Training Log Archive: Leon

Event: Fat Rascal Races/YHOA Urban League / Races/Nopesport & YHOA Urban Leagues
 

Fountains Abbey parkrun - 2nd, 17:32
A bit odd and slightly disturbing.
Was going hard but fine but completely fell apart in final mile and struggled home.
Lack of warm up would be an option but wasn't a warm day.
Was in a battle with a guy in a UBOC orienteering top, didn't know who, but assumed he was doing same as me - I got away slightly after 1 lap but he finished very strongly and as mentioned something went wrong for me.
Turns out this was Duncan Birtwistle who is 1 place ahead of me in the rankings (for whatever that is worth!) but he didn't even know about the later races.
76th different parkrun and the most visually stunning, can't recommend it enough, not that tough a course either, despite what my time might the suggest, which makes me more disappointed.

Fat Rascal prologue, Becketts park, 1st, 15:08
Again, a bit strange
S-#8 never felt on top form, but in hindsight was probably doing fairly well.
Think took the shortest route through this, didn't see any other option than out and round 3-4-5 which was a bit dull perhaps. Started to catch Gordon my minute man on way to #7, decided to carry on past #8 to #9 to keep flow going but this is where the trouble started. Didn't notice crossable wall on this route and end of garages and so this slowed me into #9 compared to other route
Then went up steps to #10 which was stupid really.
Big big error to #11, predictably in the wooded section, took larger path to west and didn't realise, ploughing on and through to upper most path at which point realised I was off, had to go along and in from north, but too much nettly stuff so ended up coming in from south as should have done had taken correct route.
Lost 45s compared to Gordon here.
Floored the rest of it pace wise, very slight errors on approach to #12 and #13, missed path into woods for #17 and had to thrash through, then harrassed by vicious dog in woods #18.
So fairly eventful.
Could have been a lot quicker. But there we are, that's the nature of this game.

Fat Rascal Final, chasing sprint, 2nd, 14:28

Maintained my tradition of leading the AIRE chasing sprint and messing it up, this year without the excuse it had shifted from urban to terrain.
Catastrophic error to #1, just ran off like a headless chicken, no real idea even now what I was thinking, I remember thinking the start kite was pointing a funny way on the map, think I must have been holding a funny way up.
No excuse though, I have enough running pace to be able to take 5s to get used to where I am and where the first control is, very stupid of me and it cost me big time.
At least I didn't lose my head, despite seeing on my convoluted route to 1 that the chasing pack were already halfway to #3.
2-6 were then OK (how many people cut the dark green kerbs through the car park I wonder?) 7 the undergrowth didn't represent reality so in coming in from the west there was no white gap and I lost time here as I found somewhere suitable to thrash to the control from. Saw Gordon coming out of 8 which helped and caught him on way to 9 but he put a big kick in which really made me suffer! Fine through this section too and overtook another couple back up hill into the campus and could see Ben Stevens ahead, felt I was running out of time but could I catch him. Held up punching at next two which didn't help but into quadrant he was about 30-40m ahead and heading straight for the building site unmarked on the map as too recent. I had remembered you couldn't go this way but I have a lot of sympathy with Ben, especially with it being the end of the course, I don't think it would have been too difficult to put a red line between the buildngs on each map this week really.
Went right and had cut the gap a bit, then left before the steps (by #1) and then cut up through the undergrowth and bushes to left of steps. Seems like some other courses were running opposite way on the path along the top, and someone shouted as I came through 'OUT OF BOUNDS'

Here's a handy hint - DONT SHOUT OUT OF BOUNDS AT PEOPLE UNLESS YOU'RE 100% SURE - it makes you look stupid but it also ruins other peoples races, I had to stop and check for a split second. I'm also disappointed I had enough breath to shout back that it wasn't. Frustrating.
I don't think I would have caught Ben anyway but the gap wasn't very much going into 18, maybe 2 or 3 secs but I had trouble punching and that was the end of that, jogged in from final control.

Hope I do better tomorrow really, I can accept mistake on prologue as a 'racing mistake' but the final error was entirely avoidable and unecessary.

Clifton bridge and Bishopthorpe rd loop
Lovely and warm, felt quite good but held back

Saltaire-Shipley-Esholt-Guiseley-Menstonia

Felt reasonable but pace never got above slow
Did have bag on back.
Had no motivation to go any quicker.
If I'd have come home before running would never have got back out tonight, one of those days.

Pool Bank Quarries event - 11th, 32:01

Not orienteered here before.
Pocket map!
Didn't want to push it with race later the same night, and after falling twice on way to #3 and wearing shorts in a rough area, decided to back right off and probably spent 70-75% at walking pace.
Navigation was good, though probably should be by now at walking pace, albeit in unfamiliar surroundings. Still fell twice more, and this was on dry ground.
A massive range of times in the results!

Round the park

Hyde Park Summer Mile, 2nd, 4:47
Felt quite low on energy beforehand
Legs were jelly for first 400m, not used to going off this hard.
Was 2nd pretty much all the way round but was aware there was someone behind me.
Felt stronger and stronger the further I went, and for me, had a decent sprint finish.
Ran 4:56 2 years ago but with downhill start and uphill secion halfwat round, but will take 4:47 given not done any sort of speed work.
Maybe next summer will do some before I get too old...

Had planned on doing some minute efforts but didn't feel up to it so settled for strides

Headed east to try and find the start of the Wolds Light railway, but failed. Felt reasonable so that was good.

Group run round Water Haigh with the Kid, Joe and Tom, with Dom providing the wit on the bike. Pace didn't accelerate for once. Enjoyable.

Out to Addingham and back for Day two. Hard on the way back to get back for Wimbledon/F1/rest of tour.