Training Log Archive: briangardner

SA O Champs Long distance at Coetzenburg trails and Eden Forest in Stellenbosch. Course was set at 9k with 390m climb.

Was determined to make up for yesterday’s mess, so the focus and speed had to be high today. I settled quickly into the map and hit the first 4 well, but probably not the best route choice between 1 and 2 (splits confirm that I was slow!), where I ran the higher road to #2. Pushed hard on the road and path running to 5, 6 and 7, and also hit 8 and 9 well, with no mistakes. Saw Nic (started +8mins) coming out of 10, so I geared up and knew I could catch him on the uphill from 11-16. Caught and passed him just after 12 and put in a big effort to 13 and up to 14. No mistakes, but a bit hesitant into 15. Ran hard again on the long trail run leg to 17 and 18 and then intentionally slowed a bit for the short and sharp control combos from 18-23, just making sure I didn’t make a mistake. This worked well and no issues. 25 was my only mistake, where I almost lost the plot right at the end... I hit the road near the control and turned left instead of right. No idea what I was thinking. Thankfully realized within about 15-20secs, took a deep breath and stopped dead for a few seconds, then turned around and legged it back up the road to 25. Then 26 was a dog show - an indistinct path and fynbos made what should have been a nice easy last control into a bush whack.... in hindsight should have stayed on the road and cut into 26 from the north.

Super happy with my run today, and made amends for yesterday! Took first by about 10 minutes, with Eugene 2nd and Nic 3rd. Really enjoyed the map and terrain today. Definitely a runners course!

Crazy to think today was a shorter time for the Long than yesterday’s Middle...

C • Well done 3

M21A - Splits

SA O champs Middle Distance at Hawequas Scout Farm outside Wellington. New map by Tim Chambers. Course was set at 5,6k with 250m climb. Expected a 35-40 minute run today...

Was caught off guard at the start flag with a sneaky 90 degree left turn towards 1. Hesitated a bit but recovered ok. Longer route from 2-3 and was slow into 3. Circled around at 4 and a bit slow again. Hit 5 and 6 well, and then came 7.... I misread the stairs on the map as fenced animal pens, and the cliffs also made no sense to me. The control description was also Fence (instead of cliff which was a genuine error on the control sheet) so that helped to completely confuse me. I literally ran around in circles looking for a fence, relocated off the water tank to the SE about 4 times, and still no luck. Sarah ran into the area and mentioned something about the stairs on the map. Only then I clicked they were stairs... I eventually found it, or perhaps stumbled upon it, some 16 minutes after arriving in the area. A control site I prefer to forget!

I then ran the fastest split to 8 while sternly talking to myself and telling myself to concentrate dammit!

Got stuck in some horrible green approaching 9 and then overshot 10. Was high at 12 and had to scramble down the side of the cliff. I finally settled and found good rhythm from 12 to 17, taking a string of fastest splits. A slip and swim at the River after 17 and too low into 18 slowed me down. Was high at 20 and did some scrambling down to get to it, and also too high at 22. Otherwise pretty solid for the more technical last part of the course. Happy with the fact that I kept pushing despite the big mess at 7, and happy to have made podium. 3rd behind Nic and Eugene.

Would have run about 1:08 without that mistake at #7, so overall a very long and slow middle distance course, but a very lekker map.

C • Long vs Middle 2

M21A - Splits

A 4,5k loop in The Coves with Timéa on her bike, and then a faster 5k by myself.

Morning Coves road run.