Training Log Archive: tinytoes

Another poor night's sleep - that's 2 full weeks except this time I had a 2am-4am wake up and slept in until 7:30. Will be glad when my brain switches off.
Nothing eventful at the gym. It was disappointing that the Park and Ride was cancelled today - tomorrow I can understand; was very chuffed to see lots of tents erected in the Showground - a great usage of that area rather than for parking; dismayed to learn that our gym is being slated for closure within 3 years to be turned into the RL Centre of Excellence for Newcastle.

C • Brain switches off 4

About the only thing I did right during the run was to finish at 47:59 sec rather than 48:01. Picked a reasonable route during 2 min planning time on this difficult map. Executed the first sector fairly well and was about to loop back but it seems that no matter which loop you choose to do there is a lot of dead running and no points for ages while you are joining them together - almost like a transport leg. To compound matters I decided to just grab a couple across the busy street and did so with my thumb (yes thumbing the map does NOT pay dividends) over the 3 pointer so I blindly ran away from it until I got to the control (1 pointer) and went to write down the answer and i saw the 3. So I committed to go back to get it hence stuffing the route I'd planned. With an even longer distance of no points I threw in the towel and went across the road and grabbed 7 points there and knew I'd be a little late so included 2x1 points on the run in to offset my lateness. Well i don't feel badly as I could have run in straight line and got no points so a very slight deviation got me 2 points to sacrifice the Markers.
Always a tough map to tackle - I usually stay North of the road but went South today and I don't regret that - just wish I'd stuck to the original plan. Well down on % today. Tough setting from first time Brock - good job pal.

Very tough going in the humidity.

Cubs night at local park. Only 16 came but they all had a great time. Very interesting to see the growth in skill level between activities/courses. Star Relay on the lower section then Scatter on the upper. One individual cleared the course in 6:22 - I'd estimated 10 mins for most and they came in, all bar 2 by 13 so I was happy with that. But the kid who cleared the course had done orienteering at school - SSP strikes again - very happy about that!
Very pleasant afternoon around sunset - no mossies which was a definite bonus.

Determined to right them wrongs of Aus Sprint Champs I was very deliberate in route selection and running for the first few. Clearly a decision right at the start judging from those who started just before me. Surprised to see rockman come through the Start over an hour after his start and looking puzzled so that made me even more determined to be careful. As it was he was doing the very necessary route choice to avoid stairs as much as possible.
Pretty happy with how I went - interested that up until #5 I was planning the whole leg, then from #5-#10 it was out from control and into next then from #10 onwards it was block to block. Perhaps mental tiredness. Only 2 stutters - one where a control was (accurately) placed but very difficult to see and the other was actually getting into the control "courtyard". Had 2 sub-optimal route choices where I went conservative but blatted out from that control taking the shorter (inward) route. Got the win by 6 mins which is fairly accurate. Presentation was certificate and a bandaged bear. This was going to be offered to Astrid, but I didn't hold out much hope of her being interested. I put it into my backpack hoping to pique her interest. But she grabbed it and hugged it lovingly and then dragged it around for about 10 minutes then it's just another toy. She'll dance with it - The Teddy Bear song so i am so happy she likes it.
So ends SL season 2017. Newcastle seems to have won the Interclub trophy after securing a surprise win at Aus Champs of Club pointscore winner. Also very happy to pick up Club of the Year based on the sterling work of the MTBO + club members who staged the Aus MTBO champs. And she won't be reading this but YIHA Cassie is Rookie of the Year.
Great map and great course and a very showy event all round staged by Bold horizons - or rather Ms Innovation!

C • Congratulations 4

Not enough but felt OK.

Felt strange doing a flat run. Really like this one with its proximity to river and protection plus the bushland surrounds. Surprisingly good start and got into a rhythm fairly early on - odd for me. Got onto the tail of a group and happy to stay there until they started to slow so usual thing I over took them and lost interest. Picked up another small /family group but same thing. Mostly happy and had thoughts of a return to the 36s but not quite.
S-T19:19
T1-T2 8:59
T2-T1-9:37
T1-F 9:16

Certainly scope for improvement - just need to knuckle down.

Mostly to warm down after run to stave off possible stiffness for tomorrow, but more to walk in with rockman. Light shower was lovely and the tailwind disappeared with arrival of shower. Left knee sore and slightly puffy, right knee niggle.