Why don't you win all the time?

[Neil M40]

And what are you going to do about it (if anything)

[andy]

can't run fast, in the process of doing more structured training (and more of it!)

[Neil M40]

can't run fast, in the process of doing more structured training (and more of it!)

Good luck with that Andy, I hope you do well.

What was your training like before, and what are you doing now that is different? Do you have a particular goal in mind? Do you have a coach to help you structure your training?

[rebbid]

For every winner, there are dozens of losers. Odds are you're one of them.

[Neil M40]

For every winner, there are dozens of losers. Odds are you're one of them.

yes, but you can reduce the odds against you by endeavouring to improve. It is not a game of chance.

[geomorph]

All of the above in various combinations and at varying times, though the last one generally occurs when asleep.

So I've used my expertise in gobbledegoock to apply for a gene poverty amelioration facility and am highly confident this will be available some time after the 2012 Olympics.

Luckily I've changed jobs recently and the office is right next door to the local woods (unmapped), so the fitness is improving, and I'm getting better at holding a bearing whilst weaving, but I really don't know what to do about the turning left (NW) when I'd already determined it was a right (NE), and worse still running right up to the marker, reading the id code wrongly, and only getting back having visited the next nearest similar feature 100 m away

[Neil M40]

the office is right next door to the local woods (unmapped)

is it worth mapping? could be an opportunity.

I'm getting better at holding a bearing whilst weaving

probably better to leave the handicrafts at home while training

but I really don't know what to do about the turning left (NW) when I'd already determined it was a right (NE), and worse still running right up to the marker, reading the id code wrongly, and only getting back having visited the next nearest similar feature 100 m away

Everybody has a mental aberration from time to time (Thierry Georgiou missing part of his course out last weekend, for example). I've done the thing with misreading the code and similar dumb mistakes. I would say it was more likely if I was already struggling physically, either getting carried away and trying to go too fast, or getting tired near the end of a course, or some days that is just the sort of day I'm having. So, I need to control the speed better (not a problem at the moment), make sure my training gives me the stamina so that I am not struggling at the end of a course, and stop having those sort of days.

[RogYoman]

Everybody has a mental aberration from time to time (Thierry Georgiou missing part of his course out last weekend, for example).

These 'mental aberrations', what if you keep having them, and cant get out of the cycle? Is there a good way to stop them happening?

For example, I remember once a few years ago, I had a run of five mis-punches in a row. They weren't just normal, punching the wrong control or anything- they were due to a variety of things ranging from missing out controls to injuries to dying shoes.

In the end, this run of mispunches just stopped and suddenly I could orienteer alright again, for no particular reason.

Well if Thierry's having a bad patch, then lots of other orienteers can probably take heart from this 'aberration' of his.

[andy]

What was your training like before

orienteering events and being lazy during the week

and what are you doing now that is different?

actually training (trying to do longish runs/cycling to build up general fitness with an aim to something more structured through the winter)

Do you have a particular goal in mind?

not coming so low down the field in M21E (times of around 120-130% rather than 150%)

Do you have a coach to help you structure your training?

nope

[Neil M40]

I have been lurking recently on the http://www.runnersworld.co.uk forum because I developed an inexplicable interest in road running. Runners forums do not contain any discussion of running politics, neither is there very much discussion on the standards of race organisation. Apart from a large amount of cliquey and incomprehensible chat, most of the serious discussion concentrates on training - people ask "how do I improve?" or "how do I deal with x issue?" and lots of other people respond with helpful, unhelpful or contradictory advice, but always with a fairly positive attitude and lots of encouragement. This doesn't just apply to beginners - there was an interesting discussion amongst 2:30 marathoners. And everybody is happy to be explicit about what their goals are.

Why is nopesport not like that? There are only a handful of threads about training, virtually none asking for advice on the technical side. Are orienteers not interested in improving, or just not prepared to discuss it? Do they already know all they need to know? Are they getting their advice elsewhere? Do they not set themselves goals, or is it just that they are not prepared to go public with them?

Andy - good luck to you again. Getting to within 130% of the winner on elite is a tough goal but if you stepping up the training from none to some then you should see some improvement. You might not be interested in having a formal coaching arrangement but there are lots of people around in Edinburgh who would be happy to give advice - it might be worth discussing your plans with some of them if you haven't already.

RogYoman - no idea. I suspect the answer lies in sports psychology, but then Steve Mclaren was keen on sports psychology for the England team and look where that got us.

[geomorph]

the office is right next door to the local woods (unmapped)

is it worth mapping? could be an opportunity.

Yes, for what I have in mind for promoting local orienteering it is, though this is a long term project as the area is not local for existing clubs, and they have much better areas still to exploit.

probably better to leave the handicrafts at home while training

Agreed, but I'm moonlighting here; only 3 days/wk is serious for fitness, it's an ageing thing, so the other 2 are combined mapping and bearings, or just gentle runs on a bearing with some pace counting. I know from bitter experience that I'm pretty bad in light/mid green visibility, and once even ran round in a circle.

But as for the mental aberration stuff the key for me is reducing the frequency. It may never reach that of elite athletes, but I know my speed capabilities (gene poverty) should put me in the 115-120% bracket, and that's where I aim

[Neil M40]

I know from bitter experience that I'm pretty bad in light/mid green visibility, and once even ran round in a circle.

Yep, I've done that one too. At least you recognise that you have a problem and you are doing something about it. I hope the practice pays off.

[geomorph]

I have been lurking recently on the http://www.runnersworld.co.uk forum because I developed an inexplicable interest in road running.

Nothing to be ashamed about, I loved my years there, but I got bored, even though I very nearly broke into the elite

most of the serious discussion concentrates on training .

we need a balance; lets get many more training threads, and let's get less whingey, but let's not forget that orienteering, by its very nature, is content rich in comparison, and therefore has many more themes worthy of discussion.

I suspect the answer lies in sports psychology, but then Steve Mclaren was keen on sports psychology for the England team and look where that got us.

But then another exponent also helped build an England team to win the Rugby world cup.
As Graeme said elsewhere - its all in the execution

[Neil M40]

I'm going to answer my own questions now, because I've been thinking about it.

I suspect that many orienteers when faced with a training issue will simply go away and do their own research rather than asking a bunch of relative strangers. That's the sort of people orienteers are - individualistic, self-reliant. That's what I would do.

Also I have to admit I find the positivity a bit wearing. I mean, I do sincerely hope Andy and Geomorph's training pays off, but I don't really do the group-hug thing normally and it doesn't come naturally. I suspect I come across as a little bit false, patronising even. Much better to stick to moaning. That's what I do best.

So we're stuck with a content-rich, occasionally stimulating but ultimately miserable forum.

[andy]

I mean, I do sincerely hope Andy and Geomorph's training pays off, but I don't really do the group-hug thing normally and it doesn't come naturally.

It's interesting that you say that because as I was posting I was saying to myself 'I know what I'm doing, I know what my targets are, why am I posting this?'

I'd already thought about it and talked to people about it...

Maybe orienteers are more sociable than runners? or more confident in themselves?

So we're stuck with a content-rich, occasionally stimulating but ultimately miserable forum.

yup