Teering race (Aus Champs) 1:09:32 [5] 10.0 km (6:57 / km)
ahr:154 max:163
Hill Park Dale. M50, 2nd by 1.45. This goes down as one of those days, the great opportunities that come by ever so infrequently that slip through an infirm grasp. There are far too many on my record [Irish O Champs 1980, 1984, Cork City Sports 85, World Cup 94, APOC 94, Easter 2000, Aus Champs 02] and very few taken. In this case it was my navigation which was totally inadequate for the task at hand. The technicality of the area was apparent straight away with massive granite boulders and cliffs in very runnable open terrain. Started tentaively and survived the tricky first couple (with the lead). Came unstuck on the easy 3rd, got on the wrong line of rock and had to go down to the fence to relocate (-4 minutes, HR drop from 150 to 130).
Resolved to finish the course cleanly after that and held it together till the control after the long leg no. 9. Paul Pacque was quicker through this section and by now was 5 minutes ahead. Must have lost concentration after the easy running because another needless 2.30 minute tripped me up here, significant given the winning margin. Careful back through the big granite and across the paddock into the easy bit. Too %$#^$%$# easy: another #$%^%$# 2 minutes on the really easy third last, looking in the wrong bit of detail completely. Absolutely deflated at this point and wondered if I'd make the top 10. A bit surprised so when my time went up on top. Wandered into the paddock below the start and happened to see Paul run across - I calculated he had at least a 10 minute lead, so resigned to my fate. Paul nearly handed it back to me with an 8 minute error on the same third last control but came in just in time. What a debacle for us both.