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Swallowed up in the mist

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  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Today we eat rest and be merry. For tomorrow we die


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Up. Packed the kit. Sent PN an abusive text and on the bike to my breakfast.
    I got porridge and coffee in jeffontour's, then we bailed to Glendo.
    On arriving in Glendo, I realised I forgot my garmin. At this point, I decided I was going to go for broke and see what happened. I had no idea what the record was, but I figured it was in the region of 40mins.

    Warmed up, felt ok.
    Bit of abuse to Peterx and he was off. Then Martain was gone, then Bernard missed his start but set off in 3rd. I got excited about this as I'd have someone to chase.

    Suzanne handed over to me, she was in bits.
    I took off fairly hard, was 5.05min to the river (~1.5km).
    Pushed hard up the initial climb, felt strong. Couldn't see anyone in front.
    Turning the first of the fire roads, I just continued to motor. I was eating the hill alive. Anything time I hit a bad patch, I just had a mixture of stfu or htfu and got on with it. At one stage, I got bored running up a really straight long boring fire road. I gave myself the challenge of attacking it till the end. So I did. On reaching the end of that section, I was just picking off the corners. I hit the board walk in 35mins dead.
    Clipping across the top the breeze felt good. I had to keep it together for the descent.

    Heading down the sloppy bit, I decided on a tactic of controlled crazy. It worked well and I was on the fire road. My legs were just turning over. It was awesome. It was effortless descending. I was pushing, and I felt my HR climb, but it was just fluid. passing hikers, I yelled from a distance what the gap was... about a minuite. He was mine I thought. The road kept coming. I got a glimpse of Bernard and all of a sudden my energy levels just plummeted. I felt empty.

    I have no idea how I managed it, but I pulled some energy from somewhere and was just pushing on the fireroad. It wasn't as boring as I had someone to chase and knowing that they were close.

    I was gaining ever so slightly. Inch by inch. The gap was coming down. From the map, I reckoned we had a k to go. I put the boot down. He must have heard me as he picked it up a bit. He runs by the last turn. The WW arrows are a bit dodge. I skip around the corner. I am paranoid I have taken the wrong turn. The map says I'm right so its good enough for me. I fairly power on as hard as I can. I was flat out... across the barrier and down to the pub. From about 100m out I just begin to yell at Paul. I can't see him, so I just keep screaming as I near the hand over. He appears out of no where and just stands there.... So I feel the need to tell him to start running... I tag him and finally slow down when I hit the bridge. On a serious high...

    Bernard comes in a minuite later and is pissed that I didn't call him back. Very unsportsman like of me. On one side, I see his point, I probably should have, on the other hand, the WWR is decided by people messing up...

    Missed the record by a good 41seconds.
    A good day at the office all the same.


    And yes, this pizza is awesome


  • Registered Users Posts: 711 ✭✭✭cwgatling


    That's super running, well done man.


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


    Brilliant run Colm, the leg of the day for the Boards teams. And I'd say in the top three legs for the whole day from everyone, well done.


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    I could have gone faster.
    I'm sitting here at home, showered and feed and I feel fine.
    I was curled up in a ball and wanted to die post Avonbeg.

    I want another crack at this. I'll go off harder.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    You def could have gone faster...you were only 5 minutes quicker than me to the board walk and nearly one minute of that was the beginning to the river

    and I'm not mocking, I'm agreeing with your "I could have gone faster" and giving sound reason


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Mothman wrote: »
    You def could have gone faster...you were only 5 minutes quicker than me to the board walk and nearly one minute of that was the beginning to the river

    Don't be belittling yourself. Your climbing speed is stronger than what your giving yourself credit for.
    You mightn't remember a winter and spring of been beaten into 2nd place in every Blue LL event, but I certainly remember :)
    Well we see you back in the fray?


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


    You forget the old record was to the crossroads. You ran further. Let the new record for the new route stand up proudly.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    ocnoc wrote: »
    Don't be belittling yourself. Your climbing speed is stronger than what your giving yourself credit for.
    You mightn't remember a winter and spring of been beaten into 2nd place in every Blue LL event, but I certainly remember :)
    Well we see you back in the fray?
    I'll be in a good fit state for Brown in the Autumn, won't be mixing with the top of the elites, but will be vying in keeping you on your toes :D
    I can't hang onto the glory days of having CH in my wake for ever :D
    and I accept your point about my climb...I'm starting to relish the uphills...can't believe I've just said that :o

    And SJ was the leg 4/5 changeover ever at the bridge? If so this sort of cancels out the change at Glenmalure


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    I'm glad this race wasn't the first race of the mountain running season.
    I can feel my gluts been a small bit tight, and if this was the first race, I currently would be stuck in bed, sobbing.

