2011

So 2012 is a leap-year and I'm looking to take another leap in my running enjoyment and achievements. Anyway, before looking forward it's good to look back at a rather intense 2011.

Lose Hill Ridge and Win Tit from Mam Tor, NYE 2011.

First of all, the stats:
Looking at my Attackpoint training Log, in 2011 my total exercise hours totalled 302:28:51 hrs and 3103.03km with 67773m of vert. The breakdown is thus:
     Activity                               Time        Miles              km                    height(m)

	Running - Road and Trail	167	108:34:15	816.82	(7:59)	1314.54	(4:57)	19666
	Running - Trail + Terrain	74	90:55:49	571.53	(9:33)	919.79	(5:56)	31510	9 /	14c	64%
	Orienteering	39	44:42:20	198.91	(13:29)	320.12	(8:23)	11045	589 /	886c	66%
	Warm up/down	58	9:51:14	56.09		90.26		1264
	Running Intervals	22	9:17:12	71.8	(7:46)	115.55	(4:49)	869
	Orienteering - Urban	19	8:19:50	60.58	(8:15)	97.49	(5:08)	979	277 /	359c	77%
	Biking	11	7:51:49	97.1	(4:52)	156.27	(3:01)	1633
	Other Sport	13	7:20:00
	Swimming	8	4:54:40	7.15	(41:12)	11.51	(25:36)
	Running - Track/XC	10	4:39:03	42.91	(6:30)	69.05	(4:02)	725

...with the remaining 6hrs being made up of some drills and core exercise.
(The ratios and %s in the last 3 columns are spike-rate for Orienteering controls. The time in brackets is average pace in min/km etc.).

Here's some of last year's resolutions:
Orienteering: 
Last year on 21L before moving up to 21E: Podiums at JK and BOC on 21L, 21E at Scottish was a bit tricky.
Quicker Decision making: nope.
Minimise stupid mistakes (maintain contact better): was going OK then went to the Lake District and Scotland.
Improve Bearings: Thumb compass now so hopefully getting better.

Running:
Work towards 17min 5km: didn't focus on this but down to 17:18 (in the morning)
More long Races (~3:45hrs at Edale): 3:09 at Edale. Sedbergh Hills. A few more needed.
Better interval training: Quantity is lacking, quality is OK, but not great.
Run Home from Sheffield: yep. 26 miles, 1000m+ climb.
Lakeland races: done 3, 2 classics.
Enjoy Running and Listen to my body: the former YES! the latter YES (then ignore)

Castleton - took it easy up to Lose Hill as feeling a bit off, before putting the boot in.

At the beginning of the racing season I decided to alter my race strategy - in short races at least - to push myself harder from the off, man up and endure the pain of fell-racing. Thankfully this worked to a certain extent and, by being sensible and running my own races I could still utilise the end-of-race kick I consider my 'speciality'.

Orienteering wise, I just need to get out and do more!

I've really enjoyed running with Pennine. I don't get to much in the way of club runs (especially now I'm in the North East) but we've become quite adept at packing runners in close together when racing - out of the senior cohort I've beaten everyone and everyone's beaten me during the course of the year. Hopefully next year I'll not make stupid mistakes on the relays like this year...

Closely marked by Noel at Coombs Tor

Closely marked by Steve at the Downfall (I think this is a Rich photo I pinched!)

Races of the year:
From a personal view, Eccles Pike (4th) and Coniston (the section after Weatherlam, where I just seemed to go through people) were my highlights. I really enjoyed the atmosphere at the Hodgsons, FRAs, Sedbergh Hills champs race and Wasdale (Marshalling).

Keeping on Adam's heels in the closest Pennine race of the year - Myself, Dan, Daz, Adam '1shoe', Noel, Steve and Dave within 1.5mins of each other - Eccles Pike (pic Geoff B)

On the Orienteering side of things, the closest I've got to the feeling I think you're meant to get when Orienteering - running well, flowing through controls and spiking everything) was on JK day 2 at Sleive Croob. The best feeling I had was controls 2-15ish on the last day of the Scottish 6 days where everything managed to come together. Unfortunately I couldn't hold it together for the whole course (including control 1 where I lost 8 mins...). Unsurprisingly both these 'good feelings' have come on open hillside terrain, but I've started to enjoy tough technical terrain much more.
Best event? ShUOC's Harvester will take some beating in this country!

End of a long, tough (technically and physically) course at Creag Mhic, day 3 of Scottish 6 Days (Photo - Wendy Carlyle)

Personally?
Graduated, got a job I enjoy with people I can stand (and who tolerate me) within 20 minutes of some hills and 90 minutes of the Lakes, so I'll call that a success. Hell, I could be in Reading!

2012:
More Orienteering. More running in terrain when Orienteering. Focus more. Eat Better. More concerted training. Work towards sub-3 at Skyline in the next few years. Work towards 16:30 5km. English Champs Races. More Lakes races, including Classics. Saunders MM.
These would all be nice, but as long as I enjoy myself and am happy, it's all gravy.

Bringing (no) class to proceedings since 2007.

Hope you had a good Christmas and New Year. I'll see you on the fells!