Training Log Archive: AnvilIn the 31 days ending Aug 31, 2011:
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Wednesday Aug 31, 2011 #
5 PM
Cycling 1:39:56 23.89 km (14.3 kph) +336m
ahr:118 max:158
First time on a MTB in, well, forever.
I gave into peer pressure and have consented to doing an adventure race with my housemates in a few weeks time (I figure it's the least I can so since I'm making them run Raid the Hammer in November), so this was my first training session to make sure I didn't suck too hard.
Rail Trail to Main Loop, Bruce to Sherman then back to Monarch - with lots of playing on the single track offshoots that run along the edge of the ravines in that part of the Valley.
I get it now, the last time I rode a mountain bike, I think it weighed more than me and the experience sucked - today was just fun.
I'm probably gonna have to get a bike of my own, but it's a slippery slope. One moment I'm just getting a bike for a bit of cross training fun, but before you know it I'll be shaving my legs, sipping espressos and complaining about the cold cinnamon toast at Sfoglia.
I gave into peer pressure and have consented to doing an adventure race with my housemates in a few weeks time (I figure it's the least I can so since I'm making them run Raid the Hammer in November), so this was my first training session to make sure I didn't suck too hard.
Rail Trail to Main Loop, Bruce to Sherman then back to Monarch - with lots of playing on the single track offshoots that run along the edge of the ravines in that part of the Valley.
I get it now, the last time I rode a mountain bike, I think it weighed more than me and the experience sucked - today was just fun.
I'm probably gonna have to get a bike of my own, but it's a slippery slope. One moment I'm just getting a bike for a bit of cross training fun, but before you know it I'll be shaving my legs, sipping espressos and complaining about the cold cinnamon toast at Sfoglia.
C • Tnt 2
Note
I know I've said I'd never do an ultra... But damn. I was just there too!
C • Wow 7
Tuesday Aug 30, 2011 #
5 PM
Running - Trail intervals 1:19:08 12.07 km (6:33 / km) +281m 5:52 / km
ahr:140 max:183 shoes: Inov8 X-Talon 212
TNT. 20x1min on/1 off, or as we like to call it, 'Not the Dang Loops with G' session.
Don't think I've done a session like that before with a such a big volume of high paced ints with boatloads of recovery - don't think I paced it too well, had a lot in the tank for the last handful. Another theory is that it took that long into the session for my legs to remember how to run fast - it definitely took a while for running at that cadence to feel normal.
Coupla Nancies after.
Don't think I've done a session like that before with a such a big volume of high paced ints with boatloads of recovery - don't think I paced it too well, had a lot in the tank for the last handful. Another theory is that it took that long into the session for my legs to remember how to run fast - it definitely took a while for running at that cadence to feel normal.
Coupla Nancies after.
Monday Aug 29, 2011 #
5 PM
Running - Trail 1:02:49 9.02 km (6:58 / km) +199m 6:16 / km
ahr:121 max:163 shoes: NB MT101s 2011.2
Monday night valley cruise.
Have to say I am super impressed with the lads improvements over the last couple of months - the pace up K2 was competitive instead of recalcitrant for the first time. A few other solid pick ups along then way and a strong finish.
Though the valley was a little damp and steamy, it was a beaut evening for a run. Daylight is slowly disappearing, so it's nice to make the most of it while we have it.
Have to say I am super impressed with the lads improvements over the last couple of months - the pace up K2 was competitive instead of recalcitrant for the first time. A few other solid pick ups along then way and a strong finish.
Though the valley was a little damp and steamy, it was a beaut evening for a run. Daylight is slowly disappearing, so it's nice to make the most of it while we have it.
Sunday Aug 28, 2011 #
4 PM
Orienteering 1:11:05 9.0 km (7:54 / km) +200m 7:07 / km
ahr:147 max:176 shoes: Inov8 X-Talon 212
Secret COCs course testing.
Apart for some areas of summer vegetation, a very fun hit out.
Trouble early on adjusting to the runnability compared to France, then OK.
20ish/2000
Apart for some areas of summer vegetation, a very fun hit out.
Trouble early on adjusting to the runnability compared to France, then OK.
20ish/2000
Saturday Aug 27, 2011 #
10 AM
Running - Street 1:16:25 12.27 km (6:14 / km) +114m 5:57 / km
ahr:143 max:179 shoes: NB MT101s 2011.2
smt at a respectful, gentlemanly hour.
