Training Log Archive: Larry

Swiss team champs
Ran as the Canberra Cockatoos! with the old coaches Lukas and Lukas. Thus we made the 3 L's of loud feathered louts.
Map was the same used for 2012 WOC long distance (shocking location decision for WOC but good for this gig).
This was a really cool event that used a race system that I hadn't seen before but always thought would be cool: a long course with three runners and 1 SI stick. So at the start was a quick decision on where the first changeover should be, then off went L Funk to collect first 3 controls and me and L Frei sorted out the next section (a few controls were official checkpoints at which all 3 runners had to be at simultaneously). L Frei headed to #3 and I to just before #5 (handing over just before controls allowed us to scout ahead and guarantee a spiked control). people were going everywhere and runners could be heard yelling out to find each other. L Frei passed on to me and I set off on #5 through to #7, where we all had to meet. Some thick bush and blackberries mixed with very fast fields and tricks greeted me, but the nav was fun.

Passed the SI to L Funk who did a big pull through to #9, then L Frei to #10 and I to #11 where L Funk had another big pull to the next checkpoint at #14. Winning team of triple Hubmann brothers came through us here, wasn't surprised to see Beat Hubmann working in much smaller volume to Martin and Daniel (a cool 2d rerun link of their simultaneous runs can be seen on Daniel's facebook page).

At #14 we had a dilemma because the next section was a wide loop and then a straight section, but with L Funk having done some tough stints L Frei and I set off to work this section on our own. L Frei nabbed and changed to me on the other side of the control after 20seconds lost as I was waiting in the wrong spot! luckily we saw each other. bit flustered for my stint through to #19 and made some mistakes. Got caught by the Kyburz team through here and got some good tow through with Andreas Kyburz. Passed to L Frei and we ran in parallel through to #22, except he had to keep ducking into the thick green!

The last section was a straight downhill snippet of course that L Funk did while Me and L Frei went ahead to guide him into the last 2 controls, then all together for the finish! good vibes. Finished 11th which was pretty good, top half of mens elite. Amazing how big the time gaps are but when teams have multiple WOC medalists in them they can really hoon along. Great training though! was really feeling it on the way home. Also had a few hours in Lausanne looking at the town, the sunset and the sprint final from 2012 as well (a much better location compared to the long final).

Back into Swaziland to ride the bike path along the lake. In reality, this is a rail trail that is also near the lake. pretty much the whole lakefront is owned by rich swiss, resulting in about 400m of lakeside riding. Nevertheless a very pleasant ride, on a sunny day with the alps in clear view. good quality path with straight boons a few train crossing interruptions and next to no cars. biggest pain was without a doubt the oldies on electric bikes, riding 2by2. "we have a motor, no one will be faster than us, we don't have to worry about people passing us..."
put new tires on bike which is rad, but now ive noticed all the other bits i need to deal with.
Probably the longest ride since i did the 24hr with Luke in '09

solid hitout after a day of work slipped by without me noticing...
out on the car free boons of the reichenau.
would much rather be running but need to be safe with the leg. swelling has gone right down and is feeling great but don't want to do much until i can see a pro (although it is almost definitely peroneal tendonopathy).

great long run before lunch. steady pace increasing through the run. saw the sun too.
throughout the run my lower calf had been very tight and had stopped a couple of times to stretch it but didn't think about it much. couple hours later my peroneal had totally swollen up! pretty scared cos never seen that before. isnt sore to touch or stretch though.
rice cream on special today, 29Ecents a tub. also marzipan yoghurt, mmm.

run from uni after lunch, with two 10min efforts. pretty tough going, good graft.
got a bit hyperventilaty on the second effort and had to back off a bit, i think it was due to my posture running, need to keep an eye on that.

Great having Weatherman Blair in the region at the moment, the temperature inversion he mentioned on facebook (there he referred to Frankfurt vs. the highest mountain in Germany was like the course notes before the practical session: probably the most intense Autumn day yet, super thick fog which rose just in time for the sun to set, massive amounts of leaves now, only those fire trails which have vehicles on them have any dirt still visible.

after dinner run along mostly lit paths.
Went to the european outdoor film festival last night, an indoor screening of 8 outdoor themed films. each one was 20min long (many were edited from longer versions). some fantastic films, ranging from horse riding, mountainbiking, skiing and plenty of mountaineering. unexpected entry was slacklining. made me think a few of these sports are younger than orienteering and yet have a bigger grounding and better reputation, yet orienteering could so easily have an awesome doco made to feature at this sorta gig.