Training Log Archive: brycec

First timer at light pole - arrived with seconds to spare and ended up delaying everyone a few mins while fletch gave me the 411 - sorry all.

Should have looked at the map really first because would have opted to go north first had I thought for a few second - oh well. collected 12 - jogged a fair bit but with intermittent walking. proving fitness is definitely not where it needs to be!

First time running since 12 hr and in the Salomons - found them amazing light and very comfortable - a tiny bit of pinching on my left big toe but im sure as the shoes break in a bit more that will go - either that or blister proofing there for 24 hr.

Anyhow progressed nicely through course and as I flipped the sheet to start the second side i thought I wonder what time I am at - 43 minutes -eek legged it home from there and came in at 4740 not too bad for first time.

Big toe reassured me that its still got issues later in the night toenail still intact though so maybe the run was enough to push it over the edge - guess time will tell.

Running in the jacket wasnt pleasant by the end and in fact was more of an annoyance and turned out quite cold at the end when having a chat to shane, ricky et al.

Hardly felt I earned all the shitty food I had today - also should really stretch been feeling tight and sore and my old mans knees are letting me know about it!

Looking forward to the weekend but I have heard that Tooms clown will be there so that will take the shine off it.

edit 1 - oh also I am starting to see the benefit of Garmin over iPhone - I deny ever making this statement.

C • Big shoes 10

C • Bite the bullet 20

Decided to go for a walk.

Started walking was enjoying so kept walking :P 3hrs later got home.

3rd day in a row doing leg work - legs are definitely feeling it a bit. particularly when this walk also included 1 km up the beach from south city beach to city beach.

Bold hill was nice too.

No new blisters so I think the shoe breaking in must be getting close to done. Am struggling a little with a good tightness for the lacing but ill get there... also need some thicker socks as feeling the impact factor on my feet a bit more today.

Ankles recovering nicely after the smashing they took on Sunday - its about the only thing I am unsure on with these shoes - they don't give enough support on the ankle I think anyway.

Mmm what to do tomorrow - walking is a tad long and boring and definitely need to rest legs until Thursday and try make lighto this week.

Event: OAWA Relay Championships
 

A bit of guessing going on here didn't take my iphone and pack with em for a change.

Flogged myself as hard as I could but wasn't fast! Nav was pretty good generally never felt lost and generally came out where I wanted to I was just slow.

Breaking in the new shoes still - went over on ankle awkwardly a few times need to lace them tighter - injinjis where nice thanks to whoever tipped those - will be getting some more!

Ian and I managed exactly the same time on one of the routes so pretty well paired. Only bad bit was I finished the second leg and was told mass starting all those that need to go still so I had to run up download and restart - was gutted because was looking forward to sit down!

Heart rate indicated a good hit out (guess the amount from memory as cant be assed getting watch atm)

Struggling now - headache kicking in as per the norm - feet are a bit sore - first run since the 12hr rogaine.

Incidentally (question to the floor) - blisters I got at the rogaine had completely disappeared resurfaced today (no fluid or pain - assuming just the loose skin) is it better at this point to remove this skin so blisters don't continue to reoccur of just let the loose skin heal back over time?! I know your not supposed to pop/remove them initially but its been quite some time now and I think the healing process must be done underneath?

Good chance will team with Ian for the 24hr too - so was a productive day.

C • Blisters 5

12 kms ish I would guess for the rogaine training in dryandra - picked up some handy hints was good fun.

Started to break in the new shoes too.

No HRM

Legs normally a favorite but just skimmed through today.

Toenail has gone weepy again today first time in a week and a bit - looking a fair bit better though.

No HRM

Upper body 1 exercise per group. - pretty average again but a bit better than last session.

TBH need to get in mindset - wanting to do cardio - should go flog myself with cardio for a few weeks then might actually want to train in gym properly again.

C • Dare I ask... 2

Been complaining about toe and no training - so went and did done upper body weights - was a pretty piss poor effort but better than nothing - did a bit on back/chest/bi/tris but lack luster.

