Training Log Archive: OllieIn the 30 days ending Nov 30, 2008:
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Sunday Nov 30, 2008 #
Cycling (To/from Event) 1:14:00 [2] 21.0 km (3:31 / km)
To/from Ikea, with Jenn. Out via the Lea, back via the roads, fully laden with candles, pillowcases, wine glasses and other things I hadn't intended on buying and don't really need. And Diam bars. Got completely left for dust by Jenn on her single-speed bike, every time we went up a hill. Very annoying.
Friday Nov 28, 2008 #
Cycle Commuting (In to Work) 28:23 [2] 9.02 km (3:09 / km)
Slight variation - went via Gore Road.
Thursday Nov 27, 2008 #
Cycle Commuting (In to Work) 27:23 [2] 8.98 km (3:03 / km)
Cycle Commuting (Back Home) 28:12 [2] 8.96 km (3:09 / km)
First trip back on new back wheel/tyre/drive-train.
Score Orienteering (Street Race) 59:40 [5] ** 12.4 km (4:49 / km)
ahr:175 max:194 spiked:31/40c slept:7.0 shoes: Gym Trainers
LOK West End street race. All the controls were postboxes, which made the race flow more than most street races, where a not insignificant time is spent answering the questions.
My route was basically anticlockwise, doing a small loop around the central area, then looping around the main part of the map. I didn't have time to do the last, north-east quadrant, although the controls weren't so dense around here.
I got all but one of the 40 pointers, all but one of the 30 pointers, and fewer of the lower scoring controls. I finished 3rd, with 790 points (the winning score being 820) out of a maximum 1000. There were around 40 runners. Neither Nick or Ed were running, which helped my high placing. Won a box of chocolates for my efforts!
HR was fairly even at around 180, and only went up above 185 in the final dash for the finish line - I finished only 20 seconds away from a penalty.
My route was basically anticlockwise, doing a small loop around the central area, then looping around the main part of the map. I didn't have time to do the last, north-east quadrant, although the controls weren't so dense around here.
I got all but one of the 40 pointers, all but one of the 30 pointers, and fewer of the lower scoring controls. I finished 3rd, with 790 points (the winning score being 820) out of a maximum 1000. There were around 40 runners. Neither Nick or Ed were running, which helped my high placing. Won a box of chocolates for my efforts!
HR was fairly even at around 180, and only went up above 185 in the final dash for the finish line - I finished only 20 seconds away from a penalty.
Sunday Nov 23, 2008 #
Event: CHIG Regional
Orienteering (Regional Event) 1:36:57 [3] ** 11.3 km (8:35 / km) +150m 8:03 / km
ahr:154 max:171 19c rhr:75 slept:8.0 shoes: Gym Trainers
Running M21L in the CHIG Mitre at Broxbourne Woods. Very wet and muddy underfoot as it had been raining (and earlier snowing) all morning, but was sunny, if a little bit humid, when I went out. I messed up the first control completely, and punched a control on the way to No. 2 that I thought was the second control - I got really lucky and saw a control that I thought was No. 3, and it turned out to be the second control (I had checked the control codes this time!) No. 8 was also poor - I was the slowest runner on this leg, as I lost concentration, thought I was in a different place than I was, and took a long and pointless detour through some green wood (that I had already visited on the way to the first control.)
Maybe it was the running yesterday, or because I was sliding all over the place in my lightweight trainers, but I never really got running - all I managed for most of the run was a jog, and I even walked a couple of bits (until I got too cold). As a result I never warmed up really and was happy to get back into the warmth at the end. My HRavg was way lower than normal for even a long race of this type.
I finished pretty near the back of the results, not unexpectedly, although I could have easily made up the six minutes or so I would have needed to overtake half the field...
My actual distance run was 13.9km. My low pace and the wooded nature of the course didn't help my GPS - at one point it thought I was 40m below sea level, for a good few minutes.
