Training Log Archive: conör

So the whole chasing start thing was interesting. Shea was a minute ahead and I had a four-minute head start on Colm, Andrew and Roar. I was expecting Shea to disappear completely never to be seen again, and then at some point I thought Colm would just fly past in a blur. This did not happen.

So all four CNOC tops in the start box, the usual slagging and jeering. Darren goes off and I watch his route to 1. Forty seconds later and Shea's gone. I notice he goes a lot further along the path. One more minute and I'm gone. Run along the path for a bit and then up a hill onto the terrain. I was feeling good. Then I saw Séamus heading off the top of a hill ahead of me. I had gained time already. I suddenly felt a lot better.

I head up the same hill and confidently run dow-- "Oh crap, crap, crap, where the hell am I?!?"
I saw Shea heading out in the direction of 2, but I had no idea where number 1 was. I saw a control to my left and immediately knew it wasn't mine, so I ran over to it and checked the code. I forced myself to relax and relocate. I managed to minimise the damage and find it just as Shea is disappearing over the skyline towards 2.

I push Séamus and everyone else who will be hunting me down in mere minutes out of my mind and run my own race. Spike number 2 and number 3. Things are looking good. I head over towards four. I realise at some point that I'm not sure of where I am, but then I see a cairn in front me. I use it as an attackpoint and then see Shea running towards me. Something had to be up. I persuaded myself I was right, but then number 10 appeared. Straight back to 4, and then down the hill to 5. I expect to see Shea come out of 5 and be on his way to 6 but he never appears. He must of messed up worse than me... Excellent.

I come out of 5 and out of the corner of my eye I see movement. I glance back up the hill and see Colm, Shea and Andrew bearing down on me. I run faster. I lose some time on 7 but I manage to stay ahead of them until Shea passes me on the way to 10. I stick with them for the next couple, but it's all uphill and I'm struggling. Shea and Andrew have left me behind by the time I'm at 16, but Colm is only a couple of seconds ahead, which really surprises me. I get ahead of him on the way to 17 and stay ahead at 18. Then 19 happened.

I can see Andrew and Séamus disappearing over the skyline so I just run without really navigating. Then I see them standing way beyond where the control should be. I'm kinda thrown off at this point. Then I sort of remember orienteering for a minute and try to relocate. We're way to high. I think I'm on the right ridge but I couldn't quite make sense of it. I see Colm running around on the previous ridge. I run down the ridge to try and find myself. Then I notice that Colm's gone. I run down a crag to go to the ridge he was on to see if I can see it and I land right on top of it. I stop and look at my map and make sure I know exactly what I'm doing before going for 20. Then I run.

And there's Colm, the sneaky fecker. We get 20 together and I get 21 first, but he's faster than me. I switch off and run. I don't really register that I'm following him until he messes up 26 and so do I. Then I try to navigate myself. He stays just ahead of me at 27, and I nearly get ahead at 28, but it's not enough. It's his to lose on the way to 29, and for a second I think he's veered too far right. But, he gets I and I just don't have the speed to pass him.

Could I have got third? Maybe... but if I hadn't messed up 4, then they probably would've caught me anyway. I couldn't have got up the hill as fast. Maybe If I'd managed to stay ahead I would've got 19 well, but they could've seen me come out of it and just ran by on the last stretch.

But 4th in M21E? Can't complain.

Routegadget

Day 3 M21E - Splits

Another good run, lost a bit of time on 4 and 11 but not much else.

Routegadget

Day 2 M21E - Splits

Event: Shamrock O-Ringen 2011
 

Reasonable run, it was pretty tough going, really surprised by result.

Routegadget

Day 1 M21E - Splits

Driving to Kilcrohane for the Shamrock.

Easy run with map of Hollywood to check some areas. Spent some time in dark green but 'twas nice.

Cycle to and from Lugnagroagh.

Hillrun an Scarr. Enjoyed it. Really warm and humid.