Training Log Archive: blairtrewinIn the 31 days ending Aug 31, 2020:
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Monday Aug 31, 2020 #
Note
In significant news for any northern suburbs Melbourne orienteer, the Coburg level crossing on Bell Street is no more.
7 AM
Cycling 59:00 [3] 21.0 km (2:49 / km)
Monday morning ride. Started up the Heidelberg hill as usual (which felt a bit easier than usual, probably because there was a bit of a tail wind), but somewhat different thereafter, partly in the name of avoiding a couple of magpie trouble spots. A bit of rain in the middle part but otherwise decent riding, and felt OK.
Hamstring pulled up sore this morning but somewhat better by the afternoon. Will see what it's like tomorrow before making a decision on running.
One of the numerous bits of news of the day is that Jim's Mowing is apparently suing the Victorian government for lost earnings by its franchisees. Presumably any payout would be based on the declared taxable income of the claimants in the last full financial year, in which case the government probably isn't too worried - the most they're probably up for is around $2.50.
Hamstring pulled up sore this morning but somewhat better by the afternoon. Will see what it's like tomorrow before making a decision on running.
One of the numerous bits of news of the day is that Jim's Mowing is apparently suing the Victorian government for lost earnings by its franchisees. Presumably any payout would be based on the declared taxable income of the claimants in the last full financial year, in which case the government probably isn't too worried - the most they're probably up for is around $2.50.
Sunday Aug 30, 2020 #
11 AM
Run 59:20 [3] 10.1 km (5:52 / km)
With some level of uncertainty as to how my body would hold up, I decided not to go too far away from home and instead did some colouring-in for grown-ups. The run wasn't too bad in the end, although the hamstring did develop a bit of soreness in the last 10 minutes (not enough to stop me from using my full quota) and wasn't quite right afterwards, so will need to continue to watch this. Warmest run for a while, although not enough to be a problem.
As a result of my meanderings this morning I've now cleared the last remaining area south of the railway line and north of the river (apart from east of Darebin Creek), as well as everything east of Victoria Street and south of Separation. One of the dead-ends explored today was Bryan Street, named for the family of one of my uncles (the family dairy, which survived into the 1950s, was subdivided to create it). I suspect I'll get more opportunities yet to explore the neighbourhood because I'm not expecting any more than a cosmetic change to anything in two weeks' time.
As a result of my meanderings this morning I've now cleared the last remaining area south of the railway line and north of the river (apart from east of Darebin Creek), as well as everything east of Victoria Street and south of Separation. One of the dead-ends explored today was Bryan Street, named for the family of one of my uncles (the family dairy, which survived into the 1950s, was subdivided to create it). I suspect I'll get more opportunities yet to explore the neighbourhood because I'm not expecting any more than a cosmetic change to anything in two weeks' time.
Saturday Aug 29, 2020 #
11 AM
Run ((orienteering)) 46:20 [3] *** 5.8 km (7:59 / km) +70m 7:32 / km
spiked:22/24c
Out to Eaglemont Flats again, doing the course from back in June, although a couple of wider route choices were needed because some of the billabongs were still flooded from earlier in the week (with abundant mud to show for it). Felt like I was moving OK in the more open bits of forest and was a couple of minutes faster than in June, so that's progress of a sort. Hamstring was fine on the run, but felt a little sore in the afternoon - hopefully nothing too significant.
It was probably the nicest day of the late winter/early spring so far, and plenty of people were taking advantage of it, in a law-abiding way as far as I could tell.
The interruption to the usual Saturday routine this week was a morning interview with breakfast TV (which my equipment dealt with OK despite an early worry). Also noted from the shopping expedition that the shelves were cleared of bottled water despite the fact that our area is unaffected by the current issues.
It was probably the nicest day of the late winter/early spring so far, and plenty of people were taking advantage of it, in a law-abiding way as far as I could tell.
The interruption to the usual Saturday routine this week was a morning interview with breakfast TV (which my equipment dealt with OK despite an early worry). Also noted from the shopping expedition that the shelves were cleared of bottled water despite the fact that our area is unaffected by the current issues.
