Training Log Archive: TheInvisibleLog

State Series Sprint event.
A perfect example of change by evolution rather than strategy. The State Series now seems to encompass Sprint despite no sign of sprint in the "rules". Fine by me. Rules are an attempt to delude ourselves that you can strategise the direction of a voluntary organisation. Sprint SS has never been a discussion of note at any Strategy Day I have attended. So the lesson to draw from this is that if you want something to change, organise it yourself rather than talking about it.
Not being a signed up fan of sprint (not anti just apathetic), I attended for a selection of reasons unrelated to the race-
1. Venue was my secondary school. I was in the second student intake in 1967. Given there was only one building then, my insider knowledge wasn't much help.
2. Its quite close to my parents and a visit there was desirable.
3. Given the format, there was bound to be a captive audience waiting between races, so I could organise something like a Bush-O meeting. Quite ironic given the event.
No errors in this first race. Just usual inability to run hard. Finally convinced to seek remedial cross-friction massage on the left leg.

Second race of the Sprint double. After "chairing "the meeting, it was hard to get mind back into navigation. Failed to manage the transition. Ended up in a dead end on 12 and skipped 21 so had to run back from 22. Needless to say this shifted me from second last to last.
Can't be bothered putting up my Quickroute.

On the trip home I asked Julie what she thought of the sprint. I expected a positive response given her good performance in the NZ sprints. Instead she told me that urban sprint lacks the soul of bush navigation. That was an interesting observation.

Control collection

Finally have my golf score down to where it was before the NZ trip.

23rd Bush event of the calendar year.
Upper Crusoe
An event with a few issues but a good result. It was Jayson's first try at course setting. A few of the controls were misplaced, For two it didn't really matter. If you were in the right place you saw the control. For two the control was nowhere in sight. I had a cursory look on both occasions and kept running. You can take four minutes off my time recorded for the event. Thirty nine minutes doesn;t seem too bad.
For some first time course setters the experience may have been depressing, but Jayson handled it well. He accepted one was wrong, and had to be convinced about another. Then when later starters finished he played with them, insisting the control was in the right place and everyone else found it no worries, and only admitted otherwise once everyone else had a good laugh. But best of all, after most had gone home and controls had been collected, he was keen to have another go next year. He could see how to avoid the pitfalls he experienced this time, and was really happy about the positive feedback regarding his long legs. I think we have another enthusiastic course setter, inspired by the challenge. Thats a win for all of us. It pays to encourage if there are issues.

C • Pitfalls 5

Reran Saturdays course without the errors.
There were seven minutes of time loss identified. Uncertainty, error and bad route choice each contributed.

Four hours of mapping.

Hard Mackenzie out - easy High back. I don't think Julie held enough in reserve for the hard Mackenzie. Went too hard early on.

Four lost balls!!!