Training Log Archive: markg

Possibly the windiest orienteering event ever. I was hoping for a better run than yesterday and to not let Robbie slip past while I stuffed up but it was nearly a rerun of yesterday. After a 10-20s hiccup into #1 and a little uncertainty on the edge of the circle coming into #5 I was clean and navigating well but that didn't stop Rob from catching me, and when I got confused in the circle at #6 he disappeared. I didn't see him leave #6 and thought he must have also missed it and was behind me. Unfortunately this delusion persisted until the finish when it was immediately apparent that he'd left me in his wake. The mistake at #6 was about 45s and I made a 2min error at #8 and about 50s at #12 but was fairly clean after that. A few slow uncertain bits probably cost me some time but nothing major.

Looking at the splits, strength on the hills was clearly a big factor. I was 1:20 slower than Rob on #4, 50s slower on #13, and 45s slower on #18. Admittedly, I failed to take the wind into account on #4 and I reckon that going left around the hill and into the control with a tail-wind (I went right and had a head-wind) would have been 30s faster. The only hilly leg I did well on was #21 with the finish in sight and a big tail-wind for extra speed.

I was pretty disappointed in the time but 11th place was okay. I think I should have been 10min quicker ... maybe I'm not running hard enough in these long races?

A good run but a 3min mistake at #3 meant I finished at the wrong end of a long line of people on 49min. The mistake hurt because I'd was thinking mid-leg that I would have to be careful to get high enough and cross the right gully and then I made that exact mistake, heading into some rocks on the hill to the SW of the control. I had a pretty damn good run after that keeping good intensity and solid through the rock even if not quite spiking everything. I was a bit too slow through the short and technical #16 and #17, and then lost some time on #19 and #20 too but nailed #22 which a few people had problems with and then was clean until #28 when the pressure of Julian flogging past cracked me and I lost 30s. Disappointed because without the mistake at #3 it was a pretty solid run.

Event: Snow Treble
 

Quite a good race but a few little mistakes messed. I lost a few seconds into #7, and not so clean on #10 and #11, and about 10s on #15 because I was putting too much effort into running up the hill and instead of navigating but the biggest mistake was taking the lower route choice to #9 which probably cost 20s. A time in the mid-15's would have been great. Pretty pleased with my highest finish in a NOL race.

Ride with Dad from my parents' place over Commonwealth Ave bridge and back on Dad's flash Giant roadie which was a dream to ride. Pushed hard on some of the little hills but really we were just cruising. Really noticed the wind today - it felt like the bike was wobbling all over the place in the crosswind.