Friday Aug 28, 2020 #
Note
(injured) (rest day)
Decided after a few minutes that I still wasn't quite ready, although getting closer. A nicer morning for a walk than yesterday. Our neighbourhood seemed to get off more lightly than many from last night's squall line (although I'm still a bit surprised at the scale of the damage in other parts of town; the wind gusts were certainly significant, but nowhere did they even reach a 1-in-5-year level).
Thursday Aug 27, 2020 #
Note
(injured) (rest day)
Left hamstring still a bit tight this morning, and didn't warm up on a brief attempt to run (which turned into a longer walk; the river is still running very strongly). Improved somewhat in the afternoon so maybe it will be better tomorrow; not taking risks with it given the current lack of treatment options.
Wednesday Aug 26, 2020 #
8 AM
Cycling 58:00 [3] 20.0 km (2:54 / km)
Something a bit different today. It has been a long-standing thing that there was a bottle of wine on offer for the first person in the Bureau to publish a paper co-authored with our head of research (who's been here for three years or so). A claimant to the prize emerged last week, the next challenge was to get the bottle to them, by means of a 'relay' of sorts within everyone's 5km circle across Melbourne's eastern suburbs. The bottle landed on my doorstep on the weekend, and while Kevin lives just outside my 5km radius, we organised a rendezvous on the Yarra Flats at Heidelberg. This took me to what was once very familiar territory but much less so now, the path along the Yarra Flats (gravel but in very good condition), before heading off with load slightly lightened to climb through Heidelberg - taking the Col de Darebin rather than the Col de Burgundy option - and then onwards. Didn't feel as if I was going that fast on that climb, but settled into things after that.
A little bit of left hamstring tightness when I got up this morning: not an issue on the bike but will need to watch.
A little bit of left hamstring tightness when I got up this morning: not an issue on the bike but will need to watch.
Tuesday Aug 25, 2020 #
1 PM
Run intervals 12:00 [4] 2.0 km (6:00 / km)
Pretty marginal today after a morning sitting in meetings, but at least managed to do the intervals part of it more or less OK.
Run 17:00 [3] 3.0 km (5:40 / km)
Ended up bailing early on the warm-down - was starting to struggle and didn't see a lot of purpose in pressing on and making things worse. Calf was feeling a bit tight too, probably a product of a while without a proper massage (at least another three weeks to wait for that).
At least walking back down the street was an opportunity to talk with two different lots of neighbours who were out the front, which I think triples the number of in-person conversations I've had in the last month.
At least walking back down the street was an opportunity to talk with two different lots of neighbours who were out the front, which I think triples the number of in-person conversations I've had in the last month.
Monday Aug 24, 2020 #
8 AM
Cycling 59:50 [3] 21.0 km (2:51 / km)
What's becoming the reasonably regular Monday loop (although it might change soon because it's acquired a magpie, albeit not as aggressive a magpie as the Fulham Road one). Reasonably mundane but nothing went wrong, and got a good run with the lights. Put in a bit of an effort to get under the hour at the end. (On the one hand I suspect the authorities are tracking phones for some purposes, on the other hand I suspect that if anyone actually had been fined because their phone showed them to have been out for 62 minutes we'd have heard about it).
A bit of semi-random map trawling today led me to Melbourne's various Melbourne Cup-themed streets, which in turn led to the discovery that Rain Lover Drive is in a bad place for rain lovers - Melton is one of the driest parts of metropolitan Melbourne. Melton also plays host to the first bit of public infrastructure officially named after Jeff Kennett, although the Exhibition Centre has been known as Jeff's Shed since the day it was built. I wonder if it will be officially named after him after his death? (State governments generally don't name things after the living, although councils definitely do, one notable example being Kevin Bartlett Reserve in Richmond, where the plaque somewhat optimistically says that he has played in five Richmond premiership teams "to date").
