Training Log Archive: Lizzie

Middle out at Waikawa.
Awesome map featuring highly technical detail on open sand dunes. Unfortunately I just didn't have my technique right for the type of terrain.

The first 4 controls in the forest were fine and eased me into the race, calming the nerves. On the long leg from 4-5 I could see Grace 60m or so infront of me across the flat plain. I knew if I could catch her then we'd have a good chance of pushing eachother through the course with minimal mistakes. This was my downfall though, as Grace slipped in and out of 5 cleanly. Meanwhile, I hit the circle, but then couldn't make sense of the details. So wasted 1.5mins inside the circle, as each small feature was so deep! Eventually bumbled across the control, by which time Grace and the Finn infront of her were well gone.
6 was a short leg, OK. 7 and 8 back in patches of forest. 8 was scrappy but I think I executed it alright. 8-9 I got stuck in a lot of lupin as I tried to traverse the wrong side of a dune. Silly stuff, but it cost me a minute! Crazy! Made me feel sorry for La and the other girls who went out right at the front of the field!
10 was another longer leg diagonal across the dunes. And again, I executed my plan perfectly until I hit the circle. But I stopped short, and then couldn't match up the details. Another minute lost within the circle!
11 OK.
12, again, longer leg. again, as with 5 and 10. Thought the left hand entry to the control would be easier to navigate. However got epically stuck in lupin, and then lost contact on the circle. Sigh. Should have gone right.
Knew I'd messed up my race pretty bad by that point, and motivation was hitting a low. 13 and 14 were alright through the spectator. Then 15. AGAIN. DAMN IT. This time in the Macrocarpa strip, tiring on the dunes, I hit the circle, standing on top of the ridge above the control - but there was no control?! having spent 20s or so there confused, I moved a bit to my right, and there was the control hiding behind a tree!!
16 was a physical struggle. And 17, I tried to follow the ridge, but lost track of distance and was looking for the control far too early. Another minute gone. Atleast all I really had to do from there was run to the finish!

So yeap. A very disappointing run. I should have been much more at home given the technical terrain, but I didn't adapt my techniques to the terrain enough. Needed to navigate right onto the control, rather than to the circle as is more usual in NZ or Aus. Making 5 1min+ mistakes is just not acceptable in a world cup race.

C • dunes 1

World Cup 1 - Middle Women - Splits

Out on the model for the middle distance. Mixture of open dunes, tricky forest, and lupin.

Model map.
Knee tweaking a couple of times. Stuff in the forest was hard to interpret. Not much in the open dunes to really get a look for what was in store

Event: 2013 Oceania Carnival & WC Races
 

Ran half of the oceania day 1 course on Fusilier. beautiful, flat open pine forest. Knee was good for the main part, got the occasional twinge gloing up dunes but reassuringly ok.
Pulled the pin before I got too tired, or pushed the knee too far. First 4 controls wereat a good race pace though. Lost a couple of mins on 5 when I hit the green but didn;t have a good enough plan. Bit of a good reminder to sharpen up!

short warmup to ensure the knee would be ok with a bit of orienteering. not much of a warmdown, opted to scare people by sitting in the back of the ambulance whilst icing my knee intead ;)

Event 1 C 2 - Splits

a much longer run that expected, but beaut day for it again. Up through wainui mtb park and along the ridge over mt lowry. Down to day's bay, but the water was far too brown from river deluge to swim.
and with perfect timing, as ever, my knee has decided to play up. Similar to Oceania's last year (but not as bad, hopefully). So, looks like resting until the weekend!