Training Log Archive: Lizzie

Event: Australian Ultra Long
 

What an awesome way to finish off an awesome week!

Was really looking forward to this race, as I love tough, long races where it's as much mental as physical :) tried not to think of the ultimate prize - no point if you couldn't get through the tough mining terrain, so aimed to win the women's race and just see what happened.

A big first map, with a long first leg. Hanny and I went left with Jimbo and Reuben. A bit slower in the end, but a lot easier running, didn't have to compass bearing it straight through the mining from the triangle. Which was the deciding point for me.
The girls infront must have made a mistake heading to 2 as I arrived there in the lead, and headed into the loops on my own. kathryn and a few others caught up towards the end of the first loop as I took it cautiously. Let them show me a couple on the 2nd loop and we headed out of the butterflies together.
Opened up the legs on the longer controls once we were out of the loops, gaining a bit ofa gap on Aislinn, although Kathryn and Jimbo were with me still and Reuben was a little ahead.
Split from the others on the long leg to 16, taking the track routes to the West and cutting a few corners. Entered the control just as Jimbo was exiting, so knew I'd lost a little time on the route again, but happy with conserving energy on the tracks.
Jimbo and I caught Reuben again on the road heading around to 18, and the 3 of us polished off the remainder of map 1 together.

Map 2 was shorter, fitting on an A4 sheet :) More butterfly loops, this time in the mining to the East of the assembly. Reuben and I had the same split, which helped a whole heap, as having two people navigating in the mining gives you a lot more confidence than one! So was just a matter of slowing down sufficiently and getting the controls cleanly enough. Jimbo must have had the other split, as I didn't see him after the map change.

Back through and onto the 3rd map, and butterflies in the 3rd section of mining, with a 3rd mapping style! The trickiest of the lot, and I was on my own this time. Which freaked me out a little, as I knew I was having a good run and nearing the end (and tired zone!). So practically walked a couple of controls, just to ensure I got them correctly. Saw the other girls heading into the butterflies - Kathryn as I finished the first loop, and Hanny as I was leaving the loops.
Then it was onto the final few controls. Nervous times again as I was getting closer and closer to the end of a long, clean race! So took a moment to compose myself and concentration, and made sure I had a plan on each leg before setting off.
Very pleased to head into the penultimate leg, towards a control I'd already been to twice!
Tried my best to faceplant over a loose bit of wire heading into the control, but just managed to keep my feet. Lucky as Robbie was following with the gopro...
Finished just under 2 hours. An awesome feeling to push so hard for 2 hours and still keep it navigationally clean bar a couple of minor blips. And super stoked to pick up the overall prize :)

C • Congrats! 2

does hobbling over to my drink bottle count as a warm down?

Putting out a control and then did 4 controls of SusC's circle, no North exercise. Have always wanted to do this exercise, but was a little tired and didn't want to kill myself before the ultra. So held off and just did a bit :)

got humorously lost whilst putting out a control with one of the juniors. we only had a tiny wedge of map (and was unaware it was 1:15000!). put the control out fine, but got way off trying to find our way back in the very open, very vague terrain! (the start was at the very acute corner of our map.) ...ended up relocating off the bus, which was a good 600m away.

4 sprint intervals, and a downhill sprint course.
Didn't do the other 3 intervals as wanted to save atleast a little bit for Saturday!
80% of the campees were sucked into going to the dummy flag at the first control of the last course. A few others were sucked into following the top boys who were running decoy on later controls.

good fun.

Downhill session on Mt Beckworth. Well. An uphill course first. Then down through granite terrain. Walk back up whilst talking to the juniors about techniques, then a 2nd downhill course.
Loving these areas!

3 x ~6min orienteering intervals in the mining out behind camp. (across the road from ultra long area). Had to try and hold my own against the top young guys. Managed to for the most part - aside from Lachie, Olle, Ian and Brodie. Although I got them on occasion! Quite funny to see how out the window some of the younger boy's orienteering went when it was a mass start - a fair few of them would get to the finish and immediately realise they didn't go to their split!

a few run throughs on the oval to video our running technique. Nothing unexpected, although we all now wish we had a Nankervis running technique!

training camp exercise one.
Memory exercise in pairs out in the forestry block behind Creswick campus. Awesome area with loads of different types of trees - felt rather european! Young victorian girl I was paired with (Leisha?) did really well - until the map had completely changed in one area!

after a day sitting inside working, i dragged myself out and did the infamous terrain loops from the Lawford's place. good stuff, pine trees made me feel right at home :)

C • Pine trees? 4

A 4th day of completely different terrain. Open vague spur gully today. Started in reverse order, so I was last off with Grace 2mins ahead.
Not too much to say on this one really - was a matter of bearings, noting off stepping stones, and running as fast as feasible. Was slightly off on no.5, coming around the spur too low, but otherwise nothing of note comes to mind.
Was tricked into being too cautious after a couple of the early controls were down depressions and pits - but then the rest were perched on the edge screaming to you as you ran towards them!
Happy to push hard 4 days in a row, really feel the intensity I'm able to keep up during races has improved over the last wee while.

Overall an awesome weekend, my first experience of the Aussie Easter 4days :) Still a little sad to miss out on NZ champs, but this weekend more than made up for it! 4 awesome courses, on awesome maps, with completely different terrain each day, you can't ask for much more!

Day 3 W21E - Splits

Another tough but fun race, on Mt Alexander, used as a WOC85 training map. One big hill covered in areas of granite terrain. Which is what we headed into first up. 1 and 2 I hit cleanly enough, but then was a little too low on the cliff on 3 and overshot, losing 40s or so. I misjudged my height on the climb to 5, looking far too ealry, but the only way I could really go was up - and that's where i found the control!
Into the butterfly loops and I contoured too well 5-6, which took me straight to 7 rather than 6! Not a problem though as the running was better this way, and it gave an easy entry to the control. 7-8 I again got height wrong, losing 1min being too low and misjudging the clear areas. 9-10 I caught up with Hanny who was doing her first 1/3rd of the butterfly. Having just lost time on 3,5,6and 8 I knew she must be ahead of me time wise. So once Lauren and I left Hanny to finish the rest of her butterfly I put the hammer down. Rest of the course was technically easier, so was good to just crank up the speed and effort.
Clean on the rest of the course. Took the higher route choice 16-17, which took me straight back along the route I'd taken 14-15. And gave me a fun downhill as well :)
Surprised with the margin of the win, and really happy with how I picked my race up after the early mistakes.

Day 2 W21E - Splits