Training Log Archive: brycec

https://reps.io/wgTS

Geez felt too heavy throughout but struggled through it - glad next week is a down week - might change the program too if I find time too.

Will yanked the bad ankle today its been a bit sore since - hopefully back on track tomorrow.

The weight loss has hit a speed bump but will resume Wednesday next week - I doubt I will drop over the next 3 days being, easter then Maddy's birthday & out with parents for dinner then out for anniversary dinner.

Already done more training this year than the whole of last year - goes to show how poor last year was!

Really good solid ride - I felt like I was going faster than I was though apparently. HR was reasonably high for the bike and certainly felt a few of the muscles pulling and straining a few times!

Anyway tried to avoid headwind so did bridges loop causeway first then over to the train line. Lots of rollerbladers in south Perth also looked like there was a cyclist meet up near the narrows for a night ride or something?!

A few drunks to dodge in subi but generally clean ride...

Oh but for the FUCKWIT P plater at the start of my ride running a red light as I started to cross on the ped crossing signal!... closest call I've had for a while there.
To report or not...: http://www.importanttimes.com/video/redlight.mp4

SUB 5 MIN / KM WOOHOO! KICKED THAT DOOR DOWN HARD.

So I thought I would go out easy to test the ankle and if it felt good to step it up - I went out (what felt like) a lot easier than the night I did the ankle. It was uncomfortable but manageable and hoped it would improve as it warmed - it didn't but thankfully it didn't get worse.

The first km was 4:34 - WTF (PR on Garmin) and I did feel like I wasn't going as fast as last time, also I felt fatigue slipping in whereas last time I was still very fresh... damn shame really. Had almost identical scenario happen to me this run as last time same corner multiple cars 1 turning into me. I stayed on road and made him slow right down.

My form was bad - could feel I was protecting left leg, my stride felt wrong and power balance was wrong - was also really putting a lot of focus on my footing and not just focusing on run/flow. So some work to get over the mental barrier now clearly!

At 7:35 I had an HR jump from 153-168 and it stayed high until the end, really not sure what drove that, happened as I turned JTC Ave. will look for that next time.

Anyway 2nd km 4:43, 3rd km (slight uphill and into the wind) 5:09 4th km: 4:43.

So this is the fastest on this course ever (Jan 2014). I am reasonably confident I haven't to my memory run a sub 5min/km since late 2009 as did my ACL early 2010. and almost sure I haven't run one since then. I know I ran 5km in the 4:50's prior to that but not sure on 4:40's and never did a 4km.... so possibly the fastest I've ever gone but hey let's make the PR goal 4:30's just for shits and giggles and make sure of it. either way, I am going faster than I have for a long time and happy.

Extra kicker did that at the end of this training cycle on a not fully healed ankle so next time I take it on I am going to hopefully smash some more barriers.

Did some icing of the ankle after running just in case, also really noticing the leg imbalance on the left side with the ankle and ACL on that side so probably need to move to single leg stuff int he gym to help balance that out.

Anyway pumped and glad ankle held up - finger crossed it doesn't blow up overnight haha.

C • Congrats 8

https://reps.io/wgTn

later than normal tot he gym - distracted by tv.

good session solid - I am lifting too heavy though - form improved but it was rushed and still not as clean as it could/should be. Low week next week then maybe a change anyway.

I went for 50m jog/run up and down the laneway ankle felt stable however foot feels like it has some bruising still - I think it will be uncomfortable to run on but not impossible... mmm debating tomorrow we will see.

A very slow uninspired ride - wanted to go do one this morning but the body really fought me so was going to take it easy then do a few hard laps in the park then home, but on the easy part just went bugger this I will just cruise around and do 20km and thats exactly what I did.

got drizzled on - was pleasant - to be fair this speed was more of a casual ride/recovery ride than anything else - more a get out and move type activity!

Ankle felt ok not 100% see how it goes with legs in gym tonight... could be interesting!

It may be that I haven't trained legs in weeks or that I had a huge dinner but tonight's session felt easy / great

Ankle held up perfectly under load (as far as I can tell atm) so now its a stability issue only.

Gym session: https://reps.io/wgTi

I was going to go for a very light jog 1-2km (probably not the smartest idea) to test my ankle out to see how it is - however now that it's been drizzling and everything is wet and slippery it would take a special brand of Bryce stupidity to go out for a test - I think I'll just wait longer. stoopid ankle. I want to run.

https://reps.io/wgS8

Went hard tonight and went up on pretty much everything - suffered for it was hitting failure often.

again switched up the core work to avoid the swiss ball and potentially making the ankle worse considering I have to be careful taking shoes on and off and its still sore in a lot of places the recovery is taking a lot longer than I hoped typically I roll my ankle and keep running or its fine next day - a week later :(... don't know if I will even attempt the jog I was going to test it with tomorrow now.