Real round the bay with menzies and the rest of Roanoke. Good to go for a run with Stu, we all miss him now he lives his cosmopolitan, Toronto lifestyle.
Feeling the opposite of ordinary at the beginning but steadily improved as the run went on, had to go flat maggot towards the end as I was running out of time to get to work. Yes, I very occasionally have work hours - fortunately not often.
Head cold still lingers.
Real round the bay with menzies and the rest of Roanoke. Good to go for a run with Stu, we all miss him now he lives his cosmopolitan, Toronto lifestyle.
Feeling the opposite of ordinary at the beginning but steadily improved as the run went on, had to go flat maggot towards the end as I was running out of time to get to work. Yes, I very occasionally have work hours - fortunately not often.
Head cold still lingers.
Thursday Aug 25, 2011 #
5 PM
Running - Grass intervals 56:50 10.55 km (5:23 / km) +70m 5:13 / km
ahr:143 max:178 shoes: NB MT101s 2011.2
TNT at Churchill
Coach turbo had us doing 1/2/1/2/1k. Unfortunately the lethargy I've had since getting back seems to be more hEaD cold than jet lag and I've been feeling out of it all day.
Hoped I'd snap out of it once I got going, but was maxing out early in the first rep with almost no speed whatsoever. Chilled for the rest of the session.
Coach turbo had us doing 1/2/1/2/1k. Unfortunately the lethargy I've had since getting back seems to be more hEaD cold than jet lag and I've been feeling out of it all day.
Hoped I'd snap out of it once I got going, but was maxing out early in the first rep with almost no speed whatsoever. Chilled for the rest of the session.
C • Kiwi 8
6 PM
Core & Strength 15:00 [1]
Back on it.
Worried it would hurt after a month off, but fortunately the brutality of La Revard was enough to provide a decent core workout.
Worried it would hurt after a month off, but fortunately the brutality of La Revard was enough to provide a decent core workout.
Wednesday Aug 24, 2011 #
6 PM
Running - Trail 33:02 5.91 km (5:35 / km) +69m 5:17 / km
ahr:137 max:155 shoes: NB MT101s 2011.2
Cruisy run of the trails trying to destroy the jet lag molasses.
Spent a lot of the run thinking about what to do next.
Spectating at WOC and seeing all those people at the top of their game has given me some motivation. This is the full first year I've really put together a constant block of training and the general improvement in fitness and running speed has surprised me and got me thinking what another year of the same could possibly bring. Question is what.
Spent a lot of the run thinking about what to do next.
Spectating at WOC and seeing all those people at the top of their game has given me some motivation. This is the full first year I've really put together a constant block of training and the general improvement in fitness and running speed has surprised me and got me thinking what another year of the same could possibly bring. Question is what.
C • What 11
Tuesday Aug 23, 2011 #
5 PM
Running - Trail intervals 1:07:46 10.24 km (6:37 / km) +305m 5:46 / km
ahr:150 max:190 shoes: NB MT101s 2011.2
Woof. Back on the TNT juice.
Glad that Sudden's back calling the shots - I never felt I could generate the respect he commands. Witness the decline of post run Nancies during my stewardship.
Anyway, I'm jetlagged as crap and have lingering head coldy stuff going on so had planned on just jogging with the group - but with the threat of the inaugural Weak Aussie award hanging over my head I decided to knock the session out.
Actually went OK - 2',3',4'x3 out and back along the Bruce and Radial trail, since we didn't want post-earthquake bits of the escarpment falling on our heads. Felt like a zombie afterwards - bed time now.
Glad that Sudden's back calling the shots - I never felt I could generate the respect he commands. Witness the decline of post run Nancies during my stewardship.
Anyway, I'm jetlagged as crap and have lingering head coldy stuff going on so had planned on just jogging with the group - but with the threat of the inaugural Weak Aussie award hanging over my head I decided to knock the session out.
Actually went OK - 2',3',4'x3 out and back along the Bruce and Radial trail, since we didn't want post-earthquake bits of the escarpment falling on our heads. Felt like a zombie afterwards - bed time now.
Monday Aug 22, 2011 #
Note
Home with a wad of maps and a slight head cold.
Debacle at Toronto meant it took 4 hours to get from plane to home - we weren't told anything but I suspect the flight had been flagged as a security risk.
