Training Log Archive: Dooby

Think i'll take it easy today and this week to recover and let the body get back to normal. Must unpack too.

Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Bike
Wednesday - Run
Thursday - Bike
Friday - ?
Saturday - ?
Sunday - ?
Weekend might just involve doing nothing, we'll see how things go.

Travelled back from Switzerland to Killarney via London and Cork. Very very tired, didn't sleep at all I think between returning from the banquet. One of the team that I was sharing the room for WOC with had a fondness for saying "Oh Fuck" repeatedly in a very drunken/ill state!!!

C • Sleep fail 3

Benente
WOC Relay - Leg 3

Started maybe 20-30 seconds behind a Kiwi and I knew there was a Brazilian somewhere out ahead of me, a few minutes. So they were my targets. Speed at the start was fine but direction from start triangle towards 1 wasn't fantastic, stayed on the tracks but could have shortened running distance, saw Kiwi ahead of me. Think his 1 was west of mine so i'd the advantage here. The next few controls were all ok, might have lost some seconds but generally ok, and on the start of the long leg to 7 I was with the Kiwi. Our routes diverged slightly on route and on the first of the tracks we crossed I saw him ahead and the brazilian. On the climb up the hill to the next track and the road the kiwi got away from me with a higher pace and I let him go, not sure how I let him get away, should probably have ran harder but I felt I was running at the limit. Passed the brazilian and went into the loop from 7-10. Leaving 9 I saw the BRA lad punching after me but i'd a few seconds as I was on my way up the hill, didn't hit 9 too cleanly.

The next few controls were alright, no sign of the BRA. Then messed up 14, the control before the specator control. Went a bit right of the line to start off with and then leaving the track I was too short and overshot the control hitting green beyond it, headed back and then saw the control. So maybe 30secs-1min lost. Then out onto the track, ripping the bottom of my o trousers on the way. Crowds had thinned a bit going through the arena but i appreciated the cheering, got cheered at numerous points along the run through, not sure who was where as I didn't lose focus that much. By the time I left the run through I was pretty shagged at this stage. Got 16 alright but direction out of 16 towards 17 was off resulting in me ending up on the track to the left of 17 but cut in alright to it. At this stage I was tired. Going to 18 I reall took a long route on the track around. In hindsight this wasn't smart but I felt comfortable in my position. Brain was not functioning and I wanted to stay cleaning and was willing to sacrifice some seconds to achieve this. Back out onto the track which had some climb towards 19. Hit it ok and after that it was back to the last control and up the run in.

Pleased with my race, some small time lost but there wasn't much more I could have done. Next year I will be even fitter and in a better position to race harder.

Results
GPS

Les Gares 10

Nice area, the Relay Model. Did a control pick of all the controls. Few deep gullies to cross to start off with but forest was nice. Fell on my ass between 39-40, some mud crossing the stream! No real trouble from the controls, map made sense. Messed up between 47-48, direction was right, slightly left though but felt there was more going on than was shown, some clearings and overgrown area. Hit the track that the control was at the end of, but was maybe 50m short of it. 52 to 31 was rough crossing through the green.

Felt ok though so all bodes well for tomorrow.

Ran on the relay model map this morning. Bit nervous about tomorrow, a race I've wanted to run in since I went to my first WOC, now I've got the chance. Plan is to put everything into it, and focus on orienteering right, gotta cut out out silly mistakes. Terrain should be fast but there'll surely be some green to make life interesting. I want to come home from WOC with at least 1 race I'm satisfied with.

Went to the Long Final today and cheered on Nic. Was in the coaching zone for him. Got a small bit more sun today on the bits that were exposed from wearing singlet.

La Givrine
WOC Middle Final

The Swiss 5 day event was hours away so decided to come here for a run insted. Up the track to the start my legs still felt a bit tired.

Had planned on going straight to 1 but ended up taking the meadow option as it was a bit rough. All the forest was rough, but particularly rough in the first loop. 5 I was a bit unsure of, there seemed to be a big track up the re-entrant.

Ended up taking a right option to 7 once I hit a track I decided to follow it. Went right to 9, not sure if I hit it 100% but was pretty close. 10-12 was a nice bit of forest for a change. Missed the tv control, 14, a small bit, relocated by the stones beyond it. Then back into the forest for the last few controls. Nice downhill to 19 but was a bit stoney. Then the run in after 20. Field very different to yesterday.

Legs didn't feel too bad.

After resting yesterday and getting sunburned while doing it spectating at the Middle Final, went back to there this morning and ran the men's middle final. Took it very easy and hadn't any real trouble.