No HRM

Looking forward to getting gym bug back but feels like its a bit off yet.

C • Luster? 13

Somewhere between really slack and my big toes still giving me alot fo grief - I think a cup of HTFU will be required in due course.

Nothing else noteable to report but for the itching need to exercise.

C • Itching, 22

Event: Foot-O Mt Observation
 

Lame, kinda wanted to be in form for O today - but late night picking up ppl from function last night - left toe still giving me grief even with a few holes in it.. oh and the two big blisters remain - not that i notice them at all really now...

Really just lame ass excuses but for told not to push it for a week on the toe...

BLAH I want to train.

Hoping to be 100% today - close but no.

Blisters - down to 2 1 on each heal - left should be gone today/tomorrow right might take a bit longer.

Flu - 95% just the niggles left meh.

Big Toe - has as of this morning a noticeable different color to the others - a light purple - still sore but not as bad as it was. Question is do I need to do anything about it...

On the plus side sleep like a champion again woohoo!!! and legs/knees took care of themselves.

Oh well nothing in the above really stops me from exercising just be a bit uncomfortable - still I think ill give it a few more days cause im feeling slack.

Felt like ticking all three - injured/ill/rest but let’s be honest it’s not a rest day - I’m just recovering from weekend. I’m not really that injured I am just sore and I’m not flu blown ill..

Anyhow status update:
Sleeping - Jetlag 90% gone - not sleeping through but on a pretty decent pattern.

Blisters - Managed to get shoes on fine today without having to drain so definitely on the mend and hopefully if this pace continues should be in good position by Thursday/Friday ?!

Flu - still being annoying - probably what’s messing the sleeping pattern atm but I think it’s on its way out - couple of cold and flu to knock it on the head today or tomorrow.

Legs - given I haven’t really stretched they are in very good shape - not sore and moving pretty much perfectly but for stairs which is more knee related. Had I been up for stretching on Sunday would have been 100% yesterday I think and pretty much there now.

Knees - Surgical side is better than good side!? WTF - leg tightness causing a bit of pain through right knee - stretching will sort that out!

Big Toe - this is my only real complaint still feels like a hammer has hit it even though it looks normal. Other big toe has some of the same pain but not on same scale... guess it’s only time for this.

this will be 3rd day off probably stay off until Thursday or Sunday - happy how I am though on 3rd day recovery had worse doing Jacobs when not sick and jetlagged... but want to get the recovery time down to a day - biggest complaints is blisters and big toe v hammer - but looks like I have plenty of tips for this for next time.

In short – happy with where I am at but itching to be back to 100% and getting into a routine. I am currently thinking worse case will be Sunday for Mt Observation (pending no mother’s day conflicts) hope my thinking is right.

Event: Foot-O Malmalling
 

Event: WARA 12hr Autumn Rogaine
 

Be pre warned there will be a lot of whinging here…

Pre-Gaining
So got back from UK on the Wednesday evening so was still completely Jet lagged – only managed about 3-4 hours sleep Friday night… AWESOME – and this was under a cocktail of cold&flu/vit C/garlic/neurofen … list goes on – pretty much anything that could make me feel better from the flu/cold I picked up on the flight back… so was clearly feeling in top form. Oh yeah and about 3-4kg heavier too – what can I say comfort eating in the UK.

Drive out to the rogaine was frustrating – forgot a doona so turned around which had me running late… then discovered the freeway north was about 50% road works at 60km/hr… somehow still made it with about 5 minutes to spare and all of about 30s before Paul rocked up.

Paul pulled out the corkboard/pins – a method I’ve never used and we got to planning – I must say – it’s a shit hot way of planning within about 1 hr we had plotted a few courses and came up with the best option. We opted to leave east and south until the later part of the course, as it gave many more bail out options.