Guess I'd better do some work. :/
Debacle at Toronto meant it took 4 hours to get from plane to home - we weren't told anything but I suspect the flight had been flagged as a security risk.
Guess I'd better do some work. :/
Saturday Aug 20, 2011 #
7 AM
Orienteering race 1:00:23 6.16 km (9:48 / km) +238m 8:13 / km
ahr:162 max:179 shoes: Inov8 Oroc 280
Day 6
Quickroute
Plan for the day was to beast it and hope for the best. Didn't quite work out that way.
There was a couple of sections where I was navigating better than I have all week - all flowing and reading ahead. Problem was it was interspersed with a couple of whoppers. Bonus was at least they weren't moronic mistakes like the rest of the week, actually falling for the traps of the terrain - of which there were many.
Loved this area, I want to run there again and again - would probably go on my top 10 list.
Quickroute
Plan for the day was to beast it and hope for the best. Didn't quite work out that way.
There was a couple of sections where I was navigating better than I have all week - all flowing and reading ahead. Problem was it was interspersed with a couple of whoppers. Bonus was at least they weren't moronic mistakes like the rest of the week, actually falling for the traps of the terrain - of which there were many.
Loved this area, I want to run there again and again - would probably go on my top 10 list.
Friday Aug 19, 2011 #
10 AM
Orienteering race 44:06 6.25 km (7:03 / km) +36m 6:52 / km
ahr:162 max:184 shoes: Inov8 Oroc 280
Day 5
Hmm, kinda better again, but not really. I'm feeling more confident in the terrain and am running faster with each day - but am continually making dumb arse mistakes as soon as I let my guard drop on the easier sections of the course.
Today was a 6 min mistake on #2 due to misreading one massive field as another to the north and eventually relocating off #3. Later on in a trail section I miscounted how many junctions I'd passed - went left instead of right and ran 400m in the wrong direction. Total punter.
On the plus side, after feeling totally weak and exhausted in the terrain on days 1 and 2, each day onward I've felt stronger and more like myself again. Hopefully tomorrow it can all come together.
Hmm, kinda better again, but not really. I'm feeling more confident in the terrain and am running faster with each day - but am continually making dumb arse mistakes as soon as I let my guard drop on the easier sections of the course.
Today was a 6 min mistake on #2 due to misreading one massive field as another to the north and eventually relocating off #3. Later on in a trail section I miscounted how many junctions I'd passed - went left instead of right and ran 400m in the wrong direction. Total punter.
On the plus side, after feeling totally weak and exhausted in the terrain on days 1 and 2, each day onward I've felt stronger and more like myself again. Hopefully tomorrow it can all come together.
Thursday Aug 18, 2011 #
11 AM
Orienteering race 1:13:11 9.19 km (7:58 / km) +434m 6:27 / km
ahr:164 max:188 shoes: Inov8 Oroc 280
WOC Spectator Races Day 4
Another improvement today. Finally we get some runnable white woods (the first part of yesterdays long final).
We got much more of a 'tourist' course today with a long section of trail running to take us to the amazing viewpoint and massive cross (that we had a control on - check out the GPS track on 'Earth') on the southwest corner of the map and followed with a dash of mega Euro multi day, with 2.5km of trivial nav at the end to get us back to the arena.
I still enjoyed it, I've really missed running fast in white forest, which I felt I could do today. There were also a few legs where everything clicked and was able to navigate competently and run at high speed - it felt great.
However, still made errors; 2x90sec in the circle on #8 and #11, when I got pulled off by the big clumps of people chatting in the forest trying to relocate by groupthink - in this case they weren't actually at controls like where these groups usually congregate.
The worst though was picking bad routes on #3 and #8. Especially 8, when I decided to contour and took a terrible line on a rocky scree-ey slope only to discover when I got back I was running parallel to a track 8 contours below. Figure I lost about 5 minutes alone on that.
Hot day, fun forest, back to low-vis hell tomorrow. At least it's a middle.
Another improvement today. Finally we get some runnable white woods (the first part of yesterdays long final).
We got much more of a 'tourist' course today with a long section of trail running to take us to the amazing viewpoint and massive cross (that we had a control on - check out the GPS track on 'Earth') on the southwest corner of the map and followed with a dash of mega Euro multi day, with 2.5km of trivial nav at the end to get us back to the arena.
