Training Log Archive: simmo

Around the other side of Rosengarten to visit the Torri del Vajolet. Took the cable car from Vigo di Fassa to Ciampedie, then basically a contour for 4kms before a steep climb up to the Rifugio Vajolet. Towers were quite impressive. Then back along the Eastern face of Rosengarten before dropping back down to the cable car. Very nice walk, not too hot today, even a few spots of rain.

Day 3 at Tyrol, GPS 5.16km, 69m climb. This was easily my best day, and no coincidence that the terrain was more to my liking. Glacial gully/spur, steep in places, quite a few marshes, both large and small. On average, I was losing 30-60 secs per leg to the fastest, less on the last 5 legs where the course became easier and a bit of a running race. Mistakes at 6 and 9 cost me about 2 mins each. 14th, winner 35:56.

Left Italy for the Austrian legs with more confidence.

Day 2 of Tyrol 6, supposedly middle distance, actual gps distance 5.42km, 176m climb. Very, very complex area (Alex Tarr thought it equalled the most complex he'd seen). Contour detail similar to previous day, but with rocks of all shapes and sizes everywhere. Another mistake at 1 - tried to go direct but ended up a long way left and eventually came into the control from a track behind it (5 mins). 2 looked simple enough but misread the sizes of the rocks, missed and had to search on a steep slope (my split 5 mins, fastest was 1:30). 3 and 4 ok (around a minute slower than fastest). At 5, I was just incredibly stupid - found the right feature but didn't read the description properly and convinced myself I was in the wrong place when I couldn't see the flag. Went away, came back, went away again (all on incredibly steep hillside) - finally looked around the other side of the rock and there it was - 11:05, fastest was 1:53! No 9 was a short leg (60m) missed again (in green) and lost 4 mins. No 10 was a common control on most courses - a small depression in green with many unmapped depressions. Even the winner lost over a minute there, and Alex Tarr (M65) lost 18 minutes. I managed to limit my loss to 2 mins with a little bit of luck. Then another 3 mins at both 12 and 13, also in green. The leg to 14 was on many courses and involved a climb of 7 contours (35m) up a steep slope of 75m. While clambering up on all 4s, holding onto branches and roots I had to sympathise with the W70s!
38th today, winner took 43:20.

Event: 6 Days of Tyrol
 

Day 1 of Tyrol 6 Days, actual distance 7.2km with 213m climb. Despite intention of taking it carefully and an obvious track/attackpoint approach lost 4.5 minutes at 1st control. At this point I realised the contour detail was incredible - really only the larger features should have been mapped, but many smaller ones were on the map, while others weren't. Was within a minute of the best time for the next 6 legs, then disaster on an innocuous-looking long track leg to 8. The control was a small clearing supposedly 50m down a slope from the track in typical Alpine 'steep wiggly hillside' terrain. 20 minutes later I found it in some green behind a large fallen log. No navigation errors after that, but also with no water on the course and no will to run hard I steadily lost time on the fastest people.
56th out of 78, winner took 44:26. Without the 20 minutes lost at 8 I would have been below the hour and in the top 25.

In the Rosengarten, Italian Dolomites. From top of Paolina ski-lift to the Christomannos monument (a giant bronze eagle), then under the face of Rotwand and back to Karersee.

Kings Park run, all by myself after the first 1.5km. Very dark, guess it will be much lighter by the time I get back (off to Tyrol tomorrow).

Event: North Ledge
 

H3 course at North Ledge, GPS 5.1km. 1-2 mins lost at 9, which was a small clearing on a broad hillside - went left of bearing.

Reabold run, same as last week.

Event: WA School Championships
 

Event: Dryandra Standard event
 

Ride over to Dad's with JB, still afternoon and very warm.

Back from Dad's, bit faster with JB sharing the front posi, and fewer kiddie bikes on the path.

Event: Dryandra MTBO
 

Hills run at Reabold, first time for a while. Felt that I was slow, but time was comparable to 12 mths ago. Even reached the 40-minute turn in 38:19, so I really should have gone back up the hill but had an excuse as Binnsey was waiting for me.

Kings Park lap, didn't feel good and had to let Kellie go after the half-way.

Ride around the river, including the salubrious suburbs. Struggled up the Col de Mosman today. Brekkie at Kava.

Event: Gunapin Ridge Badge Event
 

Badge event at Gunapin Ridge, 6.64km on the 305. A few small mistakes, and one of 2 minutes on a misplaced control (133). Quite pleased with the run, and good to stretch out through the clearings and bare rock in the grazed area.

C • O shop order 10

Course 5 - Splits

Bridges & Heirisson Sth, actually still light when I got to the Island, but didn't see any kangaroos.

2 laps of Yokine Reserve at recovery pace.

Entries for Tyrol 6 Days have closed with over 1500 entries. M60 is the 2nd largest class with 83 (M45 - 86). Don't recognise more than 1 or 2 of the names as being WMOC guns, so my goal will be top 10 (would have been top 6 if I'd had the opportunity to get fitter).

Short Kings Park lap. Reason for not doing the long was a blister from my mtb shoes after running a school session at Whiteman Park earlier today. Rode about 5km putting out controls, then a further 6-7km during the session checking the students were doing ok, or searching for overdue ones. It was fairly easy to spot them today as they were all wearing the hijab (40 girls from an Islamic school).

Must get some new mtb shoes.