Training Log Archive: Joshosh

Back to the grind. Tired this morning after the weekend

Was feeling sleepy in work so decided to pop out for lunch and go for a trot and see if that would wake me up a bit more........it did......a tiny bit!

Back to make some Mac & Cheese for dinner. Decent group out in Waterstown park for the C25km session tonight.

Enjoying working my way through the TV series "A series of unfortunate events"

Event: Leinster League, Carraig na Seabhac
 

Vantaa - Arlanda - Dublin

Event: Raatojuoksu/Kadavarloppet 2018
 

Over to the start with zacosh, Riina, Antero, Marianne & Mommy Komi. 9 degrees and a bit of a breeze so pretty solid weather this morning. Stomach not feeling great for some reason, struggled to get in fuel this morning as it wasnt sitting right.

Raatojuoksu/Kadavarloppet 2018

My 3rd Raatojuoksu start and 2nd time taking on the 20km distance. Got Zac set up on the start line. He was #28 and I was a few places to his right as #35. Had a terrible start and got swamped before reaching the forest and struggled to make headway and took some bumps. Stressed and made a poor decision to #1, shouldve gone straight through the forest instead of around. Smooth through to #4 before the field crossing
section. The field was clay-ey (the technical term) and really stuck to the bottom of your shoes. #5 was the map flip point. Didnt see the northern route to #7 that Einari took, I ran an S shape to stick to the wide roads and do some extra planning. Didnt fancy risking the felled area. Executed 95% of the route to #8 as I planned to but drifted near the control and binned probably 90seconds. Ok through the butterfly loops before heading back north again. #17 - #21 (the field crossing control) were clean and I caught up with a train of 20km runners, about 4 of them, who made a mistake into 19. I took the lead in our group to #22 but thought the control was on the knoll not the crag and ended up punching at the back of the pack, but was caught back up to #23 and lead to #24, chose the eastern option for #25 and the rest of the train just came with. Didnt see an extra trail on the map to #26, the one Einari took, and shouldve gone up and over the hill at the end instead of around. 27 was easy but leaving I forgot whether I had punched it right or not so went back, punched again with the train. Drinks control at 28 and then slightly missed the trail after with a car parked there. #29 was on a boulder the size of a house. Straight to #30 and then around the veg change to #31 before back up the hill. Saw Teemu N (LS-37) and an Espoo Suunta guy heading to #33 and we all drifted, I corrected fastest (oddly enough!) and we found a few more 20km runners at this control too. Down to 34 I left myself slide back a bit in the group since it was clear that #35 was the last routechoice control that could impact the outcome so I decided to let others make their decisions and then make mine. Maybe similar to some tactics guys might start to use in the Pursuit races. I was happy with the choice that 4 of the guys took and moved to the front on the climb and got to #35 3seconds ahead of my 3 chasers. Posted 2nd fastest split to #36, although made an error, extra elephant tracks meant I turned a bit early, and 2nd fastest to #37. Fastest run in split then too round it out. Stretched my 3 seconds at #35 on the group to ~2mins by the finish. Fitness is coming on, which is good feedback from training but still technically a bit flakey on the execution front. Sprint specialist out of practice in the forest?!

Shouldve made better decisions early on with the route and I couldve positioned myself up higher at that stage and gone from there.

Really fun race despite the poor start and great to see Zac come in and after getting over his cramps and tiredness he was smiling. 63rd place, 3:24:08 (+1:13:45). We both got announced on the intercom system before the race started and on the run-ins too.

2016 - 15.0km - 78th - 2:28:25 (+51:31)
2017 - 20.6km - 26th - 3:06:13 (+44:57)
2018 - 21.0km - 15th - 2:45:33 (+35:10)

Good progress over the last 3 years and looking forward to Raatojuoksu 2019 already.

Raatojuoksu 20km Map
Tulokset
Rastiväliajat

Slow and short cool down jog before throwing on my layers and waiting to cheer zacosh

Easy run to Suunnitajan Kauppa to pick up a 6-pack of ankle tapes. Bit damp out this morning. 1 day to Raatojuoksu. Zacosh is on the way out today for his first experience of it and jumping in at the deep end with the 20km course.

Loads of school kids running around the forest in Keskuspuisto doing orienteering.....far more difficult to find those kites than the track junctions at home!

Playing on the trails in Helsingin Keskuspuisto & Pirkkolan Urheilupuisto. Wide XC trails that should be great fun in a few months. Lighting the whole way and signposts to keep lost tourists on the right track.

Easing down before Raatojuoksu on Saturday morning

Randomly twisting through Helsinki including a nice section along Baana. Then home via Messukesku where the Velodrome is (could be like Killorglin in the future) and then Hartwell Icehockey Arena. Enjoying these touristy runs!

Another runner out and about running towards me gave me a high5 as we passed :-D

Home for leftover pasta

Saari Juoksu

Finding my way between the islands out towards Espoo and back into the city. No snow today....just loys of wind