Plannin' and runnin'

Although the FEAT event is past there are still odds and ends to wrap up (video editing, media). Nonetheless the weight that I've had on my mind for the past three months has eased up so it gives me space to again focus on my school orienteering projects, clients and ideas for stuff.

I'm looking into the final Metrogaine for the year in late November - date and venue still to be decided - and I've got loads of ideas for FEAT that need to be set in progress now, for next year.

After returning from Ireland my running hasn't been in top form. First I was drained and tired when I got back from Ireland at the end of June. I took it easy and was feeling way better a few weeks later when I ran the Ngoje 45km trail run.

My running and sense of well being improved and then I was slammed by a very nasty cough and cold in early September, just as I had to jump into organising SA Orienteering Champs. I finally resorted to medical intervention with the three-day event looming. Being on the organising team I was needed out in the forests putting out controls and assisting with on-the-groun, active stuff. When the event came around I was doing much better with a dash of running here and there. The bonus of the weekend was that I did get to spend many, many hours on my feet over the three days.

It was another week before I could run without coughing afterwards. And by then we were already at this past week and FEAT - I only ran on Monday and Tuesday; Wednesday was considerably more pressured.

My legs have felt great on runs but I've taken it easy on my lungs, letting them recover from the illness. I haven't done much this weekend but this evening I went out for a fabulous run. Today was an absolute stinker* (hitting upwards of 34C!) so I waited until after sunset and came home in the dark. The temperature was perfect, legs felt strong and lungs stood up to the challenge.

* Those of you in colder places probably don't have this expression. A very hot day would be termed 'stinking hot' - probably in reference to sweat; and so the colloquialism is 'stinker' to describe how hot a day is.

I have been itching to run, run, run for weeks. Sure, I've been out for gentle jaunts and walks, but it isn't the same. I've been going to circus school for 2.5 months now and it is quite extraordinary how much stronger I am in arms and shoulders and lower abdominal strength - but it isn't the same as running, and feeling good while running, which I've sorely missed.

As a past winner, I've been invited to run the 4th edition of the Namib Desert Challenge at the end of March next year. I ran the inaugural edition in 2009 (that long ago already!) and thoroughly enjoyed the race, course, environment and friendliness of the organising team. So, preparation starts now! I'll use the next month as a foundation and to let my respiratory system get totally back on track; and then the hard work begins.

This next weekend I'm on a training course. We've got some accomplished trainers out from the British Orienteering Federation and they'll be taking us through their Level 2 Instructor's course. I think this is going to add substantially to the projects that I'm planning and designing for our school programmes. It will also be good to bounce my ideas off them as they really have been-there and done-that.

I've decided to stay on for the week after the course to play in the forests. There are three things (active things; fun-fun-fun) that I've had cooking in my mind for ages; the one is an idea I've been sitting on for eight years! I really need to get it out of my system and investigate whether it is feasible - or not. I'm really looking forward to having five days on my feet and bike to plan and play.

No dull moments around here!