Training Log Archive: Yak

Stayed up until 1am watching WOC MTBO relay and writing it up - so less than ideal preparation for the Alice Springs Rough Riders 6 hr event from the scout centre.

An impressive 70 riders participated.
It was a little later than 8am when it started and I did the first 3 laps in arm warmers and singlet. Then it got hot - 30 degrees.
After my enforced rest due to car v bike accident in June and organising O events here I wasn't super optimistic about my fitness.
The first 3 laps (2 hrs) seemed to go easily and didn't seem too hilly, but then my legs started to complain I just plodded on and after lap 5 (3 hrs) I stopped every lap to grab another water bottle and pour water over my head.
I then aimed to aim for 9 laps. As I went past the timing tent for the last time they said "you only have 40 mins to finish." So I absolutely went flat out to ensure this lap counted and did my best lap time and returned with 6 mins to go and was invited to do another lap...no thanks. The last bit of the course is the berm riddled Dusty Demons course - I signed up to do some O stuff with them next week. In the last 800 metres or so I was absolutely sprinting and got cramp with 200m to go, so rode 1 legged
to the finish.

Splits 37.55, 36.11, 39.07 (1st stop incl)
37.33, 44.58 (5 min stop sunburn cream, food etc)
41.17 41.17 (bottle collect + throw water over myself after both)
34.57 amazing last lap really

There were 4 in the elite solo woman's category & I placed 3rd which was pleasing. There are about 6 seriously gd female riders here who are as gd if not better than our top riders in SA.

Slow walk with tired legs to where most of the 2CV Citroen cars are camped .
There are 140 of them and they take off tomo morning for a month long trip thru Arhem land. Travel in groups of 6-8 so as to not make a travel hazard.
They have 20-25 litre petrol tanks only so they need to carry extra fuel.
Off up the Tanami track initially.. Sit easily on 90kph.
can go almost everywhere that a 4WD can go.

C • Citroens 1

In evening I caught up with 3 former Yalangaites.
Andy Crouch works in Alice, and Bente hendrikson and her husband, now in Copenhagen, were visiting, after meeting their 1st grandchild in Melbourne.
Andy has a you beaut telescope and I saw Saturn (and its rings), Mars and some binary stars.

Nice roadie ride with friends in afternoon.
Out to airport then back rd to Simpson Gap and along new bike path from Flynn's Grave to Braeside and home.

drove back from Owen's Springs then mucked around chasing up my new glasses at the PO; meeting re Masters Games. Went to live show Sugarland at Araleun arts centre in evening.

Drove from Chambers Pillar via back rds to Stuarts Well.
Saw a whole lot of old Citreon cars there - going to a rally in Alice of 140 such vehicles and then on an outback raid.

On the original rd we had seen 2 cars towing 2,000 litres of water - 1 a ute, 1 towing a trailer on both days. One was stopped on our departure and we asked what he was doing. Test driving Toyota cars was the answer.
Been doing 300kms a day for 3 months on rough rds and have to clock up 100,000 kms!!!

Then 50kms of rugged rd to Owen Springs homestead (underwhelming) which was the 1st cattle station homestead in NT.
Went back 5kms and camped in a sandy creek bed - was zero degrees overnite.
Sunrise walk to see sun rise on the Pillar (sunset was better) = 15 mins.
Evening walk in river near owen Springs and even had ph reception at one stage.
Lucy Mackie got 5th in middle MTBO jwoc.

Drove from Alice with Andrew & Rose Campbell in their vehicle to Chambers Pillar, some 150kms of 4WD rds out from Alice.
Stopped at Maryvale shop and looked at aboriginal art centre.
Walked around and up Chambers P and saw where original explorers had etched their names in the sandstone pillar. Also went for a walk around The Castle. Then a short walk to see the sun setting on the Pillar.
Camped with 2 other groups - 1 from Pt Lincoln & other from Newcastle who both knew mutual friends.

With Zara from Flynn's Grave out to Simpson Gap and return on the bitumen bike path that meanders thru the bush. This was constructed in 1991.
Was lovely despite overcast sky. Fun. Love showing people the highlights of Alice.

Rode from M's place out thru the Gap past airport and to end of bitumen on rd to Santa Teresa. Then lap of airport and return. Had aimed to catch M who was riding home from "Base" but she was later than anticipated and I didn't have lights. Nice new off rd bike path for about 6kms out to Arid research place.

