Training Log Archive: brycec

Event: Lover's Ridge - WA Classic Day 1
 

Had a really good run.

#1 was a control on my rogaine
#2 flush
#3 - damn it too short and dicked around there for a while, saw ricky fly through before realising I was short.
#4 flush
#5 short again... silly.
#6 good
- by now my left shin was really hurting and some of the field running was causing right ankle rolls badly :)
#7 and #8 flush
#9 I swear it was mis placed, lost a little time hunting.
#10 right on top of it
#11 did go short like earlier and was clean
#12 perfect
#13 perfect
#14, strayed a bit to the right a few times but constantly correcting - hit it reasonably cleanly.
#15 dog of a leg but clean
#16 fine once I crossed the river out of 15.
#17 perfect
#18 perfect
#19 along main river then up the spur before the watercourse with the control on it
#20 around the top of the watercourses and then down to the point. almost stacked it getting down to it.
#21 started heading for finish! idiot corrected just before start - thankfully not much of a difference - clean
Finish.

Was a good run very clean - shins very sore, ankle too. Saw ricky at the finish while waiting to punch thought by some fluke I had over taken him - he informed me he had done h4 as well :(

C • 1

H1 - Splits

Enforcing a rest day because not feeling 100% rather head it off early - so dropping a MTB and swim - but not going away for weekend as was once planned so picking up the two footo sessions :)

Scheduled rest day

Feeling on the border of going down sick :( hope it doesn't go that way!

Skins where sore before I started particularly the left - so i decided to take it easier.

I felt like I was just plodding along wasn't concentrating on much just thinking about work etc. when I did think about my running I could tell me legs where composed and just general sloppiness.

Fire alarm at greylands made me think, bit late for a fire drill... the fire engine that whooshed along shortly after that thought confirmed that... but I saw no flames nor any smoke... I sense the criminally insane attempting a 'flee in the confusion and chaos of a fire alarm' old trick...

Anyway it wasnt until I was nearly home when I glanced at my watch and saw dear god I am almost on my last best pace. I increase my effort for the last maybe 400m?! to see if I could meet or beat it - but the kick was a bit late and not commited enough and slide in 10s short. However I see that as a possitive as I felt I was having a chilled easy run up until that point so confident I can go faster in a few weeks once I get my shins back to a nice place.

Ave Cadence - 63

bit nippy out there today - quite a few people out in the park cars and bikes.

4 ricky encounters - 0 acknowledgments, will forgive the 1st time as he was recounting his run around the lake last night and the 4th one as they where well infront of me... but geez rude the other two times!

Garmin continues to improve its accuracy but still well wrong.

Feeling reasonable post ride.

C • Acknowledgements 9

Felt strong, composed, powerful and focused.

Felt light to start but clunky for last few km.

But felt quicker and was by 16s / km felt like I had another 5-10s/km in me and didnt put a kick on because I had been cruising nicely.

Garmin clearly playing funny buggers.

Average cadence up to 61.

felt like I worked a bit harder today - rewarded by trimming a few mins off.

Garmin consistently inconsistent but moving in the right direction still.

was a nice session though - not many people in the park and could feel the last of the dustiness being combated by the fresh cool kings park air :P

Event: Jumbuck Hill - Standard Bush Event
 

Right - Jumbuck is a seriously nice area. I have only been here once before and I rode out there that time and was knackered for the footo so was nice doing it without that... HOWEVER I was sporting a massive hangover from the dinner party last night and was feeling very green... not cool in an area with so much hill!

1 went to fence and followed the track, tried out jogging but really wasnt great. got 1 easy.

#2 went back to track and followed it around overshot my attackpoint and therefore overshot #2 - relocated off the watercourse and found it within a reasonable time but was a slow leg.

#3 - already sweating buckets, forgot my hat again and was feeling pretty crap now - just decided straight line everything from now - and boy that was a good idea, slow and steady and very straight hit 3 flush, 4 I grazed to the right and knew I had turned my head and saw it and went straight over, 5,6,7 all flush

Met a flock of Goats and kids on the way to 8 - hit 8 flush too, nice of them to leave tape out :)

9 went high early and along to get road in the saddle, which I did perfectly knew the attack point I wanted not sure if I hit it right but came down and found the point pretty much where I expected without too much searching.

