Training Log Archive: PrueD

Yoga tonight after work. I thought that it would be good to have a stretchout after the weekend's activities and so it was - and I don't seem to have any ill-effects. I was a bit more wobbly than usual though.

Overhead conversation at work today. K - "Hello, I don't know who I'm talking to - but I'm ringing about the murder night. I want to change the night."

Now I had been thinking of taking her to street-O again on Wednesday - but, in view of that conversation, am now having second thoughts.......

Day 2 of BendiGo ToDay (which was yesterday as well). It rained heavily overnight and, although this had cleared by the morning, it was still very damp and therefore soft underfoot. There was a mass start at 8am with a map changeover midway. I started at the back of my pack (spider avoidance strategy) but couldn't hang on (to Louise who was in front of me) after control 3. I them went astray (wrong gully) to 4 trying to catch up which cost me around 6 mins. I relocated and battled on to the changeover. Map 2 was a bit longer and I ran out of puff at about 6 km on a long leg and couldn't really run much anymore so lost a bit of time there. Jools suggestion of lack of beakfast which was probably correct.

I came back soaking wet, covered in spider webs and with numerous march fly bites. But overall a great 2 days of racing and a happy start to the orienteering season. And I could run AGAIN, and UPHILL. I cannot explain the mysterious disapperance of my injuries. Maybe it was the joy of being back in the bush again. Thanks Uncle Jim and Jools (again)!

C • Louise 5

Event: BendiGo ToDay
 

Walked home. Not only have I been a bit injured lately but I've also been a bit down, having had a couple of significant disappointments in several areas of life this week. Why is it that, whenever something really good is in the offering, and I get really excited about it - it never happens!

One major disappointment concerned an ex Vic police chief commissioner (prior to Christine) inviting me to travel (in a light plane) with him and another well-known former senior policeman for the next 3 weeks to evaluate the management of the Vic floods. Best career offer I've had since the Black Saturday fires. But the client agency said they didn't need me and wouldn't pay for me. Of course those guys didn't NEED me - but what a great offer it was.... :(

A jog around Blackburn on this beautiful sunny morning. No issues but stopped at 4..62 km in Blackburn Lake picnic area for a stretch then walked home. I don't want to overdo is I have ToDay Tonight (sounds like a rather horrible sort of bottled chicken dinner). More about ToDay Tonight Tomorrow.

BendiGo ToDay sprint event at Soloman's Links (a lovely grassy golf course). Well, some people might think I am a bit of a fraud - saying I've been injured for the past month or so - because as soon as I got out in the bush I COULD RUN, even uphill and will no after effects! I also made no mistakes and therefore was better placed that I would have expected amonst my peers. The reputation of this event is starting to spread, with people coming from SA and NSW especially. A really enjoyable event and nice company at dinner afterwards. Thank you Uncle Jim and Jools!

C • I COULD RUN! 8

Street-O at Studley Park. I took K, the boss, as payback for her rude remarks regarding my yoga ability. She insisted on entering the walking and I had to be the escort. Of coursre, half way around, she decided that perhaps she could run after all - so we did - which was cheating - and we had to make sure no-one was looking. We stayed for the BBQ afterwards, which had the biggest attendance yet. The verdict - 'they were the nicest group of people she had ever met' and she was particularly impressed with the way that all age groups (17 to 70) mingled freely. She might come again, but will need to learn to read a map first.

C • map reading 2

A brisk walk around Blackburn. And not ANOTHER disaster. We're over them!

Yoga after work today - and a really good stretchout. I am a bit lacking in core fitness and had problems with 'plank' - my plank developed a decidedly distinctive warp - before totally collapsing (which I attribute to the physics of extra length). K (much shorter), my boss, who was beside me snarled 'GET UP'!

I came up to Benalla on Friday afternoon and have had a fairly sedentary weekend, apart from a plod around Reef Hills today. It has been very humid.

On Friday night (my birthday) I went to Thoona pub (a small country pub about 20 km west of Benalla) with friend Peter for dinner, which was nice. He didn't enjoy it much as he did our previous visit - when a busload of about 30 20-year-old girls in mini skirts arrived for a hens' party and sat all around us. Nevertheless tonight, being the out-of-towners, we got to draw the chook raffle in true country fashion. And I enjoyed smelling the wet freshly mown grass from our seats in the garden.

The plod around Reef Hills was a bit ordinary. I'm fine on the flats and downhills but have a calf problem uphill. I walked up all the hills today.

C • Happy Birthday Prue 3

Street-O at Blackburn lake tonight in perfect cool conditions with rain part way through. I made some shoe adjustments since last night and managed to jog the whole way with no ill-effects, so hopefully I'm on the mend. It was 'local knowledge' territory and I chose a comfortable running route rather that a high scorer. Tonight there was the biggest crowd I've seen at one of these events.

Ian went to a sports podiatrist on Monday and I tagged along. Out ailments are the same - non tracking kneecap - so I've been doing the exercises/stretches etc as well and they seem to have made a difference. I need to be more fussy about my shoes.

Nearly got runover today - was in my usual sort of private dream world ambling along when I got to the Albert St/Spring St lights. I heard the beep beep beef, indicating a green light and headed off - only to see 3 lanes of cars heading straight for me (fortunately from across the intersection) and a very horrified DSE Chief Finance Officer watching from the other side.

