Training

Well it's about time that the new jacket got a proper running in - and it will tomorrow. DURC is travelling to DRC for some smallbore training. I'll be bringing up the full 3p kit as well so we'll see how that's gonna pan out.

I've some plans made for the coming year, which are starting to fall a little more into place. This weekend will tell a lot about how likely these plans are to come to fruition.

It's not all work tomorrow though, we're also taking a trip to Courtlough for some clay shooting as a wind down. I should get some pictures up of the day, all going well. I'll also have some more information on how the jacket and position is going.

Roll on Munich!

Flats

No, not of the singing type, though that's not so cool either. More of the bicycle tire type which has been keeping me off the road for some time now while I try to get spares.

I first thought that it was just crap tires (well, the back one is worn almost thin and they were 35mm wide) but even with nice new Gatorskins and tubes (28mm, huge difference!) I still lost out and had two new flat tubes :(

As a final solution before sending it to the LBS I've got some new rim tape to try now, so we'll see how I get on with that. The cycling I did on the Gators before the tubes popped was excellent, changed the bike from a slow sluggish creature to a fast responsive one that I'm aching to try up in Wicklow again.

Check your rim tape and tire pressure!

DURC training, 12-10-2009

Training in prone is something that I've never really gotten the hang of. I tend to just get down and bang down some shots and see if I can spot anything that's going wrong. Today was no different :D

I took out the new jacket to give it a proper go in the prone position after I made some adjustments last week to my overall position and how things felt. It had already helped to sort out a few problems of my pulse bouncing the rifle and pain in my wrist.

Due to a fortunate position coming up for PhD funding, it's looking like I will be able to finance buying a rifle, not to mention training at the Munich international range in Garching. Nothing totally confirmed as of yet, but it's on the cards.

So, I have been looking at different rifles, number one of which is the Feinwerkbau 2700, or the light version of it. I'm also looking at the new Anschutz Precise, which is an excellent looking stock. Anyway, I took the chance to use a club-mates FWB today and see what it felt like. Aside from a terrible buttplate it feels really nice. The balance is amazing and the stock is so nicely rounded and thin that it sits in the hand very comfortably.

After a quick set up, the following group of, I think, 12 shots was produced;

Aside from the barrel warming shot on the left and the two nines, I'm very happy with this group, especially for a very brief set up with a dodgy buttplate.

On the other hand, my trusty Anschutz 1600 series didn't fail to respond to that with this 10 shot group;

Again, the low shot was the barrel warmer, the 9 shots above are grouped nicely though, especially for a 30 year old barrel and action. Increasing my cant has also helped quite a bit, so Anschutz are coming back up the list...

End result; the new jacket is amazing, well worth the money. Now I just need to translate that into scores and medals in matches and we're well sorted. Selection matches are welcome...

WTSC Airgun open, 11-10-2009

The WTSC open saw my competitive return to air rifle shooting. It was my first match in seven months, with just a small bit of training. With my new custom jacket I was feeling good about it though.

Despite being out on my own there I made the most of getting there and getting set up. Wilkinstown has always been my best range, my P.B. is held there. Today however was not to be a good one. A bit of a shaky start on the sighters and getting into the match I couldn't get comfortable in the position at all; it just didn't feel right and was far more wobbly than I've been used to since donning the new jacket.

So the first 30 shots were a write off, I dropped around 45 points in those, which is horrendous, considering I don't like dropping that in a match full stop.

Taking a quick break I went into the second half determined to pull something out. I stood up straight, and that was it. One of the most basic and silly mistakes that I've been making for years and I made it again. I'd been pushing my hips out in front of me which sinks my lower back and makes everything wobble with lack of support.

Finally, salvation was at hand for the match, as shot 31 of the match will show

It did pick up from there, which was very good. Final three strings came in at a 94, 93 and 89. The 89 is off form, but I was wrecked and couldn't see very well as due to standing up for longer than I had in the previous seven months...

Anyway, poor start to my comeback, but it's all uphill from here on out. In the positive sense, not the cycling sense. If I can keep the points dropped in my last half to 20, plus or minus a flier or two, then the first half should be no problem. 560 here we come!

Edmonstown Road, 3/10/09

Cycling up Edmonsntown road is the challenge I've set myself. The first time I tried it I had just built up some leg strength from cycling to work so I said I'd give it a lash.

