Training Log Archive: Angus

Event: Leinster League, Djouce Woods
 

Body was achy in morning after the efforts of yesterday, so it didn't look positive for good run. Ankle was giving out a lot going across slope where right foot was lower than left which was the case for most of the first 6 controls. Contemplated retiring quite few times until crossing river to 8.

Very little of the troublesome slopes from here on and I started to enjoy the fantastic day, the woods and the course. At the pace I was going I had no trouble lasting so decided to complete course. Great planning, made good use of area, got us into an area not used often. Had a bit of banter with Conor as well. More later.

#1 contoured round, ankle sore, was sure I'd see clearing and kite from above...but no, so overshot and had to come back. Won't bother with time loss as soft body and ankle were main reasons for slowness.
#2 direct through the wood, mixture of walk and trot.
#3 Up to carpark, along road, entered wood after open, paced along ride, which was unnecessary.
#4 Down through wood towards bridge. Slow over the brashings. No issues getting to kite
#5 Had my eye on pat above 4 but didn't find it. Its clear now I should have taken path leading from 4 but ended up going stream to track. So lots extra climb. Easy to find 5 though.
#6 Direct through open. Continue to struggle with roughness and ankle.
#7 Ankle troubles mainly gone once off the steep slope but still only in trotting mode to 7.
#8 direct across river
#9 Up to road, contour across gaining a little height. Not travelling quick but enjoying it more now on slope the other way.
#10 Along path beside out of bounds and drop into re-entrant.
#11 lovely little spot that planners don't make regular use of. Direct to 11.
#12 along road and up re-entrant. Conor just behind walking. As I dropped back down, told him he should be running.
#13 Dropped to road, Conor I thought went direct. Was looking up to see if I could see him. Couldn't see detail of re-entrant at 13 with lack of circle cutting and went in to soon and climbed up and then down to kite just ahead of Conor who seemed to drop from path above.
#14 Walked up to 14 with Conor. Told him nice to see the fast lads walking as well. Conor cut up through the Rhododendrons, I went round and up and there was little between us.
#15 Walked up to road and then waited for Conor to climb the embankment in case he sent stones down. I took an angled walk towards 15 and actually got ahead of Conor on the path which he quickly closed down and I tailed him into the control.
#16 Conor disappeared down through the wood. I thought the last I'd see of him. Along the track, which I thought was the short route but actually I took the long route around the re-entrant. In too soon for boulder as it was only a few steps from path.
#17 Up the hill and then along earthbank.
#18 to road to carpark and then along path. Heard fast approaching steps behind so was about to say that Conor is not far ahead, only to see it was Conor!! What?? Conor said "oops" and mentioned he put in extra climb.
#19 Made no attempt to keep up with Conor. Down the hill to bike path and then to road. Wasn't sure where in relation to re-entrant I wqas, but looked down wood to see kite!
#20 Got to bike trail which took me towards control. Checked first boulder before going to correct one.
#21 Uphill between two big crags, behind the smaller one above and across to kite.
#22 up to road and to finish

Actually I managed the final hill from 20 quite well, though partly because I didn't exert myself much during the previous 80 minutes, but also indication that my stamina and ability on hills is good.

No doubt a rest day earned for tomorrow.

Djouce Postscript
Interesting post race discussion among the lads as the results came in.
Conor's name was not on my splits when I downloaded and then I heard he'd mispunched but went round in 65mins.
hellsac came in soon after to take the lead, but Conor was faster.
20 mins late Roar came in to trump hellsac by 7 seconds, with Conor still protesting that he'd been faster had he not mispunched.
Josh was next only about 20 secs back and lorrieq finished with a 3 second margin ahead of Roar. So 30 seconds separated 4 and Conor got round couple minutes quicker,

Well all this talk of slender margins by seconds was put in its place with CillinC's time many minutes quicker than anyone else!!
Hats off

It's shaping up to be an interesting men's elite season.

