Training Log Archive: Rich

S6D Day 6 - Ardchatten

Although I had ~90s to 3rd I knew I still had to have a good run to run to maintain 2nd and with Patrik and Ant both also within 2:30 top 3 was definately no certainty. With Spongey having a 16min lead there was not chance of 1st.

Was feeling tired from the start with my legs seamingly lacking in strength/power and lost ~40 on number 1 by dropping much too low to another control I had seen (also hill north side). Trying my best to push on and trying to relax into it not feeling great. By 7 Spongey (3mins) had nearly caught me and went past me like I wasn't there just after; I just couldn't push through the marshes and undergrowth like he could. As the gap between us quickly grew I could feel top 3 slipping - I had to do something and put everything into getting through the terrain to 8 (Spongey was just running over every hill like it wasn't there). Mercifully it was a down hill leg to 9 and it was here I felt my race strated to change. We had dropped out of the undergrowth/marsh and it was now short grass with firm underfoot. I took better lines than Sponge to 10 and combined with him making small (~10-15s) errors I had managed to get back in front by 11. Spongey got back infront on the down hill legs to 12,13 and 14 but staying with him was now not the impossibility it had been earlier; my legs were working!

Sponge crossed the gorge lower than me and had trouble getting across and I got ahead. On the leg to 15 I reconned I could see about 2mins ahead and Johan wasn't in sight. I knew at this point I had to really put everthing in to the end. The controls weren't difficult and you could see where you needed to be from a good distance; this I think just made it more painful. It was lots more climb going into 17, up to 18 and then 19 and my legs were starting to scream. Spongey got ahead for small parts but I was mainly in front through the latter stages (though I think he knew I needed the result so was letting me get on with it). I was glad to hit 19 (the end of the uphill), it was now all downhill but realised 20 was potentially tricky. I ran on my compass high of the crossing point so that I did not miss it and slowed just enough that I could get a good visual picture of the control circle. It went as planned; the crossing point just before the last control was insight. It was balls out to the end although I struggled to get my SI card in the hole through rushing at both the last control and the finish.

As I crossed the line there was no indication of whether I had got 2nd though expected it was close. Spongey finished 15s or so behind me and took another win - impressive run of performances. 2nd was confirmed as I downloaded. :)

4th today, Patrik was 36s ahead on the day in 2nd with Johan in 3rd 35s ahead. A comfortably 44s in the end ;) Looking at the splits I think I was in overall 2nd the whole way but it was pretty close around 7/8.

Learnt some good things about myself at the S6D. I don't use my compass enough which could make things much easier and reiforced what I knew in that I need lots of tough terrain training to do well in these kind of races. My speed on easier terrains is pretty decent currently though.

C • Congrats 2

Long uphill slog to the start. Didn't do much of a WD.

S6D Day 5 - Lochnell and Shenavallie

Thought a latish start may have given me a bit of an advantage today but I think most of the top guys did. Started poorly losing 30s at 1 (big banana) and 50s at 2 (overshooting) as it took me a bit of time to get into the terrain/map. Ok to 3 and 4 and though I lost time to 5 getting stuck in lots of bracken and bailing to the track rather than going straight for the track but suprising had the fastest split. Fine until 10 when I got royally stuck in green crap and didn't navigate particularly well to the control and wiggled a bit too much to 11 and 13. Went well to 19 but then got sloppy losing 15s or so through poor line to 20, good route to 21 but came in too early and then turned the wrong direction (1min), overshot 23 (~25s), right of 24 and then turned and went further right (30s). Easy last few slogging through marshes mainly.

3rd - first top 3 of the week. Spongey with another good performance won in 55:42. But importantly I beat Johan by over 4mins to move into 2nd and increased my lead over Ant by ~1:30.

S6D Day 4 - Torinturk

Started 4th in the chase, with Johan a minute or so in front, Jamie S (senior) 40s behind and Ant a couple of mins further back. Going ok earlier on though Jamie caught me on the way to 5 where I made a mistake (~20s). Lost him in the forest on the way to 6, went off line and lost another 45s ish. Should have just gone stright and attacked 7, as I was I tried to contour which just lost me time. Kept catching sight of JS until 9 but took a bad route (left) on the long leg to 10; right looked best on the map but looking up left looked easier going (should have gone with the map) and then just seamed to stop orienteering. Lost 2mins to Ant on this leg who I saw just behind me coming out of 10. Kept ahead until leaving 14 where I got stuck behind a thick patch of bracken. Ant had the lead until a small mistake at 18 when I snuck back in front. Dropped a bit low to 20 and Ant again got ahead but as I climb back up nearing 20 Ant went off to low, I stopped and realiesed and spiked the control ~20s before Ant. Then pushed on hard through the last few easy controls to maintain the gap and 5th overall (3rd with both JS and OJ not running the last 2 days).

Down in 10th today. Not a great run but still in a good position for a top 3. Hector quickest in 58:44 although Spongey was quickest in the earier starters in the chasing sprint which I would think it may have been a bit tougher going.

S6D Day 3 - Creag Mhic

Started stready and fine up to 6. Too much snaking lost me a fari bit of time to 7 and then smashed my compass going to 8. Wasn't and issue until 11 where I wondered off line with no significant features to use from the bottom of the stream and went far too far right. Went wandering again at 13 and lost anoth 1min which is where Spongey caught me (6 mins) which I was pretty dissapointed with at the time. Spongey was out of sight even before the end of the long leg (15). Poor routes to 16 and 17 lost a fair amount of time and then went wandering off line again going to 20 (~40s) where I recaught Spongey. This time though I was going at a similar speed and got a ahead taking different routes to 22 but went off line again and lost ~45s. Then recaught Spongey and had to stay with him through the green as I couldn't read my map so he was the only way I could keep a decent direction. Once I was out the green I was able to overtake Sponge and pushed to the end.

Finished 5th, OJ winning again in 96:18. Only time losses came from wondering off line (which may not have happened with a compass) and route choice. Again pleased to have energy in the bank at the end - maybe I should be pushing more earlier on?

S6D Day 2 - Ardnaskie

Started badly dropping into the wrong re-entrant (~40s) and then exited 1 in totally the wrong direction and snaked my way to 2 (~20s). Stopped at 2 and made sure I exited in the right direction to spike 3. Then very hesitant to 4. Made a parallel error to 6 until I realised I crossed the power lines realising I was miles of line. Suprised this mistake was only ~1min. Then pulled it together and running hard until 17 where I got on the wrong hill (~45s); struggled in the really physical undergrowth/marsh around 12/13 though and kept falling over. Finished in 6th, OJ won in 31:05 - Really suprised to be less than 2mins down as it felt like a really poor race technically although running felt strong.

Event: Scottish 6 Days Oban 2011
 

S6D - Day 1 - Dunollie and Dunstaffnage

Went out hard and caught Kyle Heron on the way to 2 but then screwed it up (1 min). Only other significant mistakes was at 16 (~1min) but also one or two dodgy route choices particularly 18 which lost me ~1min on the fastest guys. 8th position, Oli quickest in 56:34; looking at the splits though it did seam to speed up later on.

Decent WU and WD.