A bit of semi-random map trawling today led me to Melbourne's various Melbourne Cup-themed streets, which in turn led to the discovery that Rain Lover Drive is in a bad place for rain lovers - Melton is one of the driest parts of metropolitan Melbourne. Melton also plays host to the first bit of public infrastructure officially named after Jeff Kennett, although the Exhibition Centre has been known as Jeff's Shed since the day it was built. I wonder if it will be officially named after him after his death? (State governments generally don't name things after the living, although councils definitely do, one notable example being Kevin Bartlett Reserve in Richmond, where the plaque somewhat optimistically says that he has played in five Richmond premiership teams "to date").
C • Rain 10
Sunday Aug 23, 2020 #
11 AM
Run 59:00 [3] 10.1 km (5:50 / km)
Headed down in the first half to check out the Yarra and Darebin Creek after heavy overnight rain; there's a minor flood warning for the former but it was still within its banks (though flowing very strongly) in this section, with plenty of puddles to dodge on the bike path (but not many bikes). By this stage it was clear that this was going better than the last few Sundays and, although the quads started to feel it a bit as it got hillier round the Ivanhoe side of Darebin Creek, the day's mission was accomplished.
Covering more streets within the radius wasn't the primary mission today - you don't get a lot of opportunities to see the river in flood - but I still picked off a few otherwise fiddly-to-get ones in Ivanhoe. I expect to have quite a few more opportunities to do this before it's over - I've almost convinced myself that there isn't going to be any significant relaxation until December (although if that actually does happen, Victoria will be going much further than any other democracy has attempted, and the politics of trying to maintain severe restrictions through weeks of a handful-but-not-yet-zero cases will be challenging at best).
Covering more streets within the radius wasn't the primary mission today - you don't get a lot of opportunities to see the river in flood - but I still picked off a few otherwise fiddly-to-get ones in Ivanhoe. I expect to have quite a few more opportunities to do this before it's over - I've almost convinced myself that there isn't going to be any significant relaxation until December (although if that actually does happen, Victoria will be going much further than any other democracy has attempted, and the politics of trying to maintain severe restrictions through weeks of a handful-but-not-yet-zero cases will be challenging at best).
Saturday Aug 22, 2020 #
9 AM
Run ((orienteering)) 55:00 [3] *** 7.0 km (7:51 / km)
spiked:22/24c
With licence now given to drive somewhere to do exercise (as long as it's within 5km), I decided that Eaglemont Flats was a worthwhile new option for a Saturday morning, doing a course left over from an event in, I think, 2017 or so. Struggled to get much fluency in the terrain on a day of sleety showers, though starting to improve in that respect later on, and probably should have brought my compass for a couple of legs across the flat bit in the southwest. Became quite enjoyable later on. Lots of mud, especially close to the river, which was quite high even before the rain in the afternoon (one control site was in the water).
It's striking how much the track network (mostly unofficial MTB tracks) has changed over time. Quite a few of the tracks on my map had disappeared, and there were quite a few new ones, but a comparison with the original map (2004) is even more striking; apart from the Main Yarra Trail and its offshoots, probably less than 50% of the tracks on the 2004 map are still there, and less than 50% of the tracks on the ground now were on the 2004 map.
And home printer ink doesn't cope with moisture too well (although #18 was the only circle that significantly degraded before I got to it).
It's striking how much the track network (mostly unofficial MTB tracks) has changed over time. Quite a few of the tracks on my map had disappeared, and there were quite a few new ones, but a comparison with the original map (2004) is even more striking; apart from the Main Yarra Trail and its offshoots, probably less than 50% of the tracks on the 2004 map are still there, and less than 50% of the tracks on the ground now were on the 2004 map.
And home printer ink doesn't cope with moisture too well (although #18 was the only circle that significantly degraded before I got to it).
Friday Aug 21, 2020 #
8 AM
Run 40:00 [3] 6.7 km (5:58 / km)
Didn't sleep well last night - I understand exponential decay functions too well. Run wasn't too bad, though, although pretty slow - it wasn't until the last 10 minutes that I started going under 6 min/km. Thinking that a high degree of difficulty probably wouldn't work this morning, so went for something flat and set about clearing as much as I could of the area south of the railway line (unintentionally creating some Strava art in the process, although the "art" was very much of the five-year-old's animal drawing level).
