JWOC 2011...

Let's keep it that way!

The last two weeks of my training went just superb for me;) I managed to do everything I wanted and had this wonderful feeling that my shape was improving all the time.

As soon as I came back from Denmark, I started working on my speed. After two really tough trainings on Wednesday and Thursday and a rest day on Friday I was ready to take part in Polish Academic Championships in cross-country running on 10th April. This race was organised in the 3rd May Park (the one where I train every Tuesday and Thursday). According to my Garmin, the course - which consisted of 2 loops - was 5,9km long. The aim that I wanted to achieve was the pace of 3:30/km and after crossing the finish line it turned out that I pursued this goal perfectly. My time was 20:40, whereas my place about 109th. Several young orienteers competed in this race as well and the only one who beat me was Hewi (winning by 10secs). I must admit I was really happy and... surprised at my performance.

A few hours later I was already sitting on the train heading for Jelenia Góra, where we were supposed to take part in an orienteering competition. Obviously, it was cancelled. Fortunately, we got clean maps and could do a really nice technical training. Olej set a 9,4km course for me and I could enjoy 70mins of easy running in a quite interesting terrain. The very same day, on Sunday, we travelled by Pasza's car to Szklarska Poręba in order to take part in a 5-day camp.

Of course, I am not going to describe each training session, but I would love to present two of them which took place on track. The former was carried out on Tuesday. 4x1km. My times were 3:10, 3:06, 3:06, 3:04. Three days later came the latter. It consisted of much shorter sections (200m-300m-200m-300m-400m-200m). When I heard it, I thought 'It will be much easier than the previous one'. How wrong I was! I must admit it was probably the most exhausting training session in my career! Nevertheless, I was extremely satisfied:) As for my times: 26,2-42,1-26,7-42,8-59,0-26,6. During the under-one-minute 400m run I managed to get my maximal heart rate ever - 199!

On Saturday Kołczu organised a nice technical training in Grotniki (there were no tracks and paths on the map), which I took very easily to take some rest after this tiring camp.
2 days ago I did a lovely speed training - 8x3mins (break of 3 mins). My worst pace was 3:19/km, whereas the best one - 3:13/km. Very intensely and evenly - that's how it should work!
Today we could enjoy something new during a strength training. We were to run and do some exercises with a partner behind us, who held stretchy lines so as to make it tougher.

Now I have just come back from a nice one hour's visit to sauna and feel incredibly relaxed;) and what's even more important - ready for the next journey, which is going to begin as soon as tomorrow! This weekend in Gdańsk and the whole next week in Sweden, at the end of which we are going to compete in two important competitions: Elitserien sprint (our debut in a new club Nybro OK) and 10mila. I really can't wait for tomorrow to begin!;-)

Danish Easter

I could hardly find any time in Łódź to write this post, so I am doing it right now lying on my bed in Szklarska Poręba.

We travelled to Denmark in order to take part in Spring Cup and Paskelob. Moreover, we planned to do some technical trainings.

During Spring Cup I took part in Night Relay running the last leg in my team (Pasza, Charubcia, Olej). I was to run slowly but I just couldn't help speeding up;)

Unfortunately, I hit my right knee against some large branch and wasn't able to run the following day. It was my favourite Classic distance and I was pretty disappointed.

On the other hand, I was really lucky because as soon as Sunday I was able to run the longest last leg in Relay. Our team looked exactly the same as 2 days before.

Then, we moved to Givskud for a technical camp. We had 3 model events before Paskelob competition. Nevertheless, the terrain was so boring and different from the one during the races that it was a real waste of time!

The 3-day competition called Paskelob (long distance races with a handicap last day) showed that my O-technique is on a quite satisfying level. However, my legs didn't work as I would have wished they had done. That's why I lost several minutes each day to Rino and Hewi... But I think there's nothing to worry about because it's just not the time to win. Not yet.

We stayed in Denmark 2 days more, during which we did 2 sprint trainings and one middle distance. I must say the maps were far more interesting than the previous ones just before the competition.

We came back to Poland and I had to stay one day in Gdynia to take part in a special medical examination. What's more, I was very happy to run a short technical training in a JWOC 2011 terrain.

Finally and at last(!), we could return to Łódź to spend 3 days there and go on another sports camp to Szklarska Poręba. At last... why? Because I just lost so much motivation during this stay in Denmark... Fortunately, when I came back home, I got extremely motivated and determined once again. Much more than ever before!