Training Log Archive: brycec

Event: Malmalling SW - Standard Bush Event
 

So left ankle was still sore going into this event and - sure enough I gave it a few rolls and a few bangs along the way - but it held its own which is the good news.

I went reasonably well and for the most part pretty clean:

1) hit it cleanly given the distance I was worried about an early nav error especially considering I wasnt being very on bearing today was just gliding up and down slopes to try do it a bit more by feel. So happy when I hit ti reasonably cleanly.

2) Went down towards the river then hooked back up to use the open areas Paul encountered me here telling me I was going the wrong direction - which i was fully aware of! as I was correcting back tot he direction I wanted as he said that. Used the knolls effectively to guide me pretty much right onto the control with little issue.

3) yaya a short leg this will be easy... Pulled up short hunted around the wrong rocks, went back then went back on bearing and found ti eventually - at least 2 minutes dropped here but happy with the correction.

--- it was also about this point that I thought could they possibly pack more blackboys into a square km, I dont think so. Also the point when I decided that boulders under 2m high surrounded by blackboys >2m high was the new SFG. SFG 2.0 if you wish.

4) Went straight at 4 and used the granite cliffs along the way to align me. I came in just south of 4 but knew it was up there and head up and grabbed it easy.

5) Super clean

6) just went straight at it again and came in south of it and had to move up the spur slightly to get it but was pretty happy with it as I had been nervous on the approach.

7) Clean and bang on it

8) Clean with my plan, a bit high but pretty much flush

9) Having seen this coming from 1 I knew I could see it from the gully/watercourse so used the yellow to get me close then snuck through and found it pretty easy.

Was feeling pretty good now - had been pretty clean the whole way.

10) NOT CLEAN! Didnt go far enough up and was off to the right. I went right to make matters worse, luckily saw the granite and relocated reasonably quickly and hit the control from there but feel like I lost a few minutes in there too.

11) Didnt have strong features (to my mind when i started this leg, but used the 2 granite patches, the knoll and the gully to the right to swing straight into it. Assisted slightly by someone stepping on a plastic cup 3 blackboys to my left - not that it would have helped much as I was pretty much on it. This leg also was the leg the left ankle took the biggest beating!

12) DEAR GOD! Approach straight at it. Through the gully, up to the rocky knoll, slightly to the east of it, over the fence in flat ground, east of the enxt knoll over rocky ground, into the gully, hey this green stuff looks crap - west to the granite and back around to spur, back on bearing over some more rocky ground, 200m to go, spur to my right hit the bounders 50m to go... slide east without realising it and hit the double boulders with the clearing. slide 40m east of the control. Then thoroughly confused. back tracked and used ridge line and went majorly east.. no this next spur does not feel right, bakc I went to where I was pretty much... mmm maybe I head west towards 13 and it will make more sense. 40m later oh here is my rocky spur. lets take a quick bearing turn to bearing - oh hey look there is an orienteering control there SIGH #15-20 mins loss. Up until this point I was thinking sub 2 hours was possible.

13) with a crushed soul I now trudged onwards. 13 was easy

14) Went high on 14 used the garnite to locate and then slid down straight onto 14 flush.

15) long leg, roughly on bearing. Actually hit the pine plantations directly on the drawn line, happy days - mad my way to the road folk on the other side and the granite cliffs, scooted up there and then down the the control (as craig glided past me).

16) I thought I was a good 10s behind craig on the punch and figured maybe I will drop into the yellow a bit more even ground and open the taps a little. Apparently the tank was reasonably empty as I didnt mow down the mother daughter combo infront of me let along Craig who opened 18s on me. Too slippery I say!

All in all pretty reasonable, felt good out there, SFG2.0... SIGH

H1 - Splits

Generally a pretty uneventful ride - a lot of newbs out there. I added to that impression with a few stupid things - including a shoulder charge into a tree. But that aside got a lot of PR's under the belt today so generally pretty happy with the progression.

Scheduled, didnt really need it after slack week but whatever took it anyway

Opting out of tonight's run to give ankles and toes particularly the left ankle more recovery time.

Average cadence 79, 80 is trolling me.

Saw bike dr out there so stopped in to see what they thought. confirmed probably what I knew - after not replacing the chain in like 8 yrs, its desperately in need a of a new chain. the rear cassette surprisingly was still in just passable condition. They lubed my chain and wiped down my rims and off I went again...

I think the chain can hang in there a bit longer -- felt pretty good with the lube on it too.

Otherwise ride was good - felt strong, my right knee went sore early then eased into it - tightness not being my friend I would suggest! Otherwise no issue with my ankles and generally felt good.

Nice morning for it!

Tried to convince myself to pull a swim session forward. cbf

Ankle is still a big pain in the ass, everything else feeling 95% good.

Scheduled rest day.

Slept long, but not well - very broken sleep - thought today would be a struggle but feeling ok for now.

Post mortem on soreness/injuries.
- Minimal bruising, only 2 small ones I have seen so far from branch strikes,
- Toenails a bit sensitive but don't look like they've fair too badly
- NO chaffing or blisters