Training Log Archive: PrueD

(DIstance a guess). Went out to Reef Hills and rode around the tracks. I met a few spider webs (these are still with me as I type) and one march fly (which I was unable to lure into the web a la Invisible). I lost the fly on the downhill.

I woke up to thunder and heavy showers and these have continued for the duration of the day. Lots of lovely water.... I walked around the lake and environs (making sure that I know every lump and bump just in case there's another orienteering event here one day). I should have run but didn't feel like it.

On the subject of geography in schools - it is the only subject that takes a holistic temporal and spatial approach to all the things that make up the world. For example, there are environmental, social, political and economic factors (and their many subsets) surrounding every issue, with many inter-dependencies - although many people see the factors as being entirely separate subjects. People who study geography have a better understanding of world differences (and hopefully a greater propensity for world peace) and also take a more holistic and longer-term approach to environmental management - seeing this as complementary to, rather than in opposition to economic development. I think educators hope that people will soak up this type of outlook through osmosis - but my observation is that this is not so. Bring back geography!!

I haven't been for a swin for a while - but today, Mum (who thinks that any form of exertion is both dangerous and unladylike) asked me twice on the phone whether I was going swimming today. I thought that this was an omen and that I had better go. I swam in the outdoor poor (after tentatively dipping a toe in to see how cold it was) only to find that it was surprisingly warm. There was a fit (friendly) older man in the pool and that was all - so I had a lane to myself and was able to meander back and forth along the line in the manner of country drivers - but did need to keep going in order to avoid a conversation.

Last day of RC hearings for me. I managed to fit a session of yoga in between the morning and afternoon sessions - but it meant missing lunch. I was also rather tense and found that this considerably impacted upon both my flexibility and balance. Some of the yoga moves can be incredibly hard.

I am now eating dunch (dinner and lunch combined) before heading up country.

Perplexing question for the day - why do all rural people refer to "going up" to Melbourne? Everyone in Benalla says this - seemingly ignorant of the fact the Melbourne is both at a lower elevation than, and south of Benalla. The only logical explanation is that they say this in deference to Melbourne being a greater place.

Fortunately for my social life, but unfortunately for my fitness, I went out to dinner tonight with an old university friend who is visiting from the US - so no exercise.

Tomorrow is my last day sitting in the RC. I have quite enjoyed the experience as many of the witnesses, especially the expert witnesses, have given presentations that would easily pass as as conference presentations. I was even heard to remark that I enjoyed it so much that I would have paid for the privilege. What is disappointing is that those making the judgments are getting interesting but incomplete evidence and in many cases seem to have missed the basics of the subject matter. Another thing that I have learnt is that RCs and court cases are not about truth at all - they are about the skill of the barrister in steering the unsuspecting witness into a corner. Anyone who outsmarts the barrister (and they've been a few) get double the treatment.

Anyone can go and watch - there's a number of retired MPs who attend daily, but other than that, no-one. I am getting to know the other regulars quite well.

An early morning walk around Blackburn. It was dark and cool - so Autumn must be getting closer. An interesting observation was cars parked in isolated spots beside bushy parks. They looked lke they had been there all night. I wondered whether these were homeless people camping?

It's been a fairly big week for me workwise and its starting to tell - I was a bit of a boz-O tonight at street-O - bad route choice (trying to avoid going up any hills), running past things and not being about to count to 3 - with several times failing to count properly to 2 - and just overall weariness.

I put this down to the effort I now have to go to in the RC - sitting properly -with no more reactive facial expression over the ridiculous things I hear. I have learnt the hard way that the TV stations like shots of people looking stupid. So now I sit there all prim and proper. Today's ex US Forests Service chief gave a presentation on the benefits of prescribed burning and had a list of the values that the US had sacrificed to increase community safety. Apparently we can no longer have a middle storey in the forest and will need to suffer loss of threatened species, lower water yield, raised carbon emissions etc etc. Almost every other value was sacrificed. Concrete is a wonderful thing.

On the amusing side - a search of our legal database discovered that there are 45 different ways to spell "firefighter" (including "firelighter").

Got home too late to do anything. Couch and ice cream instead.

Tornad-O tonight at Norton's Park. The event was held in a howling gale - such that when you were running into the wind you felt as though you were standing still, and running with the wind you felt marvellous. I actually felt pretty good the whole event. It took me a while to warm up and then I was OK. I even passed Bryan, who then tried to use the pathetic excuse that he had run the Maroondah Dam 50 K yesterday and that he was tired. As if!! He produced his trophy to prove it (2nd place). It must have been tough because he took over 5 hours.

