Training Log Archive: Dooby

Back in Helsinki after driving 6.5 hours this morning, up at 4.30, on the road at 5 and in the airport around 11.45. I've a day done and it's not even lunch time. Think I've a bit of a chest infection but won't take too long to get better. Did manage to run yesterday.

Vuokatinvaara

Checked the WC race from last Friday map online and took it down. The maps we had didn't cover the last few controls but was out there long enough to not need them.

Started off badly, navigated to the control no. 5 from last Sunday rather than the control I wanted to go to, close to each other though. Ended up high for 2. Next few controls were grand but then it was 8. Made a serious mistake here, hit the control spot on but didn't think it was mine so kept on going, not smart. Then at the next control I don't know where I ended up, too high I think. Really bad mistake, scratching my head stuff. And to 10 I navigated badly, followed the veg change thinking it was the border of the ski slope/forest, how I managed to do that I don't know.

Once those controls were out of the way i'd made my mistakes for the day. Body didn't feel too badly, but far from 100%. If I wasn't in Finland I wouldn't have gone out.

Pollyvaara

Not feeling too bad, even tried jogging once or twice but body is definitely sick.

Course on the map but went, 1, 13, 12, 11, 10, 2, 14 and to the finish. Big hills in this area with some steep slopes. Fast underfoot though.

Still feeling sick. Not the best way to be at a training camp.

Tipasoja Huhtikangas

Not feeling good today, sore throat, so just went for a slow and short walk.

1, 2, 11, 12, 16

Messed up 1, and I was walking! Just got my direction a bit off, trying to get my head around teh area. Also missed 16 by a bit, was going ok but then got a bit confused. How I made mistakes when walking I don't know.

Vuokatti Persevaara

Took the safe option to 1 on the road, then cut up. 2 was strange, no visibility in the green and then I hit a massive road where a ride was supposed to be. Messed up 3 a small bit, too far right. And then my route to 5 was crap, ended up in a marsh. Did find a sort of strimmers in there, think the guys chopping down the small trees left it there.

8-9 was crap enough to get through. But running to 10 was nice. Made a bad mistake on 13, came down from the top of the hill, hit the crags about the control but let myself get distracted by some Swedes who were a bit lost. Faffed about a bit, went back up the hill to relocate, then back down to the control.

Different type of area to the long distance terrain. Very different orienteering, certainly a challenge physically.

Vuokatti Tolhonvaara

Ran this head-to-head with Roar and Conor. Got ahead of them at 2. Then got stuck in crap leaving 3 but caught up with Roar near 5. Was doing alright in the loop until we all messed up 8, I missed it by the most. Relocating off the wrong crags/knolls.

Then we all took different routes to 10, lost time at the start by missing the track through the felled area. From there I went left on the ride, then road, before finally cutting back in. No surprise that I was slower than the lads, would've been better if i'd stayed with them through the open stuff.

Joutenlampi Matinmaki

1:15000 so proper long distance training.

A few little mistakes on the course, missed 10 by a bit and 2. Other errors was 15 to 16, ended up in the green which was tough going.

Training took a lot longer than expected but the amount of climb explains that. Some parts, particularly when I got to 4-5-6 were lovely. Hadn't expected the terrain to open up the way it did. Was also loevely in the top loop, apart from some green around 10.