Training Log Archive: FernWermIn the 11 days ending Oct 1, 2012:
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Sunday Sep 30, 2012 #
9 AM
Orienteering race (Aus Relay) 41:32 [3] *** 2.8 km (14:50 / km) +70m 13:11 / km
15c
Aus relay W21AS team with Robin Uppill and Teri McComb
After yesterday's blow out and general bad orienteering in Tas so far, I was a bit worried to be starting in the mass start at the relay (my second mass start ever) and I had basically sub-zero confidence. I had a bit of trouble on number 1, thinking I'd gone too far when I hadn't gone far enough (a consistent theme for me in this event), but after that I just took it pretty carefully, once again having trouble moving with any speed in the debris/undergrowth although it was better than the other days. I avoided the green and didn't have too much trouble finding the 3 marked crossing points I used. Apparently many others had trouble finding their crossing points and lost a lot of time trying to bash through thick vegetation and deep water (I can completely sympathise as this happened to me on my other 3 bush races). I got back in 3rd place, but only 4 mins behind the leader, Robin got us into first place and Teri held us in 2nd, so I got a certificate this weekend!
After yesterday's blow out and general bad orienteering in Tas so far, I was a bit worried to be starting in the mass start at the relay (my second mass start ever) and I had basically sub-zero confidence. I had a bit of trouble on number 1, thinking I'd gone too far when I hadn't gone far enough (a consistent theme for me in this event), but after that I just took it pretty carefully, once again having trouble moving with any speed in the debris/undergrowth although it was better than the other days. I avoided the green and didn't have too much trouble finding the 3 marked crossing points I used. Apparently many others had trouble finding their crossing points and lost a lot of time trying to bash through thick vegetation and deep water (I can completely sympathise as this happened to me on my other 3 bush races). I got back in 3rd place, but only 4 mins behind the leader, Robin got us into first place and Teri held us in 2nd, so I got a certificate this weekend!
Saturday Sep 29, 2012 #
11 AM
Orienteering race (Aus Long) 1:00:00 [3]
Golden Fleece
Had heaps of trouble and just couldn't get into the map. Decided after relocating twice to find number 9 and still not finding it, with still another 6 controls to go, that I would call it a day. I had started late and we wanted to go to the blue teir for a walk in the afternoon, so I opted not to eat up any more blue teir time with thouroughly un-enjoyable orienteering. The blue teir was amazing, with lots of soft lichen and moss everywhere it was unlike anywhere on earth I'd ever been before. The views from the top of the surrounding peaks and all the way down to St Helens were breathtaking. I recommend this forestry park to anyone visiting the NE of Tassie. There were even MTB trails there, including a 10km descent to the main road below!
Had heaps of trouble and just couldn't get into the map. Decided after relocating twice to find number 9 and still not finding it, with still another 6 controls to go, that I would call it a day. I had started late and we wanted to go to the blue teir for a walk in the afternoon, so I opted not to eat up any more blue teir time with thouroughly un-enjoyable orienteering. The blue teir was amazing, with lots of soft lichen and moss everywhere it was unlike anywhere on earth I'd ever been before. The views from the top of the surrounding peaks and all the way down to St Helens were breathtaking. I recommend this forestry park to anyone visiting the NE of Tassie. There were even MTB trails there, including a 10km descent to the main road below!
Friday Sep 28, 2012 #
10 AM
Orienteering race (Aus Sprint) 27:25 [4] *** 3.2 km (8:34 / km) +80m 7:37 / km
20c
Aus sprint champs at Bicheno - W21E.
This sprint would have been fantastic fun if it hadn't been bucketing with rain making all the coastal granite boulders nearly as slippery as greased beach balls. It was still really fun, but not really as fast as it should have been for most of the competitors. I was second starter off the blocks in the middle of a torrential downpour wishing I had contact lenses instead of suddenly nearly useless glasses on. :) 10 of our controls were out on the slippery coastal rocks and they were spectacular with the strong winds pounding the waves into the coast. I was pretty happy with my run. I didn't make any mistakes and chose to go back in and out of the coastal vegetation for most cross-rock routes to avoid breaking any bones. I just felt slow, which I knew I would anyway. It's starting to get a bit depressing watching people disappear past me when I'm running as fast as I can. Oh well - it was a clean run. My hip was pretty sore afterwards, but a good mid-back massage later that day certainly helped loosen it up a bit.