Maybe it was the running yesterday, or because I was sliding all over the place in my lightweight trainers, but I never really got running - all I managed for most of the run was a jog, and I even walked a couple of bits (until I got too cold). As a result I never warmed up really and was happy to get back into the warmth at the end. My HRavg was way lower than normal for even a long race of this type.
I finished pretty near the back of the results, not unexpectedly, although I could have easily made up the six minutes or so I would have needed to overtake half the field...
My actual distance run was 13.9km. My low pace and the wooded nature of the course didn't help my GPS - at one point it thought I was 40m below sea level, for a good few minutes.
Saturday Nov 22, 2008 #
Orienteering race (Chasing Sprint) 21:08 [5] ***** 2.7 km (7:50 / km)
ahr:178 max:190 23c shoes: Gym Trainers
Prologue for the SHUOC Chasing Sprint in Sheffield - The Edge Campus of Sheffield University. A 1:3000 map. Fast, hilly, loads of traps, loved it! Very cold, but clear, and the 2km jog to the start was a good warm-up.
Had a generally good run, finished about half-way down the leaderboard. Actual distance run was 4.1km.
Had a generally good run, finished about half-way down the leaderboard. Actual distance run was 4.1km.
Orienteering race (Chasing Sprint) 26:51 [5] **** 3.5 km (7:40 / km)
ahr:185 max:194 30c shoes: Gym Trainers
Final of the ShUOC Chasing Sprint at Sheffield - the final was around Weston Park and the main campus area of Sheffield University, which is quite urban. The map was 1:4000 and it was still cold and crisp.
I made bigger route choice errors this time, which was on a map with quite a different feel. My start was poor - I went the long way around a reservoir. I also tried a few "creative route choices" to see if I could get past the big pack in front of me (it was a classic type of chase!) but they didn't work out and I was on my own near the end. I again finished about half-way down the leaderboard. Actual distance run was 5.2km.
I made bigger route choice errors this time, which was on a map with quite a different feel. My start was poor - I went the long way around a reservoir. I also tried a few "creative route choices" to see if I could get past the big pack in front of me (it was a classic type of chase!) but they didn't work out and I was on my own near the end. I again finished about half-way down the leaderboard. Actual distance run was 5.2km.
Friday Nov 21, 2008 #
Cycle Commuting (In to Work) 29:21 [2] 8.86 km (3:19 / km)
Thursday Nov 20, 2008 #
Cycle Commuting 28:26 [3] 8.55 km (3:20 / km)
Via VPR to Broadway Market, then the canal. After my tumble on Tuesday morning, I only have one functioning gear - the top gear, which is making going up hills of any kind a bit of a challenge.
Cycle Commuting (Back Home) 27:11 [2] 9.14 km (2:58 / km)
Slight variation - via Gray's Inn Road and Broadway Market. Slightly longer, & I don't think faster.
Tuesday Nov 18, 2008 #
Cycle Commuting (In to Work) 28:27 [2] 8.56 km (3:19 / km)
Wet on the ground again, and rained early on. Went via VPR. Took a fall while joining the canal - braked sharply on cobbles and the bike just went flying. Amazed I wasn't hurt, and don't have any scars!
Monday Nov 17, 2008 #
Cycle Commuting (In to Work) 27:23 [3] 8.87 km (3:05 / km)
Cold and crisp. 15:57 to the canal exit.
Cycle Commuting (Back Home) 27:15 [3] 8.97 km (3:02 / km)
Wet on the ground. Via Broadway Market.
Sunday Nov 16, 2008 #
Orienteering (District Event) 1:15:18 [4] *** 8.6 km (8:45 / km) +140m 8:06 / km
ahr:177 max:188 20c slept:7.0 shoes: Gym Trainers
Ran Brown at a District Event at White Downs. The area might have better been named Brown Downs with all the mud on the paths - although the rain held off during the event itself, it was pretty mucky underfoot.
The first/last part of the map was in pretty scrappy woodland, but there were some nice, open sections further west, in the middle section. Unfortunately a lot of the controls were placed on point features, and with the relatively flat area and large amounts of undergrowth, these turned into some of the worst bingo controls I have experienced.
