Training Log Archive: simmo

Around the river, very nice tailwind up the coast.

re Hand injury - still painful, especially when shaking hands with macho blokes.

Kings Park, started out on long lap but had to stop opposite SCGH due to sudden pain on inside lower right leg. Possibly calf strain, but in an unusual place and unexpected as I have been doing specific anti-calf tear exercises for several months. Walked back to Hale oval (slowly), iced as soon as I got home but still painful.

We've put 700x28 gator skins on our old bikes with the intention of using them for touring, so this ride was to test them out. Around Herdsman including the gravel/limestone trails. PSI was 90, probably could get away with 80 if the trails were rougher, but maybe should have got touring tyres with a tread. The gators will wear out quicker, but they would be faster on the bitumen.

Interestingly when I put the wheels back on after changing to the 28s, there was not enough clearance for the back wheel on my Bianchi, but plenty for the front. On PP's old Giant Alliance it was the other way round! On advice from ERC I put some shims in the wheel hangers (thin strip of plastic cut from a cable tie) and that was enough to give the required clearance without compromising the security of the wheel. Will have to wait and see how long it lasts.

To Dad's and back, strong Westerly crosswind, slightly more favourable on the return ride.

Kings Park sand tracks, mostly very firm to run on with just a few soft patches.

Around the river.

Hyde Park laps.

Kings Park lap, managed to do similar time to last week despite not having to chase Virpi.

Bassendean, wind seemed to be SE on the outward, then SW on the return.

Hyde Park laps.

Around the river.

Kings Park lap, fastest time for many weeks.

C • Virpi's fault 1

Around the river, windy. Coffee & muffin at The Daily.

Margarets Rails for Trails, from Tunbridge St to 4th bridge over Big Brook and back. 20:33 out and managed (just) to do negative split on the uphill return. Didn't see any orienteering controls.

Did see some controls when we went to watch the Sprint MTBO. After that we went to Sunsets again to kill some time before Yallingup baking time (4pm for breads, 4.30pm for the fruit loaf).

Through town then the long way to Cowtown via Carter's and Ellenbrook rds. Across to Caves Rd via Miamup Rd and Tom Cullity Drive. Toyed with the idea of visiting Gracetown for breakfast, but PP was dead against. Settled for return to MR for a coffee (at Sugarman) then home for breakfast.

Later, we visited MR Nougat (Bettenay's Wine) which we had passed on Miamup Rd, and then went to Gracetown to try Sunsets Cafe - now run by an Austrian and his Aussie wife. Very nice cakes and coffee. MR Nougat was very good, they also have a coffee nougat liqueur which was interesting, and the 2010 Bettenay Cab Sav was also good.

From our digs off Wallcliffe Rd to Rosa Brook Rd via back roads (only 500m on the highway). Then Rosa Glen Rd, Davis Rd, highway (1km) to Witchcliffe, Redgate Rd, Caves Rd, onto Boodjidup Rd (big hill), and back to Blue Ginger for brekkie.

Event: Sprint the South West
 

Australian Relays at Moondyne Rd, first leg. NSW was in front of me in the graveyard, but when I opened my map at the start, saw a long leg to 1, up over the hill that was staring us in the face, so took off. Didn't look round, but no-one passed me even though I walked most of the hill. The control itself was fairly easy, and when I came out of it I saw Qld 30m away looking at the wrong cliff, but unfortunately he saw me. 2 and 3 were both uphill, but no sign of Qld. I hesitated before 3, and was a bit wide but got it and headed to the radio control 4, then uphill (again) to 5. Still no sign of anyone, but just as I got 6, Qld came in from the side. Then we were 30-40m apart but obviously heading to the same area, even though I lost sight of him in the thicker forest a couple of times. Passed a rock surface which I checked off, but then lost concentration a bit. Came out on a spur which I thought was just before the control, the rocks on it seemed to fit, then I spied the knoll my control should be on, ran to it and Qld appeared from the other side and punched a split second before me. Unfortunately I didn't check the code. Turns out my knoll was on the same spur, but 60-70m lower. I was able to get away from Qld by half a minute or so over the last 4 controls, but then was shocked to find out about the mispunch on the download. Qld and I compared maps and realised what I'd done. Our courses had only two different controls, this one (7) and the one before the radio - those also were on the same feature (cliffs) less than 100m apart.

NSW did not come in for another 6 mins. Dan maintained our margin over 2nd Qld guy, and Ian pulled away, so we we would have won. What a dummy I am. Possibly also due in part to wanting to be first back as my last chance to impress selectors for the A/NZ Challenge.

Having said that, maybe it's time someone devised a relay where you can get descriptions at the last minute, say 30 secs before the start, just enough time to put them in a holder, but not enough time to compare them with other runners. Having to continually unfold your map to look at them is a pain. I know I did it for 10 controls (even the last one), but just missed the one. There would probably be fewer mps at relays if you could have your descriptions on your wrist.

C • Agreed 3

Australian Long Champs. Everybody made mistakes today and anyone with a reasonable run could have won. 1st leg was very short, but I lost 30 secs getting sucked into following the elephant tracks down to the wrong cliff. 2 was ok, could have run it faster but being cautious after the mistake at 1. 2-3 longish leg was executed well until the last 150m, misread the attack point and went in too early again to the wrong gully in a really thick area. When I finally found 3, 3 mins too late, I didn't have an exit plan and did a 180. In the process went down a particularly green and rocky slope so that when I realised after 200m there was a significant barrier or a long detour to 4. Penalty was at least 4 minutes. Not too bad after that, although I thought I was slow through 5, 6 and 7 apparently I wasn't losing time. 8 to the finish was reasonably fast, even though I'd become stuffed after the long, uphill leg to 7. In the end, was 3:20 down, but back in 5th place. Not happy.

Around the river, just PP & I. Scored the window table at The Daily, and two special muffins.

Hyde Park laps.