Anyway gym session was good - haven't worked that hard in the gym in a long time.

not surprising but the ankle is tender - not sure it will be ready for a run by Sunday.

Weighing in under lowest ive been since I started regularly recording years ago. 8.6kg down in 8 weeks roughly.

Thursdays a long day with both kids but was determined to get out for a ride tonight.

Was pretty spent when I started so set myself a 1 hour cruise and just plodded along and assessed how I was really feeling. Legs felt heavy and without energy, the ankle is tender (but wasn't an issue on the ride), my toe was throbbing at the end but manageable... all in all just feel tight and tired - need to get back into the regular swing again.

Was an enjoyable little jaunt thought Dalkeith, mounts bay then train line home.

Scrapping tonight too - that 6 out of 7 cardio sessions scrapped in under 2 weeks sigh. Consistency is king... sigh

Rolled over in bed and had the ankle click and pop in the motion however that brought near instant relief. Range of motion has almost if not fully returned and would say its tender rather than sore now. Swelling practically gone. Woohoo

I’ll take it easy again today then if I think it’s good for it I’ll go out on it tomorrow - huzzarr something going my way!

https://reps.io/wgSb

So after 6500 steps today (still not back to the current average (~9k) ) my ankle is definitely still swollen and tender but its definitely on the improve. Unless its rock solid tomorrow running will be delayed until Sunday (most likely).

In my frustration tonight went up on pretty much all weights also didn't do fitball mountain climbers to protect the ankle and rather did more crunches and some leg lifts.

Felt like a really solid session even though I think all the increases may have cost some form - will work on that next time.

Rough sleep with my foot/ankle. Pretty sore this morning going to have to ditch ride and leg session today. Sigh loosing too many sessions in last week.

Up down movement seems to be ok only a little restrictive- left right though is really bad almost feels locked up. Pain is below the ankle mainly on the outside of the foot but certainly also present to a lesser extent through arch and inner side.

Might have to seek some help in this one see if it improves during the day.

FUCK FUCK FUCK

went on my 4km TT loop course.

went out hard because was feeling really good. at 800m in I was coming up to a junction which I cross and had to weave between a few cars prior to the junction - did so safely but when I got onto the other side of the road (before the junction) a car did a quick right onto the road I was about to get too and then indicated left which would have put his car straight into me so I needed to get off the road quickly - so I went onto the curb but i must have hit a pot hole or something because i rolled my left ankle worse than I have every rolled either of my ankle previously. brought me to an instant stop and I sat(leaned over/fell) down in serious pain. it must have looked very bad (it felt horrendous) as a driver either double back or had seen me go down and pulled up and asked if I was ok and if I needed a lift home.

I was busy composing myself and said thanks I just rolled my ankle very badly and would be ok - they asked if I had far to go and I said no just around the corner. They offered a lift again but I said I would be ok - they waited though to see me get up and hobble off slowly and sorely. Very kind of them.

Thing was when I first went down I was thinking shit I dont know if I can get home such was the instant pain. on the walk home I was so pissed wanted to restart the run but after a second at jog pace I knew that was a beyond stupid idea and maybe the lift would have been sensible.

Icing for last 20 minutes and whole foot/ankle is letting me know I did some damage.

Super annoyed as I was well under the 5 min km mark as even after stopping dead and getting myself sorted then stopping my watch I was still under that pace! That record will have to wait for another day.

Really hope I am right to train tomorrow.

GOD I AM ANNOYED AND SORE

Edit - hrm foot swelling and sore maybe did more than the ankle sigh. Will do everything right tonight and see what’s the go in the morning. Suspect it’s going to be sore :(

C • Bugger Bugger Bugger 8

Felt really good - I can't believe my average HR?! I feel like the watch is telling fibs - mind you the watch did manage to record a HR for the rogaine when I wasn't wearing it so maybe it is.

Definitely could have gone up on the weights tonight but didn't.

https://reps.io/wgRS

Was not about to give another cardio session the flick - couldn't go out this morning (and doubt I will be able to on Thursday morning for a while). So pushed the legs gym session probably to tomorrows rest day and flick the rest day and did my ride tonight.

Felt really good on the bike first real cardio since rest week last week (except for the rogaine). Foot/toe wasn't a problem until the 1hr mark at which stage I sucked up the numbness and light pain for 15 minutes.

