Training Log Archive: jennycas

This was a pleasant little course on the flattest area of Pittwater but my head & legs just wouldn't cooperate today and even though I reminded myself that I had come here to enjoy orienteering, my heart just wasn't in it and I had a lot of hesitations and some stupid (run to the wrong control because I can see it) little mistakes right at the end. Probably still sulking about how much less fit and competent than I had thought I was, yesterday actually proved me to be. But I was proud of the leg where I went out to run along the beach and came back into the dunes at exactly the point at which I had intended to do so. Also the control with the cutout Tassie tiger was kinda cool. Plus it was generally a fun weekend in the company of a good group of Arrows & associates and I got to see all the touristy things I had wanted to do around Hobart (may have bought too much at Salamanca markets) - but perhaps I should have focused a bit more on the orienteering?

C • Touristy things 5

Mass start, 2 short loops with splitting then a longer loop out to the east although it didn't get as far as the open dunes. I made hard work of this, going to the wrong first control each time (by a process of elimination I was actually correct on the 3rd loop) and just generally struggling to lift my legs over anything in the terrain. Already in last place by the time I picked up the map for the final loop and while trying to keep Anna S in my sights, completely ballsed up the first control in the rough open (shouldn't have attempted to read the edge of the trees) and bounced off the track to the north so there went 4-5 min. Had expected not to see anyone else after this but did encounter Anna F and Anna D at the easternmost controls in the rough stuff. They got away from me on the flat southern section by which time my legs were refusing to lift at all (hadn't really noticed the rain but wet sandy shoes & socks & gaiters weighed about a ton by now), and then for good measure I screwed up a couple of the controls in the simpler section right at the end. So if I lost 6 min yesterday on a 4km course, today it was more like 12 min on an 8km course. I know that someone has to come last but I really didn't expect it to be me!

Event: NOL 2017 Round 1, race 1 - Middle Distance Pittwater / NOL 2017
 

Pleasant assembly area overlooking Pittwater itself (although the tide had gone out by the time I got back and hoped to go for a dip) and meaning that we were a fair way down the peninsula and the course went early on into the open grassy dunes at the tip; felt quite warm in the sun. Took it slowly, feeling pretty stuffed and unco, but enjoying the mental challenge of making the map fit the ground. Failed to achieve this in a couple of places though; at 8 where the single pine tree should have been my perfect attack point but I couldn't quite make the features beyond it fit; saw Simon here having trouble too but he caught on quicker than I did (2.5 min lost, and I'd probably been within 10m of the control on my first pass). Had trouble on 10 as well, possibly because of trusting the 'boundary' between trees & open and also not wanting to overshoot, but I persevered and was eventually rewarded by the sight of Bridget dropping in to the control (1.5 min lost). Enjoyed the next bit through the larger pines but came unstuck on the 2nd-last by being too far right/high to find the right knoll, stopping short and relocating off the track, so that was another couple of minutes. A bit dumb, but lots of fun - and even with a clean run would only have gained a couple of places.

Stiffened up horribly overnight - possibly stressing about getting parents to their flight on time this morning for a funeral in Pt Lincoln (a bit unfortunate that I can't go too) - but decided after coming back from the airport that I did have time for a short 'loosening' jog, which was sort-of successful although now I still need to finish my own packing for Tas.

Have been just overwhelmingly exhausted the last couple of days (twice put on my running gear but didn't even make it to the end of the street before calling it quits) but this morning was up bright & early and walked the dog, went for a swim, and even had time to pick up coffee on the way to staff meeting - where we found out that the official deadline for having Repat entirely emptied out (of everything, not just patients) and handing over the keys to ACH is December 17th :(

C • Repat 14

Brain was too tired tonight to play with Pittwater maps like the others were doing, and anyway, I came to Belair to run in Belair, so headed up past the lake and waterfalls to the top of the park, by which time the sun was just setting and I had to hurry down to the redwoods and back along Long Gully - was getting a bit gloomy in the enchanted forest and my knees hurt by the end, but head was a lot happier for the exercise. Not sure how I will go with running for 3x as long on the rogaine next weekend - maybe not in these shoes, anyway.