Training Log Archive: PrueD

Street O at Camberwell Central (Burwood area) - a pretty hilly area. I ran almost alll of it (except one steep hill). Feeling pretty good physically at the moment. Not injured. Not ill. All primed for the Mid Life Crisis Challenge on the weekend :)

C • MLCC 6

Street-O at Blackburn North today - not far from home so no excuses. It was the first of the autumn night series - where they give you a handicap and you subtract that from 37. My handicap was 14 so I had to get 23 points. That meant running over 7 km. Normally in street-O I am a bit lazy but in this series they make sure you get your money's worth. The only downside is that you have to carry a card and pen and write down numbers - which takes a bit of time out of the run. On one pole today you had to stick your head out in the traffic on a main road to see the number.

I only worked half a day today - travelling down from Benalla this morning. The weather in the NE again promised to be glorious and it was hard to leave. I have got other news but I can't remember what it is..

A perfect weekend in the NE. I keep planning to make the move to Melbourne but weekends like this make the decision very hard. I ran around Benalla lake and environs today.

A swim in the Benalla pool - with only 2 other patrons at first and then finally with the whole pool to myself. Very, very relaxing!

Final summer series street-O at Maroondah Triangle tonight. I always quite liked this map so enjoyed the run. There was a large crowd and everyone started together - mostly heading off in the one direction. I ran that direction at first, at the rear of the field, but then realised that I was going to get caught in a queue at every control. I then backtracked and headed the other way. I don't like running in a crowd anyway. Highlight of the run was trying to run and laugh at the same time when Adam and Gary (both in the power walking event) rushed past me on either side doing a Len impersonation. Very distracting! They could only manage it for about 20 meters.

The event was followed by an excellent dinner put on by the local scouts and then both the Monday and Wednesday series presentations. The usual question was discussed regarding the powerwalker section - was it better to beat the Newbury Navigators (disabled group) or to be beaten by them? John Sheahan knew the answer - beating them outright in both series.

C • Next round in the sledge match 11

Is feeling sick because you have eaten too much chocolate mud cake in the afternoon at work counted as 'ill'? I think so. I felt terrible at yoga tonight - and the poses were really hard - mainly stretching lower legs, feet and arms. I just wasn't up to it.

C • No!! 5

Big sledge day at the State Series 1 event at Cotty Creek. I used dyslexia as an excuse and entered W35. However the day didn't start well - 2 navigational errors getting there (which, along with the 2 navigational errors coming home, added up to about 50 extra km). Fortunately I didn't make any significant navigational errors on the 5.9km course - although I made some slow route choices and spent too much time climbing in and out of erosion gullies. Woman is not a monkey (although there are some that come close in other respects - no names here).

I think I might need to include some new AP activities - crawling around on all fours for example, and some gymnastics (children's play equipment might do). Regarding the sledge, Jools well and truly beat us (88 mins) although travelled an extra 1.3 kms (no comment). Because I was travelling slowly - I seemed to have trouble with the fallen timber and erosion gullies, I thought that the others were ahead of me. However, with 3 controls to go I looked over my shoulder and there was Louise. Now I hadn't intended to resume trying, but, well, the challenge was too much and I took off - managing to hold her off until the end. And so the Ladies Sledge category lives to see another day. Amen

C • sledge 9

Big night out at a friend's retirement dinner last night and didn't get home until after midnight. Felt tired all day and did nothing useful. Stoked up for Sunday's O event with a TRIFFEL (spelt that way) from the Maxi store.

Yoga at lunchtime at work followed by a too-big lunch. I should be all nicely stretched out and relaxed for Sunday (take note Louise).

In the planned burning section at work, we are having trouble getting the regions to recognise and seize burning opportunities (i.e. days with suitable weather). We were thinking of running a training day and discussion was had regarding a motivational speaker. Suggestions - Fev or Ricky Nixon. Fev (who I don't like) would be good whilst the title of Nixon's talk could be " See an opportunity and go for it" or "You know the risks but hell when am I going to get an opportunity like this again?" (Note - Interstate people may not understand).

C • Noted 2

C • Burning opportunities 2

Ailment seems to have miraculously gone - a one-day wonder - and I went to street-O at the Pines (Doncaster East) tonight. This was on the same map as the recent Templestowe Hills MTBO so I am starting to get quite familiar with the area, particularly the hills! I just walked - though briskly. There is a lot on my mind at the moment so a good walk was helpful.

