Training Log Archive: brycec

So got out to the site and felt a bit colder than exited - knee was abit achey and I wasnt feeling super confident about my calf... great way to start a race eh!

Got to start lien to discover I forgot my HRM at home - dammit - probably should have thrown in the towel then.

Was behind Dalto - so wanted to try catch him up

#1 nice and easy

#2 saw him on the exit and was within a striking type distance.

#3 Managed to find the deepest rut of the river crossing got drenched - which that was at end of race and bike got dirtier from this point onwards but it looked clean after this crossing. Was cold from the water. Saw Dalto on descent from 3 as I went up - again maintained pace on him

#4 I opted to go east rather than descend and climb for ages. got pretty clsoe to catching Dalts but then had hesitation going around the bend cost me a small bit of time. Also last time I saw him. Also surprisingly saw Dave and I would hazard a guess on cumulative time I was beating him at this point.

#5 pretty much just a long grind - hill looked worse on paper than it was in real life - but still felt reasonably slow.

#6 slow but easy - enjoyed going down the far side of this control.

#7 got over taken by some whipper snapper who disappeared into the distance as we traversed the quarry.

#8 Shame on no route choice and just another long grind. Got reasonably muddy on the crossing. I was really thinking that I wasnt enjoying today at this point - just long grinds and not much route choice.

#9 west through the gully and climb - happy with this choice I was debating going east.

#10 If I hadnt been enjoying today - this one really took the cake. perfect up to the spagetti garden even got onto the correct north south and then somehow got into the crap stuff - and despite trying to get the the western path I went worse and worse into it. I managed to start down the trial in its NE corner closest to the number 10 but the left hand turn threw me and I thought I was on the loop track on the west on the N/S road. Hand I gone down there would have been ok.. but rather I looped back then went on the track to the SE that ends up going nowhere and almost off the map. now thoroughly confused and without a compass I decided to go back. I didnt do this well and eventually I got to the N/S track... only problem is in my mind I thought it was the NW track parallel to the main road. started along it and saw some people. so kept going thinking I will see the properties to my left soon... loan behind a control appeared on my right. I was thinking WTF is this 11 ? I really had no idea wtf was going on. I went over to it and it was #10. holy shit I found it by accident... head exploded how am I here... this makes no sense wtf is going on. confidence was shattered at this point. lost a LOAD of time here.

#11 I left the site turning right thinking I was on the southern track... I then passed a track running south... WTF that shouldnt be there. I stopped and thought about it for a bit then realised what was going on went back and took that track - in time to see a smoke trail behind ricky as he burnt past me. Some trail bikers scared the shit out of me zipping around the corner right infront of me but I wasnt close enough for harm... but they wouldnt have seen me if I was 20m further forward and could have ended badly... fucking trail bike riders.

Came up on number 11 faster than I thought and saw ricky exiting so knew it was right corner.

#12 By the time I was back to the main road ricky was on the far side. the boys fast what can I say. or more to the point I had lost the will to live/ride by now. Plodded on for an easy control

#13 Took the eastern route - again reasonably straight forward.

#14 - WHY WHY WHY put a control on a green track I mean seriously they should be removed from mtbo they are just crap. really just takes any remaining enjoyment out of the sport. got it all the same who fucking knows if I was on the track or not!

#15 main road to junction then in - nice and easy.

#16 did contemplate going west but didnt... looking at map now that was definitely the correct choice!

#17 long boring uphill grind followed by main road and a short stint into the control.

#18 decided to take main road was 50/50 on staying on the trail but figured the finish would be obvious and it was a short hill up to the trail again. Got great speed on the main road - best of the day by a long way - only to be lost by the small entrance to a major track and the flag obscured by trees - so almost road threw the out of bounds but realized and then saw dave waving like - its around the corner moron... yup right you are sir! haha.

The climb was longer and crapper than I had hoped for so lost a bit there then looking for the green track (insert rant again here) lead me to go up what I thought was a green track - clearly it wasnt it and I ended up walking through because of too many obstructions on this non track track... hit the green track running nw and went down it further as felt I needed too - managed to spotto the control.