Time approximate.
Introduced Zara to delights of Alice MTB.
Started at Telegraph station and went N to Wrigley's reserve and then via mtb tks to Spencer Hill, where I showed her my secret bunker control location.
Then rode thru CDUni and mudflats and over around the golf course and then back to Telegraph Station. Fun.
Z rode surprisingly well post rogaine - she said that she hadn't done so many kms or too much fast stuff in rogaine, thus felt gd. Rockiness of terrain slowed everyone down.

Got a 7am call from editor of Centralian Advocate paper asking for the report of the rogaine. Had 15 mins to write 400 words! Think I did very well and was rapt when editor
a) wrote back with one word "perfecto;" and
b) put my name on the byline.
I guess after writing 3 articles for them in a week I am now on staff!

Spent 2 days working flat out at the World Rogaine Champs at Ross River.
Regretted that I hadn't entered much of the time.

Was primarily on water top up duties driving a 4WD around the few tracks on the map with Reddall, another vollie. His doctor profession came in very handy when we were at the all night café when Richard Mountstephens came in saying that his partner (Greg Barbour) had fallen down a cliff and subsequently been hit by a micro-wave sized boulder that he had dislodged.
I radioed in for the 4WD ambulance but knew it would take 45 mins to arrive, so having Reddall there to assess and reassure the shocked and in pain Greg was good. This had been about 3pm in the afternoon.
Admin & I worried what calamities would happen in the night but no dramas.
Had little sleep as helped Julie do various things.

Rode from Alice out to Ross River resort - pretty flat and boring, except for rogaining friends stopping me to talk.

Riding from Mt John onto Telegraph station map and collecting more controls. My questionable control was spot on I reckon. .
..also did the new Warrigal tk done by Raby ...up to pro standard tk making.
To TSt café for lunch and another positive meeting with the ranger.

Then out on the Larapinta trail section - first 3rd was very rutty, rest nice ...then out to Wrigley's waterhole...back to Stuart Highway via a new (to me) single track and down bitumen into suburbia.
Via velodrome, Braitling PS, Araleun, Gillen back
Lachlan had the van and was busy mapping.

Collecting controls.

Day 2 event starting from St Philips.
Had to get more maps printed, as more late entries - at printer at 8.15am for a 9am rego ...made it by a couple of minutes.
Had a 1:15,000 map plus a 1: 5,000 section of detail on the back.
The historical section around the telegraph station was well appreciated as was the bonus points for a selfie on the toilet seat at the furthest control!
For the 2nd day running the o/s competitors were wanting some spinifex to sort out their gaiters! I suggested they go to the Botanic garden after the event.

Had friendly journalist and photographer from the Advocate turn up as promised - interviewed Nicholas Mulder (South Africa) & Chris Forrne (NZ), both of whom were very accommodating in being back on time.

I had a 30 min ride to the telegraph Station and around to take some photographs and later on a relaxing ride around town ending up with collecting the controls that Andrew Campbell had brought in.

Only organising stuff for the first warm up O event I was running for the Rogaine Champs. From the scout centre ...despite little publicity in the rogaine area we ended up with 68 starters, of which about 10 were locals.
In true territory "just in time" fashion Lachlan & I were up to midnight last night finalising the maps and were at the printers this morning at 8am.
Picked up maps at 11 am for a 2pm start - easy.
Luckily I had pre arranged this production with the printers who always give me a gd rate.

Rogaine people are a whole lot easier to please than orienteers - no complaints about running on a mtbo map. Kiwi Chris Forne knocked off my medium 7km course in 38 mins, while most took twice that long.
Scout centre even supplied showers and we gave everyone free bananas.

One more control out at Larapinta by foot and them another at Telegraph and some extra riding for fun. Lovely new tk = Warrigal

Had a meeting with rangers to ok my control sites - 1 on top of a site of aboriginal significance (on top of a hill) so will have to move.
Looks positive that we can put in a permanent course at telegraph.
Lachlan turned up in the knick of time to Ocad the maps

Control putting out on Eastside / telegraph station. Slowish with multiple stops and some walking involved. Got a bit sunburnt.
Found 'shitter" track with the new toilet - now filled with cement as some-one nicked the last one. Also found the "sink" and a small iron person sculpture.

Walk at dusk putting out a control on west side.

Control putting out on west-side at Alice Springs.
Tracks were very rutty.
Map not so good.

Early morning walk around a bit of Lake Hart, 40km N of Woomera.
Then drove for 11 hours (1000+km) to Alice Springs

Afternoon drive 500+ kms to Lake Hart, on way to Alice Springs. Was -4 degrees.

Strength for life session with 2 x 1km rows.

