Training Log Archive: Ralph

Long day of traveling. Totally not hungover.
Sorry Jenny

C • No worries 1

Last leg for Mighty GBR.
Felt just like a ShUOC relay with Kris coming in with the pack. Unfortunately, Sponge had some trouble with a couple of controls and came back a bit down. Still no problem went out and attacked it. Picked off the Finn and Swiss by the first control, got the Russian at the fifth and the Dane at the eighth. Bit of a major wobble on the penultimate control but didn't really matter. 9th place and 8th nation. Not bad but a shame not to get onto the podium.

Middle Final.
Had decided from yesterday that to get a good result I would have to be technically spot on but also be running quickly. I felt really relaxed at the start but still knew that I had set out fast. Felt good though as I had big attackpoints and was reading the contours well. Bit shaky into control 4 so slowed down a bit to 5 and 6 to make sure I hit them well. Got into the white and felt good still, took a bit of a risk into 8 but slowed down and hit it well. Was a little slow to 11 as the contours didn't match up but got it fine. Drifted on 15 and curved into 16 but hit them fine. Good solid last loop.

Really pleased with my run, think I lost maybe 20-30 seconds max, but couldn't have really expected much better. If I had been offered 7th place I would have taken it instantly but to be so close...

C • legend 2

Middle Qual.
Having had such as disaster in 2008 and then not running in 2009 but seeing nearly everybody else miss I was quite anxious to get this race done with a secure qualification. Got it in the end despite loosing a minute but it was a lot closer that it should have been. You can't win a race with the qualification so in the end it didn't matter.

Long (Classic) "A real race"
Tipped up at the start to find there was a 40 minute delay. Used the spare time to chat to Lars and generally feel mega relaxed. Even managed a decent warm up. Went mega ultra super safe to number one but got it secure, solid through the next couple up to the long leg, started running with no real plan but managed to stop myself and stood still for around 10 seconds trying to plan/spot a good route. Didn't find one so just got on with it. Got round the butterfly (in the right order) and saw my 2 minute Dane at the final control in the butterfly. Started shifting. 21 made one of the worst mistake in terms of pure stupidity ever. Just didn't quite have the discipline to go all the way round this loop of path a opted to cut, didn't check my compass and ended up loosing between 1.5 and 2 minutes. On a couple of controls I was far to cautious and lost time but then again I was really safe and didn't make mistakes. Need to find this balance for later races. 13th at JWOC long, not bad though.

Sprint
Actually quite nervous before this race, didn't really deal with it very well. Ran alright but made some stupid mistakes and wasn't really running in control. All in my head.