Training Log Archive: PrueD

After an intensive bout of evening and morning stretching (and a few anti-inflammatories) I headed off the Gisborne for the State Series event at Balt Camp. Obvious excuses aside, I didn't do very well. Three main errors:
- floundered around, being very vague, at 2.
- forgot to mark 8 on my map (it went straight from 7 to 9) but I worked out from the clue card that it was a pit on a mound and there was only one of these between 7 and 9 - so found that fairly easily.
- couldn't find 9 for ages (a fairly vague spot in the dark green) - and could possibly be persuaded to join the 'it was in the wrong spot' group.
Added to this I could only limp along and couldn't run up hills (obviously noticeable as a couple of people at the end said "you were a bit slow today..". However the injuries are not noticeably worse as a result of the event.

However I still got a good score for the Orienteer of the Year points as all the eligible competition either a) didn't come, b) accidentally did the wrong course or c) didn't run. Clearly not a good day for all the W45-54A contenders.

Enjoyed a nice club visit to a Gisborne cafe afterwards.

Street orienteering at Heyington Heights this afternoon. The traffic to the event was heavier that I expected and I arrived with about 1 minute to spare - so didn't warm up (famous last [non] action).

The map was a mixture of the Burnley parklands/ river flats and the hilly streets of Toorak/Kooyong. It was one of the better courses where a bit of route choice at the start would have paid benefits. I am not usually too challenged by a steet-O maps but became very confused around the rail line and bridge over the Yarra, and then picked a very poor route around the roads that fanned off from a roundabout on the the other side of the river.

It was around here that I sprinted uphill across a road to avoid a speeding mercedes (there were quite a few) when *tug* - the hamstring on the other side (to the one that pulled yesterday) also sustained a pull. I made it back to the finish but retired early - not feeling particularly happy. It is the State Series tomorrow - something I really look forward to - so hopefully the soft ground and varied running will suit my ailments.

I'm stretching etc etc - and also working on my back. Looks like I'm in the injury club too now.

C • ooooh. 2

I've had a really sore hamstring for a few days. I think it is emanating from my back and I want it to be right by the weekend - as I've planned a bit of orienteering (including SS) that I'm really looking forward to. I attended an hour of yoga at lunchtime and hopefully this will have the desired effect.

C • welcome to the hamstring club 2

For some reason I have a tight hamstring. I decided to go for a walk early afternoon between hectic sessions at work. I wandered around East Melbourne, Collingwood and Fitzroy.

I had really busy and quite stressful day today. I was landed with writing DSE's response to the proposal for organisational change from the RC (the proposal was for a board comprising Chief Officers, union reps and volunteers to direct Victoria's combined fire services). I (we) don't think so.

DSE management as a whole seems to have adopted the 'if I shout louder, my message will become clearer' management technique while attempting to address this issue. Good try, but with limited effect.

So I was tired and had a headache when I went to street-O at Mulgrave tonight. I walked at a leisurely pace, in my own little world, occasionally surprised by the greeting of the odd passing competitor. I accidentally turned off my Garmin when trying to turn on the light - so distance is not too accurate either.

Can't think of anything special today. Busy at work. I had to do Mum's shopping after work (including buying some mini cupcakes which I had to test when I got home).

All my possessions are stacked up in my flat while I wait for the painter to finish. He has done an OK but not perfect job. I might have to put the final touches on, inluding scraping the edges of the windows. I have been thinking that it must be time to move - as I usually always do this shortly after putting the finish touches on a renovation (I was still painting at midnight the day before I was due to move in one house).

A lovely yoga session after work today after the gym instructor ran about touting for business. I'm glad I went. My knees are really quite sore (maybe after running on the weekend) and sitting cross-legged with the opposite leg on top was really quite painful.

I spent the day reading the RC's Stay or Go submission (akin to War and Peace) - seems most people thought that the policy was Stay AND Go (at the last minute). The perfect solution to this problem has not been so easy to devise - even for the RC. My thoughts are that their proposal is far too complicated and will fail too.

I've had a painter at my flat putting on the finishing touches (finally,after so long). But he's left the windows open and I expect to be freezing tonight.