Training Log Archive: bradc

More of a splash than a run - yeuch. Nice steady pace, legs OK (but then I did have a rest day yesterday) although a bit tired on the climb; hip flexors a little sore. Ashfield, Laighills, Darn Path, up to the Sherrifmuir road and home via the wood. Very muddy.

Packed up the car with all the gear, two sick girls and one grumpy boy, and headed home. Would have been a lovely day at Ardchattan, but not too bothered about not running; I'd never have made my 10:05 start anyway.

Six Days day 5, Loch Nell and Shenavallie. M40L: 8.3km +310m, 25c. 15th!

On the face of it, by far my best run of the week - but, in reality, something of a Pyrrhic victory! Started off badly, because there were trees (I hate trees - well, when orienteering, anyway), and stuffed up 1 and 2. Started moving along OK after that, but had a poor RC to 5, where young Mr Inman caught me up. Decision time. I knew that if I carried on as I was, I would pooter around slowly, make mistakes and take nothing away from it. Or I could tuck in behind Jase for a while, trying to read my map whilst seeing how it is really done. I didn't feel too bad about this, TBH - I wasn't "in the running", by any means.

So, what did I learn? I run far, far, far too slowly and without confidence when I orienteer (compare my HR with the other days!). I don't read my map often enough, and I need to be able to read it at speed. I don't adjust my pace. My control flow is crap. And - most obviously - Jase is a totally awesome orienteer! I was hanging on for grim death (until the wheels came off after 23, and I lost three minutes over the final 800m!), and he just thundered through the terrain and navigated effortlessly all the way. And was clearly concentrating like a demon all the time. Quite incredible. Hero!

C • Seen this? 2

Six Days day 4, Torinturk. M40L: 8.7km +325m.

Better today. Open moorland, the type of O that I can actually do (from time to time), none of those horrible trees. Nav pretty easy, too, TBH. Still pretty rough and tough underfoot, though. I went round in survival mode, 75-80%, and probably only made about 3 minutes of actual mistakes; I was just too slow. I'd have been happier if I was 10 minutes quicker, which is probably about as good as I can get with poor control flow and hesitant navigation, but at least I actually enjoyed it today! Pouring rain at the start and occasionally thereafter (it got nicer for later starters) but once on the go it made little difference.

Beccy still with a very sore ear infection, and I really wasn't too fussed about going to Creag Mhic - fed up with O after two days! - so this was an extra, if tedious, rest day.

Six Days day 2, Ardnasty. M40L: 7.3km +285m. Dreadful run. Late at the start, flustered. Made huge mistakes; unable to read the map and couldn't hold any sort of line in the terrain.

Event: Scottish 6 Days Oban 2011
 

Six Days day 1, Dunollie & Ganavan. M40L: 7.1km +370m. Poor run. Very choppy underfoot, tough slog, not fit enough for it; made a series of very stupid mistakes to boot.