Training Log Archive: Cruachan

Jog to the start and a painful one afters...

JK Long (Holmbush/St Leonards): two very contrasting/adjacent areas... warming up felt tired and drained, but vowed to take it control by control. Made steady start and stuck to tracks/paths as much as possible. Lost a little time on the first longish leg (contouring) then about 90 secs on the return leg (8 to 9) by choosing the mountain bike path which wiggled and had undulations. Phil M went down to lower path and beat by nearly 2 mins. Chance to second area demanded brain adjustment. Lost a minute at 16 where I got confused by the 'path' along the earthwall (orienteers) rather than the actual path. Did pretty well on the long leg to 17. Final loss was being upended by the fence coming out from 22 and losing one shoe. Finished event in a sock! 5th on the day and 5th overall... pleasing enough but disappointed not to medal and was clearly let down by Saturday where I should/could have run 2-3 mins quicker based on season's form.

Warm up to the start and easy in the field afterwards... felt sluggish beforehand.

JK Middle: Ambersham Common - a solid and definitely unspectacular run. Felt laboured throughout and struggled to get into a strong/good rhythm which was clearly needed for this course/area. Started hard and had first tumble en route from 1 to 2. Missed the best route to 4 and got caught in very heavy-going of tussocks and deep marsh (there was a good path I failed to spot/use). Another miss at 9 where I got confused by the holes on the ground. Miss also at 13 where I went to an unmapped hill instead of the knoll (which was also confusingly next to a larger rootstock). No errors from then on but just didn't feel able to push harder than what I could manage. Beaten soundly by pretty much everyone, including over 5 mins down on Clive.

Event: JK 2017 - Jan Kjellström International Festival of Orienteering
 

Mostly.... some gardening, including cutting back the apple tree!

Gentle amble to loosen legs...

Nice and easy run, out and back to the Burwell Rd... felt a bit tired but nothing too bad.

Felt a little battered still (and found another tick!)... so treated self to a lazier day of reading outside, baking, a bath and attending to an old man who got into heath difficulties in Tesco. :)

Lateish night watching the Masters (though abandoned when R&G hit the 16th tee - sensible given the outcome)... woke early and decided to hit Cambridge to sort phone. Brisk walk from Halifax Rd and around the centre.

After shopping to ISC for a lunchtime recovery swim, though didn't hang around much. Felt tired from yesterday but still able to maintain decent enough tempo.