Training Log Archive: Zed

Picnic at Hanging rock/ Bermuda Triangle type experience. Always expected to find this hard, being aware of my height on a hillside and distance / precise direction is not my strong point. Went carefully therefore with bearing, reading rock features as I could, specially if I could see gullies and spurs underneath, and clearings. This worked reasonably up to 4. Then a long leg 500+m to number 5. Plan was to go up a bit and using clearings, bare rock, heads of creeks, make my way to control circle. Other people doing similar, including another women on my course. After a head of a creek, but sooner than I expected, I saw other people looking for a control, including the other woman on my course . I was having trouble interpreting what was white and what was clearing. Long story short I looked too soon, lost any remaining contact with my original plan, couldn't tell what was little gully, what was head of marked creek. Wasn't even sure of major creek. Found two other controls. Ran out of ideas so went back to start. Followed a creek up from near start and even stuffed that up. Found head of creek with dark green, tried to use that as an attack point but to no avail. Confidence in my ability about zero by now. Decided to give up (rest of family waiting for me) and try and find the next control. On the way, found 2 more controls ( and some water, thank goodness) but not mine. Could not even tell what feature on the map any of these 4 controls was on. Found the next control, number 6 over the creek without much trouble, briefly thought about using that as an attack point for number 5 but thought I needed an attack point much closer, the way I was going ( in my parallel universe where number 5 didn't exist for me, only everyone else on that course!). Pretty unsettled and not terribly rationale by now. Then couldn't find number 7 which should've been straightforward and decided to abandon, just doing the last 4 - 5 controls which had mor defining features around them. I think this was the first time Id abandoned a course, not a great feeling! Even later that afternoon, I couldn't work out a plan would've worked for me to get to that control, not without some intensive holding a bearing training! The next day I spoke to the woman who had for a while also been searching for that control, she had decided to give up and walk back, and on the way down the hill (further down than she expected) she had stumbled across the control, and so had continued on. She said we were looking too soon. This was some relief to hear this.
Consoled myself that afternoon by riding to Bendigo Pottery, looking at pottery and art, and having a lemon slice in the cafe.

Leisurely ride to Bendigo Pottery and back.

Yes very slow. Very very cautious ( and hence very slow) on way to first control as had never been on a gold mining map. Trying to work out how features were mapped. Of course would've been much faster just to run to road and then go more cautiously. Stuffed up number 4, not having enough caution in control circle, easily distraced by others, and had difficulty reading features in the depression ( and there were so many of them, to me, within the control circle area). No major major errors by my standards after that, just my usual sloppiness.

Once I stopped feeling in awe of the extra gold mining features, I really enjoyed them, it was like running in a museum! Noticed my left calf was getting sore and felt tight - put it down to the rowing machine at the gym and particularly to riding a too small bike to town and back on Wednesday including half of old belair road. Bit sore all afternoon.

Cool down.

Event: Easter 2013
 

Medium length prologue 2.9 km. much longer recorded time as on way to start triangle with Leith I decided to shadow him as was different to what he was used to. What a nice place to go to Uni!

Through Bendigo, admiring heritage houses.

Rambly run in light rain around Hawthorndene, through pine forest and back along Turners collecting native flowers for Boof.

To a course in town and return. After frustrations with usual bikes chain yesterday I rode an old bike of bryns with a small frame and shorter than usual cranks. Legs so sore by bottom of old Belair rd I pushed bike all way to james rd, then hopped back on.

To course in town and return.

Cherry gardens to Scott creek and part of return. Highest heart rate was reached leading Alfie along busy narrow section and he decided he'd had enough of the crazy trucks and took off and I ended up letting go of him and Callum . Not much fun.

Logging part of lesson.

Nice ride home too. Calm.

Can feel my shoulders ache now after rowing machine.

In park with Callum

At Paxton (!) before day of rogaine site planning, prep for spring 12 hr.

At gym - ab exercises and lunges with kettle weights. These give great hip stretches too!

turners, olave hill, kallola track, long gully home.

Held up at work so did Belair part 2. That is the usual crew did a half hour run, returned, said hello, then Jenny kindly joined me for another run. Dam, steps, QJD. Days are getting shorter! Windy, overcast, but not really cold.

Jumping up and down 12 steps in backyard, 3 x

Warm up, pyramid intervals, back to home . Usual route. Really cool along valley rd. Rangers car at top of Nookoo track, an unusual sight at 7.30 am. Felt reasonable. Last minute, up Nookoo was a fizzer though. After leaping and cavorting all run Callum was tired and could only manage a walk and I had to tow him up !

C • Boundary track 3

Lunges with kettle weights and ab exercises.

Turners ave, olave hill , back along park boundary loop. Straight from school drop off so timed just from corner of Turners. Felt ok after rogaine, but definately no spring.

Rode Alfie later but not really working hard .
In need of some yoga - heel a bit sore. Might happen if I get up earlier tomorrow!
Did my backyard stair jump for strength exercise this evening and struggled! Couldn't jump up last and 12 th step. Legs need a bit more rest time.

