Training Log Archive: nh

Did some stretches to improve my flexibility. Going to try to make this a regular thing as it will improve my running efficiency

NZSS Relay Champs. Came 3rd in Senior Boys (team time), but I had 2nd place individual time behind Tim. Really easy navigation, a little tried on the hills from yesterday.

https://picasaweb.google.com/109001571051296714716...

NZSS Long Distance Champs at Cuttance Block. Came 1st in Senior Boys Championship, 9:54 ahead of Tim.

I had good preparation for the NZSS Long Distance champs. I warmed up with a good routine and was very focussed going into the race. The only problem was my watch was late compared to the start times and therefore I didn’t have quite as much time as expected at the start. Really easy control to 1, strait off the track bend. I had a great bearing to 2 except I stopped a little early as the patch of walk was not as distinct as I expected, and there was a lot more detail in the contours than the map represents. Climbed from 2 and then contoured, tried to pick up the pace a little to make up for the slow entry on 2. Hit the two clearings before 3 and ran strait up the slope to the control. Caught Eugene Campbell and Liam Paterson at 4 (6 and 9min) and dropped in behind them for a leg to plan my attack. We caught Alistair Richardson (3min) on the way to 6, and were a little slow stopping up short on the wrong re-entrant. Alistair and I both spotted the flag at the same time, and then ran fast together for 7. I have no idea if the others were behind us or not. On 8, I planned to drop in behind Alistair for the hill and really attack on 9, but after the second stream I kept running at the same easy pace and found myself leading and increasing the gap, so I attacked then, and got away. Exited really fast from 9 to avoid being spotted and I’m glad I did as Alistair lost a lot of time on that control. Contoured to 10, easy leg to 11 also. I’m happy with my route to 12, it was fast and mostly flat, the only slow stage was for about 150m by 5. Had the fastest split on this leg by 1min 20sec. Hit the clearing north of 12 and spiked the control. Bearing to 13, was directly on track at the ridge but veered a little right and lost a few seconds. Took the road to 14 as the macrocarpa forest around there was slowish to run. Had a difficult entry into the control this way though. Ran down the re-entrant to 15 and cut in as I saw the flag. Solid clearing attack-point for 16, strait to 17. Ran the track to 18 as it had a good entry into the control, and the stream would be slow, as well as the opposite bank. Ran the forest edge to 19 and contoured then dropped in on a bearing. Saw the tapes after 20 and ran to them for the control. A bit slow coming down the finish chute in the slippery conditions. Was in the lead after the 2nd control and had 14 fastest splits out of 20 controls.

https://picasaweb.google.com/109001571051296714716...

Event: NZ Schools Orienteering Champs 2011
 

NZSS Sprint Championships. 2nd by 20sec to Tim in Senior Boys. I didn’t have the best preparation for the sprint around Otago University because I was distracted after seeing all my mates and I didn’t take it too seriously. I warmed up quite causally and without a plan, but I still felt supple and ready to run. However, my brain wasn’t focussed on orienteering. When I started I the first few controls were very easy and didn’t require much thinking. However, on the third leg I wasn’t concentrating and made a silly mistake thinking I was one passage to the left, and ran the wrong way around the building. After that I began concentrating and was focussed. I noticed the left route to 6 at the last minute, so I could have been planning ahead better. I was feeling a little tired around here but after control 11 I started to feel fast again. I was a little put off by parked cars at control 15 and wasn’t as confident as I would have liked. In the circle at 16 I lost a little time going in and out as I didn’t read the map enough and ran through the slow detail. Running in the paved area just north would have saved time. I lost some time on 17 as well because the control was stolen and I had to find it, but this time was subtracted afterwards. I lost time on 22 not being exactly sure of the location of the control. I also lost lots of time on 23 not running strait enough (though it was out of bounds), and Tim halved my time on this leg. I ended up coming 2nd behind Tim by 20 seconds. My running felt good.

https://picasaweb.google.com/109001571051296714716...

Did an easy jog to the picnic area as a warm-up, ran 30sec effort with 30sec recovery x 6, then ran home as a warm down. Sharpening for NZSS which starts tomorrow.

Couldn't get out to a map to do a race simulation so I did a tempo run in Otari Bush. Felt pretty good, tried to beat my time on the way back and did by about 3 seconds.