Thanks to Julbo and Lyon Equipment for supplying the team with Julbo Ultra Glasses. Rather than having glasses with multiple lens options, the Ultras have a photochromic lens which can adjust from very light (cat 1) to pretty dark (cat 3). Now we don’t have to think about clear or dark lenses, one less thing to think about is always good!
Julbo Ultras
There is a slightly more in depth review done by Stu on facewest here.
I am rarely seen without this top on when training or racing. It is definitely one of my favourites, I cant rave enough about it, but I’ll give it a go…
The base layer, overlooked by many, is an important piece of clothing to me. Racing hard and sweating alot you can get really chilled/cold and damp when you stop. This is when the merino properties, even when wet, live up to their reputation by kicking in to keep me warm and will also dry rather quickly if you wear it while sleeping or resting – perfect for OMM’s etc. After wearing a top for a couple of days on longer races, the smell factor can take over and your team mates no longer want to run beside you (try racing with the guys for a few days and you’ll know what I mean). However, once again the Merino comes into it’s own, helping to tone down any odour. This is nice to know when you are racing for a couple of days and have no access to a change of clothes. Definitely keeps me warm when its cold and cool when its hot (very clever). Who could ask for more……? Oh yes and it looks good, nice range of colours, slim fit with a a zip so it is not restricting around the neck x
These tights are also a key piece of clothing for me. At first they seemed to be overly snug, but don’t be put off, as after a couple of wears and washes they are really comfortable and I also find that they have a slight compression capability so you can get the most out of your muscles over a long period of time. They come down just below the knee so there is absolutely no worries about chafing. The crutch has a a slim lining in it and does not fall down during activity. There is also a small pocket on the thigh which is really handy to load up with jelly babies
This jacket is wind proof, breathable and lined. For what it offers, the jacket is very light so when carrying in a rucsack minimises weight. Very easy to whip of while running, in a lot of cases I’ve comfortably ran with it tied around my waist forgetting its even there. It has a very good hood and comfy neck section on it for when you need that extra protection from extreme weather. It also has side pockets which is good for that stash of jelly babies.
The Airenteers night orienteering kicked off this week, with the first event of the informal training race series on Wednesday. Stu and I popped along to Adel Woods for a 45 minute score event. Stu raced with his wife Roise while I ran solo. There was a fantastic turnout of some 50 runners, including Pete from my local running club Roundhay runners giving it a go for the first time.
I was pleased to finish with just 2 seconds to spare, and even more pleased to discover I was placed first overall. A few mistakes with navigation (but less than Stu and Rosie!), but on the whole a successful training day.
I used my new Silva trail plus head torch, which was very comfortable top run with, due to the light, stable head unit and hip battery belt. I was great running along the trails, but lacked the brightness to see deep into the woods. I think I’ll stick to using it for trail running in the dark, or possibly in the rain, as it seems fairly waterproof.
On Saturday there was a regional event at Temple Newsham, which despite having lived in Leeds for 3 years now, I’ve yet to visit. The course was predominately around a golf course, which was a new element of orienteering for me get used to. The course was 7.4km as a crow flies, with some fast running along the fairways and fiddly navigation in the surrounding woods. The biggest challenge was picking the best route around or between fairways. Looking at the results, I wasn’t the only one who struggled to find some of the checkpoints placed at rather minor features.
Again, very happy with the result, coming in 2nd. Looking forward to some more events throughout the winter.
For this race I used my dodgy Chinese imported torch (will update when I find the real name). It’s pretty bright, but the batteries are on the rear of the head. Compared to the Silva, it feels less stable to run with, but for orienteering I prefer the improved vision it gives. The ability to adjust the zoom comes in useful when lost, allowing me to switch to long beam to find objects in the distance, and spread to wide when running. The brightness adjuster on the back helps when the light is too bright (when reading the map or if the fog is too dense). It feels less robust, so not sure how long it’ll last.
Finally, just a quick note to thank the Airenteers for the fantastic club that they provide. There are so many quality, varied, accessible and fun events that they put on all year. And be sure not to miss THE event of the year, then Wednesday night score event at Beckett’s Park in January that I am organising 