Training Log Archive: blairtrewin

In the last few years quite a bit of OA Conference business has been done on the Sunday morning long run, but with others on the injured list I was on my own away for an early-morning jaunt, starting out around the south side of the lake as far as Kings Avenue, then up to Bruce Ridge and Gossan Hill. Didn't feel brilliant early on, but kept plugging away and kept going for a pretty solid effort (being 15 degrees cooler than Friday helped). Didn't feel as if I had a lot left at the end but then I rarely do on the long ones (and this was the longest I've done since February). The end of a big week.

In the terrain on Black Mountain - good to take the opportunity of being in Canberra to get out into the bush. Still a bit weak on the hills but nothing compared with yesterday. Pulled up with a bit of soreness after yesterday in the left hip/upper leg (a bit lower down than the area which was troubling me in August/September) - a few twinges today but nothing to worry about too much.

The annual OA Conference race. I thought it might be a formidable field this year with the array of talent on this year's Board, but they're all either injured or were otherwise engaged at Glenn's wedding. Ran this pretty solidly (including the first big climb), a wobble early on one leg but otherwise pretty good (mind you, I know Black Mountain pretty well). Took a couple of direct routes I probably wouldn't have done in a more serious race.

C • Ben rhymes with Glenn 3

My first warm-weather long run for the season and I didn't exactly come through with flying colours, struggling badly in the last 30 minutes as the temperature appeared to rise by a degree per kilometre (ended up being 29 by the end). Not bad for the first half, although Green Hills is not the pleasant running country it used to be (and there's absolutely no shade, a big difference from most Melbourne runs). Had originally been planning to come back around the eastern side of Black Mountain and over the saddle but that would have taken it out to 2.15 or so, which was longer than I wanted (and, as it turned out, perhaps longer than I could have handled).

Heaps of kangaroos on the western side of Black Mountain, even by normal standards.

A run which fluctuated from high points to low, some terrific bits but also some rather weak stretches, especially on some of the hills. Actually felt some moisture at one point.

As intense a street-O as I've done in a long time. There wasn't a lot of route choice and someone jumped out of the start, which got us all chasing. Ended up with a pack of three - myself, Adam Scammell (not a surprise) and Bryan Ackerly (a surprise). I kept expecting Bryan to crack but he never did, and in the end I was the one who cracked, dropping away at about the 40-minute mark. A couple of controls later and 50 metres down, I decided to take a risk on a route choice (just about the only one on the course) - had nothing to lose except an extension of the margin, which was exactly what happened.

It was disappointing to fall away at the end, but this was a big day - starting to wind up the volume significantly, and I guess it wasn't surprising not to be able to go the distance.

Definitely not too upset that my colleagues screwed up - a few days back the forecast for today was 38, but it ended up being half that. There's some seriously hot air to our north - 47 in Birdsville today and plenty of 45s and 46s in SA. Glad it's there and not here.

C • ? 5

Nothing special, not attacking the sprints as much as I should have been but felt reasonable. Fastest loop 9.15.

MFR Monday run, around some of the rougher tracks on the Yarra with Dion, Tash and Nicola. A bit faster than usual for a Monday night. A little stiff early on but pretty good in the second half. A bit of a twinge in the front of the right ankle towards the end - hope this doesn't turn into anything.