Training Log Archive: jennycas

Event: SILVA National Orienteering League
 

Finally the weekend arrived, about which I had been stressing all week in terms of how to arrange ferrying assorted family members around and whether there would be any problems with the NOL races. May even have had a few nerves of my own before racing because I definitely felt lactic and sluggish. Apart from looking behind the wrong bush for the first control and behind the wrong retaining wall in the south part of the school where Kay was lurking on control-guard, I was happy with navigation/route choice and being able to read the buildings okay. Robin made good use of a pretty tight school area.

The worst part of the day was having to kill 4 hours between events on a stinking hot day. The best part was the Arrows team photo where we managed to assemble 18 people on a BBQ (admittedly a big one - see OASA home page).

The middle distance chasing start format worked really well, as far as I can tell. I got a bit confused belting down to the lake and thought I was too far left when I was too far right already, recovered and chased after Wendy and Cath. Rachel wasn't far behind me up the next hill. From 2 the course split to go either left or right; the problem was that when looking for number 3 on the map, the 3 of number 13 (also number 7) stood out much more obviously...I had only dropped a couple of contours before I caught on but apparently others made it all the way down the hill to the drinks control.

Up the hill to 3 (left loop), I realised that I'd have to climb right up till it flattened out, but Cath/Wendy were looking lower on the spur, saw Laurina at 3, down the hill to 4, lost Wendy up the next hill, saw Rachel at the drinks control, up the next hill I figured out that I needed to be high so got ahead of Cath/Laurina, the next one I was too high so they got ahead of me, back to the drinks, then a looong slog up the road and over the hill towards the lake.

By now the hard ground under my shoes (new Olways, without my orthotics in them), was really aggravating the neuroma in my foot so I quickly rolled on the road and crunched my back. Little by little I slipped benind the others (hard to run when your toes feel like they're broken) but then I started getting glimpses of Vanessa up ahead - her knee must truly have been giving her hell - and after the spectator control I had her/Cath/Laurina in my sights but wasn't going to catch them, obviously.

Thought I handled the heat pretty well, wished I could have run a couple min faster if my foot didn't hurt. got back to town and it was 35 degrees, just couldn't cool down. Really had to force myself to eat pasta for tea and dreaded the thought of getting up at 5 am.

This hardly counts because it was only a loosener before stretching but I did do a couple of laps of the bark chip circuit in the park, because it's a nice uneven surface. Right hamstring/left shin are both unhappy because of a combination of standing and lecturing plus sitting in meetings. Stretching and strengthening 20 min.

Very pleasant morning for it, I didn't want to get out of the water. Much better when I can go slowly and breathe properly without fear of water buffaloes.

Short jog through Colonel Light Gardens, made shorter by the fact that I bumped into the Smerniks and heard from Kara about the woes of setting the next rogaine (apparently national parks won't let us use Innes), then I was running late for the MTBO meeting.

Took the GPS up the back of Waite again. Time spent searching for mysterious hidden objects is not counted. Was smart enough to take a torch this time. A good stretch is called for, and my shins are suspiciously tight.

I can't find my watch anywhere...am starting to wonder if it's somewhere up the back of Waite though I can't remember dropping it. This is of course the favourite Casio which you can't get any more :(

The longer version: Shepherd's Hill-Eden Hills-Bellevue Heights-Flinders Uni-Shepherd's Hill-home. Definitely a bit quicker than last time, perhaps because I was running a bit late? Compromised by not stretching afterwards because the physio can do that for me this afternoon!

Attack of the Killer Physio

This really hurt! As in, someone sticking their thumb into your hip is bound to be painful...but you can't flinch too much when there are still needles in other bits of you. The good thing is, I am still allowed double appointments...it's just annoying patients who aren't :)

Between work and lecturing postgraduate pharmacy students till 9pm, no time for running today :( Strengthening and stretching 20 min.

It took me half an hour to drive 1km from Victoria Square to UniSA in peak hour, because of Clipsal 500 road closures! I envied the jogger whose dust I was inhaling.

The SARRC group run - and what a group! At least 50 people there. I ran with Fern & Lauren. It was nice to see some other trail-running types too. Long Gully, up Saddle Hill, past the little dam, down Jubilee Drive to the nursery, past Government Farm oval to the lake, and what should have been, around the lake before finishing. But if you don't get onto the lake track straight away and stay on the bitumen you find yourself going uphill. We turned off at the bend and came back down to the lake, but plenty of others obviously didn't, because as we were driving home they were running back down Upper Sturt road, so they must have made it all the way up to Belair Station!

Sprint on Wadmore Park with butterfly loops, set by John. Pretty good course. I veered wide on the first few (without a compass) and when I realised how scratchy the bush is, tried taking tracks. Not sure if that was any more efficient, since John caught me 3 min. Fun though. And afterwards I picked up the tapes and added to the blood on my legs.

C • Proper run! 2