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Swallowed up in the mist

135

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    donothoponpop I have put a lot of thought into this, to put it on a pain threshold that people can relate to on Boards (marathon junkies...)

    Lets say, your aim is a 2:55 marathon. You've busted your ass all year and you are in the form of your life. 26 miles till you cross in sub 2:55.

    You take off and you're feeling real good, you know today is your day. Your in a crazy controlled cruise. The miles tick down but you feel stronger and stronger.
    Cross mile 20, its feels like you've just started. You begin to pick up the pace.
    You look at your watch for the first time all day and you realise your actually on for a sub 2:40. You keep calm and keep the legs ticking over.

    4 miles to go, feeling strong
    3 miles to go, feeling stronger
    2 miles, your grinding it out
    1 mile, your flat out.
    Cross the line and collapse. 2:39:47 on the clock. You can't believe it.
    You've managed to win your age class.
    You hobble over to your mates and there are high fives around. You are ecstatic.... You feel so high you could run it again.

    Then a marshal comes over to you with a clip board and checks your number.
    You have just been disqualified.

    Game over. No time. No category win. Nothing.

    Imagine how everything collapses around you as the perfect race is snatched from your grasp. The only thing you can do is drop your head in your hands. Your isolated in an athletes only zone. Any energy you had left vanished as you sink to your knees. In shock. Unsure what to do.

    Now imagine having to slot it and have 24hrs to focus on the next race.
    You poured a lot of salt on a very open wound.


    If your still getting your feet muddy on Conavella, you should run in terrain more. Once you get an eye for reading the ground, you'll see the correct line, the one perfect route choice :cool:

    I love it when something I want gets taken away from me.
    It gives me an excuse to lose a few screws and take it back :D:cool:


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,608 ✭✭✭donothoponpop


    I daresay you're doing yourself a disservice by comparing those sort of marathon times, given the standard of where you were racing; but your point is well made.

    Not a good time to make such a mistake, but you'll be stronger for it, and experience is a valuable part of your next race.


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    One may beat me to my knees, but you better keeping hitting me cause I have a nasty habbit of standing back up again.

    6 day stage race..... T - 4
    Pretty high standard field

    Bring it


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    YA ZAM.... Its one hell of a start list for the week. 64 guys battling it out.... Its gona be great. My goal is to be within 30% of the winner on every day.
    This is possible as long as I stay RDACD.

    6 days of racing, every day counts. To the over all score. Its going to be awesome!

    Day 1 is a classic distance, 8.8km 440m climb
    Terrain is a mix of open hillside and woodland.

    Day 2 is a middle distance, 4.8km 175m climb
    Intricate contour detail combines with fast runnable terrain under the oak canopy and slow tussocky marsh and bog myrtle in open areas.

    Day 3 is a long distance, 14.3km 895m climb
    Classic Scottish terrain with a wealth of contour, marsh and rock detail.

    Day 4 is a chasing start, 9.2km 325m climb
    Undulating moorland rising to approximately 300 metres in places and areas of woodland.

    Day 5 is a classic distance, 7.7km 330m climb
    Coastal peninsula with a rocky shoreline and several inlets. The area is mainly flat with raised areas of natural mixed woodland.

    Day 6 is a seeded start, 10.2km 425m climb
    Open moorland, moderate contour and rock detail.


    Total minimum distance 55km with 2590m climb.

    Classic distance is usually won in about 60-75mins
    Middle distance is usually won in about 30-35mins
    Long distance is usually won in about 90-100mins
    A seeded start is where the current leading runner starts last
    A chasing start is where the current race leader starts first and everyone starts at the corresponding gap behind. First cross the line wins.


    Getting excited


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Finally reached the rest day in the Scottish 6 day.
    Day one was tough.
    Day 2 was technical.
    Day 3 was a sufferfest.

    During the Long (D3) I decided to keep it country and stay in control of my orienteering... It worked for the most part and I was happy over all.
    On the long leg, I died. It was the roughest terrain I have ever walked in... and I mean walked, it was so deep and rough that I couldn't get my legs turning over at all.

    Savage. It took me 20mins to cover 1500m and I wasn't exactly holding back.

    Tomorrow is the chasing start and then its all about survival over the final two days.

