Training Log Archive: GM

After taking Mary's Mum to the airport at the crack of dawn we headed across to Roselle for the O-event at Callan Park. We arrived there about 8:30am but the event wasn't due to start until 9:30am. Rather than just sit I got changed and went for a run. It was windy as, but after a few minutes I got used to it. In the end I did the Bay Run around Iron Cove. I used to race in rowing regattas here a lot in my youth so it was fun to run past all these familiar sights.

Uringa event at Callan Park. I hadn't run here before so that was fun. I really liked the area, and Dave Lotty assures me that the 1:5000 sprint map is fantastic. We were using a 1:7500 map that covers a larger area, including streets around Callan Park. A few differences today: the controls were little red and white flower pots with a two letter code painted on; we had to use a pencil to write the code onto the control card - I hadn't done that for a very long time and it took a few controls to work out the best way to do it. In the end I just stopped and wrote it, then reorganised my map and started running again.

I made two big mistakes. The first was thinking that there was a crossable section of a fence on the way between 17 and 18 - there wasn't. So I had to do a bit loop backwards and down the hill to get around a large out of bounds area so lost a couple of minutes. The second was heading towards 19 where I decided to be clever and go straight and cut through a steep patch of walk, which turned out to be nearly vertical lantana. I did find an old path that I tried crawling on up under the lantana. I spent a couple of minutes being almost stationary or slipping backwards because the lantana provided very little support but at the same time seemed to grab onto the back of my shirt and stop me moving forward. At least it isn't prickly. A bit of bloody minded perserverence got me through, but lost a couple of minutes easily.

And now the mandatory Sunday morning cafe review. After the event MaryMac and I headed up the road to Roselle for breakfast. We ended up at the 'Coffee Bean' on Darling St and it was really, really good. The toasted banana bread and strong mug of skinny flat was delicious; the service great; and the place had a really nice vibe. Would go there again if I get the chance.

C • Callan Park .... 3

Run around 'The Piggery' at Belanglo picking up the tapes from the exercise that I ran as part of the Level 1 Controllers course today. The Hoggster had kindly put the tapes out, so I got to have a run while the level 1's and 2's were busy in another session. For a day that was going to be crap weather wise it turned out to be lovely in the forest - well not cold and no rain - and the ground was so soft.

Body Pump - not so many tonight and a great big void where Ivan normally stands

Intervals up on Gossan with RobW and Ecmo, on the same hilly 1km loop as last week. On the first int I tried to hang on for as long as possible, which was about 1:30, but then died, so my time wasn't that much faster than running at a more even pace. The next couple were back to the same pace as last week. I cut the last one a bit short so as not to keep the others waiting. The efforts were

4:22
4:32
4:30
3:17

Spin class, plus run to and from gym as a warm up/warm down

ACT Schools Team training at Black Mt. A warm up jog into Black Mt from Aranda, then divided the group into pairs, with each pair having a map with a short loop course, and enough cones to set their loop. Everyone had a longish leg of about 1km to the start/finish of the loops. The pairs had to go together and put out the cones. When back they could then go separately and grab a different loop map and do that. Most were 0.6 to 1.0km long with 4 or 5 controls. We looped for about 30 minutes, then everyone did a different long leg back to the edge of the map. Everyone worked hard and orienteered well which was really pleasing.

A lamp run with MaryMac back over in Black Mt. She met me at the end of O training. My original intention was to run around and pick up the cones, but in the end we just went for a run along the fire trails. Both of us were feeling a bit tired.

Lake Gininderra handicap at lunchtime. It was quite windy in the early couple of km, but once onto the dam it calmed down. I tried to focus on keeping my stride a bit longer, and to be strong up any of the rises.

I hadn't run one of these handicaps for 12 mths so I was expecting to better my handicap time, and in the end I was 3:48 quicker, and the last time I ran the lake this fast was 1987.

The only down side was I managed to work up a blister on the bottom of my right foot (wrong socks) which is annoying.

Good warm up, but the blister under my right foot made the warm down a lot shorter and slower.

Run to work. It's warming up - just a cap an no gloves.

RPM class, with MaryMac for half of it until a pain in her knee caused her to pull the plug. Then it was RPM class without MaryMac.