Training Log Archive: mary

Nice win for the SYO Honeybees (think that's our team name).
Kim sent me out in 3rd, I sent Cat out in 2nd and she pulled it in for the win :)
Ran ok but I still wasn't feeling fab - its a lot easier to push it through a 37min race than a classic though so I told myself to just push on and get it done. Had a reasonably clean run bar a couple controls in the middle that were clean but I think by solid compass technique and a bit of luck as I was toeing the line there.
2nd on my leg, but a few mins behind Grace which I just put down to feeling really off running and not any mega mistakes so that's pretty encouraging.

Despite feeling unwell, I'm feeling pretty positive about my orienteering this weekend. Ive managed to stay settled and am really pleased I've hit 3/3 good relay runs over JK and BOC, as this is one of my run preferences for WOC selection but also probably the race I enjoy most but also get most nervous for - so my routines have worked and I've held it together! Its been awesome to compete with Cat and the other girls and guys in really strong SYO teams and I'm looking forward to keeping that up over the next few years!
Gutted that I picked up such a horrid virus mid selections and still wasn't feeling right this weekend, but have given it a good crack and have been surprised and extremely humbled by all the kind things people have said in the UK, Sweden and from Aus over the interwebz about how much I have improved in the last year and to be starting to get some decent results! Overheard Grace chatting pre race about how SYO were the relay faves as we were one of the only teams that had THREE good runners, and just thought to myself fuck yeah... you are now considered a good runner amoungst these girls hahaha! So now for a short period of down time after this first hard block of racing and then onwards and upwards into WC in Finland in June :D

jogging about waiting for Cat for the track 200m run in... which some official told me and Kim we shouldnt be doing when we got ready and jumped the fence.... haha yolo... think he quickly realised what he was saying and ate his words

Event: British Orienteering Championships
 

Pretty bad race from me - not feeling well and should have made the choice to sack it in and feel good for the relay really, but got round the first 30mins ok to the far control before I bonked and from there it was basically the rest of the course to get back in but also a real effort just to finish. Pretty dissapointed, but I also just have to put it down to a really bad day for me and a race too long coming off a rubbish virus. Felt really ill in the stomach and quite weak and lightheaded the whole way round, didn’t really realise until after the big crag crossing to the long leg just quite how shit I was gonna feel for the rest, hoped a gel would pick me up but no such luck and then just shuffled round the rest wishing I’d pulled out really... cant entirely pinpoint what made me feel so ill - maybe more milk than I normally have/the last couple of weeks catching up!
Nav was fine really only one tiny blip... just had nothing running.

Dead happy with this run - felt physically good and technique and decisions were good too! Lead out from the first control till 5 where I hopped on the wrong side of the wall and kept in front but lost my distance on the lead, too scared to make a good route choice to 6 so kept with the pack which was safe (also the descriptions were v unclear so it was impossible at the time to know which route was better anyway!) then just ran it out cleanly to come in 2nd on first leg just ahead of Alice. Happy to run the pace of all the faster girls and keep it clean! Think Charlotte was first or second in on the longer gaffle and she had a v similar km pace to us up front so would have been up there too!
SYO came in 7th on the relay which isn’t bad at all considering how many good teams there were!!
Good start to the weekend, hopefully can back it up the next two days!

Little shake before heading up to Joes

Two little sprint courses set by Tent round the edge... interesting that he managed to find some control sites/route choice I hadnt yet done - thought Id totally balls'ed one up on the 3rd control, then later found out that everyone did a super SI air and didnt go to it - so I got so dropped and didnt overtake them again till about 2/3rds round... good to realise I wasnt actually just that shit haha

10 x 1min/30s up Porter with Conner after O. Just trying to get the legs ticking over again but it felt like hard work tbh

ITW

Run group + run home w Dan. On slow group today - I think it actually hurts more to run this slow.

Probs shouldnt have gone - still felt quite head coldy and tired but it was such a beaut evening needed to get out for a bit! Felt like hard work and came home with a headache