Training Log Archive: immy

Tussock Traverse. Wow this was tough. Started off really well, not too fast but feeling strong. I was first girl for the first 40 minutes, but to be honest, this made me a bit worried, haha. Thought I was probably going too fast... I enjoyed the start a lot, as there were some more technical bits. The girl who passed me at 40 minutes looked strong, but I was faster on technical downhills and rocks. Anyway, things went fine up until around 80 minutes when I suddenly started to feel tired - just didn't want to run anymore! Another girl passed me then - she wasn't going too fast, but was running steady. So I followed her for a while. The next few kms were a really bad patch for me :( The main problem was my quads, which were really burning! Cardiovascular system was not so bad.

Somehow I struggled on, but the girl in front started to pull away a bit. After about 18 kms I realised there was another girl quite close behind. I wasn't feeling quite so bad as I had at the halfway point, but definitely not feeling strong either. So she eventually caught me up. Then on the downhill I was able to stay close behind her :) But there was one last hill at the end and my legs were so so dead by that point - starting to cramp and in a lot of pain! So I let her get away, and goodbye 3rd place. I was 4th in the end.

Kind of happy with the run, but I wish I could solve my issue of hills in the later parts of long runs! That's my real problem, because I am fine with hills early on in the race, but then my legs suffer and I can't keep it up. Living in Rotorua and doing some awesome long offroad runs around here should help though. To be honest, my legs weren't feeling all that fresh most of this week, and this morning a bit as well. Another dumb thing that I did was take the recommended 2 L of water - I only needed 1 L, or maybe less even. My bag was definitely heavier than a lot of other runners'!

So yeah, I have learnt a bit from running this race, and definitely expect to be able to run it faster using what I have learned :) I still am not convinced I was going too fast at the start - I think I just need to do more long trainings so I can sustain that pace better!

Oh and I won a spot prize - an entry into the Collvile Connection! (either a mountain bike or an offroad run) So looks like I'll be doing that one as well :)

Event: SI Orienteering Champs/NZ JWOC Trials
 

Had good intentions of getting up this morning to run, but my late bedtime habit still prevails. So afternoon it was - fortunately I was able to leave a bit early. This was a very cruisy run around the green loop + blue loop in the Redwoods. Felt my calves from Wednesday still!

Couldn't really make this week a high volume one like I want to be doing at the moment, due to the race tomorrow... but hopefully will try to achieve this over the next few weeks by including some morning sessions and cross training. The goal for this year is to build a really strong base, and work towards some long offroad races (as well as orienteering of course).

C • long off road races 3

Core session. I seem to keep slacking off with this. The goal from this point onwards is to aim for core 3x each week. Or even two would be a good start...

Stretching. Very much needed!

Legs actually feeling yesterday's run a bit. So today was a rest day. Quite excited about running on Saturday actually - my first offroad race in ages!

Cross training not looking so feasible either, because I brought my bike down over the weekend, with everything I needed EXCEPT my cycling shoes. rargh.

Am not sure whether I will end up commuting to the hospital though, because it's close enough that changing clothes, showering etc. would just be a hassle. But I still want to go for a ride or two!

Maybe tomorrow I will join the gym.

C • good luck! 4

Fantastic run! Went from home around the streets to the start of the track up Mt Ngongotaha, up the track to the top, then down and back the way I came. I enjoyed the run for a number of reasons: 1) it had everything from flat, fast roads to steep hills to awesome fast downhills, 2) I like exploring new places and 3) I went faster than expected and it felt really good :) Going up the mountain was pretty slow though, I had to walk a bit. On the downhill I practised feeling light on my feet and not trying to stop myself, just flying down. It was a pretty fun downhill.

The next few days I will try to take it a bit easy, because I'm doing the Tussock Traverse on Saturday. I don't know if I'll be running it very fast, I just want to go and enjoy myself really.