    The coffee this morning is no where near as nice as the stuff as in jeffontours....he did say "any time"....hmmmm :D

    When I got a chance to sleep on it, I am happy with yesterdays performance. I probably could only have knocked less than 1min off my climb time and on the descent, I think I put the accererater through the floor.

    Looking at the splits, I climbed in the exact same time as Peter (so I'm happy as if I am anywhere near px on the climb, I've paced it well), but I just went a little crazier on the descent.

    A good day in the mountains...

    T - 7 Days to JUKOLA!!! An even more awesome 7 person relay!! :D

    I woulder how donothoponpop would feel if I robbed certain members from his Boards team to set up a craic orienteering squad to tackle rathfarnam
    1.Kevin O'B; 2.Seamus O'B; 3. Niall McA; 4. Ciara L; 5. Colm H; 6. PN; 7. Male Vet that can run a quick half marathon (Guss?); 8. Niamh O'B

    Oh wait... if PN and Ciara L were to join CNOC, it would be a craic CNOC squad :D:D:D:D

    Let the plotting begin


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  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    23:00.... Night Orienteering Intervals in a ****ty forest in prep for jukola...

    01:00.... completely trashed. Sleep calls.


  • Registered Users Posts: 930 ✭✭✭jeffontour


    ocnoc wrote: »
    The coffee this morning is no where near as nice as the stuff as in jeffontours....he did say "any time"....hmmmm :D

    If you're in the area shout. You get coffee, I get motivated. Seems like everyone is happy.


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    No training today. Got a few shots for Brazil. Things are go go go with meetings and pre travel briefings!!

    Shouldn't have done O intervals last night and more than 4hrs of sleep would also have been a good idea.

    Everything hurts. Walking hurts, sitting hurts, lying hurts, thinking about moving hurts!! Totally, utterly and completely wasted!!

    Savage weekend :D


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Jukola was awesome. Still haven't recovered fully.

    Did I mention it was awesome? More later when I have time...



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    ocnoc wrote: »
    Jukola was awesome.
    Great :)
    I was due to go a long time ago, (back in the last depression :o) but bust my ankle the evening before departure.....Sugarloaf hill run:rolleyes: . Missed EYOC (or the equivalent then) as well :mad:

    Anyway I digress...
    Will look forward to your report :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Salpa-Jukola 2011

    CNOC were the 5th Irish team to enter the infamous Jukolan Viesti relay. DFO entered twice, Setanta once and an adhoc team called Ticknocturnals IOC given the winter training loop in the South Dublin mountains.

    This year was the year for CNOC to give it a lash. The only club in the country that can field an "Elite" team. Four M21E runners, one W21E runner and 2 Junior Elites.

    Running order and team bio's here.

    I was the last leg. The team had run animal like. Everyone was on the ball. I have slept, kinda...

    I watched the mass start (kick off 23:00), Nick was leading the fecking thing. I was jealous. The buzz must be unreal to be leading a pack of 1,500 people!!!
    After a bit I went to bed (my sleeping bag). I could still hear the speakers. I wanted to sleep but excitement was stopping it from happening.

    I lay there and waited. Conor came in. "How'd it go? Was it fun? Happy?". The only reponse he could come out with was "I don't know". He was clearly suffering very badly from the Jukola Effect. The Jukola Effect is something that over comes you after running a leg at Jukola. The buzz is so massive, you forget everything. You forget how how you ran, who you handed over to, every small things like where you are and what just happened. Conor was displaying all the tell tale signs of the Jukola effect. 1.Claiming he was tired, yet unable to stand still. 2.Eyes wide open, un blinking. 3.Forgetting what has happened over the previous 2 hours. 4.Wanting to do what every had happened again, even though standing was an issue and he didn't know where he was. 5.Symptoms of Shock.

    Lucky, he made a full recovery. Roar ran leg 2 and handed over to Seamus, who wasn't at the change over... Picture Wicklow Way relay change over but a million times WORSE. Seamus won't be making the same mistake twice. To compound matters, Roars torch died with a few controls to go.
    When I heard this I was mostly alseep, I knew I was angry but I didn't know how to respond so I kept my mouth shut and slept.

