Training Log Archive: Lizzie

Home time.
Eventually got home after 11pm, after my train was delayed after it hit a moose :'(

Will back date my WOC training and races as my energy comes back. Turns out 10months post-surgery was not long enough to return to a WOC long fitness level. Who'd have known?!!

C • 10 months 2

WOC Long.

Where to start? Well, when I was first asked by the selectors about WOC in January, I'm not going to lie, I was pretty annoyed. WOC was the last thing I really wanted to think about at the time. And it stayed that way until about May/June, when I acknowledged I'd be in a shape where I could respectably get around at least the middle length courses. But I still didn't want to focus or set goals, or even think about any kind of technical preparation. That mindset stuck with me until I got to Latvia 1 week before, when the old WOC feelings started to slip in, and I felt the motivation to at least take a look at the old maps ;)
The middle and relay were good fun, but I always knew the long was going to be a big stretch for my current form, especially after 3 other races. If we had a bigger team, then I would very happily have not run the long. But that's not the case right now, and with WOC in Norway next year, I wanted to make sure we have 2 long spots.

Anyhow, turned out the long distance was a stretch for my current form :')

Having being told by Malcolm to take it easy on the first flat controls, I steamed off and missed #1 by 2mins...oops. This had the advantage though that I got to #1 at the same time as Ausrine, from Lithuania. So then there was an additional brain for finding the flat controls and to check the route choices in the hilly stuff...in theory anyway ;)
We had a small miss on #2 (my fault), but nailed 3 and 4. Then I led on the route choice to #5, which I think I fairly nailed, except for getting caught in s*** on the approach in to the control. Ausrine slipped ahead while I was cliimbing through some trees, but then she got caught in green to #6 (karma for ditching me I'm going to say), so we were together again by half way to #7. Once again I was astray toward the circle.
#8 Ausrine led on the routechoice, which ended up being the slow choice, but it was the same as I'd have chosen alone anyway. Down and up on a track rather than down and up in the forest, I was surprised it was so much slower on the analysis actually. Again, we farted around near the circle of 8 (I was more busy eating a gel than reading the map apparently!).
We got to #8 and both stopped for drinks before viewing the leg to 9...then there was a joint "Oh F***" moment, as we both saw the leg and realised it was another up-down-up-down or down - up -up - down route choice. We kind of looked at each other and I said "what's another 100m climb anyway?" ....ahahaha yeah right!
So we took the right-hand route to #9, then took a direct route to #10. I slipped ahead on the slope about half way, but then led onto the wrong spur...oops. Corrected before it turned into a big parallel area, but I headed up the correct spur, while Ausrine stuck lower in the valley. We met again at #10 and into the run through.
I stashed another gel in my bra, took on board some water, and picked up a big slice of watermelon, then was on to the last loop. We both tried to take the wrong track out of the open area to #12, along with a slovakian girl (the track was way bigger on the ground than on the map?), but then my legs started to fade very very quickly. I gave up on the long grass heading to #12 and ducked back into the forest, but found that my legs didn't want to cooperate in there either. Ausrine was very quickly out of sight and I realised that I was now in a battle to just keep going and get around the last loop!
Down to #13 on the beautiful white spur was no issue, but climbing up to #14 was a bit of a mission. Fortunately, Andrine passed me here, and as the camera followed here, I could just run along behind the cameraman on his nice little worn path! The only issue was trying not to stand on the cable and trip him up!
I took a good long stop at #14 to take on 4 cups of water, and hoped like hell that my 2nd gel was going to take effect before the finish. #15-16 was the last long leg, and by this time I was seriously feeling out of it. Not dizzy, but not clear headed. Nothing heart-related, I think this is maybe just what people mean by hitting the wall??
So I decided to take the same route chioce on this leg as I did for the relay. Not great, in fact, pretty terrible as a route choice, but it got me there in the end! Got caught up by the other Lithuanian here, and led her into the finish.

Relieved and exhausted, I collapsed at the end of the chute. And then watched in wonder as the cameraman (filming an all-too-close-up of the Lithuanian) slowly backed toward me, completely oblivious that he was about to trample all over me. I honestly thought I'd survived 107minutes of WOC long distance, just to perish under the boots of a negligent cameraman. Fortunately, he stopped 10cm from me, although he would have stood on my compass etc if I hadn't moved them. I'm not sure I had the energy to move myself out of his way though. Lucky escape!

So, 46th and a long way back. But honestly, I'm proud to just have finished. No way was I ready for that kind of race!

C • Lucky escape 4

Rest rest rest. Little bit of a swim. Bit more rest.

A mish mash of WU and WD. A little bit with Bun in the team zone, a tiny amount in the change-over waiting.

WOC relay, last leg.
Headed out 3 minutes behind the US, and 5min from Poland as the closest teams to chase. But I knew there were chances for mistakes from other teams, which made it a tough situation to find the right balance of chasing to catch spots, vs save energy for the Long distance.
I overtook USA before the spectator, but knew that Poland had their best runner on last leg, so eased off a bit and aimed for being clean and getting the right route choices. Achieved that in the main, although I should have gone around the hill out of the spectator rather than take on the climb, I think. Then overshot the control in the green, which was a bit frustrating. From there though, I was clean, bar taking a bit of bonus green at #11.
Nailed the long route choice, which I was happy with. Snatched a glance of both Poland and Bun as I was running around the castle wall to #12, but they were well far enough ahead that there was no point pushing from there.

Really happy with my run. Would like to think I could take some minutes off racing full pace...but who know really.

Long distance model. My watch drowned in the pre-start downpour at the middle. So no time or distance today (or yesterday)

WOC middle

Middle model
Nailed the flat stuff (there were tracks ;), got stuck in some green heading into a steep valley, and messed up a slope control. So covered the 3 main things required for the middle I think!

more dirt trails, fewer dogs.

Ouch. good solid painful fun.

4th leg sprint relay. Headed out after Laura (14th) - Tim (6th) and Cam (14th), with Italy 15s ahead and a gap ahead of that. A hard and fast sprint around the suburbs, with plenty of route choice. Showed how rusty my race technique is with far too many mistakes, although I think i got the route choices alright.

Took in Italy on the first controls and passed her after she got confused at the split at #4. I ran straight into the course setters dead end trap after #5, which gave me a glimpse of France on the chase. Spotted the blocked paths a bit late on the routechoice to #6, but think I got lucky and adapted to the best route anyway.
Once through the spectator park bit and back into the buildings, the in-and-out controls meant I started getting glimpses of Austria and the chasing pack. I was aware of Austria edging closer, unfortunately aided by me getting confused by roads at #15 and making a 10s mistake... The last few controls were short tight ones, I knew I was far enough ahead of Austria so long as I kept it clean and got the right route choices. So knuckled down and made sure I didn't eff up the last little bit ;)

A pretty average run really, but a lot of fun to sprint full pace again. Even if full pace is 1min/km slower than Maja!

Distracted Bun through her warm up. And warm down.

Event: WOC 2018 - Latvia
 

Dirt roads around our lovely farmhouse/barnhouse accommodation. Met the local dogs. woof woof.

Then went and watched Tim win a silver medal :D

vegetation extraction technique training on Ratnieki South.
Hmmm. Not great. Opting for the up-to-the-top and around and down technique. Tried to cut across the top of a white valley at one point...5minutes later I emerged from the depths of it's over-head-high undergrowth and mass of fallen trees.

C • as in... 1