Training Log Archive: jennycas

Spent a sunny winter's day checking Vincent's Aust Long Champs control sites at Gumeracha Goldfields. Amazing views to the north and west from the top of Tower Hill :) Started out feeling very exhausted (probably wouldn't have been much good for a rogaine this weekend, and I have to work tomorrow anyway) but better after coming back to the car for lunch so then decided to tackle the remote southern section, and was rewarded by finally finding some golden wattle in bloom, right on sunset. Do wish that people in 4WDs wouldn't manage to get behind locked gates and rampage up & down in the mud, though. Still about 1/3 of the sites to visit but they are closer to the start/finish and I'll be able to combine doing that with a club-relays-taping trip to Moon Rocks in a couple of weeks' time.

G & I headed around to the pub for dinner and afterwards were idly watching the footy when we realised that everyone at Adelaide Oval was hastily putting on their raincoats, so we sculled our drinks and power-walked home before the precipitation got seriously heavy - good timing!

Wearily up through the uni* and Bellevue Heights in time to watch the golden sun setting pinkly in the west, then down through Eden Hills admiring the full rogainers' moon above woodsmoke hanging in the valley. I do so love living in Adelaide in all its seasons...

*notable changes: roof with solar panels going up over the top carpark @Siberia, and a hut being built for the security guard stationed permanently on the footbridge above the gorge.

Redwoods run with Zara, and Callum of course. We did actually spend more time running than stopped and chatting...I think. Surprised at how tired I have been this week.

Up the hill x 5. Our little group kept getting mixed in with another (presumably SARRC) mob - everyone comes out when it's getting towards City-Bay season.

To/from the hill on tired little legs. Survived a second day of work inside the windowless climateless box that is FMC. I'm not a big-cities person; definitely the times I enjoyed most in Europe were those when I could spend the entire day in the great outdoors. Nothing can beat the gloriousness of being among the mountains above Madonna di Campiglio!

Slow slippery post-work run in the last of the daylight (if it's getting dark, does that mean it's bedtime already?). Creek was creeking froggily, which is music to my ears. Also I saw some almond blossom - spring must be coming!

The last time I went orienteering was half a world away. But I still had the same compass with me today - whoops. The use of a northern hemisphere compass in southern Australia led to quite a few navigation fails (which would be worthy of a hashtag but I just can't bring myself to do it) particularly on danger downhill legs; although I was able to stop and angle my compass vertically to allow me to take a bearing, it was impossible to check/maintain this on the run despite minimal tree cover on the open hills and my focusing on contours as much as possible. So I think I probably lost about 15 min all up? Anyway, it was a glorious day to be out among the rocks in greenness and sunshine :)