In particular, Control No. 13 was a nightmare. It was only 200m away from No. 12, but took me over 10 minutes to find. First, a large and permanent, but unmarked, track on the way threw me. Surely the controller would have picked this up. The map also showed a couple of contours quite close together, but there was no discernible hill on the ground - just a mass of undergrowth. There were several of us looking for this one, but I seem to have taken a particularly long time. I only finally found it by seeing the tiny white tag above it. It was in an almost invisible depression. It spoilt a run that was just "getting good" and although from thereon I ran hard to make up time, I was pretty annoyed at it.
There were several other places where the vegetation on the map bore no relation to that on the ground - generally much thicker (or cut down) compared with what the map showed. One narrow ride was also non-existent and another one was a wide, obvious track. The map certainly needs updating.
I didn't make any mistakes of my own doing, except for quite a lot of silly small overshoots, where I had to loop back to the control. Also, near the end, I ran right past an important junction without turning - I kind of knew I needed to turn, but just... didn't.
The last leg was pretty tough too - quite a steep uphill climb to the finish, which was then guarded by some thick vegetation. Thankfully the runners before me had beaten down a way through it.
Finished 10th out of 41 runners - without the problem at Control 13, would have finished 5th or 6th. The top four, including Ed, Ralph and PaulC, were uncatchable though - almost 10 minutes clear of the rest. Good to see a SLOW 1-2-3 - the club's M21 group is getting quite strong now.
The first/last part of the map was in pretty scrappy woodland, but there were some nice, open sections further west, in the middle section. Unfortunately a lot of the controls were placed on point features, and with the relatively flat area and large amounts of undergrowth, these turned into some of the worst bingo controls I have experienced.
In particular, Control No. 13 was a nightmare. It was only 200m away from No. 12, but took me over 10 minutes to find. First, a large and permanent, but unmarked, track on the way threw me. Surely the controller would have picked this up. The map also showed a couple of contours quite close together, but there was no discernible hill on the ground - just a mass of undergrowth. There were several of us looking for this one, but I seem to have taken a particularly long time. I only finally found it by seeing the tiny white tag above it. It was in an almost invisible depression. It spoilt a run that was just "getting good" and although from thereon I ran hard to make up time, I was pretty annoyed at it.
There were several other places where the vegetation on the map bore no relation to that on the ground - generally much thicker (or cut down) compared with what the map showed. One narrow ride was also non-existent and another one was a wide, obvious track. The map certainly needs updating.
I didn't make any mistakes of my own doing, except for quite a lot of silly small overshoots, where I had to loop back to the control. Also, near the end, I ran right past an important junction without turning - I kind of knew I needed to turn, but just... didn't.
The last leg was pretty tough too - quite a steep uphill climb to the finish, which was then guarded by some thick vegetation. Thankfully the runners before me had beaten down a way through it.
Finished 10th out of 41 runners - without the problem at Control 13, would have finished 5th or 6th. The top four, including Ed, Ralph and PaulC, were uncatchable though - almost 10 minutes clear of the rest. Good to see a SLOW 1-2-3 - the club's M21 group is getting quite strong now.
Friday Nov 14, 2008 #
Cycle Commuting (In to Work) 31:41 [3] 9.1 km (3:29 / km)
Continuing my miserable run of >30min commutes, started fast today, took the windy back-streets (longer, slower) just south of Euston Road to avoid most of the gridlock there. Turns out today's jam wasn't due to the apparently burst water-main further west, but due to a van that had caught fire outside the Wellcome Building, completely blocking off the carriageway. I squeezed past the burnt-out remains that were getting gingerly towed away by the police.
Thursday Nov 13, 2008 #
Cycle Commuting (In to Work) 30:48 [2] 9.21 km (3:21 / km)
Via canal. Much faster today - but the police had closed the canal around the Narrow Boat pub, so had to divert through the streets to the north. Then hit Euston Road again, and again it was grid-lock. I'm guessing there's some kind of roadworks on the road further west. Also misjudged a taxi coming the other way while turning right and almost came a cropper - certainly gave him a fright.