C • 3 lanes of cars headed straight for you, 4

Still only walking. Tried jogging a bit but not too satisfactory. I'll try harder at tomorrow's orienteering.

Today's work discussion.
Boss - 'What are the 5 main blockers stopping us achieve our burning targets?'.
Prue - 'Water'.
Boss 'Yes, but what else? Have they all got the wrong attitude?'
Prue - "Even if they still had the right attitude, the bush still wont light.'
And so on and so on.........

Happy Valentines Day to anyone who cares and who is still waiting for a message. Sooo romantic!

Yoga tonight. I haven't been for ages and could feel the difference.

Forgot to add. Romance isn't entirely dead. Mum's in hospital and fell out of bed today She was leaning out - looking in the mirror trying to put her lipstick on - in anticipation of a visit from her 90 year old companion. So now they have to keep her longer.

A walk around Blackburn. I still have a wonky knee that manifests itself with a bit of a jolt when I step up slightly, for example when I step onto the footpath. Not sure what it is - so am not pushing it at the moment.

The local church MInister, who regularly visits Mum, was visting the parents/in-laws of a well-known Blackburn orienteering couple recently, who were also visiting. 'Oh, you go orienteering - then, you must know Prudence Dobbin.' 'Who?' they said ''Do we know any Prudences?' ' We don't think so'. Took them a while to realise it was me.

C • LOL 1

Unofficial orienteering training run at Bellbird Dell in Vermont. I followed a pattern of jogging, walking and stretching intermittently and legs were reasonably OK until the end. More and more people are turning up to these Saturday morning runs and they ran out of maps. Today's was a nicely set course maximising off-street rrunning. There are some really nice pathways in this area.

MTBO summer series at Woodlands Homestead. There was a really good turn out for this excellent location. Most people started with a route around the creek area in the north east and then worked thir way to the south. I rode mostly with Pierre. The best bit was the downhill from Gellibrand Hill but unfortunately I lost my card on the way and had to go back up to get it - thereby losing my riding companions. It was a bit of a dash to the end and I missed a close-by control on the way - and was 1 minute and 4 seconds late (equalling 2 minutes late - therefore minus 20 points). If only ...... Most other people were late too. I have to confess that it was not one of my better efforts. The start/finish area was windy so not too conducive for the after BBQ. I went off with Ian to King Kongs chinese eatery in downtown Greenvale.

Street-O at Blackburn North tonight. I felt good and jogged for 4.3 kms when I came to a steep hill on the north side of the freeway I walked up this and all was good. Then I jogged for another k when I arrived at another steep hill. I thought - ''I can run up this hill' . Correct - I could - right to the top. But that was as far as I was going to run as I got a twitch in my calf at the top of the hill and had to walk the remaining distance or risk a proper injury. I massaged it at home. Hopefully OK.

Not wanting to push my injury recovery I went for a walk around Blackburn followed by some stretching and massage.

It is indestructable rubbish week again. This time there were cane chairs galore (now that I've bough some) including some very nice ones in my street....and vacuum cleaners. Last collection seemed to be television throwout time. Now everyone must be getting a new vacuum cleaner - which was good for me as I needed a part and found plenty of choice. Plus a very nice terracotta pot which I drove around to collect and planted out once I got home

C • secretly 3

I'm doing some work from home in Benalla today so started the day with a swim. The pool was fairly busy and that meant, similarly to trips to Safeway, that the event was not without some social interaction.

I was first met by a VERY large woman, with whom I used to work, topless in the change room who seemed quite unperturbed about holding a long conversation in this condition. On my escape I noted that the swimmers included the pilot and engineer from the firefighting helicopter based at Benalla. The deployment of a fresh set of these from Canada annually has been the source of much entertainment (and anguish) for the local Benalla girls, most of whom have believed that they were The Only One. One girl even resigned from her job to move to Canada to be with her beloved, only to find herself housed in a flat about one block from his wife and children (whom he had failed to mention whilst in Australia). However there was one successful union - but I'm sure that had nothing to do with a very large family property and the surname of one of Australia's richest families.

NB: Helicopter safety 101 - rotor blades and pilot - best to keep a wide berth from either.

I think I might tentatively take myself off the injured list and put myself on the very slow and unfit list - as I am at last moving again.

After a warmup walk through the rocks and up Mt Killawarra this afternoon (from the start/finish area on the 2009 Oz champs Warby map) I jogged slowly around the Benalla Lake - which was a big larger than usual. The excursion required several climbs over closed gates and a few minor detours around puddles - but all good. The river here has filled its banks but is not over onto the flood plain.

C • slow and unfit 2

Very very wet - drove back to Benalla through storms.

The day of the big rains. No chance of any exercise. I drove through 30 cm (approx) flowing water to get to Bruce P's outdoor film night. A most enjoyable night and great film (I heard some of it through the rain and saw come of it when I occasionally peeped out to see what was happening). Thanks Bruce!

Street-O at Wattle Park in fairly humid conditions. I think I picked a fairly good route, minimising climb through contouring. I shuffled along with a bit of a jog here and there. Right leg is rectified but left leg needs some further massage/stretching. I stayed for the BBQ but found left when uninvited vampires started to appear (biting through my tights). I even received some comment about how much happier I look since changing my work arrangements.

I've been a bit distracted this week with social events and the heat - but will need to get back into some sort of routine soon.