Felt fast even though it wasn't, the wind wasn't too bad. I was really surprised at how many females were out by themselves walking/jogging/riding at 8pm was like 80% females I passed. Just seemed strange.

Really nice evening for exercise.

So went to GP today to get some holes put in toenail to get rid of the throbbing pain that's slowly building... His first comment was oh it happened Saturday - discarding the information that its been getting progressively worse over the last few days, well the blood has dried nothing I can do.

To which I responded its getting worse so obviously its still releasing blood or something. well, the thing is he responded if I did do it there is a high chance of hitting the nail bed which would be much more painful.

To which I said well im hurting at the moment so I don't mind if it hurts then releases the fluid.

Oh well, I have to say I think the risk outways the reward plus we would need to talk about infection, a foot is a very dirty thing and once you get a hole there your just asking for an infection in your toe... Mmm yes I take your point that's why I will keep it clean and infection didn't happen last time.

I haven't done the procedure before and would be uncomfortable doing it I don't think it is necessary... (I thought ah now this is the real reason). Right well if you haven't done it and aren't going to do it what do you suggest I do because I am in pain and want it released. Wait for Dr next door... wait for 2 minutes same Dr calls me back - I have spoken to the nurse and she says he hasn't performed that procedure either and won't. #mindblown.

Ok can you just give me a sterile swipe and an 18 gauge and I will do it myself? No sorry, that's against protocol. #fuckinghell.

====

Sucked it up - today is a running day so thought I will just do my short 4km course and see how it goes. Made it 20m tops with agonising shooting pains up my big toe - not interested in that, stopped. THIS FUCKING SUCKS. pissed off now because I want to run and I cant and incompetent ancient gp cant tells me it's worth enduring this pain rather than do 2 minutes of drilling with a needle - going to have to figure out a different way to get at it!

C • Holes in nails 7

https://reps.io/wgRi

Felt like I got through this session very fast.

My left big toe is killing me from the weekend and nail slowly turning blue... think I might need to have some holes put in it.

Dropped this morning ride to help out around the house and give more leg recovery time before legs in the gym tonight

Went up of a few areas - feeling surprisingly good given the rogaine on the weekend. https://reps.io/wgQM

Results (tldr): https://wa.rogaine.asn.au/index.php/results/607-ca...
Edit: Map with comments: http://importanttimes.com/squares/public.php?I=585
Final Edit:
http://importanttimes.com/img/6hr2018.jpg - low res (1.5mb)
http://importanttimes.com/img/6hr2018.png - higher res (13mb)

Pre-amble
So I had two traces for this the new watch and the old watch. the new watch clocked in at 33.79 km but had a number of satellite de-syncs shown by the perfectly straight lines but it also had a lot of extra points and wiggles where I knew there wasn't. So I have ditched that trace and relied on this trace from the old wathc.... however it feels short (considering a number of teams did a lot more kms on there traces on strava I feel like we were closer to 30 but have no way to validate really.

Race Report
Feeling good coming in - down 7kgs in 6 weeks and feeling fitter and strong than in a long time. Definitely not near my peak but on the improve massively. Dave had told me he wasn't going competitive so I thought I was in for a chance to get the top spot even though there were 5 or 6 other reasonable teams that could take it.

I was, however, taking a complete novice who bought his first compass and a lot of the kit he used the day of the race. He was keen to go hard but knew he would just be sitting behind me hanging on - which really put the pressure on me to make good calls and clean nav.

We set a course which was way too long at 31km straight line I wanted more like 25-27 but we just kept getting 31 so we wrote that down meanwhile knowing unless we blitz the course it was getting cut hard. Gave him a crash course on his compass (didn't have much fo a base plate so was going to be hard for him).

HH-55: Control was overlapping HH triangle - within 200m... managed to miss the control to our right by maybe 10m and proceed to storm off until I realised there should be a hoard of people and we've gone too far... great bloody start! Was worrying as we needed to push it and I had to carry and clearly stuffed it. Anyway back to control and punched in with the masses then charged off at a pace to get back out in front.Really thinking the year+ off proper bush nav was going to bite me in the butt!

55-94: Clean up the hill ended up being about the 5th team here as we overtook heaps on the uphill.

94-84: Cleared out the 3 teams in front of us and felt like I had found my nav again. Luke had to stop to take rock/something out his shoe and applied body glide to his foot quickly whilst there. Was concerned it might be a long day if every few controls this was the case but it was thankfully the only one and he was a hard nutter all day from here.

