Training Log Archive: fletch

Event: NavDash 3 - UWA
 

Newer SI sticks are so much better than my old piece of crap, especially for flat controls with a wire loop through the SI unit. I really struggle getting my old stick right into the unit and then waiting for it to beep, The new one went off as I was still putting the stick in on every conjtrol. Is it worth hiring for Easter, especially for the sprint races?? Gotta be a few seconds in it.

Maybe I should just get my navigation right first.

Remembered the description holder this time, which was pretty helpful, but the controls were hung higher and more visible too, so was s lot smoother in the circle in general.
Running today with a camera on a chest strap to see what sort of fottage I could get and whether it would be useful or not, but then forgot to start the camera. Tried to get it going on the way to the first control, but apparently didn't get it right. GPS also died before I started. Did, however get myself nice and flustered and turned in one path too soon, and had to wrap right around a building and back to the first control. Smooth through the rest of the course except for number 6, where I followed Juffy out of control 5 without really looking at the map, then didn't pick his clever route along the balcony and ended up with a very long, twisty route.
Was reading the map and staying in contact muich better than a fortnight ago, but it helps being pretty familiar with the suroundings, and another 10 controls or so might have made it a bit more technical

Took a little longer to get the achilleses loose in the 212's, but feeling pretty reasonavble by the time I finished run-thrus. Glad to have freshened up over the last 2 days. Need to go hard through to pre-Easter taper now.

Annoyed at the lack of footage, made sure the camera was started, then headed out on the short course with camera running and Dolf's GPS on so we had a complete set of data. Won't learn anything about my orienteering skills as every control was common with the long course, but will be interesting to see what the footage is like regardless. Might have just edged out Simmo :) Took a couple of different route choices just to see what difference it made, but generally would have preferred to do them how I did on the long course (except 6) Getting pretty leg weary through the second half.

C • Video 3

Long - Splits

Was too tired to get up for training yesterday. Figured I shouldn't be surprised given the last week. Still too tired this morning despite sleep quality returning to normal. Planned to run in the afternoon instaed, but then decided it would be more productive to hit the sprint race tomorrow fresh and see if I could get it right.

Slow bludge of a recovery run. It was humid and my legs were shattered from yesterday and the previous week, but not as sore, so heading in the right direction. Mission accomplished for the morning.

(Would love to claim the time is so slow because of the sand, but that was only about 2km on hardish sand. It took me about 22:30 to do the first (downhill) 3.9ish km on firm ground...)

Hey - i didn't come last on the 'bike' leg on Sunday. That must be a little embarassing for a few people. Maybe next time I should run the paddle as well and get on the full course.

C • *cough* 6

Felt pretty ordinary during the warm-up, but got going OK once into the session proper without destroying myself (till the sandhills)
3 laps of the balga walk. Lap 1 CW, surging uphills, 2 min recovery, lap 2 CW surging downhills, 5ish min rewcovery, lap 3 ACW hard the whole way.
3:27, 3:24, 2:57

Slow jog over to SAS sandhill and 2 short reps flat out with a healthy recovery between. First one was painful, slowly getting hardewr the whole way up. Second one felt good for the first half, then felt like I had run into a wall. 41, 43, slowly walked down the hill before jogging back to the cars.

Easy loop of Lake Gwelup. Hammies pretty sore and stiff, quads felt a bit heavy, but legs ticked over pretty well, and achilles warmed up quicker than normal.
Blisters are a bit of an issue. Side of toe hurts when I hit an uneven landing and pronate. Heel is a little tender and may become an issue if I don't get it covered effectively. Hole on top of foot is the sorest, but now is disinfected and covered so should be OK.
Looking forward to a good stretching session and a solid hit-out tomorrow.

Event: Boundless AR - KillaMetro
 

The plan was to use this race to force myself to go for a long run with a little bit of brain activity and a little bit of intensity. I did the non-paddling course option and ran the bike leg (copping a 30 minute penalty for my trouble for compulsory equipment).
In terms of what I wanted to get out of it, it was a partial success. I ran well to about 21km, but it got quite hot, and despite realising quite early on the 'bike' leg that I was going to be in trouble with water and trying to ration iit, I still ran out and had to go about 30-35 minutes without a drink when I really needed it. At least it was a good reminder that I need to be far more careful with my hydration when it is warm. It hadn't been a goodstart to realise last night that I had run out of both sports drink and electrolyte tabs. Dolf was nice enough to supply some tabs for my 'bike' biottle, but I needed more, and should really have run with a second drink bottle or my camelbak.
The run leg opener was pretty clean. I probably started a little hard as I was pretty much running with Oscar (except when he took a long route choice and I got a little lead). A little disappointing to see people going through holes in the fence out of the start rather than on the mandatory road route, which gained a few hundred metres and was repeated by many on the way back in. Only nav issues were a couple of hesitations not seeing markers that were lying on the ground.
Clean through the first part of the bike too - Oscar was coming back to the first control as I left it, having overshot it and he was on the way out of the optional one a few controls later as I headed in. Lost a little time hunting in the wrong spot before I found the earthbank, but probably still worth it.
Was good all the way down to Tonkin Hwy bridge, but started to suffer badly on the way back with lack of fluids, and the pace dropped markedly. Liked the small dip in the river to get 28, but was pretty much spent by there.
Finally found a drink fountain 27km into my day and had a long drink, but started cramping as I slowed down approaching the fountain and had to stop a few times to stretch as I headed back to transition.
The orienteering was disappointing. I had forgotten to eat as I had been so drink focussed, but after downing all my remaining gels at the 2 hour mark, I slowly came good on the energy front. I felt like I could have really pushed the pace at the end, but any time that I tried, the cramps kicked back in.
Lost time on the on at the top of the stairs, and on the second last one, whree I found a really ruined fence, not the one with the control. WHen I finally stopped and decided to used an attackpoint and walk in the right direction, the control was obvious (funny that).
Good fun, but I should have been better prepared and feel like I was capable of being a good deal faster in the second half, but for the water/electrolyte/cramp situation, so a little disappointing in that regard.

Top course. Amazing that something like that is possible only 20 minutes from home. Well done Tooms and Boltboi. Back to boring long runs from next weekend.

C • Attackpoint #10 15