Training Log Archive: Anvil

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...

Event: JK 2008
 

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...

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).

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.

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.....

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

C • Rubbish Weather 3