Training Log Archive: theway

Three ascents of black mtn via different routes. Pleasant cool evening. Fun to run into a philosophers' convention led by Kirsty pat-dog-less. Passed them a couple of times. It was hard to do the 3rd rep but thought I should put in some decent 4 peaks hills training.

Saw a man at the top who told me "this is the actual top". He was standing on a metal thingy near finish of the run up. "But I'm higher" I replied. "yes but this is the actual trig point" says he.
It wasn't very impressive trig so I didn't say anything else. I'll continue to use my rock.

the downs.

Cycled to blackie with ryan. Easy walk to circum via SQ track. One run lap of circum doing some drills as well. So many purple orchids out. Ryan was sure that he has some in his own garden. I was sure that he didn't, so I made sure we had a close look and pointed out some identifying features. Always easier and more fun to have company and it kept me nice and slow while my calves continue to recover.

Laura's party. Laura is 26. Laura fiends are mostly 20something. Much energy expended, flexibility extended, lyrics comprehended. Surprisingly good for the achilles woot! Although I have a bit of a headache as I write this the next day.

Sore calf muscles! Must have done good yesterday. Walked down towards Sly Fox, broke into a gingerly run, stopped to order tea then ran a loop down to Turner and back with Paddy who most surprisingly abandoned his barista station and joined me. That was fun. Sat on a milk crate and drank my tea for just long enough to stiffen up then pootled home.

Met Flan at Red Hill for some last minute 4 Peaks training. I've never run here except for a few orienteering events years ago. Nice to be somewhere new - especially with such an excellent set of stairs. Did 3 reps with the first a slower warm up rep 6:05, 5:00 and 5:40. I think the numbers are meant to be more similar than that. I tired myself out; mission accomplished. Had to employ plenty of the hands on knees technique.

Stairs feel quite different to hills - it's the flat placement and the ease with which you can run down. Really fun doing it with Flan who has been training by her lonely self over the lake. The Quinn flew past around the bottom at least 4 times that we noticed. Achilles grumbled a bit during but I felt strong and alert afterwards - hills wake me up!

The run to and from stairs and the descents 4:00 3:34 and 3:24. Down is fun. Wore my pink road gloves for this, felt good.

to blackie and back

2 x blackie hills, jogging down in between. Was intending to do 3 but the sky got darker, windier, then started to spatter with rain. Got home just as a major storm hit with many trees down, Northbourne Ave blocked and power out in 3 neighbouring suburbs. No wonder I got cold up there. With 4 Peaks officially happening it's probably good to train in severe weather. Apparently the snow is over a metre deep atop the Vic alps.

Practised some hands on knees hiking. Felt pretty good in legs even on the jogs down in between, but a little tired.

The jogs down and other bits. Probably at least half was walking.

A surprise session with a 2 year old at her local play equipment in the park. We climb the giant stairs (or ladder or swirly poles) and slid down the slippery dip over and over and over while her parents watched. She never got sick of it. A pretty good workout really. Tried a few other options but I don't have the arm strength to do what I did when I was 8 years old.

Then she chased me home on her new balance bike, shouting "Run!" every time I walked. I ran in loops and circles, regularly crashing into bushes which she found hysterically funny.

Back at V's we booked a house for 4 Peaks WOOT that means it is ON!