I still enjoyed it, I've really missed running fast in white forest, which I felt I could do today. There were also a few legs where everything clicked and was able to navigate competently and run at high speed - it felt great.
However, still made errors; 2x90sec in the circle on #8 and #11, when I got pulled off by the big clumps of people chatting in the forest trying to relocate by groupthink - in this case they weren't actually at controls like where these groups usually congregate.
The worst though was picking bad routes on #3 and #8. Especially 8, when I decided to contour and took a terrible line on a rocky scree-ey slope only to discover when I got back I was running parallel to a track 8 contours below. Figure I lost about 5 minutes alone on that.
Hot day, fun forest, back to low-vis hell tomorrow. At least it's a middle.
Wednesday Aug 17, 2011 #
9 AM
Orienteering race 51:16 [4] 3.7 km (13:51 / km)
shoes: Inov8 Oroc 280
WOC Spectator Races Day 3
Getting there, slowly but surely. After a 4 minute followed by a 3 minute mistake on the first two controls where I felt that reading the map was optional, I decided to get my head into gear and actually do this properly - the rest of the course was generally clean, bar a few hesitations as I entered the circle.
I think it helped that there were fewer, wiggly indistinct track options, so instead of wasting time making sure I was on the right one/not on an elephant trail - I either went straight or took the main trails and used massive attackpoints. Starting to get a lot more confidence in terrain interpretation as well.
Getting there, slowly but surely. After a 4 minute followed by a 3 minute mistake on the first two controls where I felt that reading the map was optional, I decided to get my head into gear and actually do this properly - the rest of the course was generally clean, bar a few hesitations as I entered the circle.
I think it helped that there were fewer, wiggly indistinct track options, so instead of wasting time making sure I was on the right one/not on an elephant trail - I either went straight or took the main trails and used massive attackpoints. Starting to get a lot more confidence in terrain interpretation as well.
Monday Aug 15, 2011 #
10 AM
Orienteering race 1:27:10 6.4 km (13:37 / km) +374m 10:32 / km
ahr:151 max:171 shoes: Inov8 Oroc 280
Quickroute
WOC Spectator Races Day 2
Better than yesterday, but only just. Roughly 2x2min and 1x6min mistakes - again, not due to the difficult terrain, just me being stupid but also occasionally confusing the elephant tracks from the real ones. Also a short section where I fell very hard on my knee and was cursing all things French instead of running.
Seem to be lacking a lot of intensity and focus - I imagine I could post much better times, but I'm having a lot of trouble getting motivated for these races.
WOC Spectator Races Day 2
Better than yesterday, but only just. Roughly 2x2min and 1x6min mistakes - again, not due to the difficult terrain, just me being stupid but also occasionally confusing the elephant tracks from the real ones. Also a short section where I fell very hard on my knee and was cursing all things French instead of running.
Seem to be lacking a lot of intensity and focus - I imagine I could post much better times, but I'm having a lot of trouble getting motivated for these races.
Sunday Aug 14, 2011 #
8 AM
Orienteering race 1:32:09 5.9 km (15:37 / km) +409m 11:36 / km
ahr:147 max:175 shoes: Inov8 Oroc 280
Quickroute
WOC Spectator Races Day 1
On yesterdays long quali map, but only in the forested part - which was a shame, I was hoping for some of the open meadow route choice legs.
So clearly the A in H21A stands for amateur. Well below average performance.
I wasn't feeling incredible with an early start on little sleep and a toilet queue issue meant I wasn't as comfortable as I'd like on the start line.
Spiked the first, but that was about it. A 15 minutes mistake on #2 - one of the easier legs of the course, meant I spent the the rest of the race hesitating and checking off every single feature.
Will do better tomorrow. Promise.
WOC Spectator Races Day 1
On yesterdays long quali map, but only in the forested part - which was a shame, I was hoping for some of the open meadow route choice legs.
So clearly the A in H21A stands for amateur. Well below average performance.
I wasn't feeling incredible with an early start on little sleep and a toilet queue issue meant I wasn't as comfortable as I'd like on the start line.
Spiked the first, but that was about it. A 15 minutes mistake on #2 - one of the easier legs of the course, meant I spent the the rest of the race hesitating and checking off every single feature.
Will do better tomorrow. Promise.
