Training Log Archive: Craney

At Cherry Farm. Came 5th, 4.04mins back on a safe run from Simon. Just enough for 3rd overall. A hot and hilly day, but easily the best course of the lot with heaps of massive rocks and some great routechoice legs. The butterfly loops were fun too, although they did do their usual trick of bringing people together. It was never going to be a good result for me from the moment I chose to go straight to #2. A decision I stand by, in that refaced with an equivalent leg I would still go straight, but faced with the evidence of Lachy tacking 1.11mins out of me on this leg was clearly the wrong choice. It was also the tiring choice, which definitely cost me more time as the course went on. Screwed up #3, #4, #6, #9 and #10, so not surprised to be caught by Simon 4mins and Lachy 2mins when back at the pivot (#11). My boo filtered through to my legs and I struggled up the hills for the next section, watching helplessly as Simon glided merrily away into the distance. Fortunately in the next butterflies I took a round route (finally, I learned!), which paid huge dividends and I was back with Simon (who'd gone straight and made a mistake at the same time) again. Couldn't resist a cheeky comment. Spurred on by my good fortune, and aided by Simon not really having anything to fight for, I was able to stay with Simon back to the finish (losing the battle to the finish line by taking the round route to the penultimate which, for the first time, was not the fastest).

Overall thoughts: very disappointing. I wanted to do well, I wasn't in bad shape, I thought my head was in the right space at the start lines, but I just could not concentrate in the forest and had really rubbish discipline. I think I might just be spreading myself too thinly at the moment, and my brain is just aching for a break rather than having to carefully choose another goddam attackpoint. Simon, I think, is in better form than he was last year, Lachy is improving rapidly and adding some real consistency to his bow, and Shep is one of those annoying people who gets back to fitness in no time.

Warm-up only (of course).

C • "who gets back to fitness in no time" 2

Day 3 1 Hard (2) - Splits