Training Log Archive: PrueD

The good thing about working at home in Benalla is that I can disappear for an hour or so to go for a swim, as I did this morning. And the other good thing is that people drop into for a visit - as they did yesterday. Mr Herbert, from the 2nd placed team in the XV category at last weekend's rogaine, arrived yesterday bearing a printout of the results and conceding defeat, though only by a small margin. He felt much better after some freshly baked cream cake.

The downside of working at home is that I don't actually do any work!

I have taken on a job through my business that could be the envy of many orienteers - producing a national training resource kit for mapping during emergencies (fire, flood etc). I've been putting off starting for ages but finally decided that I need to come back to Benalla to do it - where I can spread myself around and there is a bit of peace and quiet. I will probably stay for a while. So I walked around the Benalla lake this afternoon.

Regarding last Saturday's rogaine - the results were well and truly stuffed up - and I cautiously had to put in a request for them to be checked. It turned out that we were given the wrong navlights (and hence got someone else's score of 760 instead of our 1330). However the team that was lucky enough to get our score got 1350! Seems the late penalty was added rather than subtracted. So the results came off the internet and are being checked again. But I can't complain too much because the weekend hosted 2 events and the schools' champs and is arguably the worst weekend for doing admin - I used to be the schools' coordinator and it wasn't nice. Thank God for a decent SI system (and operators, of course) in orienteering!

There is nothing like doing your week's training all in the one day......so, after a break of several years, I finally ventured back to rogaining on Saturday - signing up for the Spargo Shuffle 6 hour rogaine with Bruce P. I had in mind that I would be able to control his enthusiasm - but all that changed on Saturday morning when Tim Hat. turned up as well. So in the cold, mist and fog of Kooweingeboora, we set off. The terrain was a mixture of pines (with blackberries underfoot), open (slippery) forest with some bracken and undergrowth and largish areas of swamp. The general pattern for the day was Bruce and Tim successfully combining their quite considerable orienteeering expertise to devise the most efficient route (with virtually no disagreement) - with me trotting along some distance behind desperately trying to keep up (sort of like an anchor). I carried the map but I can't say I looked at it much although I did visit all the controls as I had one of the team's two navlights.

Anyway, after we had caught out the organisers trying to give us another team's score sheet (our names/ but their score of 800), we finally got our correct results - 1330 (I think) which included the minus 10 points for being about 20 seconds late (see time - my fault - I just couldn't run any faster). I'm not sure how we went as the results were not out.

Our distance is a bit of an estimate as I accidentally turned the garmin off for an hour near the start. I measured the distance for 5 hours as 25 kms, so I estimated 30 for 6 hours. Anyway, despite the pain and suffering, I actually enjoyed myself, despite being incredibly unfit from very little activity in the past 2 months and was pleased that there were no ill-effects from the day. Thanks Bruce and Tim. I might even go again.......

C • and you survived... 2

Half a street-O event in Balwyn - same place as a couple of weeks ago except that the instructions told us to enter the same carpark as last time but from a different street this time. My half event wasn't due to the event itself (can't pass comment on that) but rather because I have to wear a compression stocking for a couple of days and was assured that it would stay up. Of course it fell down straight away and after numerous attempts to adjust, gave up. I'm meant to walk for at least 20 mins a day which could be difficult with this on. I've got some compression tights for the weekend and should have worn these tonight.

My only comment for this week is that, since the MTBO on Sunday, I have been very very HUNGRY!! There is a possibility I might look like that dog on the front of the HS (I didn't buy it, just looked at it at work) today - 85kg - if I don't stop soon!

Forgot to mention that today is the shortest day of the year - dark and gloomy. Mid winter in the northern hemisphere, on the shortest day of the year in December, Austrian and Bavarian towns hold a Krampas Parade. I went to one in Zell Am See near Kaprun and it was one of the scariest things I've ever done - especially as I didn't know anything about it and couldn't speak the language to find out. It was dark, there was a big bonfire, lots of smoke and the music was eerie. Being chased by a realistic looking monsters is no fun. If you've got time, view these youtube videos to see how horrible it was. I haven't got time to find the best video, but there is a selection that will give you an idea of what it was like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1gYjWk3fHA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ft0y5yCTrk&feature...

I spent the very windy evening washing mud off everything - bike, car and even shoes. Everything, including shoes, went to the car wash for a big session!

I also saw an interesting sign on the way to work - 'Bear versus you' - challenge Bear Grylls to your sport. I wonder how he would go at orienteering?

MTBO event at Gilwell Park Scout Camp near Gembrook - described by my friend the organiser as 'flattish' (I think his and my ideas of this differ somewhat). I even managed to convince a number of non-orienteering friends to come - which is odd given my non-love of cycling - but they all enjoyed themselves (I have no trouble convinving people to come to MTBO, but they wont come to foot-O).

I battled off on course 3 and probably chose a fairly good route - with the major uphills on bitumen and the downhills through the mud, rather than visa versa. My 8 km course seemed very long and muddy but all went well although I misread my finish time (I read the final control) and erroneously led a few people to believe that I had beaten them.

This event was followed by a sprint which Bruce P, the organiser, had described as tricky and designed 'especially for me' (an opportunity to outsmart the competition - especially if you can't outride them). This effort was much appreciated except that I fell off at the first control, my chain fell off at the second, I had wiregrass tangled up in the spokes by the third and the wheel wouldn't go around. So muddied and bloodied, I looked at the rest of the very tricky course and decided I would be much better off without the hindrance of the bike (there was a lot of sword grass) and gave up.