Saturday Aug 13, 2011 #
5 PM
Orienteering 56:39 4.57 km (12:23 / km) +217m 10:01 / km
ahr:120 max:151 shoes: Inov8 Oroc 280
Quick wander round one of the training maps after the Long Qualis
It was... interesting. Not quite as terrifying as expected, but a few sections of horror and despair. Constant concentration required at all times - even on the tracks.
It was... interesting. Not quite as terrifying as expected, but a few sections of horror and despair. Constant concentration required at all times - even on the tracks.
Friday Aug 12, 2011 #
11 AM
Running - Trail 1:45:09 [3] 15.4 km (6:50 / km) +611m 5:42 / km
shoes: Inov8 X-Talon 212
On some massive mountain on the other side of Aix-Les-Baines to where WOC will be, with B1 and B2.
We drove most of the way up, cause we're either lazy or unable to understand the French signage. Short scramble with ladders and scary drop offs to a mini Rock of Gibraltar spike, then a longer out and back along the ridgeline.
Fun, but I was pretty tired towards the end.
GPS track stolen from B1s log, just cause I know Bash wants to see it :)
After 5 mins of running, B1 and B2 needed a rest
Ladder scrambling
A terrifying drop off is right behind me. This is my face of fear
Over to Aix-L-B and the WOC terrain, the high plateau
The 'spike' we first went to
From the spike looking further along the ridge - we went the other way
Coming off the big rock spike. Limestone=scary
Some friends we made, with Mt. Blanc in the background
B1 tries to make friends
But gets chased away
We drove most of the way up, cause we're either lazy or unable to understand the French signage. Short scramble with ladders and scary drop offs to a mini Rock of Gibraltar spike, then a longer out and back along the ridgeline.
Fun, but I was pretty tired towards the end.
GPS track stolen from B1s log, just cause I know Bash wants to see it :)
After 5 mins of running, B1 and B2 needed a rest
Ladder scrambling
A terrifying drop off is right behind me. This is my face of fear
Over to Aix-L-B and the WOC terrain, the high plateau
The 'spike' we first went to
From the spike looking further along the ridge - we went the other way
Coming off the big rock spike. Limestone=scary
Some friends we made, with Mt. Blanc in the background
B1 tries to make friends
But gets chased away
Wednesday Aug 10, 2011 #
2 PM
Running - Trail 1:33:42 12.1 km (7:44 / km) +980m 5:31 / km
ahr:148 max:171 shoes: Inov8 X-Talon 212
Couldn't leave Chamonix without one saunter on the trails.
Picked a nice little loop with not too much climb, just to stretch the legs and loosen them up after a few days off.
Wasn't too interesting in the beginning, just switchbacking through thick forest on vehicle trail. Occasionally the forest would open up and give me a chance to pause for the view.
At my proposed turn off point back down hill, I had a feeling in my waters I was about to reach something special if I kept going. Another 15 minutes of climbing lead me to Les something Des something - an out of commission alpine cabin with ripper views to the next range complete with ranging waterfalls bucketing into the glacial valley below. It was at this point I started kicking myself for not taking the camera along.
I thought about heading back, but decided to keep heading up - I figure, when am I gonna be here again. 15 more minutes of ladder climbing and boulder bounding and I make it up to a train station and hordes of tourists (most with nordic walking poles, very important to keep yourself steady whilst sitting in a cafe). The point of the station is the view point for Le Mer De Glace, a glacier that looks like it's seen better days.
Toy with the idea of going further up, but I'm starting to flag at this point and getting a little hungry, so I decided to pull the pin and head back down.
Great run, one to remember.
Picked a nice little loop with not too much climb, just to stretch the legs and loosen them up after a few days off.
Wasn't too interesting in the beginning, just switchbacking through thick forest on vehicle trail. Occasionally the forest would open up and give me a chance to pause for the view.
At my proposed turn off point back down hill, I had a feeling in my waters I was about to reach something special if I kept going. Another 15 minutes of climbing lead me to Les something Des something - an out of commission alpine cabin with ripper views to the next range complete with ranging waterfalls bucketing into the glacial valley below. It was at this point I started kicking myself for not taking the camera along.
I thought about heading back, but decided to keep heading up - I figure, when am I gonna be here again. 15 more minutes of ladder climbing and boulder bounding and I make it up to a train station and hordes of tourists (most with nordic walking poles, very important to keep yourself steady whilst sitting in a cafe). The point of the station is the view point for Le Mer De Glace, a glacier that looks like it's seen better days.
