Training Log Archive: jennycas

Checking all of Robin's control sites at Rock Oyster for the badge event in 2 weeks' time. Took about 4 hours all up so maybe half of that was running? I tried very hard to run but had to walk up hills, of which there were plenty. Am a bit worried about how stuffed/stiff I am these days. Being able to run freely and without pain in Europe seems like a distant memory. Still, it was a beautiful day to be on my own out there and a nice drive up via Mannum.

I did a very silly thing, though, which proves that I am a complete girl: sat in the car listening to CDs while taping my ankles, mending my O pants, and having lunch, without even thinking about the fact that the car headlights were on, because that would require intelligence. About the time that I wanted to drive home, I worked this out - because the battery was completely flat! Luckily the people in the house at the bottom of the hill were home and kindly came to jumpstart my car. I felt both grateful and foolish. Dropped in on Grandfather for dinner after and borrowed his shower so I could go straight to Paul Kelly concert in the city at 8. It was a great concert but I was pretty tired by then, having left home at 8am and eventually getting home at 11pm.

C • Jealous! 3

Nice fine morning for
a) kitchen floor-washing
b) riding while the floor dries (no, Meatloaf, you can't walk on it!)
Unpredictable warm and cold patches along the creek enhanced the (probably mistaken) impression of approaching springtime.

Up past the lake and down the steps with Zara (& Callum) at a nice easy pace. Fern & Tyson left us at the train line. Hamstring hadn't liked me all day but was strangely improved after half an hour of pulling weeds before running. Or it could be the shoes - I wore these all through Europe and my legs were much better then. Tradeoff is that my neuroma plays up pretty early on in a run.

Shortest loop in the park. I hope that the slow time at least partly reflects the fact that it was getting dark. Surely I couldn't have benefited from another day of idleness? Definitely found the streets a plod but quite enjoyed the park especially the orange sunset and twinkling lights viewed from the hill. Starting the core stuff again tonight.

I did not run. I did write my e-bulletin for work. Now I am well aware that I'm first on the roster every time a new one comes out, but I am less aware of when the old roster finishes, so yet again I had negligible notice from the boss (but some premonition) of when this was due. Must be pretty stuffed this week 'cos I caught myself thinking that not-running was something I could get used to. Not-stretching may be better for the hamstring but it's not so good for the rest of me.

Did not sleep well Sunday night because of aches and pains which I am attributing to the bee sting, and arm was still puffy/painful when I woke so I briefly considered the notgoingtoworkandsleepingproperlywhichIhaven'tdoneforaboutaweek option. Chose the alternative, this being work then about a million orienteering emails and a draft of the schools' champs' start book and then sleeping so thoroughly that it was somehow 8:30am Tuesday and I scrambled to make work on time - oops!

Despite a huge breakfast of Trangia porridge I didn't have much in my legs today and no push-off up hills (damn hammie) of which there were plenty. Plus I was just plain tired and not focusing well. I prefer Worlds End North to South because there's more contour detail but I wasn't reading it very well today; would just take off from a control on a bearing and think too late about the lower-contour alternate route choices. Generally very slow and unsure of my footing particularly towards the end (think all my core stability muscles are still on holiday). Lost a couple min at the wrong creek junction on 3 and made a mishmash of the long leg; half of it up and over in a direct line, then half to the right around the bottom.

I know this was a bad route choice because it brought me into direct contact with a bee which flew into me and stung my neck. (Have always thought it's ironic that bees have to give up their life in order to sting you.) Although painful, this wasn't as bad as the arse-biting ants which resided in the WMOC assembly area near the lake at Orfu, and I was breathing fine so I didn't even notice that my forearm was getting really itchy. When I finished I realised how swollen it was, also quite hot/red down into my hand, and I got a bit anxious. As far as I know I'm not allergic to bees but thought I'd better scavenge some antihistamines (thanks Adrian). Not sure that this made any difference, as now my neck/chest/arm are kind of nonspecifically aching.