Training Log Archive: PrueD

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.