There were also a set of proud parents present - Jill and Mark Phillips - with photos of their daughter Belinda being awarded a HUGE trophy in Japan after winning the 50 km Sapporo Marathon (cross country ski race).

I spent another day in the RC. Just in case I appeared tonight on the news (as I did most days last week) - I wish to advise that I was just resting my eyes :)

C • quick 2

C • Bryan 1

I felt much better this morning. There is nothing like a good night's sleep. (I no longer say "I love bed" as this can be/has been misconstrued in a major way). I love SLEEP.

I have to clarify that I was not hungover yesterday - just tired. Late nights and I do not get on, and I really can't function if I am tired. I was planning to go to MTBO last night at the You Yangs but it didn't happen.

I walked briskly for an hour around Blackburn this morning. Exercise-wise this week has been a bit of a flop.

I was reminded, when I woke up, why I don't like big nights - and usually only have them about once a year. So I went for a walk around Blackburn followed by some retail therapy.

Last night was a culmination of birthday celebration and RC recovery. I didn't think that the Dept came out looking at all good yesterday, but the hierachy was pleased and the media can't have been listening. I have learnt not to sit behind Counsel Assisting (after a rather embarrassing shot of me in the background on Thursday night's TV). At least I wasn't doing anything too bad a la David Kier (the famous banker).

Was going to go for a run but went out for a drink with people from work after the big day in the RC. Didn't get home until after midnight.

Today was officially designated as an "all cake" and "no exercise" day or, as some might put it, another notch in the overall downhill slide (although that is entirely dependent upon how long I last). Yes, it is Birthday Day.

I had to entertain my sister and husband, elderly mother and her even more elderly boyfriend (nevermind about any friends of mine) inside my tiny 2.8 meter width flat. The cheesecake (made last week and frozen) was consumed.

I have had a number of memorable birthdays - many of which (2003, 2007, 2009) seem to be in the middle of a major bushfire or other disaster and any sort of celebration is out the question.

My most memorable birthday was not on my birthday at all. When I was a school teacher, my supervisor walked into the staffroom with a HUGE cake, with a model girl in a kayak on top. 125 staff started singing and the cake landed in front on me. Unfortunately it wasn't my birthday (several weeks out) but I had to pretend. Anyway, all the students outside were asking "whose birthday is it" ? The next day, every class had a cake for me - "we've made you a cake" they explained - I had 9 classes that day. I love cake - but - even for me, 9 pieces of cake in one day was too much (but I had to eat it all, because each class had made a cake especially). I was nearly sick. My actual birthday went by unnoticed several weeks later.

I share my birthdate with John Travolta and Paris Hilton's birthday was yesterday. I am sure you can see the resemblance.

Street orienteering at South Blackburn tonight. It was a score event and I entered C course (45 mins). Apart from a few pauses, I pretty much ran the whole way and felt reasonably OK.

Its been a fairly tense day - my first full day in the RC. Everything went pretty much as expected, with no great surprises. However you never can tell which way Counsel Assisting will go with their information.

I unfortunately precipitated (another) drama at work. I was reading the Secretary's statement which had been filed with the RC. It had been finalised with nearly every layer in the organisation checking it. However the resources numbers looked wrong to me and I went off to check them. The place went into meltdown, the statement was withdrawn and the database people were sent off to redo their work. Fortunately (for me, as I had taken a big risk in claiming that everybody else was wrong) the numbers were proven to be significantly wrong (26% out) and have now been rectified. Not a good look for our database people. However the Secretary was saved from a potential disaster when he is a witness on Friday.

I forgot to say that, after a morning in the RC listening to a very technical description of a computer risk model, they put a lay witness on. She started with a long and detailed description of the age and characteristics of her pets - "I've got a cat and he's 3 years old and I've had him since a kitten etc etc". The ABC reporters behind me started laughing and I found it quite hard to contain myself. She then announced that she would not leave next time, but stay and defend (despite the fact that all her neighbours died). She didn't know what "native vegetation" was and they had to spell out "gum trees". I think she was put up as an example of a particular segment of society that we might have to deal with in emergencies.

C • emergency planning issues for some people 8

I went for a walk tonight around north Blackburn area. I was feeling quite tired and it became a bit of a contemplative dawdle rather than a full-on power walk.

Tomorrow is the first day of the RC hearings on fuel management. I'll be sitting in there observing every day now for a week. Everyone up to Secretary level was running around in a last minute frenzy today trying to get their facts and figures right. It is a learning experience for me to not take responsibility for everything that is going wrong and to just let nature take its course. It could be an interesting week.

