Training Log Archive: TheInvisibleLog

I made a resolution to myself to navigate carefully today, and promptly forgot all about it. It was 300 metres to the first control. The leg was over a small rise and then down hill through rock and hanging gullies. It took me almost 10 minutes, when three and a half would have been reasonable. It wasn't only me. Nigel managed 18 minutes and lost any chance of knocking me off again. But a couple of competitors in our class took 30 minutes! This was a good bit of course setting for several reasons. First, the terrain was hard to visualise from the map, with the contours disappearing in rock and allowing one to jump to the wrong conclusion. You needed to stand still and really understand what was on the map. But the natural reaction on a first leg at a major event is to run and think later. I paid the price. I made another 3-4 minute error on the fifth control, with messiness in the circle on a further three. All, in all, lost about ten minutes and was placed 16th on this day. Noel did me by less than ten seconds.
Great terrain!

This was meant to be the scrappy part of the map. It was still pretty good by my standards. Started 2 minutes behind Nigel and caught him by the second control. Then came the long leg. Paul Pacque caught us both and a small train started. The hill up to the fifth control sorted us out. Paul pulled ahead and Nigel dropped back a little. We then each took different routes on the second long leg. My choice was the worst, but found the control with little bother. Its worth recapping the position at this stage to appreciate what happened next. Paul was out of sight ahead and Nigel out of sight behind. If the race had stopped here I would have been in 7th place. I lost two minutes on each of the next two controls and dropped to 12th. Nigel caught and passed me, though I didn't notice because I was in the wrong place. The final two controls were simple.

Sprint race at the Dubbo zoo. It was an interesting location, though I wouldn't think the technical challenge was all that high. Not sure of the time I took. I didn't use a watch or GPS but relied on SI. But SI DNFed me. It claimed I missed the first control. If I had, that would have been a real achievement, seeing I was in a pack of about 15 runners. I know I went there, and I have a clear memory of dipping my stick into the hole and waiting for the beep. I was fourth in line for that box and there was one more competitor waiting for me to finish. Explanations I have been given:
1. You didn't go there. (Sorry, not defensible)
2. You forgot to use the SI unit (no I remember that distinctly)
3. You didn't wait for the beep. (No, I heard the beep. I remember it seemed to take ages because someone else was waiting for me to finish).
4. You heard the wrong unit beep and pulled the stick out too early. (Maybe, but I had my stick in for what seemed like ages)
5. The mass arrival at a relay control scenario that has been discussed on various web sites.
I am not sure what happened, but my faith in SI is dented. I might be more understanding when someone makes the same claim to me.
The upside is that it was at an unimportant race, and I didn't have an official time so Ian Dodd can't claim to have beaten me with leg speed.

Run around the Tom Wood trail. Not much choice for running in this town. Still, a pleasant location with water and redgums. Last run before easter I suspect,

A 360 degree view in three images.



More after Easter.

Run around the Tom Wood trail and side tracks.