ORIENTEERING ◪ race (Vic Long Champs) 1:49:02 [5] **** 16.4 km (6:39 / km) +625m 5:35 / km
ahr:155 max:169 spiked:28/35c shoes: Teva #2
What a cracker of a course set by Wozza on the one of the best Gully /spur areas in Australia.
Was set up in a bit of a Bendigo train, Sweppes, then Dave , Me, Big Ev and Keely. Got 1 and 2 well, and was in the lead (-:. Didn't get the next 3 route choices right, and made a mistake on 4 as well. Saw Dave and Sweppes at 8, then error at 10 trying to be clever.
Made it through to 16, when Keely showed up, must have kicked me into gear, as I was 2nd on the next route choice, 17 (wide and to the Sth of 12 & 11) Only Keely bet me, but as he was hanging on and trying to catch me, so I will take the credit.
Caught up to Dave and Sweppes at 18, and it was full steam ahead for the Bendigo train as we hit the best bit of Gold Mining/ Erosion terrain. Slowed up a little at 23, as all the young uns slowed up a little, to see what the old bloke was going to do on the big route choice leg. Kept it straight, and as we approched 24, the 1st sign of cracking appeared, as Sweppes finally dropped of, and Dave started to struggle.
25, then 26, and Dave was back, then as we left 27, Dave cracked, once we got to the road, I said to Keely, we have got to make him hurt, so go with our strength, keep it to the road. Not to bad a idea, as Keely got another fastest time on 29 as we ran the road to the north, went slightly different ways to 30, as Keely tried to drop me, which he succeeded in doing, but we meet up again at 30, 31 was sort of clean, and 32 I really started to hurt, as Keely went for it on the way to 33.
Saw him again at 34, that he missed slightly, so came in only 30 secs down. Good race by Keely, once he gets fit, he will be hard to run with.