Yesterday saw me doing my fitness evaluation for fire training. Fire season is nearly upon us and as a member of the Volunteer Wildfire Services*, I have to pass all my evaluations and do a required number of scenario training sessions. I've done all of them except for fitness and given that I smoke and haven't exercised since I did the half marathon (see previous post) I was understandably nervous. The evaluation involved walking 4.2km UP Table Mountain from Newlands Fire Base and down through Rhodes Memorial in the boots used for firefighting as well as carrying the full backpack you would use at a fire including the mandatory 4 litres of water we have to carry. And all this in 50 min carrying a handtool. A walk in the park right? Ha!
So at 5pm on Thursday evening we set out and I must say it's a lovely route although I was wheezing at this point so I wasn't really interested in the view. There was just so much UP! And it's rough track, with lots of rock steps - my pack started to feel really heavy at this point. I fell behind not too soon after the start and I knew I was in trouble but there wasn't much I could do because I couldn't go any faster. To injury to insult (and yes, that was deliberate, I didn't get it the wrong way round), those hideous fire boots of mine started to give me blisters on both feet - toes and heels and my backpack started to chafe. Bottom line, I made it in one piece - 1h and 1min - 11min over time and now I have to do the bloody thing again. FFS! I've been fighting fires for 4 years now and I've never had to go at that pace - and I drop my back pack somewhere safe while I'm putting out the flames anyway.
On getting back to base I was chagrined to find out that everyone except me had simply emptied out their backpacks for the evaluation and ONLY had the 4 litres of water. And I was the only sucker carrying 10kg or more. Plus I never carry 4l of water, I usually carry 2l and barely drink even half of that over 9 hours by which time we've been fed and watered by base. Plus the main pack arrived 3 minutes late so it's obviously no walk in the park. Undeniably I am unfit, but I really don't want to do that eval again - not like I have a choice. I'm just going to do the last one possible so maybe I have a chance to get my fat lazy ass off the couch and maybe get a bit fitter. Life is a bitch sometimes.
Onto a more cheerful topic, today was perfect weatherwise. No wind, and warm and sunny without a cloud in the sky. Which means only one thing. BEACH. But as usual there was admin to do - after dropping my tax return at my financial advisor (yes I know, mechanics cars never work and us finance types can't manage our own cash) I felt that I had done sufficiently enough admin to warrant a visit to Camps Bay. And it was perfect. It was warm without being hot (although I love hot), there was not a breath of wind, the beach wasn't too full, I found parking straight away and the sea was calm and flat. It was the kind of day where you look at the sea and all you can see is sparkle,sparkle and it looks like the water has diamonds on it. Just perfect. Life can be fabulous sometimes as well. And so I plonked my fat lazy ass there for the rest of a gorgeous, perfect afternoon. Not a lot more you can ask for!
We'd booked to see Inglourious Basterds (and yes my spelling is correct, take it up with Tarantino if you have issues) and all I can say is that after some very average movies, old Quentin has redeemed himself. Brad was great (although I have to say, the man has aged - must be all those kids) but the man who stole the show was Christoph Waltz who was beyond brilliant. He was just.... brilliant. The movie was funny, witty, highly entertaining and didn't have as much gore as usual. Not that I object to the gore. Just go watch it. So all in all, Friday was a great day. Roll on weekend!
Soundtrack for the Day: Lazy Summer Days - Elcho (Cafe del Mar Vol XXII) especially for the beach.
*For more detail on what I do for the VWS and what being on an actual fire is like, read this post.
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