Training Log Archive: tinytoes

Doing the touristy thing with rockman around Bathurst - Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum and Art Gallery, eating and strolling on a glorious Spring afternoon... he was in geology heaven for the first which spoilt his view of the second but not of the 3rd or 4th.

C • Geology heaven 1

Woeful start to course, not coming to grips with terrain. Went more N than E and made it all fit, of course. Lots of people looking puzzled. Went back out and more calmly assessed that I should not be looking at the earthbanks but for the w/c. Aahh that’s better.
2-3-4-5-6 all good and confidence starting to build. Took w/c route to #7 and was going to use the house compound as obvious attackpoint. Went in and right distance in but on looking at the obvious highpoint no flag on W side. About this time my “rival” appeared in a train which continued on to the next highpoint. I faffed around for a minute or two then decided to go further south and there was a flag on the W side of (or rather between 2 smaller knolls) OK calm down – 1 to go. Bearing, tick off features; it’s on the clearing at the junction of 2 tracks (I misread clue description and ignored minor w/c crossing the track). Ran around like chook minus head, even went out to major track where I encountered people walking to the start. Little voice said – try going to the end of the Finish shute – I’m not proud! But NO don’t do that sensible thing. Saw some people heading to a control but thought it was too close to the powerlines. And decided to go for it, despite the tussocky grass to find my number. GAH! Belt along the shute to the Finish.
Very disappointed with execution in parts of today. Deserved no better than to be a minor podium placing. Can’t find splits – not deliberate. But will be happy to do so as to compare with rockman who did so incredibly well today in very rugged terrain to come 2nd.

Aus Long Course 17 - Splits

Love Macquarie Woods so wasn't going to miss this one.
Was going to go in the queueing starts and thought I'd miss the Mass Start but the way they organised it was good. I also noted that the queue was already 15 long in Course 5, these to start after Mass Starts all gone so it'd be at least 1:15 before I started so went for it. Very strange to do a mass start not a Relay so for the first 5 controls it was pretty much follow the leader and as it happened that leg 5-6 was the only leg of route choice if you weren't going to red line it. 5-6 I opted to use the vegetation boundary and read the huge rock. Didn't bother with counting w/ vegetation.
Wasn't looking forward to the public run through but struggled up the hill then quick last loop in forest and then the finish shute again all in public domain and uphill and struggle street, but not quite bad as I'd built it up to be.
Not a great extension of nav but a very enjoyable outing. About 11 mins down on leader when I left.

Bathurst 3 Day - Day 3 Middle - C5 H5 MenE WomenD - Splits

Schools Sprint Day and a fantastic map for that level of competition.
Was still trying to get descriptions into holder when buzzer went for warning so was a bit flustered - it was very long. Took just a few seconds to settle, unlike my performance on Saturday.
Had pretty good flow and relatively good speed and was very grateful we didn't have a leg across the oval - in full view.
Only stutter was using 16 to get right alleyway for 15, so smugly thought I will do well on way back - but didn't exit in exactly the right direction and hence ended up parallel - one building over - stupid.
Had a tiny little (3 step ) walk between 20 and 21 but still beat 2 others on the same leg (not same course). Happy, mostly, with run but enjoyment was huge. ended up 19th - about mid-field.
Now for spectating!

Bathurst 3Day - Day2 Sprint C5 H5 MenE WomenD - Splits

Inside left ankle swollen - i know the reason but lost sleep last night. Iced it between 3 and 4 am and down mostly by breakfast time. Will need to watch this over the rest of the week. Putting it up most of the day except for shopping centre visit.

After yesterday's disaster I was not confident at all for this technical Middle - gold mining terrain.
S-1 Picked up map, saw first leg, checked it, almost rubbed my eyes and then took off up the hill. All track and just the last little bit off. Tried to see style of mapping (mostly green differences - seemed to make sense).
1-2 Picked way through light green, noting building compound but scrub was waist-shoulder height so was funny to see some bush "just moving" and then heads pop up. Reasonably good bearing after picking way through shrubby stuff at end of minor track.
2-3 Bearing at side of clearing, cross track, pick up watercourse, then crossed next track and could see people milling around ahead - where I was going anyway. But checked that the culvert to my right, happy with that then made sense of the two big mounds and darted in to get control between them. By then I'd caught the competitor who was 2 mins ahead of me. She was on her way out.
3-4 Back to track, over bridge and looked out for w/c on right. Looked down as I was running and saw same competitor running "below" me and thought she'd not taken the track option because if so, she'd gone in way to early. In and down cleanly to pick up knoll/mound.
4-5 Across 2 w/c trenches and could see people (all teenage) coming down from other side clearing. I wanted thicket beside and saw some cups and bottles in trench. Goodie- mine!
5-6 A bit cross country here and was careful to stay in contact but no real need as eventually saw control feature near (but not the description) a big thicket but confirmed by the major track in sight and people making merry on it - being able to run.
6-7 Up hill and knew where I was going but was careful to keep w/c gully system close. Checked out 1 control, but would not liked it to have been mine as too close. More uphill and saw the crest of a gully going NE/SW - Mine!
7-8 Calm down ... last control can bring me undone and look foolish to boot. What's that photographer doing there? - thanks - look focussed. Didn't actually see the feature just the saw horse and antenna for radio and hoped we all had a common last control. My number - yiha!
8-F Taped route in seemed to go forever to get to the arch of victory!
Was very happy with my run. Knew i'd been pretty clean, maybe not totally speedy but was very happy with time as winning expected to be 25 mins and I'd done something like that.
Didn't dare look at Results for 20 minutes and then got a wonderful surprise. So happy with win and next was 10 mins behind. Made up a little bit for yesterday. Didn't have the opportunity to over think it today - too scary for that.
So proud of rockman - came back after doing a tough course - unscathed and very pleased with his "run". It is tough with all that erosion terrain when on crutches.

Middle Dist Champs Course 13 - Splits

Event: Australian Orienteering Carnival 2017
 

D grade performance - depressing, disastrous,dumb, distracted,disappointed.
Was really hyped for this one. But was so hyped i didn't focus right from the start. Was within 10m of #1 and thought I was still in Start triangle. Over thought all first half then the forecast switch kicked in and I found difficulty in getting buildings aligned after the run through.The blocked off'/ purple totally threw me, and didn't see the route to the left as everyone was going right. Later saw others going left but returning. So was momentarily resiled to my choice until i saw the tunnel, but tape at end but that was misleading.. Everything coming up too quickly and I'd be at the end of a building and was looking for my building.
I beat myself today. I expected this to be my shot at podium for the week so that's that.
And I'd even trained twice for it!

C • Training twice 2

Aus Sprint Champs Course 8 - Splits