There's been some interesting things done of late with creating automated orienteering maps of very large areas, but such exercises are only as good as the input data, which is how Microsoft Flight Simulator came to have a 212-storey tower in Fawkner.
There's been some interesting things done of late with creating automated orienteering maps of very large areas, but such exercises are only as good as the input data, which is how Microsoft Flight Simulator came to have a 212-storey tower in Fawkner.
Thursday Aug 20, 2020 #
Note
(injured) (rest day)
First failed session in a couple of weeks - back a bit too tight to press on after the first few minutes. Felt like the sort of day that in other circumstances might have worked on a second attempt at lunchtime, but that's not currently a (legal) option. Instead turned it into a walk down to the river; it was at least a nice morning for that.
Wednesday Aug 19, 2020 #
8 AM
Cycling 59:00 [3] 21.0 km (2:49 / km)
Similar Eaglemont loop to last Wednesday. Got out reasonably early but body up for this a bit more than it sometimes has been early in recent times, and the climbing went more or less OK. Quite windy at times, and a few spots of rain (but not as much as there was in the middle of the day, which is why I went out early).
Princeland was my rabbit hole of the day.
Princeland was my rabbit hole of the day.
Tuesday Aug 18, 2020 #
1 PM
Run intervals 12:00 [4] 2.0 km (6:00 / km)
All Nations intervals. Was feeling pretty good through the first few and was looking to do something a bit longer, but tightened up on the 5th and 6th reps.
Unsettling thought of the run was wondering whether it's constitutionally possible (if the normal requirements for a constitutional amendment are met) for a state to be expelled from Australia against its will (I suspect not, but I'm not a constitutional lawyer). I know I shouldn't take comment threads as a representative sample, but it's hard not to get the sense that Victorians are so unloved in the rest of the country at the moment that such a referendum, if anyone put it up, would have a decent chance of getting the requisite majority in four of the other five states.
Unsettling thought of the run was wondering whether it's constitutionally possible (if the normal requirements for a constitutional amendment are met) for a state to be expelled from Australia against its will (I suspect not, but I'm not a constitutional lawyer). I know I shouldn't take comment threads as a representative sample, but it's hard not to get the sense that Victorians are so unloved in the rest of the country at the moment that such a referendum, if anyone put it up, would have a decent chance of getting the requisite majority in four of the other five states.
Run warm up/down 24:00 [3] 4.0 km (6:00 / km)
Warm-up and down. Thought the return trip might be a struggle but the back tightness disappeared as soon as it arrived. Also completed the last of the set of cross streets to go between parallel street A and parallel street B, which is another small step in clearing part of the 2km circle.
Northcote Plaza has an appreciation society on Facebook. Of course it does.
Northcote Plaza has an appreciation society on Facebook. Of course it does.
Monday Aug 17, 2020 #
8 AM
Cycling 1:00:00 [3] 21.0 km (2:51 / km)
I haven't slept well the last couple of nights; the prospect of continuing more or less in our current mode until December (not being publicly countenanced by anyone official, but probably what it would take for a realistic chance of getting down to zero) is unsettling. Weekends are probably worst for that sort of unsettlement; there's more time to think, and none of the (virtual) interaction that happens during a working week.
Given that, I didn't have high expectations for the ride, but it worked out reasonably well - taking the Ivanhoe option and then out west into the middle of Thornbury. Used all but 15 seconds of my allocation so judged that part of it pretty well.
Questionable real estate marketing claim of the day goes to the sign outside the tower at the top of Burgundy Street (which made some serious money for the person - a local doctor, I think - who spent something like $200,000 to buy an apparently useless block left orphaned by the diversion of Bell Street in the early 1990s), saying that if you wanted a similar apartment, there were some on offer in "leafy Alphington". There are certainly leafy parts of Alphington, but the part of it where the apartments in question are being built (the old paper mill site) is definitely not one of them.
