Training Log Archive: Rosco

Travelling home. Bill's bus was in the huff so it was touch and go whether we'd make it back....

wu to start - it was meant to be 4.5k but they changed it to 2.something. I was a wee bit early.....

O-Ringen Etapp5 +14.52 60/272

In the battle for top brit I was 16 minutes down on Mark Bown and 13 down on Stu Caithness (who had had a wee boost from Oleg on day1). It looked like far too much to do. Especially to Mark who had been very consistent. Surprisingly for a competition with over 21000 runners and a class with over 300, I had seen virtually no one I could definitely say was on my course so I resolved to run my own race. 1 was a difficult leg and I wasn't terrribly confident I was in the right place until I crossed my wee ditch as hoped sorry I mean expected. Got led off on the straight line to 2 by someone else but realised this was a really dangerous tactic into some green so veered off to a nice safe attack point and was careful in. At 3 there were lots of parallel marshes and again was unconvinced I was on the correct one, but stuck at it and was rewarded. 5 was an epic leg where the only choice was pretty much straight. It was great:) Crossing the marsh to 6 I spotted Wattok looking confused! You dancer! In my excitement I followed him to the wrong control, but I knew exactly where we were. I told myself not to get put off, but did and made a parallel error to 7 and didn't aim off properly to 8. But I was much happier with the way I sorted myself out - losing a couple of minutes rather than 10. Apparently stu had snuck in front but I repassed just after 10, although I didn't see him this time. Much better run but only pulled back a couple of minutes on Mark.

Lesson: Because the terrain was so tough I was able to orienteer at that speed. When it is fast I really have to be very controlled.

We had to dash off and missed the party. Boo.

72nd overall so picked up 24 places on the last day. 297:46 of running +70:06 to the winner. Would probably have quit if I'd been outside the top 100.

In my one other appearance, in 2004 also on H21-2, results were:

57/187 +13.10
91/184 +29.13
73/180 +22.37
110/179 +16.26
93/170 +24.24

A total of +105minutes. So I suppose I am a wee bit better now.

There's a guy called Daniel Hubmann in those results too. Wonder if it's The Daniel Hubmann?

wu to start

O-Ringen Etapp 4 +17.40 172/282

More frustration as another really big mistake ruined my run. For 7, tried to take the safe route, aiming off and up the reentrant. But what, after a cursory glance looked like a really obvious reentrant was not at all and I became a total dufus when things did not go to plan. Lost 10 minutes being a pillock. Really annoying as the rest of the course was fine. Decided this was due to tiredness so resolved to go for a good kip as soon as we got back. At the school I flopped onto my mattress in a tired sort of way obviously looking for a good rest. Soon Maureen and Bill followed suit on their mattresses but decided to discuss many varied topics for ever. Once these had, finally, been exhausted the most objectionable small child I have ever encountered decided to "play" right outside my window. Nevertheless, I eventually got a bit of rest and felt much better for it.

wu to start

O-Ringen Etapp 3 +21.58 155/280

Really pretty annoyed after this one. Totally different terrain and I did not adapt at all well. 4 was a tricky downhill leg on fast open terrain. Didn't really have a great plan. In fact, I seem to remember thinking "I'll run really fast here so I have more time to relocate"!!!!!!!!! Anyway was on the line, running on my compass when someone ran across me just as I was losing a bit of confidence, was dragged over to the right by him then spotted a flag on a boulder and went even further right. Got confused. Eventally decided to go into forest to relocate on something definite. Was on another feature from the one I thought. Lost 8 minutes. At 7, thought "Should really take that safe route round spur to good attack point" then thought "Nah, Straight is Great!". It was not +2.5m, 8 sloppy +1.5, 9 also +0.5. After the road it was easy.

In my defence, I did have a very early start and I've never been known to be at my best before 9.

It was freezing so I jumped in and then straight back out!

a wee gamofitba

O-Ringen Etapp2 +8.04 87/282

Pretty clean run but didn't really suit me as I'm a bit of a pansy when it gets a bit rocky. Hot pace. Perhaps a bit too careful at the start.

wu to start

Event: Oringen 2008
 

wu to the start

O-Ringen Etapp1 +17.10 53/302.

Told myself to stay in control and this is what I did. The first leg was really scary into a really vague, pretty low vis section of forest and it nearly went really pear-shaped. However, I spotted a wee re-entrant with a boulder and was soon back on track. Although not as much as to control 6 which was an epic track run of about 2k. The control was a sneaky one in some grot and I spent a considerable amount of time bouncing between controls on either side of the circle going "I know it's in here somewhere!" Thought it was a bit unfair actually. Lost a surprising amount of time to 8 faffing. Should have just bounced out to the track and come in the out route as that as what I ended up doing. Pretty good run, although a bit disappointed not to make the top 50.

Fi and I went for an easy loosener type run from the school out and back along a wee track. We got soaked.