Training Log Archive: Thraws

Event: TVOC Chiltern Challenge Regional Event Level B
 

Cold. But mercifully the rain stayed off till I was finished. For a pleasant change. After carefully nailing the first two tricky controls, legs 3 to 9 reminded me of a night event: lots of controls and minor paths demanding concentration and map contact throughout. With two rivals starting minutes behind, I was pleased to get through here alright if cautiously. Second part looked easier but I may have relaxed too much at 16 as I overshot the right thickets and was looking for a minute by the wrong ones. 17 was the long leg and I simplified by taking the major path to the north, but at the first gate I suddenly decided I was going to 21, then 19 (!), before unfolding the map and realising I wasn't where I wanted to be yet. Then missed the minor path which would have taken me straight in. Lost at least 2 minutes here, then another minute at 18 by not aiming off. Now rattled, I took the easy option for 19. Four minutes quicker would have been a decent result. As it was it was ok. Must remember not to switch off when I am running hard as that led to today's mistakes. Good technical course on a good new area.

It was about time I spent a Saturday morning in the traditional manner, and as Alex was planning I knew it would be tough. Plus Cissbury would be mostly mud-free and good hilly running. So it was a shame, then, that I made a complete horlcks of no. 1, which was less than 200 metres from the start. I was confused my the mapping of the hillfort ramparts, which I couldn't find, and then some of the depressions. And I confess I was led astray a bit by a couple of hapless bumblers. But the control was hidden in a thicket in a hole and couldn't be seen at a glance. In fact, quite a few of them on the blue were like that but I was mostly lucky on the others as I knew where I was so spent time looking in the right places. A lot of people were looking confused and I did a lot of overtaking. Couldn't make the map fit and lost another minute near 17, and having just overtaken three others at 23 rushed 24 and was too far left. Mostly it was ok though and my back, which had been dodgy the night before, was just fine after a couple of ibuprofen.

Haircut.

Wasn't really in the mood, mostly on account of the cold, but felt just fine. The quick time is largely down to the effort in the last km and a half.