Training Log Archive: Magic

Easy warm up with Adam. No point in using up too much energy...

Comrie fell relays, Leg 3 with an FVO team of Roger, Fi and Elsie and Ross on last. A great solid run from Roger saw him hand over to the girls in 5th. They held on well to the leading ladies on the leg and sent me out somewhere in the top 10.

A little sluggish starting, but that was grand as it was a long steady climb and I was happy to sit just inside my lactic threshold. Got past by a team early on the climb who was going way faster, so didn't try and stay with him, but was slowly (ever so) catching another guy. Caught him at the checkpoint (years of pin-punching practice meant I was way quicker!). The ridge along the top was fun and quite quickly caught another team, he stuck with me down the long pounding decent on a gravel track and briefly past me before the next checkpoint. Quick punching again saw me nip past though! Had been slowly catching another guy on the decent and he was about 200m ahead as we hit the last flat(ish) bit (I thought it was a bout 1km. It was 2). Worked hard to get him but had nothing left and hit the wall with about 300m to go and about 20m behind.

Good to pull up a few places but not quite strong enough on the climb or enough endurance for the finish. Great running by the rest of the team saw us take the mixed team prize though - especially thanks to Rosco who ran the faster last leg (I was 10 minutes down on mine).

Very easy jog back down the road with Trevor and Adam. Legs a wreck.

Hillfoots and Gleneagles loop, been on my list of things to do so good to eventually do it. Weather wasn't as good as predicted with an annoying wind throughout and a few showers, mild enough though. Was thinking that cars were giving me more space than usual (bright jacket or more media exposure to cycling?) until once got far to close, and then had a caravan on as well. Lots of gesticulating meant that that the two following cars gave we a very wide birth! Tired by the end - need to do quite a bit more to be properly efficient.

Still not wanting to overdo my training comeback so sticking to two rest days a week for the time being.

New loop out to Kinbuck and up to the Gathering Stone (via the new electricity pylon access track). So new that I don't even think that Dixie has done it! Was planning on a cycle but the forecast wasn't great and it was a bit windy, both proved correct. A little heavy to start (stupid urban O!) but moving nicely (if not all that quickly) once warmed up. Worth doing again.

Short warm up loop around the castle with lard.

FVO WEE Stirling (old town), 4.0km, 250m. Was unbelievably awful, I shouldn't be allowed near ISSOM maps because something happens in my brain that prevents it working in any logical manner!

Lost time on 7 of the first 9 legs (significant amount on 5 on them). I know I don't practice urban O much but how can I be so spectacularly bad? When I try to plan ahead I miss things where I am, and I can't read the detail either (even stopping still for 5 seconds had me choosing a route that went through a hedge with no gap...) - though I have no problem with contour detail at 1:15,000! No point in worrying about my running speed when I can't read the map.

Good course and lovely evening though, it's just me who's the Muppet.

Collecting a few controls with Adam, JonX and Rosco.

Legs still tired (and can also feel the few exercises I did after) so giving them a chance to recover. Three days in a row is enough for me at the moment.

Laigh Hills and Ashfield. Needed an easy day as I'm not yet as very fit, definite signs of improvement though despite today being very hard work. Winter has gone and we're back to mild conditions, so sweating profusely despite the ambling tempo.