    I have no idea what I did over the next 4-5hours, but I woke up at some stage and had some form of breakfast and some coffee. No idea how much or how little. Watched Niamh come in, we got a little dance as she crossed the line, chatted to Nick, got more coffee then I went into the box.

    I checked the download and Hugh was out for 1hr 10mins. I emptyed the system. Took in some liquid and waited. Runners were coming in. Olva won for Halden, I saw Dav H and Hector come in, IFK Gotenburg, other big international names, all getting solid results for their respective clubs. I waited and waited and waited. The waiting blended into nothingness. I was looking at other leg runners come in, some leg 5's, some 6's and some 7's. Every leg 6 that came in, I had to try catch, every leg 7 that came in was a place we were defiantly down. I didn't count the places. It was pointless. I waited.

    Bubo, an orienteer from Borlange, where the World Uni's were came over to chat to me, (clearly noticing the infamous CNOC top). Just as we cracked up a conversation, Huge came out of the forest, and my god did I abuse him. PN's abuse in Glenmulure sounded like a nursery rhythm to put a small child to sleep compared to this. After he cleared the bridge, I ran over to the changeover barrier and pulled off my top and composed myself. It was show time.

    Relays are awesome. Some much pressure. The pressure off of friends is the best. Its not your personal pressure, its pressure that means if you actually have a lift home. In the 37 seconds I had for Huge to run around and grab me my map, I ran a mental check list through my head. Direction, attackpoint, code. That was the key to success. Huge hits the barrier. I lamp my bottle and jacket at him in exchange for the map. Time to murder myself.

    First thoughts were the same as usual - this map is Massive!! Big fecking A2 yoke. Tried to fold it so I can get the first few legs on it. Took a safe route choice to 1, and 2. Pushing the pace. Bit of a drift on 3, but it didn't matter. I was burning forest. Between the start line and the 10th control, I had gained 41 places. Sadly, I had a mistake on control 11 and dropped 3mins. If I nailed that control, I would have jumped another 20 places and would have gotten onto a train which could have potentially boosted my time further.

    After this mistake, I lost my flow. I began to make controls in the circles. I would get close to the control and then not see the kite from close range. This was very frustrating, but I continued to push.

    I had an ok run, some excellent controls were I was orienteering very aggressively and cleanly and some poor controls. All my misses bar 2 were in the control circle. Control 15, I switched off briefly and lost time and on heading to control 25, I hit a track and my compass went crazy. I didn't give it time to settle and I made a mistake running the wrong way... eek.

    Overall, I finished very strongly and brought team CNOC into the top 300 to finished a not to shabby 296th, which is the best Irish result.

    Personally, on Leg 7, I finished up 167th of 1298 runners, however, I know I can go 13mins quicker, which would have placed me in the top 70.

    My fitness is awesome. My nav is ok, considering how little time I have spend on maps in the spring....

    CNOC will be back, and next time, we mean business.

    Results
    My Splits
    My Map


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Last weekend, I took part in the Wicklow Rogaine (the girly 6hr one).

    The Rogaine wasn't about winning the overall thing, it was a family grudge match. My dad and my brother against myself and Alison.

    My plan was simple. (Note my and not our), get all the controls and win the thing out right.
    Sadly this was not the case.

    After marking all the points, we were first to leave the hash house. Our route took us south, down to the shores of Lough Dan, before climbing up a harsh climb to Kanturk mountain. From here, there was a a long pull over to Tonelagee, where 3 controls were located, one on a knoll to the southeast, one down by the lake, on the nose jutting out, exposed below the landslided crags and a final control over on the forest corner on the north western side of the mountain.
    All this I could to spew out all my thoughts on orienteering and hill racing across the sometimes sloppy Wicklow terrain.

    From Tonelagee, we headed north, contouring around stoney top and cutting across Barnasligan Ridge. The peat hags were vicious. Up and down, jump, around... up and down. It went on for less than expected, partly due to my partner never seeing a peat hag before! She kindly made the classic mistake of saying "I can make it", before not making it and ending up upside down in one. Highlight of my day ;)

    From the ridge, we stayed right, before dropping down to Lough Cleevean - but not before demenstrating the art of the "fairy dance" and crossing large areas of soft peat.

    From one side of Mullaghcleevaun to the other, two important 500 point controls. Then it was on route to home, collecting two more controls before we took out the tow rope and cained it home... in the end we had loads of time.

