Training Log Archive: simmo

Travelling back across the Nullarbor and around the S coast for the next 2 weeks with not much prospect of activity other than walking. Need to consult specialists on return home for better diagnosis - mixed results with Ventolin suggest may or may not be bronchial/asthma related.

SA Middle Champs, very open area with rock everywhere. Warmed up then took the V, trying to make sure I actually took it in. Seems to have worked, as no episodes today. Was very careful not to go too hard until I could be sure nothing would happen.

Around to the left to 1, probably not the best route, but got 2nd fastest split. 2 was a bit confusing, couldn't match features with the compass bearing, especially a green cross which was a very obvious fallen tree; the rocks where I thought the control might be looked way north of the bearing, so checked out the nearer (wrong) rocks first - lost maybe 20-30 secs. It was pretty clear where 3 and 4 would be, 4 involving a steep climb. Picked up a shadow at 4, and he stuck to me like a limpet for the rest of the course - a little off-putting, helpful in terms of making me try to run harder, but not so helpful in terms of concentrating on the course. Splits show me in 1st at 4, and 2nd at 5 and 6 which I did quite well.

7 was where I inevitably lost concentration, being a fast, fairly flat run from 6, but I didn't spot a form-line spur that I should have run up, and ended up in a parallel set of rocks. Spent at least 4 minutes (with the shadow never far away) until finally getting into the correct line of rocks. By this time I was feeling good for running hard, and determined to shake him off, so went as hard as possible through 8, 9 and 10. Didn't look around but he was still there when I made a small mistake at 11 because the 3m cliff was also a 2m high Boulder on the high side (30 secs lost). 11 to finish was ok - but hairy downhill through rocks, and the shadow remained unshakeable.

5th place, 5:30 down, which could all be accounted for with an almost perfect run. Probably should have got 3rd with more care at 7.

Australian Long Distance Champs. Had two good puffs of V before heading up to the Start, but started to have a little breathing difficulty before the first control, and it kicked in really badly on a longer leg to 3. Promptly lost oxygen to brain and went all the way down the wrong gully 500m west of the control. Went slowly to 4, walking and jogging, but then had to take it very, very slowly up hill out of 4 on the 1.5km leg to 5. Had planned to go straight, but changed this to a wide right route with less climbing. Walked 90% of it then started running tentatively, and was able to run the whole last 1/3 of the course. Only 11 minutes down on the winner, but the W55s absolutely smashed the best M70 had to offer by a further 6 minutes.

Australian Sprint Champs at Renmark - 2nd place by 5 seconds. After the previous two bad days, several people suggested I try Ventolin, and someone gave me a puffer and spacer, so had a good intake about 10 minutes before my start time. Seems to have worked, as no problems during the race, despite a nagging feeling that something would happen.

Never went flat out until the last 3 controls, so probably could have found the 5 secs. No mistakes, good route choices, just a couple of small hesitations. Very pleasing.

C • Ventolin 1

Australian relays, first leg. Warm day, did well to 1, then a small mistake at 2, followed by a bigger one at 3. At this stage I was definitely back in the middle of the field with 3 other sandgropers. Got past them to the control before the spectator but then made another error, and the breathing problem came back in a big way. Staggered through the run-through, stopping for a minute to have a big drink, then recovered a bit on the next long, mostly downhill leg. The spasms came back big-time as soon as the course went up hill again. My head started spinning, and couldn't focus on the very detailed erosion gullies in the 2nd half of the course. Sat still for a while, but each time I tried to move, it came back. Eventually made it very slowly through the last 3 controls and handed over well behind most of the field.

Event: AOC2018
 

Australian Middle Champs at Renmark. Started slowly, but didin't do me much good as I botched the first, finding it hard to tell the difference between white and yellow (I wasn't the only one). Steady thereafter but speeding up a bit from 8-12 where I passed two sandgropers, but then a spasm came and I stuffed up 13, not really able to think while I was trying to get some air. Lost about 3 mins before I was able to breathe again, then another 2 relocating and climbing up to the control. Ran slowly over the last section knowing I was going to be a bit down the field.

Turns out I was 2nd at 12, had no chance of catching my kiwi mate - he was over a minute ahead, but could have got a place but for the spasm.