Quick bike tide with Lauren through park and further up sheoak rd, small loop around Crafers West and back. Cruised rather than pushed post rogaine. Felt ok. Lovely day to be out and wished for more time, reminded us how much fun exploring on bikes is!

On no! I just accidentally deleted my nearly complete, long detailed account! Small iPhone screen is unforgiving. Summary: it was fun, good route planning, wee bit of faffing about a couple of times, most smooth, good physical effort, consistent but not shattering, came 3rd, 50 behind winners, having cut route a bit short on way in. 7 min early a bit annoying but way better than being late.
First rogaine for 2013, great turnout of over 100 teams.
Thurs night: I JUST FOUND MY ACCOUNT !! It was hovering about waiting to be pasted:First rogaine of 2013! Went with Rhys- school Dad - who I'd teamed up with once before for this event 2 years ago. We planned carefully after getting maps right at 3 pm, and soon concluded we needed to get at least some of the controls in Black hill to be competitive - which was good as obviously more scenic. Based on previous 4 hrs and the big climb i thought we should aim for 32 km max. Into the first control, 40 we were just behind (and soon lost sight of) the speedy Lauren and Karl, eventual winners, moving smoothly, Steve S and Bruce, and enthusiastic young Ethan and Steve. Our loop went north initially for 3 easy controls in burbs, then headed south and east for a 60 pointer in BH. We then went south picking up controls along park boundary , opting to drop an out and back 60 up a steep gully. We then turned east at the road until we began the long but not too steep climb up through the quarries to the BH summit. We caught up with and chatted to Craig and Ev's niece Veronice about here. Im pretty sure i slowed Rhys down going up. i thought we'd make ground going down, but it was actually so steep and slippery it was hard to and i decided its time for new shoes! We visited the controls along the ridge line , out and back to 80, up to the 80 pointer on the summit proper, a 50 a short way down a spur, out and back to 92 then track to north of 90 and up to the knoll in fairly direct route, coming off via nose of spur. Then 54 - all pretty smooth thus far - exit direction out of 54 was poor and I ended up leading us around the spur too far west above the track we needed to rejoin. I realised this pretty quickly, but as it was so thick and steep it took a while to adjust and find track - perhaps as much as 8 mins, and this plus a couple of more minor faffs cost us first place. Once on the track we were soon after at park boundary and back at the Torrens, it was now 2hrs 15 mins in . We picked up the controls along the river, and to begin with they seemed to come up quickly - passed Robin and Ev along here. We decided to drop at 20 pointer on opposite bank. Dithered about for 71, looking too soon, as because nav wasn't hard I lost focus . Torches well and truly needed by now. Bit over a hour to go now, so knew some reality checks needed soon. Got the 2 40 pointers in the creek ( again seeing Robin and Ev, among others), then headed to the 80 pointer in Thorndon park. Checking time showed 40 mins left - not enough for the 6.5 km we'd hoped for. Decided just to get the 50 pointer to the west 1 km as we'd planned but then head east toward HH not south for the extra 2 we'd hoped for and probably needed at least 10 minutes in hand. I didn't like the bit heading further away from HH here, but we seemed to be running well and thinking clearly - Rhys had a transformation here after downing a spare gel I had and finding he could swallow it. After the 50 something we headed east for a 30 - had 20 minutes to go and perhaps 2 km so knew we were fine. Then picking up lane ways as we could- and one 3 m gate at the exit end of an oval we headed for 20 then almost doe east to the HH road. We ran strongly back and came in to the finish 'queue'. Slightly frustrating as timed ticked away as we waited to have our control card taken and time marked while those up front chatted with admin. System fell down a bit here. I didn't feel as sick as I often do at the finish of many rogaines - wasn't as hard pushed as sometimes but also hopefully fitness is improving ( feels like it is a bit). This meant I could tuck straight into watermelon and pizza and usual 2 cups of tea. Good fun and good start to rogaine season. Really great to have so many teams about.

C • Aw nooo! 6

Arrived home from work to a dog quivering with excitement. 'Yes, it's Thursday !' Belair run up to Railway, around lower waterfall and back through Echo tunnel to search for Simon's lanterns, but they were gone! Very dry. Lovely and cool. Not long before we will need torches again!

Home turners ave, olave hill ( timed hill to set a bench mark, 12 min from bottom gate to top), upper sturt rd, left turn here along boundary fence. Not much punch - probably heat, poor sleeping and maybe O catching up with me, so was kind to myself.
So lovely to have cool weather again. Few spots of rain on way up hill, quickly soaked up by thirsty earth. Looked out for flowering natives for Boof. Found a few in gardens on turners ave overhanging footpath so pruned a few little bits. Nothing flowering at present in bush. (Have taken on another ringtail Boof's size. Minton farm had 6 orphans in less than a week - hot weather plus cat attacks).