Spotted polly going for 9 as I exited it and went to 10. As I left 10 in came Polly hot on my heals, I made a silly mistake going to 11 and got pulled off my bearing through stupidity and by the time I corrected was meeting a few people on the flag including Polly. We both turned for 12 set our bearings took 2 steps forward and saw the control and flew down the hill towards it. Polly got up the far side quicker but was a bit right and helping a lost boy. I motioned them over to the flag then we discovered it wasnt the control he was looking for. We showed him where he was on the map. He completely disregarded our comments and headed off in the wrong direction with confidence.

Polly and I made it back to 13 at same time even though two different routes. but I left for 14 first and Muppeted it up - went towards the area between 14 and 15 and when I realised I had to guess my way back. to the right area. I managed but was way too high - slowly worked back down the hill but Polly beat me to that point and established a lead up to 15. I didnt think I would see her again now and continued on my merry way. 15 was flush, went left of 16 and corrected when I saw the watercourse. Then went for 17.

Interpreted map detail really well and hit it bang on too. Straight line to 18 and again super crisp nav. Left 18 I found Polly half way to 19 coming back to 18. she must have had a bad overshoot and I trotted on to 19. Flush and then for finish was a bit downhill from the marker but fixed that up when I saw the flag. Dont know what happened to Polly as I resulted, had some water got my keys, read the progress to date got back to car, got my gaiters and shoes off, sorted myself to go etc etc and left with her making the finish yet. Must have had a rough last few legs.


I felt destroyed after - hangover and sun had really knocked me about. I had sweated an unbelievable amount - was glad at the level of water stops out there today as I may have otherwise been in trouble.

Kudos to the setters, they could have been pricks in that area but they made it a really lovely course for what is an exceptionally nice area. cant wait to run that area when I am actually fit - could be good fun!

C • Next time 4

Catch up training session from missing the Saturday session whilst helping Paul.

I counted out 2k but watch said 1900 so I figured I had miss counted and did another 2 laps - watch then said 1950...

So I am confident I did 2.1 at a minimum if not 2.2

Pace is slow and steady but I just felt comfortable. hangover was still looming.

Also managed to get in for free as I couldnt sign up my membership as that area had shut for the day - nice of them to let me in :)

H1 - Splits

Jordan and I went for a bit of a spin out at Jarrahdale - first time I have been out there in daylight - some nice trails with decent grip - felt like a few trails needed some work to make them nicer though.

My legs where struggling - a bit tired and heavy from the week prior. oh well.

Stopped in to Pauls on the way home - just in time for a roast lunch - wowsers... they then rightly put me to work rewiring the fencing which was good fun - delayed my swim to the Sunday and stayed until the wire was run.

then realised had a dinner party at 7pm and a fair bit of ground to cover.

was slightly uncomfortable in the mtb shorts be the end but surprisingly the shoes where good.

Glad tomorrows off - and no running till Sunday - shins feeling it a bit.

Had a bit more in the tank than I gave tonight but was happy with the run for the most part - didnt get head in game early enough and was allowing my thoughts to wander a lot rather than focusing...
that said the siren going off at greylands hospital made me feel like I was in HL2/L4D and needed a tranq gun.

Felt like I had another 5s/km in the tank and the finish 1km kick made that really evident - need to carry that for the full 4km. Less of a struggle getting out door tonight, mindset starting to change, only 1 week in thats good usually takes a bit longer.

C • Real men 2

Average Cadence 56 - need to increase this and stop grinding. Also judging on HR can work a bit harder!

Garmin is at least consistent in its inaccuracy it measured distance a little better today but was about the same distance short on the bike clock... maybe the bike clock is wrong??! :P haha (sure its the garmin, strava confirms the bike clocks distance.

Bit of a cold start this morning was nicer after the aberdare downhill dash warmup. - didn't realise how cold ti was until I got home and got into the shower - might bust out some warmer stuff.

Also passed Ricky 4 times but the rude bastard never acknowledged me :P (probably because he was powering downhill at a rate of knots while I was poodling uphill.

Anyway felt like a reasonable session and better across the board, cadence/speed/HR

C • 56 29

So was a bloody cold start-

Feel like i was moving my legs faster but short stride - sad. lets add the last two sessions together!