I am enjoying watching the Winter Olympics. I have only 1 or 2 degrees of separation from 3 of the athletes (2 mogel skiiers and 1 XC skiier) - so am watching with interest. I am a former ambidextrous biathlete (can shoot with both a left-handed and a right-handed rifle) and noted, during the opening ceremony, that this attribute was considered to be worthy of mention.

You will be pleased to hear that, while I am a fairly good shot, I have never shot anything that runs around - only targets (I have difficulty with stepping on ants...).

Another yoga session after work. I am really getting into the inverted dog pose (or something like that) and various other poses with faunal names. I also have taken note of the advice to "keep your feet in contact with the ground" (I really hadn't intended to do anything else) and have consequently fallen over less. I forgot to mention over the weekend that I think the yoga has made a significant difference to my flexibility and consequently felt that my running gait has become more free.

I made a major sacrifice today - giving away a helicopter trip to Bright tomorrow to two of the younger staff. I have had many flights in my time but I still enjoy them. It is departmental policy to wear overalls in helicopters - I think the reason is that, when the little eggshell crashes, the bits are easy to sort as they are all held together in the overalls (or so I have been told).

I didn't really sleep well and would have preferred a less early start. Today was a hagaby-type event and I was down for 6 kms. I didn't really warm up properly and never really felt comfortable running - although on the positive side, at least I could run up the hills.

On the first map I bungled 4 to 5, overshooting it somewhat. I then became a bit disorientated from 6 to 7 - taking the long route. The rest was not really spot on either. For the second map, 4 to 5 was again messed up - there was a group of us and I always find this distracting, much preferring to be be on my own. Towards the end I tired a bit and wasn't really motivated. Score - course setter 1, Prue nil.

However, I don't wish to over-inflate the ego of the course setter - but it was rather nice to have technical courses both days. It was also nice to have 2 events on the weekend - making it well worth the trip (hint, hint to future organisers).

Event: BendiGo ToDay
 

After driving up to Benalla last night and entertaining the relatives, I then raced across to Bendigo for the first race of the double header. My first mistake, which was shared by a number of others, including the Sunleys who have a reputation for this type of mistake, was failing to navigate cleanly to the start.

Once there, I really enjoyed the event. I have never been a sprinter and haven't been in many sprint events, but I seem to do OK in them. I stuck to the tracks in the main, except for between 10 and 11 where the sneaky course setter had us all coming out of 10 facing a track that looked like it went directly to 11. But of course it didn't - leading straight into the most messy mining area and a large amount of green - so a fair bit of wasted time there. On the positive side I felt as though I could run comfortably and breathe well. Nothing hurt and I was reasonably pleased with the overall effort.

I was flat out at work today and didn't have time to go to yoga (I was only on the waiting list anyway). The highlight of the week was my leaking "state secrets" to the RC. I am lucky that the penalty for this type of action is not as severe here as it would have been in China. How this happened was that I needed to attach a document from our legal database to a statement. Unfortunately the wrong document (but with the right title) was on the system and it got sent off. The place went into meltdown when it was realised what had happened. Should we withdraw it and draw attention to it? Or should we just hope it disappears into the nether with the thousands of other unread documents submitted to the RC? I guess my career was going nowhere anyway. I consoled myself with 2 lemon tarts at our work afternoon tea.

Unfortunately, because of the rain, I was unable to do any exercise tonight. I made a cheescake instead.

Street O at Yarra Bend park tonight. Although it was hottish and humid, I decided that my, albeit low level, training program has at last paid off and for the first time in ages felt comfortable running (rather than feeling terrible). My route choice for the C course was remarkably similar to the one I ran on last time a street O was held here (and the course setter was the same) - with many of the controls in the same places or in very similar places. A major difference was that I didn't make the route choice errror that I made last time - so got around this time with some ease.

I forgot to measure the distance or take the time - so I am just guessing.

A brisk walk later in the evening. The indestructable rubbish was still there and provided much distraction (lots of old cane chairs but not a pair of new ones - yet).

I've been a bit busy this week to write up anything more.

I joined the Yoga class after work tonight. Each class is different - with some more effective than others in stretching the areas that need it. Today's was OK but not heavenly like Friday's.

Today I was moved to front of the class (next to the teacher, so to speak). I told everyone it was because I had been naughty. She said it was because I had bad eyesight and couldn't see the board. The new position is very central and my computer very public. So it was goodbye to the blokes at my old spot and their bike clothes, their washing hanging up, their breakfast bowls, toothfloss and toothbrushes. And there's also no more sleeping at the desk or reading AP or Facebook in work hours. Ah them's the breaks. I enjoyed my time in the respite paddock.

