Training Log Archive: Cruachan

Before and after Day 3...

Bloody hell.... 3rd on the day (excluding the n/c Dave Peel) and therefore 4th overall. Kinda pleased, kinda disappointed. Made huge mistake to 1 (nearly 4 mins of error) - convinced i was on the right small hill but was too far north - didnt spot the safe route as was too aggressive from the off. Martin Ward caught most of his 4 mins at this point and I held a small lead all the way to 8... he went past and then I push on again to 10 - however fell and winded self so took a couple of controls to recover. Should have had more confidence in my own abilities as clearly was the stronger runner of the pair of us. Made a lead to 14 but then lost it as couldnt spot the damn re-entrant. Finally got ahead on route from 20 and then made serious ground from 22... eventually pulling back over 2 mins in the last 3 controls and finished feeling i had a lot of running left. I like the dunes and i should/could have been even faster. Overall, it has been an unforgettable return to the JK after an absence of 4 years.

Before and after the event....

JK Day 2 (well, Day 1 for me).... After the events of yesterday wasnt sure if i was going to run. Felt very tired n drained after the emotions last night but woke feeling somehwta better. The torrential rain stopped before i started which was good but left the terrain very soggy - went up to my knees in various marshes/bogs on a couple of occasions. I started well and felt quite strong, was only making very slight slips and nothing major. Inspite of the green the forest and course were good. As the course progressed, i felt more and more tired - particularly on legs 17-18-19, and the final climb was not pleasant. Although i was leading for a while i knew it was not good enough and in the end i was 7th, nearly 9 mins behind defending champ, James Logue. I guess i'm disappointed but Friday clearly left some mark... I just dont think i'm strong n tough enough for this sort of terrain - lack of volume, lack on intensity and lack of sheer physical graft in tough forest.

Event: JK 2010
 

Before and after my 'training' at the Spring Event at the JK....

Decided to run easy around the women's course using Alice's map... got to contrl 7 and on way to 8 when came across 2 orienteers tending a 3rd who looked bad... raced to start to get help, raced back, took over helping him until parameds arrived by which time he had stopped breathing and they couldnt revive him. Very sad and puts so much into perspective.

Easy run down from Magrath into town... had felt tired but picked up with the run. Back up and then off on O session and then back after the sesh.

Sprint race training using O40/Women course from City race.... ran at a steady pace n felt ok. Made routes cleanly but chose one inaccessible route from one control and couldnt get thru all routes due to closed gates. Good to get out with a map on a 1:5000 scale.

From Magrath around town - had thought about O-training but was too tired n was too wet so just did steady run. Tired.

Awake early and out for easy run around town. Felt tired n not too great.

Felt tired throughout the day and had felt uncertain about getting out... managed it and had a decent easy run - golf course n laps of Brand spurred along in the wind n rain by the sonic fury of Meshuggah. Sweet!