Training Log Archive: PrueD

Blackburn lake and creeklands. Lovely morning, with the birds singing and frogs croaking. Eye is starting to feel a bit better, which makes it easier for me to see the computer.

C • Important Skills 13

Tried to run but knee, heart and eye would not be in it, so walked around Blackburn instead. Eye is a little better - l am beginning to suspect l scratched it last Sunday, when wiping my eyes. Those at the OA meeting last night probably thought l was unusually quiet. I had plenty to say but forgot to unmute the microphone!

My goal for 2019 has been achieved - l finally made it into the top 10 for W60. I can now take things easy :)

C • Congratulations! 6

Went to the doctor about my eyes.
10 minutes and 200 holiday photos of Central Australia later - 'Now what was it you came to see me about?'
'I can't see'.

C • Sore eyes 2

Conjunctivitus. Oddly similarly to what l had following the last Oceania in NZ. Makes it hard to read anything, which is annoying since l am now inundated with work.

Oceania middle distance event at Beechworth. I was an early started due to start duty later on. All went well until the second last control where I went up the wrong spur. My eyes were watery (dry eye and hay fever combined) and I didn't see the creek line on the map (until afterwards). In the 15 minutes I wasted, I found about 4 other controls including one three times. Finally finished but was disappointed.

I then spent the next 2 1/2 hours as the talking starter clock. The beeps had broken on the clock and I had to focus on the second hand intently to send people off at the right moment. This was very tiring for the length of time involved.

This experience left me wondering what the rules say about pulling your map out of the box and lining up on the start line, prior to the start time. This was done by most of the NZ masters (men and women) and most NSW masters, and it gave them a few seconds advantage over those who left their maps in the box (half pulled out) until the start time. Some of these people also jumped the gun on the start, which also gave an advantage. I ticked off a few people who pulled their maps out early, but it soon became a lost cause. Running after people who jumped the gun was also a lost cause.

Oceania Long Distance Championships at Kangaroo Crossing. I was comfortable with my navigation but again took a poor route choice for the long leg. My downfall came when I was severely affected by the heat at around control 6 and had to sit down, several times, on this uphill and onto 7. I felt dizzy and sick. I would have laid down under a tree, but didn't want other competitors to be concerned. The last few controls were in survival mode. Apart from all of this, I love this area and enjoyed the course and will be back there in the future for some training runs.

Emails of the week:
- 'Congratulations - you have been selected for the Australian W60 MTBO team to challenge NZ in the upcoming Aus champs'. This was followed with team details etc. I realised they must have been desperate to include me, but felt pretty pleased otherwise.
- (10 mins later) Sorry - you have NOT been selected for the Australian W60 MTBO team to challenge NZ in the upcoming Aus champs! Which is what I had expected, but was now disappointed.

C • Emails of the week 6