Training Log Archive: slow-twitch

Experimental 'stage race', 'Special Stage 1', Avalon. Legs wouldn't get up to full speed (the cold, or the last couple of days' efforts, or both) but ground conditions were a bit rough for most of the latter part of the course anyway. Over-ran 3 while refolding my map for the long leg to 4! And made the mistake of trying to go direct through the green 6-7, as well as being a poor route choice in itself probably drifted far enough off it trying to find a clean line through the bush I might as well have doubled back out into the open in the first place. Almost got caught out a few more times with things coming up quicker than I expected (non-standard scale) but each time realised just in time.

'Touring Stage 1' - Avalon to Melling, which I spent most of contemplating how much nicer it would have been to do the maps in the opposite order, given the super strong southerly...

'Special Stage 2', Melling. This time the legs woke up, and it was great fun. Really enjoyed not having to pause at the controls at all, especially in the open parts on the east bank. I feel I made a minor mistake somewhere near the end , but can't actually recall what it was - but overall the kind of performance I'd love to pull out at a major race!

Touring stage 2, Melling to Hikoikoi, a stretch I don't think I'd ever done on foot before. Had Caspar and Ellie for company this time which made it feel a lot easier. Also was mostly a bit more sheltered although whenever it did hit it was being nicely funneled, so 'total wind resistance' was probably about the same!

'Special Stage 3', Hikoikoi. I haven't been here for a long time (never orienteered) so was nice to see what used to be one of those forgotten wasteland corners has evolved into. Unfortunately the legs had peaked at the last map, so while I had Ellie in sight early on and thought I had a good chance of catching her, she then stayed about the same distance ahead every time I saw her. And every little ~2m embankment felt like a mountain... Held it together technically though except dropping maybe 20 or so seconds at 10, oversimplified and started looking down the side of the first patch of green, and then not far enough down the side once I had the correct patch.

General summary: cool format, would race again. And excellent value for money at just $3.50 (the bus fare from Petone back to my car at Avalon) for the whole day! Was worried (especially with the weather on the day) breaks between stages would be difficult to manage, but the only pause that was probably a bit too long was between the first map and starting the run to the second. Which I could have averted by starting the first stage later, but the plus side was it meant that I was sitting in gruver's car when the last nasty shower of the day came through. Was able to carry just enough extra clothing in (or tied onto) a running pack to get through the day.

C • Multi-Sprint Format 1