Training Log Archive: tinytoes

Extremely disappointing run today - all bad traits came out to play. I had expected to be happy as this I thought would be useful terrain and despite having to run up a grade I hoped for a top 10 position. Even my brand new shoes were disappointed in the performance from the other end of the body.
The shortish leg to #1 seemed to have a clear attack of bare rock (2 bits) but I must not have got the correct one as the AP - ended up to N and down 3 contours. On way back checked out rockface and joy but lots of lost time. Expected time of about 40 ins on a good day and this wasn't going to be it. Happy to #2 and #3 but I came unstuck going to #4. Must have skimmed past but I didn't have any concept of distance and so didn't even stop to assess position. Saw 3 flags in various directions and wandered aimlessly on the off chance - yes it was a bad day. Then got a bit of a surprise to see the elite train going in circles in the same area - I knew they started about 10-14 mins after me so that made me feel happier. Tacked on - well why not - until they started to do do what I had already done so sensibly did my own thing. Got #5 before them and then on way to #6, I seemed to pick all the wrong lines for this one and they thundered past. Still I had some satisfaction. #7 OK then contour to #8. Saw a promising boulder but it was 2 contours down and kept flailing in upper rock. Finally saw train #2 lower down and changed my mind. Right all along - d'oh! From then #9,10, 11, 12, 13,14 all straight forward and in. Not happy with most of course and a bit disappointed for last run of carnival, and relieved I'm not doing Relays tomorrow.
My estimate of time loss is 18 minutes. Sadly WS suggests about 21 - now I take that as a compliment but it does show I must have slowed down even when I was navigating better (can't say well in this case).
Best part of the day was catching up afterwards with PrueD. Nice chat too.

Oz Middle Course 8 - Splits

Settled well going out of Start as there were 2 fence crossings and mine wasn't the obvious one straight in front. Then downhill for lots - fortunately running downhill rather than orienteering going downhill. # 2 picked up well then bearing to #3. But this wasn't crisp enough and I drifted to WSW rather than SW as required, losing about 4 minutes here in all. Flat with fallen timber but still not clear visibility. Lots of people made it very interesting. Pulled the pin and was on way back to #2 to relocate from very prominent rock feature. Saw another flag and checked it out. Stern words to self then wiped mistake from mind and pulled up #4 and then started to drag through another person who I discovered later had started 2 mins after me. Pulled in front across flat land to #5 and #6 and through fence to farmland and pulled away even further, but I wasn't looking back. #7-#8 I felt I was losing ground to Jules, leading her in but that's the way it goes. "Floored" it on long leg to #9 which involved a steep climb near the end and then into rock. Still concentrating hard for contouring leg in rock to a feature I was sure I'd see but didn't take optimal route and ploughed through stuff for ages, and especially as I knew I was on the feature but not the end of 6m high cliff. Got it and then bolted downhill across farmland for last 2 rock features and long strides through the finish shute - yep rockman got a pic with 2 feet off the ground (downhill). l was happy with most legs but on Results very happy with 1st place by 1 minute. I had lost about 4 mins at #3 but pulled back 5 in the rest of the course, however from splits it seems I was only ahead on the run in after the big rockface. I needed to pull back the stupid loss and just by sticking at it I got through.Feet survived and surprisingly feeling quite good.

LONG Course 12 - Splits