Anyway after about a km just settled into a cruise, felt as fast as last time but stride length was shorter - was debating if would be quicker or not. Didn't feel like I was working as hard.

Also need a stretch calves/shins feeling it a bit as is lower back.

Was cold until the 3km mark and for no reason lifted nicely and ran better.

So slightly slower than the other night - doesn't surprise me. interesting to note lunch size/type vs performance too (soup just doesn't cut it)

C • Energy 9

Moving ride to evening as I've had my dosage of rain riding yesterday

Putting my feet into the wet shoes wasnt pleasant - mountain bike looked liek in needed a good wash after yesterday too..

anyway was a good ride felt faster than the other day - but apparently not. I did have to stop to change battery packs though - also I swear I did a very similar course but this one was 1km shorter - not exactly sure how... think my garmin is being a bit dodgy! its starting sync is tacking a lot longer to get right and is wildly off for a good few minutes after getting sync. but also I don't get how its an extra 1km shorter than the other day when i took a longer entry course but dropper the outside loops once. should maybe if anything be a few hundred meter difference...

Otherwise felt good.

C • KP 8

** Strava showing up garmin - recalcing a much more logical distance... concerning about watch being so far out though.

Event: Pickering Brook - MTBO
 

Went into this one expecting to get wet and muddy and it didn't disappoint.

Made my one and only major mistake of the day straight out of the box - I wasn't orientated at all when I got the map and completely just followed the track - I knew it was wrong there wasn't enough climb... got to t-junction and knew straight away, started riding back and there was Dave doing the same thing! HA. And the whole time I was thinking I should have just gone back to the main drag like I had thought originally - Still took the hard option over the hill and let Dave burn off in front of me there. - I had run higher tyre pressure today hoping for a bit more speed, but just found (and found this on first downhill) that it was just moving around too much on the pea gravel and made it harder with more breaking... oh well!

Eventually got to 1 and then went over the hill to 2, up the middle to 3 where I spotted Dave coming out of 3 out to the east road and around to 4 (trying to minimise climb). And saw ori at the turnoff to 4 - nice and easy back to 5 - out to the eastern track for 6, 7 past the southern section of the plantations... I managed to go for a swim here - side of a puddle gave way into a much bigger hole.. oh well. 7 nice and easy after that.

Down the middle to 8 and saw Ori again coming down from 8. straight back to 9. incidentally by now it was lashing with rain, a lot of tracks had become watercourses. and I felt I was combining scuba diving and mountain biking. My lower back was also killing me.

Long hard slog to 10 and that leg almost broke me. Caught Ori coming out of 10 - he had got lost and doubled back and we rode to the junction NE of 13 and turned towards 11. his speed then took him away from me rapidly on the up hill. Did a small hike a bike 100m before #11 because back was really giving me grief now after 25m told myself to HTFU and got back on bike,

Down to main drag and past the carrot. and flushly down to 12 - almost made a mistake but got it clean in the end. Along to 13. I was then planning on taking the green route east to 14 but for the life of me couldn't find it - I think I stopped at it but it was that green I didn't think it was a track, so instead north and around which took a bit of time but was ok.

14 to 15 passed Ori going to 14 Woot and WTF. Going to try keep this lead - got out my snorkel getting to 15 but managed to stay on my bike and on the exit of 15 Ori passed, having closed the gap a bit. I worked hard all the way to the finish to hold him off which I managed. But he already had a time advantage on me starting after me so got me by 9 mins or so.

Was awesome out there - but everything is covered in thick thick mud now - and control collecting point 11 wasn't much fun in that rain - I did however managed to drive all the way too it and do a 3 point turn on that tiny ass track.

Heating to the max all the way home. Back still giving me some grief now, and killer headache meh! All in all a pretty good event.

Edit - turned elevation adjustments on and came in with a much more sensible number.

C • Well done 16

LONG - Splits

Felt much better out there today - movement was better and flow was better - still a long way to go but mind was in the game, plus I wanted to get in from the cold I am sure that helped - quite a bit of headwind at times.

