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Training Log Archive: Anvil

In the 31 days ending Mar 31, 2008:

activity # timemileskm+m
  Running14 10:29:02 80.72(7:48) 129.9(4:51) 280
  Orienteering6 7:08:26 43.31(9:54) 69.7(6:09) 149025 /43c58%
  Cycling3 3:11:00 34.98(11.0/h) 56.3(17.7/h)
  Not Training1 50:00 3.73(13:25) 6.0(8:20)
  Total21 21:38:28 162.74(7:59) 261.9(4:57) 177025 /43c58%
averages - weight:83kg

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Monday Mar 31, 2008 #

Running intervals 12:35 [5] 3.6 km (3:30 / km)
ahr:168 max:181 shoes: Saucony Triumphs

Hallelujah, daylight savings has arrived. Gave myself an early minute from work so I could run in the daylight. Headed out to the track near home to try out a new speed session. 800m at 10k race pace, followed by 200m at 3k pace. Tried the pace based on the 10k race I did last week but found it a bit too easy so just went at a pace I felt comfortable without losing form and then blasted the last 200.
Felt really good, would have done one more set but daylight was rapidly disappearing and I wanted to get away cause the area is meant to become dodgy after dark (like Hobart Domain carpark dodgy).
Was a bit eager and programmed the GPS to measure the distances, forgetting I'd be on a track. Was having trouble picking up satellites before I left and they never really got their act together, so most of the laps were too short. I could have just kept running, but all the beeping would have been in the wrong places and been too confusing!

Running warm up/down 31:45 [2] 6.5 km (4:53 / km)

To and from the track & lazy arse recoveries. Running back along the Thames track dusk was just kicking in, the lights in the city were turning on and the river was nice and still. Magic. Bring on summer.

Sunday Mar 30, 2008 #

Running 1:58:00 [2] 22.0 km (5:22 / km)
ahr:149 max:176 shoes: White Asics

Long run with Nics. Out to Richmond Park and back along the Thames path through Richmond, Kew and other places back to Putney. Lots of remnants of yesterdays big boat race (I don't get the hype) and a fair bit of mud.
Beaut day - warm and sunny, massive contrast to last weekend. Felt much better than yesterday, knees a little sore towards the end. Struggled a little to keep up witbh Nics towards the end when she put the pace up, the track sessions she's been doing are evident.

Saturday Mar 29, 2008 #

Running 1:13:30 [3] 14.1 km (5:13 / km)
ahr:147 max:170 shoes: Saucony Triumphs

Zig zagging run round Wimbledon Common. Felt like a massive turd from start to finish, not sure if lack of sleep, food or anything else was the issue - but it wasn't fun. Mud everywhere after last weekends artic snowstorm - couldn't get up some of the hills. Bring on summer.

Thursday Mar 27, 2008 #

Running 32:30 [3] 7.2 km (4:31 / km)
ahr:144 max:155 shoes: Saucony Triumphs

Quick street run at night to see how the shin was feeling after Mondays fall. Didn't even notice it after about 20 seconds. So much nicer running without having to worry about a pesky map slowing you down
Getting pumped about daylight savings coming this weekend and the deadline for the big project at work conveniently being Monday which will free up my evenings from now on.

Note

Decided to enter the sprint and middle champs next weekend. Originally wasn't going to, but the JK sprint was so awesome I'm gonna take every opportunity to run a major event while I'm here.
I've also decided to not worry about the result of any race from now on while I'm here and just enjoy the experience.
Also saw the Easter 3 Day sprint in Dubbo and was in awe of the contrast between the two courses/maps. I know who got the better deal. (You could argue the weather balanced it out)

Monday Mar 24, 2008 #

Orienteering race (JK Relay) 53:00 [3] 6.3 km (8:25 / km) +190m 7:19 / km
shoes: Inov8 Roclites