Fin - overshot the junction a bit and let two people pass me which meant I couldnt fly full speed down the hill which was kinda annoying but given how much time I had lost already really didnt make much difference!

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Feeling a bit sore now - calf held up well but its feeling it now a bit. Disappointed in the race - I lost probably 10-20 on number 10 alone. and fell it could have been a sub 2 hr race if I had really pushed it and been clean.

I also think greens should be always marked with tape at the entries so you know thats the trail - I am sure overgrown else where you still see the trail but here its all the same. #rant over.

C • Notes 5

Long - Splits

Some slight twinging in calf today outta the blue not painful but need to stay mindful

Was going to go riding with Dave and co in kalamunda today but woke with my calf and knee feeling sorer and tighter than yesterday- and the last time I went fuck it lets go it ended badly. trying to learn my lesson and staying in.

I guess on a plus side I wont get drenched and will get a trip to bunnings in.

After putting on a few kgs in the last week and a bit and doing nothing this week was itching to do something - Wil messaged for a run - I knew I didnt have that in me so I said I would do a walk with him which I knew I could handle and we would grab some more squares.

So off we went - nice and easy. I almost got taken out by a tree on the way to the meeting point whilst sending an sms - silly me.

Had what we think is a successful session out there - we did however have our maps available to help us out - which was helpful - but leaning towards less pure map memory reliance - which is part of the fun of it.

Anyway out longer and further than expected but body held up good and averaged 4km/hr at night with half the course in bush. So not bad for an easy walk.

No HR because I really wear HR on walks.

notable improvement to calf and knee - but both are still not quite right.

left leg coming along nicely - started the recover stuff around the week 2 or 3 mark of my last physio rehab regime (because it wasnt as bad and this is what felt about the right level... hopefully wont take too long to strengthen back up - still finding staircase awkward though and pushing william up hill is not advisable. in fact upon realizing this yesterday I probably added a few km to a walk to avoid a small hill.

EOD course - wasnt the longest which I discovered at the end - a little bit disappointed in that but I guess thats EOD.

I was 50/50 as to come out today or not and that alone would have tipped it over the line - wish I had listened to myself and not come though as course was short straight line and reasonably boring and in my want to go fast pinged my left calf again lower than the last time more mid to lower calf - but really meant i hobble over half the course which wasnt enjoyable - shouldve just rested.

the 1hr of driving wasnt worth the 2km shuffle.

Back to icing and compressing and recovering this stupid left leg that seems to be forever falling apart.

oh and gps went to sleep as I started so dont know how accurate it is.

EOD Hard - Splits

Knee was feeling loads better even though lots of bruising - most/all loading pains is gone and inner thigh back to normal. outside calf/shin still not right but meh started easy to see how it felt and it was ok.

Met Will near perry lakes and headed down towards bold park - quick nip in to grab some squares and then back to road and around to southern bold park where we had attempt #2 at clearing it. Started to rain on this section but once we hit the bush didnt notice it/it stopped.

In at an angle and then due south... only due south when I am navigating without a compass in cloud cover with no visual reference was south east. I think we will end up with 1 of the 3 we wanted but the 2 we missed whilst be elusive little buggers should be easy enough to hit from another angle.

Out via the gold course where Will collected the largest spider I have seen in a while and freaked out (rightly so) as it climbed within an inch of his face hanging off his glasses.Got that sorted out and continued on our way. Was going to run south with Will be decided to take us to train line and split east of swanbourne so we both had quick legs home.

Felt good until about 1km to go when I started to feel some soreness. Knee held up well but left calf ever since the tear has been giving me some grief. just feels tight and sore - often. Stretched and compressed when i got home but still a tad sore today.

Shins feeling good and generally feeling alright after the long session.

C • Wow 4

So managed to miss the rain which was good - went off just before Dave who opted to do his first solo H1.

Was my first time solo in the bush this year (i think) and wanted a good clean race. didnt quite get it but had a decent attempt.

1) was short on distance to start but corrected pretty quickly using granite and cliff.

2) Pretty good - led someone onto it.

3) Spot on it

4) Had read description for wrong control and drifted right on way over. lost time searching here. Andrew martin point me in the right direction as I start to head up that way.

