Training Log Archive: acejase

Cold but ok once warmed up. Bit of anxiety as news coming through r.e. London attacks which occurred near where my parents are currently staying. Few texts with my sister who couldn't raise them but quite obviously it was 1am in London so likely they were asleep with phones off.

Jim Sawkins Handicap at Rattall Creek. Quite an elite field* assembled. Mass start butterfly loop style so I was hoping my fitness would mean I could get swept along and hoping my lack of orienteering / terrain running would not cause too many problems.
Started a bit unfocussed with half a mind on London. A couple of common controls for all before the pivot control number 3. I hit number 3 in a line behind Rob Grant Craney Marty David-the-swede. Unfortunately it then seemed like everyone else was on the other loop as I set out for my longish no 4 control with noone around. Turned out the swede and Tomas were on my loop but were at the front of the line at 3 and too quick for me. I needed rob or grant to be on my loop.
Headed off reasonably well though heading straight for 4 and hopeful to see someone going 'round' to 4. Unfortunately this plan went awry when I came across (she called out to me) a lost girl (maybe 13-14yo?). She was a bit stressed and no idea where she was (she couldn't find a fence I'd not long tripped over). By the time I'd helped her I figured I was on my own.
Got through first loop reasonably well although my unpracticed navigation and terrain running were evident. Came into pivot control for 2nd time to see Grant heading out which was a little encouraging. But I knew he wasn't heading out on my loop and noone else to be seen from Red 1.
2nd loop and my navigation and terrain running were getting a little more ragged. Racing mode went down a little further when came across the same girl as previous loop! Lost again and more distressed than 1st time. Told me she'd never found the fence, no idea where she was etc and had to settle in to a full blown counselling session ;-). We were in the middle of a pretty vague gully and luckily as I left her I found her control so called out. Hopefully she got there.
Was well out of race mode now and nearly made quite a few blues on next few controls. Very scrappy. Lowlight was starting navigating for 16 when still at 14. Corrected without too much time loss.
Back to pivot and still no sight of anyone else.Next few controls were deceptively tricky with very vague hillside looking for a termite mound. Had some trouble hitting wrong mound but knew which mound I'd hit and direct to correct one. Turns out this was where I got past Craney and Marty**.
Last loop was still scrappy but I did straighten up a bit. Still on my own of course although did see Marty at a cross over. Getting a bit distracted with illogical worry about my parents in London and walked up the horrible steep hill in the middle of the loop. But probably last long leg was my best of the whole race running straight and just hesitating a bit at the end finding it.
Enjoyed race overall and wasn't bothered by the length. Would've liked to have run with others but thats the luck of the draw. Navigation and terrain running need work but when you've done 1 orienteering event since the last Jim Sawkins event (which I course set) then you'd expect them to need work!

* if it was a late 90s NOL race
** they mispunched this one.

Forced myself to do a km warm down. For the record heard from my parents when I got home. Despite not being far from Borough Markets they had no idea what happened until they woke to text messages from my sister. Safe and sound although I gave them a blast for effecting my race today. ;)

Mainly rolling.

Marty suggested session of Warm up, lap of LakeG (7.1k) at slower than marathon pace (4min15s) and then lap at sub half marathon pace (3min45s). With an O race tomorrow (!) I thought I'd do session but around central basin of Lake BG instead as efforts would be about 5k then. 4min15k lap seemed pretty cruisy although I slowed off the pace if I lost focus. The 3min45 lap took effort to maintain for sure and last k was like finish to a race. Ended up doing average 4min13s for 1st5k and 3min43s for 2nd 5k. Good session and beautiful day around the lake.

Laps with da boys - mainly Sam, PeteZ and Marty. Finished by going down to Commonwealth Park and back through Civic.

Flex n Stretch. Back to more strength after last two weeks of rolling. Downward dog semi agony.

Run into work. Still really cold and started wearing full winter kit. Legs on road to recovery.

Plod round the Pinnacles while the girls did ballet. Cold. Legs ok just only up to a plod.

Cold dark and slow plod. I actually felt pretty ok but moving pretty slow and HR said I was working pretty hard to move pretty slow so a few days recovery ahead. Did I mention it was really cold?