Training Log Archive: ScottBailey

Caddihoe Chase - M45 SBrown
Chasing start - but carried on in the same way as I did yesterday - terrible navigation. Caught up others ahead of me - and then threw it all away at no9 by making another massive nav mistake.

Trying out below to see if a more forensic review of my races will help me to learn from my good points and obvious mistakes:

https://www.devonoc.routegadget.co.uk/rg2/#145&...

1. Started tentatively into 1 (as worried about the terrain after the challenges in the ferns from the day 1 race). Stayed close to the river in the forest and ended up having to scramble over the rocks. Then was not quite sure where I was coming up the re-entrant - so took way too long hunting for the control. My plan was to follow the wall - but I never found it. Learning points - Should have trusted my bearing more from my compass and didn't really have an attack point close to the control circle - could have probably used the fence directly behind it and would have saved 2 mins.

2. Needed to get concentration back into 2 so followed the ditch to know I was going in the right direction. Took a bearing at the end and stayed on it until I hit the rocks. Within 10 secs of fastest - so OK. Learning point - should have looked just beyond the control on the map - would have noticed the earth bank and could have used it as a catching feature allowing me to run faster to the control circle.

3. Faster into 3 - took a bearing and trusted it. Could see rocks on the hill-side - just needed to trust that my compass would take me to the right one - got slightly distracted by others on the hillside. Within 5 secs of faster runners - so OK control. Learning points - don't get distracted by others in the terrain - trust own judgement.

4. Took the direct route to 4 which was too slow - got caught up in the undergrowth in the big ditch and lost at least a minute. Learning point - should have seen the route choice to the south was cleaner and safer with a wall to follow into the control.

5. What was I doing climbing up the hill? ended up having to run back down into the control! Lost a minute on my detour. Learning point - need to look at contours when traversing hills - could have stayed direct on the compass line for an easier run.

6. Fine but slow to 6 - a brutal hill climb - within 10 secs of fastest. Learning point - just GET FITTER

7. Why didn't I just look ahead on the map and plan my route? took a bearing and just followed it - and then noticed the ravine... and had to go back to the path - would have been much quicker to follow the path before starting the climb up to the control. Lost a minute. Learning point - plan ahead, 2 seconds doing that would have saved 1 min in going in the wrong direction.

8. Not even sure what my head was doing here - clearly did not take a bearing - just hoped that I would run over the hill and see the tree line and it would be the right one! Had the speed to catch up the runner ahead of me here - but then lost them trying to relocate after I didn't know where I was. Took 4 mins longer that needed at this control. Learning point - WHAT IS WRONG WITH USING A COMPASS?

9. After the muck up at 8 was then hesitant to start into 9 - just took too long taking a bearing - and then didn't know if I was going in the right direction on the path into the open area. Learning point - each control is a new race, need to stop getting a clouded mind from what has just happened and stay focused on what is ahead.

10. OH DEAR! Still desperate to make up time - decided that I would try and take a direct route to 10 - didn't even look to see if there was an easier route around the grotty brambles etc. Also didn't notice the ruddy great river that would need to be crossed (and after the rain was impassable). So ran in wrong direction for at least a min before clocking the bridge on the map. Then didn't notice the path that ran around the rough terrain - that whilst longer would have been faster. Lost 5 minute on this leg alone! Learning point - Always check for different route choices before going - don't just start running - the wrong route will always cost much more time than the 10 seconds of looking at the map.

11. Just plan tired by control 11 - heavy wind and rain - and a horrible steep hill to climb meant that I tried to take the easier route along the grassy path - but this then meant that I was not on a bearing into the control and lost 3 mins hunting along the ridge for the right re-entrant. Learning point - in open terrain the compass bearing is really important to get inside the control circle

12. Fast down the hill - but then mucked up by not looking at the control description , or the map close enough. If I had I would have noticed the small wooded area - and then not had to scramble around in the ferns hunting. Lost another minute of time. Learning point - Getting in the circle and just hoping to find the control is not good enough - I need to make sure I know what feature I am looking for.

13. Why do I make it hard for myself? Stayed in the grot rather than finding the path earlier. Also once in the control circle didn't focus on what I was looking for in terms of features - see point from previous control!

14. Straight to 14 - easy run on path - but stuck behind a slower competitor so lost a few seconds.

15. Overtook the other guy to have the fastest run-in time. Learning point - why do I still alway have some in the bank at the end - need to make sure I push for the whole race not just the last control.

Caddihoe Chase Day 1 and SW Long Champs

South West Long Champs - Burrator - M45 - SBrown
Took 9:45 to No 1!! Total rubbish - had the legs but NOT the head - need to find a way of being technically trained at Nav, as now running too fast for my nav to keep up. At least 15-20 mins of navigation mistakes. Got better towards the end of the race - and managed to be in 2nd for most of the splits - but the earlier mistakes made it too difficult to finish better than 5th


https://www.devonoc.routegadget.co.uk/rg2/#144&...

Ohh the lovely torrential rain....