Training Log Archive: TheInvisibleLog

South Island Long Distance Champs.
More of the same terrain, but with more yellow on the map, the navigation was easier. You could still stuff up really well in the harder parts, but there were legs where running was an option. Only one significant error which lost me 4 minutes. Other than this, I was happy with my race, and the bonus was to beat Ted into third position on his home ground (grew up in Nelson). I am not fooling myself I will beat him again. This was a once off.
Oh, and the third was official this time. And it was a minute faster than my middle distance time.

From West Bay

C • 7,500 Scale 2

South Island Middle Distance Champs

Big statement time.

The most technically challenging terrain I have experienced. Much harder than Rowdy Flat or Kooyoora. We had our warning from the JWOC selection trial which started early. The winning time was meant to be 35 minutes, but at one hour no-one was through the first spectator control. Eventually a couple of massive trains came through. Glad I wasn't a selector.

What was it... essentially flat morainal surface covered with manuka (tea tree) scrub with a complex netwrk of small clearings and scattered boulders. The scrub was passable but at a fast walk. The clearings were just moss beds. It was a 3.4 k course, which I covered in an hour and a quarter. Navigated really well till the spectator leg and then took 20 minutes on the next control. It should have been four. That was the nature of this terrain. If you kept contact with a high degree of care it was ok. But lose contact and relocation was very difficult. Every little clearing looked the same. All in all... GREAT FUN! And all in less than a square kilometres. Fantastic.
Despite my massive error, I would have come thrid in M55 if the organisers had managed to code me as an M55. I was in the results as M60, until I asked to be changed and they put me in M65 as punishment. The amusing upshot was that I was able to jokingly tell Hugh Moore I had beaten him. He didn't seem surprised and reported two 22 minute legs. When he understood that I was not meant to be in his class, he observed that despite the two massive errors he had still come second. Says something about the terrain. You could win with just one massive error.

Julie had a hard time out there. I wasn't allowed to ask her how it went after the event. By evening meal she wanted to compare our navigation (same course). Then after dinner wanted to re walk some of the course. We repeated the legs after the spectator control. Casual walk, and it was faster than in my race. Took a few photos to show the terrain. We need some of this near Bendigo.

From West Bay

Watch the slide show of our evening walk.

C • Big statement 8

Rode the final part of the Queen Charlotte Sound track.