Given that, I didn't have high expectations for the ride, but it worked out reasonably well - taking the Ivanhoe option and then out west into the middle of Thornbury. Used all but 15 seconds of my allocation so judged that part of it pretty well.
Questionable real estate marketing claim of the day goes to the sign outside the tower at the top of Burgundy Street (which made some serious money for the person - a local doctor, I think - who spent something like $200,000 to buy an apparently useless block left orphaned by the diversion of Bell Street in the early 1990s), saying that if you wanted a similar apartment, there were some on offer in "leafy Alphington". There are certainly leafy parts of Alphington, but the part of it where the apartments in question are being built (the old paper mill site) is definitely not one of them.
Sunday Aug 16, 2020 #
11 AM
Run 54:00 [3] 9.2 km (5:52 / km)
Notwithstanding the lack of new experiences at the moment, I did get into a new area today, in the name of clearing another part of a 2km circle - getting over into Fairy Hills and the pocket of streets on the river/creek side of the Boulevard (home to what I suspect is some pretty expensive real estate). Came back round the far side of Ivanhoe Grammar and through the Ivanhoe shops. All this made for a hillier run than I've been used to of late, and for the first half it was working reasonably well, but progressively tired later on (perhaps a product of the aforementioned hills) and didn't end up using the full allotted hour. Still, an improvement on the equivalents of the last couple of weeks.
Felt a bit of hamstring soreness when I got up this morning, but not an issue on the run.
Felt a bit of hamstring soreness when I got up this morning, but not an issue on the run.
Saturday Aug 15, 2020 #
12 PM
Run ((orienteering)) 50:00 [3] *** 7.3 km (6:51 / km)
spiked:11/12c
Trying to do something original becomes increasingly challenging. This time I decided to do the even-numbered controls from one of the 2017 relay courses, which at least sets up a different set of legs (and even a split control I hadn't been to on previous runs this year). In truth, the navigation isn't usually the point of this (although I managed to lose concentration on the east side enough to run one track too far), it's a chance to do route choice problems and get into something resembling terrain, at least a bit. Felt a bit better than the last couple of weeks, and even managed to run up the stairs when that was the optimal route.
About the outer limits of new experience at the moment was going to the supermarket 2km ENE rather than the one 2km WNW.
About the outer limits of new experience at the moment was going to the supermarket 2km ENE rather than the one 2km WNW.
Friday Aug 14, 2020 #
8 AM
Cycling 59:00 [3] 21.0 km (2:49 / km)
Yarra Boulevard. Didn't feel especially awake this morning but thought I'd better head out early, in expectation (which was realised) of rain around lunchtime. Didn't feel very awake on the ride either, and definitely struggled on the climbs, especially compared with the equivalent ride last week. Skipped the bit with the magpie though I don't think that route option would have fitted within the allotted hour anyway.
The Canberra media used to take some pleasure in reporting it whenever anyone was charged with public urination in Weedon Close (a Belconnen street which played host to a few late-night drinking establishments). I was thinking about that this afternoon with the news that someone in Sydney had been charged with spitting in Spit Road.
The Canberra media used to take some pleasure in reporting it whenever anyone was charged with public urination in Weedon Close (a Belconnen street which played host to a few late-night drinking establishments). I was thinking about that this afternoon with the news that someone in Sydney had been charged with spitting in Spit Road.
Thursday Aug 13, 2020 #
8 AM
Run 45:00 [3] 7.5 km (6:00 / km)
Headed out after another early morning meeting (5-6.30 this time) with thoughts of doing something a bit longer than I've typically done midweek, but it was soon apparent that this one was going to be hard work. This was hidden for a while by the predominantly downhill early bit through Yarra Bend park but became quite a struggle once it came to going uphill again on the Clifton Hill side. At times I thought I might have to pull up early but did make it home.
There are a couple of streets on the extreme northeast edge of Clifton Hill that fit within a 2km circle, so have cleared that part of the zone.
There are a couple of streets on the extreme northeast edge of Clifton Hill that fit within a 2km circle, so have cleared that part of the zone.
