Training Log Archive: markg

Aus Relay Champs at the Gib like yesterday's middle. I was running first leg and had been looking forward to the head to head racing but I was so weak in the terrain yesterday that I didn't have great hopes of keeping up with anybody. At the start line Toph, who had been sick as well, and I were comparing our pre-race heart rates of 100+ - doesn't leave quite so much in reserve for racing!

I took the right hand route to #1, settling into the fourth spot in a small train heading around the hill, behind Parto, Gareth and another. Once we hit the hill into the control the head of the train split and I went to mine solo, watching the leaders, who had gone straight, punch it as I was slogging upwards. Did #2 ok, a bit slow as I was struggling for contact in the last 100m before catching myself on the little watercourse. Saw Gareth running in from above as I exited. I was confident running into #3, picked up the big rockface above the control but the control wasn't where I expected (I missed a second cliff line in the circle) and eventually circled back into it just as Gareth, the Hoggster and Greg Barbour were leaving. Set off tiredly in pursuit and I was getting close as we went through #5.

I decided to run high to #6 but didn't climb enough early and quickly got stuck in a crappy area of deadfall and lost sight of everyone. Feeling dispirited, I switched to a wide route hoping for better runnability and plodded on, sure that I'd thrown the whole thing away. I got a boost coming in to the spectator control seeing Hoggster punching. Set off solidly to #7 but without much of a plan beyond contour and spike it. So of course I misread some rock and saw Hoggster down lower which confirmed I needed to drop into it. Alas I was wrong and had a slow climb back up. Chased Hoggster pretty hard round to #8, punched right behind him when he didn't see it straight off, and shortly after we were trudging up the hill to #9. I spotted Toph coming up behind us, which was unexpected but I was happy to know I wasn't last! I took a more direct line into the control than Hoggster and got a small break and tried to push hard to #10, which I hit ok but I wasn't focused so had to slow into it. I stopped for drink at a random control en route to #11 and then started to feel sick so walked up the hill and then Toph was right on my tail so I picked it up again. I managed to have a smooth and steady run from there to the finish and I managed to hold Toph off by 30s and eventually got 2min on the Hoggster. I was actually relatively happy with a 6th place on the leg, I thought it would be a lot worse, but unhappy about the time gap to Simon.

I handed over to Lorenzo, who had a reasonable run given his lack of practice and Mat ran really well to hold our 6th place till the end. Well done Qld boys!

RELAY M21E - Splits

Event: Australian Middle Distance/Relay Championships
 

Aus Middle Champs at the Gib near Bungendore, 15th overall, 10th Aussie and 6:42 down on Matt Crane. I tried to put the cold out of my mind, focus on my goal and go hard. I started nervously and carefully on the first control, but spiked it, albeit slowly and had a good run through to #6, picking up the pace where I felt able. I was actually in 6th place at this point and a minute down, most of which (40s) came from the the first control. A bad attack on #7 cost 15s and started my slide through the places. Was pretty clean from here through to #14 (lost a little time being slow and uncertain on #10, a fairly straight forward contouring leg), and passed Greg Barbour. I lost focus a bit here and didn't read #15 well enough. I spiked it but left myself a big climb into the control and really struggled to keep moving up. Took a bit of a safe and lazy option on #17, coming in the back of the control circle, which I think cost me 30s and then slogged slowly up the hill to #18 - I had no strength left for the hills and rocks. At this point I was in 10th, 3min down. I wasted some time making up my mind which route to take to #19, eventually deciding on going around to the left, figuring I was best off sticking to open running. Attacking the control from this direction turned out to be difficult and I lost contact in the last 150m. I got it fairly directly but it was slow and I dropped 2:17 on Matt on this leg, probably a minute lost. I then mucked up the tiny next leg after misreading the map and dropped another minute. Was fine then to the finish.

I was happy with this run given the virus but still disappointed that those errors crept in and I lost my good early placing.

Oz Middle Course 1 - Splits

Short plod around the back of Stromlo, Arachnicopia, with dad. The wind had stopped and the sum was out so it was a beautiful morning if chilly. Unfortunately, I've got a mild cold and I'm not feeling too flash.

Public race following Aus Schools Relays. A bit tired today but nevertheless ran too fast with too little focus resulting in a spectacular 2:30 failure on #4 and a few other wobbles including 1:00 lost running across an open field to #19 ... a good reminder of how not to orienteer!

Public race at Wild Deer Sands following the Aus School Champs. Had a pretty good run today and pulled out the second fastest time on this course 3:25 behind Tim Robertson running the official race (I'm impressed he's still at school!). I managed to push hard the whole way and only made one significant error, about 30s on #10, and a couple of directional wobbles. It's not every day I do 5:30/km in a bush race!

Wild Deer Hard1-Men - Splits

Feeling better than I predicted ...

C • is that.. 2