Training Log Archive: markg

Long distance NOL at Collins Creek. This was more lantana-infested than I recall! Had a reasonable start, fairly clean through the first part of my loop, dropping Bryan and Oscar when they made mistakes. Had a bunch of Lachlan, Shep and Olly catch me just after the common control and we were together to the end of the loop but I was having trouble keeping up. Had some trouble keeping up the intensity in the 2nd loop where I was running by myself, ended up just going steady and walked up a lot of hills. Basically just kept going that way until the end. It turned out to be a pretty good pace though as I was completely smashed at the end. Cleanish sort of run, mostly lost time getting pushed around by the lantana. Need more fitness!

Great run by Olly to place 2nd!

NOL Sprint at QUT; first part of a two part race. My best result in a sprint race and was surprised about it. Lost about 1 min all up but still managed 5th with Olle Poland in front of everyone. There was definitely a home ground advantage but it's hard to say how big. Certainly in the central area around controls like 8 and 9, and the pass-though on the way to 14, I could run through the buildings with confidence but in most other places on the map I don't think I had an edge. I'd say at most a 30s advantage over the whole course.

A chasing start sprint at UQ to complete the race that started this morning. I was pretty excited and nervous leading up to this because I was starting so close the front. In the end I had a decent race, mixing with Olly at the beginning and then Bruce in the 2nd half. A few mistakes in there, maybe 50s, but then I accidentally skipped 22, a leg that would have added 10s to my time ... I was extremely disappointed. This would have been my best NOL finish. A big let down after the morning's good finish.

Day 3 of Easter. Started okay, wobbles on 3 and 4, then big mistake on 5 and motivation was gone. Basically plodded around the rest, though I did try to hang with Lachlan, Matt Schepisi, Geoff Stacey and some other through 10, 11, 12, 13. Eventually just dropped off the back and plodded on by myself. Easter fail.