The powertap is back in use..it was in need of a battery change. Apparently the model I have needs a change every 400-500 kms. This doesn't quite follow as this is only my 3rd lot of batteries and its done 6217 km. Maybe the original batteries are of a better quality...the type the the duracell bunny runs on?
This week I've been resting, shivering in the cold, doling out wise owl advice to my friend/occasional training partner (fixmawheel blog) and enjoying the final days in my elevated position as "Acting Manager" rather than my usual senior worker ant position.
Plans for the next week are threshold training, the women's racing forum and enjoying the result of Alex's birthday present...a barista course. I have TT races on 1/7, 8/7 and 21/7 and will be farewelling Alex as he flies out on 11/7 for the World MTB Orienteering Championships in the Czech Republic . As I write this he is grinding out mega efforts on the trainer to a VERY LOUD Rammstein song...is it any wonder our parquetry floor is beginning to show signs of separating.
Orienteering is a very difficult sport. Not only do you have to be very, very fit, you also have to be able to problem solve correctly while at near threshold pace. Your eyesight needs to be good as you have to read and accurately interpret a topographical map while either running or riding. You have to have good control of your focus too, changing from the narrow focus of map reading to the wider focus of checking out the terrain...all while under competitive and aerobic stress. On top of that you have to have confidence in your decisions and interpretation and not be distracted by others around you who you know are doing the same course as you, but are not going about it the way you are.
And the trick is to compete on the knife edge of your skills...balancing speed and navigational accuracy/perfect route choices.
While competing you are so "in the moment" that later on you are able to say exactly where you went, what your decisions were and why, who you saw etc etc. By later on I not only mean just after your race, I also mean years later. I can vividly remember details from many, many orienteering races from 1975 on, but can recall few details of last Saturday's road race.
Orienteering, whether on foot or MTB, is a beautiful, frustrating, complex sport that may not survive the increasing petrol prices here in Aus as the bush(forests) is (are) a long way from the population centres.
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