Relays at Eridge Park.
4th leg runner on the SLOW B team. I didn't know when our 3rd leg runner set off cause I was sheltering in the club tent for most of the morning - ended up standing in the holding pen in the blizzard for 20 mins cause I was paranoid I'd miss the tag.
My heart just wasn't in it from the beginning - wanted to do a decent time just too frustrated by some dodgy mapping, really slippery elephant tracks everywhere and the fact that about 10 teams had already finished before while I waited to start.
All mistakes due to laziness
Too far to the left at #2 and climbed an unnecessary hill - poor veg mapping didn't help.
Dragged left into a split control by other runners at #5
Ran too far up the gully on the way to #8 pussying around trying to find a nice place to cross it.
Cbf to #9 and just ran in the direction of it. Spent a couple of minutes just outside the circle trying to work out where I was. Again the vagaries of the map in this area wasn't great.
Cbf to #10 and just ran in the direction of it. Spiked it!
Decided to get my shit together in the paddock legs on the way back and redeem myself with some decent splits and proceeded to fall in the mud and bang my shin on a submerged rock or branch. Hobbled along for the next couple of minutes before the pain left. Proceeded then to misread the fences around #11 and had to traverse some brambles, got stuck in waist deep mud and scale the 8ft deer fence, and drop my map as I climbed over to have it fall on the original side. Started to feel like it wasn't my day at that point.
Saw someone on my course ahead of me at a split control which was the only thing that kept me going to make sure I finished ahead of them.
Finally at the download I was informed I'd done the wrong course (our teams were changed heaps in the morning due to injuries). At the moment the results say no one ran our 4th leg - after all I went through they'd better fix that one up.

Sunday Mar 23, 2008 #

Orienteering race (JK Classic) 2:20:50 [3] 22.8 km (6:11 / km) +630m 5:26 / km
ahr:159 max:173 shoes: Inov8 Roclites

Classic Race at Ashdown Forest (home of Winnie the Pooh)
The 16.7km monster I'd been dreading. After the previous 2 days though I was looking forward to doing this one, just to say I'd done it.
True to form, the snow starts up just as I'm about to start and only lets up in the last 20 minutes.
Only mistake of significance for a course this long was at #12 where I should have crossed a creek earlier and headed up the hill to a gully on the other side.
Biggest mistake was being far too conservative at the beginning, being too concerned about dying in the arse at the end. Considering I wasn't tired that night, or sore the next day confirms it. I figure I could easily shave 30 secs-1min/km off my pace, which is a big chunk of time for 17k! We'll see how I go at the next big one (next month).
Enjoyed the area, especially the section to the NE. Just nice, easy running - generally well mapped bar a few point features and easy to pick everything. Obviously it was nowhere near as complex as the day before, but it was nice to feel like a competent orienteer again.

All the good stuff here:
http://www.jk.routegadget.co.uk/cgi-bin/reitti.cgi...




Saturday Mar 22, 2008 #

Orienteering race (JK Middle) 1:01:10 [4] ***** 9.5 km (6:26 / km) +220m 5:46 / km
ahr:167 max:177 spiked:10/23c shoes: Inov8 Roclites

Middle Distance race at Leith Hill. So I learnt nothing from yesterday - I'm guessing I made close to 20 minutes worth of mistakes. The majority of the course was control picking through some complex earthworks. I guess it's been a while in real technical stuff, but I had no game. No concentration, no planning, no sense of direction. Like I said on the last log, I've focussed so much on fitness that I forgot about the other part of orienteering. Quick run down of the course:
#2: Easy leg, went straight to the large thicket the control was on, ran 80% around it before deciding it was the wrong one. 3 minutes later was 5m further around punching the control.
#4: Moderate leg. Just ran off in the general direction with no plan. Hit the track before the detail with no idea where I was and ran round for a couple of minuted before I located myself.
#s 5, 6, 12, 13 & 16. Ran to the circle and on the off chance I'd see the control and didn't.
21 & 22: Easy controls at the end of the course. Checked out wasn't even running in the right direction at this point.

Pretty low after I'd finished, was starting to convince myself I had no business in this sport, or at least running Elites. Although I wasn't last, being almost double the winners time isn't good for anyones ego.

