Training Log Archive: PrueD

O training run in leafy Heathmont prior to preparing my house for its second 'open for inspection'.

C • Good luck 2

Street O in hilly Doncaster. There were almost no flat sections in this event. The map wasn't entirely accurate with some streets marked as dead end when they really went through to open land. Not that I wanted to venture across open land in the dark - local police were stopping and advising female participants of a predatory male in the area!

Afterwards we went to the Doncaster Hotel for the millenium club dinner and presentations. It is shame that all my street-O events from last century cannot be counted. Speaking of last century, entering the pub a school friend and I spotted each other across the room - despite have only seen each other once in 25 years!

My house has not sold - because about 10 houses in Heathmont went on the market on the same day as mine. Previously there were none - and now there is a flood.

Eyes are generally improving although I have had a headache for much of the week. Working hard does not really help. I have a lot of reports to finish. Unfortunately some people (who obviously don't read this) think I can write and now I have to write everything for everybody - whether I know about it or not! In that category is the report I am currently writing on the Portland hazmat incident involving a spill of liquid pitch (tar).

Went to work but was really tired. Unfotunately l am gjving the Orientshow a miss this year.

Another walk aroud Blackburn.

Walk around Blackurn. Eye op went well but l am very tired and have slept a lot - even falling asleep in the bath where l was having a big soak. I didn't do a Whitney as a) l am too big and b) there was no cocaine involved.

Heathmont house is now on the market and was open for inspection today.

C • Take it easy. 4

Street O presentation night at Ringwood East. Knee was really sore so I just walked. The format was ridiculous treasure hunt style novelty event. The scouts put on their usual excellent dinner. I came 2nd in C3 - just knocking off the pregnant Kathryn!

A jog around Reef Hills on a glorious autumn morning. Knee really sore to begin with but loosened up after a couple of k. Lots of march flies and mosquitoes around but I either ran too fast or was not tasty enough as I avoided being bitten.

C • next week? 2

A lovely big swim in the Benalla pool with a good water-supported stretch afterwards. Despite being very wet underfoot, it is a beautiful day in the north east and everything looks so clean and bright. This will be one of first autumns for a while where there wont be a lot of smoke around - at least in the north and east of the state - as it is just so wet. I had to go to Traralgon yesterday and it was so green that you could have thought it was winter.

Street O at Blackburn lake last night. Because of sore knee I just walked and enjoyed it. Blackburn really is one of the nicest places to walk around so I am glad I made the decision to move there. My house was in the middle of the map.

I managed to activate my wi fi on my phone - but my computer is too old to connect - I need a new one of these too. I haven't yet mastered filling in AP and FB from the phone though - getting half way through and then losing the entry.

Curiously the people I don't know and who I befriended accidentally via the phone were quite disappointed when I sent an apology and suggested I defriend them!

Knee very very sore so opted for a walk around Blackburn. Geoff was running an adventure series event at Blackburn Lake so I walked there and he kindly gave me a map. To my surprise he had set a reasonably technical course that was midway between a street-O course and a bush course - a good introduction to bush orienteering for newcomers. He had mapped and then used the vegetation boundaries - which was great!

B******y phone. I was trying to get rid of FB's friend suggestions but, with the touch screen, found that I've now invited a whole pile of people I don't know to be friends! Grrrrr

Did lots of domestic activities today including getting a new phone. Holey moley - what a technical challenge. I tried to install AP and FB so I could update them by phone. However, I am so clumsy that it would take me longer to write a blog about an event than it would to run the course!

I am hoping for a technically superior person to assist me with making the phone work as a modem. Hint Hint.

Orienteering at Chinaman's Flat near Linton. I woke feeling much much better with cold virtually disappearing overnight. I've never run in this part of the world before and found it quite enjoyable. I made about 5 significant errors on this course including not aiming off for a control in a gully and consequently ran up and down (but not far enough down) for a while to find it. I started to tire and got a few dizzy spells towards the end - perhaps indicative that I was not quite better yet.

It was Trollop's day again!! Three cheers for Trollop. She has proven that not all Elmore residents are morons. Sprite ran off the map so I managed to beat her.

Surface Hill orienteering near Smythesdale - middle distance event. I had a cold, sore knee and felt generally below par but plodded around OK. The first lap was good but I ran out of puff going up the hill on the second lap and had to sit down several times due to dizziness. Everyone has their day and it was the Trollop's day. Both she and the Sprite resoundly beat me. Trollop deserved all the glory she got!

C • Surface Hill 3

Street-O at Canterbury Gardens. I didn't feel to crash hot - have a cold, knee sore - so why push it? Decided to alternate jogging/walking.

I'm on the 26th floor at work and today we had a fire drill (i.e. walk down the stairs). I decided that, if my life depended on it, of course I would walk down the stairs. However, with my sore knee, there was no way I was going to aggravate it unecessarily (esp. before this weekend). So my colleagues determined that this was natural selection at work - some survive the disaster, some don't (and I was in the latter category).

A brisk walk around Blackburn after work. I am very busy at the moment and seem to be about to catch a cold. Work is abuzz regarding the flood saga - which will now last for months as the flow of water gradually works its way downstream. Murray river towns are busy preparing - as all that water flowing from central NSW has to go somewhere.

Not very happy at the moment as I discovered yesterday I have an eye condition that requires laser surgery in about 2 weeks.

C • Hope all goes well 4

A bit of a plod around Benalla between showers. The lake is now up over the boardwalks so I couldn't go there, and Reef Hills or anywhere else in the bush would be very wet. Knee sore but held up.

The excitement for the evening was the Bombers' failed attept to get to Wang for a match against St Kilda. Peter and a friend were going and we visited the ground yesterday to see if it was OK, which it was. But I can't think how the decision-makers thought they were ever going to land a small plane at Wang with all this water around!

Reminded me of the 2003 fires where I flew regularly up to Jindabyne, over the fires. The plane was never able to land in the appointed place at either end. Mostly I flew to Canberra and had to drive back - once after 3 failed attempts to land at Cooma. And at this end they flew to Shep or Wang - but never Benalla where my car was!

A swim in the Benalla pool this morning followed by some stretching in the pool. I think my knee problem is coming from my back as it certainly felt a lot better after some good back stretches and twists - which seem so much easier to do in the pool as compared to dry land. I dropped $10 somewhere in the pool environs on the way in. But it was duly handed in - indicative of the level of honesty in the country.

It certainly is wet up here! Driving up last night I noticed the water lying around didn't really start until Violet Town - suggesting Benalla is at the southern most part of the rain system. The lake hasn't yet gone over the walking tracks. However it rained all night and more is expected today - but hopefully Benalla has had a reprieve!

My week has been busy. I've had several agents through the Heathmont house and I now have an idea of the market value. Thursday night's agent stayed for 1 and 1/2 hours. My neighbours had previously expressed an interest so I left a note in their box - offering at the price I was hoping for less the agent's fee. Hopefully they will accept and it will be a win all around. If it goes on the market I have a bit more preparation work to do. I am 'camping' at Blackburn.