Cycle Commuting (Back Home) 31:46 [2] 9.21 km (3:27 / km)
Once again, wet on the ground and gently raining. Went via Hackney City Farm - a quieter route, although not really any shorter. Plus got a bit disorientated around London Fields.
Wednesday Nov 12, 2008 #
Cycle Commuting (In to Work) 32:20 [2] 8.8 km (3:40 / km)
The slowest time in by a long way. Tired and dehydrated after last nights race - felt I had no energy. Took the normal route via the canal. Euston road was extremely busy - gridlock. Recorded distance (8.48km) was a little low as I think the wires on the cycle computer are starting to flake out, so I've corrected it to 8.8km.
Cycle Commuting (Back Home) 26:29 [3] 9.13 km (2:54 / km)
Much better.
Tuesday Nov 11, 2008 #
Cycle Commuting (In to Work) 30:18 [2] 8.85 km (3:25 / km)
Strong (and cold) headwind all the way.
Cycling (To Event) 53:35 [2] 17.3 km (3:06 / km)
From work to Richmond.
Score Orienteering (Street Race) 1:00:50 [4] ** 11.5 km (5:17 / km)
ahr:166 max:190 spiked:21/33c slept:7.0 shoes: Gym Trainers
Night street race in Richmond - a town with lots of leafy houses (i.e. not much street lighting) and a great big hill - with the start/finish pub on the top of it. Despite these drawbacks I had a good race - much better than at Lambeth, and finished with 500 points (maximum possible was 750, Nick B won with 680.) Having missed orienteering last weekend due to a scheduling cock-up, I was pleased to get out and have a decent run. I felt strong the whole way around, including up the hill back to the finish - perhaps because I didn't have to sprint it this time. My HRavg was well down on normal - I did take things fairly easy, and felt great. I made quite a few route choice errors though, including overshooting a number of small alleyways.
The scale was 1:12500, although it felt like a normal 1:10000 street-race map. It was also printed in colour, on waterproof paper, with the clue sheet printed on the other side - the way it should be. The weather was clear and not too cold - really quite nice for November.
The scale was 1:12500, although it felt like a normal 1:10000 street-race map. It was also printed in colour, on waterproof paper, with the clue sheet printed on the other side - the way it should be. The weather was clear and not too cold - really quite nice for November.
Monday Nov 10, 2008 #
Cycle Commuting (In to Work) 29:19 [2] 8.61 km (3:24 / km)
Raining all the way, very wet. Via VPR, joining the canal just above Broadway Market lock.
Cycle Commuting (Back Home) 29:38 [2] 9.13 km (3:15 / km)
Sunday Nov 9, 2008 #
Field Surveying 1:20:00 [0]
Wander around Limehouse and Canary Wharf. Have decided against developing this area for an urban race for now - too many "private land" signs, too many landowners to talk to. Might revisit it though as an informal sprint.
I think this area will really come into its own if/when Wood Wharf gets developed - the proposed development looks amazing but won't be completed until 2019.
I think this area will really come into its own if/when Wood Wharf gets developed - the proposed development looks amazing but won't be completed until 2019.
Friday Nov 7, 2008 #
Cycle Commuting (In to Work) 29:21 [2] 8.76 km (3:21 / km)
Slow starting, and sluggish going. Still damp on the ground.
Note
After leaving work got a blowout at Vauxhall, while jumping the kerb onto the cycle path. Had to walk to St James Park station, then walk from Mile End at the other end, so all in all it took a loooooong time to get home.
Thursday Nov 6, 2008 #
Cycle Commuting (In to Work) 27:14 [2] 8.81 km (3:05 / km)
Cycle Commuting (Back Home) 28:32 [2] 9.03 km (3:10 / km)
From the Building Centre.
Wednesday Nov 5, 2008 #
Cycle Commuting (In to Work) 36:34 [2] 10.44 km (3:30 / km)
Convoluted route via the canal and Clerkenwell Green, to show Jenn the canal option.