Wednesday Aug 12, 2020 #
8 AM
Cycling 59:30 [3] 21.0 km (2:50 / km)
Something new today within current constraints, heading out initially east to the Eaglemont Flats bridge, then up through Eaglemont and Heidelberg Heights before returning south. Found the climbing hard work and perhaps not at my best after an early-morning meeting (first of two in successive days), but worked out OK in the end.
Seeing the electronic 40 km/h school zone signs out when there are (virtually) no students was slightly incongruous, although not as incongruous as seeing a lollipop person at a crossing on Monday's ride (perhaps not surprisingly, they looked half-asleep).
And there was a minor miracle of the modern era when a truck was behind me on Oriel Road and waited until I had room to move to the left side of the bike lane before trying to get past.
Seeing the electronic 40 km/h school zone signs out when there are (virtually) no students was slightly incongruous, although not as incongruous as seeing a lollipop person at a crossing on Monday's ride (perhaps not surprisingly, they looked half-asleep).
And there was a minor miracle of the modern era when a truck was behind me on Oriel Road and waited until I had room to move to the left side of the bike lane before trying to get past.
Tuesday Aug 11, 2020 #
1 PM
Run intervals 12:00 [4] 2.0 km (6:00 / km)
Absolutely borderline today (perhaps something to do with sitting through four different meetings this morning, two of which were useful, one semi-useful and one a complete waste of time). Might not have tried to push through this on another day - or if there was a plan B available - but comforted by the fact that with this session, if I can get through the warm-up I can usually get through the reps. Still kept this to a minimum viable session, and was slowing down on the last one.
Run warm up/down 25:00 [3] 4.0 km (6:15 / km)
Warm-up and down. Really struggling on the way back.
Monday Aug 10, 2020 #
8 AM
Cycling 57:00 [3] 20.3 km (2:48 / km)
Unsurprisingly Pilates was a stage 4 casualty (I was surprised it lasted this long) so this morning it was just a ride. Felt very sleepy this morning (probably a product of taking a long time to get to sleep last night) and struggled to get going on the ride - only felt properly going in the last 15 minutes. By then I was on flatter ground, having started out on such parts of the Heidelberg climb as are still legal (I can get as far as Southern Road) - spotting in the process a crane in the middle of my old street - before heading out further west (on a day when I'm feeling better than today I might cut back to Ivanhoe and do part of the climb again). Nice morning to be out albeit a little chilly; roads very quiet, which isn't a surprise but still feels strange.
Suspect sleepiness might be a bit of a feature of this week, although this week it's mostly early-morning meetings rather than late-night ones. (Switching on Friday afternoon from IOF Foot Commission (5-7) to IPCC (7-8.30) is going to require a bit of mental gymnastics).
Suspect sleepiness might be a bit of a feature of this week, although this week it's mostly early-morning meetings rather than late-night ones. (Switching on Friday afternoon from IOF Foot Commission (5-7) to IPCC (7-8.30) is going to require a bit of mental gymnastics).
Sunday Aug 9, 2020 #
11 AM
Run 42:00 [3] 7.3 km (5:45 / km)
Not quite as much of a failure as last Sunday but not what I'd hoped to do either - back/hips struggled on any sort of incline, on a route which had a few more of them (albeit small) than the flatlands of Fairfield. At least managed to battle it out for further than last time, and cleared a few bits of the bottom of the Willsmere area (a corner I haven't been into for years) that fall just within a 2km radius. (I assume the court that's mapped by Melway and Google but is actually gated doesn't count).
Saturday Aug 8, 2020 #
11 AM
Run 53:00 [3] *** 7.6 km (6:58 / km) +140m 6:23 / km
spiked:22/23c
The now-traditional Saturday excursion to Darebin. A less physical course than last time, partly because overnight rain meant there was only one usable creek crossing (and also made the steeper bits of the western slope places you really didn't want to be). Stayed out for a bit longer than recent weeks in the name of using most of the available hour. Body seemed to be functioning more or less reasonably, although back was tight for a bit after I finished.
