Training Log Archive: jennycas

I haven't done a proper bush rogaine since the Aust Champs in the Flinders 2 years ago which was when all the trouble with my knees started. Anyway, they've been fairly good lately and Zara was keen to do the 12hr so we headed up to Peterborough in the rain on Friday night and I managed to get her car stuck in the mud all of 400m from the hash house; we rounded a corner and hit an exceedingly slushy patch and lost traction. Thankfully the carload of guys who arrived shortly afterwards were able to push the little Suzuki backwards and then demonstrate how taking a run up and flooring it gets you through - something I would have been too chicken to try but which Zara ably achieved thereafter.

Anyway there was no more rain overnight although the wind was chilly when we were planning. Both Z & I worked out the 'piece of string' distance for the entire course map as being about 56km and we remembered covering approx. that distance in the hot 12 hour at Yacka, although conveniently forgot that this had been actual on-ground distance covered and that there had been daylight for a couple of extra hours then!

We thought we might end up leaving out 6-7km of controls in the NW and that if we started out SW and went anticlockwise, with a squiggle in the middle around the OOB (lambing season) then coming in from the north would allow us to tailor our route to the time we had left. In hindsight, we probably added in a few too many 30-pointers in the early stages...ran most of the first couple of hours but the afternoon seemed to drag despite the classic southern Flinders abandoned farmhouse scenery. Possibly it was the dead Scotch thistles pricking at our legs and feet which dampened the enthusiasm a little! By about 3pm we found ourselves slowing to a comfortable strolling pace, especially among the mallee through the hills, but we'd still achieved by dark pretty much what we'd thought we'd do in the daylight hours.

I guess we hadn't really thought about the fact that navigating just is rather slower in the (moonless) dark, despite our having fairly accurate bearings. We left the water drop on the east side about 8:15pm heading north into what turned out to be mostly mallee, gaining on the Colwells (they had walked faster than us in daytime but were less sure of their navigating at night) but the next couple of legs took a while. I wanted to be at control 90 (highest point of the ridge) by 10pm at the latest so we could head for home and pick up some controls along the road, so was surprised to see the Colwells heading still further north from the control we were all at together about 9:30. Somehow though, I completely stuffed up my bearing and went too far around the top of a small knoll and Z & I ended up heading north along a steep valley which was running in the opposite direction to the one we wanted :(

Worked this one out by dropping into and crossing the valley then heading south - and ended up about 200m west of where I should originally have turned west, about half an hour later than I should have done so. So now there was no time for the 90 and we headed due west to the plains, collecting a whole 40 points on the way. There should have been another 30 but I completely ballsed up that bearing too due to an irrational fear of electric fences (even though Zara practically licked the fence to demonstrate its inertness, I still couldn't make myself climb over) and we hit the road too far north, but with 42 min to run 6km back to the hash house, there was no time to go back into the paddock :(

The safety loop car saw us as they were checking the northernmost water drop and on their return announced to the admin helpers that they didn't think we were going to make it without losing points. On our return, with 2 minutes to spare, we announced that the Colwells were about 20 minutes behind and definitely not going to make it! We ended up 5th; if everything had gone according to plan we'd probably have had another 180 points, but I bet there are a few teams who would also say that. Anyway, it was a grand day out in the countryside with Z and a few lessons learned. And there was indeed ice on the admin table when we finished!

C • Zapped 5

A couple of hours' mental exercise working out how to cut up fruit cakes and stick the pieces together into the shape of a 4 and an 0, then cover the lot with (purple) icing to take to the rogaine for my parents' 40th wedding anniversary. It was like trying to put a tangram together...

Started out okay but got slower as my back tightened up. Not pleasant afterwards.

I was running a bit late and the others had already headed off, probably to beat the rain, but I caught them at Long Gully with a little help from Simon. Then we went up the steps, which only took 4 minutes, and at Jubilee Drive some of us went up and some of us went down. By the time I had run Zara home across the golf course it was pouring. Hope it doesn't do that for 12 hours straight on Sat. Now attempting to pack for the rogaine; had forgotten how much stuff is required!

Mitcham & back. After dark, but felt better than expected, possibly because I wasn't in a meeting until 7pm as I had been last night. Or else because the anti-inflammatories which I finally took at 5am for my back hadn't completely worn off yet. It's getting so I don't want to go to bed because I know I will wake up in pain - basically muscle stiffness, as far as I can work out.

Around Hawthorndene on a warm night with Tyson, Troy & Simon. Tired legs, especially up hills.

From the retirement village at Emu Plains to sister-in-law's at South Penrith, along the river with a downstream detour to look at the unimpressive weir. Just needed a break from people though - this holiday has been the least holiday-like that I can recall and work is going to be bloody horrible this week (and forever after since EPAS).

C • From the retirement village? 3