GPS my an ass of the trace started quite a way away from where it actually was and didn't come right until well into the run. oh well - using stats from the first run. Incidentally not sure why watch was so out I checked sats just before I started and accuracy was at 7m not 100! :P

Anyway a 30s improvement on the other night.

Average cadence 52

Bit of a slow grind really - not horrible though. interestingly the bikes GPS was about 1km more than the watch GPS by the end. 4% slippage seems to be a lot.

C • Direction 7

Excuses first:
Felt tired before I even started
Calves super tight from Tuesday jacobs still
Left big toe dont know wtf but was an issue/

Comments:
PATHETIC RUNNING
if I was shuffling any slower I might as well buy a zimmerframe.
Wasnt lifting knees at all
Wasnt committing to the run at all - HR proves that.

That said the aim was to not got flat tack I certainly didn't but was still a disappointing effort even when I realised it was bad out there I had nothing there to lift the performance. bad bad bad.

C • Don't 7

Short stroll up Mount as warm up

Jacobs top to bottom to top = lap Lap times include if I was slack/taking a drink at the top

1 - 4:01
2 - 4:58
3 - 5:17
4 - 4:51
5 - 4:24

Ps auto lap was very annoying as it kept going early

Stroll back down Mount to work to finish - Feeling reasonable.

So struggled getting out of bed this morning after working late last night - incidentally left late but was still going to be there about 945. Until I turned up york-williams road cause thats what get driving directions from event had told google maps to do.

I stopped and read the event directions at the turn off and then searched for a thompson - nope. couldnt find... had I missed the signs or not gone far enough... where is dale.. oh how about hillcroft. winnar. zooms straight past south dale and along grover and found hillcroft - sure it should be to the right but feeling very uncertain I opted to go back so about face and back all the way to south dale where I turned up it and powered along that. in the middle of know where... "you have arrived at your destination" - well shit thanks google. its getting close to 1015 now and I am frustrated and about to pull the pin when I catch a O sign at a turnoff - as I was about to bail out. - lucky, floor it down the roads to get to farm gate and then into the site... geez complicated getting in and I was rushing... almost cleared out my front buumper on a ditch OOPS! teach me. get there about 1020-25 ish - rush for rego and then to the start. I knwo I need at least 2.5hrs and I start at 10.32 so was on the clock from the get go.

1 felt really unsteady getting to it but eventually got there and had a bit of hunting. As I left ricky powered back through I guess going to 22.

#2 used the granite then fence then spur then the hill of 8 to bounce my way across to 2. once I got there though I was hunting to the west for a while before I corrected - lost a bit of time in there. Also said g'day to Paul on the way through on that leg, he didn't seem in his normal spirits which didnt feel me with confidence on the future few legs!.

#3 having felt like 1/2 took ages I wanted to make sure I hit 3, so rather than jsut go straight at the point I was almost sure was the gully from well off, I kept going to the edge to check - bit of a waste of time should have just gone straight there.

#4 and #5 where nice and went well as did #6 - nothing like open ground areas! #7 bounced off the rocks near 2 and pretty much came out on 7. 8 I was going to go around the front but instead went over and looped around and spiked it nicely.

#9 I should have gone back via the white areas near 2 and 6 - but just punched through the horrible crap north of it - hit 9 flush but could have been faster.

#10 almost muppeted up after drifting right - however I realised and saw the flag at similar timing. #11 no worries ditto #12 - was just a tad slow through these when really should have been much quicker. Was really feeling the sun by now and I had forgotten both hat and suncream... so it was fly city and I was feeling roasted.

#13 was easy and went at a bit of a trot to it but certainly not fast! thern there was #14. I didnt know what the symbol ment- I didnt knwo there was a cave - I would have never found it but for someone pointing saying its in there to me. I found the cave very damp and assumed it was because Juffy had had a bouldergasim with the big rocks everywhere. Also felt like this control was on the wrong side of the big boulders based on the circle.

#15 the worlds longest leg! I went via the paddock - small hill to cross and then along a long paddock again - made for easy going and if I was fit it would have been super quick too. Hit 15 incredibly flushly and was 1 minute up on my time budget I actually felt liek I would make it in before 1300 at this point.

#16 no dramas, but #17 I missed left and then overshot once I realised I was on the rise I went back and hit it nicely. #18 was clean as was 19 - even though 19 needed a tiny bit of search.

