Teering (Aus Champs) 36:32**** 3.98 km (9:11 / km) +93m8:13 / km ahr:144 max:170 spiked:12/17c shoes: VJ Bold Super 10R
Reality bites. Not running well enough for spur gully and the steep banks were a real challenge on one leg. And also lost time (2 minutes) at 6, put off by Noel running back towards me. Actually I didn't really get into the scale or contour interval at all: I was looking too early on many controls and looking at smaller features than were on the map. Finished 7th and wouldn't have made the top 3 without the mistake.
Teering race (Aus Champs) 17:38 3.0 km (5:53 / km) +30m5:36 / km ahr:160 max:178 shoes: Hoka Bondi 4
Charles Sturt Uni, Bathurst. Probably one of my best technical races, although about 1 min per km slower pace than I would normally run (maybe there is a connection). R knee was sore and provided no drive, but at least it functioned as a lever.
Good start from inside the building (so GPS didn't pick up till after #5), worked out the shortest route and made it. The shock from the splits is that Noel Schoknecht and Geoff Todkill shared the lead at #1, with me 10% down in 10th M60. Again got the shortest route to 2, but dropped a place with the 11th fastest split as Warwick Davis took the lead. Second fastest to #3 is surprising as it was a longer leg and downhill - I was basically stumbling along. 3rd fastest to #4 is another surprise, yes I got the shortest route through the covered area, but I did the "navigate to the circle centre thing" and had to look about a bit for the flag, then check the number.
Coming out of #4 I saw the marshall and figured out the garden was OOB; this was my slowest split of the day at 18th M60 - didn't get the steps that were partly under the circle. Only 8 seconds down on the fastest split and leader James Lithgow, so not really a mistake as I don't go down steps that well anyway.
#6 was the long leg and I took the bit longer wide route. The difference in speed shows up here as Ted was 34 seconds quicker.
Unbelievably I had the fastest spit to #7 - I went wide left - faster than straight with 2 sets of down stairs. Up two places to 7th and I wouldn't slip lower than 5th for the rest of the race.
#8 features the only actual "mistake" for the entire race. Halfway along the straight route I went left under a canopy and came back out on the road which I had been on - maybe 5 seconds? But Ted was 18 seconds quicker...
9 and 10 were the easy spectator run-through, leading to a fairly easy 11 where Ted inexplicably lost nearly a minute to hand the lead to Mel.
#12 I'm not sure of the map near the control; I could see the flag but was worried about the passable fence I got over. Still, my 11th fastest split was 9 seconds quicker than Mel who handed the lead back to James.
#13 I was one of a number with the fastest split (through the covered area to the right and sharp left). Jeff Dunn had been in second, but lost nearly a minute on this one and then had 5 fastest splits in the next 6 controls to finish 5 seconds behind me in 4th.
For #14 I went the rather obvious wide right route for second fastest split and climbed to the podium in 3rd for the first time in the race. #15 again, obvious wide right, another second fastest split.
#16 I went straight which included climbing a fence slowly. Despite this 7th fastest split I took the lead from Mel! A u-turn here and wide right to #17 meant that Mel took the lead back by 1 second with Ted closing fast.
I went right on the long leg to #18 and got that second back for a share of the lead - with Ted 1 second back in third!
Ted's late charge came to an end at #19 which was straightforward and Mel got 3 seconds on me. Mel gained a further second on the run in for the win, while Ted was 7 seconds faster to pip me for second by 1 second.
Overall obviously pleased to be on the podium for the 11th time in 11 starts. Six weeks after the operation wasn't enough for any fluidity running. Fitness wise I felt pretty good and hopefully no lasting damage - gave myself a start for the Middle.
Cycling53:56 25.08 km (2:09 / km) +317m2:01 / km ahr:136 max:154
4 PM
Running7:38 1.03 km (7:24 / km) +4m7:16 / km ahr:117 max:138 shoes: Hoka Bondi 4
Last ditch test run. Actually surprised it was a 7:30 km, thought it was going to be a lot slower than that. Right leg feels wooden, with no drive. I thought the Hoka rocking motion might help, but I don't think it did. Obviously not competitive, but maybe I can get around the sprint course? With tape?