Snowed and hailed for most of the course. Wasn't so bad cause it didn't settle. Freezing cold in the finish, could only remember 3 events in Tassie ever being that cold.

If you want a laugh:
http://www.jk.routegadget.co.uk/cgi-bin/reitti.cgi...

Friday Mar 21, 2008 #

Event: JK 2008
 

Orienteering race (JK Sprint) 23:49 [4] **** 4.9 km (4:52 / km)
ahr:172 max:183 spiked:15/20c shoes: Saucony Triumphs

What a debacle. What an amazing sprint area.
I spend 3 months getting my fitness back on track, but then forget all about the navigating side of orienteering.
Made 2 massive errors totalling about 5:30. 1st control was in a complex building area at the end of a route choice. Got into the circle OK, spotted a control that wasn't mine (they were everywhere) and then got taotlly confused. Ran out, in again, out, in again, out and finally back in the right way. Real pissed off.
Went OK through the rest of it, the occasional 10-20 sec mistake here and there isn't worth mentioning, then went straight from 15 to 17. Realised half way there, but found it really hard to get into the control, just running round buildings finding dead ends and uncrossable green lines everywhere.
Finished 2nd last, which was a surprise. I expected last. Grumpy afterwards.

Map, course and GPS - gave up trying to get it to match perfectly.
http://www.jk.routegadget.co.uk/cgi-bin/reitti.cgi...

Thursday Mar 20, 2008 #

Running 20:30 [2] 4.4 km (4:40 / km)
ahr:142 max:160 shoes: White Asics

Quick evening run to remind the legs what they're going to be doing for the next 4 days and to see how I was feeling in general. I'll go with 80%. Heart rate was high to begin with but then settled down after a couple of minutes to its usual rate for that pace. Felt sluggish climbing steps that I normally bound up (in the manner that Superman leaps tall buildings).

Wednesday Mar 19, 2008 #

Note
(sick)

Dang nabbit, after staying virus free all year, I finally come down with something. Been on a constant diet of fruit, vegetables and garlic for the last couple of days.

Monday Mar 17, 2008 #

Running 30:00 [4] 6.8 km (4:25 / km)
ahr:150 max:164 shoes: Saucony Triumphs

Been itching to go for a run all day since I haven't been for a proper one since Thursday. Got busy at work and couldn't go at lunch like planned. Stayed busy and stayed late. Then had to out for dinner to see a mate from Uni who was going back Down Under. Then had to go to the pub to meet another bloke from Uni who couldn't make dinner.
Finally got home at 10:30, thought about going to bed but realised all that energy had to be released or I'd never sleep.
Felt amazing. Not that confident in the distance as the GPS needed a hard reset and hadn't picked up many satellites before I left. Hadn't planned on going that hard but it felt so good. Hope it lasts at least a week. Or at least till Sunday.....

Sunday Mar 16, 2008 #

Running 40:00 [2] 6.0 km (6:40 / km)
shoes: Saucony Triumphs

Went out to Barnes track to time Seb for his 3k time trial. Rubbish weather, windy and cold. Should have stayed in bed.

Saturday Mar 15, 2008 #

Cycling 55:00 [3] 18.0 km (19.6 kph)

Rode out to 'Run and Become' in the West End to pick up some shoes. Brilliant shop and staff - if buying online wasn't so much cheaper I'd pick up everything there.
Finally got round to getting a helmet today after gambling for far too long, Pretty sure it was my time, as I got hit by a car twice on my way out there - big reality check. Neither time was my fault, but if I'd been more aware it probably wouldn't have happened. Got run up the arse by one car - my back wheel was sitting in the turn left lane and instead of giving me a quick beep or driving round me, this bitch just decided to ram the back of my bike. I gave her some constructive critism on her driving technique, but I don't think she understood my accent.
About 2 minutes later, another nice lady does a lefty right when I driving past. Surpringly I get away with a broken pedal and a bruised shin and at least she was sincerely apologetic and concerned for my well being. Will be much more alert from now on.

