Training Log Archive: Craney

Bloody hell, how could this race be possibly as much fun as the last 2. Somehow it managed it. Same area as last night, but ventured out much further into the NT outback on a large 1:15000 map. Starting early meant it was warm and sunny, but not too hot. Still, I didn't want to chance anything, so made good use of all the drinks points, and even took a gel.

As it was, the terrain was super fast: dead flat sections, undulating hills, bare rock, scattered boulders, detailed bits of contours, massive termite mounds - fantastic! Felt good and had a really good run - lost time on 3 controls, about 30secs to 1min each, each time when I was just ahead of someone I'd caught (Gareth, Blair and Bryan) - something to think about. But other than that I was just running round loving it. The 3rd last control was 2km long, with the final 1km across literally a blank piece of white forest to a 5m high boulder - scary stuff! Miss by about 100m to either side and you wouldn't see it and could lose 5+mins. Fortunately nailed it. After losing a bit early on, Simon had a really good run too, and pipped me by 9secs - fair play!

Then went swimming in some more plunge pools in the NP, soaked up the sun, then drove to Darwin and watched the sun go down on the beach. Obviously the recency effect is at play here, but I would go as far as saying this was the best weekend of orienteering I've ever done.

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C • You never 3

Spent the day with the Butterfly Farm crew monkeying around in the Litchfield NP - this involved a lot of swimming in spectacular rock pools, taking in some incredible scenery and lapping up the sunshine.

Then we had to go orienteering, but borienteering this was not. Mass-start night race, 3 loops at 1:5000, complicated outcrops of 10m high boulders and fast runnable featureless forest in between. Carlsberg must've turned their hand to orienteering races.

Disaster struck on the start line as I couldn't get my headtorch working. Seb was an absolute legend and leant me his, and had to run with a handtorch instead. It was my problem and I would never have expected this level of kindness, but Cockie blood is a lot thicker than water - so grateful.

The first leg was about 500m across nothing to some massive rocks. Fortunately the collective compass bearing was accurate enough and we hit the detail in the right place. After #3 I was on my own on a shorter gaffle, so came through the arena with a fair lead. I did the 2nd loop (longer, for me) clean enough (running through nothing crossing fingers I'd hit the big rocks in the right place) and came through with a 20sec lead over Simon and Olle going into the last, ungaffled loop. Of course at night in complicated terrain, a 20sec lead is a bit pointless and they quickly caught up to me. I was a bit off line on the 3rd last, but Simon missed too and we were still together. I then chose to go round the back of the rocks to the penultimate (still don't know why) which was longer and Simon got enough of a gap to hold to the finish - fortunately I just held Olle off for 2nd.

Great race. Running at night meant it wasn't too hot, but it also made for fantastic use of some awesome (running out of superlatives here) terrain.

Event: Northern Territory Championships and National League Races
 

Carlsberg don't make sprint races, but if they did... This was pretty much perfect - stepped off the plane from Canberra winter to Darwin dry season - what a change, lovely 30degrees. Straight to the sprint, sausages sizzling, finish situated right by the sandy beach. Cracking sprint through a fairly interesting uni campus, then out onto sand-dunes for the last 5 controls. Had a pretty good run - not really on top of things in the uni, but only dropped a couple of secs per control and kept things together as it got tough running on the sand in the heat. Did enough for the win anyway, which was nice. Cooled down in the sea after, briefly though mind as I didn't want to get eaten by a croc (funny how there were no locals swimming...).

Then drove down to Batchelor (on the edge of the Litchfield NP) with Gareth.

Up pretty early to watch the lympics again so headed out for a run once C9 started repeating themselves excessively. Not as cold and frosty as some other mornings recently.

6x3mins on cycle paths round the East Basin. A bit dark but able to push reasonably.

Thought I'd better try some night-o before Saturday's race so, inspired by lazydave, Sebba and ALJ, headed out to Blackie with my headtorch. Did ok, but didn't find many termite mounds in flat areas and struggled to move much above jogging pace. Good to get some practice of running with a headtorch at night, and glancing at map and scanning the terrain, although Saturday night will be a completely different kettle of fish.

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