Training Log Archive: martin(uk)

Big 5 O, Day 4, M21E, Pear Orchard, Kaapsehoop.

Another very long race, but it didn't feel as hard as day 2. On the way to #5 the terrain made very little sense at all, and in the end I found it after having found #7 and #6. I only found out when I downloaded that I hadn't been to #4, which would certainly explain it! Doh.

So 2.5 hours of slogging round, just to be DSQ. Oh well, I won the run-in split....
http://www.bigfive-o.co.za/2013-2014-splits/day4/s...

M21E - Splits

Big 5 O Day 3, M21E (WRE Middle), Elandshoogte, north of Ngodwana.

Legs still tired 2 days after the 3-hour long race, plus the race was at 2000m altitude, so I felt sluggish. Was finding the controls OK until #6, which I missed by only 20m but then went a long way down the valley trying to find it. Cost me about 3 mins.

Also took the straight route on the long leg, which might have been a mistake, and got caught up in the scrappy semi-open stuff. Some slight misses later on, so overall not a very good run.

Still, the sun is still shining, the weather is warm, and the views from the top were amazing. Perhaps the highest orienteering race I've ever run.

M21E - Splits

Big5 O Day 2, M21E (WRE Long), Battery Creek, Kaapsehoop.

Toughest race of the year, on the last day of the year. NickB won in 2:08, and I was 3:03, so got timed out under the 3-hour cut-off rule.

Went out reasonably steady and was doing ok until I lost about 7.5 mins at #16, an indistinct clearing on a vague hill top, with far more clearings on the ground than were mapped. Went out to relocate and still couldn't find it, until eventually another M21E found it for me. Grrr.

JonX caught me 9 mins at #18, and stayed with him until #22, at which point I'd run 2 hours and was struggling. Energy bars and sweets can only do so much... Walked most of the last 5km, but at least managed to hold the navigation together well enough to find the controls without messing about.

Complained about the 3 hour cut-off (given that the leader was 2:08) and got myself re-instated for 5 day scoring, but not WRE points.

C • Epic 1

M21E - Splits

Event: BIG 5 O Week
 

To start

Big5 O Day 1, M21E (Middle), Kaapsehoop Rockery.

Really tricky open area covered in thousands of boulders, rock pillars and bare rock. Needed to be 100% focussed, and I wasn't. Managed #1 to #4 ok, then had a slight wobble in the circle at #5, and then ran to #13 instead of #6. Kicked myself for getting the crossover wrong, and then made matters worse by running to #14 instead of #6! Sorted it out but then on a long leg to #8 I had no good plan, got my bearing wrong, and got completely lost. Finally relocated about 200m too far south, then used #9 to find #8. dave P caught me 6 mins here.

Another wobble on #12 and then spent ages finding #13 (even though I'd been there before). #14 to #23 were somewhat easier, but I'd given up racing by now. Ran off the map slightly going to #22, before I corrected my bearing. At least I got the tricky last few, #24 to #29, reasonably well.

Finished way behind Dave P, so a bit of work to do in the "M45s playing at Elite" competition over the next few days. JonX also had a nightmare, so we'll both be hoping to drop today's result.

M21E - Splits

Training map with a few controls. Hit most of them reasonably well, but none of them were especially difficult.