Today at work someone changed the keys around on my keyboard - which caught me out because I don't completely touch type - so the little joke was quite successful.

Street-O tonight at Canterbury. My sore throat has developed into a head cold and so I thought I would just walk around - but entered the running course so that I could run if I wanted to. I ended up walking up the hills and jogging on the flats and downs - which worked quite well and I felt better by the end.

A taxi stopped beside me and another girl while we were walking. We thought we were in luck but the taxi driver didn't even look ot the window. We discussed how we must have lost our touch. It reminded me of a street-O in Heidelberg last year - a dark wet night - when a man in a car stopped and offered to drive me to the next control. Clearly the lighting must have been very bad in that alley.

C • Thank you 3

The weekend has caught up with me and I have a sore throat - I think a cold is on the way.

C • mud 1

Swim in the Benalla pool - felt slow and sluggish but time seems about usual. There were very few patrons - and I was pleased that, this time, there were no naked volumunous women in the change room wanting to initiate a conversation. Which reminded me - we MTBOers did not have to do yesterday's event - we had a nearby option - the Daylesford Nude Bike Ride! Hmmm - would have been interesting. I hope none fell off.

I also forgot to mention yesterday that a very fit man passed me at a great speed up a hill. It was on one of the smoother sections with no rocks or ruts, All of a sudden, about 10 meters in front of me, he and his bike tipped over into the bushes. He extracted himself - looking somewhat sheepish - and I got my money's worth by yelling 'I saw that!'

Woke to a hot and humid morning. Headed off on the course 3 - 19 km. Overshot control 1. Fell into a deep stagnant puddle (up to my waist) on the way to control 2 (garmin arm held high in the air). Smelt somewhat horrible for the remaining duration of the event - but was VERY attractive to March flies. Took several wrong turns and walked up most of the hills. Humidity and sunscreen really don't mix and I felt really hot. Ran out of puff about half way around. Took a long silly single trail when I should have gone around the road towards the end. The trail was littered with fallen trees and bottomless muddy bogs. Fell of my bike sideways into a sloppy muddy bog towards the end - sustaining a big scratch and an almost full body and bike cover of mud. Got caught in tropical downpour around 500 meter before the finish. Arrived back muddied, bloodied, soaking wet and quite tired. Really tough conditions and hardly any route choice (apart from obviously unsuitable route choices). I hate MTBO! However Nicky thought it was great fun, that the course was just the right length and wants to do it again.

Then drove back to Benalla after dropping Nicky off at Sunbury.

C • So apart from being muddied, bloodied, soaking wet and quite tired ... you enjoyed yourself ? 3

After a great film night at Bruce's (again) (thanks Bruce) some of us fronted up for the Saturday training run in North Blackburn. This was a teams novelty event with a points handicap (can't be bothered explaining). I was teamed up with Mary Enter who feigned weariness and made me do the hilly section north of the freeway. Not wanting to overdo it and knowing what else is coming up this weekend, I walked up some of the steep hills to avoid injury. It was about 28 degrees on our return.

I probably prefer a less formal approach for these training runs - it's nice to go somewhere different but I would prefer to not have have the pressure of having to achieve a certain score.

Dashed up to Bendigo with friend Nicky for their Saturday night twilight event at Golden Gully - same map as Day 1 of last year's ToDay event. But it was terribly hot and humid and most of the event was track running. Those in short shorts were somewaht advantaged compared to those of us in full O gear. I found the head and humidilty distracting and missed a control - having to go back and get it - and couldn't really be bothered reading the map properly - walking a fair bit of it.

Afterwards Bruce, Suzanne, Nicky, Louise and I went to a pub in Kangaroo Flat for dinner (surprisingly nice) before we Melbournites headed off to find a camping spot. Vaughan Springs and Mt Franklin were all chockers so we ended up on someon'e nature strip at the start of Sunday's MTBO at Korweinguboora at 11pm. Tents up and off to bed.

Annual street-O event at Scotch College tonight - organised by the boys. This is always a good event, not for its route choice or scenery (although it is quite nice on the Burnley side of the river), but rather for its over-organisation. This time there was a string of little boys marshalling us into the parking areas. Despite the rain, the turnout was also extremely good - with perhaps too many people - mainly 18 year old boys. Apparently there were 2 schools, an entire soccer club and a scout troup in attendance. We ordinary orienteers were greatly outnumbered.