    Ya gotta love scottish mountains


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    So the Scottish is over and so are my end of summer/autum plans.

    After running myself into the ground (literally) on the Long distance. Live tracking is here

    Kinda like post Avonbeg, I fell out of the car and reproduced the coffee/coke and pasta that was fed to me straight after the race.
    I really have to find out something light that my system can take in after I running my body into complete exhaustion.

    The following day my thighs were both extremely tight - so tight that I was unable to get out of the car. I was a crippled mess.
    Lesson learned - don't sit on my arse for the rest day, should have gone for a light jog to keep the legs ticking over.

    Following the extreme mess that I was in, I gingerly warmed up for Day 4, the chasing start. I wasn't expecting to finish but I got around and held my place. I cooled down on a serious runners high. Later that day, I couldn't walk and my right groin muscle got very sore. Flash backs of the Mournes came to mind.

    So I was skeptical of day 5. Still, I started and finished 2nd last, hobbling around like an old man. At that, I called it a day. I go to events to race and do well, not hobble along and finish. Thats for when I'm all old and the wrong side of 30.

    Looking at the big picture, I nailed the Long Distance race which was what I was looking for. I finished up 17th, which is my best result in the UK to date.

    Hopefully, next year I'll be able to attend more of the British Champs races which will help me to improve my orienteering and race frame of mind.

    On the flip side, most of the British Orienteers are top fell racers is well... for example, 2nd place on Snowdon, Murry Strain, is also going to the World O Champs for Sprint distance and will most likely finish top 20.

    So thats the standard, therefore, thats the goal.

    The Mournes are out due to the groin, which means, between now and next season, its going to be a world of hurt in the XC and some big sessions in the mountains, all mixed up with as much quality orienteering as possible.

    Bring on a winter of suffering


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,441 ✭✭✭Slogger Jogger


    ocnoc wrote: »
    ..Thats for when I'm all old and the wrong side of 30..

    :D Yeah, over 30 and its over! Once you get to 40 though it starts again.


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    I'm not sure if I'm scared or excited.
    No further comment.

    DSC00160.JPG


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc




  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Slowly building back into training.
    Body has recovered from Scotland.

    Sat 60mins, 11km very easy
    Sun 120mins, 27km
    Mon Missed Workout
    Tue College + planning
    Wed 60mins, 13km

    Hopefully I'll get into a pattern.

    Had a chat with my physio (my sister - not really a physio). The advice was simple. "Man the fúck up".

    Due to a complete change in fortunes, the Round and MMM are now on the cards.

    Typical :cool:


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  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Had an ok week last week.
    2 days of no running.

    5:50hrs 79km
    1 long run
    1 Tempo
    3 easy runs
    No mountain runs


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Pretty rough few days.

    Tue: AM 30mins easy
    PM Session, 1.4km x 5 on hills, each rep went faster - felt good

    Wed: Howth Hill run, 16.8km, 450m climb

    Thurs: Progression run. 20easy, 20 steady (went too fast), 10min fast (went too slow)


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Today was a rough day.
    3mins x 10 with 1min rec.

    It pissed rain, the terrain got muddy and heavy, too heavy to keep up speed so I moved out to a more exposed area. Hard pack, strong wind.
    Speed wasn't awesome. But serious mental points gained.

    Money in the bank! :D


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Had a better week this week.
    0 days of no running.
    5 light S&C sessions

    8:22hrs 106km
    1 long run
    1 Tempo
    2 Sessions
    3 easy runs
    1 mountain run


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    A week of college and rucksack luggin.
    A new training base has been established.
    The guts of a km from Phoneix park (now on shall be refered to as "the park").
    I can see the mountains when I walk out the front gate.

    2 runs
    1 Long (this was a fail)
    1 Mountain (this was longer than the "Long run")

    No more shi*ty flat out and back to Bull Island.
    Also, my bike* is back.


    *the term bike is used loosely


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    First proper week back in Dub. Which means back to the club for sessions.
    My house is also now complete. All the blocks are in place to have a solid winter

    1 day of no running.

    5:05hrs 66km
    4 easy runs
    1 progression run
    1 tempo

    Bike 1:50hrs


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    A good week this week. Got out in the mountains (Fairy Castle and Powerscourt Ridge). Did some quality sessions with the club.
    Plenty of running in the dark and cold which was most enjoyable!

