Training Log Archive: Ralph

Event: Västkust-stafetten / Västkust-stafetten, individuella öppna motionsklasser
 

Night O messing with me

Västkust stafetten - leg 3
1:7500 map so was pretty convinced things were going to come up pretty quickly at the start. With this in mind I promptly stopped early on 1 and had an argument with a control "what do you mean you are 34 not 35? Are you sure? I am sure I am right. Show me what number is on one of your other boxes, oh 34 as well, my bad, where on earth am I then?"

Problem on 3 as well, purely my own stupidity this time though. This left me on my own for a few controls which went much better.

On the way to 8 heard some crashing behind and decided to have a look, oh nice it's Timo Sild, now things are going to fast. Smooth into my next 2 but I am convinced he might have had a shorter gaffle as he appears on the track in front of me, damn, oh well, maybe it will even out later. He goes low into the next control, I go right, make a bit of a hesitation and see him climbing out, then as I am climbing out I see him coming back into the control. Oh yeah, there are two Silds.

Next control in a group with Timo, Eric (as seems to be the theme this camp) and Karl Walheim. Timo takes his own route and the rest of us lose time. Going through the arena there is a bit of a gap between us all, but it looks like Eric might catch Timo, which leaves me with a battle with Karl. Pleased with my execution of 15 and gain time on Karl, with Eric missing a slightly longer forking and also coming closer. 16 fine. Then a slog uphill to the second last. Eric unfortunately misses which leaves me in a sprint for 9th place glory. Managed to catch up by the last control for the, steps, 90 degree turn, then 30 metre run in. I am pretty sure I won in my dip for the line but Karl did punch the finish 6 seconds before me, as I found myself almost underneath the commentary table due to the lack of "run off area"

To the end of the colony and back

Long leg training with faster control picking sections

Night O

Event: Natt-DM Göteborg
 

GBG

Mass start tiomila training race

Bit of a scramble getting going and the start pens were done alphabetically, but did manage eventually to put myself up near the front, first control in 4th. Turing to 2 saw the massed headtorches in front as the splitting was quite big, avoided being dragged off to their number 2 allowing me to slot nicely into the pack at 3.

On the long leg to 4 Eric came flying past and this gave me the urgency to push towards the front as well. Abandoned map contact for a big knowing I would catch myself on the big marsh. Took my own way in to the dog leg control and saw I was now very much in touch with the front.

Another long leg to 6 provided frustration as one runner was not following train etiquette as was stressing everybody. Have him some nasty thoughts, and eventually jumped higher up the train and out of his way later on. Fight and both 6 and 7 due to only 1 box, classic gaffling technique on display.

Another long leg to 8, follow and keep in touch technique again. Then some actual splitting! Found 2 controls all by myself before chasing the leaders on another long leg. Quick discussion with Eric about the state of play "Is this the lead?" "Yeah definitely".

Grabbed the control just behind Eric then charged after him as the rest of the group swung off to the right. Looked behind a knoll, disaster, no control. Stress. Code check. Map check. Quick discussion. Leg it off left with new companion Fredrik Eliasson and Kent.

Find control, down to the marsh, looks wet. Fredrik hops across, looks easy, make sure to step in the same places as he did. Plop. Up to nipples in marsh. Eric and Kent to their waist behind me. Eric quickly escapes, followed by Kent. I am left doing a one armed breast stroke for safety, they don't seal map bags here so left hand was busy.

Legs don't respond so well after my unintentional ice bath, but I manage to get up to Kent and we take a nice route to the control, with Eric just in sight in front. Last 2 legs see a dash through the apartment blocks, which were negotiated with only a minor moment of confusion (looking for rock cluster on rocky slope), but safely in 1 minute down.

Gbg knowledge training

C • what did you 2

Ankles
Prison squats
1x4x80 2x4x90 deadlift
1x4x40 clean
3x8x50 step ups

Long way to Sognsvann, 2 laps. then out down the long grass, round the hospital, up towards Sognsvann again. Home

Ås by Night Final - Chase
Started with Øystein, let him dictate the pace and route to start with. Stuck ahead through some cliffs and then charged round the butterfly with the hope of catching him on the way out. Caught Håvard instead! Enter "stay behind and control" mode again. Saw Alan in front at 10 and then again at 11 (but a bit closer), do some fairly terrible orienteering to 12 but see Alan again (closer still). Mad dash through the houses for a couple of controls to the finish in a sprint with Håvard. Trying to decide what is a building, and was in a straight building is rather difficult

Jog post flight