Training Log Archive: Cruachan

In bed just after 9 and stayed there until 640 so overall a good night's sleep (much needed). Still felt battered and knackered so stayed away from the gym and did a longer swim (my longest to date). May have miscalculated the lengths by 2 (i.e 50 metres), but it's the time that's important. Felt better than last week - (i) lack of weights beforehand (ii) second swim of year!

Not much sleep then drove up from Exeter to Atherstone... felt a bit tired on warm-up...

Midlands at Bentley Wood: lovely spring day and got into it well... fairly smooth early on but think took slower route to 3 and struggled up into the vegetation. Wobble to 8 (definitely lost time as went too low to river and missed straight run on path) and then again to 9 where I lost track of where I was on the path and just trusted compass - however, wasnt pushing pace as a result. Lost time by going direct throguh the white forest en route to 10. However minor points - surprised to see Phil M at 13 and got in front of him when he didnt use the open path. I hesitated at 14 and he caught me. We traded controls/routes from then on. Got confused at 20 which was simpler than we made it and then it was eye-balls from 21 until the end. Pleasing to win Midlands, but 4th overall behind the SYO mob.Splits analysis suggested my biggest losses were 3 (30 secs), 8 (45 secs) and 9 (1 min)... as I thought during the race. Hesitancy and doubting self seemed to be biggest culprits there.

Event: Warwickshire Orienteering Weekend
 

Well - if getting up before 7am after a late gig night, driving 280 miles, standing on a terrace at a football match, socialising until after midnight constitutes rest!

O&B along Heath Rd, then track by A14 and right to the farmhouse... felt reasonable and in shorts/t-shirt (though with gloves). Slight majority of run off-road.

Really didnt feel great and took Paracetamol and Vit C/Zinc... late home and gave training a miss.

Exhausted from yesterday's session and 14.5 hr day... so jogged/walked to Halfords and Tesco. Helped.

Easy pace to warm up...

Something I'd been wanting to try for a while - tempo threshold run up a gradient. Chose 8% as a good starting point and it certainly worked me well enough.

Recovery jog before moving onto the XT.

From the 'hill' run onto the XT for 8 x 2 mins (L17) with 1 min recovery - found it really tough with dead thighs.... but kept at it and aimed for 70+ which succeeded with.

Nice and easy jog down.. .satisfyingly sweaty and tired afterwards - from there off to two more governance meetings: that's 4 in one day (6 hours in total).