I tried to keep #20 tight on bearings but I ended up finding #1 first and relocating off that. it was a bit soul destroying as I didn't recognise 1 at all and it was horrible ground to move over. Was feeling very dehydrated and sunkissed by now..

Leaving #20 I had 12 minutes to complete the course... doable but tough. hit 21 nicely and had 7-8 minutes left. getting tight.

#22 broke my spirit got lost finding it and was too far south, took my time finding it but this cost me.7 mins.

1 min until 1300 - well bugga. went to 23 and got it reasonably cleanly but was not 1 minute overtime, used the granite up to 24 which was still there YAY and went to finish. ended up coming home at about 1305 - not too bad I knew it was going to be tight and if I hadn't messed up close to some controls would have made it.

New shoes handled well - blisters weren't an issue and they certainly felt a lot more- robust. however my toes did go numb a few times so hopefully they give a bit and I can loosen them off may. Feet archs were a bit sore but I think that was more from last week still.

Setters did a good job and I actually enjoyed the course alot BUT 1 water drop for H1 is not enough! Pretty much took a shower under a container at the end and a long drink.

Drive home was fun - had me wondering if I would make it back as petrol was low - think I got to the servo on brookton with 25-30km left so ended up not to badly but when I left the site it was a concern.

Anyway sunburnt and exhausted now - feel like I worked hard out there today - time to go to bed!

Incidentally I feel like I am forgetting some comments about the course. oh well

C • Saw me 28

H1 - Splits

New shoes - seriously worried about toe space being too tight on longer races - but no one makes bush shoes with a wide enough fitting to be comfortable.

Going to attempt to build some running speed... Starting at the start 1km.

Very sad considering I know what I used to be able to run 1km in.

Yeah should really do a warmup next time that was #silly. HR still peaking after run lol.

Future speed posts going to be shorter.

C • Coach 15

Post rogaine stiffness - not too bad - kinda what I expected.

The heal blisters are owning me and making me walk like a retarded duckling. It was super fun getting into my work shoes... I actually dont know if I want to take them off now because thats just going to be worse!

Feel like a swim or a cycle would be nice but its just not going to happen.

C • shoes! 14

Event: WARA 12hr Autumn Rogaine
 

An awesome day out with Tash and Paul.

Some pre notes - I did 900m less than Paul?! guess choosing the best line from the back has its advantages. Also elevation corrections on made 300m difference now only 40m off Paul.

Moving time was 10:55... mm 45min ish of dead time, I need to work on improving that.

I noticed a lot of control where set next to stumps - I am assuming GB wanted to get them the right height ;) (payback for your pre start comment)

===
We set a realistic 50-51km course which we all felt comfortable about. Set off to the east and was at a jog pretty early - until Paul pointed out not one other team came our way!?! so we walked - thank goodness because every time I have started a rogaine with a run I have blown up.

Anyhow our start was great - 55/35/90/77/53/78/100 All bang on - I had been navigating from wherever I was in the train and felt really comfortable the whole way. I did however have stomach issues on the way to 90 which was super early in the day and felt like it could be a long day because of this - start pushing fluids hard early. Paul also gave me my first bit of assist up to 90 or 78 I forget with a bit of a hand in the back shove which is always welcome. 100 was interesting the angle we attacked from the control was largely hidden - Paul didnt see it until he was within 2m. Even though I was saying - its right there in front of you~!

61 was our first error of the day - it was a minor mistake and I knew the control was left just not as hard as I thought it was and Pauls firmness of it being straight ahead lead me to believe I might be wrong - I drifted slightly left which Paul checked where he thought it was and he quickly came back through and we corrected 50m left and got it.

Thing went downhill for me about here - focusing on the stomach pains and just watching bearings not the map - lost contact ALOT and when I did try figure out where I thought I was when trying to regain contact I was wildly wrong. That said once corrected I was on the money and 60 was a prime example - I was miles off my guess but once Paul explained where he thought we where I was in the game and spotted the control 50+m to our right when we hit the area.

On route to 91 a stick went straight through my shoe and well - that caused all sorts of dramas with a constant flow of crap going in my shoe from then onwards - it turns out my other shoe had two holes ripped in it and was suffering the same fate... explains why my feet felt so sore by the end!

