in to courtyard. However I think once you got to the control area it would have been easy to confuse yourself with what you could/couldn't see.

Almost caught Anne and another Scottish junior after this, and decided to go N route via graveyard to 11. Missed Tarmac path, followed grass path into woods which promptly disappeared and left me stuck fighting my way through brambles for 2.5 min. Rest of course fine, good routes. V disappointed to throw it away on such a silly mistake! 24 would have been very competitive today.

Still, gives me a bit if confidence that I can mix it with the best - I wasn't as far down as I expected to be all weekend, and it was so much fun to be part of it!

Easy run from Zoe's halls up onto Arthur's seat (walked up the steep bit) - mostly cos I've never been up there, and had some time to kill before heading to the station. Borrowed an O map and made a nice little loop back over Salisbury crags. Totally inappropriate footwear, lucky I didn't slip on all the rocky and muddy paths in Lunarglides! Beautiful afternoon, saw another couple of RTC foreigners out doing a similar thing.

Event: Race the Castles
 

Jog to start, drills strides etc.

RTC sprint.

Pretty happy with this - it's a very fair reflection of where I'm at. In a nutshell, I ran 24:30 clean (approx my 5km time) against a bunch of top athletes who would easily run a sub/low-20 5km. So there's the difference.

Navigated cleanly and flowing well. Really struggled on the steps, and also on the rougher grass. Still chuffed with result, 35th/50 on elite at a WRE will do for now! Just need to go away and get quicker.

Edinburgh warm up sprint.

Long journey up then had to get skates on to drop stuff in hostel and make it to event on time. Not really in frame of mind to run!

Multi level nightmare! I usually love the tricky stuff in sprints but head wasn't quite there tonight. Also, since I wasn't in 'race mode' I was more inclined to stop and work out what the hell was going on, rather than trying to keep moving.

Big time losses on 5, 16, and missed the route along the pavement to 11 as I thought the whole road was OOB.

Found moving at (almost) sprint pace at night, with a dim head torch quite difficult - could barely read the map on the go. This isn't something I've struggled with before but I do think during night O in forests you can afford to simplify, not read details, and also stop and check if needs be. Can't do that in sprints!