Training Log Archive: Mess Engineer

Event: NOY 3 - Southam's Road-West
 

Hard Medium
5.2 km Nominal
13 Controls.

Run this map on 3 prior events and had very mixed results. Had my first ever State League event here and took 15 minutes to find the first control (once I completed course I returned back to start and found the first control in less than 1:30).

Attempted to 'run' despite being sick but kept it at a jog as I didn't think I would last otherwise.

No issues for 1, 2, 3 (passed 8 first), 4 (very happy with how I broke this long leg up into components to check where I was along the entire length), 5, 6.

Tim Tew left 2 minutes before me and I lapped him prior to 4.
We tag teamed through 5, 6 and onto 7 and then it all fell apart.
Totally and absolutely screwed up Control 7 .. taking 25:50 to find it.

<- UPDATE ->
Looking at the splits I was the 2nd SLOWEST competitor to find this control (30th of 31).
I was coming 5th overall at Control 6 and then plummeted to 25th after Control 7.

The key difference between 1.3 km long leg 3 to 4, and 1 km long leg 6 to 7 was an attack point (or total lack of one).

For 3 to 4 headed NE and counted crossing road, creek, road, creek, road then creek and up prominant N-S gully (know this well since I was lost here for 15 minutes at 1st State Event!), up to road, then SE along road to minor track, up minor track and N to control. So I knew where I was on entire run.

For 6 to 7 just headed 'west' and counted crossing road, creek, creek, road, creek, road, creek. So when got to creek was too far south but didn't use ANYTHING to work out where I was. Could have at least refound Control 3. Tim Tew was there with me but he only spent 15 mins finding it! Scrub was very thick unlike shown on the map. So mucked around running south (to within sight of the start car park), then north (to the bend in the road on the top of map), and even tried counting power poles on the main road (which had been replaced since the map was drawn so was useless). Only stumbled upon it eventually in the most shallow dry ditch I have encountered. Apparantly the correct answer was to follow the dry ditch up from the bottom but I didn't (and still can't) see this extending this far down to the creek on the map.

So fail to plan means plan to fail.

And anyone thinking of twisting the knife ... this isn't worthy of an annual tortoise award.

<- END UPDATE ->

Then back to 3, south to 8.
Sickness fatigue, and demoralisation of 7, meant I couldn't really be bothered pushing to run.
West coming midway between 9 and 10 and seeing people run both N and S to each control I guessed and went to 10 first.
Back to 9 then 10.
No issues for 11, 12 and 13.

Didn't hang around for 2nd run as feeling rubbish.

C • Tortoise award 1

Pottered around in the front yard all afternoon.
- Pruning hedges at front of house
- Pruning hedges along uphill Neighbour boundary fence.
- Cutting dead branches off trees.
- Whippersnipping parts I hadn't mowed around trees in a year and front spoon drain.

Probably about 4 hrs but wasn't tracking the time and only stopped due to lack of light and that I had totally filled the garbage bin despite multiple stompings.

Hard Medium - Splits

Partners son previously filled one bay of my 12 m x 12.5 m shed with all his junk prior to leaving Newcastle. Been there for over 3 months and its getting destroyed by bush rats eating all the foam, paper and fabric. Happily today his ex-wife came to claim her portion of it so I could get some space back.

Whilst waiting for them to arrive (supposedly at 7 am but ending up being after 10 am) I filled in time, with my currently limited aerobic capacity, in very easy activities like burning contents of Fire Pit and picking up multiple wheelbarrows of sticks throughout the yard.

11:15 am - 12:35 pm
Hadn't mowed since 6th April (upon return from Tasmania) and grass hadn't really grown much.
Didn't do next to the shed this last time so this was a bit long so jumped on intending to just do this in about 10 minutes.

Almost as soon as I jumped on the mower it started to rain.
Typically rain = wet grass = clogged blades = stressed motor.
But it kept being intermittent so I persevered.

Decided to go out and do the entire front lawn and this was interesting as since it wasn't too thick I could drive at full speed and hoon around and the motor barely laboured at all. In fact had to keep checking the discharge chute to see grass clippings coming out (to ensure the protective shear pin hadn't failed) as it was so quiet.

Based on the low growth rate may be 2 months before I need to do this again.

Still feeling weak and sniffly so rest of day vegging out watching DVDs.

Didn't last through this well. Underlying sniffles meaning I get flogged doing anything at speed. Not sick enough to check the box yet.

Any manual labour plans for Fri/Sat will have to be slow and steady.
Sunday Bush-O Event going to be a struggle.

Tried digging dirt to fill wheelbarrow and only got half full before realised body incapable so will have to wait until better.
So went for a walk with Partner but even felt taking the dogs for a slow walk up the street.

This class is a race .... to see if I vomit or die of a heart attack first.
Continue to keep eye on watch waiting for it to be over.

C • next event? 2

Really felt the lunge track today for some reason.
Managed to survive a bit better with my pre-Tasmania holiday weights.

Slept in until 6 am and then was dark by the time I got home.