Training Log Archive: TheInvisibleLog

Back running again. The problem in the left thigh was always present, but running didn't seem to make it either worse or better. I think I'll be carrying this one through Easter.
Took the shortest route to Marne and back to No. 7. Took just over an hour. Still can't keep up with Ilka on those hills. She is strong after all those runs on Mt Wellington.

The biggest lesson...more time does not guarantee a flawless event. The map took 40 hours and I spent 19 hours on course setting before today Add today in and it is almost 30 hours. Close to two weeks work! I am a little stunned at this. Must get a life.

Errors and lessons.
WRONG CONTROLS: Control site for 66 had 68 placed there. Everyone was very polite about this, but I am pissed off with myself. It happened because of a series of unfortunate coincidences. First, the master map had the upper part of the second six in dark green. Problem 1: It was hard to distinguish between 6 and 8. Problem 2: A dog and a woman followed me into the site and I was thinking about control security rather than control numbers. Finally, I decided not to place control 68 after that because of security. If I had placed it I would have discovered my problem. That is the sixth control I have misplaced or mis-numbered that I can remember in my career.
FOULED UP THE HAGABY START: This links to the last one. I had decided to place what was meant to be control 68 just before starting the race. There was a walk to the start. I grabbed the wrong control (74 for the next race) and forgot the start box which was needed because of the next foul up below. Roch was helpful and went and grabbed the box for me. But I decided to just run with the wrong box (74 not 68 at the changeover). If I had gone back to the assembly area myself I would have realised the previous control foul up, made a quick check (it was only 50 metres from the start) and mentioned it in the briefing. Seventh wrong control at an event. Its happening too frequently in the past couple of years.
Finally, in a hurry to get everyone off and running, I skimped on the changeover explanation which meant I had to spend my time hovering at the finish control to ensure no-one punched it at the changeover.

MISSING EQUIPMENT: I had the OE files, I had the computer. But I discovered I didn't have the SI master station. It was at Jim's place and Jim was rogaining in the Snowy Mountains. No chance of getting it. I could perhaps have reprogrammed the printout station, but it was needed for the other courses, including novice and moderate. These days in our club you mess with moderate and novice course at your peril.

COULDN'T REMEMBER HOW TO INTERROGATE THE DOWNLOAD STATION. Its a fiddly procedure with a few quirks. I ran out of energy, imagination, memory and patience. Results as I could reconstruct them are on the web site. I will make corrections if I am sent them. The courses are also on RouteGadget in manual form.

Despite the stuff-ups, everyone was very understanding. I think the area was a hit with most of the masses. Apparently one novice gave up and decided orienteering was not for her. The courses were short but the times were on the long size, suggesting the map was tougher than i realised. I'll watch that next time I set a course on the map.

NEXT TIME:
1.Make sure all the computer gear is kept together.
2. Wait until the next versions of Condes and OE can cope with hagaby and butterflies.
3. Don't make another map next year.
4. Get someone to be a control checker.
5. Get some sleep. Starting tonight.
6. Get that life I mentioned before.

C • Are you sure that's all? 8

C • So many opportunities for a mistake 2

Had a Blair morning with the media on my tail about the vote by irrigators to close the Camapspe Irrigation District. It really is a big day in rural history of this State.

Putting out (locking) 19 controls and amending one of the clue sheets afterwards. More evidence of a previous drug induced altered mind state etc.

Really have to give the hammies a rest today. They have been painful running the last few days and Easter looms. Its the Bryces Flat hangover. What will happen if I can't rush between venues at the National Folk Festival. I have scheduled some pretty tight venue surfing requirements.

I discovered a new way to make a major course setting error today. I have been working on the home computer and then copying the work onto a USB stick. My method of copy has been file synchronisation using a program called second copy. I had set up a profile specifically for this event. It was off to the copy shop today and the files were too big to email as there were probably 60 courses with all the variations and someone in the family had blown our download limit... throttled back to 64k. I had to do a visit with usb stick. I plugged it in and did the sync. What I failed to notice was that Evan had left his usb stick in another geographically separated slot that I never use. Its at floor level. The result was the program did a perfect sync to Evans stick and mine was left with the file before the final map changes (including north lines). I decided to make a quick check and discovered the map changes were not on the final print files. Lucky! It took a little while to work out what had happened after s econd sync produced the same problem.

Mass seems to be inexorably rising.

Ran the orientshow course... all 29 controls. I think the old red SI stick limit is 30. We'll find out. No course changes. Several map changes though. What drugs were warping my mind when I was mapping some of those areas.

C • stick limit. 8

Also realised I had yet to put mag nth line on the map and the map was oriented to GN. Expect north lines at an 8 degree angle to the map edge a la scandinavian style. More drugs I suspect.

Ran the hagaby course for Saturday. Again, took longer than I expected. The outcome- Three map changes. Two new controls, two controls dropped, shorter course. Its clearly an improvement.
Felt too sore and tight still to run the orientshow. I'll do that tomorrow.

Short warm up

Ran the first course for Saturday from map memory. Stimulated a rethink. I covered 4.1k and it took 25 minutes. Went home and designed an alternative course for women and vets. I ran it in shorts, but I recommend better leg coverage based on my experience.

C • Rethink 9