Anyway clean through 91, 85, 54, 65, 63, 76, 101 and on the way to 51 Paul tried out the tow rope. It certainly pulled me along however I found the extra power I got from the assist was over compensated by the extra effort I was putting in to hold the pace up the hill. Also the side mount on paul was pulling weirdly on both of us so it was a weird experience. Tash was powering along next to us - was impressed with her form given she was only 1 week out from the 24. Only felt her slip off that pace a few times and was able to quickly give her an assist too keep up.

Post 51 we did an on road phone shoot followed by a downhill run - I didn't particularly love it but it wasn't horrible. Paul later told me he wasn't feeling so great at this point but I didn't really sense it out there. we got 83 nicely and then went north to 33 which was a SHALLOW FUCKING GULLY (SFG). Only GB sets these... I think most know my thoughts about these. Anyway I spotted it about 50m to our left as we where cruising along which was good because Paul was about to overshoot.

58 was clean, 82 we got to using the terrain, and then I was in front - I had been having horrible nav for about 2+ hours just bad map present... so I took the lead and Paul dropped back - later turns out Paul needed the break so it did both of us wonders. Because I nailed the direction and landed straight into 92.

81 clean then 102 was good - I was going into a bit of a low though and had a few other niggles going on - mainly my feet with all the pebbles in my shoes - forming blisters on my heals and my gut not playing nice. Tash offered to carry my bag - which was a lovely offer, but did humour and shock me at the same time. - turned out the cheeky monkey had had caffeine pills and was experiencing the joys of caffeine and felt like super tash at the time :)

31 clean then out to the road - I got some caffeine gel down and some food and started feel good post the water drop at 50. Night came on fast from there and Paul offered another tow rope up to 32. I was feeling good so I offered Tash the rope and she loved it. we hit 32 nicely and then went for 74. Clean again.

I knew 70 would be horrible and well it was. I went into a bad space just before this leg and getting there knocked me out of whack for a bit and it wasnt unto we cleared 56 and made the road before I came back around and was back where I wanted to be. From hear on out I felt pretty good but for me feet but everything else had numb/merged into a constant.

75 was clean and then 94 another SFG however again I spotted to the right maybe 25m after Paul overshoot and was a bit of a stealthy grab by our team not giving away the point to another team right behind us. North to the road then a nice road march ahead.

I noticed the always chirpy Tash and good convo had died down - so I asked the question, are you still eating and are you ok. which came back with a no to both. could tell she was feeling it and gave her some pain meds shortly after she had eaten. I think though the pain had set in so was a bit of an uphill battle for Tash from here. But she was bloody resilient and pushed on at a pace that kept me on my toes.

52 was easy and then along to 71 - Paul offered a tow and Tash shot forward... however ran straight past paul and kept going - DAMN. at this point my heal blisters where killing but cant separate so into a jog I went - Paul dropped back to give me some company - however as we got moving I quickly found that moving faster was easier and more comfortable and almost got to running speed. before realising this is silly and could lead to disaster and slowed down to find out we where at our attack point. 71, 30 cleanly.

Then we got our first real bad nav error on 72 We got it eventually but we got within 40m of our first pass and didnt hit it - we where definitely in the gully just the wrong side of it. We dropped 62 and went 41 to home. 41 we had a small brain fart before getting the point but pretty clean.

I think in total we dropped 190 points (84,64,103,57,66,62 - picked up 32,74,52,71) from our original plan covered the planned distance so very happy with that effort.

Team work was really good - Paul carried both Tash and I on nav and physically with towing. Tash kept me honest all day keeping up an amazing pace particularly after doing a 24 last week - she soldiered on in pain and was awesome fun out there enjoyed having a long walk with her.

Came out 4th (realistically the best spot we could hope for and 1st mixed. Making Tash the best woman on the day :)and getting me my first category first. Also longest distance I have done in a 12hr.

Apart from the SFG's setting was great, well done S/V teams good event.

In other news I need to go shopping as pants ripped to shreds, shoes are ripped to shreds.. Might wait until I can walk properly later in the week though - my heal blisters are bad bad!

- sorry cbf proof reading or adding more #needrest.