Training Log Archive: Craney

Event: NOL Round 3 / WOC Selection Trial - 'Coalfields Classic'
 

University of Newcastle. Didn't have that long to get ready once we'd found the place (travel directions were from the entrance of the uni to the car park!) and felt a bit under warmed-up on the first few controls. Wasn't sure about going left to #2, but seemed ok. It got really fiddly around #5 and I got on the wrong level and tried to open a door into a building - it was actually really fortunate it was locked as I could see the corridor through it and it looked like it fitted the map! Worked it out quickly though, so only dropped 10-15secs. Then missed the underpass to #6 costing a few more seconds. Fine through the next section of short legs. Maybe missed the best route on the long leg, but caught sight of Bryan at the end of it. Reeled him in over the final section of the course and really felt like my legs got going in this bit. Got past him only to mess up the penultimate control by 5secs letting him through. Did just enough to take the win from Simon :o)

A great sprint race with a bit of everything. On the face of it quite straightforward, but very difficult to have a perfect run so I was quite happy to only drop 30secs ish.

Routegadget

'The Environs of the Old Pelaw Main Colliery' (catchy). Felt fine after this morning warming up so was able to get straight into it. The area was cool - ok, lots of rubbish and burnt out cars, but loads of little fiddly details going on and really well-mapped vegetation. It all felt quite familiar to me, reminding me of areas in England like Wombwell near Sheffield. Nice and smooth through the first 9 short legs (banana-ed a bit on #2 and #7). Took the safe route to #10 which lost time but I'd do it again given half the chance. #11 was a real game-changer - I dropped 30secs through hesitations, although was never far off line and high-fived myself when I found it. Picked the pace up on the long leg, but lost time on #14 expecting it to be the spectator control (Grant was actually ahead of me here, but did go to the spectator control and mp-ed). Going well til #19 where I ran across the ride without seeing it and did more of a boomerang than a banana but somehow only lost 20secs. Got it back together again for the rest of the course, but got it really wrong on the last control - wrong route, then punched the wrong last control before realising dropping about 25secs. So, a slightly scrappy run, but mistakes probably only totalled about 2mins, which was ok for this but potentially punishable - good enough for the win again fortunately. Very fun course.

Routegadget

C • thats probably the biggest ... 1

NOL 1 - Splits

Middle NOL 1 - Splits