Training Log Archive: CHorley

Start was 400m further than advertised. If there was a 6 minute start box I would have been cutting it very close, but thankfully it was 3 minutes.

Vic Middle Distance Champs - 2nd M16A

Plan was to jog/walk etc. until the finish chute. Pretty good nav. Little mistake to 3, running around 3 of 4 knolls in the circle before finding the right one. 6 I came right wayy too early and 7 I was one creek north. Was throwing sticks around mid course for whatever reason. Won the finish chute in 18 seconds, but some 20Es ran 17 :(. Very surprised with a placing, but I think everyone was taking it easy.

Start and back with Oskar to get something.

Spectating the Grand Prix. Big W to Euan in 16s. Saw Riley for the first time in almost 3 years.

Vic Middle 6A - Splits

At wagga, pre aus champs post 5 hour drive + stops

8 x 400 (4 minute cycle after odds, 6 minute after evens).
65, 65, 65, 68, 66, 67, 66, 66.

Coach wanted me to go 64 but that was never happening. Last one before aus champs.

aidos joined in a bit

wd 4 hours after the event because I had to leave straight away + 2 hour train, then 45minute drive.

NOY8 + Hunter Valley Champs. 5:30 train to be picked up by Oskar at 8:30. Started off well, easy 1st control. Very good for the first 6 but with a posse of flies continuously chasing me around. 7 I was slightly left of the track I aimed to hit but nothing really, 8 was the big killer though. Started with a plan to go straight, hit the firetrail and needed to tie my shoelaces. Ran along the trail for about 50m then cut off and saw the form of a gully to my left and assumed it was the one immediately before the spur I run down. It was one I didn't see on the map until 12 minutes later... Headed down the spur and thought it was significantly broader than I intended, but kept going down. Hit a cliff and interpreted it as the one near the control in the circle, because it was essentially the same feature (middle of the spur and cliff). Spent a long time circling around the spur and tied my other shoelace, until I ventured further down saw a massive rock and was confused why it wasn't mapped and why the area was mapped white. Ran back up then realized. 11 minutes wasted (and the big rock was in the "area not mapped" part so it was useless). 9 was a shocker as well. Crossed the creek too high and realized I'd have to go through some fight, came back crossed further down. Then I jumped on the first trail I saw which was heading in 90 degrees the wrong direction, but I didn't wasted too much time fortunately. Was one of the easiest controls of the course. But wait, my woes do not end there. Control 10, simple bearing pushed slightly right by the extending vegetation boundary. Decided 80% along I'd gone too far cut left convinced myself the gully was to my left again. It was not then I found it. 11 was fine but draining. 12 I was smoking until a tree decided to insert itself into my ear canal causing me to walk the rest of the leg. 13 was alright but probably a wrong route-choice because the green is quite nice (nicer than typical sydney white) so straight would have worked. 14 was a bingo control that I aced but 30 seconds was added on because I had to tie a shoelace for the third time. 15 I was slightly left, but purposely, then slightly right but corrected well. 16 was great, 17 slightly left, 18 best leg, 19 the knoll was more obvious from the opposite side so wasted about 2-3 seconds. 20 was great. 21 I thought the tape would lead me straight to the control, but no it wasn't mine (but on the way). Finish I sent and won.

4th, but I could've beaten Oskar if we both didn't make mistakes. I was beating Alvin after 6 and 7 though amazingly.