Training Log Archive: Bruce

Easter Stage 4
8th in M21E, 7th overall out of 45

This was a reverse chasing start format, with the leader going out last. This format tends to facilitate groups of runners, and this happened in the last third of the course today.
I caught Alex Massey at #11, and then Andrew Barnett, Ian Lawford and Lachlan Dow caught us on the way to #15.

I enjoyed the terrain today. I think it was the best of the 4 stages.

Overall, I was very pleased to finished 7th in M21E as an M41. I have done many M21E Easter competitions since 1995, and this is one of my better overall results. The mid-field strength was a little weaker than usual, although I thought that the top end was strong, and I was closer to the top times than I expected.


I was very proud of my kids today. Especially Mason who moved up to 2nd in his first year of M14. His course was quite challenging, and it looks like he is going to cope well with the harder courses. He has also done well to make the large jump from courses that last about 15 minutes, up to those around 40-50 minutes.
Torren and Sophie are yet to be tested on harder courses, but they have shown that they can run fast on easy courses. You can't ask for any more than 6 wins from 6 starts. They both have attractive running styles, and are a pleasure to watch. I wish I could have run like Torren when I was 10 years old.
It's nice to see that they have been listening to instructions and technical advice. It is certainly fun to share my enjoyment of orienteering with the whole family.

C • Kids 3

Day 3 Course 1 - Splits

Easter Stage 3
Long Distance
8th M21E

This was going to be my longest run for quite a while. My last elite long distance course was back in September at the WA Champs. Still, I was looking forward to the open mallee scrub. I had several good results in this terrain over my career, so I was confident that I would get through the long course ok.

The start of the course included many short legs, but most of them were quite easy, involving following the watercourse and ticking off the various bends and earthbanks.

I thought that there may have been more route choice legs, but most of the legs seemed to have obvious choices.

The second half was mostly flat. You had to concentrate on compass to get them cleanly, but none of them were too difficult.

There was about 5kms to go at the spectator control. I felt strong, so I tried to push my pace. I was expecting to get tired, but the lack of big hills enabled me to continue at pace.

The last controls were very easy and I finished with some fuel left in the tank. I expected it to be much tougher, but it was one of the less demanding long days at Easter in my career.


Congratulations to Melbourne Forest Racers on winning the Champion Club Trophy. I don't think I contributed much to the club point score, but I think that my kids did.
I note that Yarra Valley came a close second. Perhaps Dion's victory over Blair in M40 today secured the trophy?

I like how the Nankervis boys helped to collect the trophy at the presentations:-). Now we just have to get them to represent the club (and Victoria) when they compete at National events.

C • Club championship 1

Day 2 Course 1 - Splits

Easter Stage 2
Middle Distance
7th M21E, 7th after 2 stages



This terrain felt very familiar. I had race here in M15 in 1990 and went on to win my first Easter 3 Day. I remember wearing shorts back then, helping me to feel fast in the forest. The forest hasn't really changed that much, so I took the same approach this year.

I started well and felt strong on the early hills. Just before the spectator control I caught and passed several earlier starters. I got a little carried away after the spectator control and lost map contact on the long leg. I failed to climb enough on the broad spur, and ended up too far to the left. I decided to head for the main gully and see if I could recognise the creeks. This took about 30 seconds, and then I had about 90 seconds of additional distance to cover to find the control. This was my worst mistake of the weekend, but at least I learnt from this and avoided any similar mistakes thereafter.

From there I ran smoothly through the technical erosion gullies and finished strongly, although I was a little tired from the short sharp climbs.


I had already been up to the start twice before my start to see off the kids. It was fun to watch them compete on their own with no assistance. Several years of shadowing and some basic technique seems to have set them up for success.

Day 1 Course 1 - Splits

Event: 2015 Australian Three Days
 

Easter Prologue
Jamestown
9th M21E



I was expecting the course to be fast, flat and fairly simple. The course made quite good use of the available terrain, but you still had to be very fast, and I wasn't quite up to the speed required for a top result here.
I made a small error exiting 3 and found myself on the wrong side of an uncrossable fence. I should have kept going, but stopped and went back around losing perhaps 10 seconds.
When I exited 15 I got stuck in some green bushes. I then panicked a bit and didn't find the best crossing point of the marshes, losing another 10 seconds.
The school section went well until the 3rd last when I failed to recognise that the control was on the south side of the fence, so I lost another 10 seconds.
So, altogether I was a bit messy when I needed a clean run to compete with the top runners.

Elite Prologue Course 1 - Splits