Training Log Archive: Craig

Event: Curtin University - WA Sprint Championships (NavDash)
 

WA Sprint Champs at Curtin Uni.
I thought this would be my best chance of a title this year with Henry being away for Oscar's 21st but I knew I would need a really good run to have any chance of beating Sten and this was far from good.

Initially thought I would go right to 1 but saw it was blocked by OOB and didn't see the option of going North first and then right so went left. Can't blame that for losing 9 seconds to Sten as he went the same way as me. I did get a little thrown by the control taking so long to wake up. Decided 2 was going to be above the wall for some reason so went up the stairs and then had to loop back around the end of the wall.

3 and 4 were fine but not aggressive enough. Got the route choice right to 5 where Sten didn't so I was back within 6 seconds here but then I lost 37 seconds on 6. I was aware of the bridge but for some reason I decided 6 was going to be on the lower level and there would be a passage through underneath the bridge. When I got there and couldn't see a passage I still hesitated for a while wondering if I could get to 6 from the bridge or needed to go right around the building. Eventually went over the bridge and got to it fine but I knew any chance of beating Sten was gone. I had looked at that part of the map on Friday and wondered about the levels but didn't actually take the time to work it out. I think my brain tends to read covered walkways as being at a different level from surrounding areas, not sure why.

Next couple were ok. Leaving 9 I tried to read it as if I was leaving from the E side of the wall E of 9 so was a little confused early, then ran onto the bridge before remembering one of the descriptions was under a bridge.
Next few were ok, then 15 I failed to read the detail and ran around to the right but apparently everyone did the same so didn't lose time, just missed an opportunity to gain. Rest was all fine but Sten was always going a little faster so I never got anywhere near him.

Need to find some way of beating Henry now.

M21A - Splits

Easy run around KP, mostly on sand. Cold rain for the second half. Feeling quite a bit better today.

Slow run in KP in constant drizzle. I was thinking of trying the 5/8 surge course but it was quickly evident that I wasn't ready for that yet so slowed down again, cut it short and did some drills and strides on Rosalie at the end instead. Clearly not recovered from the weekend yet.

Short easy run in KP. Thought I might try to go longer but feeling very tired so late getting out and also very stiff around the ankles.

Short jog in KP plus some drills and strides at Rosalie Park.

Event: Malmalling NE - Standard Bush Event
 

H1 at Malmalling NE. First time back in terrain after smashing my shin so I was a bit nervous about how it would hold up especially as there is a fair amount of undergrowth in the area. Still had steri-strips on from when the stitches came out, added an adhesive dressing over them, compression socks over the dressing and VJ gaiters over the socks. Felt a little tender initially just from the pressure on it but that eased very quickly.

Went to the start with Rachel and chatted to fenry a bit but waited for Liam and Penny to finish before starting because Amy didn't want to be left alone. Warmed up by playing chasey with Amy. Liam supposed to be being very careful with his broken arm so told him to take his time reading the map and only run when sure of where he was going. He had a very clean run for a change and won the E course by 5 minutes so hopefully he learns something from that. Amy was adamant that she didn't want to do a course but when I finished I found that she was winning the VE course too.

I tried to take it pretty easy and dance around the bushes rather than crashing through them. Started out through the saddle and across the clearing above the rock surface then tried to check the compass as I contoured into 1 but couldn't find it. Took me a little while to work out I wasn't just looking at the wrong hand and I didn't actually have a compass. I wasn't too bothered about not having a compass but I was a little distracted for a while wondering what I had done with it and worrying about remembering to make sure I found it before heading home.

First two were pretty easy then a nice long leg over to 3. I tried to contour a bit early and then stay pretty high late. Felt as though I was wandering a bit without the compass and didn't always have great map contact but always felt comfortable about finding it and did so cleanly. A few shot easy legs then long leg back to 7. Went fairly close to retracing my route back past 2 but stayed a bit higher, not really planned just found myself running that way leaving 6 looking for easy running.

Feeling a bit tired on and after the climbs through 8-9-10-11 but felt as though I kept moving ok. Had a bit of a lapse in concentration on 14. I had looked at the rest of the course on the track run to 8 and recognised 14 as a dangerous control but I just rushed out of 13 without a clear plan and found myself running through head high vegetation and across vague contours without a compass. Panicked a bit and ran off a bit randomly instead of continuing where I thought it should be. Relocated on some rocky ground to the South where I could see the clearing to the SW and got it ok from there but lost a fair bit of time (at least 30 seconds, maybe a minute).

Just a bit of a grind to get home from there, tried to minimise climb from 15-16 by swinging a bit right. Noticed the shin for the first time somewhere here I think when I pushed it against a small bush. Really surprised (and pleased) not to notice it any more than that. Found the knolls approaching 16 a bit confusing but kept going through to the clearing NW of the control and could see it from there despite the green having grown a bit. Nice downhill run to the finish which I took pretty slowly and carefully.

Feeling pretty tired but satisfied at the end. Enjoyed the run and feeling a lot more confident about surviving the ultralong now. fenry smashed me by 12 minutes which was about what I expected.

H1 - Splits