Training Log Archive: Magic

The Wall at Afan, planning on doing the W2 route but missed the junction. Nice climb with some good single track (much more comfortable after letting a few PSI out of my tyres).

The downhill started nicely but then got very stony and rough and was more than my hardtail (with limited front suspension) was happy with. Got well rattled and didn't enjoy it as much. All ride-able though.

C • All ridable? 1

Second loop in Afan, this time around the Penhydd trail. Long climb up a very rough forest road followed by some quite enjoyable singletrack, but again it turned too rocky for my bike and I had to slow.

Nice day out and great to eventually get here. More on offer but I think I need to either get a better bike or find somewhere with more flowing trails.

As flat a run as I could find without running on tarmac. Actually not too bad and wasn't feeling as tired as I expected. An easy day did no harm though (had to run all the way to the front door to get to 7km!).

Nice run past Margam castle to the start. Nice distance and mostly on grass.

Croeso Day 5, Margam Park, M21L, 6.1km, 320m, 21 controls, DISQ.

Never saw #5 on the map, had planned my route to #4 before leaving #3 and wasn't able to look at my map as I was so busy trying to stay upright on the downhill and climb over fallen trees. The code at #6 wasn't what I was expecting but I knew it was mine (and that happens all the time anyway). So didn't know I'd missed it until downloading.

There's always that moment when you're downloading and you wonder if you did something wrong, but you usually get to breath a sigh of relief, but not today. Real shame as I needed to count today for an overall score having not been able to run yesterday.

Otherwise the run was quite good, was expecting to feel tired, and maybe I was a bit slow on the hills in the woods), but otherwise was moving okay. Made my biggest mistake of the week (discounting leaving out #5) at #9 when I started sliding down the hill to the wrong control. Was fairly sure it wasn't mine but once momentum took over I decided to go for it, maybe 25 seconds?

Thereafter the course was easy and fast and (much to my annoyance) I strung together by far my best sequence of splits for the week over the last 6 controls.

Somewhat long for a middle (Jamie won in 45:30ish) but I enjoyed it and it was another really different terrain type for the week, which turned out to be good all round.

Waking and checking controls, which was a worthwhile exercise as a pair had the wrong codes on. Not moving fast as the grass has grown up a fair bit in the last month, also started getting misty and wet half way round (didn't have a compass but didn't need it).

Overall the day seems to have gone well. The only non-positive comments we had was on the yellow (which had difficult steams to follow), but looking at the results it was only a very few that it effected so probably as much down to experience as the terrain. All in all very happy with the day.

Didn't mange to find anyone willing to collect the far bunch of controls, so... the mist and most of the rain had gone so it was quite nice out, but legs very tired after being on the move all day.

Event: Summer Park Series 6
 

Hanging controls for tomorrow (4 hours), very tired by the end. Also appear to have got a blister right under the top of my toe (how?) and the top of my right foot is well sore. Lovely sunny day - haven't had enough to drink.

Start too close for a proper warm up. Walk from the car to assembly wasn't.

Croeso Day 3, Margam Forest North, 8.7km, 375m, 25 controls.

As expected, I enjoyed this. Didn't find the grotty bits of forest that others seemed to be complaining about - hardly had to bend over at any stage.

The first bit was mad slippy but also quite runnable (pessimistic mapping on the green front). The only really nasty bits were the open areas where the vegetation was quite substantial - happy not to to be an early start for these bits (tried to cut the corner to #19 but discovered that non one had before me and I wasn't going to be a trail-breaker).

Technically good again with no real time lose, just tired legs - especially on the climbs towards the end of the course and up to the last control. Tough day but also a lot of track running so pleased enough with the result again (about minutes down on Jamie P who was impressive again).

MDC run from Abercynon. Slightly alternative car park - only saw one dodgy deal being done. Route was actually quite nice with not much in the way of brambles going on. Meal in Wetherspoons apparently was a few calories short of 2000... (nicked some chips and onion-rings off Ben to make sure that I was sustained).

Nice distance to the start to get warmed up.

Croeso Day 2, Kenfig, M21L, 5.9km,

Nice and twisty course but the terrain was just too fast for me. Ran as hard as I could and didn't have any trouble keeping up with the nav, but just wasn't fast enough. Lost 5 seconds or so in numerous places but nothing more than that, so would have been hard to have been much quicker. No rain today. Finished about 5th, over three minutes down on PeterB but a bit closer to the pack. Pleased enough with that.

Out to collect a bunch of 9 controls. Too close to a baked potato, not feeling great. Sun came out making it hot work. Arms aching.