84-85: Down to the patrol road and ran the road, in from the junction and onto 85.

85-41: Was a water drop we wouldn't need as it was early, went straight at it an gave a minor drift tot he right - pretty much hit it dead on.

41-51: Ran this leg, at least until we almost hit the control. Was 6minutes behind our time budget to complete the 31km straight line... including an 8minute stuff up at the start... was pumped still in touch.

51-70: Jogging and walking track again clean on to the point.

70-52: Fast walk and then run feature was a bit tricky and we lost a few minutes in the circle on the new bridge, not the old bridge... eventually found the control tucked in at the old bridge.

52-62: Ran a good section of this leg with the patrol car sitting behind us for a good few minutes until I called for walking and he came up alongside and said nice work holding 10-12km/hr! 62 was a water drop but wanted to be in and out quick and boy tbh it's probably the fastest waterdrop I have done in a rogaine Luke was all for minimising downtime.

62-102: Nav was really good and was all on the contours. Which was great as I had a few harder nav legs coming. We were right on or holding time still despite the running.

102-92: The start of the bush stuff and the more challenging nav I wanted to be at 92 by 2:10 I think it was 2:16 we got there with the 2hr mark on that leg we either held or had slipped a few minutes and I knew we would get punished ahead on time now. Also, this leg was really nice nav lots of following contours and the feel - felt really clean, had a chat with Dave and Grant near 92 before rolling down onto the point.

92-43: Straight down the spur onto the track slight left and there - was a slow downhill but still on pace.

43-100: The start of the end! this was always going to be a brutal climb and I knew the veg was going to be crap on canning river and it was. was a fight to get into it and then the climb was tough (not brutal) but pushing the pace was a challenge and I feel like we dropped 10 mins for the distance. Got the control really cleanly though.

100-80: Had passed 3 teams which said good luck and the setter had pre-warned us its ugly. It was. it cost us another 8-10 mins or a 6-8 minute leg... but to our credit, we got through the worst part quickly found a clearer part and moved quickly through the dense bush and made the right call on a direction to search. Picked up a few cuts on this leg and something in my eye but knew this was the worst of it. We were now down through a water stop, and a control and given the distance was probably 30-45 down. So the 10 we had from the first two hours plus the 2x 10 on the prior two legs had hurt us.

80-W-40: Water drop before control ran on the track and the water stop was very efficient again particularly for grabbing food and panadol and extra bits and bobs. however, 40 wasn't our cleanest grab probably lost a few mins here.

40-82: A bit of jogging on the bib track some hesitation on 1 creek crossing but pushed on correctly grabbing the point. This was roughly the 3 hour mark or shortly after this and punched at 3:41. It was starting to get dark I knew we had 1 more control in us before lights would be needed and I knew we would slow again then.

82-90: back to track jogged sections of this and came in off the bend clean onto control.

90-71: Back to track and night kit on, wasn't a particularly speedy change but wasn't slow either. 71 was just on a junction a few hesitations and a bit of a slow search but got it. wasn't really a nav one and probably cost us a minute or two again. we had hit 4hrs 6 mins here and where well down on that point so started thinking of cuts.

71-104: Our first real night nav leg and our last super hard control and last difficult climb. I was doing my best to focus on nav but had to plan a cut, our course was 104-50-31-73-72-(4hr mark leg)-74-81 I knew we were over 4 hours on the start of this climb but didn't want to drop 104 so thought 104-81 would save us about 3.5km and get us much closer. if we were clean and fast. Looking at it now I think the leg of 50-31-74 whilst further would have been a better choice but I was trying to bank time. Anyway executed my nav perfectly on 104 until 20-50m from control (yes well inside the circle) then had a complete nav meltdown and nothing made sense. panic set in and Luke who had just been following me reassured me of the fact he had no fucking idea where we were lol. Really stressed on what was my first-night nav in a very long time. another team was looking and I told them my thoughts and they said they had just come from there, which confused me more, my compass wasn't making sense, neither was the map, it had only been a few minutes but I was already considering a safety bearing because I was rapidly feeling out of time and out of comfort. decided to try a few things before that and as I started my first of 3 different attacks the other team said hey over here about 20m from where we were and on my 2nd angle I was going to try. This however really shook my confidence, spirits and cost us precious time.

104-81: fast down to the track and along to Randall. Wanted confidence back so went back to 1st principles with specific bearing onto trees and pace counting. hit the control reasonably flush but my pace count was slightly short so had some hesitation which didn't help but wasn't horrid.

