Training Log Archive: Dooby

Slow with josh, out the track and back, then down the hill to where the bus dropped us. Hoping that we wouldn't be coming up the hill to finish, but we weren't that lucky!

Achilles not as sore this morning, not better, but benefited from rest yesterday.

IOC Relay 2016

Achieved 1 of my relay goals today, first back on 1st leg! Been a few near misses but today was the day. Fresh legs make a difference.

Topped off by a CorkO win with Magic & Boyzone.
The team of Vets did the job :-)
All that was missing was the prizes?!?

Wasn't sure how this race would go considering the niggles but was hopeful of getting around, not finishing would have been a disaster given that I was on 1st leg. Think Seamus was first out of the blocks but I veered left on my own to 1 which I hit ok, before running back down hill. Knew I was in the lead already but reckoned that my gaffle here was definitely shorter.

Along the track to 2, cut in where I thought it opened up and saw a control. Checked the code and it was my control. Didn't feel right at the time but the code matched my descriptions. Had checked the next description too and saw underneath bridge was where I was going. Saw the control as I approached the bridge, saw a path down the bank to the river to took it. Had looked ahead to 4 and saw it was low and had considered dropping from above but then saw the path so down another bank to get the control.

As I left 4 Roar had punched a control in a pit above me, hard to see on my map since the circles weren't cut (in any race!!!). So was chasing Roar down on the path to 5, did consider a straight line but the green was green. Passed Roar on the hill, legs were feeling good. Bit messy getting out into the open but control was easy since it was after the open area. 7 was more climb.

Lost time to 8, got pulled right after leaving the path and hit another control on a tree, not sure which one, but definitely time lost. Still ahead of Roar though.

10 also seemed weird, but checked my code at the control I hit first, and like 2, it matched. So onto the next one. 11 was grand but messed up 12 and 13. To 12 I should have concentrated more, expected knoll to be in front of me when I crossed the track, but should have known that it would be left. So silly mistake let Roar back in the game. Think I saw Joshosh when I hit the track after 12 so had let the other teams close up too. I did leave 12 ahead but dropped down too late for 13, probably dropped just left of it but never looked right when I hit the track. So realised i'd overhsot when I saw the turning circle in the road further on. Met Roar coming against me as I headed back to 13, more chasing to do.

Could see I was gaining on him running on the track to 14, but caught up with him at the control as it looked like the way he'd chosen to leave the control wasn't ideal in terms of runnability, like a lot of the forest.

Roar was ahead as he had a control right of my 15 and then there was a different gaffle. Was surprised when he kept on going past my pit which was 17 as expected the control to be similar. My only option after 17 was to get through the dark green onto the track. Crawled under some rhododendron and then the last bit of shrubbery contained briars which I ripped my face on. 18 was easy, just hit the track junction and there it was. Did look up the track and behind me for Roar but no sign. Reckoned he'd gotten stuck in green somewhere but in hindsight his gaffle here was a lot different to mine, longer.

On the track to 18 I spat to clear my mouth, was red spit, must be blood so around my mouth!

Through the green leaving 18 was ok. Then was rough getting down to 19, but cut in from the path junction where it was supposed to be white. Then the finish was tough, knew where the odd tree was on the track, control on it, so cut in after that. Big crag. And was a tough climb from there out, and then even tougher up the path to the finish. Trying to gain as much time as I could to send Magic out in a good position. You could see the spectators at the finish but seemed like forever to get as far as them.

Overall it was a scrappy run in places but that would be expected from a lovely area such as this, 40 shades of green would be a good description.
Legs survived the race but could feel the achilles at times, didn't inhibit my speed and was thankful for that. No race yesterday probably helped even more.

I gave Magic around 2 minutes of a lead which Kev reduced on leg 2, those skinny legs probably helped him sneak through the green. Then Boyzone did the business on last leg to keep the relay title in Cork for another year, in the hands of the right club!
Was nice to get the better of a relay that contained a lot of very talented teams. I certainly feel that elite orienteering is on the up when the IOC relay is as competitive as it was today, following up on last years relay. too.

I feel that they could have presented the prizes for 1st and 2nd at least. I don't think the course can be voided since prizes were awarded on other classes which would have used the same controls as those subject to protest. Control descriptions could have done with being printed a bit larger on the map but they were there so no reason not to check your codes when punching controls, that's part of the challenge of a relay.

Results
Routegadget Open Premier CBA

Sore.

Plan for the week:

Monday - Orienteering (IOC Relay)
Tuesday - Rest (physio)
Wednesday - Cycling (1 hour easy)
Thursday - Cycling (race)
Friday - Cycling (1 hour easy)
Saturday - Cycling (three climbs sportive an option but depends on weather)
Sunday - Rest

But that's all up to the physio tomorrow, considering where the issues are the likely outcome will affect running rather than the bike, I hope. Want to improve my bike racing anyways on Thursday.

If I don't cycle on Saturday I'll probably do a turbo session instead.

Open Premier_CBA - Splits

Made the decision to skip the classic distance. Had my gear on, but not my ankles taped, leaving the house, but walking towards the car was painful. So regrettably I made the call to not run. Was looking forward to Mahon Falls but correct decision.

Will make a trip down at another stage to run the course.

Up to the start. Right achilles definitely in pain this morning, as it was after the race last night. But there's a race to be run.

IOC Middle 2016

This was a surprise. 3rd!
Didn't think I would be able to orienteer well enough to get me onto the podium.

