Training Log Archive: Chas

Oceania Day 7, The Slump. Hotter still (35 degrees) and we were running a mass start at midday after spending the morning in the sun watching the World Cup. M45 (and M18, M40 etc) was only 3.6km, but with 265m climb.
I hung back at the start and watched the leaders split into packs heading for no 1. Decided to go for the one with Bill in it. This wasn't quite the quickest group but probably the safest option. The leaders converged heading for no 5 which was in a rough open area with young trees mapped as white. Martin was setting the pace with the M18's but was soon flagging in the heat. I hung on to no 9 where everyone seemed to flounder and suddenly I was in the lead. Heading up the hill to 10 the leading M18's broke into a walk (citing asthma) whilst I managed a very slow run. I held this lead to the finish (just, despite not bothering a sprint). Took Voltaran again.
My victory meant all 7 days of Oceania were won by different people. I finished 3rd overall behind Eddie Wymer and A C-W, although both Bill and Rob Jessop would have beaten me if they'd done sufficient days.

Event 7 - Course 3 - Splits

Oceania Day 6, Smedley (Hawkes Bay). M45L, 6.0km.
Achilles gradually deteriorating so resorted to the NZ wonder-drug Voltaran and it worked amazingly.
Mainly open farmland, but with steep river valleys full of native bush and steep cliffs. Course mostly in the steep valleys, making for interesting route choice. It was even hotter (30+ degrees). The organisers had decided to send me, A C-W, Martin and Al Landels off at 2 mins intervals. I was last to start and was very surprised to catch Al L at no 1. I should then have stuck with him as he went on to win! Stupidly instead I set off to try and catch my 4 min man! I got confused by the bends in the river at no 5 and Al got away. I then struggled in the heat and eventually finished 5th, very surprised to be only 3.5 mins down on Al.

Event 2 3 - Splits

Oceania Relays. Decided to give my achilles a break, so borrowed A C-W's bike instead. Did a 60km loop heading north from Masterton. Hardly any traffic and great cycling. Heat less of an issue on a bike too.

Oceania Day 5, also Long Distance Champs, Ngatawhai.
M45L, 7.3km. Nice forest with vicious deep gorges full of native bush. Hot (high 20's, knocking on 30). Took ibuprofen again but achilles getting worse.
Route choice across the deep valleys was critical and I messed it up. Both got the wrong routes and executed them badly. Struggling with the heat later on as well. Finished 10th, 9 mins down on Rob Jessop.

Long Champs - 3 - Splits

Jog back to World Cup sprint from Wellington Airport after dropping off hire car. Avoided the competition area, honest!
Stopped occasionally for a bit of stretching.

Oceania Day 4. Sprint around part of World Cup area, Government House (aka Middle Earth).
Started on Victoria Peak and finished around complicated school buildings. Struggled to understand what paths were mapped in the wooded bits, but biggest mistake was navigating from 6 to 7 and then back (via a different route) to 6. This cost 1.5 mins but no way could I see A C-W's time of 14 mins. Finished a disappointing 7th on M45.

Sprint Champs - C4a - Splits

Day 3, Manga Pirau. M45L, 3.5km.
Complicated open dunes as used by World Cup 1.
Went very well for 10 controls then lost contact on no 11 and couldn't relocate. 6-7 mins lost. Still came 3rd, 5 mins down on Martin (who got a tow from Rob Jessop).
Took ibuprofen again and achilles was OK.

C • BNC 1

C • BNC 1

Middle Champs C 3 - Splits

Day 2, Osgiliath Wood. M45L, 7.8km.
Mixture of fast forested dunes and open dunes with grotty veg. Also some spiky low vis along the coast. Took 2 ibuprofen before running.
Better nav today with just a few small mistakes. 3rd, 2 min down on Eddie Wymer. Achilles OK for nearly an hour, but sore again at the end. Also have blisters on both heels due to the sand.

Event 2 C 3 - Splits

Event: 2013 Oceania Carnival & WC Races
 

Oceania 2013, Day 1. Fusilier, M45L. 7.2km.
Fast intricate sand dunes. Made a 10 min error at no 5 where I couldn't force myself to cross a very obvious veg boundary. Bill won in 40.
Achilles OK for 30 mins, but pretty sore by the end.

Event 1 C 3 - Splits