Training Log Archive: tinytoes

O shoes still hadn't dried out from last week as I found when I went to put them on - that cold leather feeling was actually wet. But 6 steps into the event and they would have been wet again so little difference. What was different today was no leeches, no rain, and a reasonable course with some challenges but some achievable goals.
S-1 Not a good start! I saw which way competitor before me LH went and while I deliberately held back to give her 6 mins start I still went the same way despite an alternate hollering to me - come this way! Tentative and slow and it took me all of 50m to regret my indecision and then decision but couldn't go back through the start so persevered. Took track and tried to make my way over to the railway line, which I did eventually but should have right from the start. About 200m from my attackpoint I saw LH emerging which startled me. She couldn't have got #1 and be back out and besides her direction was now not towards #2. She'd picked same track but bailed and went further. Took main track and in on w/c. splits time loss=0:51
1-2 Bearing and slog through green
2-3 Bearing to track, then picked up powerpole clearing, track after pole, followed carefully; helped Mark W on way, found very interesting feature and in - though flag wasn't quite where I'd interpreted it should be. Greigor wasn't navigating very well to this point as he'd barge off then come back.Splits time loss=1:39
3-4 Track, then pick up car wreck and stumble in and around looking for shallow gully. Ended up too low and near w/c so up hill. LH foraging too. Splits time loss = 3:27 which i think is fairly generous.
4-5 Bearing out to track, and took decision to use tracks most of the way, but go through green stripe if it look reasonable - it wasn't worth the bother. Helped 2 women on this section. Got to circle well and picked path in. Missed by about 5m, but grass was long.
5-6 Exited poorly, bumbled around a bit but only for about 10m, returned to flag and got to some large bare rock which I interpreted as cliff and around there on the map, cliff/track lines are virtually indistinguishable. Kept seeing a number of people cutting across on what "must" have been a track... or a rock face. Elected to go further W on a real track not one I manufactured myself . Fortunately saw Mark W and Zoe a little further over and at same time I saw the grey on the map so put a few pieces of the puzzle together and found flag. Splits time loss =5:48 - yep!
6-7 Main track but failed to pick up the minor track I sought, though i suspect LR was coming out on it. Got a little too far along, turned back to distinct vegetation change and took bearing and went in. It did help that 2 others were heading for same control but we were all coming from different directions. Splits time loss =2:28 possibly a little harsh, by maybe 30 seconds
7-8 Track to slushy w/c crossing, followed w/c, noted car wreck and in. LH at same time.
8-9 Followed running w/c upwards to track then bearing and just kept going and would have kept going except Bert said "Hi". I saw I was crossing a track, but thought it was the one before the one I needed, but LH cut across behind me to a flag which looked far too early for me - but looked perfect to her.... and a little later to me.
9-10 Out to track, along to minor, then onto even more minor but cleared. Picked green blobs and went in.
10-F Bearing and slog up slushy hill.
Well done Stuart - you have restored several people's faith in their modest abilities.