Training Log Archive: Vaala

Morning run in the beautiful sunshine up Farm Track then along the bush tracks and down Latters Spur to home. Feeling pretty good although I can feel the dead bike legs in my thighs running uphill. Got a horrible blister just before the Sugar Loaf. I think my shoes might need retiring since it looked like it was from them rather than my socks (although I could do with some new socks too!).

Bit of blundering round the forest at Leithfield with Michael. Once he left me to do his own thing I pretty much instantly got horribly confused. Did manage to right myself and "find" the other controls I was looking for though.

So nationals here we come! The aims are to get through each course without a panic attack and to do my best (and ignore/not care how fast everyone else is). Might be tough...

C • nationals 2

Cruisey ride up to the SOK via Dyers Pass Rd with Clare while Emily and Michael sped on ahead. Got there in plenty of time to see the Le Race riders come though and do a little cheering then cruised down to SOT for a hot drink then back home. Nice morning but a little chilly.

Up Farm Track (far too much bike pushing in the bottom section on my part which was frustrating as well as bashing my knee with the pedal when I came off but definitely got up the steep top section better than last time) then round Mt Vernon, traverse, the linking tracks to SOK, down Flying Nun (rode heaps better...i.e. everything I rode felt reasonably good but the bits I walked do look super tricky and scary) then down Worsleys to home (a little bit scary in parts...the single track would probably have been more fun).

Burnside High School. I was all panicked when I started as I knew Anna was starting 14 seconds behind me and runs faster so completely stuffed up the first control and wondered where the hell I was! After that it was okay although I took some rather interesting route choices! It was quite fun...probably in part because I did manage to beat Anna. My head was sore afterwards but I did manage to keep it thinking while orienteering.

Last Wednesday night run before daylight savings. Guess I'll have pull out the head torch next week. Up the Crocodile and Kennedys then over to the bellbird then back down again. My tummy was stabbing me and I had dead cycling legs which wasn't good since everyone decided they wanted to set off at some wild pace. I was so glad when Hilary turned up so it didn't have to be a race again. It's depressing when what feels like a torturous sprint to me is an easy jog for everyone else.

I am not okay right now.

C • Thats 2

C • What... 2

The usual ride up Rapaki, Mt Vernon, traverse and down through Vic Park, Dyers and home. It's weird riding alone these days which is funny 'cause I always used to ride alone back in the day. Still super headachey all the time but it was too much of an awesome evening to waste and mtbing is much less stress on my head (as long as I don't fall on it of course!).

We were going to just pack up and head off to Hanmer to go riding since the weather up at Denniston never seemed to be in our favour (I called the place miserable) but as we left Granity it seemed to show some promise (i.e. you could see the top) so we drove up the hill one last time. I fully expected it to start raining about halfway up the road but no, you could even see some blue sky! Michael suggested that since the TV tower at the top of Mt Rochfort was still visible we should ride up there. What a climb! I felt so dead and had to walk up numerous bits (but I did improve as we went along…still feeling so exhausted at any bit of high intensity exercise which I am guessing is mostly related to hitting my head) but the view from the top was pretty awesome. Plus the downhill was wicked (fancy me saying that…I sure have come a LONG way!!).

On the way back we rode the Sullivans and Quarry circuits. Sunk into some nice, deep sloshy stuff at one point but somehow still came out riding (but very wet!). Heaps of rocky stuff that I surprised myself by cruising down (apart from the "caution face" bits…neither of us rode those) and improved at riding up crap stuff. It was so much fun

Okay Denniston, I forgive you now.