Training Log Archive: PrueD

I have never done an MTBO sprint event before and can hardly ride a bike - but decided to enter this event regardless (as everyone else was)! And to my surprise is was hugely fun - perhaps almost as much fun as the Masters Sprint! The event was in Chiltern, which I didn't think was big enough to host such an event - but again I was surprised. It was a great course, with lots of route choice, small parks and lanes and a really good mixture of made roads and small tracks. I went flat out and came 2nd in my category. Suzanne fell off her bike at the end and was carted off to hospital for stiches- she was very disappointed as she was beating me! Friend Peter entered and found 2 checkpoints - one from his course and one from another course!
The lowlight of the day was the BIG WASHING MACHINE DISASTER in the morning resulting in a large flood in the ktichen, which started de-laminating my benches, as I attempted to speed wash 5 sets of sheets and towels before going to the event. I have put this down to an airlock in the sink, as all the other sheets and towels were piled up. Doesn't justify a new machine just yet.

Again - nothing. The afternoon and evening were spent getting ready for the Big Benalla Bike weekend and several shifts of visitors - 5 on Friday night and a different set of 4 on Sat and Sunday. My place is starting to feel like a B+B. The weekend is the AWOC Vic MTBO Sprint Champs and AWOC club champs.

Unfortunately - nothing!!

First Wednesday night street O at Balwyn. It was a hilly area and although I had intended to run all the way found that I still had to walk up some of the hills, which was disappointing. A good turnout.

Swim at Nunawading Pool. I started to cramp at little in both legs towards the end (something I have never had before, and started to look out for the lifeguard just in case) and have put this down to being a little tense before I started - as a result of having to speed my life up a gear in order to fit everything in. This is possibly the way of things to come. So far, so good - everything is ftting in. New job definitely lends itself to a more balanced lifestyle compared with the previous one.

Only walked in street O at Gen Iris. Leg and cold both much recovered. Started work today - and decided to ensure improved life-work balance as compared with previously.

Sunday O at Braeside Park. I haven't been there before and found the area quite interesting. The course was well set and quite tricky with closely-spaced controls, but with no obvious route between them. Stayed for a picnic. Leg seems better. Cold greatly improved - sunny day helped.

Still have cold. Walked around Blackburn. Beautiful sunny day.

Cold seems to have returned. Unfortunately no activity today.

According to the ABC, the crime rate in the North East has soared. News headlines (2nd item) included a damaged letterbox in Wodonga and a stolen concrete giraffe in Benalla. We are so fortunate to have such wonderful police resources in the area (including bicycle police who circumnavigate Lake Benalla in pairs daily) to combat such a surge in the crime rate.

Benalla is the centre of policing in the NE and the real reason for our high level of policing is their reluctance to travel very far from home - most likely so that they can go home for lunch each day.

Walk around Blackburn Creeklands and Lake. I realise that walking isn't really training ...but....well...its bettter than nothing isn't it? Ache in back of knee has returned. Went to the dentist. Thanks to my contribution over the past few days it is clear that both the dentist and also the Subaru service centre in Wang are going to survive the economic downturn.

Last night for the Spring series of Street O at Zerbes Reserve, Doncaster. A hilly area, last visited on the hottest day of last year. I decided to run C course and managed to keep going with the exception of 2 hills. I still have a cold and a slightly tight hamstring but these were not serious impediments. I am feeling quite postive about the possiblility of being able to run this summer. Discussed techniques with Bryan afterwards and am trialling a forefoot strike, rather than a heal strike as I have been used to doing.

Feel heaps better today. I had a nice steady swim at the Benalla pool, which was unusually busy with school swimming lessons. I expect that a number of screams came from the ladies change room shortly after my departure - when the multitudes of primary aged school girls entering the change room spotted the large huntsman spider on the wall!

Took a few more of those pills and planned to go for a run at Reef Hills. However the body had other ideas and it turned into a walk, which was probably more sensible. Beautiful day. I am not looking forward to going back to work next week.

Feeling a bit better - probably because it was a beautiful sunny day. Drove back to Benalla along with a whole of gear belonging to other people - some of whom may have had the misguided impression that their washing might be magically done, or their excess bags of corn chips might actually arrive intact when I take it all to Melbourne later this week.

Still sick with the flu but ran in the B finals of the World Masters Long Distance. Possible due to the effect of medication (cold pills, possibly illegal, which were administered by me, and for which I wont be using my mother as an excuse), I was not thinking clearly and made 3 poor route choices early on. Came 6th in B final. Overall it was a great sunny day and great to see some well-deserving Aussies get medals.

Have the flu. Staying in bed until 11. I will still run in the B finals tomorrow.

This was the Masters long distance qualification race 2. I was fine on the first few legs and then blew it by not following the sequential order of the checkpoints and returning to an earlier one. This sent me in the wrong direction completely and made my preferred route for the longest leg unfeasible. I estimate 10 mins time lost which put me in the 2nd half of the field and in the B finals - which is probably Ok cos I have the flu and very heavy legs.

World Masters Long Distance qualification race 1. This event was held in the Wollomi National Park and had some intersting legs in the rocks. Thes were as little tricky and I was fine there but then stupidly blew the next control, which was the easiest on the course, by thinking that it couldn't be mine as there was a long trail of people leading off the main road. I blew 10 mins on this which put me in the 2nd half of the field. Sore throat today. Weather turned nasty and my car's temperature gauge read 4 degrees on the way home.

Attended the Openining March and Ceremony at Lithgow where we were entertained by the local talent. Most memorable were the poor school children singing in the hail and the local musical director's (Mrs Raeburn) unusual piebald hairdo and bright yellow shoes. The showgrounds are build in the same wilnd tunnel as the campground.

Travelled the scenic route over the mountains to Lithgow.

World Masters Sprint Final at Olympic Park. A finals. I got a bit disorientated at 3 controls but still managed to knock off a few competitors to finish 27/68.

Sprint Qualification at Macquarie University. I surprised myself by being able to run (given that I have had a pulled hamstring and generally sore right leg for some months now). Came 31 out of 64 starters and scraped into the A finals. It was a really fun event and I might do some more sprint events in the future. The new Brooks Adrenaline shoes seemed to make big difference.

Drove up to Sydney for the World Masters. What should have been a reasonable time for travel was lengthened somewhat by a 3-hour queue for game registration. It turns out that you didn't have to register at all and could receive your number directly at the orienteering events. The benefits of registing was a small backpack and a water bottle, plus free public transport - which I wasn't using as I was staying with a friend a Mangrove Mountain.

Slow walk with my friend at Mangrove Mountain.

Another sunny day in Benalla. A slow swim at the Benalla pool.

This is my first log ever and I'm also curious to know who else is out there. Hopefully keeping a diary will mean that I will do some training. I know that walking doesn't count as training - but I've had a pulled hamstring for some months now and haven't been a\ble to do anything. However I discovered voltarin on the weekend and life may have returned. So lets see!

If anyone is out there - you will be pleased to know that the weather was beautiful in Benalla today - beautiful blue skies. Quite different than for the past weekend.