Training Log Archive: Vaala

Riding round Bottle Lake/Spencer Park looking at control sites for night nav 3 with MIchael whilst discovering all sorts of new mtb tracks and a much shrunk exclusion zone. Rather exciting really.

With Amber, Emily, Al and Rowan (oh, and Joe for the first 40 odd minutes). From our place up to the top of Sugar Loaf (via Bowenvale) then along the tops all the way over to Evans Pass and down Captain Thomas (this track is pretty buggered for anyone who was thinking of riding it) to Sumner. The ginger beer at the other end was fabulous. We mostly walked up all the steep stuff but once we crossed over into the good old Cera no go zone it was pretty much all running. Felt a bit sluggish but pretty good considering I'd been running in the hills yesterday and was carrying a big backpack today. I did manage a decent face plant though.
Hmmm, I need to eat a hell of a lot more than everyone else whenever we head out for one of these missions. Although to be fair, they always eat a lot afterwards and I don't. Just means Amber jokes that every time she sees me I am eating!

C • You need to get fatter as t... 4

From home up through Vic Park then round the tops and up Mt Vernon then down Lava flow. So it's hard to see where the track goes at times which made me wonder how on earth the insane people who ride down it know where to go when they first start out because they would be going a hell of a lot faster than I was running. Good practice for my wimpy downhill running but I don't think I want to try it in the dark. I can imagine flying off a rock face and crash landing at the bottom.

Hagley Park bring in controls after the schools training. Running with 7 controls while it's blowing a gale is hard work. So many children it was frightening. Still feeling pretty blah but the fresh air was good.

I love our new carpet. Thank you EQC!

Putting out Night Nav controls on the bike. It felt like I covered pretty much every riding track and 4wd road there was to ride on. Nightmare at a couple where the map and what was there just didn't fit at all...naturally, exactly where the damn control was supposed to go. Then once I was done I got lost getting back to the carpark as it was getting dark, I was feeling sick and angry and I had ridden out there so many times I figured I knew where I was going...ummm, a couple of km later doing a 180 I realised something wasn't right but still had no idea where I'd ended up. I am the most useless orienteer there is. Can I give up now.
Anyway, was out in the forest about 2 hours I think but attaching things to trees and getting angry at the map doesn't really count as riding! Apparently everyone was just starting to worry I had, well, I guess they probably assumed I was hopelessly lost as usual...sigh.

Bringing in the far away controls with Lara. Nice to have company because it was dark and creepy, and then I found out people have been murdered and buried out here. Um yeah, can I not go out in this forest again now? I think I might be too scared! We also found some delightful swamps across some of the tracks which smelt wonderful. My bike and I need a good shower. Probably not at the same time though...

C • commitment 1

Very slow run from home up the old Bowenvale Downhill to the zig zag then down and over to the East Side valley track and around that then down through the forest and back home. Had to walk some bits of the last hills as I felt pretty awful. Was such a beautiful day though and I did feel better to be outside. The valley is so pretty.

Went to the doctor and then sat on the couch the rest of the day feeling sorry for myself!