During nearly twenty years of bush orienteering, my successes have been few, and those handful  that I prize have been largely due to factors beyond my control.  An early success was a second place at Victorian Championship, run on that section of Mt Tarrengower that has been described as “the single greatest threat to orienteering becoming a more popular sport.”   I had mis-entered and ran as a M45A. I was the only other competitor to finish the bloody course, nearly an hour behind the winner.  More recently was a second place at the ACT Long Distance Championships  in M55AS where the winner Robert Spry and myself both survived the course being of the “well nourished” school of athletes, whilst the other competitors simply froze to death in the wilds of the Mt Kosciusko National Park.  I even gladly claimed an overseas  podium finish in the NZ National Sprint Championship as I was required to run down the fast finishing Mike Hubbert  to take second place, leaving him to settle for third.

I had begun to believe that these glory days had passed me by. Chronic knee pain, chronic achilles tendonitis and chronic over eating seemed to have diminished my chances of ever tasting success again.

I was recently privileged to listen to Lanita Steer and our other JWOC representatives speak at the Orienteering Victoria AGM.  They spoke compellingly of “training cycles”, the importance of core strength, diet and a multitude of other disciplines that I had long ignored. These came to mind last weekend,  when together with Ilze, Debbie and Simon, I travelled to the Southern Highlands of NSW to compete in the Queen’s Birthday 3 Day.

Day 1 of QB3 was a campus sprint at Chevalier College in Bowral, a classic mix of complex buildings with some open grasslands and sporting ovals.  This was bread and butter stuff for a Melbourne Street O legend and, despite the long drive up and the sleepless night spent on an appalling bed, I managed to summon up enough speed to be in third place in M55AS going in to day 2.   Back at the accommodation I endeavoured to improve my core stability by dragging the offending mattress off the bed and spending the night on the firmer base.

Day 2 was classic NSW Long Distance.  A mixture of fast and open plantation forest and thick and impenetrable native bushland with large sandstone outcrops in the Belanglo Forest.  I  had a good time of it early and, despite another nearly sleepless night, began to think I might do OK.  I then hit the thick stuff and whilst looking for a “12 metre cliff” I made a poor route choice and was beaten to the control by a W70 on crutches.   I know that I am prone to exaggeration but believe me, this is true. I finished my course and discovered that I was not alone in the struggle.  My third placing was enough to improve my overall time and I had moved into second.

Returning to the accommodation via the Fitzroy Falls, off which I was prepared to throw myself rather than face another night on the bed from hell, I consoled myself with the thought that for dessert tonight we had Ilze’s famous Lemon Slice.  Deciding that if I was to have any chance on Day 3, a middle distance event in flatter terrain and bound to favour the ” outright speed merchants”, I would need an edge.  I prepared myself with a careful rehydration plan that involved sharing a bottle of Dan Murphy’s Sauvignon Blanc but keeping the half bottle of red to myself.  Now, as is usual on these weekends away, we share the cooking, and on the last night we use up a lot of the leftovers so we don’t have to cart them home. Simon opened the menu with a provincial Italian pasta involving a chorizo sausage and a wonderful salad with a goats cheese feta.  For dessert came the famous Lemon Slice, warmed in the microwave (overnight frost expected) and topped with custard. Debbie had noticed that we had eight Tim Tams left and she was saving her two for morning tea the next day. It was here that I made my brilliant and ultimately successful move. Dunking my two Tim Tams into the custard covered lemon slice, I deduced that a further 10 seconds in the microwave was all that would be needed.

In the start box next morning, I was beginning to have doubts.  Another sleepless night, 1 minute and 9 seconds to make up.  I was first runner away and I had to wake up the controls, precious seconds wasted. Route choice between controls 1 and 2, back through the assembly area to the startlement of the bemused later starters muttering, “he’s done a 180”.  Hang on to the red line Pete, straight at the controls, run you fat bugger, run.  Dare to dream, gasp wheeze and then it’s done. 30.06, would it be enough?  In the end it proved to be, not just a place but a second place, enough to be the overall winner of the NSW QB 3 Day.  No chance to stay and revel in the presentations because Ilze left straight away to drive back to Melbourne, it was Monday 37s and there was a Millennium point to be had.

Simon, who had not been pleased with his results in M21, also made the podium with his final run, being one of only 5 out of 20 to finish the three days, which only goes to prove what the girls have known for a long time, that M21As are a load of wooses.  Ilze was lying third in WOpenB after a good second place in the sprint due mainly to a determined start, and maintained her place to join us on the podium.  Debbie made a late charge in her hotly contested  field.  She was in fifth  place after the sprint but had been pushed well down after the day two horror.  A stronger run on the final day saw her finish 8th with margins of 2, 3 and 20 seconds over the middle group.

We made it to Mullauna by 7.03pm and enjoyed the privilege of arriving  with our luggage and gear still in the car.  Ilze even summoned enough energy to compete. I just went for a walk and enjoyed being at two orienteering events in two states on the one day.

Aus Champs coming up soon, is twice a week too often for Ilze’s lemon slice?  Perhaps I should taper.

ILZE’S LEMON SLICE

Base:  125 g unsalted butter; 75 g caster sugar; 155 g plain flour; icing sugar for dusting

Topping:  4 eggs, beaten; 250 g caster sugar; 60 ml lemon juice; 30 g plain flour; ½ tsp baking powder; lemon zest

Preheat oven to 180C.  Lightly grease baking tin and line with paper.  Cream butter and sugar and then fold in flour, press into tin and bake for 20min.  Beat eggs until light and fluffy, stir in remaining topping and whisk, pour onto the base and bake for further 25min.

Cool and slice. Serve cold or with custard or ice cream.  Tim Tams optional (but probably essential).  Steven Danks, eat your heart out.