Training Log Archive: Mess Engineer

Street Orienteering returns!

I would do this every single day if possible.
It is the only method I have of totally switching off.
When running only think about "How much longer do I have ?" "What's the clue?" "Where am I going next ?" "What can I add on or drop?" Everything else fades away.

Last ran this map 18th December 2013 where I managed 7.0 km in 43:14.
Enjoyed the setters efforts last time and today equally so!

Route 3C 2C 1B 1D 1C 3E 1E 2G 1H 2E 1J 2D 3D 1K 2B 3G 1L 2H 1M 1N 3A 1A
for 22 Controls / 38 Points (1 point x 11, 2 point x 6, 3 point x 5) in 44:57.

Small margin (5 seconds) between agony and ecstasy with last weeks time of 45:02.

Macey got 49 points so 38/49 = 77.5% which I am very happy with.
Never thought about ankle for entire run which is unheard of.

Lost small amount of time on several controls with brain fades :

3C - house number on north street but air conditioner around side to west
3E - read every possible McDonalds Jones sign (window, flags, door) before seeing the most obvious banner on gate
2E - came up the steps and past house #2 thinking WTF and ran onto #6 on the next corner shown in the correct place on map so Clue Sheet was wrong

Similar route to Sam Howe, Nigel Thompson and Macey except I skipped 2A before 3C.
Added 1E 2G 1H on the run because I was running well and handling the hills (never saw another competitor at all on this leg which had me worried?).

I had originally planned to get out maybe 2J 1R but this looked too hard with remaining time available so decided on pushing for 1L 2H at the end.
So was running AWAY from the start uphill towards 2H with less than 9 minutes to go.
Knew that if I was going to make the "straight line path of 1M 1N 3A" had to "motor" down hill and could not afford to waste time on ANY control but luckily could see Clues easily from a distance.
Almost the entire time between 1A and finish I was running watching the time on my iPhone right arm strap.
I have it set to announce my distance every 5 minutes and punching the finish prior to it saying 45 was fantastic.

In mapmyrun App my km splits show the story with last km the fastest
1 km 5:00 min
2 km 5:23 min
3 km 5:39 min
4 km 6:05 min - Hills!
5 km 6:05 min - Hills!
6 km 6:15 min - Hills!
7 km 5:21 min - Add on and get greedy
8 km 4:57 min - Hurry up!!!

Multiple conversations afterwards including with :

1. Malcolm Roberts about developing a StreetO app for iPhone/Android which would mean it would automatically work out by GPS whether you went to each site, and calculate your score, and allow statistics about who visited which controls etc etc.

2. Steven Todkil about different approaches being investigated about the scoring system and Excel.

C • Nice route 1

C • Switching off 3

Walk of estate plus extended out into the older part of Wallalong with KC and my dog.
We both were too tired for Modern Jive Class so this was alternative unwind strategy.

Time fill prior to it getting dark.
Log says I haven't done these, or the shed, since 7th of March so been slack!!

Managed to fill 4 grocery bags .... but will need to return to finish .... including breaking up and removing all the solid mortar the building sub contractors left filling the front gutter when they repaired my roof from the storm damage.
Quality control and customer concern - zero :-(

Event: Newcastle Minor Event - Blue Gum Hills
 

Around Score Course with KC.
Visited 11 Controls of the 13 easy ones.
Neither of us seemed to get into this today so we bailed after an hour.

Around Raymond Terrace river front and detour to bank ATM.
Got soaked on the return walk to car.

First attendance at this Parkrun. Really liked the course on the windy concrete amongst the trees with gradual hills and views of the lake! The last 2 km downhill again was a highlight.

Certainly felt the hills today and needed a bit of a breather at the finish!

KC liked this the best of the courses she has tried to date. I return lapped her at about the 3 km mark so she is definitely getting faster each week!

Walking back to find KC and motivate her for the remainder.

Happily surprised to find her not too far away for two reasons :
1. Means she is getting faster
2. Today it meant I didn't have to climb back up the hill to find her!!

Her final time of 36:17 is 2nd best of her 7 results to date and considering the hills is fantastic. Only faster time was at Callaghan 36:08 where both tinytoes and I think their timing was 30 seconds out (generous) on that day anyway!

I read today that they are in trials to hold a Terrace Parkrun! As I work through the list in Newcastle to try and claim "regionare" status people keep adding events to the list!

In two weeks I will be in Mount Barker (for work) on a Saturday but exit flight at 9:35 am and 16 minute drive to airport so trying to fit in a 8 am Parkrun around the beautiful Blue Lake would be cutting the time a bit fine! No later flights available that day and didn't want to stay one more day just to fit this in ;-(

Slow walk around estate keeping dog happy

Time fill prior to class. Different setting and a lot harder.

Good way to finish the working week!

Walking around east side of Mayfield map visiting all the controls I didn't get to on Wednesday.
With KC introducing her to Street-O for first time since she cannot make Wednesday Afternoons.
Route Start 2A 1E 3C 1C 2B 1D 2C 1K 1B 3A 1A Finish