Training Log Archive: Anvil

Event: SILVA National Orienteering League
 

Not my greatest sprint; I could feel I wasn't in top gear - a struggle cause the chesty thing has been hanging on. Needed to be flawless as it was such an easy area, so I compound my slowness by wasting 25 secs switching off and running past 8 and 20 secs due to the misplaced control - I didn't pick up that it was in the wrong spot, but got confused by the following leg. 24th/60 is about what I deserved, 3 mins down on Simon.

Can't say I enjoyed it much. Though it wasn't a great area, there was no attempt made to set any sort of challenging course there. Reusing controls is OK if done well, but reusing an exact same leg? Why? It wasn't even a good leg! Maybe some more sharp directional change in the forest, some more route choice around the buildings, a sneaky leg where people have to spot the gap between the buildings near #1.

Not that there is much to compare to, but this was my best middle race yet. Much more enjoyable than the morning, I think not being at 100% helped as being a bit slower helped me stay fairly clean amongst the mining detail.
I reckon about 2 mins of errors, not seeing the flag at 3, poor exit direction and compass on both 4 and 5 (drifted a long way right on 5) and hesitation on the way to 6 for no good reason, it just didn't feel right - but I was doing exactly what I should have.
Knew I had to give it everything I had from 12 onwards as it was easy and fast and I'm pretty pleased that my splits compare well to those above me -I suspect the mornings sprint had taken it's toll by that point and everyone was feeling the pinch. Jumping the fence to the final control was definitely the way to go!
Again, I think the area (which was pretty cool) deserved a better course than we got, but I still enjoyed it. 15th/42 was more like it (still a staggering 9 mins off Jules), but still frustratingly behind a large number of people doing 35-37.

C • route 1

Seriously, you couldn't script a better competition:
http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/gallery/0,236...

Romania FTW

Tour starting in North Hobart, set my first timer Brea.
Really enjoyed the run tonight, much banter was had by all - the allegations of cheating, disqualification and incorrectly marked routes were flying thick and fast throughout the run, so much so I was thinking we'd need a tribunal!
Post run spring rolls didn't quite live up to the hype, but were still pretty good!
Feeling a little bit better again tonight, was able to push a bit more - felt I could run strongly on the flat and downhills but pretty listless as soon as I had to go uphill.

Night training (or I should call it Jukola training now I have a team sorted!) at Knocklofty. Much better area for it than Waverly - nice white forest and obvious definite features. No real troubles, except for one where I did a 90 down a hill and then later hitting a track and thinking it was a different one and ending up somewhere I didn't expect. Both compass mistakes.
There were quite a few controls in areas I've never visited, it's quite a good sprint/middle area. Should be used for more than just School events.
Still sickly, sitting in my chest now. Fell OK, but like last night lacking in energy. Hopefully it clears up by the weekend, I'm perversely looking forward to tackling Sundays monster and would like to be at full strength for it.

C • watch 12

Hanging out the TP in the daylight. Much easier than the last time.
Cause was too easy the other week, did it in reverse - made a big difference.

Still a bit clogged up, but feeling better today so decided to give the track a crack to see how it went.
We could either do 4 or 6x1k. Just decided to do as many as possible till I dropped off the pace. Got through the 1st two OK, but had no energy during the 3rd and dropped out after 200m. Jogged round and did a 3rd one as everyone came through doing their 4th and then kept jogging after that. Did the required 4x150m strides at the end and felt pretty good for them.
Splits for the ks were 3:10, 3:20, 3:27. I accidently hit stop instead of lap on the first one so it's just a guess ;)
Feel much better now; coughed out enough gunk to feed a small African nation afterwards.

C • hahaha 1

Meh

The big quandary yesterday was whether I should do a long run on Pittwater or the Mountain. Waking up with clogged sinuses and a sore throat changed that to should I run or not.
It was such a nice day I couldn't not go out, so settled for a loop or 2 of Fiddlers on the Domain so I could get back to the car easily if it all went pear shaped.
It did, but not as expected. I've been feeling a slight twinge in my arse for a month or 2 now at the start of a run, but today it became a full fledged sharp stabbing pinched nerve type pain. Stopped, stretched, jogged slowly, but it kept coming back - but there was no logic to it, sometimes on downhill, sometimes uphill, sometimes it would go away with a heel strike, then it came back. Sat down and contemplated life for about 5 mins and ran back.
Only when I got back I realised that after the sit down it had gone away?!
Was still stuffed up and had no energy anyway, so it was for the best. Think it's time for a rest and easier week anyway.