Training Log Archive: ShotRat

3 x 7 min @ 4:20min/km with 2 min jog recovery in between. Had to work pretty hard to get the second and third efforts down to the right pace. Both were at 4:30 with about 2 min to go. Best pace was 3:31min/km, so slower than fenry plans to run for 5km.

Event: Foot O - Hill Park Dale
 

Just remembered comment of the day from yesterday. I was standing around some control sites looking intently at the map for the Gosnells sprint when a lovely old lady walking her dog says, "Your in Gosnells if that's any help." Couldn't help but laugh.

C • Correct response 4

Event: Foot O - John Forrest National Park
 

Walking and jogging around all of the control sites for Gosnells Sprint champs and then a test run of the long course. Given how wet it is at the already, gumboots might be the footwear of choice come September!

Slow crawl making sure things didn't hurt too much.

Event: WARA Autumn 12 hour Rogaine
 

Dam Busters 12 hr rogaine at Wellington Dam

Headed south and anti-clockwise out of HH on a 40km loop that we thought may be a bit ambitious but had a couple of good cut out loops. No troubles until a slight muddle before 102 where we went south down the track out of 50 heading for the junction west of the control. Unfortunately that track didn't eventuate so we just headed in anyway. We were a bit south of the control but found the spur well enough and headed down to the control.

Decided that taking tracks was going to be worthwhile wherever possible but also had success going straight in the bush too. The bush got a bit feral in the gullies between 101 and 71 and then heading up to 53 from 71 was very ordinary.

Smooth all the way up to 85, although we noticed we were steadily slowing down. Out of 85 we found a tangle of tracks and chose the most likely on to head to 75. It looked good for a while and then started heading more north than East and the ground around it just didn't look right. We stayed on it anyway and kept an eye on the direction it was taking us. We correctly worked out we were west of 75 on the main track when we reached it, rather than east of it as we had planned. Probably ended up being a more direct route and we might have even made up some time.

Hit the pines after getting 63 and decided they didn't look friendly so we walked around them and took tracks to 92. A small mistake at 100 where we must have been within 10m of the control but on the opposite side to the setting sun right on dusk. No big issue, as we went down to the water got out torches out and walked back to the control about a minute later. We always seem to be looking for a small spur right on dusk!

Used the water' sedge to get to 62. The pines at the end made the control impossible to see from below so we just smashed through up to the track above the control and circled back into it.

Nearly had an issue between 82 and 64 where we thought we were on the second track back from the water but we're actually on the first. This led to a junction with heaps of tracks that was difficult to see on the map as it was right under a north line. Luckily we took the time to work it out and used the white bush/green pines on the map to help point us the right way.

Hit the perfect spot for 36 but couldn't see any unmarked tracks, so we just walked into the bush about 100m and swept back parallel to the main track. Luckily I then walked straight onto the control, even though we never actually found the "feature" we were meant to find.

Out of 94 we aimed to cut around the water to 43. The bush south of the pines was 10ft high tea trees that we had to get on all fours and crawl under. We found it really hard to follow the bearing for the 10 minutes we were crawling around for and didn't come out to the water and had absolutely no idea where we were. We then found and unmarked track section and eventually found a major road. Still unsure of which one it was and starting to run short of time, we made an educated guess as to which track we were on and headed south. We guessed right and decided to cut 43 but managed to finish off with 44/40/30 and got back with 10 minutes to spare and finished 8th.

Pretty good day out. No major nav issues and only a small chop out.

Had a not so nice surprise when hopping into bed and found an ant infestation on my pillow and all over the air mattress.

Credit to Legend and MrR as some of the controls were on subtle features but all of the controls were perfectly placed. Good times.