Orienteering - Cleeve Hill

Saturday 16th May 2015

I was hesitant about orienteering as I had already jogged round my first park run the same morning, but I haven't orienteering much this year, and it was only at Cleeve Hill.  Of course, once there I was very glad I had gone.

Parking and assembly was in a new field, right on the edge of the common.  There weren't many there when I arived so no hassle and no queues to start.  I walked and occasionally jogged around the green course.  The planning was good, crossing the quarries three times and avoiding the more open golf course.  In particular there was a difficult route choice to make between controls 3 and 4.  I was surprised to leave Gary Wakerley leaving control 4, and see him as he was approaching control 6 and I was en-route to 9.  I kept checking my map to see if I had missed a control.  Also a tall fit runner who started a minute in front of me passed me three times towards the finish, the final time commenting "I can run, but I can't navigate".

The weather was beautiful; plenty of sun, and the gorse was all in bloom.  Lovely.

 

  

 

Results

19th out of 41 starters (2 dnf).

16:01 mins/km (but remember, it is Cleeve Hill, ie. open)

Park Run

Saturday 16th May 2015

I have wanted to try a park run for more than a year, but my heart attack last August didn't help.  However, I have worked my way slowly through the Couch to 5K program, repeating most weeks twice if not three times, and at last I thought I was ready for it.  And a beautiful sunny day it was as well.

I made a point of starting right at the back, and started slowly.  Looking at the splits of Strava, I was pleased to see that each Km was just slightly faster than the previous one.  I thought I was going to avoid being lapped, but the first finisher crossed the line exactly at the same instant that I started the second lap.  I felt fine all the way round, not having to walk at all, and even overtaking one or two people, and was very pleased to have achieved the 5K.  I was 114 out of 140 finishers, so not quite at the back.

Results

Splits

Strava Segment

Looking at the Strava segment I see I was 111/125, a typical results for all my Strava segments.  But I was pleased to see that Mary holds the female record.

The Couch to 5K program worked well, and Catherine, John, Mary & Rachel are all my running inspiration.  Thank you. 

Evesham Audax - The Clapper

Sunday 10th May

I had hoped to be fit enough to do the  "Every Time A Bell Rings" 112K audax, but I didn't think I was up to it, and was quite happy with the shorter 55K "Clapper".  Both these events were in aid of the Evesham Bell Tower appeal, hence the names.  Both events started and finished at the Ferry Cafe, so not far to go to start at all.  As with audax events, there were only about a dozen people on the short course, it is just too short for real cyclists.  I covered the distance in a couple of minutes less than than 3 hours.  The first back took about 2:45 I think.  I was really happy to be able to cover the distance