Training Log Archive: shanel

Finally got some jobs done, pruning shrubs and mulching them and got the lawns mown. Still need to spray the weeds ASAP.

Matilda Bay - Kings Park

Short light run to test out how sore the scabby ankle would be ... pretty sore and calf a bit tight as well.

Log now up to date again.

Working Wed instead of Tues this week, so will hopefully make it to the Fri Tooms session.

Planned to get some work done at home after watching the kids for the morning, but decided to try putting some cream on my ankle and by the time Belinda got home my ankle was weepy and skanky so didn't get anything done.

Back at work today, ankle still sore so no training in the morning, and still carrying some NZ time so got to work by 6:30.

Travel day, early start to drive from Hamner back to Christchurch and drop off the van and leave Ann, Wil and Andre to their own devices. Then fly home, good view of Hamner Springs and Mt Isobel from the plane, pity I couldn't get a photo.

Finally made it to a hot spring starting with a natural one next to the river. Got completely mauled by sand flies and all of a sudden a week later my back is covered with bites. Swollen/massacred ankle couldn't stand the hot water so was stuck out in the air.

Back to Hamner for the WARA NZ mini golf challenge, went down to tRicky the former golf fanatic by one shot.

Made it to the commercial hot springs after dinner for a quick dip before closing time.

Got to Hamner Springs and at the slightest suggestion from Fully Sikma everyone said "yeah lets go climb a mountain" so we headed up Mt Isobel rather than relaxing in a hot spring.

Event: World Rogaine Championships
 

Hills, mist, fog, rain, mud, wind, cold.

... to elaborate ...

Bit of very light rain before the start to wet things up a bit.

Looked like everyone decided to head east at the start, with a big crowd to wait to punch at the first control. First few controls were pretty straight forward. Although when we got to 75 it did start to seem that some controls would be somewhat bingo like. Then we had a bit of an issue on the way down to shag rock for 105.

Took the wrong spur/fenceline upto 83 and wasted over an hour, before spotting the radio antennae the second time up past where we thought the control was (it hadn't been visible the first time we went up due to the fog rolling in over the hill top). Then had to cross a very steep scree gully/watercourse to get over to the right spur.

Then a very steep decent down a slope over a watercourse and up a track towards 102.

Bit of fun canyoning down to 70. Missed 23 on the first pass so got the water drop before going back for it and eventually found "A disused building" which I thought would of been better described as "An old dunny pushed down the side of the hill into the bushes".

Got 85 then dropped 44 and 89 because we thought it was time to leave the hilly NE section and get into the flatter NW area of the map.

Eventually got dark, rain set in heavier, had to break out my unused Gortex jacket, couldn't find the railway crossing between 68 and 91 so continued upto the road crossing.

Missed 26 "25m W of the watercourse bend", then had a step slippery slope down to the road to relocate.

Then had a few controls following along just below a ridge line, should of got on the ridge to make better speed, but it was more out of the freezing wind down to the side, and we thought we'd be able to keep better track of where we were.

Came across tRicky and Wil a bit after daylight, with Wil getting stuck in a fence for a while before eventually catching up, after getting 52 we turned for home, whilst tRicky and Wil doubled back to head for 72 and certain doom.

Good fun crossing deer fences to get into and out of 100.

Got to 87 with enough time to head in the longer way and pick up a couple more controls.

One last effort to climb up to 37, then a fast walk in along the road with a few minutes to spare

C • Very thorough description..... 2

Rest day before the Rogaine, headed into Cheviot for registration towards the end of the day.

After meeting up with Wil and Andre we headed out to the airport to meet Ann, then headed out towards the model course, stopping for supplies on the way only to find we'd already missed any opportunity to get Gatorade powder and contact.

Eventually got out to the model course and wandered around for a couple of hours. Great view over a carpet of clouds out over the coast, with a few mountains sticking out off on the horizon.

Then headed off to our base for the next few days.

Quick walk to look at Tasman glacier, came back past the supposedly blue but actually skanky green lakes.