Friday Aug 7, 2020 #
1 PM
Cycling 59:00 [3] 22.0 km (2:41 / km)
Plans to head out in the morning disappeared when I woke to news of -14.2 at Liawenee (a Tasmanian record, requiring me to jump straight online to verify it and put background material together). Instead I headed out at lunchtime - it was less cold too - for my first Yarra Boulevard session for a while, finding it free both of tacks and overzealous law enforcers. Handled it pretty well too (possibly it helped that I'd oiled my chain for the first time in too long). Extended out to the Darebin Bridge to make it up to (almost) the hour's quota, which was OK for the most part, at least until I got an unwanted reminder that spring is almost here in the form of the first magpie attack of the season. (It was a block away from a nasty one last year; wonder if it's the same bird?).
The only illegality I saw was someone using the parkland southeast of the Chandler Highway bridge as a golf driving range, something which I'm pretty sure is illegal whether there's a pandemic on or not.
The only illegality I saw was someone using the parkland southeast of the Chandler Highway bridge as a golf driving range, something which I'm pretty sure is illegal whether there's a pandemic on or not.
Thursday Aug 6, 2020 #
1 PM
Run intervals 16:00 [4] 2.6 km (6:09 / km)
Lunchtime intervals. Did an extra pair compared to recent sessions and also a couple of seconds faster (including going under 60 on downhill reps for the first time in a while), so pretty happy with this. Starting to go a bit lactic on the last couple but back held up OK. Park noticeably quieter than in recent weeks (both with respect to two-legged and four-legged creatures).
Run 24:00 [3] 4.0 km (6:00 / km)
Warm-up and down. Didn't feel as if I had a lot left afterwards which at least (probably) indicates that I'd been trying.
Wednesday Aug 5, 2020 #
Note
(rest day)
The new world of not being able to make a second attempt on anything else after a false start on the run (back was just a bit too tight to be runnable). Starting to think that during this period perhaps I should be a bit more conservative and not try to run consecutive days midweek.
A rather depressing day all round in Melbourne, although it would have been worse in Beirut. (Trying to pin down just how extraordinary the snow in Launceston was - most significant since 1921 seems to be the answer - provided something of a distraction).
A rather depressing day all round in Melbourne, although it would have been worse in Beirut. (Trying to pin down just how extraordinary the snow in Launceston was - most significant since 1921 seems to be the answer - provided something of a distraction).
Tuesday Aug 4, 2020 #
8 AM
Run 40:00 [3] 7.0 km (5:43 / km)
My running life over the last couple of years has been one of never quite knowing before I start whether it's going to work or not, which means more than a few false starts and sudden changes of plan. This becomes more of an issue when (officially) you only have one shot at it each day, but today it wasn't a problem - felt a bit iffy before and at the start, and I won't call this a spectacular run, but it worked out more or less OK and was at its best in the last 10 minutes. Also had the best of the day's weather - on a classic cold outbreak day, the first hour after sunrise is often the nicest.
If I get all of Northcote done while we're under current constraints we really will have a problem, but this was a start, with a few loop-the-loops and zigzags in the vague general vicinity of Westgarth station.
A name I didn't particularly want to see again was that of Shane Charters, aka "Dr Ageless", the supplier of the drugs in the Essendon scandal. He's now trying to pass off the drugs he was supplying to Stephen Dank as Covid treatments. The Theraputic Goods Administration was not impressed and has fined him a hefty sum.
If I get all of Northcote done while we're under current constraints we really will have a problem, but this was a start, with a few loop-the-loops and zigzags in the vague general vicinity of Westgarth station.
A name I didn't particularly want to see again was that of Shane Charters, aka "Dr Ageless", the supplier of the drugs in the Essendon scandal. He's now trying to pass off the drugs he was supplying to Stephen Dank as Covid treatments. The Theraputic Goods Administration was not impressed and has fined him a hefty sum.
Monday Aug 3, 2020 #
7 AM
Pilates 40:00 [3]
Still going for now, although it was just me this morning. Felt a bit stiff (not so unusual for a Monday morning) but got into the exercises OK, including a couple which were a step up from what I've done previously.
