Training Log Archive: Jon X

Got away with it at the JK but definitely still not 100% with still a bit of a sore throat and some coughing. Would expect to be a bit run down anyway after the racing plus not getting home until 11.30pm on Monday night. Rest day an easy call.

No warm down yesterday (straight to the tent to put all my clothes on) so took a little while to get moving today.

JK Relay, Storthes Hall
M120+, FVO (Will-Jon-Marcus) the winners!

At JK in 2013 when I was training for a marathon, I was close for 2nd in the sprint behind winner James Logue and then a close 4th in the individual behind winner James Logue. Then in the 120+ relay I took us from first to second on final leg.....with JK 2016 looking very similar so far, I was hoping today was a chance to break the pattern rather than anything else....

On the way to the event from Sheffield we drove past Tankersley, where in 2011 the FVO M40 British Relay team crossed the line first but I had mispunched on my leg. Hopefully a motivating reminder not an omen....

Great first leg from Will set me up nicely, he was not far behind Jamie S for our JK Trophy team and right with Daniel S for EUOC. I knew BOK (Phil Murray on leg 2) and FVO2 (Ben on leg 2) were close behind though (and no way was I keeping up at all with Jonny Crickmore who took over from Daniel!).

Set off fast, crossed into the wood, over a stream, into a small re-entrant and a flag. Not mine! Off west to check, saw a hide, came back to same flag, still not mine but here is Phil Murray.....but here is mine very close below and on a very similar feature, hmm. Nearly a minute lost and Phil punches right behind and I know is much faster than me, hmmm.

But ran well after that, Phil made a small mistake in the urban and I never saw him again - thinking he had a different gaffle I thought he may be ahead which kept me pushing hard! Handed to Marcus with more than a minute lead over Clive H for BOK - and Marcus doubled the gap for a clear win, with Jase bringing FVO2 home in third as well :)

So at last in a winning FVO vet team, delighted!

And a great day for FVO, with men taking JK Trophy and women retaining the Women Open plus the M120+ and W120+ teams both winning to make it a double double!

C • Impressive weekend 2

Jog with Marcus. Tired now!

At the arena with loads of time, pleased to see the big rain storm blow through and some blue sky appear. Got ready to warm up and it started to rain again. Waited until it just about stopped and then headed up to the start. Weather seemed to be clearing up but there was a big cloud in the distance.....

JK day 3, M45L.
6th place. Winner James Logue 62:40 (second Niklas Bratt 70:14).

Saw James start up the hill and I knew I wouldn't be running at that pace when I started! Set off okay though, but a little messy with direction and also shipping a few seconds in the circle at several early controls.

Pushed on for the long leg uphill to #8 and blowing quite hard when I got there......which doesn't really excuse the horrible mistake I then made. Knew it was uphill into the wind to the crossing point by the hill, thought there was only one hill, looked up and saw a hill, ran to it. Way, way, way left of where I was supposed to be. Perhaps looking at the compass would have been wise. Or spotting the left hand route to avoid the climb (not sure it was better though). Had to run all the way north up the wall to the crossing point (at least it was in the wrong place and a bit closer to me than it should have been!). Probably 2 minutes lost. Ridiculous.

Okay round the next loop and then put the boot in on the long leg across to #12, not enough caution from the crossing point and past the line of pits, realised I was unsure just as it started to hail. Found a flag, wrong one, dropped down further, then realised the control was actually much higher. Turned round and it was straight into the wind and horrific hail. Freezing instantly. Couldn't look at map because it was needed to protect my face and eyes. Ground going very white very quickly. Found the flag but another 2mins or more lost. Although that was the least of my concerns, mostly I was worried about covering up my head and keeping running so I didn't freeze to death.

Next bit downwind was manageable but unpleasant, the couple back into the wind and snow/hail after that were trickier but (along with some routes deliberately circuitous to pass on the more sheltered side of hills and knolls) map memory and some good fortune helped me find them even with flags largely covered in white stuff. Then back downwind to the finish. Freezing but nowhere near as cold as some of the elite refugees.

Epic 'I was there' sort of an experience to be out in that, I have been in the mountains in much worse conditions but don't think I have ever run in worse. Quite enjoyed it even at the time in a bizarre sort of way!

Finished 4th overall and 6th on the day with same top two as yesterday. Kjetil Bjorlo ran 71 and passed me for third overall, a bit over a minute ahead. Cutting out either foolish error would have seen me on the podium, would have needed to avoid both to get up to second. But then that is the game!

C • Result 3

JK Day 2, Wass Forest.
M45L, 3rd place (winner James Logue 56:15)

Ran hard and navigated well - pretty much the type of area/course I was expecting (despite the bad press Wass seemed to get in advance!).

Felt like I was suffering through the last few but splits and HR data suggest this was because I was pushing hard - the fastest splits in that bit come from Niklas Bratt who was chasing me at that point (caught me early when I dropped 40s at #4, different route choices meant we swapped the lead several times).

Other than #4, dropped maybe 30-40s at #11 when I stayed on the ridge and then dropped down early and stopped short. Not a great line to #3 either and had to detour round the green.

But all in all a good run - well pleased to produce that today.

Back from the remote finish to arena and download. Didn't really like not having the finish in the arena but this would have been a killer run-in!

More warm down, with GG.

Event: JK 2016
 

Coughing a bit this morning but definitely feeling improved. Just in time!

At the event hours before my start so inevitably somehow failed to be ready to warmup as early as intended. Fitted in a quick jog and two mins on the model map.

JK Sprint, Leeds University.
M45L, 3rd place. (winner James Logue 16:39)

Decent run and pleasing result. Frustrating 1sec behind Martin W who was second, fatal hesitation by me on direction leaving the penultimate....

Mostly had good control.....except if I had stayed calm and taken my time instead of leaving #8 with no idea what was going on for #9, I wouldn't have found myself stood still 20ft below the control with some extra running to do! James L did the same and lost longer than I did - I lost 25secs and he lost 50sec (!)

Nice start to the weekend.

Warm down round the park with Fanni.

Planned rest day this time. Just as well as still feeling pretty rough and still with a sore throat. A bit better than earlier in the week though so fingers crossed for the weekend.

Legs not so sore, throat still just as sore.
Worth an unplanned rest day.