    1 day of no running.
    3 light S&C sessions

    7:42hrs 92km
    4 easy runs
    1 progression run
    1 session
    2 Mountain runs

    Bike 1:45hrs


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc




  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    I was reading through my blog and I came apon an unpublished blog piece that I typed up way back in January, at one of the lowest moments of the year.
    I was mentally wrecked from exams and had just ran a **** XC race, dropping from 3rd Donore scorer to 5th and from top 30 to 66th over all.

    Fiona, my sister summed it up best
    Fiona wrote:
    Colm, if you were a Junior the club would have a medal presentation in a few weeks and you'd get a medal for been a member of the team. Its the taking part the counts

    Needless to say we both pissed ourselves laughing at that notion before I drowned my sorrows in coffee and chocolate brownies.

    Its reading stuff like this that adds fuel to the raging inferno that is ambition. A relentless need to improve and get stronger and faster, and to learn the trick of the trade to produce consistent top class race performances.
    I had taken the previous 7 days off training after bringing shame upon myself and my club by a disastrous race. My kinda mountain, my kinda course, my kinda distance. I didn't produce the goods. This will be rectified.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Not amazingly happy with this week. First week back in college and I was meant to get 2 morning runs in, only got one in due to a bit of drama - so no awesome coffee for me this week. Still ran quality sessions on Tuesday and Thursday. The weekly hill run on Howth was fun (as far as I can remember).
    The major downside to the week was a trip to the physio. Lack of flexibility has lead to a few niggles - for once I got it sorted before it spirals out of control.

    0 day of no running.
    4 light S&C sessions

    7:54hrs 92km
    4 easy runs
    1 tempo
    1 hill session
    1 steady state
    1 Mountain run
    1 O Sesh

    Bike 2:26hrs


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Fantastic mountain run today.
    I ran a variation of the Dublin Mountain Plod. Felt really sh*t at the start. Debated dropping out before I reached Rockbrook... then just htfu'd and went on. Going up through Masseys, felt terrible. Running along the fire road, I began to feel a bit better. Descending down through Cruagh, my legs were able to open up and I felt good. Bumped into a rake of trials bikers... and Fat N's dad.... who gave me the key to his house to wake him up.

    Needless to say, I bounced up Tirbradden, the weather closed in something fearse! Over the top of 3rock and danced down the rocks. It was fantastic. I remembered how to descend at a reasonable pace - which was great and a serious positive of today.

    Ran back to Marley some random direction. Really fun and a good stretch of the legs - next time more open mountain


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    7th May 2012. Irish Orienteering Champs Relays.
    222 days and counting.

    Detailed visualising of every possible situation I can think of is already happening. The thoughts of kicking off the front of the 3 man pack with just over a kilometer to go, executing each leg at maximum speed, accelerating the entire way home, with no one able to match my pace.

    The adrenaline is already pumping through my vains. Its going to be awesome.
    Between now and then is going to be pretty horrible.
    Mountains, sand dunnes, park land, tartan track.
    Sleepless nights, college projects and sore muscles.

    The planning is already underway.
    It never get easier; you just go faster. - Greg LeMond

    The 7th of May 1867 (145 years ago) was also the day that Dynamite was invented.

    Coincidence? I think not.

    Before all of this comes into play - we have another relay on the calender.
    The Munster Relay Championships. Can't wait to go full gas :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    I have a massive race performance within me coming to the surface.
    I have that feeling of a balance - just like before Stone Cross 2 years ago, or Camaderry, Avongbeg and the WW this year.

    Its brewing slightly before the surface.

    Completely gutted I can't throw on the Donore singlet for this weeks Novice XC


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Pretend I posted this Saturday at the end of my training week.

    So had good week this week. Sunday was the Dublin Mountain plod, Tues was a seriously quality sesh. It was pretty awesome, the entire group was flying. The weekly run on Howth was done 10mins faster than usual. Sitting on the dart back I developed a bit of a cold (still hasn't left me). For the sesh on Thurs, the legs felt heavy at the start, but got into the swing of things to finish very strongly. Friday was off, and headed Fermanagh direction for the Northern Irish O Champs. Had a poor technical run and wasn't overly fresh so finished 5mins down in 3rd. Another week down.