Cycle Commuting (Back Home) 28:25 [2] 9.1 km (3:07 / km)
Gently raining - again! I read something a while back that says the average London commuter only gets rained on 12 times a year - but it's felt like 12 times in the last month.
Tuesday Nov 4, 2008 #
Cycle Commuting 26:46 [3] 8.79 km (3:03 / km)
I think I left my bag at home, d'oh. Also ran over a coot - sorry, coot.
Cycling (To/from Event) 1:00:47 [2] 19.88 km (3:03 / km)
From work to the RGS, via Hyde Park, and then back home, via The Mall, Bank and Mile End.
Monday Nov 3, 2008 #
Cycle Commuting (In to Work) 27:22 [3] 8.81 km (3:06 / km)
Pushing hard all the way.
Note
Anyone else on Twitter? I'm "oobr" on the service.
Cycle Commuting (Back Home) 31:33 [3] 9.14 km (3:27 / km)
Raining gently and really slippy on the ground, so quite cautious.
Sunday Nov 2, 2008 #
Orienteering race (Regional Event) 1:37:53 [4] **** 12.8 km (7:39 / km) +185m 7:08 / km
18c slept:5.0 shoes: Gym Trainers
Running M21L at the November Classic in Burley West, part of the New Forest.
After lots of rain the night before, it was dry during the race itself, but the course was waterlogged, with marked streams requiring a jump to cross, many unmarked ones, and lots of huge marshes - the "seasonal" ones were certainly in season.
The course consisted of a number of short legs, followed by five giant ones (well over 1km each) and then some more small ones to finish. Although the course wasn't very technical, in that I had no problems finding any control and didn't make big mistakes, it was very physical (considering how flat it was) and this made it more technical - it was tough concentrating on taking a good line on the map, and staying on it.
This was the longest orienteering (i.e. off-trail) race I've done for a long time, and my race preparation was not ideal - little training, a big party the night before, five hours of sleep, no meal the previous evening, and no meal in the morning either.
Yes, excuses... but i suffered for it, having a good first half, then finding some marsh crossing very physical indeed, and really running out of energy in the last quarter. I had to force myself to keep running for the last couple of km. I finished pretty low down (30th out of 38 finishers) but would have made up plenty of places if I had just had enough energy to not fade at the end.
This isn't the first time I've prepared poorly for the November Classic, and done poorly at it. The race is normally the longest M21L I run each year, so I should know what to expect now!
After lots of rain the night before, it was dry during the race itself, but the course was waterlogged, with marked streams requiring a jump to cross, many unmarked ones, and lots of huge marshes - the "seasonal" ones were certainly in season.
The course consisted of a number of short legs, followed by five giant ones (well over 1km each) and then some more small ones to finish. Although the course wasn't very technical, in that I had no problems finding any control and didn't make big mistakes, it was very physical (considering how flat it was) and this made it more technical - it was tough concentrating on taking a good line on the map, and staying on it.
This was the longest orienteering (i.e. off-trail) race I've done for a long time, and my race preparation was not ideal - little training, a big party the night before, five hours of sleep, no meal the previous evening, and no meal in the morning either.
Yes, excuses... but i suffered for it, having a good first half, then finding some marsh crossing very physical indeed, and really running out of energy in the last quarter. I had to force myself to keep running for the last couple of km. I finished pretty low down (30th out of 38 finishers) but would have made up plenty of places if I had just had enough energy to not fade at the end.
This isn't the first time I've prepared poorly for the November Classic, and done poorly at it. The race is normally the longest M21L I run each year, so I should know what to expect now!
Cycling (To/from Event) 55:13 [3] 18.82 mi (2:56 / mi)
To/from Waterloo. Out was via VPR, going very fast (9km in 21 mins). Back was via Mile End, much slower after a tiring event.
Saturday Nov 1, 2008 #
Note
Had planned to bike around the Docklands to take a closer took at the map, but it was wet and cold, and got wetter and colder, so canned it and stayed in.