Toy with the idea of going further up, but I'm starting to flag at this point and getting a little hungry, so I decided to pull the pin and head back down.
Great run, one to remember.
Tuesday Aug 9, 2011 #
Not Training 1:30:00 [0]
shoes: Inov8 X-Talon 212
Canyoning on the Swiss/French border.
Not the most super exciting canyon trip I've done, but a few nice slides and a good rappel. Needed bigger jumps (highest was only 6m)
Beaut day to begin with, but clouded over again - looks like I won't get the chance to take any of the gondolas.
Not the most super exciting canyon trip I've done, but a few nice slides and a good rappel. Needed bigger jumps (highest was only 6m)
Beaut day to begin with, but clouded over again - looks like I won't get the chance to take any of the gondolas.
Monday Aug 8, 2011 #
Not Training 2:30:00 [0]
shoes: NB MT101s 2011.2
Hiked to the glacier visible from Chamonix. Not the most exciting trail, could hear traffic noise for most of it as the trail was quite close to the road that comes from the tunnel through Mount Blanc.
Got rained on a bit. Ate lots of chocolate and pastries.
Got rained on a bit. Ate lots of chocolate and pastries.
Sunday Aug 7, 2011 #
Note
(rest day)
Swiss O Week was incredible. After the weather debacles of 09 it was great to get away with almost no rain during every race.
The company is what made a good thing great. You would think spending a week in an apartment almost full of Americans would be a bad thing, but it was awesome - even if some of them don't acknowledge the legitimacy of the word Doner (as in Doner kebab).
Now in Chamonix for a couple of days. I was kind of hoping the weather would be crap so I wouldn't feel obliged to do stuff, but it looks like I'm gonna see some sun. I think some canyoning may be in order.
The company is what made a good thing great. You would think spending a week in an apartment almost full of Americans would be a bad thing, but it was awesome - even if some of them don't acknowledge the legitimacy of the word Doner (as in Doner kebab).
Now in Chamonix for a couple of days. I was kind of hoping the weather would be crap so I wouldn't feel obliged to do stuff, but it looks like I'm gonna see some sun. I think some canyoning may be in order.
Saturday Aug 6, 2011 #
9 AM
Orienteering race 1:06:53 6.2 km (10:47 / km) +244m 9:01 / km
ahr:156 max:183 shoes: Inov8 Oroc 280
Swiss O Week - Day 6
I think this says it better than I ever could
Tough week.
I think this says it better than I ever could
Tough week.
Friday Aug 5, 2011 #
11 AM
Orienteering race 1:23:34 11.3 km (7:24 / km) +465m 6:08 / km
ahr:164 max:181 shoes: Inov8 X-Talon 212
SOW Day 5
That's more like it. Felt awful before the start and didn't hold much hope for a decent run.
Went conservatively at the beginning and as the controls ticked by I started to feel better and more like a runner again. Only 2 major mistakes, 2 mins on #4 when I overshot it down the hill and 30 secs on #18 when I ran on a perfect line to the pit, but didn't see the flag so ran across to check the nearby depression and ran back to find the same pit, this time with a stream of people running in and out of it (that I'd led into it).
A lot more fun terrain today, all open yellow and bare rock but lots of glacial complex detaily stuff. Still having trouble interpreting the Swiss style of mapping.
Quickroute
That's more like it. Felt awful before the start and didn't hold much hope for a decent run.
Went conservatively at the beginning and as the controls ticked by I started to feel better and more like a runner again. Only 2 major mistakes, 2 mins on #4 when I overshot it down the hill and 30 secs on #18 when I ran on a perfect line to the pit, but didn't see the flag so ran across to check the nearby depression and ran back to find the same pit, this time with a stream of people running in and out of it (that I'd led into it).
A lot more fun terrain today, all open yellow and bare rock but lots of glacial complex detaily stuff. Still having trouble interpreting the Swiss style of mapping.
Quickroute
Thursday Aug 4, 2011 #
12 PM
Orienteering 1:45:10 8.7 km (12:05 / km) +686m 8:40 / km
ahr:157 max:170 shoes: Inov8 Oroc 280
SOW Day 4.
Meh. Liked the start and the finish, but could have done without the middle section involving a long (~25mins) side hill/gradual climb slog followed by trying to find point features on an otherwise featureless, super steep hillside.