I felt pretty comfortable running the whole way with no ill effects. There were a few breaks whilst we queued for the controls, so my pace might have been a bit faster than indicated.

I somehow lost my card at the end and had to fill in another one. You certainly knew you were in a school because when I handed in the second one I was told "No good. Do it again". So as a failure I had to fill in a third one. "Please Sir, is this good enough?" Eventually it was.

I took the day off and stayed in Benalla. It was actually cooler than Melbourne and a really good day for gardening. So after a heavy morning of pruning, I drove back to Melbourne but was too late for orienteering so went for a walk around Blackburn.

Today's discussion regarding stones and concrete on FB reminded me of a story - but I thought it might be better placed here (where I don't know who reads it). TinyToes - I know you like concrete - and I'm sure that you are into stones too - after all, you married a large one (Rockman) (apologies).

Anyway, after my lovely new concrete drive was laid in Benalla, the very charming tall handsome concrete layer, flanked by his equally charming tall handsome sons, stared me straight in the eye and announced, without flinching - "You can do almost anything on it" he said "but don't go round screwing on it"......Huh ?????......Eh ?????

I was totally taken aback. The mind boggled. I would never think of doing such a thing! And fancy him thinking that I would! Then I realised that he was talking about car tyres. So in a supreme show of strength I managed to refrain from bursting out laughing and maintained my dignity in true ladylike fashion to continue the conversation. But it was very funny.

C • I'm sure they don't mean it 1

Bushwalk along some rough tracks behind Jubilee Golf Course in Wang. Many logs and spiders. Plus a stroll to Brien's Falls and an attempt to rock climb up them (when I turned around, remembered that I had vertigo and that I was very much alone).

It's a beautiful sunny autumn day in Benalla and I ran my normal circuit of Reef Hills. I started slowly and ran up (slowly) all the hills - not stopping during the run. No ill-effects so all good.

Drove back to Benalla in the evening. Although it is an orienteering weekend in Gippsland (sprint champs and MTBO) I decided not to go as I need to return to Benalla every so often to clear the mail and get a bit of sun.

One observation from work this week is that the Coalition might be taking some time to get used to being in government, rather than in opposition. It is almost burning season and there will soon be lots of smoke around. When in opposition, the Coalition was very vocal about how DSE didn't do enough burning and that we should do more - but equally supportive of people who complained about the smoke - and then demanding that DSE stop burning! The first few complaints about proposed burns have started to come in - and the realisation that they can't just complain to government - that they are government - presents a serious dilemma when it comes to responding to their previously supportive constituents.

Just a walk around Forest Hill after work and after doing Mum's shopping. Yes - indestructable rubbish collection there now - but I restrained myself and walked straight past every pile.

I haven't been sleeping well for some time now - often waking at 2 or 3 and staying awake for several hours. Last night I woke at 3 and must have dozed off around 5. Next minute it was 8.30! And I was terribly late for work! Luckily I am now a contrator and get paid by the hour so getting in late doesn't matter. My DSE-related projects are stacking up and I think I have enough to keep me going until about July or even longer. Today I got a big water related job so that will be a nice variation to the fire work.

C • Congratulations 3

Street-O at Hawthorn. K, the boss, came again and this time we entered the running (C course) so that we could both run and walk as necessary. I felt obliged to escort her around - although she did read the map a bit this time. It was the first time ever that she had run 6 km so it was a good effort. The pace was a bit slower that I would have preferred (yes - hard to believe that someone could run slower than me) and I could talk the whole way (we are women after all) although the conversation was a little one-sided. I have given up worrying about my results and the slower pace was probably good for my recovery efforts. Stayed for the BBQ.

Walk around Blackbum (sic) this evening.

I couldn't stop laughing all day after our director erroneously ticked me off 3 times for writing 'bum' instead of 'burn' in documents (and they actually look the same in AP) . Now this was entirely the fault of the Times Roman font - where the 'r' and the 'n" touch and the 2 words can be mistaken for each other (but only if you are thinking of bums rather than burns).

Then in a very public forum the director shouted at me - "How many times have I told you - stop writing BUM!"

We all gathered around his computer and proved that it was 'BURN' in all cases - leaving one very embarrassed director, espcially when we suggested that it was a Freudian slip. I currently work in the Planned Burn section and find it rather odd that the word is in every document produced by the section in the same font - but I am the only one who has been accused of writing 'BUM'.