Training Log Archive: GM

Event: NSW Long Champs
 

NSW Long at Gumble Pinnacles. Felt more into my orienteering today and overall I was pleased how I went. I got into a steady jog up the hill towards 1 and passed John Harding who started 2 mins ahead of me about half way to the control. I was trying to make things fit coming into the rocks and little clearings and decided the little clearings were too vague to use, but I was a bit stop-start approaching the control, but no errors. Good reading the details into 2 and caught up with Oliver Mill who started 4 mins in front, but he dashed off as I was punching and I didn't see him again - he made a mistake on 3 and I ran through him. I made my own mistake on 3 by going a tiny bit to the left and ending up on the bare rocks but relocated quickly and went straight to the control, so only lost about 15 seconds. Straight to 4 then the long leg to 5. I just ran to the dam about 1/3 of the way - and actually felt good running but it was gently down hill through open forest and big clearings. Kept going straight through the light green of the cyprus pines and picked up the bare rocks on the other side. I then navigated well to the edge of the control circle but just veered to the left mistaking a bare rock knoll for the boulders. There was a nice little gully on the other side but no control. I did a tiny little loop looking for something and then realised I was in the right gully just too high. Lost about 1 minute. Straight to 6 but was surprised to hit the top of the ridge - on the map I thought it rose gently the whole way. Down the hill in the broad gully to the large clearing then in. No problems through 7 and 8 then went to the right heading to 9 to keep some height, but then climbed to the huge cliff near the top of the knoll which was my AP. Great views as I came down the bare rock slabs into the control. Straight to 10 but I was starting to feel a bit tired as I went straight up the hill to the clearings on the ridge. Happy with my route choice to 11 using the large rock faces and cliffs on the northern end of the ridge and just reading the bare rocks down the hill and into the control. Straight to 12 with just a slight check as I came out of the forest to see where the control was on the other side of the clearing. A tiny bit to the right heading for 13 but spotted the rocks so only lost 10 seconds, then just the run around the rocky hill to the finish.

Ended up in 2nd place in M55 about 3.5 mins behind O-ing and 2 mins in front of James in 3rd. Happy with my nav and please my back pulled up ok after yesterday. Just stiff and sore but no pain so I think I am over the hump and may stop ticking the 'Injured?' box on my trog. Gumble is a fantastic area to orienteer and the course was great - some variety and some challenges and a couple of nice route choices. And the weather was perfect for running.

A nice gentle warm up AND I actually did a 10 min warm down after the race.