Training Log Archive: roar

Warm up on the Kippure road. Bloody cold and windy with a dark overcast sky so in the Linne jacket and down puffy.

IMRA Nav Challenge 2 - 2nd
Self draw in maps, back to old school. Scatter format with 12 controls and skip 1. Got everything down grand, although I was a bit nervous about number 9. Conor decided to take off to put some pressure on and I jumped and followed him. Planned on the go then and we both hesitated a bit on the road before going in to get 10. With him for 10 & 11 and we both decided independently on skipping 12. There was a quite a slog up the river and Conor got a little gap. Over the ridge though he stayed high for way to long while I dropped in very nicely to number 1. Since it had cleared I could see him up the hill watching me. Tried to press the pace then over to 2 and got a bit nervous coming into it but it was grand.
Nice quick bit then along the path and down to Lough Bray for 3 but Conor could see me the whole way and was trying to close the gap. I finally got too warm in the valley and had to take off the jacket, hiding behind a rock so Conor wouldn't see me slow down. Up the road and into the new pond for 4. Saw John Bell running around above it but from the road side it was much easier. Pointed him into it anyway. I didn't have a good compass line to 5 and veered to the right a bit much with Conor following 30s behind the whole way. Didn't lose too much time (~1min) but was glad to still be ahead. Up the hill to 6 was a right slog then and there was no space to show weakness so kept up the running for as long as humanly possible, kept the gap to the summit. Nice vague compass descent to 7 and I veered a bit again, only 30s missed but enough that Conor and I were together leaving it.
Worked hard together over to 8 but he was going just slightly faster. Gave it all I had to stay on but about half way I had a hesitation where I thought we had screwed up the direction and the gap was suddenly there. Conor was running well and try as I might I never got any closer. There was maybe a chance he could miss on 9 but once coming over the hill it was quite obvious so for me it was just run to the finish with Conor just out of reach in front.

Fun reintroduction to the Wicklow hills as I've been away for so long. Nice to have a good race too.

Aye aye aye, bit tired this morning, slept until 12! After socialising a bit more in the early afternoon went down the demesne before dinner. Started in the pouring rain but it cleared up quickly and turned into a lovely day. The usual comer hour idea with lots of out and backs filling in time. Felt amazing once running though for some reason. No complaints though. Maybe the new shoes? Definitely liked them anyway.

Down in Castlecomer for a wedding today. Not much time for anything as a result. Fun evening for sure.

1 heron, 2 ducks and the same dog twice.

Decreasing tempos 10min, 8, 6, 4, 2 all the 1min rest
Warmed up with Gina from Russborough to get free parking, lake pretty high this year then into Russborough for the tempo. Aim was 3:55/k for each. First one was good felt strong, even the 8 I was moving well. The 6 was a suffer with a bit more up and less down due to the way the laps were but I fished strongly I think so that's good. Gina was conveniently there as I finished so jog back to the car together.

My HRM is broken again, it got corroded and the clip came off so now I'm back on slightly dodgy wrist based.

Leaving France this afternoon so a nice easy run to break up the cleaning. Over to Pugny then up to the Cremaillaire. Felt good climbing once I got started after feeling quite sluggish at the start. Then felt a bit ill descending, not the ideal cereal for breakfast apparently. Parapente landing field was being ploughed. Dunno what you do if you discover that halfway through your flight. Then felt fine the last bit after I stopped for a few seconds and had a few good burps.

Orienteering on Le Semnoz
Mixing it up a bit found some map in the car and did that course. Bit short so added in a bit at the top. Nice area, reasonably runnable mostly with the usual random limestone pavements / rocky bits and/or green thrown in. Nice to be orienteering with no stress and was pretty clean. Touristing in Annecy after was lovely too.

Mont Granier
Started in La Plagne and up Balme a Colon. Good steep climb through the forest before some cool more exposed bit in the open. At one point the path goes through a cave and out the other side which was great, then a steep climb up a valley. Beautiful ridge walk then to the summit where we lunched. Incident with sitting on ant nest but other than that very pleasant. Down a different route then, Pas des Barres, which had some ladders and cables. Not too challenging though before a lovely meadow walk. Then steep downhill to the car, where there was a little cafe selling coke and ice cream which was ideal at this point. These shoes do take the joy out of descending for me as they are hurting my feet a decent bit. Time to get rid of them. (anyone for size 47 x-talons?)

Lake swim on the way home and raclette on the balcony watching the sunset topped off the day.