Training Log Archive: mushy_pea

Travelling back to Dublin via Copenhagen...

WOC Relay - 26/27

Me - Niamh O'Boyle - Aislinn Austin

Against Aislinn's opinion I set off on first leg for our relay team. I had the confidence of clean training on the model and the suggestion that I "keep to my own race and ignore others" from Niamh. I set off carefully reading my map and making a plan to #1. Most of the others cut in earlier but I stuck to my plan. In hindsight, I would have been better sticking with the crowd - but I didn't know where the gaffles were at that stage. I was running with 2 other girls to the next 2, but they dropped me on a steep hill.
Then I continued cleanly. Got #4 fine, was less confident to #5 but went slow and clean. Picked up a girl coming from the opposite direction. And other to the next control. They both managed to take time out of me through the spectator as I messed a bit at the control before.
Was knackered after the unforgiving and hot runthrough but then got back in to it taking the next few short legs cleanly. Managed to pick up those two girls again, and another one I hadn't seen before. Successful last loop.
Unfortunately thats when I lost my concentration to the final control - missed the better route around the open. Should have finished just ahead of two of them, but they managed to hold me off and handover just infront. Still, I had a solid time and left Niamh in a decent position with 3 nearby to chase on the run out to collect the map.

Niamh and Aislinn managed to pick up a few positions, but with a weaker team than last year we finished in 24th, to last years 22nd.

Went to spectate the middle final and cheer Aislinn on. She did great! Twas good fun. Now looking forward to another chance in the relay's tomorrow.

AM Training

Niamh thought it'd be a good idea to reflect relay conditions if we navigated a few controls the same. So we did that to the first two controls then chose our own controls. I found this area more runnable than others with less limestone but still fallen branches. This was my most solid training, taking controls cleanly, being careful in trickier areas. A direct route for the long leg across the area had slight time loss as I checked and double-checked clearings and paths crossed. would opt for a safer route in racing, but was glad I handled it well.

Back to the beach for some extra acclimatisation.

WOC Tour - O'F Sportifs - 40/88

Started nice and steady to #1. Was a far cry from the WOC races with random elephant tracks heading through the forest, and passing controls most of the way on route. After helping Séamus from utter destituteness on route to #2 it all goes wrong. Miss at that, take silly route to #3. #5 is an absolute joke as I was trying to use an invisible ride to help me to it. Was only made slightly better when I realised Kyle was also utterly confused in the area. After that I made a later mistake confusing an elephant track in open for a track. Stood on it for a good bit before realising... All-in-all I spent way too long faffing about out there.

On to Feclaz to watch the long final. Epic race! Great fun to watch.

Couldn't feel more sh*t during relay selection chat. Maybe I deserve it - but it's not going to help the nerves > my performance. That's for sure.

WOC Sprint Qualification - Heat C - 22/31

Needed to run 3 min faster to qualify. Possible? Don't think so. Possibly could have saved more than 2 min with some route choices and faffing into the green of the first and third controls. Seems I can never handle forests well during sprints!

Actually maybe if I jumped a few walls and ran through olive green patches I could have saved a few extra minutes on top ! :)

Headed home as soon as we were allowed out of quarantine to see how things would progress with qualifications and disqualifications. Followed the chat on WoO and then got the final info from team leader, Kyle, when he returned.

No Irish managed to squeeze into the final, but none disqualified either.

Enjoyed watching a really well planned sprint final in the afternoon. Looked great fun. Must. Run. Faster.

Training AM - Sprint Model (1:4000)

Nice to be out of the forests and into the streets. All control sites seemed obvious and there wasn't much to trick me on the short legs I chose (decided to just visit all controls). Main problem I had was on the steep route up to my first control I struggled up the wet mud in my shoes. would opt for the higher path a second time round. Also I may have turned in a road too early to one control. Rookie mistake... Easily fixed. It was just to test Niamh's concentration as she was there too. She passed.

Returned to a long discussion of problems with the map. All valid, but I didn't feel the control sites were affected.

Opening ceremony in Aix-les-Bains, culminating in what was yet to become the infamous garden.

Legs are quite tired after all this training and racing they're no longer used to. So after watching the middle qualifications (Congrats Aislinn!) I set off on a very easy flat jog southward along the Lac du Bourget.

AM Sprint geeking

Took an hour to wander around the legitimate streets of Aix and look out for any interesting alleyways and basically get acquainted with the city. Wasn't the best time as it actually rained, but also felt good as I was sure all my competitors had already done something similar.

Event: WOC 2011 + O'Festival Savoie Grand Revard
 

WOC Long Distance - Qualification C - 25/28

This was not a good performance. I started off steady (in hindsight, not taking the best route to the first control) with just a little miss at #2. The long leg to #4 was basically the end of my race. Indecisive in my route (I now believe I could have taken a much better one with less climb) I eventually just went for one. This seemed to involve all determined climb on our course - but I eventually made it up and over to the track. Running along I realise Faye and Greg are jogging towards me. Trying...but failing to remain undistracted by this hugely unexpected occurance I cut in off the track too early. After faffing about in overgrown green, I eventually manage to get back out to the track, cut in at the correct place and head towards the control. Though not with certainty. Am most glad of the drinks station at this control! I easily lost over 12 min over a variety of mistakes on this control.

After this I try to be more cautious and steady, but I manage to have 3 more messy controls where I am in the area but still spend several minutes trying to actually locate the control. So glad when the race is over, and mightly embarrassed at the shocking performance. Now to forget about the forests for a bit and concentrate on the sprint.

Training AM (1:10000 oops - corrected to 1:15000)

The training map had a large 1:10 map for middle distance training, plus a wee 1:15 map. I was going to use the 1:15 in prep for the race tomorrow, but didn't plan a route until at the start just so I wasn't looking at the map too much.

After the long jog to the start kite I basically looked at the map, chose a quick course and then set off to get one of the further controls. Approaching that I realised I was using the 1:10, then went to correct it and realised I wasn't even on the 1:15 map. Oops. Continued on to that control, messed a little by running past by about 30 m, then headed back to the nearest 1:15 control.

Struggled to that, picked up another 2 with more success - but not great - then headed back to rest my legs.

Not the solid training performance I'd hoped for the day before a WOC race. Meep!