Hike up to Hooker Lake for a good view of Mt Cook, went out at a pretty good pace and jogged most of the way back, with lots of tourists to pass. Very windy, just about being blown off, crossing a bridge across a gorge.

Got back to the van than had a 4.5 hour drive back to Christchurch to meet up with Andre and Wil. Only to find out the the backpackers they were staying at was full, so we had to find somewhere else (and Andre was off mountain biking with Fully). And then find somewhere to eat getting close to 9pm.

Borrowed some really crappy bikes from the rafting lodge and took a ride down towards the river before rafting time. Stopped just short of the riverdue to a closed gate, but ended up pretty close to the rafting get out point. tRicky's bike must have been heaps crapper than mine cause he couldn't keep up.

Rangitata Rafting - a couple of nice grade "5" rapids along the way, bit of swimming down some grade 1 ish stuff, jump off a 10m cliff (which a certain man of steel abstained from) and plenty of getting really wet up the front and nearly losing contact lenses. And a relaxing swim/drift down to the get out point.

After flying into Christchurch, meeting up with tRicky who had camped out at the airport most of the night, picking up a hire car and heading south straight out of town. We eventually tried to come up with a plan, so headed to Geraldine which was near the place we wanted to go rafting at. Eventually found the information place and they pointed us to the rafting company office which was right next door. Since we hadn't worked out where we were staying yet, the rafting folks said we could stay up at the rafting lodge for free and then we'd go rafting the next day.

So we bought some supplies before leaving town and headed to Little Mt Peel on the way to the rafting lodge.

Looking at the map at the start of the trail it looked like the loop would be 12-15km, and it was nearly 3pm already. So we had some sandwiches and headed off (since we didn't have any water in the van it didn't seem any point taking anything else either).

Nice waterfall, creek, native? forest and up onto a ridgeline. After an hour we were probably less than a quarter of the way round, and the top was clouded in, so we decided to be sensible and head back the way we came, after taking in the views from up on a knoll.

Short light run to test out sore calf ... still sore.

Matilda Bay - Kings Park

Planning a lightish run today, 2km in after a long gentle incline my left calf which cramped riding home yesterday decide to be unhappy, some walking followed and a slow easy jog back with no pushing on that calf.

But lots of cycling time trial people going past to amuse me with the funny sound of their wheels.

Darling Downs to Claremont.

Bit of tailwind to the freeway, headwind up the freeway, tailwind round to Claremont.

Got on a fast tow for a short while between Mt Henry and Canning Bridge but had dropped off before they turned off at Canning Hwy. Got on a more comfortable tow after Canning Bridge and cruised in behind him till I turned off after the narrows.

Claremont to Darling Downs

Moderate wind to ride into heading down the freeway, worked hard on the rises, had good speed from Armadale Rd most of the way to Russell Rd.
Left calf cramped slightly pushing off from the Rowley Rd traffic lights, just when I was passing in front of a big 4WD wanting to turn onto the freeway.

Under 1:40 each way, if I take moving time only took 1:35:47 to get home.

Matilda Bay - Kings Park.

Pretty much a full loop around the inside edge of Kings Park, ended up a bit short on dist. but had a great sprint finish.

Saw another poor abandoned paddle when I was starting, still there when I finished. Almost identical placement as the last one I found. Left it there this time and put a note on it that if the owner had left another one behind to give me a call. Couldn't see it as I drove past on the way home after work.

Hilly session with Ann.

Down Jacobs, up Kakoda, down jacobs, round and up Mount St, out and back on the Law walk.

500 hard / 250 hard x 3 with the break between 5 and 2fifty being 30, 60 and 90s and a 2min break between sets. Followed up afterwards with 3 x 250m flat out, first one into the wind, next two with it, full recovery.

no time / 65
2:26 / 66
2:31 / 58

60 / 56 / 54

Pretty tired before starting, but got through OK although dropping pace towards the end of each 250, even after drafting Tooms into the wind on one of them.

Rowley Rd - wind good
Freeway - wind bad
Mount bay Rd - wind good

Wind .. tried to get on a couple of tows, for little reward. Pushed hard on the uphills into the wind. Not much left in the tank along Rowley Rd