Went up the path to 1 and then could see the crag, nice start. Across the hillside then to 2, saw the control on the big boulders to my left, but needed to check where I was before getting the control. Slowish across the slope to 3, before downhill to 4. Ended up slightly too high when I slowed for 5, but was just above. Then uphill to 6. I didn't really see the spur so ended up right of the depression so had to drop back into it.

More uphill to 7, could see the boulders in front of me and the trees, but didn't see the crag to the right of it on the map. Saw Neil ahead of me here.

Based on the splits I ran well to 8, I stayed low to start and then climbed up from the stream to the control. In the distance I had seen Neil climb higher early in the leg but wasn't my plan to do that. Could see 9 leaving 8 but had sussed out that re-entrant on the climb up to 8.

10 I was lucky with Neil just in front of me. Wasn't 100% certain of how I thought the area would look. Then 11 was another good leg for me uphill. Easy control in the end. 12 and 13 were also easy before coming back across the technical area to 14. I was a small bit right of it in the end.

Then 15 was downhill. Not a leg I would normally enjoy as my downhill speed in orienteering isn't usually great, but today it didn't lose me much. Used 2 to guide me in. Bit hesitant then on 16, stopped sort trying to spot the stream junction, it was hiding behind a boulder from my angle.

To 17 it was along the fence, but got distracted by the control in the re-entrant where the fence turned, I did know it wasn't mine but still let it distract me.

Down to the forest then for 18. Climbed up from the turning circle, ticking off some of the other boulders on the map, then saw the control. Got 20 ok and ended up left of 21 on the descent. Caught Niall on the traverse to 22 before the final downhill to the last control. Lost a second leaving the last control as the track pulled me downhill. My finish split I wouldn't be happy with but legs not really in the shape for a fast finish.

Achilles could be felt throughout but I didn't let it affect my running speed or orienteering. On the way down to 15 I realised that the race had been going well, no major mishaps, so that made me concentrate more towards the end.

Never would have predicted a podium for myself today with so many of the younger (& older) lads running so well at the moment. It shows that when I can manage to orienteer well that it translates into a good result. Most of my races in the last year have been affected by silly mistakes so along with the podium I enjoyed actually having a good race.

Results!
Splitsbrowser
Routegadget

Course 1 - Splits

Event: Irish Orienteering Championships
 

IOC Sprint 2016


Not a great run although the splits said I started alright and did ok in other places too, but I felt like I didn't run well, not withstanding other issues with the course.

1 and the direction for 2 i'd sussed before I started. And the next few were fine. Did some checking to see what was crossable to 5, went around but had debated going through the crossable green that the control was on.

8 was a bad control, went the wrong side, like most, but control said west side of fence, it just was the west side of the solid fence with no tags, not the crossable fence that was close to the centre of the circle. I suppose correct description for crossable fence would have been west end of fence but still.

Got a bit confused going around to 9, left, but got the gaps right. Stayed up and right to 10 before dropping down the steps. I didn't cross the forbidden area, not because I realised it was forbidden, but chose to do what I didn't like the look of the bank. Was lucky with the decision not to cross rather than deciding not to.

I went out and left to 11, wrong choice, right was much better. Then went right to 12 and up the steps. Think left would have been faster.

14 was another bad control. Rather than running up the steps past 12 I went up the grass and ended up on the wrong side of a hedge. Got back out through the gap almost hidden by the number 15 on the map. Knew this was a mistake at the time.

I think I went left to 15 but can't remember!

Then knew about the gap in the hedge to get to 16. Turned over the map going to 16.

17 was a bit tricky, just finding the route in. 18 I messed up, went by the stairs as I expected the control to the building corner beyond, went back and checked my descriptions, then up the steps to get the control. Went right to 19 and down the steps again, before back up them for 20.

Checked the map at 20, the fence is crossable so through it I went. Again got caught by the stairs at 23. And to 26 I stayed right so had to come back around.

So overall a poor enough run. But considering how much orienteering i've done that's to be expected. Think legs might have been enough but brain just wasn't at the races. Disappointed with myself.

Don't see the point in controls at the tops of stairs for lots of reasons. It's obvious afterwards to see the forbidden bank but during the race at speed it wasn't.

But thought the course made the best use of the area.

Legs sore.

Sprint Course 1 - Splits

2nd day of planned pre IOC rest.

Was considering cutting the grass if the weather was right, it wasn't. But dropped my bike in for a service as planned.

Not really sure what to make of this weekend coming. Will take each race as it comes.

Pre IOC rest day.
Achilles starting to feel better but stretching it and foam rolling it.

Moved the grass i'd cut recently across the road to some commonage. My neighbour gave me a bag for it. So heavy bag times 3 across the road.

Glenflesk-Barraduff-Anablaha-Kilbrean-Woodlawn

Went for a hillyish spin this evening, wasn't sure what the distance would be but reckoned it would be around the 40 mark. Had thought about extending it but the longer the spin went on the further away that thought got. It was a horrible evening on the bike. Yes there was some sun in the sky, but it wasn't warm. Bitterly cold. A couple of showers too but the cold was the big problem. And there was a strong northerly wing that was bringing the cold. A lot of my cycle was in a northerly direction too so that didn't help matters.

They call it the Scarrabheen around here - cold wind at this time of year.

Hands and feet got very cold, along with my arms despite having 2 layers on them.

Legs felt ok for the spin.

Now can rest until Friday.