Training Log Archive: jennycas

Proud of myself for being up in time to go the beach before it got too hot (funny moment was when, as I waded into the water, I heard someone swimming very enthusiastically behind me, and I thought it was a bit rude that they were splashing me, and then I thought it sounded a lot like dog-paddling, so looked around to see a golden retriever who had obviously decided I was his new owner!), but then undid the good work by foolishly getting sunburnt in the middle of the day watching the snorkellers (looking for leafy sea-dragons) from Rapid Bay Jetty. George & I took Blair for a drive down south which involved eating, mostly: Yankalilla bakery for lunch, iceblocks at Cape Jervis, and Italian in Victor Harbor for dinner - although walking a lap of Granite Island via the causeway could have counted as exercise, I guess, because it was so hot & sweaty.

Mass start loop race, Simon-style. And he did a very good job of being kind to the women. The men may beg to differ...

Hadn't warmed up at all unless you count swinging a hammer to put stakes in, setting up the event from 7am. Really felt it through the first short loop (woke up very stiff from yesterday's lugging of the controls we had planted in flowerpots) and was glad of my thoughtfully-placed water at the map change, which I chose to wear rather than drink. About 2 controls into the next loop, came across Bun sitting in the gutter nursing a busted elbow with Katelyn hovering anxiously nearby. After a couple of minutes, I walked Bun to the next control and she swore she was okay so I went on, having lost sight of Lauren & Jacqui and figuring I wouldn't see anyone else for a while but might be able to reel in some junior girls towards the end.

As it was, when after the hard slog above Echo Tunnel I got to the rocks between the waterfalls, at the top of the course, I suddenly encountered everyone having a "hunt the control" party. Of course, some of these were people who were on their second loop around the rocks while I was still on my first, but I got through the rocks pretty cleanly, and from there it was all downhill. Seriously. Reeled in Heather & Clare on my way down which was a nice bonus, went above the trainline tunnel on the next long leg, kept seeing a Nugget in the distance which turned out to be Lanita. Never saw Bridget but she must have been just in front of me.

A fairly good run by my standards; lost a couple min at most in small errors, and a couple more when I stopped for Bun, but the most I would have gained if I hadn't done that was a couple of places, and it was good for me to catch my breath :)

Very long hot day out for some of the juniors but they get full points for perserverance, especially Will walking the remainder of the course from Long Gully in his socks because of blisters!

C • Thank you!! 4

Course 2 BAB - Splits

Event: Adelaide NOL
 

Put out all the SI units, starting before 7am after what seemed like a very short night (with lots of orienteering nightmares, thankfully none of which came to pass - although unfortunately Adrian wasn't so lucky with his event). I had to hurry to keep ahead of Robin who was checking them! Best bit was crossing the gorge footbridge right on dawn with the pink sky in the east and views of the ocean in the west.

If I do say so myself, this event went really well. It was worth waiting so long to hold a NOL race on Flinders Uni. And Susanne won her qualifying heat :)

C • Thanks for the great event 3

Quick-and-interesting trot around Waite with some good route choices, fairly clean run although I overshot a couple of controls (it's been a while since I was able to run faster than I'm navigating). Had lent my compass to Emily S right before the start and think I actually thumbed the map more closely without it. Felt like I was planning ahead more than I normally do. Was satisfied to break 20 min although would like to be able to be closer in time to the M45 Steve triad.

Course 2 - Splits

A swim, after which I didn't go to work, but spent the day on going with Susanne & parents to see grandfather for his birthday lunch, and then spent 3 hours in the evening putting controls out at Flinders Uni, by which time it was quite dark and I was still hot, as was the evening.

Long Gully to the far end, abandoning Tyson & Bridget at Karka, then up & over the hill, leaving Fern & Blair to run back from the redwoods while Zara/Callum & I went up the singletrack & down Saddle Hill. Felt okay on hills but knee didn't like coming down off the end of Saddle spur. After collecting controls/units etc from the Uppills', got home starving at 10pm.

3:09 (this was a surprise because it didn't feel like too much effort)
3:19 (same amount of effort but 10 sec slower)
3:10 (this was lots more effort and at the top I had to sit down untill my heart rate normalised)

I was a bit stuffed because it took me until midnight to get all the maps and control descriptions sorted (by start time in blocks of 3), but the creek valley was nice & cool.

10 x 225s, rough grass at Mortlock Park. I used to disapprove of anything over 50 sec and now these are taking 53-55, which is 10% slower. But whatever. The point is that I did them at full effort.

A sweaty bit warm out already.