    1 day of no running.
    1 light S&C sessions

    7:48hrs 92km
    2 easy runs
    1 tempo
    1 hill session
    2 Mountain run
    1 O Race

    Bike 3:01hrs


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Start of the week consisted of getting sick. Always a good start. So no long run.
    I just kept it careful for the rest off the week. Was all set to head mountains direction but I got lashed upon and didnt want to get sick again so I turned the bike around and went home, changed kit and went out to the park.
    One or two savage sessions, but over all a poor week. 1 night of 3hrs sleep and 1 night of 13hrs sleep on the kitchen floor after falling asleep while doing my stretches. Commitment or what! :D

    1 day of no running.
    0 light S&C sessions

    5:52hrs 76km
    4 easy runs
    1 tempo
    1 hill session
    0 Mountain run

    Bike 2:18hrs


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  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Every now and then, you find someone a little bit crazy
    I have just entered the covert cell of the Irish mountain running scene. I have turned up to an event with the tough guys of mountain running. These are the mountain goats that have been to every nook and cranny of the hills and know them all like the back of their wind-weathered hands. They are the accomplished navigators and orienteers of this sport, guys who can read maps and follow compasses whilst running uphill and across bog at high speed. These are the guys who avoid the Wednesday mountain races like the plague because they find them not long enough, not steep enough, and not rough enough. These are IMRA’s hardcore.


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Week Ending

    Oct 15th - 88.7km
    Oct 22nd - 68.5km (SHI, Wales ran SHIT!)
    Oct 29th - 72.1km
    Nov 5th - 43.1km
    Nov 12th - 78km (Dublin Seniors XC + Colleges Relays)
    Nov 19th - 70.0km
    Nov 25th - 69.3km
    Dec 3rd - 78.2km (Nat Inter Counties Sligo)
    Dec 10th - 104km
    Dec 17th - 107km

    Missing the mountains
    The numbers speak for themselves. Hard to hide from data


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Easy run in the park. Ran around Munich. Just as it felt like the start of a climb, it ended :(


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Goal Mile

    00:10:10.0

    Result :cool:


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Day 2 of 7.
    Feels like 2 months have passed.
    Sleep comes difficult.

    The last time I have taken an entire week off training was early Oct 2009.
    I was sick and I wanted to race but the team manager sent me home.

    I suppose it takes confidence to have the mental strength to take an entire week off to make sure the body is right when the sh*t hits the fan


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  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Races 2011

    No. of Races| Type | Most Fun/Painful/Enjoyable
    18 |Irish O Races | Shamrock O Ringen, West Cork - because its West Cork!
    15 |International O Races | Jukola, Finland - because Jukola is special
    7 |XC races | Inter Counties, Sligo - because it hurt
    4 |Mountain races | Camaderry, Wicklow - because I wanted it


    Many highs, many lows.
    Roll on another 365 days of hurt


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,441 ✭✭✭Slogger Jogger


    So leg 5 of the wwr was easy and unforgetable ;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Leg 5 was sprung upon me.
    I didn't really have time to dwell on it.
    I didn't have countless runs becoming obsessed about the pain that I would inflict on my body.
    My mind wasn't a movie of the course - it wasn't burnt into my brain.

    To have something permanently scared into ones mind and to obsess about it to the point of madness is a special race.
    Jukola is one of those special races. Stone Cross is one of those special races.

    Its not the result that matters (well, it does) but the amount of pain and perfect suffering to put in a perfect race.

    Shamrock was perfect given the last day was a chasing start and the way the race played out. Going from last of the CNOC guys to first is a beautiful feeling - and to completely dominate the last 2km, even though I was the weaker runner gave confidence going into the summer season...

    Jukola is Jukola. The perfect race. Orienteering relay in awesome terrain

    Inter Counties - Muddy and I enjoyed it.

    Camaderry - Runnable for the runners, technical enough at the top to give an advantage to the brave to make up seconds. When its head to head racing where everyone is around the same standard. It makes an awesome race!


