Training Log Archive: Craney

At Cherry Farm. Came 5th, 4.04mins back on a safe run from Simon. Just enough for 3rd overall. A hot and hilly day, but easily the best course of the lot with heaps of massive rocks and some great routechoice legs. The butterfly loops were fun too, although they did do their usual trick of bringing people together. It was never going to be a good result for me from the moment I chose to go straight to #2. A decision I stand by, in that refaced with an equivalent leg I would still go straight, but faced with the evidence of Lachy tacking 1.11mins out of me on this leg was clearly the wrong choice. It was also the tiring choice, which definitely cost me more time as the course went on. Screwed up #3, #4, #6, #9 and #10, so not surprised to be caught by Simon 4mins and Lachy 2mins when back at the pivot (#11). My boo filtered through to my legs and I struggled up the hills for the next section, watching helplessly as Simon glided merrily away into the distance. Fortunately in the next butterflies I took a round route (finally, I learned!), which paid huge dividends and I was back with Simon (who'd gone straight and made a mistake at the same time) again. Couldn't resist a cheeky comment. Spurred on by my good fortune, and aided by Simon not really having anything to fight for, I was able to stay with Simon back to the finish (losing the battle to the finish line by taking the round route to the penultimate which, for the first time, was not the fastest).

Overall thoughts: very disappointing. I wanted to do well, I wasn't in bad shape, I thought my head was in the right space at the start lines, but I just could not concentrate in the forest and had really rubbish discipline. I think I might just be spreading myself too thinly at the moment, and my brain is just aching for a break rather than having to carefully choose another goddam attackpoint. Simon, I think, is in better form than he was last year, Lachy is improving rapidly and adding some real consistency to his bow, and Shep is one of those annoying people who gets back to fitness in no time.

Warm-up only (of course).

C • "who gets back to fitness in no time" 2

Day 3 1 Hard (2) - Splits

At Prossers Reef. Came 3rd, 5.03mins back on a strong long performance from Simon. This race should've suited me: long, easy, undulating and runnable (I've changed!). A shame that this type of terrain was chosen for this race, but them's the breaks and it should've played into my hands. Started cautiously in the steep rocky section, but took a poor line to #3 dropping a bit of time. Slow to #5 while I decided my route to #6. #6 was a very long, but very simple, leg and I opted for the round boring option, which I think turned out best. Unfortunately we'll never know because 6 of the next 7 SI units weren't working! Given that I didn't do #7 or #8 very well, I may well have picked up 1min on #6. Went well on #9 through to #12. I think I did the long leg back to #13 poorly - chose a bad line and lost aggression on the uphill. Wouldn't be surprised if Simon took 1-2mins out of me on that leg. Again, will never know. Still, within 1min of him at this point. Then it was time for everyone's favourite game: termite mound bingo! Except with the added twist that the 60cm high termite mound wasn't quite in the right place in relation to the only available attackpoint. Well, the flag was hung high and no-one else seemed to lose much time, except muggins here who spent nearly 4mins running around in circles in roughly the right place before eventually stumbling across it. Angry. The rest of the course was pretty straightforward re-passing people who I'd passed many minutes earlier.

C • termite mound bingo 20

Mainly warm-up, plus a token effort warm-down.

Day 2 Course 1 - Splits

At Charwell's Labyrinth. Came 6th, 2.48mins back on another good run from Lachy. A good fun course in amongst some cool big rocks, with some tricky micro-routechoices. Came unstuck on pretty much every leg which involved running over vague stuff and dropping into the rocks, including #1 which put me in a big boo from the off. Turned out I wasn't doing as bad as I thought until I chose a stupid route on the long leg after which I really was doing as bad as I thought.

Mainly warm-up, plus a token effort warm-down.

Course 1 day1 - Splits

Event: Easter 2014
 

At The Common in Rylstone. Came 4th, 16s back on a good run from Lachy. Fun terrain with some patches of bare rock, but pretty simple when you boiled it down and the close results showed that. Not very happy with how I felt out there but clearly wasn't going too badly.

Night run up Davo. Pretty heavy-legged but saw a tawny frogmouth so all good.

C • Finally! 1