Training Log Archive: zootrio

Really struggled with the heat today. No real problems on the course; just slow compared to everyone else. Took three controls to get into the scale but basically, I just didn't move fast enough. Ran into a branch on the way down to 12 and have a hole in my leg just above my knee. Pretty deep but shouldn't need to be stitched. Small error on 15, when I went to 17 instead and had to backtrack to the other tree/rock area. Really had to concentrate on correct control exit, as I was so worried about going in completely the opposite direction.

Day 1 (Prologue) Medium - Splits

Managed to fit in a run before Mum left to go to work. I tried hard to talk myself out it but then decided I don't have to go out tomorrow if I went out today.

Along the same theme of reliving the past, I headed to the old Hollywood High site. Ran around and through it, marvelling at the houses that are now standing on the quadrangle and the tennis courts and the pool. Did some stairs and hills at the old oval and then headed to Shenton Park lake. Round the lake then back home and up and down Waylen Rd twice each while I waited for Mum to drive out. And that also got me to 30 mins. Right, I think I'm done for Easter now. Nothing else will make a difference except learning to navigate in rocks.

Tuesday night run in Kings Park. Superb evening. With Nicole on a nice loop. Some walking and we stopped at the old house for a look. Apparently we were a couple of minutes faster than last week. Cool.

C • Maybe 6

Tight calves on waking this morning. Took the kids to the playground for the afternoon and then to the DNA tower. They especially enjoyed climbing it. My calves did not.

Season opener at Hill Park Dale. Dusty, flies everywhere, warm to hot and a lot of fallen timber.

Messy to 1: forgot the number one rule of Orienteering in WA; follow the rock surfaces and clearings. Ended up too far left on a pretty simple control if I had approached it from the bottom. Annoyance factor great here. 2 ok, 3 used the dams but still came around a little wide, clean through 4 and 5, followed rock surfaces and clearings to 6 in the gully and got it spot on, decided to go high to 7 but mixed up the rock surfaces and came in from the north. Made an absolute meal of 8. Struggled to read the map and seemed to head straight down the gully instead of over onto the spur (much easier to navigate sitting in a chair at home). Eventually found it but completely disheartened by this stage. Down to the track and off the fence corner to 9, 10 well hidden in fallen timber but I knew I was in the right place, 11 ok but starting to feel very weary, 12 fine, along the track to 13 and stumbled down the steep hill to 14.

Oh boy, if I navigate like this next weekend, I will come stone cold last.

Feet suffered a bit in the X-talons; ground was very hard. May need to alternate between them and runners at Easter. Trimtex pants and socks were good.

H4 - Splits

Neck much improved but decided to have a rest day as I will go Orienteering tomorrow. Very warm already at 8am and by the time we got to the Subi Farmers Market (on recommendation from Nicole - thanks) at 9, it was 31 degrees with a strong easterly blowing. Had a good look around the school, pointing out to the kids some of the classrooms I used to be in and the kindergarten I used to go to (where I met my friend Kate, of the house in Keightley Rd from yesterday). Lots of new buildings which have taken up the vast amounts of bitumen that used to be there.

Did the family thing today, visiting my grandparents, who haven't seen the kids for almost three years.