    WWR doesn't compete against those 4. It is a trail based relay, follow the pretty yellow men. Good fun, yes. It gets the juices flowing because its a race where 6 other guys are depending on you so your going to bury yourself - but when its ranked against the other races, it doesn't really feature.

    Saying that, if I'm needed - I'm sure I'll get stuck in again next year. It is a race after all :D


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Is Boards entering a Wicklow Lakes Team??


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,608 ✭✭✭donothoponpop


    ocnoc wrote: »
    Is Boards entering a Wicklow Lakes Team??

    I'm flying back from the States the day before, so wouldn't really be available to organise any team, if someone else fancied wearing the captains armband...


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    if someone else fancied wearing the captains armband...

    Don't get me wrong... I would love to run on a Boards team, however, I have more pressing matters at hand.

    CNOC gona dominate :cool:


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,608 ✭✭✭donothoponpop


    ocnoc wrote: »
    Don't get me wrong... I would love to run on a Boards team, however, I have more pressing matters at hand.

    CNOC gona dominate :cool:

    Tentative discussions tonight to form a Boards team...

    This sort of relay is a good move for IMRA, let's try and get as many teams out there as possible. Can CNOC all swim?


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Can CNOC all swim?

    Swim?

    This team walks on water :cool:


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    The big question is how the hell do we select our team??
    and who runs what leg???

    Mr Angry, Mr Cocky, Mr Small, Mr Roar, Mr Lanky, Mr Tri

    I'm liking the handicapped format. It gives teams something to hunt.


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Biked to Taylors in the rain. When I arrived I resembled a drowned rat.

    Ran up to Fairy Castle, but only got as far as the upper carpark. At which point I was blown off my feet. This shook me and I decided been up here probably wasn't the best idea. So I ran back down the mountain back to Taylors.

    As I arrived at Taylors, I looked at the watch, the thought process was "jeez, just 25mins. This is crap. What a short run. I'm such a wimp". At which point, I decided that the weather couldn't be that bad on top so I ran back up... When I arrived in the upper car park, it turns out the weather had gotten worse and I was correct with my first assumption.

    So I headed for home. Mountain run 1 completed. Not as far as I intended and zero terrain. Disappointed yet pretty physic'd now that I am showered. Big mental points scoring given the dodge weather and horrible soul crushing cycle in the rain there and back.

    http://connect.garmin.com/activity/138953620


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,608 ✭✭✭donothoponpop


    :D:D

    That's the funniest Garmin connect I ever saw. I put it on player, and I swear I can almost hear your thoughts as you turn back for round two!


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    To the park for tonights session...

    Wait, whats this video that has shown up on my feedburner...



    . . . . .

    To Wicklow!!


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Fairy castle take 2.
    Got a lift up, did an old loop that we used to run when I was a wee lad with only a halogen light! I feel old.

    Weather was fine. Wind was a blowing lightly on the summit, but talk of training and how to set up an elite training center in ireland made the time travel quickly.
    Cruised the route. At the beginning I was horrifyingly poor technically, but as the kilometers clocked up, so did my technique.
    Ankle slightly swollen. F it, it'll be grand.
    Onwards and upwards, and down again faster.

    2 down, many to go.

    http://connect.garmin.com/activity/139178130


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Rolled out of the laba at 0830... out of the house by 9. Win.

    Brockagh and Glendasan O sesh/ terrain run with the gang.
    Brockagh the going was good, Glendasan was not so good going. Fairly ****ty in places where a forced walk/climb was on the cards.

    12km in 2hours. Nuff said.

    Onwards and upwards.

    http://connect.garmin.com/activity/139941500

    Map to the maddness


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Exams over.

    Age: 23
    Mental age: 12
    Physical Age (according to physio): +60

    Niggles/injures under wraps. +1hrs of S&C a day fun

    Back in the game :cool:


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Cruised around Howth

    http://connect.garmin.com/activity/148278597


    Rough weekender lined up
    Should be tired by Monday

    Saturday
    AM Sessioning
    PM O'ing (probably easy)
    PM Night O (most likely not easy)

    Sunday
    AM O'ing
    PM 120mins (minus Oing time)


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    What a sex on legs weekender.
    Sprintervals in UCD was fun - but I don't feel as if I got the same workout as if I did a pure running session in the park. Something to keep my mind on in future. I wore racers and so was sliding on the grass. This meant that I had to take route choices that stuck to hard surfaces. Solid sesh to start the weekender.
    Maps part 1 and part 2.