I then whipped out my intention sheet and started scribbling away – I am sure much to the bemusement of Paul who probably at this point realised how much of a rookie he had on his hands at this point.

We debated a bit about the rain and I think we are both glad that we called the clouds bluff before we set off.

Pain-Gaining
0.05km – fence 1 of the next 10 billion fences to come…
0.5km – Already puffing and panting like a contestant on the biggest losers after their first training session – it was this fast start that made me realise – today is really going to hurt – but I had signed up to pain and told Paul he could push me until I collapsed and then a little further – he clearly intended on doing so.
1.0km – The larger contribution I wander to get rid of pre-rogaine decided to bother me – I ended up ignoring this until 23:35pm in the end – wasn’t a comfortable few kms after this until body settled with its first mind of matter defeat.

Jogging on the flat and walking the rest was setting a quick pace, Paul knew where he was going and I was in tow – 54-85 I was like… mmm pretty sure we are going the wrong direction until I realised he was trying to pick up the river and went along with that – probably the only nav that really confused me during the day. 44-104 saw a fox first time seen one of those in bush – of course saw roo’s a plenty during the entire morning.

I think it was on the next leg or two when I realised I have still got my original HH compass setting on and haven’t touched it since and my intention sheet was in my pocket… put my compass away feeling a bit sheepish about that. Moving pretty smoothly still and was happy enough but for the number of hills and fences. Paul had already identified how much I didn’t like climbs by the time we hit 72.

11.5km 62 – woohoo Cake at the water drop and was right on lunchtime so went down a treat with a sandi. Also a few minutes in front of schedule.

Decided on way to next point to drop 21 – all that climb for 20 points forget that – they just put that there to make Ricky and Will work harder.

15km The fun starts to really begin – left leg hamstring cramp whilst going through a fence… - by this point the pace had already taken its toll and I knew I was struggling a bit on fatigue and some soreness. Was starting to tell myself to HTFU.

17 km on way from 101-41 “Hey Paul – im thinking lets drop the top loop and go 80-70. Paul smiled and said – ive been trying to figure out a way to say that- haha. He could obviously see I was suffering and the pace had dropped off – no more running from here on out. Also not that I can remember doing it but I had rolled me left ankle previous to this point as it was hurting pretty bad, but on my concerns list at that time was pretty low down.

20km Hit the water point at 70. Still on good time but it was about now that I was ready to pack up camp and head home. Warren arrived at the point with cake as we got there *yay* but I was in worlds of pain – stretching wasn’t helping legs sore all over, feet hot, feeling drained/knackered and was || close to saying let’s use the road or the car to get home – stubbornness prevailed as I figured lets at least get some eastern points back to the HH even if its slow.

Moved off after about 5-10 mins, feeling a bit sick from the cake – pretty much the end of sugar tolerance for the race right then. Very slowly to 100 along the track when I told Paul really how much I was feeling it “let’s be honest Im not going to make 12 hours”. We discussed the options I had studied on route to 100 around how to get back to HH have a break for a few hours then maybe tackle the south after dark. However he managed to convince me shortly after 100 to have some neurofen… which hit in around point 71. Aaaaahh, my legs had gone numb pre the neurofen so wasn’t really for them, but my feet – neurofen = life saver. That said though, energy was down and sugar was off the menu and with speed dropping Paul pulled out a caffeinated carbo shot and handed it over. I had told Paul I don’t drink coffee so giving me caffeine is like giving me speed – I don’t think he quite believed me until he saw the pace pretty much resume back to what it was much earlier in the piece. This also put me completely mentally back in the game.

81-102 For some reason my left big toe had been feeling like an anvil had been dropped on it and like a compete retard I managed to get one of the dry shoots somehow caught between my big toe and the back of my right foot (still cringing at the thought of it now) – this was really really painful at the time and was so not needed!

We where now constantly reassessing the course from here but we pretty much stuck our original route for the whole eastern section.