Now gotta concentrate on the relay on Saturday, running order not decided yet though.

Swim in the lake again this afternoon on the agenda, after the tour finishes of course.

Went and watched the middle final, got a lot of sun! Was a good race, had a good view of the screen from the hill opposite.

Legs know they ran yesterday so have 1.7km from bus drop off to pre-start where I intend to warm them up enough to run the 5km course. This is a race I feel I can do well in so now it's time to deliver. Starting at 1507 swiss time.

Bois Rond
WOC Middle Qualification Race

This was the race I was aiming to do well in, did I deliver, hell no.

Felt alright starting off. Wasn't too sure going to 1 but hit it alright. Think I fell and smashed my knee going to 2 but didn't take any notice. 2 was fine. Dropped to the track for 3, low, and then followed it all the way to 3 changing to a bigger track en route.

4 I messed up, first mistake. Dropped to the track and hit a track junction. Got a bit confused with which track I wanted but took the right one. Problem was I didn't turn in soon enough and overshot, then couldn't see the boulder in green.

Took track to 5, got it fine. Then 6 was another mess up. Veered a bit left on the leg but came off the track knowing where I was. Saw the crag near the control but didn't see the control, then found a control on a crag after it and knew where that was on the map, came back but again didn't see the control in a depression. Finally found it.

Then 7 was ok and then 8 was more time lost. Didn't really match the map to the ground, thought the control was going to be higher and ended up in some green. Dropped and found the control. At this stage I was pretty pissed off so decided to take a safe route to 9, but still messed up. Don't know where I ended up but dropped low at one point before having to climb back up.

Got 10 ok!

Then 11 I missed, ended up left of it so relocated off the track.

Last couple of controls were ok.

Very disappointed with how I ran today. Too many mistakes, can't blame the legs, can only blame my orienteering. I am better than 32nd, and had high hopes, not qualification but a good race. Should have ran mid to high 30s. Have to improve for next year.

Breakfast eaten and less than 4 hours until my long qualification race. Was tired going to bed, early start yesterday as I went to support our sprinters. Then there was the final in the afternoon which was quite hot and after that a quick dash back to the hostel before the opening ceremony.

Feel recovered this morning (but still not hydrated enough), and I didn't even race yesterday. Next 2 days is hopefully what the last year has been all about. All I want from the races is a race that I'm happy with. That's what I want to achieve and if it is an improvement on last year then i'll be satisfied.

C • Good luck! 2

Biere-Ballens
WOC 2012 Long Qualification

Was happy with how I started, just legged it after Matthew Speake who started at the same time as me. No trouble with the first few controls. Was careful on the 5th as I didn't want to mess up a short leg. Then 6 I oversho, hit the other control nearby and kinda lost track of where I was and where I wanted to go. A belgian lad on my course came past me here and I couldn't keep up so wasn't happy with that.

Next few controls up to the drinks control and photo control were ok, took a gel before the control which was caught on camera. Didn't feel great after this control going to 11, speed dropped and tummy felt a bit off. Kept going and once I got to 11 and on towards 12 I felt a bit better. Took safe routes to 11 and 15. Think I was a small bit scrappy around 15 but no real time lost.

Long leg then from 16-17. Took the correct route but then went wrong close to the control, made a parallel error ager leaving the track near it, took green to be the one I was looking for, then even found a track in the green but no control. Found my control but was lucky.

Rest of the course was fine. Overall I did what I could, lost a couple of minutes but wasn't much more I could have done. Gotta recover now for the middle distance. Ended up 31st in the heat, had hoped for a higher placing.

Event: WOC 2012 - Lausanne SWITZERLAND
 

Was up early today, brough the lads down to the Sprint Quarantine, Hugh had already brough Roz down earlier. Then contined on to the arena to get set-up in a good position. Blew up the hammers and got the clappers out ready to cheer on our runners.

In the afternoon went downtown to the Sprint final to cheer on Nic. Nice and sunny too. Then back to the hostel for a quick dinner before back down to Ouchy again for the opening ceremony. Parade wasn't too long so don't think we were on our feet too long.

La Palud
WOC Middle Qual Model

Ran past the first control, 34, didn't see it as there was a slight bank next to the pit, smart. Then messed up the next control 39 too. Ended up too high and beyond it. A great start to the session. Went to 35 next and ended up in a heap of rough stoney crap, not fun.

The rest of the controls didn't cause too much trouble. Nice jog through a meadow on the way back.