One huge error at #2, where I managed to descend 18 contours on a leg that required you to descend zero.
A few hesitations after that on the downhill legs as I didn't want to do that again. Had nothing in the tank on the final trivial legs back to the finish.
However, it was still Switzerland and all sorts of pretty. The first legs above the tree line in the heather and rocks were especially epic.
Meh. Liked the start and the finish, but could have done without the middle section involving a long (~25mins) side hill/gradual climb slog followed by trying to find point features on an otherwise featureless, super steep hillside.
One huge error at #2, where I managed to descend 18 contours on a leg that required you to descend zero.
A few hesitations after that on the downhill legs as I didn't want to do that again. Had nothing in the tank on the final trivial legs back to the finish.
However, it was still Switzerland and all sorts of pretty. The first legs above the tree line in the heather and rocks were especially epic.
Tuesday Aug 2, 2011 #
11 AM
Orienteering race 1:21:25 [4] 9.1 km (8:57 / km) +370m 7:26 / km
shoes: Inov8 Oroc 280
SOW Day 3 - Vorab
The super high day, ~2500m and next to a glacier.
Super complex stuff, course was like 2.5 middles in a row. I did the first 1.5 really well, with only a few hesitations around #5 and #6 where there were a million flags and had to continually assure myself they weren't mine.
Second half fell apart spectacularly, losing extensive time on 4 controls - including a disgraceful, run to the flag, check code, not mine, run to another flags, rinse, repeat towards the end. Had a lot of trouble interpreting the mapping in places - especially the rock features and the transitions between the different shades of grey/orange/yellow screening.
However, I had a ball - defo my fave day so far. Taking the final gondola (of 4) up to the start took you over the race area, so you could see everyone doing the whole race. Sweet as weather as well, fourth day in a row!
The super high day, ~2500m and next to a glacier.
Super complex stuff, course was like 2.5 middles in a row. I did the first 1.5 really well, with only a few hesitations around #5 and #6 where there were a million flags and had to continually assure myself they weren't mine.
Second half fell apart spectacularly, losing extensive time on 4 controls - including a disgraceful, run to the flag, check code, not mine, run to another flags, rinse, repeat towards the end. Had a lot of trouble interpreting the mapping in places - especially the rock features and the transitions between the different shades of grey/orange/yellow screening.
However, I had a ball - defo my fave day so far. Taking the final gondola (of 4) up to the start took you over the race area, so you could see everyone doing the whole race. Sweet as weather as well, fourth day in a row!
C • Wow 1
Monday Aug 1, 2011 #
12 PM
Orienteering race 2:03:00 [4] 11.2 km (10:59 / km) +720m 8:19 / km
shoes: Inov8 X-Talon 212
SOW Day 2 - Crap Sogn Gion
The epic day.
After a lovely gondola ride to the assembly area, we dropped 200m on the walk to the start and the first leg involved dropping another 80m or so. Awesome.
This race was always going to be about survival, with the plan being go slow early and being cautious to minimise mistakes to prevent staying out forever.
Did the former well, but not the latter. Was planning and executing routes well, but being majorly sloppy in the circle - I guess this is what I get from letting o specific training slip in recent months. None of the controls were particularly difficult today and the nav should have been a cake walk for me.
However, after the final brutal slog up to #18 I was super stoked that I'd got though the course (unlike other Pissweak Aussies) and was still feeling strong on the final couple of legs to run hard(ish).
Then I discover I'd mispunched on #7. Absolutely gutted - I've mpd before and it's not bothered me, but this one really hurt.
The epic day.
After a lovely gondola ride to the assembly area, we dropped 200m on the walk to the start and the first leg involved dropping another 80m or so. Awesome.
This race was always going to be about survival, with the plan being go slow early and being cautious to minimise mistakes to prevent staying out forever.
Did the former well, but not the latter. Was planning and executing routes well, but being majorly sloppy in the circle - I guess this is what I get from letting o specific training slip in recent months. None of the controls were particularly difficult today and the nav should have been a cake walk for me.
However, after the final brutal slog up to #18 I was super stoked that I'd got though the course (unlike other Pissweak Aussies) and was still feeling strong on the final couple of legs to run hard(ish).
Then I discover I'd mispunched on #7. Absolutely gutted - I've mpd before and it's not bothered me, but this one really hurt.