8 AM
Cycling 42:00 [3] 15.0 km (2:48 / km)
And made good use of the trip by riding home on a somewhat indirect route. Took a while to get going but eventually did. Although it wasn't excessively crowded, the Merri Creek trail is not a place for going fast - lots of turns and some short sharp ramps up and over bridges (speaking of which, a very impressive new footbridge is being built close to CERES).
(Also rode there but won't count that - only 10 minutes worth, though it did provide my bike lights with possibly the only use they'll get this year; by next week it should be light enough to 7 to ride without them, and I don't expect to be back in the office before daylight saving starts).
(Also rode there but won't count that - only 10 minutes worth, though it did provide my bike lights with possibly the only use they'll get this year; by next week it should be light enough to 7 to ride without them, and I don't expect to be back in the office before daylight saving starts).
Sunday Aug 2, 2020 #
11 AM
Run 25:00 [3] 4.1 km (6:06 / km)
Was hoping for something long today (as it turned out, the last opportunity to do something long legally for a while), but was a bit apprehensive the way I was feeling at the end yesterday, as so it proved - it wasn't totally horrible but the back was a real struggle, and eventually I decided there wasn't a lot to be gained by pressing on further. It's a while since I've had a failed Sunday run so this was a bit disappointing.
3 PM
Cycling 45:00 [3] 16.6 km (2:43 / km)
The second bite at the cherry (something which won't be possible in theory as of tomorrow, although I suspect it's probably within the letter of the law if you switch straight away from the run to the bike?). The route was also partly one which won't be legally possible as of tomorrow, although not by much (and the most significant part of it, the climb up through Ivanhoe, is well within range). The ride didn't feel brilliant - I suspect some of that was above the shoulders - but the pace was reasonable, and the wind didn't cause too many issues.
Now for the next few weeks, wondering what the endgame is - European countries have largely opened up at the per-capita equivalent of a few tens of cases a day, which seems a reasonable guess of where we might be in six weeks, but I suspect Victoria will be too risk-averse to do that, having been burnt once. A 5km radius won't be an issue for me for running - getting to that and back would be a challenge at my present level - but will require some modification to cycling routes; the Boulevard is all within that distance but, as I've suggested before, is likely to be policed in a way that more obscure locations aren't.
Now for the next few weeks, wondering what the endgame is - European countries have largely opened up at the per-capita equivalent of a few tens of cases a day, which seems a reasonable guess of where we might be in six weeks, but I suspect Victoria will be too risk-averse to do that, having been burnt once. A 5km radius won't be an issue for me for running - getting to that and back would be a challenge at my present level - but will require some modification to cycling routes; the Boulevard is all within that distance but, as I've suggested before, is likely to be policed in a way that more obscure locations aren't.
Saturday Aug 1, 2020 #
11 AM
Run ((orienteering)) 52:00 [3] *** 7.0 km (7:26 / km) +140m 6:45 / km
spiked:19/21c
Saturdays are becoming fairly predictable at the moment. Get up, go to the shops, read the paper, remember to water the plants (Mum will be pleased), see if there's been an early leak of the latest numbers (on Saturdays they're usually down for reasons which are not immediately obvious to me), and then head out sometime after 10.30 - a bit later this week because I was sorting out some problems early with a Windows update which went wrong - in the direction of Darebin Parklands.
This week was a tougher course - one from the 2017 relays - and I didn't feel as sharp as last week; the map was newer but some of the rocks seem to have overgrown (or were maybe not really there in the first place). Found one really steep slope where I was glad I was going up (going down would be good training for certain Swiss areas, especially in the wet, which today wasn't). Back tightened up at the end and post-run but was OK later in the day.
This week was a tougher course - one from the 2017 relays - and I didn't feel as sharp as last week; the map was newer but some of the rocks seem to have overgrown (or were maybe not really there in the first place). Found one really steep slope where I was glad I was going up (going down would be good training for certain Swiss areas, especially in the wet, which today wasn't). Back tightened up at the end and post-run but was OK later in the day.