Training Log Archive: rcro

Event: OK Nuts Trophy
 

OK Nuts at Winterfold. 8.9km, 350m climb Brown.

One of the first starters so arrived at Cranleigh with temperature at -1 - but it was actually quite nice for running.

Plan for today to keep to tracks even more - and this seemed to work ok. Even though crappy terrain did quite enjoy cruising around - don't really think I was ever putting in 100%.

1 - clean, in the recent felling but control very obvious, Same for 2 - but it seems control was missing for Ifor 30 minutes later... Left 2 via extraction lane, not sure if mapped,then along road and around paths to get in.

Paths to 4 - obvious route, but lost 90s or so right at the end as a bit crap and went round the easy way. Paths to 5 - last bit tall bracken and hard work - same for exit.

Paths to 6 - but should have gone one further and dog-legged as cutting across right at the end was tough. Paths to 7 - went around the last bit as thought it would save me a couple of contours, but seeing on the ground, straight path didn't gain any extra height after all.

7-8 went mostly straight line, paths did help but bits in terrain were generally passable, tough at top of last climb but was walking anyway. Last bit into 8 nice - but entry into 9 wasn't, so sneakily went around the paths and cut in later!

Paths to 10, not doing too much map reading. Went a it wrong cutting right at the very end - 30s lost. Poor line through crap to 11 initially,but crossed road at right place and hit it. ROugh terrain around 12, but carried on with Harvester route of cutting to hose-pipe path. 13 lower than I expected, undergrowth bad as expected.

14 - depression on line of veg boundary - cut in at right place and hit it. Tiring from here on and recent thinning around 15 hard work. Took reliable fast run path route to 16 - this time taking the shorter steeper route that I passed on on 6-7. Not really sure if my route was best, but map iplied other path ended at top of steep bank!

Generally happy with my run. First of 2 when I downloaded.

Long drive home, was thinking "I really don't like Surrey much" once again.

https://www.strava.com/activities/437459778/overvi...

C • Should have stayed at home! 3

Brown - Splits

Event: Southern Night Champs
 

Event: Western Night League
 

Newport parkrun since Mark was going.

Taking it fairly steady - cruising around for about 21. As with before, people started very fast so I was steadily overtaking for the last 4.5k - in the end finished 14th. Had Gavin just behind me the whole time but he didn't put in a sprint at the end so I held him to finish.

Cinder paths quite muddy - conditions felt more than 40s slower than July.

Also very cold - and winds quite strong at times.

Had right shoes for the mud - but a bit too much hard surface than would have liked.

https://www.strava.com/activities/436481318

Southern Night Champs at Holmbury. 6.9km M21 course.

Holmbury still brashed and shitty - really would want something better, with consistent runnability (I'll just settle for "some" runnability) in the white - the brash, bramble and bushes have taken over somewhat.

Best route always paths - even if much longer.

Tried straight to 1 to confirm paths were right - they were. Couldn't go close to straight and ended up too high up.

2 and 3 ok as followed paths. Exit from 3 to path at south was crappy - thigh deep. Path to 4 and most of way to 5. Terrain not great from south, and despite following main gully, could not find control next to it - one of many not able to. Eventually found flag at 3rd attempt.

Path to 6 and 7. Leaving 8 to south had vicious brash - got impaled at one point and found out at finish there's a hole in my leg now. 9 missed indistinct path. 10 - straight across rough open, slow but ok.

Paths to 11, 12, 13. Followed train to 14. Nasty brambles leaving 14 for path to north, after open, path ended surrounded by brambles over 10ft high - impassible.

Took wrong path towards 16, but open at bottom was ok, poor route out as got trapped in head deep. Paths rest of the way with Scott.

Nice to do some orienteering - but I do orienteer so that I can run in nice terrain. When it becomes run 3 sides of square on paths because the terrain is so unpleasant, I'm not sure its the right place for it.

https://www.strava.com/activities/436825216

NGOC's latest new signing has been revealed... Now two in the top 109 on ranking list! Third year in a row we've done well in the transfer window - at this rate Jay T might start wanting to come back!

Need to actually do some ranking races again now I've dropped the last two of my good top six this week

C • Who? 8

Now audit today so busy day catching up on everything that had been put off - and had to buy my own lunch!

Work handicap 5k around Little Stoke winter course in the dark. All the people at my ability dropped out of this one so chasing down a 5 minute gap in front of me - so this was more of a time trial than a race.

Slow-ish as understandably tired from two hard days in a row beforehand - so knew pretty quickly from my splits that sub-20 wasn't going to happen - also taking the bends quite slowly as slippery and leaves there.

Mark seemed to be gaining ground quite consistently for the first two full laps but the gap didn't seem to close over last lap - splits show I did last k 15s quicker than the middle three.

Finished fourth, but the three in front of me all claimed it was their first time - so maybe I get the trophy for the next month?

Suppose it's reasonable training - 5ks are definitely getting easier to "race" now.

https://www.strava.com/activities/435691914/overvi...

Event: Street Event 2
 

Another day of Swiss and Canadian auditor meetings...

Windy evening but glad to get out. Was very surprised when I looked at distance on watch when it said I'd run 10.5k - as thought was going quite slowly and could keep it up.

Found the start after only 10s or so of looking - and had already started moving before located it. Didn't form a plan quickly (well, for 25 mins or so!) but wasn't punished for it - had started planning to go NW, then anti clockwise but went to 5 instead of 3, replanned, then found something that worked for top half.

Route S-2-5-24-6-4-21-23-15-25-20-19-11-17-26-18-16-12-8-22-14-1-F. 390 points from 450, missing only 3, 7, 9, 10 and 13. May have even calculated my score correctly...

Field 6-4 was quite wet and slippery! Slow up the hills around 23/15 and Gary caught up. Went west from 20 as thought it was quicker than the fiddly route - but once I committed saw that doubling back and taking the straight road at the bottom would have been better!

Planned various routes for bottom half but realised N-S zig zags would be too much dog legging for 16 and 18 so went for E-W. Kept having to replan as it became more apparent I wouldn't clear in time - 7 an obvious drop, and 13 wasn't worth the penalty - same for 10 and 9. Might just have got 3 between 1 and finish but would have been very tight on time so played it safe.

Well planned by Clare and nice area to run around. Got me more training against headwinds on long straight 26-18-16 - and I survived so all good.

https://www.strava.com/activities/435192789

Lliswerry to Caerleon. Seemingly no group 3 or 2 tonight so ended up with group 1 (and dropped quite quickly) as I didn't want a particularly hard run.

Day 1 of 2 with Swiss and Canadian auditors visiting me so spent all day sat down in hot rooms eating biscuits - so not best prep, but have just about worked out the tightness from sitting in the car getting cold post two runs on Saturday.

Wind very strong - made coming back tough. Despite that, and not wanting to push it so hard, seems that all the segment times are only seconds slower than last time.

https://www.strava.com/activities/434571198/overvi...