Training Log Archive: Dooby

The Hermitage

Put out 4 controls, 17-20. Turns out I put 19 in the wrong re-entrant. Funny thing is that this was the control that I was happy putting out, the rest of them I messed around checking.

The hill up from the car-park was a struggle, legs didn't want to move. Then when I hit the path above 20 it was like a bomb had struck the place, trees everywhere, windblown. So hoped the rest of the area was better, it was.

Once i'd the 4 out I jogged up to 8, where I met Hugh who was putting out this loop. He'd been out a while so decided I'd just tag along with him, and double check his controls as he put them out, make life easier. Forest was a bit rough due to brashings and some extraction. Massive boulder near 16 not mapped!

Then we came back the track with the plan of not getting the other 7 controls due to the amount of time on the watch, but to run on the track over to the Hermitage and see what that was like. But our plans were thwarted by lads felling trees. They even blocked our back-up plan. So ended up coming back the track about 20, the one we were trying to avoid.

Due to the felling/windblown area being the location for the afternoon session we had to go to a different area.

Dunalastair

Crew were running the first 8 controls from the M21E WRE. Both senior squad members along with junior squad stayed on for the training. So I went off first and put out 6, 7 and 8. Spent a bit of time at 6 when I got there checking the site. Did get to the site more comfortably than Saturday, knew where I was.

Jog back from the start to the car.

JK 2012 - Relays
Newtyle Hill

CorkO team with Niamh Corbett running 2nd and Danny O'Hare 3rd, so I did the 1st leg.

1st control was painful, just uphill, hurt a lot but good way to get the heart pumping. Thought the 2 loops from the common control at the crossing were straight forward enough. Then the long leg to 11. There were a few runners around at this stage, in front and behind me. Then downhill to 12 I got it ok. Conor and Anton were in a group here. I was the only one who had the lower gaffle at 13, which I missed. Misread the forest boundary so went too low. Then it was uphill to 14. On my own at this stage. The last few controls were grand, was joined by a lad from Nottingham. Did better than him between 19 and the last control so got to the change over before him.

Ultimately I lost around 1.30 at 13 and finished around 3 mins slower than Conor which I blame on running solo. Again not happy due to 1 small error costing me so much time. Was going to be in trouble with my gaffle at 14 too to the group but at least if I was there then i'd have had something to chase.

Garmin Distance = 6.16km, 287m climb

JK 2012 - Long
Craig a Barns

Missed the 1st control, ended up on the higher hill, lost about 1min. Got the next few controls nicely, scale wasn't a problem. All was going well until 9, had caught my 3 min man and 9 and my 6min man at 7, so felt things were going alright. Ended up being a bit scrappy getting out of 9 but got 10 and 11 alright.

12 wasn't so good, dropped 7 minutes. Relocated off the open area nearby a few times but just couldn't find the control. Eventually found it after a couple of more relocates. Really smart orienteering, despite recognising this as a control that was dangerous. This sort of thing has happened a few times recently, knowing I could get in trouble, but not slowing sufficiently. Also lost a couple of minutes on 13. Bit scrappy into 15, some windblown stuff.

Messed up 16 too, overshot and to the right, more time lost. Got the next few contouring legs alright. Took the path to the left to 20 and then contoured around and also climbed. Body moving slower at this stage, especially after passing the first aid point. Got to 24 and even though it was a short control I lost some time, went too far. Decided to drop down the crags going to 25 rather than going around, felt there was better attackpoints on the lower track. Only problem was that it wasn't easy getting down the hill. Legs tired now. On the ascent to 25 I suffered a bit of a cramp, right leg, thigh/abductor area. Had to give it some time and then started to move again, slowly at first. The descent then to 26 was taken gingerly and so was the contouring to 27, the final drop to 28 and 29, before jogging the run-in.

Disappointing overall after a start I was happy with, things went bad after 11. Overall at least 14mins dropped due to mistakes, which proved costly in the end when the body gave up. Could have been finished before the cramp. So it's the mistakes that i'm least happy with, i'll forgive the body on this occassion.

Garmin Distance = 15.29

1 - Splits

JK 2012 - Middle WRE
Dunalastair

1st control was a bit of a distaster, messed around for a bit before finding a control in a clearing and realising I was lower than I should have been. Bad start. 2 and 3 were good, knew what was going on. Missed 4, not so much because of the unmapped veg change, just ran up the reentrant too far thinking the control was on the hill beyond where it really was, my own fault. 5 was ok but going to 6 I don't really know what was going on. Found a re-entrant which looked like it was before the control, continued on and things made more sense and the control materialised, not too fast running.

7 I took a bearing but ended up a bit right on the hill. Ended up a small bit high for 8. The running to 9 was tough, wet track along the marsh but found it fine, and so was 10 ok. Bit of uphill to 11 and then onto the spectator control. Pushing here on the climb. Went through the gate and took a quick gulp of water. Decided to take the track to 13 to give the body a break, I like to do that sometimes if I can. Got the next few grand. Thought the boulder on the hill at 16 was very visible from a distance:-)

Then a big error, wrong direction leaving the control which lost me a couple of minutes. Ended up way left and had to come back. Climbing the hill to 17 I just hoped the control was over the other side. 18 was grand and so was 19 although the re-entrant was smaller than I thought it would be. Back uphill to the crossing point and under the hill to the last control before the downhill finish.

WRE Results

1 - Splits

Event: JK 2012
 

Warm-up for Sprint Race. Cold afternoon and really struggled to get warm. So don't think I started the race warm, thankfully it didn't affect the race so much or cause any trouble afterwards.

JK 2012 - Sprint
Livingstone Almondvale

Race started off badly by missing the path into the first control. Think the next few went alright. Not the best route to 5 and some hesitation going to 7. Coming out of 11 i'd been caught by my 1 min man, things not going good, obviously. Left this control in a direction that wasn't correct, had to stop and figure out what was going on, had gone a bit right. Then going to 14 i ended up at 10, very smart.

Also got distracted by another control at 17, more seconds lots. Then across the bridge. Again I missed the path into 19 before being hesitant to 20. 21 was ok but next few controls after 22 I wasn't sure what was going on. Got caught by my 2min man around here. Runners were struggling for grip on the slippy grassy banks which didn't help my cause. Was pleased with leaving 25 and going the route i'd seen was better while scouting out the finish. Got ahead of my 2min man again here but let him past me on the run-in, decided there was no point in pushing my legs as it could cause damange. Nothing to lose apart from a few seconds.

Overall a very scrappy race. My lack of sprint racing really showed.

Garmin distance = 4.11km

Short warm-down back to the car.

1 - Splits

Travelling to Scotland this evening. Looking forward to the weekend, not going with any problems like I did to Portugal so can concentrate on racing rather than survival.

Officially now on the exec until AGM, where unless someone else comes out of the woodwork i'll take the role on until Mishortkut returns.

Any squad problems I need to know about?

This evening,
Run/Cycle/Run/Cycle/Run/Cycle/Run/Cycle/Run/Cycle/Run/Cycle

Not sure, got an hour or so to make my mind up.

C • Rest 2

Upper Torc

Dug out old pair of runners as current pair are packed for the JK, using them for Sprint rather than bringing racing shoes. Bringing them and my Icebugs, might also invest in a new pair of oshoes at the JK, we'll see how much spare room I end up with in my bag.

Legs felt ok. Taped my left ankle, glad I did as probably not strong enough for independant running yet. Saw around 8 deer this evening, 1 red and 7 sika. All running away from me, although 1 of them tried to stare me down, but turned tail and legged it as I got closer.

No snow here, but colder than recently. Car was even iced over this morning and frosty, nothing else though.