Finished work early, so off to the Redwoods. I guess I should have done something harder today, but my legs still weren't feeling ready. So I just went around the yellow loop + blue loop, at a moderate pace. Went a bit further than last time with Kate because I missed one turnoff, oops. Bumped into Rebecca on her mountain bike as well today which was exciting! we had a good conversation while I was running up a hill :)

We went out to Lake Okataina today for my flatmate's birthday, so that meant offroad running! Ran on a beautiful track around the lake, with just the right amount of hills. My legs were rather sore from Katoa Po so I just took it easy.

Post-Katoa Po race at Whakaipo Bay. This was such a struggle! Physically I had nothing, and the hot sun and lack of water didn't help. Made a few administration errors in the beginning trying to run to the wrong controls (it was a loops race) so that was very frustrating... then by the time I got to the forest part at the end I was so tired and thirsty I just couldn't concentrate anymore and was basically walking around feeling sorry for myself. When I saw Greta at one of the pivots I decided to skip the last small loop and just finish with her.

Rather disappointing but I guess everyone has their bad days...

Event: Katoa Po weekend
 

Ultrasprint races in Taupo. I arrived a bit late, so had to cram the 3 courses into about 20-30 minutes. Would have liked a little more recovery time! Then had the final shortly after. The first course I was a bit rusty and slow, and also mispunched one control, so that gave me a 30 second penalty. Also I forgot that there was a blown-up version of the maze on the map, so lost some time trying to read the smaller version. The second 2 courses were better once I had remembered how to do ultrasprints.

In the final, Greta punched an extra control in the first group and then actually missed a control, and I followed her to the extra one, but soon realised and got the one she missed. Then I followed her to yet another extra control, which was silly! The third time she ran to an extra control I got it right :)

Lesson: don't follow Greta. haha.

Katoa Po leg 5. Arrgh I am such an idiot sometimes. I messed up controls 1, 2 and 3 really really badly, losing probably 3 minutes on each of them! Disaster! But then after this I had a really good run and was going fast + felt strong. So it's a real shame I was such an idiot in the beginning :( :( :( I said to myself before I started that I would take time to plan the first leg and execute it well, but then I only made a vague plan and just ran off, ending up way too far right (because I didn't use my compass enough). 2 and 3 were just frustrating because I was hunting around in the approximate area for ages but for the life of me could not see the small depressions they were meant to be in. Obviously should have had some better features to use in or around the circle.

Anyway, really disappointed to let my team down like that :(

On the other hand, I did manage to keep up with Karl when he caught me up for a few controls. Then he got away, but I must have done something right, because I saw him again at control 11. Then manage to keep close behind all the way to the finish. If only I could have that sort of speed and confidence all the time!

Evening run from back home in Glendowie. Good to get back to some hills! Went a bit harder today, or maybe I'm just not used to running here right now, as I was pretty tired by the end.

Kate totally made my day! She gave me a ride to the Redwoods from the hospital, and we went running together :) Infinitely better than running around dead boring streets.

Gave up on my garmin after it took forever to find satellites. The strap broke on it as well - not too impressed I have to say.

C • I'm thinking of reverting b... 2

Too slack to get up this morning, and almost didn't go in the evening either as I was tired. (for some reason I really didn't sleep well - not like me at all!) But I did in the end. It was ok - I found a park with long grass to run through. Also ran through some areas which looked a bit dodgy though... probably should take some care where I go and at what time of day.

Flat run along the path near my new home in Kawaha Pt. Sucks that I am not closer to the forest especially as I have no bike and no car at the moment! Argh. But I made the flat run a bit more enjoyable by going at a decent pace. Garmin died so I wasn't really sure how long I was out for.

Counting the days until I can go back to Auckland and get my bike finally (only 3 more to go).

Another run in the evening. Motivated my flatmate to get out with me :) Ran the first 10-15 minutes with her, then she turned around, so I ended up going a bit faster after that. Still a comfortable pace though.

I ran to the start of the trail up Mt Ngongotaha as part of scheming for my next long run (in which I will run to the top :)).

Just remembered that I did a really good stretch session as well! Hopefully joining a gym next week and will get back to some more cross training - maybe even a yoga class or two?