Training Log Archive: immy

Glen Affric. Bit of a mission... Was super tired for some reason, legs didn't want to move. So just took this course very casually, and hence it turned into a bit of an epic. Also, I made a couple of large mistakes :( basically got slack at 11 and went way off course, and also mistakes at 5 and 16. Plodding very slow by the end. agh and there was no water on the course at all :(

S6D - Day 6 Glen Affric - C40 - Splits

S6D - Day 5 Glen Affric - C40 - Splits

Six days at Darnaway. Crappy start, again! Bad direction to control 1 so had to correct myself, then ended up too far to the left for 3... Sorted myself out after that and things went better, but not the best route to 5 either with a bit too far in the rough open. Had another girl with me for some of the way which gave a bit more confidence and helped me push! Quite a fun race overall.

Aim for tomorrow: clean and confident race from the start, not six controls in...

S6D - Day 4 Darnaway - C40 - Splits

Six days at Darnaway. Eep such a horrible start... Don't know what I and my compass were thinking for 2 but somehow got my direction so wrong, and knew things weren't right but somehow felt compass was still pointing in that direction?! Then another bad miss at 4 thinking it was on a spur, not a re-entrant, oops... Mostly better after that but still some smaller losses. Got faster and more confident towards the end.

S6D - Day 3 Darnaway - C40 - Splits

Six days race at Strathfarrar.

Eternally grateful to have a late start today - this map was so green! Bracken was head high in a lot of areas. Followed tracking most of the way, however still going slowly as was super tired. Also mistakes on 4, 6 and 7 as lost focus a bit and also couldn't see the rocks/controls for the bracken.

Second half went a lot better and was more open too.

Nice to be back in the forest again. Might try to aim for a better result after the rest day!

S6D - Day 2 Strathfarrar - C40 - Splits

WOC sprint final.

Only emotionally ready to write about this now. Really I don't know what happened. Was so pleased to make the final, and very excited to race, didn't feel that nervous (or so I thought). However, once I started, it was like my brain and legs were moving in slow motion. Lost time on the first, and particularly the second controls, basically getting stressed and doubting my choices of alleyways. A bit better for the next few then trouble again with alleyways at 5. Continued to be scrappy through a number of the next controls.

Anyway, was already having a very poor race by the time I got to the arena, and that was totally nuts. Could hear the commentary about me and being first starter, was first through the arena. I remember going for number 15, just before the run through chute, but then completely forgot to punch it?!? I can only think it was the pressure of the situation, and remember reading ahead so had ticked it off in my mind I guess. Then, to add insult to injury, I completely did not see number 20 and ran straight past that too!!!?!

I have never done this before. I was just so shell-shocked when I finished, no other way to describe it. Was numb. But then after a little while all of a sudden I was very very upset, and feeling so disappointed in myself and sad for letting all the supporters down :( :(

I don't want to keep making excuses for myself, but my only explanation is that I mentally was just not ready to deal with the crowds, screaming and the pressure. To be fair, my focus was on making the final, and I hadn't actually planned that much (mentally) for the actual final itself!

The other explanation is that the cryptic crossword I chose for quarantine was too hard - only solved two clues before starting! ;)

Anyway, I will be back, and there will be more opportunities, and in the meantime I will try to work out what I can do to handle these big race situations :)

Thanks to everyone who has been so supportive and still very glad to have been given this opportunity at all!

C • I'm sure it wasn't a very nice control anyway 2

Culloden wood. Rainy when I started but dry by the end. Went on some new tracks including one through the long grass, so developed a mad urticarial rash all over my legs. Ahhh so itchy I could die :( Luckily (thanks to antihistamine) all gone now.

Event: WOC 2015 & Scottish 6 days
 

Pre-race jog with Lizzie. Explored Culloden wood - was nice! Pretended we were back in NZ. 8 x 60 m strides towards the end to practice moving legs fast. Felt ok, but nervous...

WOC sprint qualification in Forres. Nervous before the start, but tried to keep remembering my mantra that it was just me and the map, nothing special. Race was fairly clean to start with, made sure I had a plan for each leg as we practiced with Jean, using only 3 second glances, then made sure to keep close contact around all the small houses. Actually it was quite straightforward. Only issue was that I actually did not see the quickest route for the long leg to 8, and went a longer (but smoother) way to the right... When I finished I started stressing majorly over whether this had cost me the qualification, but happily, I made it through! (By only one second!!?!) Running speed was ok, but feeling a bit tired towards the end...

Thanks go to Lizzie for letting me steal her crossword puzzles in quarantine - just what I needed! Will remember this handy tricky for calming the nerves in future ;)

C • Woohoo! 3

Around 10 mins warm up, then lots and lots and lots of laps around the field to warm down, trying not to hear about all the people who were coming in faster than me!

Jog around Smithton/Culloden. Surprisingly nice area! Felt a little tired - hopefully better tomorrow.