Northward Migration

I'm never the most up-to-date at the best of times, but it seems that my post-thesis writer's block hasn't broken yet, and I'm getting further behind on blog posts. A fair bit has gone on since my last blog post; a month back home in NZ, catching up with sleep, family, friends, mountains (a sub-class of friends really), and running NZ champs. But that's not what I'm going to write about right now*. Because:

Surprise! I've made it to the Northern Hemisphere!

To Canberra, with love

A friend once told me, on our parting, "this is not an end, just a new beginning". Which I thought was a pretty damn wise thing to say. And kind of wish it was me that thought to say it (Even if it's not exactly original).

Just over two three four weeks ago I finished dotting the final i's, crossing the final t's, and inserting the final commas into my PhD thesis. After an evening spent battling with the RSES printers, and the following morning spent alternating between wrestling with the binding machine and/or loudly singing and dancing to today's popular music*, I finally submitted. 2pm Friday 27th March 2015, almost exactly 4 years and one month after arriving at the ANU.

Novelty pen, the only way to sign off your Phd really.

Behind the times: Tassie World Cup

Yep, I've finally got around to a very belated report! Usually I'd be able to blame this on the slowness of the internet down here...but seen as everyone else has already posted their reports from Tassie, that excuse may not fly this time. So I'll have to take the flak on this one. Sorry. It's now been over a month since Tassie and the 1st round of the World Cup. And let's be honest, I've had time to write this post. But I haven't.

On arrival home from an amazing two weeks in Tassie, it was straight back into student mode: and as any grad student will attest - as submission gets closer and closer (or atleast, as you think/hope/pray that it may be getting closer), any time spent doing something that's not writing or working is accompanied with tremendous guilt. But on the flip side, anytime you succeed in remembering or doing any every day task you're incredibly impressed with yourself. You almost expect a huge fanfare and congratulations...Like last Sunday, when I managed to go to the super market, AND reply to an email. (sidenote: sorry anyone whose emails to me have got lost in a black hole of thesis)

The current string of PhD comics reflect my life scarily accurately.

Home ground World Cup 2.0

World Cup 2015 is almost here! In two days time I'll find myself lining up for the second time in two years in what I could consider a homeground world cup.

The preparation for the two has been pretty different however. Where as two years ago I headed home about a month before the races in order to best prepare, this time around it's fair to say my mind has been elsewhere - in fact, it was a pretty big shock when I realised last Friday that the races were a week away!

Where Are Ya?!

Yeah, it's been a while.

Where are ya? It seems like a simple question. Yet one which over much of the past 2 months I'm not sure I could really answer! Physical training wise, it's been a stop-start period, with sickness, injury and work all playing their parts. And mentally, by the time I've shut down the thesis file at the end of the day, there hasn't been much juice left in the brain! That said though, I've stubbornly refused to work weekends (much), and with the advent of summer, they've been well used as I try to cram in as much exploring as possible before I leave Aussie! So, really, where haven't I been?!

Adventures in the Wild West

Spring time is my favourite time of year in Australia; nice temperatures (but still cold enough at night to justify nestling up with a mug of hot chocolate), a bit of a Wellington like wind going on to make me feel at home, and plenty of opportunities to get out of town at weekends with state championship season in full swing.

After multiple trips to the likes of NSW, Victoria, Qld and Tassie over the last few years, it was finally time for me to taste the offerings of the West Coast, both orienteering and tourist wise, with the Australian Champs held just out (relatively) of Perth over the last 2 weekends.

Going Exclusive

Confession time:

Orienteering isn't my only sport.

Yeah sorry, hardly a secret, and not very juicy gossip. Apologies.

For the last almost 20 years, I've also played football. In fact, I once missed the NZ Sprint Champs to attend a football training camp. Crazy, I know.
Around 10 years ago, I made the decision that I wanted to make orienteering my primary sport, a decision I have absolutely no regrets about. (Let's be honest, I was never going too far in soccer anyway) But choosing orienteering hasn't meant leaving football behind. And over the last decade I've been incredibly lucky to take the field for two clubs, Miramar Rangers in NZ, and ANUWFC in Canberra, both of whom have been amazing in puttin up with my orienteering commitments and lengthy trips away midseason, and have allowed me to play top grade women's football.