Running 20:00 [2] 4.2 km (4:46 / km)
shoes: Saucony Triumphs

At the suggestion of my saleslady, I went for a quick run to break in my shoes. Very happy with them, nice and comfy. I can see a long and fruitful relationship ahead.

Thursday Mar 13, 2008 #

Running 40:00 [3] 8.4 km (4:46 / km)
ahr:143 max:159 shoes: Mizuno Trail Bargain

Have been feeling blah lately and almost didn't go out.... then I saw exactly how far day 3 is at JK and felt strangely motivated.
Pretty average trot. Tried a new loop I tried to suss out on google earth, but it ended up going though private property, so ended up going for about 2km along a shite public footpath which was mainly ankle deep mud and rubbish behind some weird mental hospital or old persons home or something.

Tuesday Mar 11, 2008 #

Orienteering race (Putney Street O) 1:00:40 [4] 13.1 km (4:38 / km) +100m 4:28 / km
ahr:165 max:178 shoes: White Asics

Been looking forward to this one, being in my hood and all the homeground advantages it brings. Turned the map over and thought I'd be able to get them all and planned the course accordingly with a nice S bend towards the end that allowed me to cut it short and not have to flat maggot it back from one end of the map.
Started off well, went past the scene of an accident, pre-ambulance, decided not to get involved cause a crowd was forming already and my CPR skills aren't up to scratch. The event had the added bonus of making the traffic slow down cause everyone wanted a geezer so it was easy to cross. Flew through the first half, got the 50 pointer on the other side of the river, looking good to get a fair percentage of the controls and came unstuck on the control outside my block of flats. Wasn't a big one, just 30 seconds cause I thought I knew exaclty where the shop that the clue was referring to, but I ran right past it.
Started to slow at the 40 min mark, I'd gone out way too hard and was paying for it. The original plan was up in smoke and I cut 6 controls (110 points) out and I was still back a minute late.
All in all not a bad run, it's the best k rate I've done in a street race so far and there was definately an advantage being on known ground - mainly knowing the busy streets and avoiding crossing them as much as possible.

Sunday Mar 9, 2008 #

Running race 39:41 [5] 10.0 km (3:58 / km)
ahr:176 max:187 shoes: White Asics

10k race around Lake Dornley at Windsor. Not the most interesting course as it didn't even go round the lake, just twice up and back one side of the lake on a bike path, but it was advertised as a course to set a PB on. Unfortunately there was a pretty strong headwind on the return leg, which slowly got worse as you got closer to the finish - just what you want on a race.
Didn't really have any plan, just go as hard as possible the whole way and hope the legs hold out after the abuse they got yesterday. Generally felt OKish, though there was hint of a cramp coming on after about 6k and a stich after about 7. (Can blame that on the free red bull they were giving out at registration)
Was able to stay under 4 min/kms the whole way except where the headwind got really bad (4th and 9th km). Garmin disagrees with the distance, saying I did 10.1km, but since I did under 40 after yesterdays race I'm pretty happy with the time either way.
Splits were:
3:45, 3:49, 3:53, 4:02, 3:50 (19:21 at half way)
3:57, 3:56, 4:00, 4:12, 3:49 (19:57) and 0:22 to the finish line
Sore now, so sore.

Not Training warm up/down 50:00 [2] 6.0 km (8:20 / km)

Getting to the start from Windsor was a bit of a mission. Got lost. Got rained on. Finally found the lake and we were at the other end of the course. Jogged most of the way to get to registration with 10 minutes to spare to be informed the start was going to be 15mins late due to parking issues. Phew.

