Training Log Archive: blairtrewin

Got off to a good start in this race before I even got there, by getting a reasonably normal amount of sleep at a reasonably normal time (having almost dropped off several times at the restaurant table while waiting for dinner).

This was expected to be a major endurance test; in 1996 a course 600 metres longer at Mount Pearson for the Australian Champs had been won in 110. (I had a mediocre run that day, in a year when I was at least an outside possibility to win, then took out my frustrations on the Melbourne Marathon course two weeks later). We thought it might be a bit faster this year because of some burning but that anyone who produced a time in double figures would have done well.

As it turned out I ran a really solid classic race - probably my best race this year. Started steadily on the first loop and caught Lee Andrewartha at 5, before my most significant time loss - I went unnecessarily around the track to 7 and lost about 30 seconds to him there, but was through him again by 11. Three legs of tough climbing followed which went pretty well - feeling reasonably strong on the big hills (although I've noticed my splits through there were nothing special). Missed 16 a little, 20 seconds or so, and then finished the rest of the course really well. It was mostly downhill which helped (and the course was a good deal kinder than it could have been), but there were still a few hills and some technical challenges; I lost essentially no time to the leaders after 16. Still had a fair bit in the legs at the end.

So ends a pretty tough 10 days - four long-distance races (and a middle distance) and two flights halfway around the world. If nothing else it shows that there's nothing wrong with my endurance, even if speed is lacking.

Event: Sun Coast Classic & WOC Selection Trials
 

This was always going to be a pretty daunting challenge - attempting to do a National League race directly after travelling halfway around the world (and to add a few points to the degree of difficulty a screaming baby stopped me from getting any meaningful sleep between Singapore and Melbourne).

I didn't get off to a good start when I lost 90 seconds on number 2, a boulder which was supposed to be in green but wasn't really (you'd think I'd have had enough practice on dodgy features in green in Belgium). This meant Jim caught me - I showed him into the control beautifully. Under normal circumstances I'd expect to at least be able to hold onto Jim, but I didn't have much energy today; nevertheless I caught him again a couple of times when he made mistakes. Didn't do anything major wrong after 2, just a couple of 15-seconders.

The circumstances in which I ran this race were always going to give me a bit of a free pass as far as this race will be viewed by the outside world, but it's still disappointing to produce such a mediocre performance in a WRE; we don't get enough opportunities to waste them like I did today. 24th would also have to be one of my worst non-sprint NOL results, although 7 minutes down was not disastrously far back.

Felt a bit flat this morning (and not just because of the terrain - I doubt there is a single contour in the province). Started out through some nice parts of the old town, then into some of the grittier northern suburbs (including the discovery of the local red-light district, housed in a series of boats moored on the canal north of town).

Achilles tightness noticeable, especially in the first half. I had this problem last time in Europe too and suspect it may be a reaction to orienteering on soft ground.

My Dutch is limited to say the least, but it wasn't hard to work out what the 'TROEPEN UIT AFGHANISTAN' poster meant.

As for the missing-in-action buses, Melburnians may be interested to know that they are run by none other than our much-loved Connex.

C • Red light district 1

The fourth long one in five days; partly because the logistics were easier for one today than they will be tomorrow, partly because I wanted to give myself a bit more time between the midweek long run and Saturday's race.

Headed out to the east of Utrecht along one of the long-distance cycling routes, on a pleasant morning through pleasant country. Mundane but reasonably comfortable through most of the first half, becoming excellent at times in the second half as I settled into a nice rhythm. Didn't tire at all.

I've hired a bike to get myself to and from the meeting venue (about 4km out of town), and it came in useful today - the buses are on strike.

Just saw the world ranking scores for Sunday. My 843 points improves my score by the princely sum of 1 point (replacing an 842 from last year's Oceania sprint). Hopefully I'll be able to make more headway on Saturday.

An easy morning run through Utrecht. Very sluggish early and Achilles quite tight, loosened up later on but never especially comfortable - not a surprise after three hard days. First two-thirds were through the suburbs, then into the central city, which is not at its best in the early morning after a long weekend (presumably the garbos hadn't shown up yet).

I'm impressed that the hotel I'm staying at has parking for bikes but not for cars.

A much better run today, especially on the technical front, in an area a bit more to my liking - rolling gentle hills rather than the flat-or-vertical terrain of the first two days (although there were still quite a few scary legs through thick vegetation with no other detail). Again made a mistake early, but got out of it with a minute lost this time, and didn't really miss anything else until a silly 30-seconder misreading the maze of tracks at the second-last (the third day in a row that I've done something silly on control 27).

The big surprise was how well I came up physically - I was expecting to struggle but was running at least as well as the last two days, particularly in the second half of the course. Had enough in reserve to handle some climbing and felled stuff at the end. I may not be happy with my results here, but one major positive to take out of it is how well my body coped with the longest sequence of races that's been thrown at it for a long time (in fact I don't think I've ever had a combination like 95/109/81 - in the days of three-equal-days Easters in the early 1990s my times were typically in the 70s). Didn't stay to see my final result, but suspect that I'll have climbed a place or two from my overnight 14th.

Finally saw a cloud on the trip back to Holland, the first I've seen in four days in Europe. The weather was magnificent for those enjoying a long weekend, perhaps a little warm for orienteering (mid 20s), although not for me today because I had an 8.22 start.

Also finally missed a connection on the way back when it didn't matter (apart from spending 45 minutes in the building site which currently masquerades as Liege station). I'm now in Utrecht until Thursday night.

C • 27 controls 1