Training Log Archive: simmo

Australian Long Distance Champs. Had two good puffs of V before heading up to the Start, but started to have a little breathing difficulty before the first control, and it kicked in really badly on a longer leg to 3. Promptly lost oxygen to brain and went all the way down the wrong gully 500m west of the control. Went slowly to 4, walking and jogging, but then had to take it very, very slowly up hill out of 4 on the 1.5km leg to 5. Had planned to go straight, but changed this to a wide right route with less climbing. Walked 90% of it then started running tentatively, and was able to run the whole last 1/3 of the course. Only 11 minutes down on the winner, but the W55s absolutely smashed the best M70 had to offer by a further 6 minutes.

Australian Sprint Champs at Renmark - 2nd place by 5 seconds. After the previous two bad days, several people suggested I try Ventolin, and someone gave me a puffer and spacer, so had a good intake about 10 minutes before my start time. Seems to have worked, as no problems during the race, despite a nagging feeling that something would happen.

Never went flat out until the last 3 controls, so probably could have found the 5 secs. No mistakes, good route choices, just a couple of small hesitations. Very pleasing.

C • Ventolin 1

Australian relays, first leg. Warm day, did well to 1, then a small mistake at 2, followed by a bigger one at 3. At this stage I was definitely back in the middle of the field with 3 other sandgropers. Got past them to the control before the spectator but then made another error, and the breathing problem came back in a big way. Staggered through the run-through, stopping for a minute to have a big drink, then recovered a bit on the next long, mostly downhill leg. The spasms came back big-time as soon as the course went up hill again. My head started spinning, and couldn't focus on the very detailed erosion gullies in the 2nd half of the course. Sat still for a while, but each time I tried to move, it came back. Eventually made it very slowly through the last 3 controls and handed over well behind most of the field.