Summer Training

I am back living with my parents in Surrey at the moment in between travelling to training camps and competitions. This is the first May/June I can remember without the stress of exams and it feels great. There are some very active clubs around the area, so there are always opportunities to do some varied training. The British Army are the most prolific, putting on events every Wednesday and also organising training courses on a very regular basis during the week (usually for cadets etc... but I get a special invitation). Last wednesday, for example, BAOC put on an event with a difference. The first part was a sprint race, then you changed over onto mountain bike for a section of bike-o, then back to normal orienteering for another sprint race. A very simple yet effective combination which made a nice change from my usual training. See the bike-o map below. Results here.

Since the weekend, my training has changed focus slightly. My most important races this summer are now sprint at WOC, and sprint, middle and relay at World Students, and so my training is going to reflect that. I have been doing lots of short hard sessions, with lots of speed work, including intervals and some race pace runs. I have also been doing lots of sprint race training, getting on to as many 1:5000 maps as possible.

Last night I did a trail race in Bracknell Forest. A gently undulating 9.3km in 33.25. I won the race comfortably, and had plenty to spare. It was a nice surprise to meet an old running buddy from university, Graham Robinson, and he took 2nd place. Results here.

This weekend I am going to do some sprint training with Sarah Rollins and on Sunday I think I am going to run a 5km trail race.

World Champs Team and Selection Race Maps

Well I have been selected for the British WOC Team for the 3rd year in a row, and I am running just one discipline for the 3rd year in a row. Can't say I am particularly happy right now. After the great spring I have had I was confident of getting 2 disciplines before the weekend. Obviously the selectors can't make everyone happy but that doesn't really make it easier to accept. The middle race was the one I wanted and I have come away with just the sprint.
Well done to everyone who made the team though.

Full British Team

SPRINT
Helen Bridle
Sarah Rollins
Pippa Whitehouse
David Brickhill-Jones - subject to fitness
Graham Gristwood
Matthew Speake

MIDDLE
Helen Bridle
Rachael Elder
Sarah Rollins
Matt Crane
Jon Duncan
Jamie Stevenson

LONG
Rachael Elder
Alison O’Neil
Jenny Whitehead
Jon Duncan
Oli Johnson
Jamie Stevenson

RELAY
Helen Bridle
Alison O’Neil
Sarah Rollins
Jon Duncan
Oli Johnson
Jamie Stevenson

RESERVES Jo Stevenson – Reserve for the Long only. All other disciplines maybe replaced by an existing team member. Ewan McCarthy – Reserve for the Sprint only. All other disciplines maybe replaced by an existing team member.

Selection Race Maps

WOC Selections - Classic

8th place, 8 minutes down on Jamie and perhaps I shouldn't have run today. Felt ok this morning after spending most of yesterday afternoon in bed, but after about 2 or 3km I knew I was still not right. Struggled round though, not making many mistakes (lost maybe 2 - 3 mins) but very aware that I wasn't running as fast as I would like.

All can do now is just wait for a phonecall to find out my fate.
My guess is either just Sprint (hopefully not), or Sprint and Middle (hopefully)

1. Jamie Stevenson 77.03
2. Jon Duncan 80.04
3. Oli Johnson 81.25
4. Dan Marston 81.32
5. Matt Speake 82.16
6. Nick Barrable 83.07
7. Matt Crane 83.14
8. Graham Gristwood 85.22

Results on BOF website here

Maps and selections up later

WOC Selections - Middle

5th place in todays middle race. Woke up with a slight cold, but felt ok to run. Had a decent run, one small route choice error and wobble cost me about 20-25 seconds, and I got stuck in some green for about 10-15 seconds, but apart from that had a clean run. May not have picked quite the best route on the long route choice leg but I felt I had done enough. I was about 45 seconds down at the end in 5th place and a little bit disappointed. Maybe my cold was slightly worse than I thought and I felt worse at the finish.

Will see how I feel in the morning before I decide if I will run the long selection race.

Results on the BOF webpage here

Top 6 today

1 Jon Duncan 33.04
2 Oli Johnson 33.05
3 Matt Crane 33.18
4 Matt Speake 33.20
5 Graham Gristwood 33.48
6 Jamie Stevenson 34.27

WOC Selections - Sprint

First place today in the GB sprint selection race, so it looks like I'm off to Denmark. Middle race tomorrow and classic on Sunday.

Top 3

1. Graham Gristwood. 12.50
2 Jon Duncan 12.53
3. Matt Speake 13.00

The race was at Botanisk Have in Aarhus, the model event for WOC sprint, lightning fast open parkland with many single trees and bushes and some small areas of woodland, some of gardens and some urban areas too. I had a good race and never lost more than a couple of seconds on any leg. The course was technically very easy and there wasn't a huge amount of route choice. Will put my map online early next week when I get home.

Full results on the BOF website here