Training Log Archive: jennycas

All 48 controls for the relays at Rocky Paddock went out in fairly straightforward fashion (the last couple as a night stroll from the campground) accompanied by a regular "ow" and the occasional "f'n ow" from my knees but the setting up nearly struck a massive snag when I got there at 11am to find a 2-family group, with caravans, ensconced on "our" site!

It's unfortunate that campsites can't be booked up there, otherwise we would have done so - but I hadn't expected anyone to be there from the Friday night, and I didn't even realise that Forestry has designated a couple of extra campsites in the open space in front of the gate (I'd have thought you wouldn't be allowed to block the gate) which we of course needed for our assembly and changeover area. I explained as politely as possible that we could set up around them, but that there would be 120 people in the morning, and they said "the ranger didn't tell us any of this!" I'm sure that the weekend ranger wasn't the one who processed the permit, and even if he had been, probably wouldn't have realised that we wanted precisely that space.

By the time I came back from putting out half the controls they were mostly packed up and Phil Hazell, my controller, who had arrived to start checking, said they were heading for Kuitpo. I felt pretty bad though as they'd already paid for a second night's camping. But also relieved, because now we could set up a graveyard. When I came back from putting out the rest of the controls the guys had not only set up the graveyard, they had ring-fenced my tent with the leftover stakes!

Fern & Tyson, Phil & Anna and I camped overnight and once the mizzle cleared and the fog set in, it was quite pleasant around the campfire.

Pretty tentative because I was waiting for knees A or B to twinge. But actually running was less painful than walking today.

Could hardly walk because of my knee today and it wasn't any better (acutely) after physio. So I didn't run from F&T's. Instead I procured maps, and curry, both of which were integral to the relay-map-bagging-&-sorting night. A bit worried about how I will go putting out all the controls on Sat. Also never again going to do intervals in those particular shoes.

C • controls 2

George is in the process of driving to Katherine for work. Which means he won't be home for 5 days. The irony is that we were holidaying in Katherine last week - and he showed me the houses that he had delivered there previously!

Knees too stiff to run this morning. Should have had a banana before riding. Nice to see/smell plum & wattle blossom and admire the magnolia in bloom at the far end of the valley.

To loosen up knees. But this was only partly successful. And on any downhills, downright painful. As were my quads. I don't think I wore the right shoes last night. Actually, all my shoes seem rather flat so I may have to pay a visit to Mr Wiggle.

Intervals on uni loop with schools' team juniors and Bridget. Impressed by their enthusiasm and her coaching. Looots of recovery time between intervals.
200 41:80
400 ???
600 2:25
600 2:20
400 1:33
200 40:83
Did a couple more as I had time before OSA council meeting, and thought that since my knees and hamstrings were already going to be horrible tomorrow, this wouldn't make it any worse...
200 44:13
400 1:36
200 45:12

Time slightly random - there were also floats in between but since it took longer for the kids to jog 200m than it did for them to run 600m, I've ignored these.

Schroedinger's cat ate my run!

Well, not exactly. But when Bridget & Simon & I turned up, Tyson & Troy had left early to run before Tyson had to go to TJ meeting. So we couldn't run right then because we needed to discuss club relays with Tyson and didn't want to miss him. The run still existed in potentia; Simon said it was like Schroedinger's cat. Tyson, when he returned, informed us that he had shot the cat - so we discussed relays logistics with him and then went home to do further relays organising independently. It's going to be a full-on week.

I borrowed Susanne's bike and did something I'd meant to do when we were here 2 years ago: rode out to Nightcliff and then along the bike path across Rapid Creek to Dripstone Cliffs, a lap of the uni then back again, stopping to take photos of the tide high among the mangroves.

Nearly didn't make it across the first road, though: braked unfamiliar brakes too hard coming up to the lights on Stuart Highway, nearly went over the handlebars but put my foot out in time; only problem being that Susanne's seat was a bit too high for me to reach the ground properly and as I overbalanced I fell off the kerb and into the gutter, landing on my arse with a resounding thump (actually the thump's probably just my imagination) and now at this end of the day, my hand is turning purple, but my bottom hasn't yet. Wasn't fun sitting for 4 hours on a plane though!