73 just past the point and on the downhill, I realised that blisters where starting to take hold and the neurofen was losing the edge on that fight – out came the medical kit for a quick bit of strapping. With everything so sore at that time, stopping was nice even though starting again was going to be really tough – comical relief from the family crawling up the hill at a speed slower than the baby in the backpack probably would moved up it - this raised morale slightly.

73-105 Paul pulled out the big guns on the uphill and put his hand on my backpack. LUXURY – game on uphill now as we powered along – speed could definitely now be maintained if not moderated.

23-84 I pointed out how shitty Paul’s navigation was, as he hadn’t found enough gates as a ratio to the number of fences. He offered for me to take over – I shut up again :P

From here we moved alright with the original plan with me thinking well make main road just fine but not much more – the issue was drugs had started to wear off and the mind was starting to play games again. Paul needed to make a quick pit stop shortly after 45 – which enabled me to neurofen up and get night kit on – dry, drugged and maybe slightly overheated with the jacket on abit earlier than required – I was feeling mentally better even if physical spent. However Paul was now lighter and consequently a lot faster. I just powered on behind him – I think surprising him as I had only said about a minute earlier its time to slow down for abit but we made really good pace to 95.

Slow and steady along the road – chaffing now kicking in multiple areas, blisters in full force, back muscles sore from pack, ankle aching, big toe throbbing – and legs giving up I pressed on – the drugs slowly kicked in and was able to move okay but pace was definitely slipping- Caffeine injection number 2. This was also roughly where Ricky and Shane overtook us for about the 5th time (bastards)

~41km #66 The water drop - we had a bit of a stretch break. I was busy contemplating the fact I had only ever previously done 18.5km on a rogaine and maxed out about 22km in the city. So was quite happy even though extremely sore and questioning why I was doing this.

Being down south gave endless options to cut short and finish up – but it was all mind over matter now and as I said to Paul – we’ve got 12 hours lets use them even if its slow – I couldn’t really think of being in much more pain than I was in.

We trudged along picking up the south and at about point 86 – I realised to stay mentally in the game I was going to have to really focus on something because I was starting to fall off the wagon again. I opted to set full attention to the nav and where the hell we where as well as trying to figure out where the hell Ricky and Shane where going as they passed us in weird directions another time.

With the Juffmister pushing me along (physically) still and me mentally keeping on it with the nav we powered through the points (slowly) – I think I may have surprised Paul when I decided to add in 46 and 93 on the way to 55 for 106.

Right on 55. Blister on right foot big toe popped – This was pretty much GG right there – any mental game I had been playing went out the window and it was time to turn home – thankfully that was the plan anyway.

Made it home in 11:37 and settled straight into some grub after getting my boots off.

Post-Gaining
Sleeping in the car was made difficult given there wasn’t a position I could lie that didn’t hurt of press on a blister SIGH. The 2:30am toilet run was even more difficult – oh well. Up at 6 though for breaky and drive home - (think jetlag was fixed that night).

Still knackered at home spent most of the day horizontal and attending to the painful areas. Wasn’t until much later in the evening when I thought – damn… if only we did point 74 it would have been 1.2km’s extra and would have pushed us from 12th to 9th… next time. Haha – hindsight 2020. Would have been hard but I am sure Paul could have carried me haha.

All in all was a very good day though and many thanks to Paul for putting up with the whinging and providing assistance to me whilst I suffered, as well as navigating the entire way while I trailed behind him making smart ass remarks :)

Lessons Learnt:
Strap your feet
Have some vaso
Caffeine is king
Neurofen is good shit
Can certainly read a map a lot better
And Mind over Matter – got more than u think

So I need to get some fitness up before I go out for a serious crack again – some more socialgaining to be done for me I think – but Paul – your craziness did not scare me off and I will be back hopefully more able next time.

Side notes – cant believe we both forgot about the $35
Calories burnt 9250+ even though HRM had a max of 208 (doubtful) average of 148 seems realistic.

C • 54-85 33