Training Log Archive: Rich

S6D Day 6 - Ardchatten

Although I had ~90s to 3rd I knew I still had to have a good run to run to maintain 2nd and with Patrik and Ant both also within 2:30 top 3 was definately no certainty. With Spongey having a 16min lead there was not chance of 1st.

Was feeling tired from the start with my legs seamingly lacking in strength/power and lost ~40 on number 1 by dropping much too low to another control I had seen (also hill north side). Trying my best to push on and trying to relax into it not feeling great. By 7 Spongey (3mins) had nearly caught me and went past me like I wasn't there just after; I just couldn't push through the marshes and undergrowth like he could. As the gap between us quickly grew I could feel top 3 slipping - I had to do something and put everything into getting through the terrain to 8 (Spongey was just running over every hill like it wasn't there). Mercifully it was a down hill leg to 9 and it was here I felt my race strated to change. We had dropped out of the undergrowth/marsh and it was now short grass with firm underfoot. I took better lines than Sponge to 10 and combined with him making small (~10-15s) errors I had managed to get back in front by 11. Spongey got back infront on the down hill legs to 12,13 and 14 but staying with him was now not the impossibility it had been earlier; my legs were working!

Sponge crossed the gorge lower than me and had trouble getting across and I got ahead. On the leg to 15 I reconned I could see about 2mins ahead and Johan wasn't in sight. I knew at this point I had to really put everthing in to the end. The controls weren't difficult and you could see where you needed to be from a good distance; this I think just made it more painful. It was lots more climb going into 17, up to 18 and then 19 and my legs were starting to scream. Spongey got ahead for small parts but I was mainly in front through the latter stages (though I think he knew I needed the result so was letting me get on with it). I was glad to hit 19 (the end of the uphill), it was now all downhill but realised 20 was potentially tricky. I ran on my compass high of the crossing point so that I did not miss it and slowed just enough that I could get a good visual picture of the control circle. It went as planned; the crossing point just before the last control was insight. It was balls out to the end although I struggled to get my SI card in the hole through rushing at both the last control and the finish.

As I crossed the line there was no indication of whether I had got 2nd though expected it was close. Spongey finished 15s or so behind me and took another win - impressive run of performances. 2nd was confirmed as I downloaded. :)

4th today, Patrik was 36s ahead on the day in 2nd with Johan in 3rd 35s ahead. A comfortably 44s in the end ;) Looking at the splits I think I was in overall 2nd the whole way but it was pretty close around 7/8.

Learnt some good things about myself at the S6D. I don't use my compass enough which could make things much easier and reiforced what I knew in that I need lots of tough terrain training to do well in these kind of races. My speed on easier terrains is pretty decent currently though.

C • Congrats 2

Long uphill slog to the start. Didn't do much of a WD.