Training Log Archive: PrueD

I could get by for one day with no training - but not for two. Another embarassing walk to the start - sore bottom, sore arms, sore everything. The long distance map was 1:25,000 and had 10m contour intervals - so it looked short and flat - but was anything but. This course established the superiority of those who could cycle, and there was no opportunity for those who could navigate to outsmart them. So it was one long grunt - uphills (walk) and downhills (hurtle - but into big puddles in most cases). So bloodied, muddied and thoroughly exhausted - I finished 9th out of 12 which was a bit closer to where I should have been placed. Still, given that I thought I would come last, I was pleased to have beaten some people. The assembly area was in a beautiful garden and it was lovely sunny day.

I had a really really good weekend and would even do it again!!!!

Warm ups to and from the start/finish - the lack of cycling skill and fitness really starting to show (just how do those gears work?)

Saturday night we had a presentation dinner at Hepburn Springs. It was a nice dinner and people were really friendly. The one thing that I really noticed on the weekend was how friendly people were. 'Here, try my bike' they said. All the women in my class introduced themselves. The young, elite riders were equally keen to have a chat - quite different to foot-O - so quite a remarkable, inclusive group (I say that because I am not a cyclist, but I was included just as much as those who were). I had a really good time.

Gloating in the glory of the morning (where I had actually tried quite hard) and feeling fairly exhausted, I set off in the Aus Sprint Distance MTBO. The route to our first control was up a long steep hill. Sprints are meant to be short and sharp - not long slogs. I had nothing left and walked. At the top was a hill and I hopped on and hurtled furiously down to 2. 1? Ohhh nooo - I had forgotten to punch 1 and it was a long way back up the hill. There was no way I was going back - so MPd - and pedalled leisurely back.to the finish. Very disappointing - but similarly so for two others in my class. I think we were tired.

C • 3 AM? 2

I approached the Aus champs MTBO middle distance with some trepidation. Unloading my old Repco bike (with no suspension) it was not hard to observe that the competition had bikes worth many thousands, all sorts of peculiar adpations (including single forks, which I had never heard of) and considerable riding expertise (whereas I had none).

Anyway, we rode the 3k to the start and even Jim was heard to say that the last bit was the longest 800 meters ever (I even had to get off and walk to the start). Not looking good :(

So off we went. My bike is quite fast down hills (could be the extra weight) and quite comfortable - even on the rough stuff. But the bike was not the limiting factor. Rather, it was the body - not good at all on the uphills. Navigationally the course was easy but it did offer some route choice - and so I gained some pleasure watching the opposition (numerous times) pedal off in the wrong direction, pass me in the wrong direction or even (cheeky things) ask where they were. So it was that a miracle came to pass - I was 4th out of 12 in W50 - better than my foot-O results in similar sized fields. Not a good time in absolute terms - but quite satisfactory in relative terms to the quite respectable field. A very satisfactory morning!

C • Awesome! 1

If life consisted of only orienteering and yoga, I would be very content. I am now nicely stretched-out and relaxed for tomorrow - where I am aiming to finish in not too much of a disgraceful time. I don't mind coming last - someone has to be in the field to make the winners look good. Instruction to self -*you will have fun*.

Another hospital visit etc (a round trip including collecting things, driving there, visiting, returning and doing the washing) takes nearly 2 hours. Thank heavens 'Robert' (aka my sister) came home today.

I had a 12 hour day travelling to Bairnsdale and back for 1 hour meeting (that turned into a 3 hour meeting) ina lovely hybrid car (with no key and no engine noise) that kept giving me nice positive messages suxh as "Excellent fuel savings" etc. I haven't been that way for a number of years and enjoyed the view of the lovely green rolling hills. I got a bit of a shock when I arrived in Bairnsdale as the office had moved since I was previously there and I had no idea where to go. The other *highlight* of the day was my first ever (and I think my last ever) visit to a KFC (not my choice). For a place that offers lots of 'hot and spicy' - it was rather odd that they had run out of 'fiery sauce'. So a 'hot and spicy' was a 'bland and boring'. I went for an even more 'bland and boring' walk around Blackburn on my return.

I am starting to feel slightly anxious about my entry into the Aust MTBO champs on the weekend. You, the reader, will appreciate how rarely I ride my bike. I tried to withdraw my entry and offered to help. However the organisers replied "No way. You are riding (whether you like it or not)" - as they needed the entries.

C • AustMTBO 1

No exercise - visited Mum instead (who is now lonely in her long sought-after single room).

No exercise - visited Mum.