Training Log Archive: roar

EOC Middle B Final.

Picked up the map and had a terrible time working out what was happening. Read the slope as being the opposite direction and tried to do a 180 from the start kite but that obviously didn't work as there was a start chute there. Kinda grasped it then but stayed way high in bad going above the green before realising what was happening. Dropped into the control well then.
After the bad start I calmed myself and made sure of 2. Somehow I caught my one minute Ukranian guy here already. Route out of 2 wasn't great had to hop around the green a bit but got out and then into 3 was rough but I did it well.
Ukranian guy went way right on 4 and pulled me a little. Not the optimal line to 5 but fine. Camera guy followed me for a bit until I git my shin off a rock.
Hadn't really planned ahead for 6 but decided to go right to the path so the climbing would be more doable. It was to be the main climb on the course so I tried to push on but Ukranian ran away a bit here. Johnny Crickmore (3 mins behind) came past as I turned off and he was ahead of me to the control. The Ukranian went left on this leg though so I was ahead of him again.
I could still see him heading to 7, and Laura Robertson who I had started with. I ran to try and stay in contact with Johnny but he got out of sight going into the green over the hill. I knew what I was at though and got the control fine after about 2 seconds of panic when I first arrived in the open.
Had no real plan for 8 other than contour and climb a bit. I did that but missed it for obvious reasons. Johnny came up the hill as I worked out where I was. Behind him came ColmM (started 2 mins in front). Flaked it through the green for 9 and Johnny stayed low for 10. My legs weren't on for the climb straight so I contoured and brought Colm and the Ukranian with me. HAd a terrible line crossing a river and Colm got ahead then lost a little more ground to both of them climbing up to 10.
I could see them in front of me so I just ran for 11 and 12 trying to get back on but I was suffering. Took a little water at 11 I think.
Caught back a bit of ground on 13 but didn't trust Colm into the circle and slowed when there was some unexpected green, the same as he did.
Original plan was to go straight for 14 but I saw that was a terrible idea. Colm left in a mad direction. I read the map wrong and went kind of the same way but not quite as bad. Lost ground on the little incline in the hashed open but got some back by just going straight through the green when the 2 guys went around on either side. I was behind though hitting 14 and in serious danger of falling off the back.
Colm was on line but the Ukranian was way right for 15. I trusted my compass and Colm was just on the very limit of my sight punching the control in the green. I saw him go down and assumed he was going to the road and decided to take a risk and go straight for 16. He did too. I was a bit hesitant in the circle but not too bad.
Kept height and direction well for 17 and then it was just running to the finish. Really suffering with the pace though.

Decent run. Interesting to have a bit of in the forest competition, even if I was off the back a lot. For sure need some more work on my speed and that mistake on 1 was silly.

Warm up on the warm up map. Nice little area and not as hilly at yesterday. Legs were feeling heavy on the hills. Dropped my watch at the bag drop and did some drills up to the pre-start.

2x laps of the arena. First one with Regina and then one solo.