Training Log Archive: jennycas

Event: Super Long World Champs III
 

This was fun even if it was stretching the definition of orienteering a little. Over 20 of us met at Roseville to run some or all of the 110 virtual controls which Andy had drawn on 11 mostly-linked maps in a non-straight line between there and Balls Head. From the first control we were down into and scrambling along a canyony creek with classic Sydney sandstone cliffs and I wondered how my ankles would hold up, but that was the worst of it, as Andy had set the shortest/shadiest/creekiest route on most of the maps and there were singletracks to follow (had to stop to read them without my glasses). The second map was an out and back in Lane Cove which the girls' group decided to skip, but at the last minute I decided I was gender confused and tried to follow the guys. Had to leave out a couple of controls but just managed to find them as they had their rest period before starting map 3. Chased them along the river then they all stopped at McChucks alongside the Lane Cove Motorway. I had no money but was carrying about 2L Powerade, plus Nutrigrain bars & pretzels, so decided to keep going until they caught me again. Was on my own through maps 4, 5, 6, then saw the group of girls at the start of 7. They were leaving out 8/9 through Artarmon, so I waited for the guys at the end of 7 and we all jogged up the Pacific Highway together with quite a long stop at a servo where I refilled my bladder. They had to wait for me of course at the end of 8&9 but not by much because some of the junior guys were flagging. By happy coincidence there was another set of golden arches at St Leonards station so I left them to it and headed for Berry Island. The guys all overtook me on a lap of the headland which I then cut short, went past them resting again and tackled the final section on Balls Head, where I had to walk all the steps/stairs, and there were lots of them! Went past the girls' picnic (so I knew where to come back to) and finished through the really neat tunnel (there are 5 in parallel but only one is open) to see all the boys waiting. Then I sustained my only injury of the day - a bite from a vicious ant - before jogging back to the picnic. I will be stiff tomorrow, and have more bruised toenails to add to last weekend's collection, but don't think I'll end up as hammered as I was then :)

My legs have almost recovered enough from Sunday to get hammered again tomorrow...

Met Fern at 5.45 am in Shepherds Hill (and I rode there - oh boy did my ITBs protest against that) and we did the loop up through Eden Hills, across to Flinders Uni and back. This is one of my favourite runs and it was good to share it, but I'm afraid I was dragging her back, especially on hills. Was nice to see the moon setting over the ocean once we reached the top.

Sedate run along the creek to the redwoods and return with John, Simon, Bridget. I took it pretty easy but my hamstring, which I had thought to be quiescent, began to twang on the way back.

Not too concerned about efficiency today so daydreamed along, nearly losing track of two laps in the process, but I found them again!

Attempted a run but since I had to stop and stretch 4 times in 18 minutes, gave up on it.

Didn't enjoy walking down stairs today, or even around the shops in St Kilda (although sitting in a cafe was fine until I tried to get up). Provisional results from Sunday are now on the Coolrunning thread; apparently I was 17th female (of 110 or something) in the 28km. I think:
a) that's not too bad
b) that can be improved upon next year (unless I do the 56km)
c) that explains why I'm in pain, 'cos I actually worked quite hard for it.

Short run down to/around/back up from the Yarra to see whether my quads had disenfranchised me. Wasn't too bad after the first downhill but even a run this short required coffee before & after. Caffeine aids muscle recovery, right?

4km splits from yesterday, before I forget:
26:33 (uphill),
19:24 (downhill),
30:14 (the 5km to 13 because I never saw the 12km marker),
16:22 (next 3km to 16),
21:05 to 20k,
23:18 to 24,
21:13 to finish (probably 3.5km?)

MFR group run from Simon Goddard's housesitting venue at South Yarra. Involved a lap of the Tan, apparently in reverse, which is considered either daring or antisocial, I wasn't sure which. Followed by excellent dinner (which, for the 4th night in a row, had been cooked for me, by someone other than me).

About all I know of Mornington peninsula is that we went to mum's cousin's beach house at Dromana when I was 9, and I think we went up Arthur's Seat to the lookout. Driving down on Sat with Blair I looked up and decided the climb shouldn't be worse than going up Randell's Reserve to Belair. Hopping on the 6am bus from Cape Schanck (the 28km finish line; over 100 people were running back again for 56km) with Zoe & Naomi, I wasn't so sure. My hamstrings had woken me in the night and the anti-inflammatories hadn't taken effect yet, but they did by the start line.

First 3km is up the hill, plenty of people passed me on the road but on the walking track I overtook a few up the steps, and a few more on the contouring descent which I ran quite hard meaning that when I got to the evil little pinch before the steep firetrail descent, I was suddenly completely lactic. By about 8km, at the bottom of the hill, I was really empty/hungry so grazed on a nutrigrain bar over the next 3km - boardwalk along the creek was lovely, the long slow uphill along a dirt road, not so much. A couple of women I'd passed earlier got past me here. 14km, halfway, seemed to take forever to come up. I went through in about 81 min, it was nice to get some encouragement from Chilliman (Pete Mullins) who was marshalling at the start of Greens Bush.

From here on the trail was soft underfoot through stringybarks, yakkas and bracken, with little descents into and ascents out of flowing creeks, but none of them too bad. I counted down the km one by one, ate another nutrigrain bar between 18 and 21, then my usual (for a half marathon) jellybean each km for the last 7km. The only problem with having had a couple of (necessary) rest days beforehand was not being hungry enough to eat as much pasta as I had intended. Anyway, crossed the final road at the (late) 22km mark and settled into plodding through the sand under the banksias and teatree. No grand ocean views as I had hoped, but I was glad it wasn't sunny. Had to walk the steep climb out of the last creek at 25k but felt better for it and better still to see the lighthouse just before 27 and realise that the last km wasn't going to be a full one!

Quite happy with time even if it felt like more of an effort than it should have. Worth coming back to improve on next year, I reckon :) We hung around to watch Zoe & Naomi finish in about 3:23 (pretty good since Zoe's training runs had been on average 30 min), picnicked with them in the car park, then went to find a beach.

C • Congrats 4