Training Log Archive: Thraws

Simply beautiful day.

Went out a few minutes behind schedule, which, in the circumstances, was probably just as well. Had managed to get an hour or two's sleep, and the weather condiitons were perfect, so was really looking forward. Had figured out how to use Jonny's headtorch so, on long run out to start kite, unrolled and refolded map, pleased that the overprint was nice and clear. Got a bit confused on way to 1 and was hugely relieved to find it OK, then tried to settle down on way to 2. The torch was supposed to have some sort of function that adapted the strength of the beam to the distance from the object (!), but it didn't seem to be giving me much help. I could use it to read the map OK though. Stumbled through bracken into 2 and 3, overshot gully at 4 and right reentrant at 5. Had probably lost about five or six minutes by this point but was confident now that my technique using paths and tracks was just right for the conditions and I'd be OK. Even though the headtorch had completely died! Flat battery!! Thank goodness most of the course was in the open as I'd have been stuffed in the trees (which I was in by control 11). Wasn't perfect for 6, 7 or 8, but found them. And as the light began to thicken and the mists to lift I was much better through 9 to 13. I'd been over an hour now so, looking ahead, was hugely pleased to see the last five controls were urban-style, in the camp, and easy-peasy. Just needed to get 14 and 15 cleanly, which I did, and I punched the radio control a km out with 14 minutes left to get inside my forecast time. Sprinted through the camp and handed over 7 mins under schedule. Felt good. Time was average, but there were strong runs from every member of the team and we did enough collectively to retain the Handicap Trophy thanks to SYO handicap team winning the overall competition. Back to bed at 5, but forced out of tent by heat of sun at 7.

Event: Harvester Relays 2013 - Longmoor Camp