Training Log Archive: simmo

Easy ride to Bassendean, a bit of a loosener after 3 races in 3 days. Cold morning, but nice for riding. River was like a mill pond.

Event: Australian 3 Days Championship - Day 3
 

Day 3 at Umuna. GPS 3.56km. Started 2mins behind Terry, didn't really expect to see him, especially when I made a meal of 2. Took the right line, but was concentrating on finding a patch of green before the control and failed to identify a knoll on the route. Then I got sidetracked by the wrong patch of green and went too low - 2 mins + down. Pretty average on the next 3 legs, taking it steady and carefully rather than trying to make up the lost time.

Surprised to see Terry at 5, where he had lost 4 mins. Led him through 5-8, then got away a bit to 9, though he probably was never far behind on the long leg to 10. Took a good line, but just dropped a bit too soon down to the first group of rocks. Terry soon joined me and we corrected quickly but probably lost a minute. The two leaders after day 2 lost 9 and 13 mins respectively on this leg, so we did pretty well really.

Terry went left up the slope, but I decided the fastest running to 11 was low in the paddock below the rock, and I gained half a minute, which Terry couldn't make up.

5th on the day, 2 mins down, and 5th overall.

M70A - Splits

Event: Australian 3 Days Championship - Day 2
 

Day 2 at Hill Park Dale. GPS 5.29kms. Up hill to the triangle, and then more up hill to 1. With Hoopy 2 mins behind, took a safe route around the rocks to 1, worried that he would be able to watch me all the way. Scooted out and around the rocky hill then downhill to the fence as fast as I could, with a Swiss guy ahead. Crossed the fence then decided to run below the rock and past the dam as it looked faster and safer, while Swiss guy headed into the rocks. I got the fastest split on this leg, while Hoopy made a 2 min error. Beat Swiss guy into 3, but then couldn't convince myself that I had to go back up hill to 4. Wandered along the contour and eventually realised I had gone out to the big spur at the far NW corner of the map. Corrected my direction - but not enough and subsequently got caught up in green and forced low. Finally spotted the control way above and climbed slowly up just in time to punch ahead of Swiss guy, but saw Hoopy about 50m behind. Lost 5 mins over the fastest on the leg.

Joined a bit of a train from 4-6 (must have been on other courses too), but got away up hill (again!) to 7. Fast away towards 8, but went astray on the last 1/3 of the leg, and saw Hoopy run in just in front. Lost 2.5 mins on the leg. He gained 30 secs to 9, but I got them back at 10, then promptly took a big fall trying to negotiate my way down a steep rock surface. 30 seconds later I did a face-plant, so a bit groggy after those two. Still, picked a fast route down a paddock, avoiding what looked like a mass of green and black on the direct route to 11. Despite having a good attack point, I couldn't find the prominent cliff - turns out I was standing above it but though it was the wrong one. Then Hoopy and Swiss guy turned up and we eventually found it. Another 4 mins lost.

From there to the finish was too easy. 8th on the day, but a solid 12 mins down.

M70A - Splits

Event: Australian 3 Days Championship - Day 1
 

Day 1 of Easter at Scotch College. GPS 2.16kms.

Thought I must have picked up a junior course for 1 and 2, lost a few seconds to 2 from surprise that it was just as easy as 1. 3 was tougher though; I didn't see the shortest route and went around the double switchback ramp, but at least it was safe. To 4 I took another safe route to the left. At 6 and 7 I lost a few more seconds as I couldn't believe how easy, and was thinking there must be a trap. Caught Steve F here after he'd made an error. From 7-8 I dashed out to the road and ran along the footpath before cutting back in to the grassy area with trees, finding 8 before Steve who had gone around to the right. Got the fastest split to 9, and a bit of a gap over Steve going through the tunnel, but then lost it as I ran past 10 without seeing it. Steve passed me here, but I caught him again running down the passage towards 12 and 11 (11 on the far side of a building), and watched him punch 12 then run off towards 13! I carried on around the building to 11, where I caught my 1-minute man Greg C. Back to 12 with Greg, then we went different ways to 13 but came together again at 14. Different ways to 15, but I ran the fastest split to 16 and just beat him to it. I gained up to 12 seconds through to 21, but I was tiring and felt like the breathing might seize up so eased up a bit into the finish.

4th place, 40 seconds down. 2 main rivals (incl Steve F) mp'd, so they were out of the 3 days.

M70A - Splits

Event: Good Friday Sprint Relay
 

Event: Good Friday Open Sprint Relay/Family Teams
 

Open Sprint Relay at UWA. One mistake at no. 2 where I hesitated, thinking I need to go back around, but then went the other way for 30 metres. Realised and corrected quickly, but lots of people had passed me. Made up some ground on the longish leg from 3, but was worried about not pushing too hard in case the breathing stopped. Saw lots of people take an illegal route between 6 and 7 - it should either have been taped off or not mapped as garden. I gained a few more places back in the greenhouse maze, and more still by taking the road route on the long leg from 15-16. A steady run with good nav, but well down on the fast guys. May have got first OF though.

Hyde Park run, max HR was in the first minute of the run, which I guess tells me that a warm-up is important.