5) Drifted right again and lost a tiny bit of time here but generally pretty good.

6) Again drifting right but found it ok.

7) Spot on

8) pretty much spot on it with a bit of hesitation along the way.

9) Drifted badly right hit the gully with the cliff and rocks 150m west and corrected still drifted right of control from there - but saw flag and decided that must be 10 and went searching south then thought - better check that control... oh it was mine SIGH.

10) didnt take a bearing just ran off in north direction. got within 20m then started doing a weird grid search got in with (an older chap).

11) drifted right not too badly over the rocky knoll to the scattered clearing and down onto the control - gave it away to the older chap who had overshot it trying to go north of the knoll.

12) fast around north side and helped a young guy onto the control whow as lost clearly in the wrong location.

13) spot on

14) hocked around the knoll and onto the point spot on.

15) what a shocking leg. went north and played in bolder clusters eventually older chap caught up and came up further to my left as I was starting to correct. this was frustrating.

16) Old chap threw me punching somehting halfway to 16 which I knew wasnt mine. I then went to overshoot 16 to my left. missing it by 20m.

17) around the front of the boulders and back up to the SFG. which I ended up finding jsut fine.

18) Spot on

19) Enjoyed this leg used the rocks next to the green patch to bounce off adjusted to hit the scattered open then sharp right onto the point.

20) Easy leg onto boulders. Old chap was 30-40m infront of me on finish leg.

Fin) opened up the tank wanted to take the old chap - he heard me 10m from him and lifted his game, so I went to near full sprint and burnt past - eased into the fallen tree just before the road but then misjudged the drop to the road and face planted at speed - bounced twice and stopped at the foot of the punch so just reach up and finished. beat the old chap. He then proceeded to give me tips on how not to get lost and how to orienteering - which was nice but not required considering I had clearly covered more ground than him and knew what I was doing.... I might need to get a club shirt I think wearing the grey shirt throws some of the older ppl. BTW not suggesting I dont need tips or tricks but this was given in a you clearly have no idea what your doing type fashion - because apparently I was completely lost when he came upon me. HA.


Post mortem - beat ricky in my jogging mode so he must have over cooked his recovery run.

My knee is quite sore now particularly when squatting down. I think I will need to ice it as it has swollen a tiny bit around the grazing.

Ripped my brand new pants damn it - only worn them like 3 times. silver lining the left leg on my old pants wasnt ripped up so could substitute them in and looks good as new again - even if its a tad thinned from being used.

Generally happy with the session out. Apologies to andre who came over to chat and we bailed because it started to spit rain and I was cold!

Dave did well and will come back again - so going solo didnt kill him. but he did a lot more distance. if he becomes accurate he might be a contender.

edit - lower back on left sore after fall today too. not good.

C • Solo 2

Quickly starting to think the left leg may have copped a bit more damage than I thought - pains on inner left thigh now and outside of shin/calf. Knee pretty tender lower than the knee cap with some swelling and bruising evident. left lower back feeling sore. I must have been twisting when I hit the ground. Either way tonights sleep could be interesting.

H1 - Splits

So needed quite a few steps for my step count for today so went for a run.

Felt really good out the gate which was surprising and went at a reasonable pace early and managed to hold that pace - felt a few pockets of tired or energy drain but realised I was on a PB pace for the course so lifted out of those pretty quickly.

Finished strong good kick from crossing brockway to home.

Took almost a minute off my PB for the course (15th time ive run it) and 12s/km off my previous best pace.

Very happy with that for what was supposed to be a run to grab step count.

consequently ave and max hr higher than any other previous attempt... probably also because I am feeling reasonably unfit. which is strange given I just ran a pb ha!

right glute playing up still - think its got some weird compensating thing going on since I ripped left calf. speaking of which it was tight after but felt solid still.

Sub 5 min km is back within my sights for the first time in a long time.This is the fastest street run pace I have clocked on garmin which means in the last 3 years roughly?! sigh. so probably the fastest pace since I did my knee in 2010 - 6.5yrs nearly back to a 5min km. slack. but happy.

C • Doesn't 8