Brown - Splits

Event: Dublin By Night, Glendoo Ridge West
 

Event: DUO 40th Anniversary Relay, Curragh
 

Fun Fun!
Turned up without a team, but Roar was there also without a full team looking someone to make up a DUO team. I was there for one year(check intervarsities 87 Killary). Roar kindly offered me the fun of leg 1.
Find myself in good company with Joshosh, CillinC, PaulP and Setanta clubmate Paul K, all faster runners than me...but not by much:)

Took me an age to find the start on map so was already doing catch up once we were going. Most of them reached depression before me, but I think only Cillin punched, the others had different no.1. Raced after Cillin for 2 and took a slightly straighter line to 3 to gain a tiny bit. gained some more at 4 as Cillin went round the thicket. A more comfortable distance but Cillin was running faster, but with the seconds saved in not looking for kite he wasn't getting away. I think Josh was back with us to 5. From 8 or 9 Cillin had different gaffe and I was with Josh to 12. Here I took slightly wrong line towards 13 as Josh must have had different gaffle and I was back chasing Cillin who had stayed ahead after his gaffle. Passed Cillin at 15 as I took a direct route. Stayed in front to 17 and then we were on different gaffles. No sign of anyone else at this stage. Got lucky at 18 as I had ran past it but saw it behind me and then legged it hard to 19 which could be seen from afar. Was expecting Cillin to be with me but his gaffle was longer and I was a bit ahead. but he was chasing me down. I didn't concentrate for 2nd last (22) and Cillin nipped ahead. Kept the pressure on him up the hill but he was too strong and he pulled away a little to the finish.
Was pleased to compete strongly and pleased to let Roar out within touching distance of ColmM

Enjoyed it but concerned I'll be tired for Night O and Djouce tomorrow.

Accompanied Zoe tagging last couple sites at Oakwood. I asked her if I could stay in car to listen to Ireland/Italy, but no she insisted I come. Couldn't keep up with her up the hill!

Wow challenging!! Really enjoyable and glad to finish before the cut-off. Mist came down for 2nd half to make it even harder. Had to have torch on lowest setting.
Walked a lot of it. Very few controls got cleanly. Had to bail out going to 19 and relocate on path to west, but struggled to find the path! Mist/cloud was quite bad at this time.

Long - Splits

Planned 2hrs but was in mood for going fast so dropped time to 90 minutes.
Happens to be ½ marathon PB with 4k of it on a narrow, windy, sandy path.

Ankle is good :) Could feel it at beginning but once warmed up I didn't know it was there.
Celebrated with a quality session.

Was thinking 6x1km but set watch up for 8 knowing I could bail out.
First 3 were going to be with the wind, so tricky to gauge how quick. Had 3:50 pace in mind for overall with 2 mins jog rest between each.
First 2 were 3:40 and I felt I needed to push on a bit more. Next was 3:33 but underfoot was slightly tacky. Then I turned back into wind and I knew that sub 4:00 would be tough! At least sweat in eyes was no longer a problem.

Managed 3:58 & 3.57 for next 2 and concentrated on form for the 6th and managed 3:53 but I was pretty much spent and ready to quit, but the 7th was with the wind and I decided to go for it targeting 3:40 which is what I did, but knew I wasn't going to get 4:00 for the 8th into the wind, so settled on 4:10. With 400m to go I was at 4:16 pace and dug in for last 400 and dragged lap pace down to 4:05 by end.

3:48 average

Quality session and I hope there is some truth in no pain no gain!
In fact the worst pain was the salty sweat in my eyes for the 7th interval with the wind. Didn't anticipate this issue with temperature about 3C. Had no sweat band and had to repeatedly try clear eyes.

Rested ankle today in so far as not running, but on my feet a far bit with work and its kind of OK. for this week, one long run (2 hrs) on Thurs and interval session tomorrow.
I'll learn a bit more about ankle tomorrow but I think it be fine for training and strap it for competitions, perhaps even for The Curragh.
O at the weekend.