Training Log Archive: Anvil

Long run with Nicko, was meant to be 5 peaks, but we only managed 2!
From Bellerive Beach all the way to Tranmere, up into Rokeby Hills (Peak 1). Felt like crap coming down so we decided to ditch Knopwoods Hill in favour of getting a drink in Shoreline Shopping Centre (even after a very mean 3m wouldn't let us steal a drink from Banjos). Smashed it up to the top of Waverly Park, decided that Gordons Hill looked too far away so just went back around Bellerive Bluff. To make up for it we maggotted it back for the last 4 ks (it hurt).
Recovery in the icy water with potato cakes from the fish and chip shop in the warm sun. Magic.

Nicko had a number of excuses why he felt like crap, it sounded like he'd been spending a lot of time with another well known pathetic excuse maker. I won't name names, but I will give a hint: Pookie Bear.

C • Powerade 2

Looks like we'll have Route Gadget for Easter.
All Tassie people should put their routes in for TOS 1 if they can - try and smoke out any bugs:
http://www.tasorienteering.asn.au/gadget/cgi-bin/r...

Set 3x1kmish sprint course on Risdon Brook Dam with butterfly loops (to hopefully emulate the Easter sprint).
First was meant to require compass work and creation of handrails, second fine navigation in complex rock detail and the final was had a complex course structure in quite fast/easy terrain and as much downhill as possible.
Went quite well, had a decent turn up of about 14 once everyone got there. I enjoyed it, even though since I'd put out the tapes it was pretty easy.
Interestingly the one the people had the most trouble one was the last, which is also the one I think Easter will be most like.

C • Thank you! 2

Hanging tapes. Left work a lot later than expected so was in a bit of a rush. Only misplaced 1 (on a very vague spur) and hung another a little low in a gully so I'm not too upset about it!

Another Tour, round the back of Geilston Bay. Got there a bit early to do a recce of one area where I wasn't sure we could get through, and we couldn't. So I modified the loop, and set it straight through another newly developed area with lots of private property.
The boys and the ladies got separated at one point and couldn't find each other - some weird Blair Witch/Lost time travel thing going on where we could hear each other but not see each other.
After Louis and I did a search of the tracks we decided to keep going, but cut the course a bit short cause it was taking a while. Was really fun with the final km being a gradual downhill track along Fagg Gully Creek (I kid you not). Killer sunset on the way down the hill as well.
Thinking it's time to being in Winter Tour, darkness in encroaching rapidly at the moment.

Bush hills sesh. No Mike today, we did 2 x 4 longer hills - usually around a minute. Nothing special, first couple were a bit hard after the weekend but got into it after that.

Not really happy with the results of the weekend, but I've taken some good things from it. My fitness is a lot better now - before the big mistake in the sprint, my splits were up there will all the top guys (of course apart from Jules and Simon) and as I said before keeping with the pack wasn't uncomfortable at the start of the loop race.
Have decided I go out too hard in Middle races, I blew up on Saturday and did the same at the Middle at Oceania. So for Easter I'm gonna go out a lot easie - which should make my navigation better anyway.

Am also doing a non junk food and chocolate diet until Easter, cept for one cheat a week. To keep me honest, if I ever break that rule I can't pay out Nicko or Ryan for an entire run or in my trog. That's gonna be hard, that's like trying not to breathe.

Hagaby Style loop race, mass start.
Started off well, was actually reading the map and everything until the splits sorted themselves out. Was feeling pretty good and staying with the pack easily, was very cool in this first section with the three split packs crossing over and rejoining at the common controls.
Unfortunately the fun was short lived for me when I decided my pack was going the wrong way, I deviated and ended up at the wrong control on the boulder/cairn split 2/3rd of the way through the loop. I could just get a glimpse of the tail end of the pack as I punched, a 30 second error 2 controls later sealed the deal for me. Formed a stragglers pack for the last part of the loop of myself, Nicko, Leon and a few others, but once we all split at the start of the next loop it was pretty much a solo course, which was a lot slower without blokes in front of you knocking all the trees out of the way.
An occasional random pack would form every now and then but never solidifying into anything decent until John, Mark, Callum and myself all suddenly joined together on the run down to the road crossing.
They all seemed to be going faster than me here and I was a little worried that I wouldn't keep up, but once we got into the detail the pace slowed and we wearily made our way over and around the rocky hillsides.
With Callum in the pack and unsure of the other 2 blokes final kick I was psyching myself up for a push at the end, so when I upped the pace I was surprised (and pretty happy) no one challenged me. To celebrate I pretended the final fence wasn't there and spectacularly ate dirt (I was in good company with Kathryn doing it too) and killed myself in the finish chute.
So, better than the previous 2 races, but not as good as I know I'm capable of. It'll come though.

C • The coming. 4

C • better 1