This sprint would have been fantastic fun if it hadn't been bucketing with rain making all the coastal granite boulders nearly as slippery as greased beach balls. It was still really fun, but not really as fast as it should have been for most of the competitors. I was second starter off the blocks in the middle of a torrential downpour wishing I had contact lenses instead of suddenly nearly useless glasses on. :) 10 of our controls were out on the slippery coastal rocks and they were spectacular with the strong winds pounding the waves into the coast. I was pretty happy with my run. I didn't make any mistakes and chose to go back in and out of the coastal vegetation for most cross-rock routes to avoid breaking any bones. I just felt slow, which I knew I would anyway. It's starting to get a bit depressing watching people disappear past me when I'm running as fast as I can. Oh well - it was a clean run. My hip was pretty sore afterwards, but a good mid-back massage later that day certainly helped loosen it up a bit.
Wednesday Sep 26, 2012 #
7 AM
Run (Gowrie Park) 30:00 [3]
Went for a jog with Sus, Lauren and Tyson from our campsite in Gowrie Park up the road towards Mt Roland and back down again. Amazing countryside. The farmhouses all have beautiful country gardens and spectacular backdrops of the western teirs towering above them. We decided to buy a house and open it as a bushwalking B&B. Tyson and Lachlan would build walking trails, I would lead walking tour groups, Susanne would grow and make food and Lauren would treat our guests for their aches and pains after they go on tough bushwalks.
Sunday Sep 23, 2012 #
10 AM
Orienteering race (Tas Long) 1:44:22 [3] *** 6.2 km (16:50 / km) +200m 14:30 / km
13c
W21A
Didn't actually have too much trouble finding controls today. Just felt like I couldn't move well through the undergrowth and debris on the ground. Very physically challenging again today and I was exhausted by the end! I was also very cautious reading contours and making sure I didn't take off down the wrong saddle or gully as I did a lot of contouring to avoid as much climb as possible. Still seemed like a lot of climb! :)
Didn't actually have too much trouble finding controls today. Just felt like I couldn't move well through the undergrowth and debris on the ground. Very physically challenging again today and I was exhausted by the end! I was also very cautious reading contours and making sure I didn't take off down the wrong saddle or gully as I did a lot of contouring to avoid as much climb as possible. Still seemed like a lot of climb! :)
Saturday Sep 22, 2012 #
2 PM
Orienteering race (Aus Middle Distance) 1:18:00 [3] *** 3.4 km (22:56 / km) +75m 20:40 / km
15c
Found this quite physically tough - especially not being very fit. Lots of stuff on the ground which made me very cautious (I lost count of how many slippery logs I scrambled over this week). Basically didn't orienteer very well, having trouble finding 3 controls despite relocating several times. Then I tried to go through dark green on a creek line on the way to my second last control withoug realising what Tasmanian dark green on creek lines was like. I bashed my way quite a bit into the green teatree and vicious pampas grass, decided I couldn't get through and would have to go back and then couldn't get out again! By the time I got out and all the way around the green I'd wasted 10 minutes and was cut up all over. My Tasmanian orienteering experience really didn't get much better from here on in.
On the other hand, I had a fantastic time catching up with friends, sight-seeing, eating pancakes at elephant pass and hiking in the snow while I was holidaying in Tas. Unfortunately we didn't get to hike into the western teirs for a couple of nights as planned due to snow and bad weather, but we still managed to find lots of fun stuff to do. :)
On the other hand, I had a fantastic time catching up with friends, sight-seeing, eating pancakes at elephant pass and hiking in the snow while I was holidaying in Tas. Unfortunately we didn't get to hike into the western teirs for a couple of nights as planned due to snow and bad weather, but we still managed to find lots of fun stuff to do. :)