Training Log Archive: zootrio

Last starter today. Cautious to 1; up onto the rock surface, followed the yellow into the rocks in the white. Long leg to 2 I decided immediately to go right, making sure I avoided all the green. Down the long spur to the dam, along the creek and in from the left. Hesitated a bit in the control circle. Clean through to 9, making sure I went out the the yellow when I could and also used the rock surfaces. Hill climb towards 10, then onto the track. Messed this one up a bit as I came in through the crappy white and should have kept going and used the rock surface. Silly route choice error which probably cost me a minute of stuffing around in the forest getting to the control. All rock surfaces to 11, straight forward to 12, then finish.

Not super happy with running speed today and felt I probably could have run faster to get in at 40 mins. Very nervous about being last starter and it was quite hot.

So, a pretty successful Easter. Lead increased to 65 mins over the 3 days. Came away pretty battered and bruised but thankfully both ankles are injury free. Can officially run W40A next year but not sure I want to race against Sandra Tarr-she's too fast for me!

Rest of the week will be spent catching up with friends before returning to Orienteering next weekend.

C13 Day 4 - Splits

Very cautious to 1, just to make sure I got it cleanly. A little high but I saw it in the gully. Across the rock surface and clearings to 2, on a compass bearing to 3 but drifted left and confused myself when I saw the Elite change over area. Slow and steady to 4, completely annoyed that I had made two mistakes in a row. Long leg to 5; dropped straight to the fence, past the dam to the fence junction. Used this as my attack point, up over the spur and counted off the rock surfaces. Must have drifted off to the left as I came out in the main watercourse rather than the small one running off the side. Biggest mistake of the day here and ran around like an idiot trying to work out where I was. Worked it out and found the control but probably wasted two mins plus. At home sitting on the couch, the best way would have been to cut across the paddock and follow the rock surfaces around from the left. Clean through to 10, although the slog up the hill from 7 to 8 was hard going. Bit scrappy finding 11 in the thick green, straight forward to 12 and finish.

Certainly not as pleased with todays run. Too many small mistakes which in total probably cost me more than 5 mins. However, the other runners in W35AS made bigger mistakes and my lead has now stretched from 30 mins to 47 mins. I can hear the word 'bandit'.

C • You have to... 1

C13 Day 3 - Splits

Very very nervous at the start. My main objective was to find 1 cleanly. Went carefully, keeping an eye on the big rock surface to my right. I was a little low but found it without having to check behind every rock and do a loop de loop for good measure. Pretty relieved I found that and settled down to just navigate and run. Used the big rock surfaces to navigate and made sure I used my compass properly (as opposed to carrying it around as an accessory). All clean except for 9, where I was too low and didn't read my map properly. I was only just below it but kept moving along the hillside instead of going up. Probably cost me 90 seconds. Bit hesitant to 10 after that. Rest clean.

Pretty pleased with today's effort. Need to keep the concentration up for the next two days.

No issues today with sore feet from the X-Talons. Debuted the new MFR O top. Classy.

C13 Day 2 - Splits

Really struggled with the heat today. No real problems on the course; just slow compared to everyone else. Took three controls to get into the scale but basically, I just didn't move fast enough. Ran into a branch on the way down to 12 and have a hole in my leg just above my knee. Pretty deep but shouldn't need to be stitched. Small error on 15, when I went to 17 instead and had to backtrack to the other tree/rock area. Really had to concentrate on correct control exit, as I was so worried about going in completely the opposite direction.

Day 1 (Prologue) Medium - Splits

Managed to fit in a run before Mum left to go to work. I tried hard to talk myself out it but then decided I don't have to go out tomorrow if I went out today.

Along the same theme of reliving the past, I headed to the old Hollywood High site. Ran around and through it, marvelling at the houses that are now standing on the quadrangle and the tennis courts and the pool. Did some stairs and hills at the old oval and then headed to Shenton Park lake. Round the lake then back home and up and down Waylen Rd twice each while I waited for Mum to drive out. And that also got me to 30 mins. Right, I think I'm done for Easter now. Nothing else will make a difference except learning to navigate in rocks.

Tuesday night run in Kings Park. Superb evening. With Nicole on a nice loop. Some walking and we stopped at the old house for a look. Apparently we were a couple of minutes faster than last week. Cool.

C • Maybe 6