Training Log Archive: Craig

Event: (LDC) Lover's Lane
 

WA Long Champs, Stonebrook.
Hoping for a better day with my heart today but it wasn't to be. Long races with morning starts are usually much better for me but the pressure of having Oscar starting 2 minutes behind me was too much.

Happy with my route choice to 1, taking the small track around the contours from the start and hitting the control cleanly from the clear ledge on the spur but I could tell I was running a bit scared. Rushing a bit down the hill out of 1 I got my direction a bit wrong going almost straight at the control instead of the safer route aiming off to the left that I had planned. Knew I must be close and I spotted it within a few seconds but it was too late as the moment of panic was enough to set my heart off. Maybe would have hit on the climb to 3 anyway as it was about he same time into the run as yesterday, guess I'll never know.

Tried to be a bit more conservative on the hills than yesterday to keep it under control and after a bit of walking I settled into a slow jog that I seemed to be able to maintain.

All pretty simple and straightforward to 6, around the fence to 7, slow and careful to 8. 9 Looked dangerous so I was very careful from the fence crossing picking off every feature along the contour and I came into it just as Ben completed his 6 minute mistake having started 6 minutes before me and being within seconds of me at 8.

Ran pretty much with Ben for the rest of the course with him getting away or catching up on the hills and me catching up or getting ahead on downhills and minor route choice differences.

I took a pretty heavy fall on a fence between 11 and 12. I managed to roll fairly well and didn't hit any significant rocks but still have a few bruises and grazes all down my right side.

Lost some ground on Ben the climb to 14 but got ahead on route choice to 15, particularly leaving 14 so didn't see Ben on this leg. Stopped to pick up a control that had fallen over in the paddock near 15 partly because I saw Jacqui McManus standing in the middle of the paddock looking confused but it wasn't actually hers. Ben caught up again on the climb to 16 and we were together through to 19.

Led Ben down to the track out of 19 but couldn't stay with him on the track and he opened a gap of at least 50m. I had been feeling so consistently tired for most of the course that I had started to think that my heart was ok and I was just tired from the hills but half way along the track I suddenly felt really light on my feet and was able to close the gap to Ben quickly and effortlessly so it was obvious that my heart had come good. Unfortunately it didn't last more than a minute or two and I paid the price for trying to maintain my speed when it played up again.

Tried taking a different route to Ben coming into 20 taking the small track near the creek while Ben went higher through the clearings but I clearly lost ground. Probably would have been better to cut across the paddock left of the creek to get to the small track but I had really been planning to go the way Ben did.

Heart was getting quite bad coming into 20 so I struggled up to 21 and Ben got out of sight. Caught up again with a better route to 22 but tripped on another fence leaving the control landing heavily on the right side of my face. Feeling a little shaken and with a bit of a headache when I got out to the track so I took it easy and stayed on the main track around to 23 to give me time to settle but still missed it slightly and Ben was out of sight again.

24 looked dangerous so I was pretty careful reading the vegetation below the knoll off the track bend and got it cleanly. Hoped I might have closed the gap to Ben here and thought I might have heard him leaving so was disappointed not to be able to see him across the paddocks to 25 but it turns out he had missed 24 and I was now ahead. Tried to finish off as strongly as I could but still lost over 30 seconds to Ben across the paddocks to the finish.

I wasn't too concerned about Oscar once I got through the first half a dozen controls without him catching me and thought Ben would be my main competition but I had pretty much forgotten about Rob Jessop. It turns out Rob had been ahead of me until a mistake on 20 put him 9 seconds behind and the margin ranged from 2 to 23 seconds from there with me hanging on by 6 seconds in the end to get my name on the trophy for the 14th time and 7th in a row.

C • Congratulations 7

Course 1 - Splits

Event: (MDC) Lover's Lane
 

WA Middle Champs at Stonebrook.
A little confused by the first clearing but got onto the track ok then felt a bit inefficient with my direction out onto the spur but got the control cleanly enough. Didn't feel I was reading ahead very well so felt a bit hesitant down to 2 but again got the control cleanly enough. Knew others had gone but I couldn't see any reason to deviate from the straight line so just ran straight crossing the dam wall and through the saddle.

Heart started to play up a bit on this leg but didn't really affect me until the final little climb up to the control. Tried to relax on the next leg hoping the downhill would allow it to settle but it didn't and I lost concentration a bit so I had to pause for a while to relocate when I hit the clear strip just below the control.

Saw Ian leaving 4 and I got lucky picking the right little track into 5 so stayed close here but the hill climb to 6 really hurt me. I had to walk most of it and was feeling a bit dizzy when I reached the top. I took the western track and followed it right to the clearing then the track leading all the way to the control. Perhaps should have taken the eastern track but I struggled enough with the climb I did and I was happy with my route at the time.

Didn't see much of Ian on the way to 6 but saw him leaving with the gap still about 30 seconds. Struggled with the climb to 7 so couldn't get any closer here. Went left of the knoll leaving 7 and hit the downhill which was more to my liking. Must have got a better line than most as I had the fastest split to 8 and then caught Ian on the way out to the track.

Ok on 9, cautious but clean on 10 then struggled on the track run up to 11 but got a good line into the control. Suffered again on the climb out of 11 going up a bit more steeply than planned as it seemed clearer.

Heart settled a little as it flattened and I was able to gap Ian a little bit but paid for it in the finish chute where my main thought was to make sure I stayed conscious until after I punched the finish.

Ended up second 9 seconds behind Ben (6 of which was the finish chute) and 2 seconds ahead of Rob. Surprised to get so close with my heart being so bad on what seemed like a fairly simple and physical course. I had been expecting something a lot more technically challenging.

HM1 - Splits

Easy run in KP. Very sticky this morning, both humidity and spider webs. Left hamstring still tight, feels a bit nervy.

C • KP 9

Easy run in KP. Left hamstring a bit tight.

Steady run around KP. Probably pushed a little harder than I intended to, bordering on tempo effort for much of it, but still couldn't get near Henry's pace.