Training Log Archive: slow-twitch

WOA long distance, Koitiata. 2nd M40, Carsten (injured) 1:30:17. One of the best sand dune long distances I've seen in NZ, rather than a 'long middle'. Setting up route choice problems on a map like this isn't easy but there were enough legs long enough to be good "compass/execution/confidence" tests to remind me a bit of Scandi long courses. So, used the compass a lot, generally executed quite well (ridiculous - some might say flukey - spikes at 4 and 11), but perhaps could have gained time with a bit more self belief on the longer legs. Biggest mistake (3 minutes) at 1, stopped a bit too soon and fitted the terrain where I was to the map where I should be, and only made sense of it just before seeing William pop out from the control (only time I saw him). If being caught by the next starter at control 1 sounds frustrating, it gets worse, check the difference to Carsten's time! (yeah, I know he was basically limping around the course, but I still would have claimed it!) Similar but smaller mistake at 12, spotted the control when heading out to the nearest track to relocate, and a bit of in or near circle confusion at 9 and 17. Physically, kept pushing along quite well, if not exactly fast, until hitting the bigger hills in the last forest block. Quite happy with this one really.

Various before and between races

WOA Champs sprint, Raumati (note that map on RG doesn't show the temporary barrier taking away the most direct route 12-13 and 14-15). Distance optimal not linear. Great sprint course with 3 very distinct sections. Won M40, but that's more a reflection of the depleted field than what felt like a very messy performance - won by running speed not technical ability, and the likes of Nick H, Sean, Dwayne or either Boswell would not have let me get away with that (not to mention some of the guys I still think of as young elites who are 40+ now!) But now I've done the RG I realise it was cleaner than it felt: a few seconds at 4 where I think I confused the railway and road so wondered why the control wasn't right there when I'd only crossed one; a 'what was I thinking' moment at 8 which probably cost very little, and twice in the school (12 & 16) mixing up my building gaps, one minor, one major enough to be real time loss (~30 sec) and annoying especially as I feel this is an uncharacteristic mistake for me. My perception of how it went probably influenced by a fair bit of general hesitation in the first part of the course - if Gavin's intent with all the back and forth was to not let people get into a smooth flow, it worked!

WOA Champs middle, Mangakotukutuku, M40, 2nd to Michael Croxford (39:22). Unique, cool, orienteering experience, native conifer/broadleaf forest with a mess of tracks but enough point features hiding off-track to get some challenging control sites. Going through the first couple of controls I was worried that the course might favour track running over orienteering skill a la the St Arnaud middle distance last year, but then it started getting fun. Mostly accurate and good route choices. Lost a few seconds at 4, going to wrong stump - this is where I first caught William and thought he looked like he had just punched rather than was just about to punch! - but I think I would have made the mistake anyway as I wasn't expecting to hit the control dead on. 7 I spiked but could have taken cleaner lines in and out so probably dropped a few seconds here. 14 was the annoying one, dropping about 1.5 minutes, plan was good in principle but should have remembered that I'd found the track tangle before the control a bit confusing on my first pass through (when it wasn't important) so shouldn't be relied upon for a strong attackpoint. But not the difference between 1st and 2nd, so can't get too grumpy about it!

Finishing off the trapline. Less traps but more walking to get to them. Hot day, tough work, should have taken a 2nd water bottle!

Recovery run, Silverstream bridge to Trentham Memorial Park boundary and back. Good day to not start from home, there appeared to be a massive bee swarm around the valley entrance that I might not have been able to avoid

Warm up prior to the 5k. Warm down was the walk from waterfront to the top of Marjoribanks for orienteering.

Waterfront 5k. On a mission to break 24. Succeeded despite ending up alone by 3 km, about the time I was starting to struggle. But in the last km a couple of guys started dropping off the pack that had been gradually getting further ahead of me so having that target to catch got me there.

And if that wasn't enough for the evening, next stop Mt Vic for a spot of contour dense orienteering. Focus was probably sitting around 60% so given that probably about as good a performance as I could hope for. Worst mistake on way to 7 completely missing a track junction. Probably ran past it the moment I was noticing it on the map and thinking that will be useful. Anyway that seemed to throw me for a few controls. Pretty sure I am going to hurt tomorrow!

Another Rimutaka trap check. Over half the line completed, time-wise could have carried on a bit further but by the time I got to the high point in the pines the legs were screaming for a stop - probably new boots today wasn't the best of moves. So probably the slowest descent down Butchers yet. Felt better the moment the boots came off so hopefully will be in running shape tomorrow!