C • We did the same run last ni... 6

At gym included some weights for legs.

Didn't sweat as much as usual. Not sure if cooler or slacking a bit.

Legs a bit tired , less energy than yesterday and sleepy all run. In fact sleepy all day. Over this heat! Roll on cool change.

Turners, olave hill rd to upper sturt rd, left here and back home. Too hot for longer version. Felt hot but fairly good inspite of heat. Callum delighted to run after 2 days off while I did O instead.

This is getting easier, noticing less stiffness and can feel abdominals working now even if hard to see.

New leg strength exercise - jumping up 12 wide steps in backyard for leg power. Did 3 x. Short but think it will be effective and hopefully sustainable.

Course 3 long at Belair. This was really enjoyable running with others around in one of my favourite places. Happy with early controls if a bit sloppy on 5. From 7 had long leg to eastern reaches, and choice of through tunnel. Or via QJD. Picked former for fun of tunnel and more shade. Decision made ran along track looking at map at later bits of course and NOT looking around - talk about complacency/ over familiarity. Eventually looked up and realised I'd taken a left hand turn too early and was unnecessarily running uphill! Had to turn around and retrace steps - cost at least 4 mins, maybe 5. Then back on track ( noted a Vic girl about here who had caught me up, kept seeing her on and off for rest of course) and through tunnel, in time to see leaders in women's elite coming through tunnel in other direction on their last few legs of course, and then more of them coming down the steep gully track . That was a bit exciting and confirmed route choice for me. Clean rest of way to 8 then 9, then very slow through thick veg and rocks to 10 and 11- note to self on hard legs need to have more precise planning less vague hope. A bit more focused and planned to 12 then rest good ( picked above tunnel route on long leg to 15 all ok but slow time and last bit of approach through very thick vege- thought of JW as used 'his bit of bush' as attack point. Seemed down through echo tunnel was faster and approaching 15 through strip of open to north of control- my clue should've been that was what elite womens leaders did. Less oomph in legs than yesterday at start but chugged away and thought fitness reasonable ( finishing downhill helps!)
Followed by short cycle home and jump in pool - lovely!

Course 2 flinders uni sprint. After watching elites which was really interesting and fun.
Enjoyed this course. Many small hesitations. One less than optimal route choice ( not seeing that other straighter option was viable - didn't see gaps), and one dumb went round wrong way as thought right was a no through way, whereas my way was that.

Course 4 Waite, SA Sprint final. Was very cautious about not crossing olive green 'forbidden to cross', also double checking black lines to avoid getting stuck. Made one error costing about 2.5 minutes on way to 7, executed plan all way except overshot in last part of approach making parallel error. Surprised by how long it took me to correct self. Otherwise mostly happy with route choices. Felt like I had oomph in my legs so time was a bit disappointing, probably reflecting caution with decisions throughout as well as the error. Enjoyed collecting controls after to see more of gardens. I like sprints, even if not great at them, as the short legs and many changes of direction keep me alert.

Rowing, cross trainer then core strength exercises and lunges with kettle weights.

Up to gym and back. Hot.

Core work.

Time approx. run from home to meet the crew then up long gully, Melville track up and over to redwoods then up windy single track ( with just Jenny and Callum at this point) to saddle hill rd, back down via Saddle Hill Track down past dam to start point. Very humid. I was dripping and walked back across golf course instead of running.

Sad day at our house today, for reasons unknown Little Poss died this morning. :(

Olave hill, park boundary east past cottages back along valley loop. Slow as heat slowed Callum and me.

Pyramid intervals . A few light days meant legs had good power which I enjoyed except for the last minute up nookoo.

Warm up /recovery / cool down.

Short loop from home to pick up ribbons from Robin's line course from yesterday. Missed one - need to get it Thursday night.

Jogged over to Belair to do some O training set up by Uppill 's. 2 control flow courses ( I had some trouble reading map - suspect needed glasses), line course, map memory ( enjoyed this - break from map reading!) 1 arm chair course. All really good. My physical effort was low - had lousy night sleep - possum dramas -and had that rogaine feeling of trying to focus when sleep deprived.
Meant to do some other strength or core exercise but too tired after and busy with domestics.

C • Poss? 11

Pyramid intervals. A bit off form, legs seemed tired.

Warm up/ cool down and recovery ( those minutes when I wasn't stretching)

Applying principles from yesterday, combatting flight response, very effective, I was very happy with session & Alfie's focus was on task, not on spooking. Logging core work- really feeling yoga is helping core awareness - certainly helps riding, assume it helps other exercise .

Short run to keep Callum feeling loved.

Riding lesson - instructor came to me to work on Alfie's jumpiness with the traffic, the spooky garage next door and spooky trees in the home arena. Really good to get some in the moment advice & encouragement. Logging harder core work.

15 mins rowing, 10 cross trainer, 5 strength exercises I remembered from personal trainer. Got very sweaty !