Training Log Archive: O-ing

2012 REVIEW
So after 4 years of increasing running, 2012 was a setback; the lowest running year since 2004. In fact, strictly there were only 14 runs for the entire year for a measly 32km. However adding the 44 orienteerings the total goes up to 241km.
Cycling was up 50% to 3,392 with 1.4% climb (47.411 km).

Performance wise blighted by the ankle injury (13 February) and subsequent operation (7 June).
That brought to an end a pretty successful summer with 3 podiums in the Sprint Series - 15, 10, 2, 5, 3, 4, mp, mp, 6, 3 and an overall win in the main Summer Series Supervet class.
One really bad cold covered all of August so just got back for the Big Foot sprints (5th) and the NSW Middle and Long (1st M55).
Which brings to the twin disasters of the Oz foot and MTBO champs. Really horrible performances in both except for the foot sprint in Bicheno (2nd) which is where I picked up another niggle in the operated L ankle.
A bit of a comeback for the Xmas 5 Days - a win after dropping down to Men D, and having only entered 4 days due to the lack of running.

Beechworth, Day 5, Men D, 1st. Okm 5.6km, no climb stated (GPS 285m). A liitle bit of pressure with Steve Flick starting just 5 minutes behind me. I knew that if he finished within sight then he had won it. So resolved to start cleanly and did. Took a safe track route to no. 2 which involved 10m extra climb, but it was worth it to get the track option (I learned later that Steve bombed out here - went straight and too high). Spiked everything up to 7, but got into the clump of boulders a bit too high. Searched them all to the top of the hill and then back down again (-2 minutes).

11 was a dangerous control - a boulder on a boulder-strewn steep slope. Bit of a wobble going in but got it fine. Made a real effort on the never ending climb to 12 and got lucky, hitting the end of the road. Back to the road for 13 and 14. Nice view from the bare rock to 15 and took the track to 16. Misread the description here, so a little bit of time lost (30 seconds). Basically on the tough run in from there. Won by 10 minutes, so safely confirmed the overall win,

C • great run 2

Rowdy Flat - Colms track (Men C)

Rowdy Flat, Yackandadah, Day 4, Mens D, 3rd. Another disaster to add to the Oceania debacle. Got the first 3 very good, but climbed one too many embankments at 4 (lost 3 minutes). The real problem was the long leg for no. 7 though. I don't think the wide route right was a good choice, principally because it took to long to get to the track from 6. The real problem was at the other end though. I could not get the last 100m from a track/creek crossing (with two bridges) to the control on two attempts (lost 7 minutes). Also wayward on 11, but the 10 minutes lost on 4 and 7 accounts for the gap to Jo Allison who did 37.

Kangaroo Crossing, Day 3, Men D,1st. I was really looking forward to this one and it didn't disappoint. Great terrain, good setting and the gammy ankle held up. Very tentative to no. 1, went along the creek and checked every feature. Opened up a bit after that. Lost time at no. 5 in the wrong gully and ran to the wrong last control. Other than that a good run.

Beechworth. Easy

Barambogie North, Day 2, Men D, 1st. Okm 4.2, no climb stated (Straight line 200m), GPS 114m. Went out to be careful and run quick when I could and achieved that. (Although may have overdone that slightly with a peak pace of 2:52 on the road leg to 8). Good start with spikes 1 to 4, then a bit lucky on 5 when I ignored my compass and went left and saw a likely flag. Checked it and it was mine. At 6 completely missed the big boulder/cliff/knoll I was hoping to use for an attackpoint,but kept going and found the control in the gully anyway. At 9 didn't commit to either going around or over and so lost a bit of time. Checked 1 boulder too early so probably lost 45 seconds - the only significant time loss for the day.

Indigo Winery. How many effing times have I gone to press start on the Garmin and the effing thing is "Powering Down in x seconds". Needless to say I didn't hit the right combination of buttons and the effing thing didn't start. So as well as not remembering to bring the mapboard it wasn't a good start. And then my SI fell off at no. 47 and I had to go back for it when I got to 46. But that wasn't the worst; near no. 1 on Map 2 I was heading across a dam and my front wheel went into a pothole exactly half a wheel deep and wide. I came off and badly jarred my bad ankle. In shock for a minute then I spent 5 minutes filling in the hole.
Went back to the start/finish after that and didn't feel too bad so decided I might as well finish off with Map 2. Pootled along till no. 3 when tRicky arrived so stayed with him till the finish.
Splits
Map 1 - #42 1:09, #43 1:14, #53 2:23, #47 1:04, #46 (three times) 3:46, #52 6:38 (includes crash and road maintenance), #7 1:56.
Map 2 - #1 4:28 (inc back to start/finish), #2 2:54, #3 7:28,#4 4:16,#5 1:31, #F 1:20. Total 40:07.

Event: 2012 Christmas 5 Days
 

Xmas 5 days, Day 1, Chiltern. Shadowed Nea Shingler round the VE. She put a fair bit of pressure on in the middle section, but luckily she got a stitch so slowed down.

C • reminds me 2