Training Log Archive: slow-twitch

Waikawa Beach - first time back since Oceania. Treated as training not racing (even in the two sections where Malcolm and I were pushing each other along a bit) so made a conscious effort to take route choices that were technically testing, not always the ones that I would use in competition (the mostly track option for the 2nd control on the 2nd loop was particularly hard to turn down!). A little bit messy at times, but most of the mistakes seemed to involve stopping too soon on longer legs which perhaps means I've been doing too much orienteering on 1:5000 or less lately, no doubt exacerbated by the slow going through the rough open.

Off-road, Horoeka Track then 4WD tracks up to the pipe gate somewhere near the Tawhai junction, and return. Generally feeling sluggish and fatigued with a lot more walking than I'd like (still a shade under 19 min to the top of Horoeka though). Not sure if that justifies me never getting out Wednesday or Friday when I really did have the time for it, or is punishment for that. Had a little flying lesson on the way back down, my landings still need work.

Finishing off the trapline - with a walk up Butchers and through the pines to get back to where I left off yesterday, 1 hour to check 50 traps along the ridge top, 1.5 hours to check the remaining 30 going down the arse end of the trap line, then 2.5 hours return up the river and down Orongorongo track (the less direct way because I couldn't be bothered with either option of going back over Cattle Ridge). Met 1 person just as I was getting started and 3 people in the last hour - felt so crowded!

Onslow College - distance/climb assumes map was 1:2500 and contour interval 2m - definitely wasn't the quoted 3.7km! Could have done the waterfront 5k instead but thought this was the better option after 2 days knocking myself about a bit in the bush, because this way I could just take it easy and get some practice in. 'Taking it easy' lasted until I ended up going head-to-head with Kieran Edwards for most of the course, especially as once the moment we chose very different routes on the first real route choice leg, it was game on! Farted around a bit over the first 3 controls getting my head into the map (and into orienteering in general tbh) which is how Kieran caught me so quickly, but other than that, only fault was nearly getting caught in the dead end trap between 9 and 10. Have to admit to getting a bit of 'guidance' through the short legs 17-22 before the young fella finally started to open up the gap between us...

Checking possum traps, Rimutaka FP. Motored out Orongorongo track and river to base of Brown's Track then traps Brown's Track, Cattle Ridge and pines, before doubling back and down Butchers back to the carpark. Managed to avoid the busload of Chilton girls and had the tracks to myself