Best legalspeak quote of the day - "There is no evidence to suggest that ...... was not incompetent at his job." And I thought double negatives were bad.

I spent the mornng pruning the dead-heads in the backyard. If only the procedure was as easy to perform in other areas of your life :).

This afternoon I swam in Lake Benalla. The lake has had a good flush out with the recent rain and was quite fresh and clear. However I still came out dirty but I think that this was from the edges, rather than from the main lake. There was a sign up recommending that you don't swim there and I assume this is because there is no lifeguard.

C • or perhaps 2

I went on a run along the Ovens River at Wangaratta this afternoon in 33 degree heat and full sun. It was going to be an LSD day - but it was hot - and I gave up after 35 mins. The bootcamp instructor said that he was very disappointed - but I said that such instructors are meant to run along behind with a stick not 10+ meters in front (which is annoying because, regardless of whether you are going fast or slow, you are never able to catch up). It was also problematic for navigation today - as evidenced by the bootcamp instructor disappearing off in the wrong direction several times.

There has been heavy rain up here and all the rivers and waterways are now flowing freely.

An hour's walk following the run. I have worked out a good 10k circuit through parks and bike tracks in Wang so might plan to do this (hopefully running) is conjunction with the occasional weekend's retail therapy outing.

Traveling into work this morning in the pouring rain, I thought that perhaps there was a major orienteering event on that I had forgotten about, or that I should be going camping this weekend. I arrrived aboslutely soaked.

I am trying to go to yoga twice a week now. Today's session at lunchtime was almost heavenly - it felt so nice stretching all those bits that needed it, especially the hip and knee areas. It hasn't taken very long for me to regain a bit of flexibilty and I can really feel the benefits. Highly recommended.

I went for walk around Blackburn Lake in between showers. It was rather a leisurely stroll, not only because of the humidity, but also because it is indestructable rubbish week and I cannot resist walking from pile to pile in the hope of spotting something interesting. I had in mind two smallish cane chairs (hint hint, if anyone has a spare pair) and, of course, I could buy them but that's not half as much fun (or as sustainable) as hunting. This collection specialised in old television sets as everyone has upgraded. Every second house had at least one out with the record being 3. In the past I have (almost) furnished entire houses from the rubbish collection - carrying the goods home in the dead of night. However I resisted the temptation this time.

My training hours have been a bit down this week, so I tried to extend them by travelling a little slower than usual at tonight's Lillydale Lake street-O event. I normally enjoy this map but tonight it was just plain hot and I felt really heavy. In the end I gave up and did "scouts pace". Still - better than nothing.

The after BBQ was really nice - the setting by the lake was picturesque, the temperature balmy and there was a nice breeze. I could have sat there all night. Lots of other people (non-orienteers) must have thought that the lake was a nice place to go on a hot night also as they were arriving and heading off on the lit walking trails right up to when I left at 9.30.

I have been meaning for some time to comment on badly spelt menus. Today I saw Lasang on special. I didn't check to see if it came with vegetable's and chip's, or whether one could have Parmagina instead.

Rest day. I planned to do something but got home too late and was really hungry so food took priority.

We're all feeling a bit down about the RC stuff today and friends of mine from Benalla have been named ("guilty" - but with no trial and no opportunity to mount a defense). Not nice. The RC seems to think that this is what the community wants. But that isn't my perception of the community attitude at all - I think that people want to know that systems have been fixed at the state level so that the likelihood of this scale of event happening again will be lessened. Blaming a couple of ordinary people (who were not obliged, but offered to help on the day) will only ruin more lives without actually addressing the bigger, systemic issues.

I attended another hour of "power yoga" this evening. Despite complaining about muscles stretching where they hadn't stretched for a long time, I felt that I received a week of benefit following my last session - even one session seemed to made a considerable difference to how I felt both during and after running. Tonight's session had less emphasis on hip stretches (which I need), but there was still pain, so I will see if any longer term benefits accrue this time. Finding time in the day and getting into the classes (they are very popular) are the real issues.

Driving down from Benalla last night the temperature dropped from 38 to 18 in a really short time. The biggest temperature difference that I have had in a 24 hour period was when I was travelling back from Italy after cross country skiing (where it was minus 15) to Lima East where it was 45. 60 degrees difference! However, I was so cold deep inside that it took me 3 days to thaw out and start to feel warm again.