Training Log Archive: Big Jon

Urban Race Stirling, much longer than Edinburgh, feeling crap (after EUOC 50th anniversary dinner the previous night....), started OK in Castle - took things steady and though I missed a couple of best routes I didn't have any major time losses. After this things got fairly grim - plodding along through flat streets and no real route choice, just flogging away going too slowly. A race to forget. Also had been supposed to collect another dibber as mine is an old one with a limit of 30 controls, so had no splits for last 7 controls...... wouldn't have this issue with Emit....... :-)

Urban Race Edinburgh, M40+, 6th - decent performance, got most route choices correct and probably lost 10 secs with wobbles. Took a route through a "non-existant" gate near end (my eye saw a gap in the line and there was an open gate there), didn't realise till after the race, told controller and he has decided not to DQ me. Ahh the joys of urban orienteering!

Rest day - still feeling washed out.

Rest day, but cutting the grass, some barrowing, splitting and stacking logs. More than enough work today

Control hanging - Gl;en Feardar (1-40) and Creag Choinnich (0-45). Felt dire from the start - no power on uphills and really struggling in any off-road stuff. Managing to jog downs and shuffle on flat tracks. Funny thing was my breathing and heart rate were fine, just nothing in the legs.
Absolutely glorious day - complete contrast to last 2 days - sunshire, no wind and fantastic views from the top of Glen Feardar and Creag Choinnich.
People at the training camp will enjoy these areas if the weather is as good as today!
Had a huge lunch after at the Bothy cafe.... waddled home after!

C • Epic 5

Run Up The Highlands, Balmoral to Kerloch car park (Inver to orienteers). Still raining but only steadily and no wind. Easy pace for most of it and plenty of stops to look at views. Green Bridge was fantastic - a monster torrent of water thundering down over the rock steps, no sign of any rock, just brown water. The whole area was shaking with the force. Also Quennies barbecue hut was almost under water - some of the firewood stacked under the steps had been washed down the track!

a quick snack in the Ballater Bothy cafe and then on to Pannanich for first set of controls for training next week. Sarah and I headed different directions to hang controls and a big struggle to get up the hill, then a great whiz down in the beautiful runnable plantation forest.
Breathing was very relaxed, legs had bounce but no fuel and no energy for the uphills.
Good feed needed and then one more day of control hanging - 3 forests between us. Forecast is much better so hopefully some sun tomorrow!

Glen Clova to Balmoral distillery - approx 19 miles 2500 feet of climb. Day 2 of RuTH.
Weather atrocious, wouldn't have started if wind had been against us, as it was it was touch and go in places, runners never take enough kit even when told 100 times! I was cold with tights, wind-proof over trousers, thermal, t-shirt wind proof and waterproof top, hat and gloves... some of teh group were in tights, thermal and waterproof top hat and gloves....
Tracks were streams, streams were torrents and rivers were walls of brown/white water raging down the hills. I have never seen such water coming off the hills (usually I'd go somewhere sheltered and low on day like today!). One dodgy stream that we had to cross involved 4-5 of us hugging each other and crossing like a small crab - shuffling through the knee deep torrent..... not a lot of fun.
Afternoon from Loch Muick car park to Balmoral was a stroll in the park after the morning, only steady winds from behind and light- moderate rain.

A day to remember for all, especially the inexperienced-in-hill-running members of the group!

C • Perfect Job 6