Training Log Archive: ba-ba

Bad weather courses were given today - whether because of a bad forecast, or long times yesterday courtesy of people getting duffed up by the terrain. Anyway bit of start-box faff but we knew it would take running off the map, a miss punch or a broken leg not to win.
Got high on good ground early before having to cut through some crap. As we descended into #1 could see Timo and Sander below us shifting.
Rough climb out of 1 but then a massive track into and up Breamish valley. Neil and Oli passed us and hit their control - below ours - with Adam and Steve approaching from the opposite direction.
We then cut from 2-5. The straighter route looked rough, but Andy had a good round-the-houses runnable, flatter path route through the forest. One bit of path was a bit rough, but the forest we had to cut through was clear.
Bit windy on the lower runnable hills around Shillhope Law. Course got a bit rollercoastery from 5-7, with a steep 200m drop follwed by a 150m steeper climb before another drop and climb. Route into last control was a reverse of the path out to yesterday's number 1 before dropping to the path and the elongated run into the finish.

Won the day by 28mins, so 2:13 or so overall. Slightly embarassing. We won every split over the 2 days apart from the finish splits. Yesterday all big gaps, today a few under a minute, but we weren't really all that focussed today - very glad I didn't have to race up out of Usway burn, the steepest climb, as it would have been torture.

I think Andy and I were well matched. He was a bit stronger on the ups and rough, I was a bit stronger on the more runnable bits but we pushed along well. Elite next time, eek! Unless I can find someone who wants to make up a mixed pair!

This was never an excuse to pot-hunt, I was honestly expecting some competition like there has been the last few years. Maybe the whole event was a bit less well attended this year as it was Northumberland, quite difficult to get to? Maybe A isn't as aspirational as I thought it was back when I did my first OMM in 2009? Maybe people are happy to work up to B-class and stick there - I always say 5h is a nice day out on the hill, much longer and you start heading through and out the other side of Type 2 fun.
You can only beat who shows up.

C • Maps 4

Event: OMM
 

A class with Andy Llewellyn. SL: 32.8/2270. Distance/climb comes from plotting route onto Grough Route.

Looking forward to this after a year off. Figured A was a good class for the 2 of us, a logical build up for me from 5th and 2nd on B class, the list of winners read like a whos-who of early-mid twenty something british orienteers. Plans for an assault on the podium became 'we should win this thing' when the start lists were released.
No problem to 1 - pretty much a path all the way and we were moving well, opted to tone pace down a bit to reduce chance of later explosions.
Good line into 2 contouring in. The teams we saw here were all adding unnecessary climb.
Plans of going along the Pennine way and Scot/Eng border on the long leg to 3 were quickly nixed when we opted for the forest paths. Good running, less wind and climb, less rough traversing at the end, solid AP.
Into the clag to 4. Andy nailed it. Nailed the control on the contour to 5.
Steep climb out to 6. Over the top of Cheviot - through the 'Advisable do not cross' black hatching, round the top of the valley and drop in. Anwen showed us where the control was.
Drop into the Breamish valley moving well. Bit of a track run. Andy left his map behind at a water stop. Then into therough stuff. Made our only mistake swooping into 7 - I was nearly on it when Andy called me down the stream to where people (turned out to be B course) were looking like they were punching a control. Only ~3min lost.
Really rough ground towards 8. Started getting angry at the ground, Andy's undoing shoelaces and his disintegrating map. But aware we were going to be out for well less than the anticipated 6-6.5h.
People around on 9 - bit high but kept us out of the shit and spiked the last 2.

Overnight lead of 1:45. Entirely unexpected. We ran well and strong, well matched, but pretty much walked for an hour around 7-9. Looking at splits we dealt with nav and terrain much better than the rest, as well as being fitter.

SPOOK weekend: http://attackpoint.org/eventdetail.jsp/event_23152

pre-OMM shakeout

Thought I was ill this morning. Then I remembered I ate beetroot last night

Millpond and back. Felt poor for the first 20mins but tripping along nicely by the end.

Last week's alcohol intake:
Firday: 1 pint
Saturday: equivalent 2 pints
Sunday: 1 pint
There, I do have some self control!

Still feeling a bit worn. Probably shouldn't have done fresher's +55miles, then a rolling 60miles immediately after recovering from illness. Should be kicking for the OMM.

C • Impressive! 1