    Home, food, shower, off to the Curragh. Landed early but later than we planned so we chilled out and waited for night to fall....
    As the darkness enveloped us, the kit was changed and lights fired up. With the light beams cutting through the dark feburary night we raced agressively across the Curragh plains. It was a case of the good and the bad. I was crusing agressively... Finished 1min down on the boss - he did plan and put out the controls but it was a bit of a kick in the nads. I don't like to lose. On the plus side, the boss had to push himself to his limit - watch watching as he beasted it around the last loop. CNOC 1,2,3. Map.

    Sunday dawned early. Off following the compass north to just outside Monaghan town. Rossmore Forest park was battle ground one of the Leinster League Series. I had an ok race. Kept it controlled and nailed the nav. I am happy with all my route choices. Had a few small slips, 30sec on control 5 and 30sec on control 7. Had the pleasure of tailing up and coming Junior Star Millar Light for a few controls before experience and just being better conditioned sorted the men from the boys... for the time being!
    I made a hash of my compass baring going into control 19 in the low lying trees. I think I got pushed by the line of trees. I relocated relatively quickly - but the damage was done. 2mins handed away. Came away with the win. Three races, three wins. Map for LL1

    Wednesday leads to my weekly trek to something with a bit of up!
    Hit the trails on Howth and was bouncing around. Felt fantastic!
    http://connect.garmin.com/activity/149806377

    Past 7 days. 70miles, 2500 climb - get in.


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Mountain running at night in the mist is fun. Scary, but fun.

    Myself and the boss left town as the sun began to set. Armed with 2 charged head torches and coffee. As we neared Wicklow, the mountains seemed to be getting darker, steeper and more enclosed in a thick mist.
    As we neared our kick of location, we struggled to see the edge of the road. This was going to get interesting.

    Things got even better as we landed and turned on our torches to discover that one of our main torches was dead. So we were already using one of the back ups.

    Off we set, across the road, down the earth bank... bam. Wet socks.
    Climbing climbing climbing... into the mist. Unable to make out anything a head, just the next 5m of hazy trail. 17mins later we had reached Seechon, and we could see nothing. And I mean nothing. Our torches just lite up the whitness all around us as the wind whipped across the summit.

    Out came the map and compass (pretty dam glad I have a set of kit that i pack regardless of the conditions) and off we went into the emptiness. The plan was altered to stick to some form of solid track and just stretch the legs in the forest. First we had to find said track. Attached image shall give you an idea of how bad things were. Two relatively accomplished orienteering/ mountain runnings pricking about, missing big obvious things, like summits (:D:rolleyes:)... Good adrenline rush!

    The rest of the run was a breeze down hill. Bursting out of the mist and seeing the lights of Dublin light up the night sky - the Friday Night pub crawl and friday night in the hills. I know which one I prefer

    Quality sesh - the Kilbride loop shall have to wait for another night, when we are actually prepared with working head torches... and waterproof socks... and not have a 5x1mile waiting for me in the morning... and letting people know where we actually are...

    http://connect.garmin.com/player/150276854


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    I had a really long detailed description of how I navigated today, thought it might have being of interest to some IMRA heads.... and I accidently closed the browser. Dang... (I wanted to use more vulgar language)

    To summirase.
    Missed national XC, have being sick.
    Had an ok race. Kept good direction for all controls excpet Control 4. Lost time on 10 and 11 for being a wimp and not just plowing through the gorse. The map shows dark green so I expected the worst. In the end it wasn't all that bad.
    Stopped short on 18 as my mind was fired. Good to learn for future reference.
    Physically, I could turn the legs on the descents, and was strong on the climbs considering I have being out for 10 days. I found the turn hard, shopping the descent and climbing straight again. Must work on this for Le Swiss in July.

    Map: Brockagh
    Planner: Izzy
    Controller: Gav
    Map: http://cnocmaps.totalh.com/show_map.php?user=c.hill&map=195

    Overall. Happy.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    This idea is so simple it is sickening.



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