    A good, fun, muddy, dry day in the mountains. Oh yea, and we beat the auld lad cause he couldn't find a control... win :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    AM: Run (14:30) 47mins. Did a run out to Bull Island, did strides on the way back. Struggling to breath. Ribs sore. It hurts.

    Midday: Bike (16:00) 35mins. Over Gear work. Pushed hard. Felt wicked!

    PM: Run (21:30) 62mins. Run on Curragh. Fartlek. HR in the basement. Felt awesome.

    (discovered why my ribs hurt.... ran into a wall/pole/post box)


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Bit of an Epic in Wicklow with Roar.
    In my head, the count down is on for the Mourne Mountain Marathon.

    From Glendo, up Camaderry, over to Turlough Hill, Tonelagee, forest control, control at the lake, control on the spur, across the marsh beside Mail Hill, over to Brockagh and down to Glendo via the Wicklow Way.

    25km, 1,400m of the steep stuff. Mostly in terrain. Fcuk yeah!


    I was most pale and sick afterwords. I need to bring food and water with me...

    Route


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    After running all my systems empty today, collapsing on Roars back lawn and vomiting my guts up, biking home from Kilcullen, chowing down on an awesome dinner (rice and fried pork with fruit), a hot shower, a few hours in bed, 7 weetabix, 6 slices of toast, 2 coffee's and a hot chocolate. I feel awesome.

    I accidently also dropped my weight down to 59.5kg or 9.3 stone.

    Did someone say racing weight :)


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  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Good sesh tonight.

    4 x 5mins with a 2:30 recovery.
    Felt strong.

    Beastings in the mountains have their advantages.


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


    ocnoc wrote: »
    I accidently also dropped my weight down to 59.5kg or 9.3 stone.

    You need to fatten up :D


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Kilian Jornet on going wrong on a summit in Greece and taking a more technical descent route
    Was it frustrating to get wrong at the summit?

    No, absolutely not frustrating - on the contrary!
    I always say that the more kilometers, the more meters, we climb, the more things we see...That gives even more energy


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    I am afraid of what the weekend holds. It'll either make me, or break me


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Long run in the mountains with Roar. Started in Fentons, with a quick gallop through the Glen before been attacked by flys and climbing Sugarloaf, then over to Logar, then Lowbawn, bit sloppy on Table, Camenabologue, Lugnaquilla, mental descent then up Slievenamann before going down Camara which wasn't as enjoyable.
    Felt pretty good, but the descend had the quads sore.

    Excited about tomorrow.... going to be epic :)

    Route


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


    Great circuit. Looks better against a map.

    B4497785F2154A309C4424A6471A21F0-0000332535-0002408774-00768L-28404106753E4E1E829C847E5AA0281A.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Not very successful. My partner was out on his feet. Collapsed at the top of Derrybawn.

    The original loop was to go over to Lugduff, Comms Hut, Camaderry, down to miners village and back along St Kevins Way to Glendo... no such joy.

    After reassessing where we stood, we reckoned it'd be a better option to just take Mullacor and descend via the board walk so thats what we did... Good fun in the mountains regardless.

    I felt great when we finished and when in Shorts afterwards but now after a short walk home my legs are feeling the effect of the weekend.

    My next day in the mountains shall be Tuesday, it could be a long'en!

    Route


  • Registered Users Posts: 830 ✭✭✭ocnoc


    Of Wicklows 39 summits above 600m, I have been on all but 6.
    Three of which will be collected during the week and the other 3 will have to wait.
    To be collected this week:
    Ballineddan Mountain
    Benleagh
    Carrigvore

    To be collected some other day:
    Croaghanmoira
    Keadeen Mountain
    Croghan Kinsella


    There still be many a mountain to run up further afield.
    Kiocknapeasta, Reeks
    Galtymore, Galty Mountains (possible IMRA race....)
    Baurtregaum, Slieve Mish
    Slieve Donard, Mournes


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


    I'll join you on these 3 if you like.
    Croaghanmoira (this I've done a few times). If you run it the WAR Glenalure route you can get the bonus of running the peak twice, up and back up again.
    Keadeen Mountain
    Croghan Kinsella (ditto - it sits out the back of my house)

    Keadeen looks great, but on the map its unclear what the best approach to the peak is? I must have a look at mountainviews

    If you can wait til August I've leave coming up and can do it then, else it'll have to be some weekend.


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


    Map consulted. Various ways up Keadeen after all.

    Interesting route up and back Lug taking in Ballineddan and Slievemaan from the Ballinabarney gap too...


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