We were lucky with the weather, it was a pleasant social day and I especially enjoyed the pizza accompanied by live music at Emerald afterwards.

Street-O at The Basin, in the foothills of the Dandenongs. There was a choice between heading straight up the hills first or heading west into the relatively flat suburban area. I chose the latter, until I could settle into a pace, and then finished in the hills (some walking required). A number of controls and several of the ideal routes were through rather muddy, slippery parks. The last part (downhill, through the grass) would have been better with spikes. However I think I starting to run a bit better (no knee tweaks at all today) - which is just as well as I have signed-up for a 6-hour rogaine next Satuday with someone who raced past me and disappeared into the horizon very quickly today!

Afterwards I went to visit Jenny and Peter Mitchell for a coffee. Very nice.

Street-O at Mitcham - under a very chilly clear sky and full moon. I managed to trot around, alternating walking and jogging.

Activities for the day - Mum's letter box and those of her neighbours were vandalised - many thanks to Tim D of YV for replacing it.

From Tuesday - wildlife galore overtaking my Benalla house. In one day I had:
- neighbour's dog (looking in window after coming through hole in the fence);
- neighbour's cat (as above);
- stork-like creature walking on roof (ibis or something) (not bearing any little bundle);
- 2 dead lizards inside the house;
- nest of redbacks by the front door and
- the ^@#$%^% frog back in the guest loo. Peter pressed the button and a little head popped up and then disappeared again! What am I to do? I think it is coming in up the drain from outside.

Still in Benalla. I should have gone back to Melbourne to work today but didn't quite make it. I gardened all yesterday and was quite tired. Also the weather is superb at the moment. I like being home!

I went to the pool this morning for a swim, accompanied by Peter who is on holidays. He slowly trawled the pool, unsuccessfully, searching for the back of my earring - sort of like looking for a needle in a haystack!

I took the long drive and back to the SS event near Newstead, accompanied by chaufffeur and lunch chef Peter. We arrived quite late and, still pretentding to be W35 (not very successfully), I did course 4. Had I been a Bendigoian, I would have been a serious contender for the Noodle Award (upload to occur soon, hopefully courtesy of Louise, for the entertainment of all). The achievement of the day was to complete the course, albeit at a jog, but with some serious errors. The knee held out for the distance and only had one twinge, when I caught it on a stick - so all good.

I took the long route to 1, was completely off target to 2 and then had major 'phoo ba' at 3, heading along the wrong ridge completely - nearly off the map - a good 15+ minute error. The skill was in the relocation and this took a considerable amount of time given the disorientation. I then warmed up to the map and was reasonably OK. I stopped and helped relocate Mr I Baker midway, then took a longer route to 10, the same to 11, OK then to 13, then a 180 degree error on the short leg to 14 and a fairly inefficient route to 15. The rest OK. Not a very good navigational exercise.

I returned to my hamburger cooking nicely on the BBQ (I should invite Peter more often) and the long, long trip home - made somewhat longer by a misnavigation midway and a closed road. Otherwise a beautiful sunny day. I was pleased to be running (jogging) and pleased to be in the bush. Peter thought it was an awfully long way for a run and a BBQ.

C • FUBAR? 5

I've had a quiet week. It has been very cold and windy and I have opted for the comfortable option - including missing out on Wednesday night when Bruce P kindly brought some fresh jerusalem artichokes from his mother's garden to street-O for me. They consequently went elsewhere and I believe that they are now in Mount Gambier in the form of soup!

I came back to Benalla for the weekend but am planning the long trip over to Newstead for the State Series tomorrow. I missed a good event at Mount Tarrengower today but my knee (which is still dodgy) would not have liked the steepness or the rocks, or 2 days in a row. Tomorrow should be more undulating, so hopefully it will be OK.

I swam (with all my friends again) today in the Benalla pool. My time is an estimate only as half way along I noticed that one of my new gold earings was gone. So I put on my glasses and walked slowly up the lane....until I found it (thankfullly). Luckily there was no-one there and water was still. I never lose cheap things and won't wear these swimming again. The rest of the day was spent gardening.

Not quite off the injured list yet but at least back in the land of the living.

I stayed in Melbourne this weekend because there was a 2-hour enduro in Blackburn and I thought this might get me going again. It was a little risky going from virtually nothing to a 2-hour event - but I gave it a try. I taped my foot (an odd way to fix a sore knee, I know) and that stabilised my knee a bit and wore more supportive runners. I alternated jogging and walking - and there were no twinges. The course was in totally familiar country and I opted for the scenic route, with soft gravel paths, as I was definitely 'notoutowin'! Blackburn has a lot of nice paths and laneways. I even called into my house (I left the key out) for a drink half way! So all good.

Street-O in Balwyn tonight. I walked and occasionally jogged. The knee is starting to strengthen a little although it twinged at one point when caught at an odd angle. I think I can start doing longer distances but running on uneven ground is still out of the question.

I had a really bad night's sleep due to one of the neighbours at my flats (female, my age) deciding to have a 'one-woman party', involving a bottle of whisky (or two), loud music (soprano opera singing) and lots of shouting (at herself?) - between the hours of 1.30 am and 3.30 am this morning. Not happy!

C • ear plugs 2