81-91: To the track then wanted to grab the junction, seems I found a track and took a bearing off that not sure still if that was the junction I wanted even looking at quickroute but bearing was right - this is I hit the track I thought I took bearing off after 50m and that 'wasn't supposed to be there' and the contours where all wrong. discarded the bearing and said Luke the control is in there somewhere and pointed into the vague gully. then spotted about 50-10m away from the smallest white/orange and said, in fact, I think that's it. Luke looked directly at it and said nope its not it. I said we ware going for a look and I am glad we did because it was! This was now at 5hrs so we had lost more time on last 2 legs - I always knew we would likely cut our 5-6hr loop around the hash and I knew we had enough time to get in within 45 from here doing that so I was comfortable but I felt the cut we had done already took us out of contention for the win.

91-53: Popped a caffeinated gel in just to boost the concentration and energy because well caffeine is my friend at this point! then went hard up the trail (once confirmed was on the right one - was still geographically challenged and not confident). Was a nice easy leg and expected it would be.

53-95: Wanted to be clean as we started to talk about grabbing 54 as a last ditch on way in but had to be clean and fast to do so. should've been an easy leg but I decide dot search the watercourse the wrong way - somehow doubling back on where we came - realised pretty quickly and told Luke I was wrong and its further on, found it pretty quick after that. This didn't shake me, in fact, I was reasonably focussed now.

95-34: Down to Randall road and ass soon as we hit it it was proper running to 34 with only minor hesitation on the point. Speed graph shows 6 mins km for the running.

34-33: This is where I said if we have 20 mins we can do 54 if we are 15 or under we are going home in-between well discuss. We ran this leg hard. top speed 4:47/km we had 16 mins post punching and said if we run hard to the watercourse maybe we can do it.

33-54: hard to the watercourse. top speed I could see was 4:29/km! Passed a few teams who thought we where just legging it in and showing off but no we were on a missing - dived into bush knew it was about 400m up - I decided rather than bearing and pace count I would just follow the river bed fast - it went FOREVER - Luke was calling times but we where committed... we got to get out we ain't going to find it.... turns out that was 75m too short! SIGH making matters worse we only had 4-5 mins to get back now which was pretty much impossible... I ten lost the river and went parallel to the road and away from hash! what a cock up at least 150 in the wrong direction before correcting and getting onto the road, so added and extra 300 to our leg home. We went hard as we could back I had to call stop once because the pace was too high and felt sick but 10s of air back into the run again. ended up 4:20 late. and losing 50 without getting the 50... should've just come home.

I felt like if we had any chance of doing well the call for the last 50 just burnt it and I was really kicking myself as I knew better and its the first time I've ever been late back! #nothappyjan

Turns out though we had done enough and then some #winnersaregrinners! seriously impressed with Luke he reckons he had another 1km/hr in his and was keen for the 12 already. Also held up really well and won in his first event never having used a compass or a lot of his kit before race day! lol. unheard of! If he gets his nav on and enjoys the sport he could become a real serious competitor.

Post--
Appart from a few nasty scratches and a sore big toe feeling really good, stretched the legs on Sunday with a 1 hr pram walk which felt comfortable which was good.

C • tldr 2

https://reps.io/wgP5

Didnt squeeze a ride into yesterday so this may be the only session this week as I do full rest before rogaine in the hope I can get rid of soreness fully.

legs feeling tired after 5 hard weeks and I have pain mid back... not sure what that is... maybe Will jumping on me before I started all this training?! who knows - will have to monitor to make sure it doesn't get worst - its been there for a while now but not bad.

Was going to ditch this run but Wil called so I opted for a jog - kept the pace light around 6:30 just wanted to cruise - was really easy pace problem is I tuned out and rolled both ankles... damn it! I think theyll be ok tomorrow.

shins a bit sore but hopefully stretching and rest time should do them some good now.

Enjoyed the Samson course - area felt super familiar after Rickys score event! some controls in the same spots even.

https://reps.io/wgPl

Didnt completely destroys me for a change - still hard though - to start rest week tomorrow or do one short hard run... hrm.

Legs felt trashy this morning after last night so just wanted to roll them over on the flat and not go overly hard.

Then went into Karakatta and thought I want this KOM messed up one corner really badly but pushed hard and got it by 1s... still think there is a fair bit I can carve off that time.

From there pretty casual jaunt to mt henry then a few slightly harder efforts on way back to narrows to keep myself honest but mainly was rolling legs over at a pretty cruisey pace.

Felt good at the end which was a nice change.

https://reps.io/wgPp

Wasnt massively motivated for this one - did it all the same and was an ok session. Took it slow and didnt put more on anything though.