Saturday Mar 8, 2008 #

Running race (Merrell Mud Man) 34:36 [5] 7.8 km (4:26 / km) +180m 3:59 / km
ahr:176 max:184 weight:83kg shoes: Mizuno Trail Bargain

Offroad race down in Hampshire. I accidently entered this thinking it was next weekend (another race entered tomorrow), but I guess I've gotta do 4 in a row in 2 weeks time so this'll be a good taster.
Race consists of a twisty vehicle track through pine forest. What makes it interesting is the 2km mark begins the stint on heartbreak hill - 7 short sharp hill climbs and subsequent descents and then finishing off the final km with a long steady hill climb. No PB's here!
Started off really well, though the first section is gradually down hill. Had a few ditches to jump and single track to navigate (which seperated the road runners from the orienteers!), then the climbs began. Thought I'd struggle due to my lack of doing any significant hills latly, but was passing people left, right and centre. On about the 4th hill I realised I was in the front of the pack and was reeling in the leader! Unfortunately after the hill there was about 2km of flat ridge running and the leaders began to pull away. Thought I'd be able to catch the guy 30m in front of me, but he just kept speeding up at the same rate I did.
Crossed the line in 6th place, which I normally would be stoked about, but it turns out there were prizes for the top five! Bugger. Still, I've never been in a race where I've been in the obligatory hand shake 'good race, mate' group before at the finish!

Cycling warm up/down 1:00:00 [2] 17.7 km (17.7 kph)
ahr:120 max:143

From Farmborough Main station to the event and back. Went back via the Frimley Fuel Allotment. Not sure what the name means, but it's adacent to army training facilities and there's a sign say don't touch anything unusual with a picture of an explosion. Could hear people blowing stuff up in the distance. Cool.

Thursday Mar 6, 2008 #

Running tempo 1:00:50 [4] 13.3 km (4:34 / km) +100m 4:24 / km
ahr:148 max:170 shoes: White Asics

Weekly night street tour of London, which is starting to become my favourite run of the week. Headed out along the Thames to West Brompton and Imperial Wharf and back along through Fulham. Alternated kms trying to stay steadily on 5:00 min/km, then 4:00 min/km. Did pretty well, at the end of the 6th set I'd taken 54:10.
Feeling pretty good - I'm definately a night person. Annoying that races usually start in the morning!

Wednesday Mar 5, 2008 #

Running 41:20 [3] 8.6 km (4:48 / km)
ahr:143 max:162 shoes: Mizuno Trail Bargain

Found the park I was looking for on Monday. Not very big, but spotted a permanent control in the forest. The track that runs around the perimeter is about 600m and interesting enough to come out and do some speed work on. Also doesn't seem to be frequented by many people and their dogs, so may head out there more often.

Monday Mar 3, 2008 #

Running 33:45 [3] 7.0 km (4:49 / km)
ahr:140 max:155 shoes: Mizuno Trail Bargain

Easy day after run. Felt rubbish for the first 10 minutes. OK for the next ten. Great for the rest.
Tried to find a new park. Surprise, surprise got lost and ended up on Epsom Common.

Note

I've just discovered this race:
http://www.toughguy.co.uk/
How could I not go in it?
Problem is it's just after O-Ringen. Although if I didn't go to Sweden it would free me up for the French 6 Days. Decisions, decisions....

Sunday Mar 2, 2008 #

Orienteering race (Millbank and Whitley) 1:28:57 [4] 13.1 km (6:47 / km) +350m 5:59 / km
ahr:165 max:178 shoes: Grey Asics

Bit of a disappointing race. In stark contrast to last week, felt tired and sluggish from the get go. About half way through we got quite close to the start and I thought about heading back, thinking I was getting sick. Decided to keep going though since I was there, and started to feel a little better after that.
Almost no major mistakes except for a 3 minute bungle towards the end trying to locate a pit - just lazy and running in the general direction and hoping. Looking back over the course with Seb, I took a lot of terrible routes, I was just taking the first decent line I saw and often just going straight.
Oh well, they can't all be great.

Saturday Mar 1, 2008 #

Cycling 1:16:00 [2] 20.6 km (16.3 kph)

Had to go into work, so decided to ride in to start working out the best route for summer.
This wasn't it. Got lost. Lot's of traffic lights. Followed the suggested cycling routes which add 50% to the length. Next time Gadget, next time.

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