Training Log Archive: Vaala

Event: World Rogaine Championships
 

With Andy J. We thought we'd head off to the NE side of the map with the idea of doing a loop to get us down to the S end of the map by the night and then get over to the slightly easier side of the map for the night and morning but, um, we ended up on the eastern side of the highway for the whole time 'cause it was super tough. We decided going back to the hash house just wasn't going to be worth it if we wanted to keep going (we both agreed that heading back would make it so much harder to get going again and we both kind of wanted to stick it out for the full time).

I think if we had been closer home during the middle of the night though we would have just packed it all in because the weather pretty miserable! The 2am cliff scale and ridgeline in the freezing cold and driving rain reminded me a little too much of TWALK. But thankfully we got shelter in Gore Bay for awhile as the weather got epic...and then stopped raining about 4am so we were off again.

We just walked apart from jogging down some hills which was fine by me since I was just hoping my foot was going to hold out. Navigation wasn't too bad except we never found 45 (just on nightfall) and had heaps of trouble with 75 which really didn't seem in the right place if you came from the bottom. I struggled with the steep downhills which was partly due to shitty grip on my shoes but they did protect my foot more which was why I'd decided to wear them.

Food and hydration went really well although I could have really done with some more water stops (or a bigger bladder than my 2 litre one). I didn't get any of the bad patches I've got in the other races but I had made sure to keep myself really hydrated the day before and in the morning so I reckon that really helped.

I actually had heaps of fun really despite wickedly sore, tired feet, thighs and ankles by the end (Andy said I was walking like a cripple!). But my foot seems to have held up which is awesome news. And racing with Andy seemed to work out quite well.

Would definitely like to do another 24 hour one again (I'm sorry Michael...it didn't put me off like you hoped!) but this time without the stress of a stress fracture only 8 1/2 weeks before which meant I'd spent so little time on my feet before the race. Was actually surprised at how well I coped considering how bad I felt during the 8 hour only a couple of weeks before.

Chilling. Panicking. Biking around getting last minute stuff. Packing. Trying not to stress.

Just a bit of biking around to get places but everywhere is so flat that you can just spin. I didn't get lost today though and I didn't even have a map! No wait, I lie. I got very confused getting back from the movies to Michael's work but I blame his directions and the fact that after watching 2 1/2 hours of Harry Potter your mind is a bit numb.

Walked into town to get supplies for the weekend. I should have ridden because it took so long. Must have been walking for an hour and a half or something. Came home and attempted to work but ended up falling asleep!

At the Roxx with Brent, Raymond and Michael. It's been a long time since I've climbed and it showed! But I guess I wasn't too bad by the end apart from being ridiculously weak! Good fun but I was tired and hungry.

Cruising the mean streets of Christchurch on my bike and getting a little bit disoriented. It's SO hot here that it's ridiculous especially considering how much I froze yesterday!

Just a nice little cruise with Michael up to the sign of the kiwi and back down again. Quite a nice hill but coming down wasn't as fun.