Training Log Archive: paul

Nats Relay

National Relays @ Maraetotara:
NW1 team
Finished in 8th spot out of around 90?

Very very reluctant to run as my body was a real mess today. Both achilles sore and quads just rediculous. No amount of massaging or warming up helped at all. Not wanting to let the club down i somhow thought maybe i would cope with one more run. Hell that was hard, i couldn't use any of my usual speed and just putting one foot in front of the other was mindblowingly tough. I was in the hurt box all the way around, catching Ben Reynolds NW2 at #2 we swapped possitions all the way around. All i could think about was how i wished i had his legs. A couple of times i was led off course by him and decideded he wasn't having a great nav race so tried to do my own thing, Got ahead of him again before the trig and thought i had it in the bag screaming down to the 2nd to last control 133 in the rocks, went straight to the control, thought i was looking for 132 so went away again! Buggar me, by the time i checked again he'd passed me. I had another brain malfunction for a couple of seconds thinking i could out sprint him to the finish, until the reality of my sore tired body reminded me as I limped in instead. Oh well at least i picked up one place and got a reasonable time even with quite a few dumb errors.

Found some ice in a hurry but it didn't help.

Nats Long

National Long @ Waipoapoa:
Lots of warming up, achilles not 100% but way better than after the sprint, Quads also feeling quite sore from the hills yesterday and having not done any running training to speak of this year.
Again thought the only remote possibility i might be competitive was to be error free and try to keep some good momentum going. Started well with focus especially in through the tricky rocky native bush. Ticked off and ran through and over the big handrails which paid off. I managed to catch some others by doing this but then i got all cocky when leaving the forest and ran faster than i could read the map, going off bearing to 6 and not identifying my mistake early, losing 1/ 1/2 mins. The long leg to 8 began well with a good choice of route. I could swear i spotted Pete who started 12 mins in front of me... it was him just a couple of mins in front now! Approaching 8 i hesitated quite a bit thinking he was either a bit off course or i was, it was him but i lost my focus and screwed it up anyway. John R was on my tail as we tried to thunder down the hill, he also started 6 mins in front! Next thing i heard a crack and a desperate moan as he went over on an ankle. I stopped to see if he was ok and insisted he could walk, it bought back bad memories for me... poor John!
Missed 9 a bit in the reentrant of the side of the huge eroding canyon, then strugged up the next few controls to the spectator. Climbing over the fence just before the spectator control i didn't see a high wire and really smashed into it with my head taking full impact resulting in a big egg, a scary deep gash, lots of blood and an instant head ache. Apparently it was in the hazard warning???
I thought i was real smart keeping quite high sidling to 14 but as i approached the control i realised i was mixing it up with 19 which was nearby but lower down (ahhhh) not too bad though until i caught some others hunting for 14 too low down. Messed about with them for a while until realising what we were all doing wrong, found the control and shot of to the next with out being spotted i think. No problems with the rest of the course as i took more care but the long uphill from 17 - 20 had me well and truely beat.
Leading for a while until ACW wasted me by something like 10mins. Got 2nd which i was emensly stoked about, and just shows in these long tough races you don't give up because most people will have problems.
The achilles seemed reasonably ok but boy did the quad group hurt!!!

Nats Middle

Nationals Middle @ Firestation:
Turned up virtually convinced i was going to walk around, warming up didn't do a heck of a lot particularly for the L achilles which was the main problem... but, possibly stupidly, I started at a medium pace and found myself sort of able to continue with out too much distress or pain. Incase anyone is wondering why i would do that is that i have more than once found that orienteering on rough terrain has actually helped my achilles!!!
I was also hoping that i could do an error free run which could help compensate for the lack of speed. That didn't happen as a good smooth start fell to bits with small errors of judgement at 4 and 5, then running/walking across the thinned pines to 6 was hard work when injured. Even so i somehow caught and passed Guy CW at 8, but then we both went past 10 without seeing it, losing another 2 1/2 mins. 11 involved a couple of hill climbs of which took the shine of any enthusiasm i hung on to but at least i had someone to talk to as we struggled up them. Guy must have chuckled to himself as i misread things badly going into 11 (clearly suffering from brain oxygen debt), by the time i sorted my prevebial out he was well gone. In the mad panic to catch him i got half way on the long leg to 13 before realising i hadn't been to the very simple 12, so back i went feeling rather shit about it all. Didn't need to look at the map much to 13 the second time, though now in hindsight i can see 4 different route choices, and the one i picked would have to be the worst!
Got about 5th which was still ok i suppose but 10mins down on Pete.

* Remarkably my achilles felt really nice after the run. I really couldn't believe it. No more limping or pains. What a crazy thing.

Event: NZ Orienteering Champs 2011
 

Nationals Sprint @ Woodford-Iona:
...here goes my ramblings for Nationals weekend, sorry if anyone who decides to see how i went gets sick of hearing about my injuries, unfortunately it's my reality. At least you don't have to live it!
Firstly, I was very hesitant to even do the sprint, but being me i can't help myself once i was there. I did manage to contain myself mostly, trying not to push at all. The legs and achilles actually felt alright as i held back a bit, Nav wise #1 really woke me up as i was way out with the scale of things since not doing a sprint for ages, then the rest of the course was pleasantly smooth and under control. Going through the spectator area was freaking me out, not wanting to stuff up in front of everyone (not knowing the layout like the late starters).
Half way around going down the farm track I started getting more confident with the way my achilles were feeling and increased the speed a bit. I actually felt a slight strain happen so wasn't happy at all.
Somehow got 2nd! Spent the next 30min icing legs. Gutted.

1/2 hr on the road bike, wanting a slightly hard workout but not too tough. Including eight hill intervals @ 90% effort
Milford Beach 15:30
Back Home 16:04
Awesome times, felt strong and fresh. Another PB I think!!!
L achilles and R ankle still rooted unfortunately so the weekend will be interesting, got ankle brace, tape, anti inflamms...

felt quite fresh and strong after the gym/core, so todays TT ride went way better than expected... pretty sure it's another very awesome PB.
I'd be a bundle of joy if my biking times this year were actually a reflection of my running times!
The pool was in use as i was too late, so couldn't do a recovery pool jog which was part of the master plan.

headaches, probably due to serious lack of sleep and some dehyrdation