Getting out there in July was tough. I was barely able to make it to the M50, never mind up the hill after it. 20 grueling minutes later after spinning in my bottom gear and panting I lost too much speed and the front wheel just turned. End of climb.

However, the way back down was the most fun I'd ever had on a bike. So much fun in fact that I turned around at the bottom and attempted the climb again, getting almost as far this time. Unfortunately, work kept me away from this one for a while so I settled for Howth and getting to Glencree.

Last weekend I tried again. Equipped with a clean drivechain, well indexed gears and, most importantly, correct tire pressure I gave it another go. This time was different. Getting there was easy, starting off was no problem. Standing every few minutes to keep up the speed to 15 km/hr, which is my target on long (for me) climb I was making good progress. Passing my finish point from the last time I though I was sorted, but alas not. I got dizzy and felt a bit too sick to carry on so I bonked and left it. Again, heading down was so much fun. I don't think I pedaled between there and Rathmines.

So, I still have no managed this climb, but I will be getting a nice new road bike in the near future and some proper pedals so we'll give that a go. Descending in the drops as opposed to the flat of a hybrid is gonna be fun :)

Autumn Open 2009, Rathdrum

This match, as was hoped, was slightly better than last weekend. With a final score of 577 and a disappointing final of 99.4, it wasn't my best match ever, but it's getting back there. This week will see the arrival of a much anticipated and needed new jacket. One that will actually fit, as opposed to being more similar to a bin liner with some suede attached...

The prep before the match was grand as always, all it set up and good to go with no hastle. Getting down into position took a while, I couldn't get comfortable at all. There are some issues with my left elbow which need to be resolved and also some hand comfort issues. This is something that is difficult to resolve and there seems to be little information available on how to go about it. The general attitude seems to be HTFU and ignore it.

The final was possibly the most painful 10 shots I've ever taken, my hand was in bits, everything was tender, my thumb lost feeling... I struggled through it, pushing for good shots, which somehow came through. Until the last shot, which wound up as an 8.2, my only 8 of the day, it was going well. It looked good as well, which left me more confused. But how and ever.

The next step is training. I haven't worked out the specifics of what I'm doing as regards a PhD next year, but as soon as that comes in, sessions for prone, standing and kneeling will be penciled in, as well as the cycle, run and swim sessions for fitness. They'll probably be in the morning before work, and the shooting in the evenings. I'm thinking 5 a week for shooting, 2 each prone and standing, 1 kneeling. Session one of the grand plan will kick off this Thursday with the new jacket :) More on that later in the week!

Wicklow Championships 2009, DRC

Well, today saw my first prone match in a long time, and boy did it show. It took place in Dublin Rifle Club in Wicklow, on their 50m outdoor range. This range is notorious for its terrible rolling wind and tricky conditions, not to mention somewhat ballistic scoring to compensate...

Having the DURC range in the state that it is at the moment has been a major incentive not to train over the Summer. That and getting fed up of my current jacket after losing quite a large amount of weight over the past 12 months and waiting for a new one has led to poor attendance on my part. Oh, and the lack of ammo. Yeah.

So, the day started at 0830 with Dave picking Conor and I up to grab the kit from the range. Greeted with that lovely damp smell after a Summer of no use is never fun, and having your personal kit smell similar even less. How and ever, off up the mountains we went, arriving at the range for 0945. Deciding that the first detail at 1000 was cutting it a bit fine I opted for the second at 1130. After getting all the kit set up (comments on all of it to follow, hopefully this week) it was on to the range, where all the fun started.

Having not shot in a while I couldn't quite remember how to fit a blind over my left eye, so that caused a lot of irritation til I figured that out. As well as that, I just couldn't get comfortable. My left elbow was way too far in under the rifle and I was leaning to one side on it as well as forward to compensate for the down slope of the range. All this meant that my elbow was in bits for the remainder of the match, and not too much better now.

As for the shooting itself, it wasn't great. It took me the better part of 40 shots to get into the flow of things, which wasn't helped by either the pain in my elbow or the forced breaks on the 6 bull cards. On the last 20 I finally got things right, finishing on a 98, by best string of the day, almost certainly shot the fastest.

Finishing up on 569 overall, which was a bit of a disappointmeny really, with 384 as my best four cards put me in 8th place overall and earned me first in class B. A below par match, with possibly my worst placing in over a year, but hopefully enough to shake out the cobwebs so i can get started on proper training and focus on upcoming matches, such as the 25yd indoor in Rathdrum next weekend.

Roll on Winter :D