Training Log Archive: TheInvisibleLog

All good things come to an end. In this case it was my solid navigation. I think this was one race too far, particularly after the long. Couldn't think fast enough on the short legs. Also took a while to get into the mapping of yellow/grey. Implications of ISOM17 became more apparent after a very helpful chat with mapper after the event.

Oceania Long. I managed to finish the course. Due to total lack of fitness, accepted that i would be walking a lot. So went straight wherever feasible, and accepted the green as being less a hindrance for the slow runner. Only one error, of about 15 metres where I was lazy and didn't read the control description. Looked up the small gully at end of the long leg and saw no control so assumed I was incorrect. Tried next gully, check control description and discovered it was behind the boulder in previous gully. So maybe lost 30 seconds. Probably lost a little time on 3rd control where maybe straight wasn't best. But other than that spiked 14 of 15 controls. Its easy when you are slow. Ended up 15th, 12th Australian. Much exceeded my expectations. My pre-event estimate was that 16 was the best I could hope for and 20 or greater was much more probable. I assume there were lots of errors out there and my almost faultless spiking was unusual, making up for a little of the low fitness level and soft tissue problems. Had a recurring tortoise and hare moment out there with at least one obviously faster orienteer. I was the tortoise.
Comeuppance for the day was at the start. The camera operator ran after the first train, and I was at the back of the train in front of the camera, thinking I was going to feature. But at the first opportunity camera overtook me and slotted in just in front of me to keep the rest of the train in view. I was just the ugly hindrance.

Probably shouldn't have, but wasn't going to miss out on a run on Connorton. So started a course way too long with limited expectation of finishing. Found running hard. Navigation on first three controls was messy so reverted to strict compass work where possible. Passed the spectator control and decided to struggle on. Finished. Surprised to discover that my time wasn't too bad. It seems my slowness due to hamstring and calf and heel pain was matched by general lethargy induced by midday running at close to 30 degrees. Julie seems to have found the heat hard so after matching my splits in the first half of the course, she then slowed progressively through the second half of the course. So one all.
Despite finishing decided that I won't run tomorrow. I think I need a couple of days off before next weekend.

Now confident my calf issues had been resolved, took on the mid week sprint race. Went wonderfully for first half. But it seems running on hard even ground is not what my calf likes, so ended up favouring that and subsequently straining hamstring of same leg. Sore, tight and tender, but can still run when warmed up. Win to Julie who I had covered up until the map flip, but concentration waned. Poor route choices, missed control and finished at a hobble down the finish chute. She finished as I entered the finish chute.

Relay. I had asked to be placed in an incomplete team if such existed. There were none until withdrawals on the day. But not in my team. First leg runner so felt under some pressure to complete the course. Waved at the drone when the start whistle blew. That made sure I am in the highlights video. First leg was brutal uphill paddock running in full view of the assembled multitudes.
Was in a small pack of older, overweight slow runners and couldn't work out why I couldn't drop then, until I realised I was an old, slow overweight runner as well. This carnival has made that reality crystal clear.
Anyway, after that no errors and a good run, coming back with my most respectable result of the carnival. So team not let down. Then second leg runner took third leg runners map and we should have been dnfed. Not sure if that actually happened as there was some confusion about where maps were placed.