Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Hi Ho Hi Ho It's Off To Trellech I Go...

Bit of impromptu day off tomorrow - lot's of holiday to use rather than lose. Heading back over to Trellech to mark up more controls and check stuff - mustn't get stressed, mustn't get stressed but time is running out. Looks to be a nice day weatherwise...

Monday, September 28, 2015

Not Such A Good Run

Wasn't really up to posting the ol' blog on the weekend. After a somewhat epic fail at the Black Mountains fell race - sickness at under 400m in meant the only sensible option was to abort abort abort. I still felt unwell Sunday but managed to mark up some controls at the Trellech orienteering. Felt even worse this morning despite hitting the bed at half past eight last night I hardly slept a wink and didn't attempt to get out of bed until midday. I have finally started to feel okay - the stomach rumbling and grumbling having finally ceased. Hopefully it's back to business as usual tomorrow. Really disappointed to have missed the BMs race though. It's the race I've run the most times of any race I've ever run - wow, I must be feeling better, I've practically invented a new tongue twister!

Saturday, September 19, 2015

A Slight Hiccup

So I was over to the Rogue Runs Mini Mountain Marathon this morning. As you'd expect I was in for the Long Course. Kit packed, Vera loaded I was all set for a great weekend of running - or walking when the going got rough.

All was going to plan. I rolled up to the event, checked in. Collected my map, marked my controls and set off at about 9:42..

I had a little hiccup at control one. Not a disaster and I didn't waste too much time finding it. The problem I have with the Harvey's Map is what I like to call the "That's not a knife. This IS a knife!" quote from Crocodile Dundee. For a feature to make the Harvey's it has to be BIG, really BIG. Where there might be lot's of crags, only the BIG ones make it onto the map. Control one was more a rock face than a crag amongst many crags. A re-entrant is more a valley on the Harvey's. A sink hole, practically a small mine. You get the picture. Anyway, my error at control one helped me for the rest of the route and hopefully the rest of my Harvey's map usage...

With control one in the bag I then proceeded to cock up control two. It was more a case of not concentrating and planning properly than anything else so I take the hit. Again, didn't lose too much time.

Control three presented no problems but on the way to four I had a bit of a mishap. I fair f*(%ed down while crossing a the river. My foot just slipped from beneath me and I cracked my right knee good and proper but saved myself from a soaking with my quick reflexes although I did manage to flip one of my fingernails back on itself - not at all painful and of course there was no profanities spoken - like f*(% there wasn't!

My knee didn't feel to bad so I decided to carry on. Control four was okay - although it always helps when you come across a fellow competitor searching for the same control who starts waving at his partner when he's found it...

I took some good lines to the next two controls and wasted no time - other than my pedestrian pace - checking them off. Control seven was a longish slog but I knew the route there well as did I the route to eight and in both cases covered the distance pretty decently.

My nemesis was number nine, the last. It started off well as I ran under the Fan Hir ridge, knowing there was a bit of a path there. But once I got back up top it all went utterly Pete Tong.With probably less than 3km of actual distance to go I was feeling pretty good and with fifty minutes left to break the six hour mark I was feeling good... (apart from the slightly hurting knee).

From that point it all went wrong. Tussocks! I never every want to here the word again.EVER! My progress slowed to a crawl. The tussocks really didn't help my knee, causing much twisting and hurting.

Half way across the tussocks I tripped and my right leg cramped up. Hadn't felt any twitches before that. Spent three or four minutes sat in the tussock stretching before I moved on. Even more slowly than before. A few minutes later I fell into a deep tussock. Practically up to my chest and I could feel the cramp coming on again. I slightly panicked but also tried to relax. And just stood, feet underwater, trying to stay relaxed and stave off another bought of cramp which would have had much worse consequences.

From there I was even slower and just wanted to get back in one piece. My knee was starting to full on hurt so I was reduced to checking almost every step was going to make good contact with solid ground... I eventually made it to the valley bottom crossed the river and climbed up to control nine.

I was then back on the path for a bit before cutting off on a short-cut off piste and down to the finish. Never have I been more glad to make it back - and I wasn't last! Fourth of five with six non-finishers. I'll take that as a result. I've taken the sensible decision and hung up my running shoes for the weekend and decided to call it a day on tomorrow. With the Black Mountains race next weekend I really can't afford to do more damage.

I'm disappointed not to run tomorrow but I know I'd be doing more damage. Apart from the couple of hiccups I really enjoyed the MMM. I think the route was really good. Hat's off to the RogueRuns team for putting on a great event.

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Didn't Quite Make It..

My back is killing me. Bloomin' glad I got the drainage sorted in one hit because I'd be struggling to get it sorted now if I hadn't. Damn this aged body of mine...

Saturday, September 12, 2015

Almost Set For Llyn y Fan...

Apart from the fact my back is killing - after dredging the stream and hacking back the undergrowth yesterday, in preparation for the rainy season. Should be all systems go tomorrow though. I say all systems go, I guess it's more impulse engines only these days...

Wednesday, September 09, 2015

Lunch Again

Going to be getting more tricky fitting in the lunch run for a few weeks. At least today happened. Despite looking nice out it was surprisingly windy, especially on the run in. Wasn't the greatest but a run is a run.

Friday, September 04, 2015

Yeah! Did It..

Okay, it was a day late but we managed the second lunch run of the week today. My hip was a bit sore yesterday so we aborted until today. Happy to report everything is in order now - although I think we might have caused the entropy of the universe to jump a little.

We ran the dreaded anti-clockwise variation. A variation so evil in its despicableness that we haven't run it for something like two years. It's really pretty similar to the clockwise route except we run it in reverse...

It wasn't pretty. I wasn't fast but I'm glad I did it.

Wednesday, September 02, 2015

Going To Attempt The Double Lunch Run...

It's been a long while since we've attempted two lunch runs in one week... I know! Too ambitious? Tomorrow could be it...

Heck was it hot today. It was like the middle of summer. I guess it was more the humidity that contributed to the feeling of hotness. Not sure it was very quick. Didn't take my watch. Does that really matter...