Training Log Archive: simmo

Event: WA Middle Distance Championships, Malmalling
 

WA Middle Distance Champs at Malmalling. GPS 3.82km, not too far from straight. First half of 1st leg was along a track, but then it looked tricky across a broad, almost featureless spur. Managed to stay on bearing and hit a form-line knoll just above control. Short compass leg through green to 2. Indistinct track between 2-3 was now very clear so used it to take me within 50m of 3, then used it again to 4, which I could see from 70m away. Short uphill to 5, then a long leg which was fairly straightforward. A large clearing with bare rock midway, then either a saddle or a low hilltop just before the control. My rough bearing took me to the hilltop, no difficulty with control as it was in a large clearing. 6-7 apparently caused a few problems, but I aimed for a small spur with prominent boulders, crossed it then contoured into the control. 7-8 short leg to boulder just below a spur, no problem. 8-9 the direct route was green and rocky so went downhill slightly right and ran parallel to a plantation, good boulder attackpoint and probably got to within 10m of control. couldn't see it or match anything and as it was pretty open I thought I'd come too far into an area of open scattered trees. Started to head back but after 50m still nothing matched, turned around and there it was almost where I'd previously been standing (lost 1 minute to Joe D). 9-10 looked easy, uphill through open to a cliff behind a boulder. Found the boulder, but couldn't see a cliff and stood there for a while, then looked down at my feet and there it was wedged between the boulder and a tiny rock shelf. 11,12, finish all too easy. Fairly pleased with time, beat Joe by 7 secs and 3-4 mins clear of everyone else. Course was easier than it looked, probably could have used some of the more complex stuff to the South.

MH2 - Splits

Bridges and Heirisson Island run, quite a warm evening but strong ESE wind. Saw a single kangaroo, sitting by the side of the path at the far SW of the island. Passed within a metre and it didn't even blink, but quite a small one so it wasn't the one I saw last week.

Kings Park lap, running with Kellie. Dry for a change.

Event: Spice Brook
 

H3 course at Spice Brook, gps reading 8.2km. Tendency to drift right, and lose a bit of concentration around controls, will have to improve for State Champs! Start to 1 was a long leg across rather vague territory, wasn't sure if I would pick up a small track 200m before the control, but it turned out to be very obvious - DEC really should do more to keep trail-bikes out of their forests! Drifted wide right on 2, then the same on 3, but both times managed to recognise something to pull me back - probably lost 30 secs on 2, 1 min on 3. 3-4 was much thicker than shown, across a vague hillside but spiked it. 4-5 showed 100m of thick green to cross, but there was virtually nothing there (I said after last year's SB event that the green in the gullies needed to be remapped). After crossing the green, hesitated a bit to ensure I was in the right gully, then used a brown dot to pick the correct side gully. The first part of 5-6 was good until I hit the expected track. As it deviated up a steep spur I stayed low but then got confused when the track crossed again (seemed to be several more deviations than shown on the map) and went up the wrong gully (3 min). Found a few more motor cycle trails going up and down the gully slopes, and used one to get into the correct gully. Went wrong again in the second half of the next leg (6-7), where I should have gone up to the head of a gully then reset compass instead of crossing it lower down and relying on my original bearing (2-3 min). Pretty good for the next few long legs, slight hesitation at the top of the gully above 11, then a slog to 13 through rather unpleasant knee-high stuff (not prickly though). Was expecting a large granite boulder as mapped, hadn't looked at description which I now see is 0.9! (1 min). Only 2 mins behind Bill M, at first I thought he must have made some big mistakes but splits show he lost 3 mins at 1 and then just minor time losses - couldn't have been trying!

C • Large boulders 4

H3 - Splits