Projected big rain didn't appear but I had computer work to do ...
Andy Murray won Wimbledon ...again one of my least favourite players.
TDF was exciting.
Even more so was tuning in to Jwoc foot O live results to see Henry McNulty place 6th in the sprint in Switzerland and thus make the podium. Great that Mum Anthea was there too.

Threat of more heavy rain decided me on a long day today.
Vic park start and rode to Glenelg slowish with 2 friends then into a headwind all the way to Outer Harbour (28km each way). Very boring. Then back to Glenelg and then to Brighton to pick up something there from a friends place.
Returned to Glenelg and turtur path back to Vic Pk.

Was going to do some laps at Vic Pk ... but at beginning there were junior rd races on and at end the pedal prix cars were practicing.

L leg blew up again... Serena Williams won Wimbledon again (7th) and was 22nd slam title...
Froome took all sorts of risks on downhill in TdeF to win stage and take lead.

C • Froome 2

My day commenced with putting out O controls at Bushland Pk, Lobethal at 8.30am in 2 degree temp and icicles on the ground. Lucked in with a sunny morning for the Lobethal Lutheran kids who all came back muddy as. Had to wait for 2 latecomers per usual so had less time than I had planned. Got a very funny thank-you card from the kids - one said " I hope to have an O career"

Had a delightful ride starting at Charlston doing some exploring initially.
east on Newman rd until bitumen ran out and then N on lewis rd for several kms on gd dirt until it hit Springhead rd. Then to Mt torrens, out a bit N and L on the hilly Burford Hill Rd to Kenton Valley. South again towards Lobethal then L on Schubert rd and on to Charleston. Did a quick ride on biketrack to Woodside and a tour of back streets and then back.
Had to hurry as Tintookies 40th b'day party was starting at 6pm ...I was a little late.


Was pretty cold despite one of the best days weatherwise.
TdeF - Adam Yates (Orica Bike Exchange) found a unique way to fall by somasaulting over the 1km to go blow up banner that deflated onto his front wheel. luckily organisers gave him the time he was ahead of his main competitors for the white jersey (young riders comp) which he was leading.
Got stitches in cut chin.

Control placement etc at Ocean View.
Also did quite a few steps on the stairs whilst waiting for kids to come back between short courses - this had the added advantage of me keeping warm.

Slow look around of Craigburn + area for mtbo setting.
Should have done it all but was late getting over there; then it kept raining and map had some issues to look at.

Bal ride got cancelled ...and everytime I looked out in the morning it was still drizzling. Had to go to Lobethal & Bal anyway in the afternoon so packed the bike but it was still raining when I was free up there.
So a short ride in failing light along the Torrens - still managed to get wet.

Spent some time unsuccessfully looking for all my Alice maps in the study, so the place looks like a whirlwind struck. Then found them in the lounge bookshelf!

Had been meaning to do some alternative exercise ...
Back to a Strength for Life class at Goodlife gym I km away.
Hadnt been for so long that they had thrown my exercise list out...
Did 2 x 1km rowing in 5.45 & 6mins plus weights and warm-up etc.
Really hot in gym ...that annoys me, plus the loud music.

Went with Stu out to start of Pewsey Vale - pretty tired from yesterday's 16.5 hr working day.
Stu wanted to explore a ride he is leading later on, so I was tagging along.
When we got there he found that he had bought his Flinders maps not the Barossa ones & google earth shots.
So we mostly rode on my memory although I haven't been there recently.
We rode along the top track between Pewsey & Kaiser Stuhl using some of the little single track remaining. Then took a track down to Rifle Range rd and careered down that for 5 kms and a quick trot into Tanunda.

Back out to Rifle Range and we took a rd at the base of the hill leading over to krondorf winery and about a km past turned uphill on Breakneck rd (dirt track) This ended about 2kms up and we followed a very rocky indistinct tk alongside a rock wall to the Kaiser Stuhl trig. Went south along the ridge but it was very steep at the end. So we turned back and contoured (walking / dragging bikes) NE down steeply to the creek at bottom of Pewsey Vale forest. Then rode south around the forest border to Brownes rd.
While Stu packed up, changed etc I continued riding homeward and got an extra 13 kms in. Past Wirra Wirra and onto Mount Rd...past cemetery and finally got "caught" near the campsite below little Mt Crawford.
L thigh blew up again.

Working at Federal Election polling booth.
Had so many that we almost ran out of forms while Newton booth actually did. For most of the day the queue lasted an hour despite having 17 staff.
Started at 7am finished at 11.30pm