Training Log Archive: Mess Engineer

Yes ... managing to write up an event 5 days later.

Got zero sleep overnight and wasn't expecting much personal performance out of this novelty event. Was on a 'leave pass' from broken leg minding duties on the instructions to 'turn up, run your SINGLE event, and leave'. For this reason did the Short rather than Long.

Novelty event in four parts
1. First 3 - Memory ie no map. Map tied to Control telling you how to get to next one.
2. Next 3 - No codes with multiple controls. Had to be sure you were at the correct one.
3. Next 4 - One control missing. Had to be confident that you skipped the correct one or would be back tracking.
4. Last 6 Score (get 5 of 6). I ignored this and just got them all as they were so close together it wasn't worth dropping anything.


Decided to team up with Viola O'Connor since we were both a bit nervous about the memory component. This meant I was going to spend more time thinking and going slower than normal. This turned out to be good training for both of us as we could talk about route choices and discuss why we were at the correct control for the no codes section.

#1. OK apart from thinking the power poles seemed a lot closer than we thought but came into the bush and all was OK. 1 for ME.

#2. OK no problem. 2 for ME.

#3. OK no problem. 3 for ME.

#4. OK no problem. 2 controls there. First one was on one watercourse too early, and didn't line up with the curved array of rocks so we chose the correct one. 4 for ME.

#5. OK a bit of search here. 2 controls there. First one was out in the open more, and was on an eastward running water course but not the easternmost of two water courses. Another look deeper in scrub and there was correct control. 5 for ME. Discussion with VO'C about why this was the correct one.

#6 OK no problem. 2 control on rockfaces. Chose the one which was more hidden as it lined up with the concrete pipe on the map properly. 6 for ME.
#7 A longer search. Denis Lyons also looking. Is this the missing control? No ... 1 for VO'C.

#8 OK but I ran past it. 2 for VO'C.

#9 Logic told me this HAD to be the missing control before we even started heading up this steep hill. If it wasn't the missing control than that implied #10 was ... which meant why would I run on to 10 at all? Regardless up hill and no control there. Denis Lyons, Malcolm Roberts and VO'C all agreed this was the missing one.

#10 OK no problem. 6 for ME. Denis still with us.

#11 OK no problem. 7 for ME. Denis still with us.

#13 OK no problem. 8 for ME. Denis still with us but left for #14.

#12 Could of dropped this one but got it anyway. 9 for ME.

#14 Diagonally NE through scrub. Came out right next to control. 10 for ME. VO'C was dumbstruck and wanted me to explain how the hell I had done that. Sheer luck was biggest component of answer. But had two catching features - track to N and fenceline to E.

#15 Less time searching for this hidden on than others as Denis was already there. 11 for ME.

#16 Left VO'C to it and sprinted to this one and then on to the finish.

No time for chatting so didn't see how the leaderboard ended up.
Also never got confirmed whether we had made the correct choices at 4, 5 and 6.

C • training exercise 1

Partner out of hospital and back home on crutches.
Cast on right leg plus surgery to fit metal plate and 8 screws to put all the bones back together.
So I am working from home implying no gym today.

Forced myself to go to this Class today as need the mental distraction.
Awake from about 1 am to 4 am before gave up.
Glad I went as physical effort helped.

Partner had surgery on right leg yesterday afternoon and had a plate and 8 screws inserted.
Will be in hospital for a while.