GREAT LEGS – Aus Champs

2004 Aus Championships

––– 1. Dave Shepherd 96:28 ––– 2. Warren Key 107:21

Leg 0-1

Dave Shepherd 3:03, Warren Key 3:32

Dave Shepherd: I thought there was something I didn’t see on this leg – it almost looked too easy. I contoured around the hill, ran towards the big open saddle, up along the open strip through another saddle, past the boulder, checked the compass and down into the control. Warren Key: It started really well. The first control gave me a chance to run in the open paddocks and take in some great views. I was away and in a good tempo plus comfortable my tactic to go for the easy running was right. a good speed. I really slowed down on the downhill approach to the control. Warren Key: One to forget. At C4 I looked at the next leg and saw a straight line directly to C6, not seeing C5 at all. After getting down through all the rough stuff to the paddock

I was about to relish the easy running again before out of nowhere sneaks the

C5 circle. My spirits dropped.

Climbing back up the hill my legs slowed, the ‘spring’ had gone. I was happy to find it after doing an unnecessary diagonal uphill back amongst the rough stuff I so wanted to avoid. I guessed I lost about 3 minutes, it was perhaps a little more, but I had to deal with it. I was annoyed with myself but was enjoying the challenge

Leg 6-7

Dave Shepherd 6:20, Warren Key 6:05

Leg 4-5

Dave Shepherd 4:28, Warren Key 8:09

Dave Shepherd: I thought this was a hard control, so I decided to attack from the bare rock/ open ground just above the control. I ran to this attack point along the top of the hill which made that part of the leg relatively easy, so I ran at

Dave Shepherd:

This was the crux of the course – diagonally down hill on a broad hillside with a lot of rock detail. I ran hard to the top of the hill before slowing down and picking off the bigger rock features as I ran along the right hand side of the spur. Past the two bare-rock knolls, a rock face with bare rock on the top then the rock face directly above the control. At this point I lost a bit of confidence – there was a lot of bare rock and rock faces and I didn’t quite understand the map. I didn’t want to run down onto the hillside without knowing exactly where I was coming from. I stood there for about 30 sec before walking down into the control. I lost some time by doing this but I could have easily lost the race on this one leg. Warren Key: The hardest leg:- C6-C7 was my first real test. I could barely read all the details, but keeping it simple I got to the saddle and then the bare rock without much trouble. But what next? Normally I would just read down through the rocks but they were too small to see clearly. The sweat build-up on my glasses was paying its toll, I wanted a 1:10,000 map. I decided on a diagonal downhill blind on a compass, what a risk but surely it can’t be that hard, I thought! Off I went, eyes wide open looking for a slight flat spot above the control. All the rocks looked like control sites but I stuck to my guns and compass until magically the slope changed and the cliff appeared. My faith in compass navigation completely restored after many years in the wilderness, I knew I had been lucky. I hoped the others would not, I was wrong, most nailed it too! With my spirits lifted I pushed on, looking for an easy option for the next few legs.

Leg 12-13

Dave Shepherd 4:25, Warren Key 5:19

Dave Shepherd: On this leg I ran quite far right to avoid the rocky ground. I ran reasonably roughly towards the big saddle just before the control. I planned to run up to the three boulders south of the control and contour into the control from there, but the visibility was really good and I could see them and the rock face the control was on from the saddle so I cut the corner. Warren Key: C12-C13 really threw me. I went straight past some early starters but wandered quite a lot without any strategy except to keep the pace on. You have to look good when you are in front! I was struggling but still leading, just. The control wasn’t where I expected but luckily Brent Edwards of New Zealand lead me in beautifully.

Leg 14-15

Dave Shepherd 2:33, Warren Key 2:36

Dave Shepherd: I tried reading the contours but struggled to read the map while running – so I decided to run roughly on the contour to the right of the green and towards the rocks on the spur. I ran hard up the hill and stopped at the rocks to read the details and continued on to the control. Warren Key: I tried to get back to my earlier tactics but battled the terrain and map, without winning, for the next couple of controls, as you can see. It wasn’t until after 15 and the short track run that I settled

Dave Shepherd 7:19, Warren Key 8:00

Dave Shepherd: Another hard control, I decided the rocky knoll to the south east of the control would be a safe place from which to attack the control. I ran a little cautiously up the hill, keeping map contact all the way. I could have run faster since the bare rock areas on top were quite obvious, but

I really wanted to know exactly where I was before running down the hill into the control – so I didn’t risk losing map contact at all. From the rocky knoll I ran carefully down the left side of the gully, reading the rock details carefully into the control. Warren Key: It wasn’t until after 15 and the short track run that I settled, just in time for a difficult next group of controls. (It was) rough going. C16 made me wish I was younger.

Leg 16-17

Dave Shepherd 5:32, Warren Key 5:56

Dave Shepherd: I thought about running right and up into the control through the green, but decided it would be easier orienteering to attack the control from the left. I ran pretty roughly across and up past the bare rock and to the saddle. I lost a bit of confidence so I was really careful with my direction on the approach to the control. I looked for the edge of the green and once I saw it I basically ran along it looking for the bare rock knoll and then the control. Warren Key: I ran across the slope out of C16 thinking I am too old for this rough rocky ground, but then really pleased myself with some sound, perhaps even mature, navigating from the saddle to the flag at C17. I thought to myself, why couldn’t I navigate like this when I was 21!

Leg 17-18

Dave Shepherd 1:25, Warren Key 2:19

Dave Shepherd: Running to the 18th control I thought it was important to be tough through the green and not be pushed around. I ran through the clearing and to the right of the line of rock which I saw from the clearing, then down into the control. Warren Key: The junk around C18 was unbelievable, I could barely move let alone run. Unfortunately I got lured right by a slightly more open section after the small clearing. It cost a bit but when I eventually corrected and saw the flag I thought how lucky I was, it could have been a lot worse, particularly at my now slowing speed.

Leg 18-19

Dave Shepherd 5:53, Warren Key 6:12

Dave Shepherd: I couldn’t see any other option for this leg, although I was looking for a trick – it looked too easy. I ran hard along the fence and really hard up the hill, reading the rock detail on the edge of the steep slope. The control was a little lower than I expected so I lost some seconds.

Leg 19-20

Dave Shepherd 2:21, Warren Key 3:16

Dave Shepherd: I thought running left looked like clearer ground, but attacking the control from the hill to the right might have been a little safer. I was careful with my height after running through the saddle with the green and saw the boulder cluster just inside the circle and just after the small green area. From there I could see the control. Warren Key: Still a long way to get home. By the time I had climbed up to C19 I was dead on my feet. C20 was my first real walking stage and the split times show my lack of endurance. My head was starting to wander but my legs just wanted the shortest distance home.

Leg 21-22

Dave Shepherd 1:34, Warren Key 2:25

Dave Shepherd: The last real control of the course. I have lost races by missing controls like this in the past, so I was quite careful and did it as safely as I could. From the boulder on top of the hill near the clearing I stopped and let my compass settle and looked ahead to where the control would be. After a few steps I saw the boulder and ran down to the control. Warren Key: I ran off for C22 in the rough direction without any thoughts. Just in time I noticed the best way was left of the knoll through the saddle. Now my head was going even slower than my legs. I angled away from the gully and roughed it into the control. I was lucky. Others lost time here.